Chapter 486: Little Dong'er, Top Student in the City's High School Entrance Exam

Chapter 486: Little Dong'er, Top Student in the City's High School Entrance Exam

A residential compound in Fuzhou.

Meimei came over for a meal and stayed for about ten minutes of tea before Song Yu stood up and said, "Weiwei, I'll head back first. When I have some free time, I'll call you to go shopping together."

Gu Caimei smiled and said, "Sure, I'm free anytime. Just let me know when it's convenient for you."

Song Yu nodded, then bid farewell to Deng Yunheng, his son, and Deng Dajie, leaving the house contentedly.

After Song Yu left, Deng Yunheng looked at Deng Dajie, who had already washed the dishes, and said, "Dajie, you've been taking care of Uncle Mao for five years now. It's time to think about marriage. I'll call your great-grandfather and ask him to find a good match for you back home.

Or if you're not afraid of moving far, I can help you find a suitable match here in Fuzhou. What do you think?"

Deng Dajie blushed and said, "Second Uncle, I'm not ready to get married yet. I'll wait until Uncle Mao starts elementary school before I look for a husband."

Deng Yunheng said, "Dajie, think it over carefully. By the time Uncle Mao starts elementary school, you'll be twenty-five or twenty-six. At that age, even if you're not in a hurry, your mother might be."

Deng Dajie replied, "Second Uncle, I'm fine. Look at Director Song; she didn't get married until she was in her thirties. I don't think it's too late for me to find a husband at twenty-five or twenty-six. As for my mother, she also wants me to take care of Uncle Mao until he starts elementary school and won't rush me to get married."

Gu Caimei interjected, "Dajie, we really appreciate your help these past few years!"

Deng Dajie quickly said, "Second Aunt, you're too kind. I'm the one who's grateful. Many people in the clan envy me for being able to help take care of Uncle Mao!"

"Rest assured, we'll help you find a good match."

"Thank you, Second Aunt!"

...

11:00 AM.

Wuyue Square, Nanning.

Deng Shirong had just finished half a pot of tea and was about to go into the kitchen to prepare lunch when his phone rang.

Deng Shirong answered it casually, "Hello, who is it?"

"Dad, it's me. Something happened here!"

His youngest daughter's voice came through the phone, filled with fear.

Deng Shirong's heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "Azhu, don't panic. Take your time and tell me what happened."

Deng Yunzhu trembled, "Two hours ago, two of our company's financial staff went to the bank to withdraw 300,000 yuan in cash. As soon as they stepped out of the bank, they were shot dead by robbers who took the money and fled."

Deng Shirong asked, "They were shot dead?"

Deng Yunzhu replied, "Yes, according to eyewitnesses, the robbers shot them dead and then fled with the money."

Deng Shirong said, "It seems we're dealing with ruthless killers."

Deng Yunzhu, still shaken, said, "Dad, I'm glad you always emphasized not to withdraw money from the bank in person or carry too much cash. This world is really dangerous. Those robbers kill people as easily as they kill chickens!"

Deng Shirong said, "The security situation is indeed worrying. There are too many criminals. If these robbers were just after the money, like the kidnapping case that shocked Hong Kong last month, it wouldn't be so scary. The worst part is when they shoot people without a word, making them die unjustly."

Deng Yunzhu said, "Over the past two years, there have been frequent robberies and murders in Guangzhou. I heard about them several times but never thought it would happen so close to me. Now that it's happened, I'm really scared. I don't know if I've been targeted by those ruthless robbers. It's terrifying to think about."

Deng Shirong comforted her, "Don't worry too much. Just remember not to carry too much cash. I'll also assign two more security personnel to you. Try to go out with them to increase your safety."

Deng Yunzhu said, "Okay, Dad, please send the security personnel over quickly."

Deng Shirong said, "I'll arrange it right away. Since the company's financial staff were involved in this incident, even though it was an accident, as the boss, you need to take responsibility. Give more money to the families of the deceased to help them through this difficult time."

Deng Yunzhu said, "I understand. I'll handle it properly."

Deng Shirong comforted her, "Don't scare yourself. Stay vigilant and always go out with security personnel."

Deng Yunzhu said, "Okay, I understand. I'll call you if anything happens."

After hanging up, Deng Shirong frowned, thinking about whether today's robbery and murder case was committed by the same notorious armed robbery and murder gang from his previous life.

In the 1990s, there were indeed many ruthless killers in the country, causing significant harm to public security.

The notorious armed robbery and murder gang in Guangzhou committed numerous bloody crimes in the 1990s. According to the normal timeline, the police wouldn't capture the leader of this criminal organization until November of this year.

Deng Shirong knew about this criminal gang from watching short videos on this topic in his previous life.

Every day, countless crimes occurred across the country, and even if Deng Shirong wanted to intervene, he couldn't manage everything. However, today's incident where robbers killed two of his daughter's company employees made him restless.

So, after having lunch at home, Deng Shirong took a bus from his family's transportation company to Guangzhou.

This time, he planned to spend some time tracking down this group of reckless criminals and ensuring they received the punishment they deserved.

After all, his youngest daughter and youngest son spent most of their time in Guangzhou. Who knew if they would be unlucky enough to be targeted by these ruthless criminals?

Eliminating these dangerous sources in advance was the right choice.

Upon arriving in Guangzhou, Deng Shirong used his special abilities to track down the criminals.

Naturally, the results were significant. Over the next month, the Guangzhou police received important leads on the criminals. Their job was simple: to respond to calls and arrest the armed criminals one by one.

Each of these armed criminals had committed numerous crimes. Capturing each one solved many murder cases. With a large number of arrests, many old cases were solved after interrogation, bringing joy to the Guangzhou police force.

The notorious armed robbery and murder gang in Guangzhou did not escape the law and was dismantled a few months earlier than in his previous life.

In this way, the security situation in Guangzhou was instantly refreshed. It's impossible to say that a large city could be entirely free of crime, but it did severely intimidate those ruthless bandits, making them dare not approach the city of Guangzhou.

After completing these tasks, Deng Shirong was content and left, hiding his achievements and fame.

...

After Deng Shirong returned, Little Dong'er's high school entrance exam results were also announced.

This semester, Little Dong'er successfully skipped a grade and became a ninth-grade student, then participated in the high school entrance exam. As expected, she topped the city's exam results, causing Deng Shirong to laugh with delight until his eyes nearly turned into slits.

The student who ranked second in the city might have fainted in the bathroom.

After all, if Little Dong'er hadn't skipped a grade, the title of the top student would have belonged to this student.

Now, this student could only be a quietly unknown runner-up.

Deng Shirong put away the results sheet and asked in a great mood, "Little Dong'er, where do you want to go this summer?"

Dongzi, standing beside him, became anxious and quickly handed over his results sheet, saying, "Grandpa, you haven't seen my results yet!"

Deng Shirong had long given up hope for his eldest grandson but didn't want to discourage him. He took the results sheet, glanced at it, and said casually, "Dongzi, you did pretty well this time. Keep it up next semester."

Dongzi beamed, "Okay, Grandpa."

Little Dong'er ignored her attention-seeking younger brother and said to her grandfather, "Grandpa, I want to visit Mount Hua. The Five Greats' meeting on Mount Hua, as depicted in the 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' is truly captivating."

Both the 1983 version of 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' and last year's 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' were shows that Little Dong'er had watched.

Of course, she didn't watch them on TV. For the 1983 version of 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' she watched a VHS tape, and for 'The Return of the Condor Heroes,' she watched a DVD.

In both these classic TV series, the meeting on Mount Hua is mentioned. It is a grand gathering where only the greatest martial artists in the world can participate, to determine who is the ultimate master. The prestige of such an event is indeed high.

Just as the movie 'Shaolin Temple' became a nationwide sensation and transformed the nearly deserted Shaolin Temple into a tourist attraction, the depiction of the meeting on Mount Hua in 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' and 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' naturally sparked interest in Mount Hua among many viewers.

Little Dong'er was clearly one of them.

Deng Shirong laughed heartily, "No problem, we'll set off for Mount Hua tomorrow and experience the atmosphere of the Five Greats' meeting at the summit."

Dongzi protested, "Grandpa, I want to go too."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Sure, you're coming too."

...

Mount Hua, known in ancient times as "West Peak" and elegantly as "Taishan," is one of the famous Five Great Mountains of China, renowned as the "most perilous mountain under heaven."

Mount Hua, the cradle of Chinese civilization, is the source of the character "Hua" in "Zhonghua" and "Huaxia," leading to its esteemed recognition as the root of the Chinese nation.

In 1982, Mount Hua was designated as one of the "first batch of national scenic spots," and in 2004, it was named one of the "ten great mountains of China," making it a place of significant renown.

Upon arriving at Mount Hua, Deng Shirong hesitated, wondering whether to take Little Dong'er and Dongzi to experience the most perilous part of the mountain, the Longkong Plank Path.

The Longkong Plank Path, built over 700 years ago, is one of the most terrifying plank paths in the world, far more frightening than a glass bridge.

In later times, many tourists came to Mount Hua to try the Longkong Plank Path, wanting to see if it was as terrifying as rumored. However, many overestimated their courage, and it was common to see visitors paralyzed with fear, crying and sobbing during their climb.

It's no exaggeration to say that those who can climb the Longkong Plank Path without fear are all tough men or women.

With his system space, Deng Shirong could ensure the safety of Little Dong'er and Dongzi. His hesitation stemmed from the fear that they might become addicted to such thrilling and dangerous activities.

Like the reckless rich kids in later times, who sought thrills and risked their lives for excitement, these people's extreme sports were often fatal.

Deng Shirong didn't want his grandchildren to follow that path.

He was relatively confident about Little Dong'er but more concerned about Dongzi.

In the end, with the mindset of "early detection, early treatment," Deng Shirong decided to take them to experience the terrifying Longkong Plank Path.

Of course, before making the decision, he asked for their opinions: "Little Dong'er, Dongzi, there's a Longkong Plank Path on Mount Hua. It was carved into the cliff face by the first-generation master of the Huashan School in the Yuan Dynasty and has a history of 700 years. Do you want to climb and experience it?"

When Little Dong'er heard about the 700-year history, her eyes lit up, and she said, "Grandpa, I want to experience it."

Dongzi didn't care about the history and said nonchalantly, "If my sister wants to climb, I'll climb too."

Deng Shirong warned, "Listen carefully, the Longkong Plank Path is carved into the cliff, extremely perilous and terrifying. You'll be walking on a narrow path with a sheer drop below. If you're not brave enough, you might be scared to the point of crying and unable to move."

Little Dong'er's brow furrowed slightly, but she said firmly, "Grandpa, I'm not afraid."

Seeing his sister say she wasn't afraid, Dongzi was even more determined and patted his chest, "Grandpa, I have a big heart!"

Deng Shirong smiled, "Alright, then we'll experience the Longkong Plank Path today."

...

Deng Shirong and his grandchildren had no intention of climbing Mount Hua themselves.

The highest peak of Mount Hua is over 2,000 meters high, and climbing the entire mountain would take at least seven to eight hours, which would be both tiring and a waste of time.

Fortunately, a cable car had been built on Mount Hua that year, saving them a lot of time and energy.

At 11:00 AM, the three of them finally arrived at the Longkong Plank Path.

The number of tourists in this era was far less than in later times. After all, in the 1990s, most people's living conditions were not good, and they didn't have the means to travel extensively.

Therefore, when Deng Shirong and his grandchildren arrived at the Longkong Plank Path, there weren't many tourists around.

The first section of the Longkong Plank Path is a 20-meter-long, two-foot-wide path carved into the cliff, only wide enough for one person.

Passing this first section can test one's courage. The wind here is very strong, making it hard to stand steady, and the sheer drop below is terrifying. Those who are timid usually stop here.

Deng Shirong looked at his grandchildren and said, "Little Dong'er, Dongzi, this is the safest part of the entire Longkong Plank Path, where you can walk directly, and there are iron chains as guardrails. However, the next part that requires climbing is quite terrifying. There are no iron chains outside, and the path is not as wide. Are you two afraid?"

It was impossible to say they weren't at all afraid, being in such a perilous cliff for the first time.

Little Dong'er, after adjusting for a moment, said, "Grandpa, it's indeed quite scary here, but I still want to give it a try."

Dongzi swallowed hard and said, not wanting to be outdone, "Grandpa, I want to try too."

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "Alright, let's continue then!"

Soon, the three of them crossed the first section of the plank path and arrived at the Chaoyuan Cave.

Here, about seven or eight tourists were queuing. These tourists were mostly young, and none of them were alone. From their conversation, it seemed they were in three different groups.

Although the Longkong Plank Path is all about the thrill, not everyone who comes here has the guts to just jump in. Many tourists hesitate for a long time before finally mustering the courage to experience it. The tourists currently queuing were no exception.

Deng Shirong rented three safety harnesses, and then the three of them joined the seven or eight tourists and began the truly thrilling and dangerous climb.

The second section of the Longkong Plank Path is a vertical stone path with steel stairs, iron chain handrails, and safety ropes for the harnesses. This nearly 90-degree stone path looks quite terrifying.

Deng Shirong went down first to demonstrate for his grandchildren. For agile teenagers, this wasn't really a problem; the key was overcoming the fear. If they couldn't overcome their fear, the sight of the vast abyss below would make their legs weak, and they wouldn't be able to move.

Fortunately, Little Dong'er and Dongzi were quite brave, or perhaps they were influenced by their grandfather. To them, it seemed like their grandfather climbed down effortlessly, as if he were climbing a two or three-meter-high wooden ladder.

Therefore, Little Dong'er and Dongzi quickly overcame their fear and followed their grandfather down.

The climbing speed of the three of them was quite fast, but unfortunately, the other tourists were much slower. Especially the young and pretty girl in front of Deng Shirong, who moved as if she were probing for landmines.

This originally short stone path took the tourists below more than ten to twenty minutes to complete.

After finishing the stone path, they arrived at the truly terrifying part of the Longkong Plank Path.

Due to its extreme danger, the locals have a saying: "Be cautious to the extent of nine-tenths, and if you want to find a body, look in Luoyang or Shangzhou."

The next section of the plank path isn't really a path; it's just a series of narrow footholds carved into the mountain. The young and pretty girl in front of Deng Shirong was stuck here, too afraid to move.

She had come with another local girl. From their conversation, it seemed they were university classmates. The local girl had likely climbed the Longkong Plank Path before and was quite brave.

At this moment, the local girl was encouraging her friend, "Yingying, don't be afraid. It looks scary, but it's actually very safe. Don't look down; just focus on the rock wall and grab the iron chain. Move slowly, and you'll be fine."

Feng Yingying, on the verge of tears, said, "Xiaolian, I know, but my legs are shaking, and I can barely stand."

Yang Xiaolian comforted her, "It's normal. Don't rush. Take your time, and you'll be fine."

Feng Yingying's heart was racing as if she had just run a kilometer. The stone footholds were so small that even in calm weather, they were terrifying. The occasional strong wind made it even worse, and she really didn't dare to move.

However, despite her fear, she didn't forget about the people behind her.

She turned around and said apologetically, "Uncle, I'm really sorry for blocking your way."

"Don't worry, we're not in a hurry."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Actually, your friend is right. It looks scary, but it's quite safe. If it were just one floor high, you'd probably step over it without thinking."

Feng Yingying nodded and said, "I understand that, but I can't overcome the fear right now."

Deng Shirong asked, "Do you want me to help? I can hold your safety harness as you move, which might give you more confidence."

Yang Xiaolian couldn't help but interject, "Uncle, that's not a good idea. This section is too dangerous for you to do it with one hand."

Deng Shirong laughed and said, "For me, it's not dangerous at all. Besides, I won't have to hold it the whole time. I can let go and move myself when needed."

"Okay, that might work."

Yang Xiaolian nodded and said to her friend, "Yingying, why don't you give it a try? Uncle will help you, so you can go with confidence."

Feng Yingying bit her lip and said, "Alright, I'll give it a try."

Little Dong'er, who was behind Deng Shirong, called out, "Big sister, you can do it!"

Dongzi also cheered, "Big sister, you can do it!"

Seeing two children much younger than her dare to climb the Longkong Plank Path, Feng Yingying felt embarrassed about being scared. So, she gathered her courage and said to Deng Shirong, "Uncle, thank you for your help!"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "No problem, let's start then!"

Feng Yingying nodded and faced the rock wall, grabbing the iron chain, ready to move.

Soon, she felt the safety harness being pulled, giving her a sense of security. She then bravely took her first step.

After that, with Deng Shirong's help, Feng Yingying successfully crossed the small section.

Once she stepped onto the wooden board, she sighed in relief and immediately thanked him, "Uncle, thank you!"

"It was nothing, no need to thank me!"

Deng Shirong then looked at his grandchildren and said, "Little Dong'er, Dongzi, come over. Don't be afraid. Hold the iron chain tightly and step firmly. I'll be here to support you."

"Got it, Grandpa."

...

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end