Chapter 11

Chinese: 121.
Math: 92.
English: 105.
Comprehensive Liberal Arts: 240.
Total Score: 548.

That year, the Second Tier University cutoff for liberal arts was 523, and the First Tier University cutoff was 578.

My hand kept trembling, and my ears were buzzing.

Doubting that I’d heard it wrong, I pressed the repeat button again.

The noisy main hall fell into complete silence.

Only the mechanical broadcast voice echoed, piercing the quiet.

My sister was the first to react. She threw her arms around me: “Sis, sis, you made it! You got into a Second Tier University! You’re 25 points above the cutoff! You’re amazing!”

Dad’s eyes reddened. He lifted his glass and drained it, muttering, “She made it… She really made it…”

At some point, Mom had leaned against the main hall’s door.

She turned away, wiping her eyes, and as she did, she slowly squatted down against the wall.

Dad stood up and walked over.

She clung to Dad’s leg and began to sob.

Dad patted her shoulder. “Why are you crying? This is a good thing.”

“Xiaxia got in. Now we have something to look forward to.”

My sister reached out to wipe my face, grinning, “Sis, you shouldn’t cry either.”

Was I crying?

I reached up and wiped my face, only to find it covered in tears.

548 points-maybe to those of you who are smart, it’s nothing special.

But I’m just ordinary Zheng Xiaxia.

All my life, I’ve never gotten first place, no matter how hard I tried. The number of certificates I’ve won can be counted on one hand.

I could never solve the last problem on a math test.

I was never the child my parents paid the most attention to, and no one in the family ever praised me.

A year ago, I was rejected by a Foreign Enterprise.

But now, I’ve made it.

Even if it’s just a Second Tier University, it’s enough to pull me out of the mud that was my life.

Aunt gripped her chopsticks so hard they were about to snap, forcing a smile: “So you got into a Second Tier University, not a top one. Is it really worth getting this excited?”

I wiped my tears away fiercely. “Of course I’m happy! Isn’t this way better than just getting three hundred points?”

“Big Brother and Second Brother didn’t even get into high school. And my little brother’s about to take his high school entrance exam, right?”

My cousin Sanbao was still playing his game console, looking annoyed. “Don’t drag me into this. I’m not cut out for studying.”

Aunt gritted her teeth and snatched his game console. “Can’t you put in a little effort?”

Sanbao shot back, “You never cared about me, either! Uncle and Aunt went to the county to help Sister Xia and Sister Qiu with their studies. Why don’t you send me there too?”

Aunt was furious. “With your three hundred points…”

“What’s wrong with three hundred points? Sister Xia couldn’t even get three hundred before!” Sanbao kicked his chair away. “So annoying.”

Grandma stood up shakily. “Sanbao, where are you going? You haven’t eaten yet.”

“I’m not eating. I’m full from being mad.”

Sanbao turned and disappeared.

Grandma scolded Aunt, “Look at what you’ve done. The child left without eating. No wonder he never grows taller.”

Mom had already composed herself.

I pulled her over and sat her down in Sanbao’s seat. “Mom, sit down and eat.”

She wiped her eyes. “There’s still some water spinach I haven’t stir-fried yet!”

I shot Aunt a look. “Let Aunt do it. You’ve been busy long enough.”