The Burden Lifted

At half past six in the evening.

When Lin Ye pushed open the front door, the rich aroma of food rushed out to meet him.

He froze for a moment in the entryway. At this hour, his mother was usually the only one home, busy in the kitchen, while his father wasn't supposed to get off work until half past seven. But today, not only were his father's work shoes, still stained with machine oil, neatly placed beside the shoe cabinet, the dining table in the living room was also laden with food. A glance showed his favorite braised pork and steamed fish, garlic broccoli, and even a pot of slow-simmered soup that his mother rarely made.

"Xiaoye, you're home?"

At the sound of the door, his mother, Wang Xiulan, peeked out of the kitchen in her apron, smiling. "Go wash your hands. Dinner's almost ready."

Lin Ye changed his shoes and walked into the cramped living room. His father, Lin Jianguo, sat beside the dining table. In front of him stood a bottle of baijiu he usually couldn't bring himself to drink and two small cups. He wore a faded work uniform, his hair neatly combed, and was reading messages in a group chat projected from his Smart Wristwatch. He couldn't stop smiling.

"Dad, you're home early today."

At that, Lin Jianguo looked up. A faint smile appeared on the face lined by years of toil. "Yeah, there wasn't much work at the factory today, so I came home early."

His gaze lingered on Lin Ye for a moment, pride showing in his eyes. "Go wash up. You're covered in sweat."

In the bathroom, Lin Ye splashed cold water on his face. He raised his head and looked at the boy in the mirror. After more than a month of honing himself, his handsome features had grown more resolute. His eyes were sharper than they'd been three months ago, and his shoulders had broadened too.

Suddenly, he remembered what Teacher Zheng had said during lunch break: "The Key Cultivation Program has been officially approved. It starts tomorrow, Lin Ye. Don't let this opportunity go to waste."

Don't let this opportunity go to waste?

Lin Ye murmured, looking at the mirror.

The boy in the mirror responded with a sunny smile.

When he returned to the table, his mother had already served three bowls of rice. The fat on the braised pork glistened invitingly in the light, green scallion strips lay across the fish, and steam rose from the soup.

Looking at the feast, Lin Ye estimated how much it had cost. It might have been as much as the family usually spent on groceries in two or three days.

Then the family of three took their seats.

As soon as they sat down, his mother served Lin Ye the biggest piece of braised pork, then gave one to her husband, and only afterward put some vegetables and fish on her own plate.

The atmosphere at the table suddenly grew heavy.

Father and son were much alike in temperament. Neither was talkative, so they simply ate in silence with their heads bowed. Meanwhile, his mother, Wang Xiulan, kept piling food into Lin Ye's bowl until it looked like a little mountain. "Eat more, Xiaoye. Martial arts training takes a lot out of you. Don't worry about the food."

Lin Ye lowered his head and ate. He could feel how warm the atmosphere was today, and had a few suspicions of his own. But he thought it might be better to bring it up himself.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and was about to speak.

"Xiaoye."

His father, Lin Jianguo, spoke first. He set down his chopsticks and picked up the bottle, pouring a little into his own cup. He hesitated, then poured a shallow measure into Lin Ye's empty cup too. "Your homeroom teacher, Teacher Chen, posted the results of this district-wide mock exam in the parents' group this afternoon."

Lin Jianguo's voice was quiet, roughened by years of talking over the clamor of a workshop. "I saw them. Very good. Seven hundred and twenty-five points, seventh in your class, forty-eighth in your grade."

Lin Ye looked up. His father lifted his cup but didn't drink, only gazed at the clear liquid. "Three months ago, you got 514 on your first mock exam. You were twenty-fourth in your class, and somewhere past one hundredth in your grade."

His mother gave a soft "Ah" from beside him. She'd clearly forgotten exactly what Lin Ye's grades had been a few months earlier.

"Your mom and I never went to a comprehensive high school. We don't understand all the ins and outs," Lin Jianguo continued slowly. "But we both know that going from 514 to 725, from twenty-fourth to seventh, doesn't happen by luck. It takes hard work."

He paused, then finally took a sip. The sharp baijiu made him squint slightly.

"Your mom woke up from a dream the other night. She said she dreamed you were practicing your punches on the balcony again." His voice lowered further. "At three in the morning."

Wang Xiulan's eyes reddened at once. She hurriedly lowered her head and shoveled rice into her mouth, not wanting her husband or son to see.

"Don't worry about the Nutrient Agents."

Lin Jianguo looked at his son, his eyes holding something Lin Ye rarely saw—not weariness, not helplessness, but a near-stubborn resolve. "I've already talked to management. Starting next month, I'll take on another shift. You just focus on your training. If you need money, tell me."

He spoke slowly but firmly, each word seeming to leap out from his chest. Lin Ye knew what taking on another shift meant. He wasn't an ordinary high schooler who'd never seen the world. Even as a little boy, he'd seen his father laboring at the factory, and he knew a little about factory work in this era.

Taking on another shift meant his father would have to work four extra hours every day. Some weekends, he wouldn't get to rest either. He'd have to stand in front of those roaring machine tools, repeating monotonous, exhausting tasks.

At the very least, Lin Ye thought that was how his father's back injury had been caused.

Lin Ye suddenly felt his throat tighten. He opened his mouth, but the words he'd prepared caught in his throat and wouldn't come out.

Silence settled over the table again. His mother put a piece of fish in his bowl and said softly, "Eat more. Training takes a lot out of you..."

A moment later, Lin Ye took a deep breath and set down his chopsticks.

"Mom, Dad, there's something I need to tell you." His voice was steadier than he'd expected. "The school announced the students selected for the Key Cultivation Program today. I made the list."

Then he briefly explained what the school's Key Cultivation Program was.

Clatter!!!

The chopsticks fell from Wang Xiulan's hand and hit the floor.

"Th-the Key Cultivation Program?"

She repeated the words, eyes wide. "Is it the kind they talk about on TV...the one the school gives to its best students?"

"Not exactly." Lin Ye nodded, then shook his head with a wry smile.

"The best students at school probably wouldn't be interested."

He knew his parents didn't understand much about this, so he simply explained the resources the school would provide. "Anyway, starting tomorrow, the school will give me one F-Grade Nutrient each day, two Gravity Chamber sessions a week, one Medicinal Bath, free meals from the premium menu, and access to D-Grade Martial Arts."

He rattled it all off in one breath. The dining table fell frighteningly silent.

Wang Xiulan sat stunned for a few seconds. Then she seemed to light up, a smile so radiant it was almost exaggerated blooming across her face. "That's wonderful, wonderful!!! I knew it, I knew our Xiaoye would make something of himself."

She was at a loss for words. She stood up, then sat down again, reaching for her husband's arm. "Jianguo, did you hear? The school's providing it all! We won't have to pay a cent!!!"

As she spoke, tears slipped down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away with her sleeve. "That's wonderful...truly wonderful..."

Looking at his mother, Lin Ye felt a pang of sadness. He knew what she'd been worrying about.

He'd seen his mother work out the numbers in private many times. A box of the cheapest F-Grade Nutrient Agent cost 3,000 yuan, and his food expenses came to another 2,000 a month. His mother's and Lin Jianguo's wages combined, after the mortgage, living expenses, and money sent to their elders, left them with less than 2,000.

At that rate, supporting his monthly expenses of 5,000—no, more than 5,000, since a box of F-Grade Nutrient Agent wouldn't last a month—was an enormous burden.

It was a crushing expense for her. Every month, she had to scrimp and save. It might seem like they only had to keep it up for three months, but the growing financial strain had kept her from sleeping well night after night.

But now, that heaviest burden had suddenly been lifted.

Lin Ye turned to see how his father was taking the news, then froze. Lin Jianguo's expression was strange.

It wasn't joy. Not entirely, at least.

Lin Jianguo sat there, still holding his cup of wine. His arm trembled slightly, and he seemed frozen in place. He stared at Lin Ye without blinking, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something but couldn't make a sound.

His expression was extraordinarily complicated. There was surprise, relief, pride...but deep down, there was an emotion Lin Ye couldn't understand. It was like the bewilderment that came when something held taut for a long time suddenly slackened. Or like preparing to charge into battle, only to find the fighting over and the battlefield already cleared.

"Jianguo?"

His mother noticed something was wrong and nudged her husband.

Lin Jianguo came back to himself. He set down his cup, his hand unsteady. The base tapped the table with a clear clink. Then he lowered his head, picked up his chopsticks, and stuffed a large mouthful of rice into his mouth, chewing for a long time.

"Dad?"

Lin Ye asked softly, confused.

Hearing his son call him, Lin Jianguo hurriedly swallowed the rice and raised his head. He managed to force a smile, but Lin Ye felt it looked awkward, as if his muscles weren't used to making that expression. "Good...that's good."

He spoke in a somewhat hoarse voice. "The school choosing you means all that training has paid off."

"Well done!"

After saying that, he raised his cup. His hand was still trembling slightly. He tipped back the drink he hadn't finished and downed it in one go, then ate one mouthful after another. He occasionally picked up some food, but no longer looked at his son, Lin Ye.

And so dinner ended in a rather strange atmosphere.

His mother was so happy that she insisted Lin Ye not help with the dishes, ushering him back to his room to rest. His father, Lin Jianguo, went out to the balcony for some air.