Wu Xiulan's face bloomed into a smile, looking very happy.
In the past, when her son came back, the most he would say was that he was tired of wontons, and she would have to make something else.
Today, for the first time, he actually asked for wontons.
“Hurry and sit down and rest, Mom will make them for you in a bit.” She called back, then immediately got busy.
Xu Ming sat in the spot closest to the stove, his gaze always fixed on his parents. He felt incredibly peaceful and warm inside. If the current situation wasn't so unsuitable, he would have already gone over to give them both a hug.
The family's wonton shop was on the same street as Dongping No. 3 High School, so students often came over.
Unlike No. 1 High School, which focused mainly on academics, No. 3 High School paid more attention to student image.
Besides having to wear a uniform, their hair also had to be cut short.
So, students from No. 3 High School were the easiest to recognize.
For the rest of the time, Xu Ming didn't idly stand by. After the customers in the shop finished eating and left, he proactively got up to clear the dishes.
“Just put them on the table, Mom can wash them. Don't get your clothes dirty.” Wu Xiulan put down the wontons, took the items from her son’s hand, and said, “Hurry and eat this bowl of wontons first.”
“Oh.” Xu Ming nodded obediently.
Then he sat back down, picked up the spoon beside him, scooped up a wonton, blew on it, and put it into his mouth to chew.
The familiar taste exploded on his tongue, stirring up a strong emotion.
As a mother, Wu Xiulan was very perceptive to her son’s subtle changes.
She could feel that something was off.
Taking the opportunity to bring over the spicy dried tofu, she quietly asked a couple of questions.
“If something’s bothering you, don’t keep it to yourself. Just tell us. Your father and I may not be highly educated, but we are both very open-minded.”
“Were you bullied by classmates at school?” Xu Jianguo also walked over, his expression serious.
Xu Ming forced a smile and said, “I’m fine.”
Hearing his son’s reply, Xu Jianguo looked carefully for a few more moments, then his tone suddenly softened.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If it doesn’t work out, you can repeat a year.”
He thought of the third-year students who came to eat at the shop and knew how stressed high school exam candidates were at this time, so he would naturally pay even more attention to his own child.
“Your father is right, taking care of your health is the most important thing.” His mother, Wu Xiulan, chimed in, echoing his words.
Xu Ming listened to all of his parents' concerns and was very touched; his nose felt a little sore.
But he also clearly understood the expectations parents had for their children.
Who wouldn't want to see their child get into a good university and bring honor to the family in the future?
With that thought, he proactively spoke up to continue, dispelling his parents' worries.
“You can rest assured, not only am I fine, but my grades have also improved during this time.”
“I definitely won’t be repeating a year.”
“That’s good.” Xu Jianguo and Wu Xiulan breathed a sigh of relief.
They couldn't guarantee anything else, but at least for so many years, their son had always told the truth and never exaggerated.
Looking at his parents walking inside, Xu Ming’s lips curved upwards, revealing a heartfelt smile, thinking that he would definitely give them a surprise with the college entrance exam.
After finishing a bowl of wontons and two slices of dried tofu, Xu Ming, who had intended to stay and help out in the shop, was forcibly sent back to the rented room next door by his parents, who told him to hurry and shower and change his clothes.
...
In the simply whitewashed room, Xu Ming came out after showering, and his thoughts drifted to his previous life because of the surroundings.
In his last life, his parents' biggest wish was to buy a house in the county.
Unfortunately, first, he went to a third-tier university, and the tuition was quite expensive. After graduation, he failed at starting a business and was tight on funds, which led to them never buying the house. This was no small regret for his parents.
Now that he had a second chance at life, he had to make it happen as soon as possible.
He considered himself to have no talent for business, and without initial capital, it would be difficult to seize the opportunities of the times.
In this situation, to earn money in a short period, he could only focus on the upcoming college entrance exam.
Thinking of this, Xu Ming’s eyes lit up.
“I wonder how much prize money the school and the county will give if I become the top scorer?”
He muttered to himself, already calculating the specific amount.
After all, knowledge was wealth. Before entering university, it would be perfect to get a sum of money to buy a house.
Suddenly, he had an extra burst of motivation. He no longer lingered at home, packed the clothes he needed to wear, and prepared to return to school to continue studying. After all, although he now had considerable confidence in Mathematics, his other subjects were still dismal.
It's worth mentioning that as he came down from the rental house, he instinctively stopped when he passed a certain shop.
He looked up and saw four large red characters jump into his eyes.
Xinhua Bookstore.
“Would studying textbooks be more efficient…?” He pondered, hesitating in his mind.
Compared to textbooks, the teaching materials compiled by some famous key high school teachers often had more precise knowledge points.
They could help students quickly memorize and understand.
Thinking that it might increase the speed of gaining subject experience, Xu Ming finally stepped inside.
As the most comprehensive source of books in Dongping County, Xinhua Bookstore, to some extent, replaced the library, and quiet readers could be seen everywhere inside.
Xu Ming quickly found the high school section of the bookshelf, his gaze scanning like a radar.
Suddenly.
A familiar name entered his field of vision.
“This is…”
He immediately reached out and pulled it out, exclaiming, “Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Mock Tests!”
This book, later revered as a score-boosting artifact by third-year high school students, had only been released for about two or three years at the time and had not yet become widespread in high schools across the country. If not for a special place like Xinhua Bookstore, it probably wouldn't even be seen in small counties.
However, despite being mentally prepared, when he glimpsed the price, he couldn't help but frown.
Mathematics 45 yuan.
He couldn't help but sigh, “No wonder I haven’t seen it in school.”
Such an expensive textbook was indeed difficult for most students in county high schools to afford.
After consideration, Xu Ming spent 40 yuan and only bought a slightly cheaper physics book.
He returned to school and entered the classroom.
The clock above the blackboard on the back wall showed it was not yet three o'clock, and no other classmates were in the room. Clearly, everyone had not yet returned from outside.
Xu Ming, however, enjoyed the quiet. He sat in his seat, took out the 'Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Mock Tests' physics book he had just bought, and began to review the knowledge points and important theorems from the beginning.
Particle.
Displacement.
Free fall motion.
Friction.
He could clearly feel that memorizing and mastering the relevant physics formulas was very easy.
This invisibly boosted Xu Ming's study efficiency considerably.
Just like that.
As time passed minute by minute, and the number of classmates in the room gradually increased, the experience value for the physics subject on his panel also steadily and rapidly rose.
【After diligent study, your 【physics】 level has improved, gaining 7 experience points.】
【After…】
…