Chapter 161: A Thousand Armies Crossing a Narrow Bridge
Chapter 161: A Thousand Armies Crossing a Narrow Bridge
Everyone in China values a good omen, and Deng Shirong is no exception.
Today, his second son is returning to school and will take the most important exam of his life the day after tomorrow. To ensure a good omen, Deng Shirong woke up before dawn, washed up, and went to the village committee to buy four pig trotters. He then prepared a famous dish known as "Top Scholar Trotters."
At lunchtime, Deng Shirong kept two whole Top Scholar Trotters aside and cut the other two into six pieces.
He then placed the two whole trotters in separate bowls, pushing one in front of his second son and saying, "Yunheng, this is a very famous dish from Guizhou called Top Scholar Trotters. The name has an interesting origin. It's said that during the Qing Dynasty, a top scholar often ate braised pig trotters at night markets before his imperial exams. After he passed and became a top scholar, the people of his hometown named the dish in his honor to commemorate this historical figure.
I hope that by eating this Top Scholar Trotter, you will perform exceptionally well in the upcoming college entrance exam. I don't expect you to become the top scholar of the province, but even becoming the top scholar of the city or county would be a matter of great pride and honor for our family."
Deng Yunheng looked at the appetizing pig trotter and felt his father's high hopes. He didn't make any grand promises but nodded firmly, saying, "Dad, I'll do my best."
Deng Shirong nodded and then pushed the other whole trotter to his eldest daughter-in-law, smiling, "Aiping, this Top Scholar Trotter is for you. Eat it so that our unborn grandchild can benefit from the scholar's aura."
Zhang Xiuping didn't refuse and smiled happily, "Thank you, Dad!"
Deng Shirong then looked at his other children and said, "The rest of you will each get a piece. This time, I didn't have enough time to prepare, so just taste it. If you like it, we can buy more pig trotters on market day and make more for everyone to enjoy."
As he spoke, he distributed the remaining trotters to his other children.
Seeing that her father-in-law had none left, Zhang Xiuping immediately said, "Dad, I can't eat a whole one by myself. You should cut it and share it with us."
Deng Shirong waved his hand and smiled, "No need, just eat it. This dish is delicious, but it's said to have a high cholesterol content. It's fine for young people, but I should eat less of it at my age.
Alright, don't just look at it. Eat while it's hot!"
Hearing this, Zhang Xiuping stopped urging and joined her husband and the younger siblings in tasting the Top Scholar Trotter.
The moment the trotter touched their lips, its soft, sweet, and rich yet not greasy texture conquered them.
The more they chewed, the more they appreciated its flavor.
"Too good!"
"This taste is amazing!"
"The more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes. No wonder the Qing Dynasty top scholar loved it. Who wouldn't enjoy such a delicious dish?"
"..."
All the children and daughter-in-law praised the Top Scholar Trotter, and even though they had eaten various delicious dishes recently, this one was undoubtedly one of the best.
After lunch, they rested for about twenty minutes, and Deng Yunheng prepared to return to school.
Deng Shirong took five large bills from his pocket and handed them to his second son, saying, "Yunheng, take this money. You're about to graduate from high school, and you and your classmates will go your separate ways. It won't be easy to meet again in the future.
So after the exam, have a good time with your classmates. It would be best to take plenty of photos with your teachers and classmates as mementos. In twenty or thirty years, when you look back on your high school days, you'll have something to remember."
Deng Yunheng took the money with a happy face. His father's words touched him deeply. Although he hadn't thought as far ahead as his father, he did want to have a good time with his classmates before graduation.
"Also, take the Forever brand bicycle to school. It will save us the trouble of picking you up and dropping you off."
”
“Alright, then I’ll head back to school!”
“Go on, study hard, and aim to top the imperial examinations.”
…
July 7, 1981, Tuesday.
The notoriously rigorous National College Entrance Examination, commonly known as the Gaokao, officially began. This was the fifth Gaokao since its reinstatement in 1977, and it was a decisive test that would shape the futures of countless families across the nation. Success in this exam meant a world of opportunities, with the sky as the limit for those who soared and the sea as vast as the horizon for those who swam. The path to becoming an elite was within reach. Failure, on the other hand, often led to a life of mediocrity, where most would blend into the masses.
On the day the Gaokao began, Deng Shirong, along with his eldest daughter, prepared a grand feast of chicken and duck as offerings. They went to the ancestral hall to pay respects to the Deng family’s ancestors, praying for their second son’s success in the exams.
Although Deng Shirong was destined to be financially secure in this life, and his son’s academic success wouldn’t affect their quality of life, he understood from his 88 years of experience that wealth alone, without education, could make one nothing more than a nouveau riche, lacking the respect of the elite. However, with both wealth and education, one could command respect in any circle.
Thus, Deng Shirong had great hopes for his second son.
…
Three days passed in a flash.
At Songshan High School, all the graduating students, accompanied by their teachers, began estimating their scores. The most accurate way to estimate scores was immediately after the exam, when the memory was still fresh. However, the teachers refrained from doing so, fearing that students with fragile mental fortitude might be devastated if their estimated scores were low, potentially affecting their performance in subsequent exams.
Therefore, despite their impatience, the teachers waited until all the exams were over before starting the score estimation process. This method inevitably introduced some inaccuracies, but it was a necessary compromise.
At this moment, Deng Yunheng was estimating his scores, with not only his homeroom teacher but also the vice-principal by his side. The principal himself would have joined if he didn’t fear disrupting Deng Yunheng’s concentration.
After all, Deng Yunheng was the most promising student in Songshan High School’s history since the reinstatement of the Gaokao, with the best chance of being accepted into a top university!
In previous years, if two or three students from Songshan High School managed to get into any university, regardless of its ranking, it was considered a remarkable achievement. The sudden emergence of a student with the potential to enter a top university was a matter of great importance, even to the principal.
After what seemed like an eternity, Deng Yunheng finally finished estimating his scores for all subjects.
The homeroom teacher calculated the total score and asked, his voice trembling, “Deng Yunheng, are you sure your estimation is accurate?”
Deng Yunheng, who had estimated conservatively, replied, “The deviation shouldn’t exceed fifteen points.”
“Good! Good! Good!”
The homeroom teacher couldn’t contain his excitement and exclaimed repeatedly.
The vice-principal, seeing the total score, was equally thrilled, his face flushed with excitement. He patted Deng Yunheng’s shoulder and praised, “Truly the most outstanding student in Songshan High School’s history! Well done, Deng Yunheng. I must share this good news with the principal.”
The other subject teachers, witnessing this, were equally elated. If their student could enter one of the nation’s top universities, it would be a significant boost to their own reputations and careers.
Students who were estimating their scores or had already finished doing so couldn’t help but gather around, drawn by the commotion. When they saw Deng Yunheng’s estimated score, they were astounded. It was a score they could only dream of achieving.
If his estimation was accurate, he could choose any university in the country, couldn’t he?
At that moment, the students looked at Deng Yunheng with envy. They all knew that from now on, they and their former classmate would belong to different worlds.
(End of Chapter)
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