Chapter 326: Deng Yunsong, the Top Student in Guangxi's Science Stream

Chapter 326: Deng Yunsong, the Top Student in Guangxi's Science Stream

Wednesday, July 9, 1986.

7:00 PM.

At Bobai High School, the entire class of the 1983 graduating year was holding a graduation party.

It was the height of summer, and the weather was extremely hot. In this era, classrooms were not equipped with air conditioning, let alone electric fans. With over sixty people crammed into the room, the temperature was unbearable.

However, the sweltering heat did not dampen the students' enthusiasm. This evening might be the last time the classmates would gather together. Many students from rural areas would be packing their bags and heading home the next day, and whether they would ever meet again was uncertain. After all, this was not the future where everyone had WeChat, QQ, and class groups to stay in touch.

Once they graduated, the only way to contact each other was through an address, and if that address changed, losing touch was a common occurrence.

Thus, everyone let loose and had a great time. Even the usually shy and quiet students bravely stood up to perform, singing and playing games, fully embracing the moment.

They played a traditional game of "Pass the Flower," where the person holding the flower when the drum stopped had to say a few words or perform a program.

Deng Yunsong, the class president and top student, also stood up to sing a song when the flower was passed to him. He sang "Walking on the Country Path," a famous composition by Taiwanese musician Ye Jiaxiu.

Accompanying him on the electronic keyboard was the music teacher. To make the graduation party a success, the teachers had even managed to procure an electronic keyboard, which, though ordinary, was a significant electronic instrument in this era.

As the familiar accompaniment played, Deng Yunsong began to sing, with the attention of all the teachers and students:

"Walking on the country path,

The old ox returning at dusk is my companion,

The blue sky adorned with a sunset on my chest,

The colorful clouds are the evening glow's attire.

Shouldering a hoe,

The shepherd's song echoes,

Oh oh oh oh they sing,

And a short flute plays faintly in the distance..."

Although Deng Yunsong had no particular talent for singing, and his rendition of this well-known classic was rather ordinary, he still received thunderous applause when he finished the song, especially from the female students, who clapped until their palms were red.

In the entire class, no male student could match Deng Yunsong's status in the hearts of the female students. While he was not the most handsome, his academic performance had consistently been the best in the grade since he entered the school. Such outstanding grades, especially in a key high school like Bobai, had a significant impact on the female students.

After all, in this era, getting accepted into a university, even a regular one, was synonymous with a bright future. With Deng Yunsong's grades, as long as he performed normally on the college entrance exam, he was almost guaranteed admission to Tsinghua or Peking University. Such a promising future made him very popular among the female students.

Another reason was his family background. The students knew he was the son of the owner of the Shufeng Hotel, which was the best in the class. Whether in this era or the future, a good family background was a significant advantage.

Lastly, Deng Yunsong had very high prestige in the class, which was not just because he was appointed as the class president. His authority was established during a late-night study session in the first year when he intimidated the two most formidable local students, Li Donghai and Zhang Wenlong.

After that night, Li Donghai and Zhang Wenlong looked up to Deng Yunsong, indirectly making him the most respected class president.

With so many advantages, which female student could resist him? If it were the future, some female students would have already made a move to pursue him.

The party started at 7:00 PM and continued until 11:00 PM, gradually winding down.

The students' moods began to turn somber, and some of the more emotional female students started to cry.

The homeroom teacher, Chen Haining, stood up and said with deep emotion, "Dear students, you are about to embark on your journey, like the rising sun of the morning. Your alma mater will always be thinking of you, watching over you, and looking forward to your success.

As you set out on your new journey, please remember: even if you cannot be as grand as the ocean, you can be as graceful as a stream; even if you cannot be as towering as a mountain, you can be as winding as a mountain path; even if you cannot create a stirring symphony, you can compose a gentle ballad.

There will be times when you will ride the long wind and set sail to cross the vast sea.

In the long journey of life ahead, find your direction and be the best version of yourself. That is the most beautiful life.

We welcome you to visit us often and come back to the school.

The graduation songs have already begun, and a new voyage is about to set sail. May you ride the wind and waves, navigate the vast sea, and reach the shores of success.

Finally, there is no feast that does not end. Goodbye, students!"

Hearing the word "goodbye," one of the female students could not hold back her tears.

This seemed to be a signal, and soon other female students began to sob, and even some of the more sensitive male students had tears in their eyes.

Farewell is indeed the most sorrowful.

After spending three whole years together, everyone was now graduating. From now on, they would all go their separate ways. Some would continue their studies, some would return to farming, and some would get married. In short, they would be scattered far and wide, and it would be very difficult for them to meet again.

Perhaps after this farewell, some might never meet again in their entire lives.

Deng Yunsong could not bear the sad atmosphere either. He stood up and said, "Dear teachers and classmates, tomorrow we will all go our separate ways. In the future, some of us might be able to maintain contact, but it will be very difficult to have the entire class gather like this again.

I propose a ten-year reunion.

Ten years from today, no matter where we are, let's all return to our alma mater to attend our class's ten-year graduation reunion. What do you think?"

Zhang Wenlong was the first to jump up and say, "I agree. This is a great suggestion, and I will definitely not miss the ten-year reunion."

Li Donghai followed closely, "I agree too. Let's meet again ten years from now."

"I also support the class president's proposal. At that time, the class president can organize the reunion for all of us."

"I am willing to attend the reunion."

"I am willing too."

"..."

Deng Yunsong's proposal instantly received the support of all the classmates. Those who were originally feeling down perked up immediately. They didn't know where they would be in ten years or whether they would have the time to attend, but that didn't stop them from making this promise at this moment.

As for how many of the classmates would actually fulfill this promise, only time would tell.

After all the classmates had expressed their opinions, Deng Yunsong said, "Although everyone has left their contact addresses, it's hard to say what will happen in the future. We might lose contact with each other for various reasons.

You all know that the Shufeng Hotel is our family's business, and the Ye Deng residential complex built in the county last year is where my home is.

If any of you lose contact with other classmates for any reason, please come to these two places to find me. You will definitely be able to contact me.

I hope that all 58 of our classmates and the teachers present here can reunite in ten years, and even in twenty, thirty, or forty years, so that our three years of camaraderie will not have been in vain."

To dispel the sad atmosphere, the homeroom teacher, Chen Haining, joked, "Dear classmates, I should be fine to attend the ten-year reunion, but for the forty-year reunion, I might not be able to crawl out of the ground to join you!"

This remark immediately made some of the classmates laugh!

"Haha, Teacher Chen, you seemed so serious these past three years, but I didn't expect you to have a sense of humor!"

"Teacher Chen, you're only in your forties. In forty years, you'll only be in your eighties, so you don't need to crawl out of the ground!"

"Exactly, although I often secretly complained about you, I know you were strict for our own good. I hope you have a long life."

"..."

Seeing the smiles on the classmates' faces, Chen Haining seized the moment and said, "Alright, dear classmates, this is no joke. Farewell is for the sake of reuniting. Please remember today's promise, and let's meet again in ten years!"

"Sure, Teacher, classmates, let's meet again in ten years!"

"Alright, see you in ten years!"

"See you in ten years!"

"See you in ten years, no matter what!"

And with that, the graduation party came to an end. It remains to be seen how many of the teachers and classmates present would keep their promise in ten years.

...

The next day at noon.

Shufeng Hotel.

Deng Shirong was eating a sweet soup made with sweet potato chips, red beans, green beans, peanuts, and brown sugar. This dish was particularly comforting in the summer. Most people would not add red beans, green beans, or peanuts, just sweet potato chips and brown sugar, but the taste was still excellent.

The finished product looked like this:

The sweet potato chips looked like this:

These were dried sweet potato chips. Good sweet potatoes produced very soft and flavorful chips with a special aroma, making them quite delicious.

Deng Shirong ate two large bowls and then took his water pipe outside to smoke.

After a few puffs, he saw his third son approaching. "Dad!"

Deng Yunsong greeted his father. Last night, he had slept very well. Before the college entrance exam, although there were breaks, there was always a sense of tension. Now, with the exam over, it felt like a heavy burden had been lifted, and he felt incredibly comfortable.

Deng Shirong grunted in acknowledgment and said, "I made the sweet potato porridge you love. Go inside and eat it!"

"Okay, this is my favorite!"

Deng Yunsong responded, went inside, and served himself a bowl of sweet potato chips and brown sugar soup, then sat at the door to eat while saying, "Dad, I've already estimated my scores!"

Deng Shirong, holding his water pipe, asked, "How did you do?"

Deng Yunsong smiled and said, "Based on my most conservative estimate, getting into Tsinghua is almost a sure thing."

"Good! Good! Good!"

Deng Shirong's eyes lit up, and he said three times, "Good!" He was very pleased and added, "Once you receive your acceptance letter, I will throw a celebration for you in the village."

Indeed, he was happy. With two sons, one at Peking University and the other at Tsinghua University, who wouldn't look at him with newfound respect?

In this era, being wealthy was certainly advantageous, but being solely wealthy did not necessarily earn you respect in the eyes of certain people. However, if your family was not only wealthy but also produced two top students from Tsinghua and Peking Universities, that was a different story!

Deng Yunsong saw his father's delighted expression and felt equally happy. Although his usual academic performance suggested that he would have no trouble getting into Tsinghua or Peking University if he performed normally, actual exam results could be unpredictable.

Now that the estimated scores were out, it felt like the matter was settled. Being able to enter the country's top universities, just like his older brother, was something that would make anyone genuinely happy.

Soon, Deng Shirong announced this incredible news at the Shufeng Hotel.

Although the official results had not yet been released, since his third son had said it was a sure thing, it meant his estimated score was not just barely above the Tsinghua threshold but significantly higher, giving him the confidence to make such a statement.

Therefore, Deng Shirong was not worried about any unexpected outcomes.

Upon hearing the news, Deng Yuntao was equally elated, exclaiming, "That's wonderful! Yunheng got into Peking University, and now you, Xiaosong, are going to Tsinghua. We have both Tsinghua and Peking University covered. It's truly a blessing from the heavens!"

Zhang Xiuping also beamed with joy, saying, "Indeed, it's already a great achievement for a family to produce an ordinary college student. For us to have two of the top students from Tsinghua and Peking Universities, it must be a blessing from our ancestors!"

Deng Yunzhen patted her younger brother's shoulder, her eyes squinting with a broad smile. Although she lacked abilities herself, her father and brothers provided her with a life of luxury that others could only dream of. With her older brother at Peking University and her younger brother at Tsinghua, they would be her greatest support in the future.

In this era and even in the future, a woman's happiness in her marital home could not be guaranteed solely by her brothers, but having many capable brothers could ensure she would not be bullied by her in-laws.

In Bobai, if someone dared to barge into a village to cause trouble, regardless of who was right or wrong, the villagers would unite to drive them away. This was because entering a village to bully people implied that the village had no one to defend it. Any village that was united would not allow such bullying, unless the village was truly weak or the intruder was overwhelmingly powerful.

The only exception was when a woman was mistreated by her in-laws or husband. In such cases, her brothers from her natal village would come to her aid, and as long as they did not seriously harm the abusers, no one in the village would dare to intervene.

Thus, in both ancient and modern times, a woman's brothers were her strongest support.

Zhang Guangzong was also deeply impressed, praising, "Boss, your family is truly blessed. Not only are you wealthy, but you also have two top students. People will envy you for sure."

Deng Shirong smiled, his wrinkles showing, "The children have indeed done well."

Wishing for one's children to succeed is a universal desire among all parents. There is nothing that makes parents happier than their children's achievements.

...

Knowing that his third son had successfully been admitted to Tsinghua University, Deng Shirong, now feeling relieved, began to busy himself again.

The jackfruit and pineapples required a lot of time to manage, mainly because their ripening periods were different. Especially for jackfruit, the ripening period was particularly long, and even on the same tree, some fruits might already be ripe while others were just the size of a fist, making the difference quite significant.

On the other hand, longan was more manageable. As long as they were of the same variety and planted in the same area, they generally ripened at the same time.

After about half a month of effort, he completed the pineapple acquisition, which was slightly less than last year, totaling 1200 tons and costing 240,000 yuan.

He also acquired 360 tons of jackfruit, spending 115,200 yuan, with more acquisitions to follow.

Previously, after paying the construction fees for the Wuyue Plaza in Nanning, he had only 970,000 yuan left. However, this year, he received a dividend of 216,000 yuan from the passenger transport company, bringing his total to 1.19 million yuan.

He then went to the XinGuang Farm in Lingshan to acquire 500 tons of lychees, spending 700,000 yuan, leaving him with 490,000 yuan.

Now, with the pineapple and jackfruit acquisitions totaling 355,200 yuan, he had only 130,000 yuan left.

This amount was clearly insufficient for the longan acquisition, especially since more jackfruit would need to be acquired later, and he would need more funds.

Fortunately, the Yongjia Supermarket business was thriving. Last year, he had given his oldest son 500,000 yuan to purchase inventory. With the supermarket's current cash flow, it was entirely possible to withdraw 200,000 to 300,000 yuan, so he did not need to worry about a lack of funds.

After completing the pineapple acquisition, he returned to the county to wait with his third son for the official exam results.

As expected, there was no surprise. Not only did Deng Yunsong easily get into Tsinghua University, but he also secured the title of the top student in the science stream for Guangxi, an unparalleled honor. This was the first time a student from Bobai High School had achieved this honor since the restoration of the college entrance exam.

If not for Deng Yunsong, in the previous timeline, it would have been 1988 before a student from Guangxi achieved the top honor in the liberal arts stream.

Of course, this was referring to the period after the restoration of the college entrance exam. If we went further back, in 1958, both the top students in the liberal arts and science streams for Guangxi were from Bobai High School.

Even last year, a class from Bobai High School created a miracle: out of 45 graduates, 42 were admitted to universities or vocational colleges. Among them, one each to Peking University, Renmin University, Nanjing University, Nankai University, Sun Yat-sen University, Sichuan University, Hangzhou Business School, Shaanxi University of Finance and Economics, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, and Guangxi Normal University.

Xiamen University, Central China Normal University, Central South University of Economics and Law, and Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics each admitted two students.

Guangxi Normal University admitted three students, Guangxi University admitted six, and other vocational colleges admitted three. It was an incredible achievement.

Such a strong foundation was not something that Songshan High School, where Deng Yunheng studied, could match.

However, regardless of the comparison, winning the title of the top student in Guangxi's science stream was a significant achievement for the school, adding another glorious chapter to its already illustrious history.

...

At the end of the sixth month of the lunar calendar.

Deng Shirong rode his motorcycle to the temporary government office in Shuangwang Township.

"Uncle Nine!"

"Uncle Nine, are you here to see the Party Secretary?"

The staff at the township government office greeted Deng Shirong as he arrived.

Deng Shirong parked his motorcycle and smiled, "I'm here not only to see the Party Secretary but also the Township Chief and all of you. Could you please gather the Party Secretary, the Township Chief, and all the other leaders? I have something to tell everyone."

The staff were surprised by his request, wondering why he needed to see all the leaders. However, they knew Uncle Nine was a person of great influence, so they quickly went to the offices to invite the leaders.

Soon, all the leaders of the township government were gathered.

After exchanging greetings, Deng Shirong got straight to the point, smiling, "Party Secretary, Township Chief, and all the leaders, I am here to invite you to my home in three days to celebrate my third son's university admission."

Party Secretary Lin immediately congratulated him, "That's wonderful news, congratulations, Uncle Nine! Now you have two sons who are university students, that's truly impressive!"

The Township Chief also smiled, "Congratulations, Uncle Nine! Having two sons admitted to universities, one to Peking University, is a first in all of Shuangwang. What university did your third son get into?"

Deng Shirong smiled, "My son has worked hard and got into Tsinghua University, and he is the top student in Guangxi's science stream this year."

Upon hearing this, the Party Secretary, the Township Chief, and all the leaders and staff were stunned speechless.

If it had been just one son achieving such remarkable results, they would have been surprised, but not this shocked. However, they knew Deng Shirong already had a son at Peking University. Now, his third son had not only been admitted to Tsinghua but also as the top student in Guangxi. Even in the future, such a situation would make the news. In this era, it was even more incredible.

Party Secretary Lin was the first to recover, saying with admiration, "Uncle Nine, we all have a lot to learn from you in raising children!"

The Township Chief nodded in agreement, "Party Secretary is right. One son at Peking University and another at Tsinghua, how do you manage to raise such outstanding children?"

"If my son could just get into a vocational college, I would be over the moon. Uncle Nine, could you share some of your parenting secrets?"

"Who can argue with that? Even if my son could finish high school smoothly, I would be grateful. Uncle Nine, you are truly an expert in parenting!"

"Uncle Nine, could you share some tips on how you raised your children?"

"Uncle Nine..."

As they all said, every parent hopes for their child to succeed. Seeing Deng Shirong's two sons admitted to the top universities in the country, these parents and leaders began to earnestly seek advice.

Deng Shirong waved his hand and smiled, "Leaders, I don't have any special parenting secrets. Honestly, my sons' achievements are due to their own efforts. As a father, I didn't play a significant role.

Of my seven children, only these two have the best academic performance. The others are just glad to have finished high school."

Party Secretary Lin sighed, "So, it ultimately depends on the child's own efforts. Parents can only provide some support."

Deng Shirong nodded, "Exactly. Parents can only provide a good learning environment. The rest depends on their self-discipline and talent. Learning requires persistence. If a child is not self-motivated and is forced to study, it won't be effective."

After discussing children's education for a while, Deng Shirong reiterated his invitation, "Party Secretary, Township Chief, and all the leaders, I hope you can all come to my home in three days for a drink."

Party Secretary Lin smiled and led the response, "It would be our honor. We will definitely be there in three days."

The Township Chief and other leaders also agreed, "We will be there. Such a celebration for a Tsinghua University admission, we wouldn't miss it for the world, especially when you have personally invited us."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end