Chapter 377 - 390: Score
Shili Gou of Sanhe Town first became famous among the country’s top universities in a very peculiar way.
While the president of Beijing University was on his way there in person, other schools had also intercepted the information of the top 100 exam takers.
Among them, the information for An Ning, Zhou Xiaoshan, and Jiang Xia appeared before the major universities with startling consistency.
The admissions office of every top university was asking the same question.
"The top three are all from the same place?"
"Not just the top three. The fifteenth, twentieth, and twenty-seventh ranked students are also from the same place."
"Sanhe Town, Shili Gou?"
"All of them have this address? Have the exam papers been verified?"
"They’ve been checked. Everything matches up."
Spurred by these questions, the major universities were moved to action. They made the same decision as Beijing University’s president: to go there in person.
As the admissions officers from all the top universities were rushing to Shili Gou, An Ning was watching a TV drama with Lin Cuihua.
The two of them sat on the sofa, completely engrossed, their attention rising and falling with the twists and turns of the plot.
"AHHH—OOH—HSSS—"
During the most exciting parts of the show, they looked like they wanted to set off a couple of firecrackers to celebrate.
When the ending theme began to play, they were still reluctant to change the channel. They exchanged a look, still wanting more, and said in unison, "We’ll have to wait for tomorrow."
The mother and daughter washed up and got ready for bed. Before closing the door, Lin Cuihua asked, "When are your college entrance exam scores supposed to be out?"
"Soon, I think. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely get into Beijing University."
"You talk like you own the place, saying you’ll get in just like that. Let me tell you, don’t go around saying things like that outside. You’ll make people jealous."
"I know, Mom."
An Ning wouldn’t go around bragging anyway. In fact, if Lin Cuihua hadn’t been nagging her about it every day, she wouldn’t have even had time to think about her exam scores.
The next morning, An Ning woke up early as usual. However, she was feeling a bit drained from binge-watching the show the last couple of days. When she went to sleep, she even dreamed about the plot.
So that morning, she really didn’t have much energy.
When she arrived at her workplace, she happened to run into Director Hu, who was also an early riser. She gave him a listless greeting, followed by a huge yawn.
"You must be tired. You’ve been getting up early and coming home late these days. I heard from Wei Hong that the light in your room is on until late at night."
"Huh? Yeah, a little late."
An Ning smiled a bit awkwardly and managed to brush it off with her ever-thickening skin. ’Could I really tell him I’ve been watching TV dramas every day?’
’I’d better not ruin the good image I’ve built for myself.’
An Ning turned and got back to work, explaining her design to the technicians around her and giving a hands-on demonstration.
Director Hu stood by her side the whole time. But after a short while, Assistant Wang came to find him, telling him he had a phone call.
Director Hu didn’t disturb An Ning. He quietly hurried back to his office and answered the phone.
"Yes, yes, yes, I’ll tell her. I know, I will personally make sure of it. Should I have her call you back herself?"
"Okay, everything is fine. We are doing our utmost to meet Comrade An Ning’s needs."
"Yes, I will definitely complete the mission."
Director Hu hung up the phone, sat down in his chair, and let out a long sigh.
"Sigh... what temple do you have to burn incense at to be blessed with a daughter like that!"
He was truly envious.
An Ning’s intelligence went without saying. What Director Hu truly envied was her attitude toward her family, unlike his own rebellious son, who he could beat eight times a day and still not feel satisfied.
After sighing with emotion for a moment, Director Hu left his office and went back to the factory floor.
However, An Ning was still busy. He waited patiently for a break in her work, not wanting to interrupt the progress of their discussion.
When An Ning finally stopped to take a sip of water, Director Hu stepped forward, a wide grin spreading uncontrollably across his face. "I have great news!" he said to An Ning.
"Did the materials I need arrive?"
Director Hu’s grin faltered slightly as he shook his head. "No."
"Oh... did the equipment I need arrive then?"
"No."
Director Hu shook his head again. Seeing that An Ning was about to ask another question, he quickly stopped her. "Please, stop asking and just let me tell you, will you?"
"Alright."
An Ning screwed the cap back on her water bottle and waited for Director Hu to speak.
"Your college entrance exam results are out. You got a perfect score on the national exam. First place."
"Oh. Is there anything else?"
An Ning’s composure completely unsettled Director Hu, who, despite having no personal stake in the matter, was anything but composed.
"Wait, first place in the entire country! Aren’t you excited?"
An Ning’s lips moved slightly. She pointed at the machinery behind her and asked, "Does anyone else know how to do this?"
Director Hu shook his head.
An Ning turned back, saying matter-of-factly, "So it’s not that surprising that I got first place, is it?"
Director Hu was completely won over by An Ning’s train of thought. He nodded in agreement. "I guess so, first place isn’t... wait, you almost tricked me."
"An Ning, it’s fine to be confident in yourself, but your family needs this. The public needs this. Are you going to college just for yourself?"
Director Hu’s words were like a wake-up call, reminding An Ning of her original purpose.
"You’re right. I’ll go back and tell my mom right now, and then I’ll make a call home."
"Hold on—"
Director Hu caught up to her again. "Just tell your mom. Someone will be going to your hometown. By the way, do you need to go back for a visit?"
From Director Hu, An Ning learned about a certain practice among the top universities—they had to compete to recruit students.
"I don’t need to go home. They just need to follow the preferences I listed on my application."
An Ning first called Director Zhao to confirm her university preference.
It had been Director Zhao who called Director Hu; An Ning’s scores had always been a matter of concern for him.
Having received An Ning’s confirmation, Director Zhao knew what to do. He told An Ning that if she held a celebration banquet for getting into university, she had to invite him.
An Ning naturally gave him an affirmative answer.
After hanging up, An Ning prepared to head back to her dorm, but then she remembered something and asked, "Director Hu, is the plot of land ready?"
"The land? Ah... yes, it’s ready, it’s ready. An Ning, what are you planning to research?"
Director Hu remembered An Ning asking him to clear a plot of farmland for her a few days ago.
"Researching... brains."
An Ning walked away coolly, leaving Director Hu to ponder. ’Brains... and farming?’
He really couldn’t figure it out, but that didn’t stop his blind faith in An Ning. Director Hu made a decision: he was going to make his own rebellious son go work the fields!
An Ning, having already left, had no idea that one small action of hers was about to spark a farming craze.
When she opened the door to her dorm, Lin Cuihua, who was watching TV, glanced at her and then turned back to the screen. "How come you’re back so early today? Are we going somewhere?"
Lin Cuihua picked up the remote, expertly preparing to turn off the TV.
"Mom, my scores are out."
"What?"
Lin Cuihua spun around and stared at An Ning. "The entrance exam?"
An Ning nodded.
Lin Cuihua visibly tensed up. She waved her hands at An Ning. "Don’t tell me yet, don’t tell me yet."
An Ning watched as Lin Cuihua straightened her clothes, clasped her hands together, and started pacing in circles, praying to Guanyin and Bodhisattva.
"Good scores, good scores, it must be good scores."
"Please, please, please."
An Ning didn’t stop her. She was discovering that taking the college entrance exam had another purpose: to bring glory to one’s home and pride to one’s family.
"Okay, okay, you can tell me now."
Lin Cuihua stared at An Ning without even daring to blink, waiting for her to speak.
"The full score was 640. I scored 640. A perfect score, first in the nation."
As An Ning spoke, Lin Cuihua’s mouth gradually fell open. One of her hands began to tremble in disbelief.
"Daughter, can you say that again?"
"A perfect score of 640, first in the nation."
"AHHHHH—"
Lin Cuihua went wild.