inspire-indiana Chapter 3 Opening Exam
Chapter 3 Opening Exam
The Zhao family mansion in Xikou County.
The backyard, the servants' quarters.
It was getting dark when Lao Fang, who had been busy all day, finished his shift and returned to the backyard.
Old Fang was in his fifties, wearing a tattered shirt covered in patches, thin and with half-open, lifeless eyes.
Mechanically, relying on memory, I walked into the house.
"Old Fang, isn't school starting in a few days? I heard that there will be a test before the start of the semester, and those who fail will be expelled."
"My Cui Cui has been working hard lately, leaving early and returning late every day. She's definitely going to make it into the elite class this time. Who knows, she might even find a rich man and become a wealthy lady."
"Your son, Xiao Fang, can definitely do it too, right?"
Wang Ma's voice reached Lao Fang's ears across the corridor.
The voice was somewhat teasing, but Lao Fang clearly couldn't tell; he only heard Wang Ma asking his son, Xiao Fang.
His previously cloudy eyes suddenly brightened, and the wrinkles on his face, which had been dull and lifeless from crying, relaxed a little.
"My son, Xiao Fang, has been working very hard these days. He told me he'll definitely pass the test."
"When he graduates, he'll still have a pen in his pocket and become a cadre."
Upon hearing this, Wang Ma couldn't help but sneer inwardly, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
Even as a cadre, with Xiao Fang's character, he failed six out of seven subjects, barely passing only physical education.
I'm definitely going to fail this assessment.
Want to graduate? No way.
However, these words could not be said in front of Lao Fang, for everyone knew that Lao Fang cherished his son the most.
"That's definitely no problem, Xiao Fang. When have I ever lied to you? If he says it's okay, it definitely will!"
"Yes, I know, my son is definitely going to do it this time!"
Old Fang straightened his back, trying to straighten his back, which had been bent over by life.
His son, Xiao Fang, is destined for great things, and he needs to support him.
"Alright, that's enough. My son will be back soon. I need to go find Hu Da to make him a bowl of noodles."
"You know, my son's favorite food is the chicken noodles made by Hu Da."
Old Fang estimated the time and figured it was about time for Fang Shuwen to return.
He quickly stopped talking; he needed to find the chef, Hu Da.
Otherwise, if the stove goes out, it will cause delays.
"Old Fang spoils his son too much. What kind of status does he have that he gets special treatment from Hu Da? His hard-earned money for a month isn't even enough for food."
"My Cui Cui is so sensible. She's good at studying, tutors others, and even provides meals."
Wang Ma kept rambling on and on.
But in his heart he was thinking that sending someone like Xiao Fang to school was like throwing silver dollars into the water.
There will be a big exam when public high schools reopen.
After Xiao Fang drops out of school, Lao Fang can finally relax a bit.
This school has at least done a good deed.
If Lao Fang comes to his senses later, he might be able to save some money and find himself another wife.
.......
Meanwhile, on the other side,
As soon as Fang Shuwen entered the Zhao family's backyard, he smelled a strong aroma of chicken soup.
The smell wafted from the direction of the kitchen, going straight into his nose and making his stomach rumble.
"Master Hu's cooking skills are truly exceptional."
He mentally praised it and unconsciously quickened his pace.
Turning the corner of the corridor, I saw flames shining from the kitchen doorway.
A thin figure was hunched over, waiting at the kitchen door; it was his father, Old Fang.
"father."
Fang Shuwen called out.
Old Fang turned his head, his eyes lighting up.
"You're back? Come here quickly, Hu Da saved you a bowl of chicken noodles, it's still hot."
"Thanks, Master Hu."
Fang Shuwen bowed slightly to the burly cook in the kitchen.
"Xiao Fang, you silly boy, why are you being so polite with your uncle?"
Hu Da responded in a muffled voice, stirred the pot with the iron ladle in his hand, and added another sentence.
"Your dad has been nagging me for a while, saying that studying is too mentally taxing and you need to take care of your health."
Fang Shuwen glanced at Lao Fang.
In my memory, Lao Fang was indeed very good to the original owner, otherwise he wouldn't have let the unambitious Xiao Fang continue to go to school.
Doesn't he know that Xiao Fang is throwing money into the water by going to school?
But why continue to support it?
It's all about the love parents have for their children.
Old Fang rubbed his hands together somewhat embarrassedly and muttered, "Hu Da's mouth just can't keep its mouth shut."
Fang Shuwen didn't say anything, these past few days since he transmigrated.
He also figured out Lao Fang's temperament.
If you're too polite to him, he'll feel very uncomfortable.
They always say things like, "You're going to be a cadre in the future, so you have to be mindful of your status."
Fang Shuwen carried the noodles and sat down at the stone table in the courtyard.
The noodles are handmade, chewy and smooth, the chicken is stewed until tender, and the soup is rich, white, and fragrant.
Although the ingredients are simple, it's clear that Hu Da put a lot of thought into it.
Fang Shuwen had a good appetite and finished the whole bowl of noodles in no time.
He put down the bowl and was about to go back to his room.
As if he had thought of something, he took out two silver dollars from his pocket and handed them to the old man.
"Father, please keep this money."
Old Fang was taken aback. He reached out, picked up the silver dollar, looked at it, and then looked up at Fang Shuwen.
"Where did you get the money? What are you going to do with it? You need money for school, and you'll have to pay tuition when school starts. There are many other things you need money for."
"The money came from a legitimate source. I'm good at chess, and an old gentleman insisted on becoming my apprentice. This is the apprenticeship fee he gave me."
After Fang Shuwen finished speaking, he saw Lao Fang open his mouth, as if he wanted to continue speaking.
He quickly followed up, his voice becoming serious: "Here, take it."
Sure enough, Lao Fang fell for it.
He ultimately didn't say what he was going to say next.
He clutched the two silver dollars, his heart overflowing with joy.
This was the first time in so many years that Fang Shuwen had given him money.
His son, Xiao Fang, is indeed a promising person.
I'll definitely stop using fountain pens in the future, since I'm going to be a cadre.
After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "You...you should play less chess and read more books in the future. Reading is the proper way out."
"Understood, Lao Fang."
Fang Shuwen responded and walked straight towards the house across the street.
Although it was already dark, I was still thinking about the martial arts initiation ceremony I had today.
Instead of going back to study as he had done a few days before, he went through the moon gate to the courtyard next door.
In the center of the courtyard, square stone slabs were laid out, along with some stone weights for strength training and wooden dummy training posts for sparring.
This place was once where Zhao Xinlan, the eldest daughter of the Zhao family, practiced martial arts.
However, the place has been abandoned since he went to Shenghai to study at university.
Fang Shuwen came here to test his current strength.
Based on the original owner's experience of studying at the martial arts school for half a month, a cracking sound indicates the entry into martial arts, and strength will at least double.
"Phew, although it's left unused and the original weapons have all been moved away, these heavy stones and wooden dummy dummies have been left behind."
"It's perfect to use today."
Fang Shuwen arrived in front of a row of stone locks.
The smallest stone lock is engraved with the weight of thirty jin.
In sequence, fifty jin, eight hundred jin, one hundred jin, and one hundred and fifty jin.
The largest one weighed a good two hundred pounds and was covered in dust, clearly indicating that it hadn't been touched in a long time.
He took a deep breath, walked to the fifty-pound stone lock, bent down, and gripped the handle with his right hand.
In the memories of the original owner, after finishing training at the martial arts school, he would also train here.
A fifty-pound stone weight can be lifted with a flushed face, but an eighty-pound one won't budge at all.
Fang Shuwen tensed his waist and back, and exerted force with one arm.
"rise!"