“Language 125, Mathematics 146, English 138, Comprehensive Sciences 247, with a total score of 696! Second in class, and tenth in the Grade? This… This can’t be real, right?!”
Liu Aizhen carefully looked at the name on the report card, and was stunned again. Su Lin, that’s right, it was absolutely Su Lin’s, her son’s.
“Old Su, Old Su… You… You wake up quickly… Take a look… Look at Little Lin’s report card… Little Lin is second in his class… In his Grade… He’s tenth!”
Even though she was swaying Su Guorong ruthlessly, how was it possible for a drunk dead Su Guorong to wake up so easily? So in her excitement, Liu Aizhen pinched Su Guorong’s nose, making him gasp for breath and wake up while coughing.
“What happened? I need to drink!”
Su Guorong was still in a drunken stupor, so Liu Aizhen scolded him angrily, “Still want to drink, go drink your head! Sooner or later, you will drink yourself to death! Old Su, you quickly wake up and take a look at this report card. Our family’s Little Lin is tenth in his Grade!”
Taking a cup of water from the table, Liu Aizhen splashed it on her husbands face. This helped Su Guorong turn sober.
“What? Little Lin’s report card?”
Sluggishly taking the report card from Liu Aizhen, Su Guorong took a look at it and his eyes immediately went wide. He was pleasantly surprised and said, “Is Little Lin really ranked tenth in the Grade? Is my son really ranked tenth?”
All of a sudden, Su Guorong completely sobered up and grinned widely, “My son has some ability!”
“No wonder this little brat made that bet with little Tang at night the day before yesterday. Originally, he was already confident in his heart. He really scared this old woman who thought he was simply boasting!”
Liu Aizhen’s face was full of smiles as she took back the report card. The matter of her being laid off was completely forgotten by her.
“Father, Mother, the dishes are ready. Hurry up and eat!”
Su Lin also came out of the kitchen at this time, holding the soup in his hands. Seeing that his father was now sober, he said, “Father, you just woke up after being drunk, so I made some sobering tea for you.”
Looking at his father whose hair had turned gray, Su Lin felt anxious and sour in his heart. All these years, he didn’t make his parents worry little about him. But from now on, he was going to be sensible. He will take charge to provide a good life to his family, making his parents live comfortably.
“Little Lin, how can we trouble you? Come here quickly… Sit down, we will speak as we eat. Say, is the report card really yours? Have you really scored tenth in the Grade this time?”
Liu Aizhen hurriedly called Su Lin and asked him questions regarding the report card in her hands.
“Jian’an First High might not even have a second person called Su Lin. Mother, this report card is really mine, and I am indeed ranked tenth in the Grade. Moreover, I will certainly put in every effort in the College Entrance Exam, so I can get admitted in a good University!”
Ever since he entered high school, it was the first time Su Lin saw his mother’s eyes full of so much hope. His heart immediately warmed up, and he pledged to obtain good achievements in the College Entrance Examination.
“Good, Little Lin, you have great ambitions. You are worthily my son, so diligent. Although Father is now laid off, so long as you are admitted to a good University, no matter what happens, Father will support you in every way possible!”
Su Guorong had also come out of the shadow of being laid off, and said seriously, “So what if I don’t have work? This father has worked as a senior driver for several years, so why would I be afraid of not finding work? We still have your mother’s wages and our family can go on, there’s also savings, so it won’t be an issue to pay for your first year of University.”
“Old Su! You… Were you really laid off as well?”
Now that she listened to her husband affirm the previous words while sober, Liu Aizhen was sure that her husband had also been laid off from his job.
“What? Aizhen, it can’t be that you were also laid off? Didn’t your factory say they wouldn’t be reducing staff this year?”
After a couple of confrontations, the Su Family was clear of their situation. They two were laid off and waiting for jobs sitting at home. The Su Family had lost all sources of income, and were now sitting on the few thousand they had saved up. If Father Su and Mother Su didn’t hurry to find work, then they could only sit idly and eat while they could.
“Father, Mother, you don’t need to be too worried. I will find a way to get the money for University. Once the College Entrance Examination ends, I will find a way to earn money. I am soon going to be eighteen, and I have grown up now. Later, I won’t ask you for money again. I will also provide for this family in the times to come.”
Seeing sadness climb up his parents’ foreheads, Su Lin spoke.
“What nonsense! Little Lin, we don’t need you to worry about the family’s matters. Your current duty is to place all your thoughts on the College Entrance Examination and perform well. As for the issue of money, Father will do something about it.”
Su Guorong displayed the prestige of a father at this time and spoke.
‘I can just use my Time Stop ability to make money, but it won’t be wise to say anything to Father and Mother now that they have said so much. Even if I said I can make money, they will not believe my words. In any case, I can’t worry Father and Mother again.’
The dinner was quite harmonious, and everyone ate happily. Although the Su Family suffered a bolt from the blue, and Father Su and Mother Su were laid off at the same time, Su Lin’s sudden progress by leaps and bounds injected a brand new hope in their family.
And after having had dinner, Father Su and Mother Su went to the courtyard and started chatting with some neighbors, conveniently asking them whether there were any employers hiring recently. The neighbors were also quite surprised and sympathetic when they found out that Father Su and Mother Su were laid off, so they promised to see if there were any available positions at their workplace, or somewhere else.
“Uncle Su, you shouldn’t tell this matter to Little Lin. Little Lin is soon going to take his College Entrance Examination, so this might affect his result.”
Ye Xingzhu was also in the courtyard, and said worriedly.
“Xingzhu, Little Lin already knows. However, our family’s Little Lin has already grown up now, he’s become very sensible. His result has also improved by a lot, and we believe there won’t be an issue in getting a good ranking in the College Entrance Examination and getting admitted to a good University.”
Usually, whenever the neighborhood started talking about Su Lin, Liu Aizhen’s manner of speech would turn disinterested, and she would leave the place. But contrary to the norm, not only did she not leave today, she even added that Su Lin had made progress in his studies and won’t have an issue getting admitted to a good University. This made all of the neighbors present feel strange.
“Did Little Lin really make such progress in the Examination?”
Ye Xingzhu was very happy in her heart.
“Yeah! Little Lin’s progress this time is very great, he actually ranked tenth in the Grade!”
Liu Aizhen spoke very loudly. Ever since Su Lin’s high school results rapidly dropped, she had not had an opportunity to praise her son before everyone in the courtyard.
“What! Tenth rank in the Grade? Isn’t Little Lin in Jian’an First High? Tenth ranker can be easily admitted to a top University!”
“Far more than just a top University, he might even be accepted into the best University of the nation, the Peking University!”
“I remember that Su Lin’s result before wasn’t that good? How come he improved so much all of a sudden?”
………
Liu Aizhen’s words astonished everyone. Tenth rank of the Grade; just what sort of concept was that? The Jian’an City has a population of 500,000 and the Jian’an First High was the best high school in the city. Every year, the number of people who can get into University from there are about 150 only. Tenth rank of the grade could easily enter any domestic University, even the best ones.
The neighbors sitting around already knew of Su Lin’s performance, and they even knew that Su Lin made a bet with Tang Zhongwang the night the day before yesterday.
“That’s impossible! With your family’s Su Lin’s performance, how’s it possible for him to rank tenth in the Grade in one fell swoop? It would be a miracle if he could barely enter the top 100!”
The one who spoke was Tang Zhongwang’s father, and he had an appearance of being unconvinced. Originally, only his son and Su Lin went to Jian’an First High from their neighborhood. Su Lin’s result used to be good before, and he always suppressed Tang Zhongwang, but now, Tang Zhongwang’s result was the better one. And every time the result came out, Tang Zhongwang received the praise of all the neighbors. However, this time, the limelight was snatched by Su Lin.
Tenth in the Grade? With Su Family’s Su Lin performing like a trash for three years, how could he rank tenth in the Grade? They must be daydreaming! Boasting! Boasts needed not have a basis, after all!
“Oh, right, old Tang, isn’t your family’s Zhongwang also studying in Jian’an First High? What is his result in this exam? Hasn’t Zhongwang’s result always been good? He did exceptionally well in the previous exam as well.”
“I just asked my family’s Zhongwang, and he told me that the results have yet to be announced. The examination just ended yesterday, so how is it possible for the results to be out so soon? Obviously, Brother Su, I am afraid that you are being deceived by your family’s Su Lin! He intentionally told you a good result to please you. Since the results aren’t even out yet, how is it possible for him to know that he’s ranked tenth? With Su Lin’s previous performance, you tell me if you think it’s even possible?”
Indeed, when Tang Zhongwang went home today, Father Tang asked him about his result. But since Tang Zhongwang’s result was awful, and his rank suffered disastrously because he didn’t receive any score for the English answer sheet, he had to make some sort of excuse before his father. So, he deceived his father by saying that the result hadn’t come out.
Naturally, Father Tang believed that results had not come out, so now that he saw Father Su and Mother Su show off Su Lin’s results, he couldn’t help but ridicule them? In his opinion, Su Lin definitely made up stuff to deceive everyone.
“The results aren’t out? But… I have already seen and read Little Lin’s report card, what about it? Did he make it up?”
Because Su Lin’s progress was a little inconceivable, Mother Su immediately started to think that Su Lin might really be deceiving them now that she heard what Father Tang said. Mother Su immediately got angry, and without waiting for anything else, she immediately rushed inside her home, clutched Su Lin by his ear, and dragged him out.
“Little brat, you dare to deceive this old woman! Your Jian’an First High’s result haven’t even gotten out, so where did you bring that report card from? This old woman thought that you had grown sensible, but who would have thought that you made up such a massive lie.”
Liu Aizhen was really angry this time. Just now, she was happily praising Su Lin, but with just a few words from Father Tang, she didn’t know where to put her face. The key issue was that Su Lin actually forged his result and lied to them. This made her fly into a rage as she felt psychologically attacked.
“Aiii… Mother, you let go of me first, and tell me who told you the results aren’t out yet? If the results weren’t out, where would I get a report card from?” [TL: Now that’s a nonsense question as I have once forged a result for someone.]
Su Lin was earnestly studying in his room, so getting his ear clutched by his mother while getting dragged outside made him depressed in his heart.
“This is the report card. You read this report card for me, and tell me whether you made it yourself or not?”
Mother Su flung the report card in her hands. There were many people in the courtyard looking at the scene, especially Father Tang, who had the appearance of someone watching a good show.
“Mother, you should look at it; the report card has the official seal of our school printed on it. With such a standard of printing, how can I forge it myself? Who told you that the results haven’t come out? Tell them to come out and say it to my face!”
He got such good results after great difficulty, yet no one was willing to believe his words. Su Lin was thoroughly depressed! He turned around and saw Father Tang looking at him with a grin, saying, “Little Lin, you can’t just lie like this. Our family’s Zhongwang said that the results haven’t been announced, so where did your report card come from?”
Hearing that it was Tang Zhongwang, Su Lin understood everything in a flash. But why did Tang Zhongwang tell Father Tang that the results haven’t come out yet?
‘Oh, right, it must be because of English test where I erased Tang Zhongwang’s role number from the answer sheet. I can guess that he only got a few points in his English result, making him have a miserable rank. He must be afraid of his parents finding out his results, so he made a false statement that the results weren’t out, right?’
After thinking a bit, Su Lin understood the cause and effect of the matter. Suppressing a lot of rage in his stomach, he looked at Father Tang and said, “Uncle Tang, I remember that I and your family’s Zhongwang made a bet the night the day before yesterday. I wonder if you will honor it or not?”
“Bet?”
Although Father Tang wasn’t present on the scene that day, he still knew of the bet made between his son and Su Lin. The bet was that Su Lin will enter the top 50 of the Grade, and whoever lost must call the opposite party ‘Grandfather!’
“Humph! That’s just some games between you brats, but… Since the bet was made, it naturally must be honored!”
Looking at Su Lin’s appearance of having already won, Father Tang couldn’t help but sigh that the youngsters nowadays were very naive. But he didn’t believe that Su Lin could rank in the top 50 of the Grade, so he agreed with him.
“Good, since Uncle Tang said that, then let me ask you to tell your family’s Tang Zhongwang to come out here. Whether the results are out or not, and whether I am ranked tenth in the Grade or not, once we are face to face, it will all be clear!”
Seeing that Father Tang fell into his trap, Su Lin smiled. Just at that time, it was as if Tang Zhongwang heard the sounds in the courtyard, and so perked up his ears and came out of his house. Su Lin looked towards him and shouted, “Tang Zhongwang, my dear grandson, come out and quickly call me grandfather!”
“Language 125, Mathematics 146, English 138, Comprehensive Sciences 247, with a total score of 696! Second in class, and tenth in the Grade? This… This can’t be real, right?!”
Liu Aizhen carefully looked at the name on the report card, and was stunned again. Su Lin, that’s right, it was absolutely Su Lin’s, her son’s.
“Old Su, Old Su… You… You wake up quickly… Take a look… Look at Little Lin’s report card… Little Lin is second in his class… In his Grade… He’s tenth!”
Even though she was swaying Su Guorong ruthlessly, how was it possible for a drunk dead Su Guorong to wake up so easily? So in her excitement, Liu Aizhen pinched Su Guorong’s nose, making him gasp for breath and wake up while coughing.
“What happened? I need to drink!”
Su Guorong was still in a drunken stupor, so Liu Aizhen scolded him angrily, “Still want to drink, go drink your head! Sooner or later, you will drink yourself to death! Old Su, you quickly wake up and take a look at this report card. Our family’s Little Lin is tenth in his Grade!”
Taking a cup of water from the table, Liu Aizhen splashed it on her husbands face. This helped Su Guorong turn sober.
“What? Little Lin’s report card?”
Sluggishly taking the report card from Liu Aizhen, Su Guorong took a look at it and his eyes immediately went wide. He was pleasantly surprised and said, “Is Little Lin really ranked tenth in the Grade? Is my son really ranked tenth?”
All of a sudden, Su Guorong completely sobered up and grinned widely, “My son has some ability!”
“No wonder this little brat made that bet with little Tang at night the day before yesterday. Originally, he was already confident in his heart. He really scared this old woman who thought he was simply boasting!”
Liu Aizhen’s face was full of smiles as she took back the report card. The matter of her being laid off was completely forgotten by her.
“Father, Mother, the dishes are ready. Hurry up and eat!”
Su Lin also came out of the kitchen at this time, holding the soup in his hands. Seeing that his father was now sober, he said, “Father, you just woke up after being drunk, so I made some sobering tea for you.”
Looking at his father whose hair had turned gray, Su Lin felt anxious and sour in his heart. All these years, he didn’t make his parents worry little about him. But from now on, he was going to be sensible. He will take charge to provide a good life to his family, making his parents live comfortably.
“Little Lin, how can we trouble you? Come here quickly… Sit down, we will speak as we eat. Say, is the report card really yours? Have you really scored tenth in the Grade this time?”
Liu Aizhen hurriedly called Su Lin and asked him questions regarding the report card in her hands.
“Jian’an First High might not even have a second person called Su Lin. Mother, this report card is really mine, and I am indeed ranked tenth in the Grade. Moreover, I will certainly put in every effort in the College Entrance Exam, so I can get admitted in a good University!”
Ever since he entered high school, it was the first time Su Lin saw his mother’s eyes full of so much hope. His heart immediately warmed up, and he pledged to obtain good achievements in the College Entrance Examination.
“Good, Little Lin, you have great ambitions. You are worthily my son, so diligent. Although Father is now laid off, so long as you are admitted to a good University, no matter what happens, Father will support you in every way possible!”
Su Guorong had also come out of the shadow of being laid off, and said seriously, “So what if I don’t have work? This father has worked as a senior driver for several years, so why would I be afraid of not finding work? We still have your mother’s wages and our family can go on, there’s also savings, so it won’t be an issue to pay for your first year of University.”
“Old Su! You… Were you really laid off as well?”
Now that she listened to her husband affirm the previous words while sober, Liu Aizhen was sure that her husband had also been laid off from his job.
“What? Aizhen, it can’t be that you were also laid off? Didn’t your factory say they wouldn’t be reducing staff this year?”
After a couple of confrontations, the Su Family was clear of their situation. They two were laid off and waiting for jobs sitting at home. The Su Family had lost all sources of income, and were now sitting on the few thousand they had saved up. If Father Su and Mother Su didn’t hurry to find work, then they could only sit idly and eat while they could.
“Father, Mother, you don’t need to be too worried. I will find a way to get the money for University. Once the College Entrance Examination ends, I will find a way to earn money. I am soon going to be eighteen, and I have grown up now. Later, I won’t ask you for money again. I will also provide for this family in the times to come.”
Seeing sadness climb up his parents’ foreheads, Su Lin spoke.
“What nonsense! Little Lin, we don’t need you to worry about the family’s matters. Your current duty is to place all your thoughts on the College Entrance Examination and perform well. As for the issue of money, Father will do something about it.”
Su Guorong displayed the prestige of a father at this time and spoke.
‘I can just use my Time Stop ability to make money, but it won’t be wise to say anything to Father and Mother now that they have said so much. Even if I said I can make money, they will not believe my words. In any case, I can’t worry Father and Mother again.’
The dinner was quite harmonious, and everyone ate happily. Although the Su Family suffered a bolt from the blue, and Father Su and Mother Su were laid off at the same time, Su Lin’s sudden progress by leaps and bounds injected a brand new hope in their family.
And after having had dinner, Father Su and Mother Su went to the courtyard and started chatting with some neighbors, conveniently asking them whether there were any employers hiring recently. The neighbors were also quite surprised and sympathetic when they found out that Father Su and Mother Su were laid off, so they promised to see if there were any available positions at their workplace, or somewhere else.
“Uncle Su, you shouldn’t tell this matter to Little Lin. Little Lin is soon going to take his College Entrance Examination, so this might affect his result.”
Ye Xingzhu was also in the courtyard, and said worriedly.
“Xingzhu, Little Lin already knows. However, our family’s Little Lin has already grown up now, he’s become very sensible. His result has also improved by a lot, and we believe there won’t be an issue in getting a good ranking in the College Entrance Examination and getting admitted to a good University.”
Usually, whenever the neighborhood started talking about Su Lin, Liu Aizhen’s manner of speech would turn disinterested, and she would leave the place. But contrary to the norm, not only did she not leave today, she even added that Su Lin had made progress in his studies and won’t have an issue getting admitted to a good University. This made all of the neighbors present feel strange.
“Did Little Lin really make such progress in the Examination?”
Ye Xingzhu was very happy in her heart.
“Yeah! Little Lin’s progress this time is very great, he actually ranked tenth in the Grade!”
Liu Aizhen spoke very loudly. Ever since Su Lin’s high school results rapidly dropped, she had not had an opportunity to praise her son before everyone in the courtyard.
“What! Tenth rank in the Grade? Isn’t Little Lin in Jian’an First High? Tenth ranker can be easily admitted to a top University!”
“Far more than just a top University, he might even be accepted into the best University of the nation, the Peking University!”
“I remember that Su Lin’s result before wasn’t that good? How come he improved so much all of a sudden?”
………
Liu Aizhen’s words astonished everyone. Tenth rank of the Grade; just what sort of concept was that? The Jian’an City has a population of 500,000 and the Jian’an First High was the best high school in the city. Every year, the number of people who can get into University from there are about 150 only. Tenth rank of the grade could easily enter any domestic University, even the best ones.
The neighbors sitting around already knew of Su Lin’s performance, and they even knew that Su Lin made a bet with Tang Zhongwang the night the day before yesterday.
“That’s impossible! With your family’s Su Lin’s performance, how’s it possible for him to rank tenth in the Grade in one fell swoop? It would be a miracle if he could barely enter the top 100!”
The one who spoke was Tang Zhongwang’s father, and he had an appearance of being unconvinced. Originally, only his son and Su Lin went to Jian’an First High from their neighborhood. Su Lin’s result used to be good before, and he always suppressed Tang Zhongwang, but now, Tang Zhongwang’s result was the better one. And every time the result came out, Tang Zhongwang received the praise of all the neighbors. However, this time, the limelight was snatched by Su Lin.
Tenth in the Grade? With Su Family’s Su Lin performing like a trash for three years, how could he rank tenth in the Grade? They must be daydreaming! Boasting! Boasts needed not have a basis, after all!
“Oh, right, old Tang, isn’t your family’s Zhongwang also studying in Jian’an First High? What is his result in this exam? Hasn’t Zhongwang’s result always been good? He did exceptionally well in the previous exam as well.”
“I just asked my family’s Zhongwang, and he told me that the results have yet to be announced. The examination just ended yesterday, so how is it possible for the results to be out so soon? Obviously, Brother Su, I am afraid that you are being deceived by your family’s Su Lin! He intentionally told you a good result to please you. Since the results aren’t even out yet, how is it possible for him to know that he’s ranked tenth? With Su Lin’s previous performance, you tell me if you think it’s even possible?”
Indeed, when Tang Zhongwang went home today, Father Tang asked him about his result. But since Tang Zhongwang’s result was awful, and his rank suffered disastrously because he didn’t receive any score for the English answer sheet, he had to make some sort of excuse before his father. So, he deceived his father by saying that the result hadn’t come out.
Naturally, Father Tang believed that results had not come out, so now that he saw Father Su and Mother Su show off Su Lin’s results, he couldn’t help but ridicule them? In his opinion, Su Lin definitely made up stuff to deceive everyone.
“The results aren’t out? But… I have already seen and read Little Lin’s report card, what about it? Did he make it up?”
Because Su Lin’s progress was a little inconceivable, Mother Su immediately started to think that Su Lin might really be deceiving them now that she heard what Father Tang said. Mother Su immediately got angry, and without waiting for anything else, she immediately rushed inside her home, clutched Su Lin by his ear, and dragged him out.
“Little brat, you dare to deceive this old woman! Your Jian’an First High’s result haven’t even gotten out, so where did you bring that report card from? This old woman thought that you had grown sensible, but who would have thought that you made up such a massive lie.”
Liu Aizhen was really angry this time. Just now, she was happily praising Su Lin, but with just a few words from Father Tang, she didn’t know where to put her face. The key issue was that Su Lin actually forged his result and lied to them. This made her fly into a rage as she felt psychologically attacked.
“Aiii… Mother, you let go of me first, and tell me who told you the results aren’t out yet? If the results weren’t out, where would I get a report card from?” [TL: Now that’s a nonsense question as I have once forged a result for someone.]
Su Lin was earnestly studying in his room, so getting his ear clutched by his mother while getting dragged outside made him depressed in his heart.
“This is the report card. You read this report card for me, and tell me whether you made it yourself or not?”
Mother Su flung the report card in her hands. There were many people in the courtyard looking at the scene, especially Father Tang, who had the appearance of someone watching a good show.
“Mother, you should look at it; the report card has the official seal of our school printed on it. With such a standard of printing, how can I forge it myself? Who told you that the results haven’t come out? Tell them to come out and say it to my face!”
He got such good results after great difficulty, yet no one was willing to believe his words. Su Lin was thoroughly depressed! He turned around and saw Father Tang looking at him with a grin, saying, “Little Lin, you can’t just lie like this. Our family’s Zhongwang said that the results haven’t been announced, so where did your report card come from?”
Hearing that it was Tang Zhongwang, Su Lin understood everything in a flash. But why did Tang Zhongwang tell Father Tang that the results haven’t come out yet?
‘Oh, right, it must be because of English test where I erased Tang Zhongwang’s role number from the answer sheet. I can guess that he only got a few points in his English result, making him have a miserable rank. He must be afraid of his parents finding out his results, so he made a false statement that the results weren’t out, right?’
After thinking a bit, Su Lin understood the cause and effect of the matter. Suppressing a lot of rage in his stomach, he looked at Father Tang and said, “Uncle Tang, I remember that I and your family’s Zhongwang made a bet the night the day before yesterday. I wonder if you will honor it or not?”
“Bet?”
Although Father Tang wasn’t present on the scene that day, he still knew of the bet made between his son and Su Lin. The bet was that Su Lin will enter the top 50 of the Grade, and whoever lost must call the opposite party ‘Grandfather!’
“Humph! That’s just some games between you brats, but… Since the bet was made, it naturally must be honored!”
Looking at Su Lin’s appearance of having already won, Father Tang couldn’t help but sigh that the youngsters nowadays were very naive. But he didn’t believe that Su Lin could rank in the top 50 of the Grade, so he agreed with him.
“Good, since Uncle Tang said that, then let me ask you to tell your family’s Tang Zhongwang to come out here. Whether the results are out or not, and whether I am ranked tenth in the Grade or not, once we are face to face, it will all be clear!”
Seeing that Father Tang fell into his trap, Su Lin smiled. Just at that time, it was as if Tang Zhongwang heard the sounds in the courtyard, and so perked up his ears and came out of his house. Su Lin looked towards him and shouted, “Tang Zhongwang, my dear grandson, come out and quickly call me grandfather!”
