Father and son

When Chen Fan came home that afternoon, he was surprised to find his father home too.

"Dad, didn't you go to work today?"

His mother, Li Jinqiu, glanced at her husband.

"Your dad was worried about how you did on the exam. He took leave and came home early this afternoon."

Chen Fan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Was that really necessary? You could've found out after work tonight."

Chen Jianye glanced at his son.

He tried to look unconcerned, but still couldn't resist asking.

"How did you do?"

"Pretty well."

"What does 'pretty well' mean?"

Chen Jianye exchanged a nervous look with his wife, then turned back to his son.

"Weren't you supposed to estimate your score this afternoon?"

Chen Fan took off his school uniform jacket and tossed it into his bedroom.

"Yeah, I already did."

"H-how many points?"

"Can you get into a second-tier university? Even a third-tier one would do."

His parents' hearts leaped into their throats.

Chen Fan sat down beside his father, picked up a cup, poured himself some cooled boiled water, and drained it with satisfaction.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before speaking.

"My estimated score is 575."

"Oh, that score should let you apply to..."

Chen Jianye nodded, then suddenly froze.

He stared at his son in disbelief.

"H-how many points?"

Chen Fan smiled.

"575. Above the first-tier cutoff."

Whoosh!

Chen Jianye sprang to his feet. For the first time, the normally steady, composed middle-aged man lost his composure.

"575... 575 points."

"Honey, did I hear that right? Our son scored 575."

Li Jinqiu's eyes had already reddened, and she nodded vigorously.

"You heard right. He said he scored 575."

"He's above the first-tier cutoff."

"That's wonderful... wonderful."

"Haha! My son's getting into a first-tier university!"

Chen Jianye turned in two excited circles, rubbing his hands together.

"Quick! Honey, go cook a couple more dishes. No, there's no time. Go buy some prepared dishes, and get a kilo of pork head meat and a bottle of good liquor while you're at it..."

Chen Fan teased him with a smile. "Isn't that a bit much?"

"Dad, don't we still have bills to pay?"

"Enough nonsense!"

Chen Jianye glared at him, then burst out laughing.

"I'm happy today. You're having a proper drink with me tonight."

Li Jinqiu smiled too as she untied her apron.

"I'll go buy everything now."

That evening, the three of them sat around a table laden with six dishes.

It was a spread Chen Fan usually only saw at New Year.

Smiling, Chen Jianye brought out two liquor cups.

"Now that the Gaokao's over, you're an adult. Have a drink with your dad tonight."

Li Jinqiu shot her husband a look.

"You're really letting him drink?"

Chen Jianye chuckled.

"It's fine. Our son's grown up. A little won't hurt."

Chen Fan smiled as well. "Mom, Dad's happy today. I'll have a little with him."

The two men clinked cups, and Chen Jianye took a large, excited gulp.

Chen Fan only took a small sip.

"Here, have some food!"

Beside him, Li Jinqiu hurriedly placed some pig's ear in his bowl with her chopsticks.

The family spent that evening in warm, happy conversation.

His father, Chen Jianye, was especially talkative. After only two cups, his face was bright red, and he spoke far more than usual.

During dinner, Li Jinqiu asked her son which university he planned to apply to.

"Cloudsea University. International trade in the School of Economics and Management."

Chen Fan answered without hesitation.

In truth, computer science would have been the most suitable choice for him, since that had been his major in his previous life.

But to be in the same major as Su Ruochu, Chen Fan had changed his mind without a second thought.

Besides, with the experience from his previous life, he probably wouldn't learn much even if he majored in computer science.

His professors might not even know as much as he did.

"Cloudsea University? Is that in neighboring Yunhai Province?"

Li Jinqiu knew little about such things and asked out of curiosity.

"Is it famous? With your score, you should be able to study in the capital, shouldn't you?"

As a simple, honest rural woman, Li Jinqiu knew little about universities.

She just instinctively felt that only universities in the capital were truly good.

Beside her, Chen Jianye set his cup down with a clack and snorted.

"What would a country woman like you know?"

"Our son's grown up and has his own ideas. He knows more about this than we do."

Li Jinqiu glanced at her husband and said mildly, "Yes, yes, I know nothing. At least I finished high school."

At that, Chen Jianye immediately deflated.

He had only attended middle school, and hadn't even graduated.

Seeing his father's embarrassment, Chen Fan quickly explained with a smile.

"Mom, Cloudsea University is one of the country's top schools too. It's a Project 985 university, and it's very hard to get into."

"Another thing is that it's close to home, just in the next province. Whenever I miss you two, I can catch a bus back."

Chen Jianye raised his cup and took a sip, then looked earnestly at his son.

"You know more about this than either of us, so make your own decision."

"Remember, wherever you go to university, study seriously and be an upright person."

"Your mom and I don't expect you to achieve anything great in life, but you must always act with integrity. Never lose your conscience."

"As long as you hold on to your conscience, your life won't turn out too badly."

Chen Fan nodded.

"I'll remember."

Chen Jianye looked at his son. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke again.

"Study hard. Make something of yourself and get out of this little place."

"Don't end up like your dad, spending your whole life as a failure."

Chen Fan's eyes reddened.

"I understand, Dad."

"I'll definitely make something of myself."

He raised his cup, and father and son clinked drinks.

Perhaps because he had only just been reborn, Chen Fan actually got drunk that night.

By the end, he could barely remember how he had made it into bed.

When he got up early the next morning, his mother was cooking in the kitchen, while his father was weeding the vegetable garden.

"You're up?"

Li Jinqiu glanced at her son.

"Go wash your face."

"No more drinking from now on."

Chen Fan exchanged a glance and a smile with his father.

He went back inside, then emerged a little later with a toothbrush in his mouth and squatted on the steps to brush his teeth.

"Dad, aren't you working today?"

"I swapped shifts with someone. I'm going in this afternoon."

Chen Jianye stood up, brushed the dirt from his hands, and looked at his son.

"When do the results come out?"

Chen Fan thought for a moment.

"The twenty-third, I think."

"What about your university choices?"

"I'll submit them in a couple of days. The twelfth, I think."

Chen Jianye nodded and came over to wash his hands.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Fan ventured a question.

"Mom, Dad, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

Chen Jianye turned to look at him as he lathered his hands with soap.

"Could you give me five thousand yuan?"

Chen Jianye paused.

"What do you need that much money for?"

Chen Fan offered the excuse he had come up with the night before.

"Well, summer vacation's about to start. I want to find something to do."

"I've talked it over with my classmates, and we signed up for a course together to learn computer skills."

"If I learn them now, I won't fall too far behind everyone else at university."

Li Jinqiu came out of the kitchen holding a ladle.

"Isn't five thousand yuan far too much?"

"That's almost half a year's wages for your dad and me."

"What do you know!"

Chen Jianye glared at his wife.

"You're being shortsighted."

"Our son already said it's for his future studies."

"I'll give you the five thousand."

"But..."

Chen Jianye looked at his son, his expression serious.

"You need to understand that five thousand yuan is no small sum. Your mom and I worked hard to earn it."

"Make sure you study hard. Don't waste it, understand?"

Chen Fan's eyes reddened.

"I understand."

He felt guilty toward his parents, because he had lied.

He wasn't planning to use the money to learn computer skills.

After breakfast, Chen Fan took the five thousand yuan in cash his mother gave him, got on his bicycle, and headed straight into the city.

The Gaokao was over. It was time to start promoting the domain-name website.