Chapter 229: Notification
Chapter 229: Notification
Around 2 p.m., not long after Chen Chuan returned from lunch, a familiar knock sounded at the door of his dormitory. He went to open it and saw Cheng Zitong standing outside with a radiant smile.
It was as if he was about to emit light from his face; his expression was genuinely glowing.
Chen Chuan's heart stirred, and he greeted him with a respectful "Teacher." He then invited Cheng Zitong in.
Cheng Zitong walked in with a briefcase, his face beaming. "Little Chuan, I came here today to tell you that your application to go to Central City has been approved by the Wu Yi University," he said with a smile.
Although Chen Chuan had mentally prepared himself for this, hearing the news still filled his heart with an uncontrollable joy.
Cheng Zitong laughed and said, "As soon as I received the news this morning, I wanted to inform you immediately, but you were out for lunch. So, I've been waiting for you to return."
Chen Chuan sincerely replied, "Thank you, Teacher, for your trouble."
"No trouble at all! I'd even eat a few more bowls of rice for such good news! I just came from the cafeteria."
Cheng Zitong patted his round belly, sat down on the sofa, and took out a document from his briefcase, handing it to Chen Chuan. "Here, take a look."
Chen Chuan accepted the document and read its contents: "After verification by the Wu Yi University and the Processing Bureau, the applicant meets all the requirements for admission. Therefore, the applicant is granted permission to study at the University, effective from the date of receipt of this notification."
Following this were the official seals of the Wu Yi University, the Processing Bureau, and the Review Committee, along with the signatures of the relevant officials—a long list of over a dozen names.
This was just a piece of paper, but for so many years, it had kept countless students from entering Central City, remaining an unattainable dream.
Now, Chen Chuan held it in his hands, grasping the turning point of his destiny.
After reading it twice, Chen Chuan looked up and said, "Teacher, it says that it takes effect from the date of notification. Does that mean I can go to Central City right now?"
Cheng Zitong nodded, "Yes, that's right. With this notification, you can go to Central City. However, this semester is almost over, and there are many things to do at the end of the year, both here and in Central City. So, it might be a bit rushed to leave now."
"Therefore, I suggest you don't rush. You can wait until after the New Year to go. It's a long journey, and you might need to stay there for a while. Take some time to prepare and also settle your affairs here."
Chen Chuan nodded in agreement.
Cheng Zitong smiled and took out a stack of tickets from his briefcase, placing them on the desk. "These are the tickets for this year's University tournament. I kept them for you."
Chen Chuan thanked him without hesitation, "Thank you, Teacher."
"Alright, you go back to your tasks. I'll be off now. I've got a lot to do today, and I've been so happy that I've neglected them."
Cheng Zitong put on his decorative glasses, stood up, and walked out, humming a tune with a light and cheerful step. It seemed he was genuinely delighted today.
After seeing Cheng Zitong off, Chen Chuan returned and picked up the notification. He felt that he should share this news with his family first. After some thought, he went to his room and took out a messenger bag he hadn't used in a long time. He placed the notification inside.
Then, he changed his clothes, slung the bag over his shoulder, and left the dormitory building. Outside, it was winter, and the air was cool, but the sun shone brightly, its rays warm on his skin.
He went to the bike shed, got his bicycle, and rode home. As he left the campus, his students greeted him, and he responded to each one. After leaving the school, he pedaled faster and made his way home.
When he arrived, he parked his bike in the yard and entered the house. It was a weekend, and the whole family was there. Nian Fuli was listening to the radio, tapping his fingers to the rhythm, and bobbing his head to the opera playing. His younger siblings were building blocks, and Yu Wan was sitting nearby, knitting a sweater. Upon seeing Chen Chuan, she smiled and asked, "Chen'er, are you back? Have you eaten?"
Chen Chuan smiled and replied, "Auntie, I've eaten."
Yu Wan smiled and said, "Is everything okay at school? Why don't you stay for dinner tonight?"
Chen Chuan agreed, "Okay."
Yu Wan continued knitting.
"Auntie," Chen Chuan called out softly.
Yu Wan looked up.
Chen Chuan turned to Nian Fuli and said, "Uncle." He took off his bag, walked a few steps, and placed it on the desk. Nian Fuli, seeing this, instinctively turned down the volume of the radio.
Chen Chuan took out the notification and handed it to Yu Wan, saying, "Auntie, this is the admission notification from the Wu Yi University in Central City. I'll be going there to study."
"Central City..."
Yu Wan was initially dazed, but then she seemed to realize something. She quickly reached for the notification, but halfway, she wiped her hands on her apron before carefully taking it.
When she read the line on the notification, at that moment, she felt both genuine joy and a sense of loss. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Nian Fuli stood up and came to Yu Wan's side, putting his arm around her shoulder. He looked at the notification and said, "Central City..."
He gave a short laugh, "When I was in the army, my squad leader always told me that his biggest wish before joining the military was to visit Central City. Chen'er, getting into Wu Yi University is like putting a gold brick in your pocket. Now, going to Central City is like using that gold brick as a stepping stone." He squeezed Yu Wan's shoulder tighter, "Yu Wan, our child has made us proud. We should be happy."
Yu Wan wiped her tears, "Yes, we should be happy. Chen'er, what would you like to eat? Auntie will make it for you."
Chen Chuan smiled, "I've eaten many delicious things at school and elsewhere, but my favorite is still Auntie's chicken soup."
"Oh..." Yu Wan stood up and wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. "Auntie will make it for you right now."
Nian Fuli added, "Every weekend, whether you're here or not, your auntie will buy a chicken to cook."
Chen Chuan nodded and took out the tickets Cheng Zitong had given him from his bag and handed it to Nian Fuli, "Uncle, these are the tickets for this year's tournament."
"Good stuff."
Nian Fuli took the tickets. Even as a squad leader, he couldn't get his hands on these. It was a shame he couldn't show them off to Wei Laohu now that he had been promoted.
Chen Chuan looked at his cousins, "Let's go, Uncle is taking you out to play today."
"Oh oh oh..."
The two little ones didn't quite understand what was just said, but upon hearing this, they cheered and ran over to Chen Chuan, tugging at his pant legs and looking up at Nian Fuli expectantly.
Nian Fuli waved his hand and said, "Go and play, follow your uncle."
"Oh oh oh, let's go play..."
Chen Chuan bent down and hugged them, then went to open the door, leading the two little ones outside.
Nian Fuli followed them out and watched as Chen Chuan led the two energetic children out of the courtyard. Yu Wan also came out and stood there watching.
At this moment, Nian Fuli said, "When we brought Little Chuan back then, he was about the same age as Little Lu and Little Mo, right?"
"Yeah, he was so small back then."
Nian Fuli thought for a moment and said, "Little Chuan was young then, and it's been how long? It feels like just a blink of an eye, and now he's ready to spread his wings and fly."
"I remember my second sister. When she left, it was also for a long time. I hope Little Chuan doesn't follow in her footsteps."
Nian Fuli said, "Little Chuan is different. He has his own ideas."
Yu Wan nodded. She looked at the swaying branches outside the courtyard, hugged her arms, and said in a daze, "When I was little, my mother told me that in the eyes of adults, children are like kites in the sky. We watch them fly, but the string in our hands is something we can never let go of."
Nian Fuli turned to block the wind and gestured with his hand, saying, "Alright, let's go back inside. It's cold outside, don't stand there. The children will grow up and have their own paths. You don't need to worry too much."
Chen Chuan took the two little ones to a nearby children's playground and played with them for the afternoon. Then, he took them to buy lots of snacks.
As they were leaving, Nian Mo licked the tanghulu in his hand and asked, "Uncle, are you going on a long trip? Will you be gone for a long time?"
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "You know about this?"
"My brother did the same when he went on a long trip. He played with us for a long time, but it's been a long time since he came back."
Nian Lu corrected him, "You should call him brother. Mom said we shouldn't be impolite."
"I'll only call him brother if he gives me treats."
Chen Chuan chuckled. This kid was indeed practical. He glanced at the sky and seeing that it was already late, he took his cousins home. There, he asked Yu Wan, "Auntie, will Uncle be back this year?"
Auntie replied, "I don't know. In previous years, he would send a telegram around this time, but we haven't received one this year. This kid is unpredictable. If he doesn't come back, maybe you should send a telegram to remind him."
Nian Fuli said, "I won't send a telegram. I won't bother him. This year, our family will celebrate the New Year together as usual."
Chen Chuan smiled inwardly, knowing that Nian Fuli was being stubborn. He might be sending telegrams every day, eagerly awaiting a response.
After dinner, he slept there for the night and returned to school early the next morning. Since his trip to Central City was already decided, there was no need to overthink it. He wanted to make the most of this time to further improve himself and prepare for his journey to Central City.
However, just a day later, the Admissions Office posted this year's list of students admitted to the Central City Academy on the school gate.
In the past, only recommended students could enter the Central City Academy, and they had no connection with the ordinary students around them. But this time, the name on the list was: "Wu Yi University Hall, Second-Year Student, Grade A Student, Chen Chuan."
This news caused a stir both inside and outside the Academy. For a long time, no students other than the recommended ones had been admitted to the Central City Academy.
Whether Grade A or Grade B, it was already assumed that this was an exclusive privilege for recommended students, and the ordinary students had long since given up on this opportunity.
However, when Chen Chuan's name appeared on the list, everyone could sense that something had changed from this moment on. The waves caused by this event even brought back some recent graduates and those who had graduated a few years ago to witness the spectacle.
Tai Dongwei stood beneath the notice posted on the window, gazing at the name and seal, "I never expected this. What do you think? Could it be that students like us will also have the chance to go to Central City in the future?"
Deng Fu said, "Us? You and I have already graduated, so there's no chance for us. But for our junior brother, there might still be a chance. He has the Infinite Defense Permit, and among our peers, few can match his excellence. The odds are high, except that we've joined the Mutual Aid Society, which is a negative factor."
Guan Yuming thought for a moment and said firmly, "I want to go."
His family still hoped to rely on Central City's medicine to cure their illness, and now that the Mutual Aid Society's route was blocked, even though the black market could provide some, to solve this issue, they must go to Central City.
Tai Dongwei stared at the notice, unconsciously saying, "I'm so envious of Junior Brother Chen."
Deng Fu replied leisurely, "Don't be envious. It's not something to envy. This is something he fought for himself. If you can manage to overthrow the Mutual Aid Society and topple the Mo Lan Corporation, then you can also go to Central City."
Tai Dongwei exclaimed in surprise, "I know about the Mutual Aid Society, but isn't the Mo Lan Corporation... wasn't that dealt with by higher-ups?"
Deng Fu spoke with meaning, "You really think Junior Brother Chen has nothing to do with this? Let me tell you, this Junior Brother Chen dares to challenge the Adjudication Court, facing so many influential families connected to the Mo Lan Corporation, do you think he has no backing?"
Both Tai Dongwei and Guan Yuming were taken aback and thought carefully, feeling that there was some truth to this.
After a while, Guan Yuming couldn't help but ask, "The Mo Lan Corporation is gone, but I've heard that another company has taken over its assets. Will there be another 'Mo Lan Corporation' and 'Mutual Aid Society' in the future?"
"Yes, definitely," Deng Fu replied without hesitation.
"Then what should we do?"
Deng Fu said, "What can we do? At worst, we'll just overthrow them again."
"But that's no different from before, is it?"
Deng Fu turned his back, hands in his pockets, walking away from the crowd, "It's different, but it's also the same!"
...
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(End of Chapter)
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