Chapter 93

At the same time, the exam papers in the capital had also been graded.

The Admissions Examination Office had drawn up this year’s cutoff scores as a reference standard for students.

The candidates’ scores were still being processed and hadn’t been publicly announced yet — but by this point, the top scorers in the Science and Liberal Arts divisions had already been determined.

Before Grandma Xie could even finish reading the news report about her grandson for the third time, a lively commotion broke out in the military compound.

She put down the newspaper and stepped outside to see what was going on — it turned out a group of reporters had come to the compound. The gate was packed tight with people.

Neighbors from all around, curious about the fuss, all came out to join the excitement.

One neighbor said to Grandma Xie, “I heard someone from our compound got the top score in the college entrance exam! The reporters have blocked the gate. Let’s go have a look!”

Grandma Xie thought to herself, “Didn’t they already interview the village once? It’s already been in the papers — why another round?”

She found it odd and troublesome, but in order not to embarrass her grandson, she changed into a clean outfit, neatly combed her hair, checked herself in the mirror several times, and then went out.

There were guards stationed at the compound gate. The moment the reporters saw the row of tall, uniformed soldiers in green, they were instantly intimidated.

Since they weren’t allowed into the compound, they had to conduct their interviews outside, in an open area nearby.

Passersby asked curiously, “Why is it so busy this early in the morning? What’s going on?”

The watching neighbors replied cheerfully, “Someone from our compound got the top score in the college entrance exam!”

“The Zhou family’s kid has really made something of himself this time — brought great honor to our compound!”

Hearing this, Grandma Xie — who had dressed up specially to look presentable for the interviews — showed a slightly odd expression.

She asked, “The top scorer is from the Zhou family?”

Grandma Zhou, Ding Xiaohong, was glowing with pride, her smile so wide it almost didn’t close.

Though she didn’t like Grandma Xie’s tone, she still proudly said,

“Just the other day, Pinghuai told me he estimated his score at about 430 points. Said he wasn’t sure if he could get into a key university in the capital. But now, look at that — turns out he’s the top scorer! The boy’s just too modest…”

She couldn’t help laughing aloud.

Grandma Xie asked, “I must be confused — how much did Pinghuai actually score?”

Grandma Zhou launched into it enthusiastically, “Four hundred and fifty-three! He underestimated himself by more than ten points.”

Grandma Xie said evenly, “Congratulations. It’s not easy to do that well.”

After saying this, she returned home without staying to join the crowd.

The rest of the residents were awed by the sight of all those reporters.

When they saw the TV crew outside, they stopped to watch.

A top scorer!

It was the first time anyone from the military compound had ever achieved this honor, and everyone looked at the Zhou family with admiration and envy.

To them, at that moment, Zhou Pinghuai — standing in front of the cameras — seemed to shine with a golden light. Calling him a “precious golden nugget” wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Among the older generation of intellectuals, education was everything.

Those who could study well were destined for a bright future — and a top scorer was truly a rare talent.

There were plenty of living examples in the military compound: educated officers always had greater opportunities for promotion.

And this was the top scorer in the capital ! Out of hundreds of thousands of examinees, Zhou Pinghuai was first — one in hundreds of thousands.

What a glory for the Zhou family!

At this point, he had become the pride of everyone in the compound — even if he so much as farted, people would probably say it smelled nice. The young men and women his age all looked at him with longing admiration.

The interview went on until noon.

Before midday, the Zhou family had already set up banquet tables — inviting everyone in the compound to celebrate Zhou Pinghuai’s success.

Because the timing was tight, the neighbors all helped out. The banquet was full of cheerful bustle, almost like New Year’s.

But Grandma Zhou couldn’t forget how Grandma Xie’s face had turned stiff that morning — it bothered her.

After the feast, unable to resist gossiping, she asked another guest, “What was with that Professor Yan this morning?”

Her daughter-in-law, Li Rong, only smiled faintly and didn’t join in.

She had never cared much about the Xie family’s affairs — though people often compared her son to the Xie family’s boy.

Whenever Xie Tingyu was mentioned, Pinghuai always seemed to come up short.

Though the two families had good relations, Li Rong often felt uncomfortable — but she never said anything, choosing instead to focus on teaching her son diligently.

Grandma Zhou, however, had a short temper and a blunt tongue.

After holding it in for so many years, today she was determined to enjoy her moment of satisfaction!

Li Rong frowned and tugged her mother-in-law’s sleeve, trying to stop her from running her mouth.

Since the neighbors had been busy helping with the feast all morning, none of them had read the day’s paper yet.

Someone suddenly said, “Hey, it seems Professor Yan didn’t come to the banquet…”

Another sighed, “Xie Tingyu probably didn’t get into university this year. The professor must be feeling bad.”

Grandma Zhou sneered slightly, her voice carrying a hint of disdain,

“That boy used to seem fine, but lately he’s been getting worse.”

“The young have too many ideas. He’s like this because the Xies spoiled him too much…”

Others agreed, saying, “He’s not as steady as your Pinghuai. How could anyone study properly out in the countryside?”

There were plenty of “prodigy-turned-mediocre” stories — like the fabled Xiang Zhongyong.

Tingyu had been so clever, so impressive before. But look now — just an ordinary person.

If he failed this year, and again next year, it would become a joke.

The Xie family had always been the subject of gossip in the compound.

Even if people didn’t say it openly, they certainly talked in private.

For years, the Xie family had stood strong while others stumbled. How could that not inspire envy?

But now, with one son divorced and remarried beneath him, another stationed far away on a southern island, and both grandsons performing only “average”… the Xie family’s glory seemed to have dimmed.

*

Grandma Xie had no interest in joining the commotion over the capital’s top scorer — she was on her way to visit her eldest grandson in the hospital.

Because of that, she missed the Zhou family’s feast.

When she came back, neighbors invited her over to eat at the Zhou’s.

Carrying a basket of fruit, she approached their gate — just in time to hear Grandma Zhou’s words.

Her smile faded, her tone cool and steady:

“What’s this about the countryside being unfit for studying?”

“Who among us doesn’t have farmers in our ancestry? A few years in the city and suddenly people start despising their roots?”

“My grandson Tingyu’s doing just fine. We ‘indulge’ him because he’s thoughtful and independent — he can stand on his own two feet without needing us to carry him forever.”

After saying this, she picked up her basket of fruit and turned to leave.

You really can’t associate with people like that.

After all, Grandma Xie came from a family of scholars — she had never looked down on rural folks.

Back when old Mr. Zhou and Grandma Zhou had just moved from the countryside to the city, they were so nervous they didn’t know how to eat Western food. It was Grandma Xie who had taught them, step by step.

And now, just a few years later, those same people were sneering at rural folks.

Li Rong, who had been receiving toasts nearby, saw her mother-in-law arguing and Grandma Xie leaving.

Her face went pale, and she rushed after her.

She chased all the way to the Xie residence, but there was no sign of Grandma Xie.

Only then did she realize that the professor was truly angry this time.

Her mother-in-law didn’t understand how serious this was.

Usually, Grandma Xie never lost her temper at gossip — but lately, with her eldest grandson’s car accident, her heart was heavy. And now, to hear those words? No wonder she walked out.

If the Zhou family made an enemy of the Xies now, it would cost them dearly.

Li Rong held back her anger at her mother-in-law’s foolishness.

That old woman was only good at causing trouble — she had no idea how hard Pinghuai had worked to get here.

Even if she herself didn’t think much of Tingyu, openly insulting him like that was idiotic.

When she reached the Xie house, she politely said, “Professor Yan, my mother-in-law didn’t mean it. She always says things carelessly, and she’d had some wine. I’ll have her apologize in person another day.”

Although she was apologizing, her voice was cold and perfunctory.

Grandma Xie’s expression stayed stern, but she finally said mildly, “Go back. It’s fine.”

She casually placed the basket of fruit on the table and went to cook lunch.

Just as Li Rong was about to leave, her eyes fell on a newspaper lying neatly on the table.

In the center of the front page was a black-and-white photo —

That… that was Xie Tingyu.

In the picture, the young man wore a long black coat, his expression cool and composed, the faint smile in his eyes seeming to light up the darkness.

The image captured his poise perfectly — the editorial team had stayed up half the night to choose it, and it was strikingly handsome.

Then Li Rong read the bold headline beneath it —

“A Model Youth of the New Era: A Day in the Life of the National Science Top Scorer.”

Her heart started pounding wildly. She grabbed the paper and skimmed through. When she saw the number 478 , the paper slipped from her trembling hands and fell to the floor with a soft rustle.

From the kitchen, Grandma Xie looked over, frowning.

“Pick that up!” she scolded.

“Sorry,” Li Rong muttered, bending down to retrieve it.

After a pause, she forced a smile and said, “Your grandson did very well. Aren’t you going to throw him a celebration banquet?”

Grandma Xie turned off the stove, took out a handkerchief, and carefully wiped the newspaper before placing it in her glass-front cabinet.

“No banquet,” she said calmly.

In her mind, although Tingyu’s results were excellent, he wasn’t even in the capital — what was the point of showing off?

Besides, the villagers had already held one for him in Ye Village.

If they wanted another, they could wait till he came home for New Year.

Li Rong’s face burned with humiliation, but she stayed outwardly composed. “Congratulations, Professor Yan,” she said before leaving, her heart pounding with disbelief.

Tingyu, the national top scorer?

It felt like a slap — sharp and stinging.

*

As the news spread, neighbors rushed to fetch their newspapers or buy copies from the street.

Everyone who read it from start to finish could only feel deep admiration.

“That Xie boy… he’s really something.”

A national top scorer — it was incredible.

Though it had nothing to do with them, remembering what happened earlier at the Zhou’s banquet, some people felt their faces burning with shame.

“Didn’t they say he couldn’t even get into college? And now he’s number one in the whole country?”

Others chuckled, slapping the newspaper: “That Xie kid — truly remarkable.”

If Zhou Pinghuai was one in hundreds of thousands, then Xie Tingyu was one in millions.

Compared to the Zhou family’s earlier arrogance, the irony was almost comical.

Being first in the capital was impressive — but being first in the nation ? That was on another level entirely.

Especially since he’d even scored two perfect marks.

While the Zhou family had done everything to pull their son back to the capital for “better studying,” the Xies had sent theirs to the countryside to contribute to the nation — and he had still come out number one.

When Pinghuai was at home memorizing textbooks, Tingyu might’ve been shoveling dung beside a biogas pit.

And yet, in Grandma Zhou’s mouth, that same boy was called “useless.”

In truth, those with real ability will shine anywhere.

That night, in the capital’s military compound, more than a few people couldn’t sleep.

*

Ye Village, G Province.

The weather was growing colder; the days were nearing the twelfth lunar month. Rural families had begun preparing food for the New Year.

The Ye family had raised two extra pigs this year, so they’d earned an additional twenty catties of pork in the end-of-year distribution.

Last year, Ye Qingshui had worried that getting extra meat would make others envious — but this year, far from being jealous, the village cadres even offered to give them more.

Why?

As a reward for the national top scorer, of course!

The Ye family’s old grandmother politely refused the villagers’ offer to pool money for a banquet — times were hard, and they weren’t short of food anyway. She appreciated the gesture but declined.

So the village leaders decided to give them the twenty extra catties of pork instead.

“Shuiya,” Grandma Ye said, “let’s make it into cured sausages and bacon!”

Everyone was delighted. Last year, the cured meat had been eaten up by March — its flavor was unforgettable.

Aunt Ye, who had recently given birth, had been eating plenty of meat and fish and had good milk supply.

Though she wasn’t as greedy for meat now, just hearing about the sausages made her mouth water.

Ye Qingshui nodded, and after picking up fresh pork from the slaughter at the village gate, she called out to Xie Tingyu to chop the meat.

He washed it clean and chopped it finely with a cleaver.

After a while, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Shui’er, I’m done.”

As she bent over to add seasonings, a wave of nausea suddenly rose at the smell of the pork fat.

She clutched her mouth and rushed outside to vomit.

Aunt Ye, sitting nearby with her baby, noticed this — and her expression deepened.

Tingyu frowned. “Did you catch a chill last night? I’ll make you some ginger soup.”

Aunt Ye chuckled, “That’s no cold — sounds like she’s expecting, doesn’t it?”

Tingyu froze, staring at his wife in disbelief, his gaze falling to her belly.

He reached out and gently touched it, his usually calm voice stammering, “Shui’er… is it true?”

He suddenly recalled their New Year’s conversation about pregnancy symptoms. The memory grew clearer the more he thought about it.

A wave of joy — sudden and dizzying — swept through him, as though he’d been lifted to the clouds.

Beneath his fingertips, her belly was soft and warm, and that gentle heat seemed to travel straight to his heart.

And in that warmth, a sense of quiet, trembling responsibility filled his chest.

At that moment, his eyes grew faintly wet.

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