7: Chapter 7 College Entrance Examination

In June, the air in Hanzhou was permeated with a unique sense of anxiety.

This anxiety didn't just come from the rising temperatures, but even more so from thousands upon thousands of families.

The college entrance exam was over, but the battle was far from finished.

Deep within The Government Compound, in the living room of the Xu Family, Xu Tianhua had returned home before seven in the evening, a rare occurrence.

He took off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and sat down on the sofa opposite his son.

"Is it over?"

Xu Tianhua's voice was as steady as ever, and Xu Weidong nodded.

"Yes, the last subject was today."

"How do you feel?"

Silence. Xu Weidong pressed his lips into a thin line, a subtle change in expression that did not escape Xu Tianhua's eyes.

"Not very good."

Xu Weidong finally spoke, his voice somewhat dry.

"The last two big questions in the science comprehensive section... there wasn't enough time."

Xu Tianhua nodded without pressing for details.

He stood up to pour a glass of water and placed it in front of his son.

"Drink some water."

"Don't think about it now that it's over; just wait for the results."

The words were spoken lightly, but Xu Weidong could feel the scrutiny in his father's gaze.

From childhood to the present, his father had never asked about his exam scores.

It wasn't that he didn't care, but that he trusted him to handle it well; such trust was sometimes even more stressful than being questioned.

"Dad, if I don't get into Civil Engineering University... will you be disappointed?"

Xu Tianhua paused for a moment, then smiled: "Disappointed about what? You're not even twenty yet; your life has just begun."

"It's just one exam; it doesn't determine anything."

Xu Tianhua spoke sincerely, but the string in Xu Weidong's heart only tightened further.

Sometimes, having a father who is too outstanding is truly not a good thing.

Since Xu Weidong could remember at age six, he had watched his father rise from a deputy county magistrate to his current position as Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, every step incredibly steady and dazzlingly fast.

Facing such a mountain, any retreat seemed particularly cowardly.

"I just..."

Xu Weidong deliberated his wording, then said: "I just feel I should have done better."

"Should?"

Xu Tianhua picked up his teacup and blew on the floating tea leaves.

"In this world, what is there that 'should' be?"

"When I was your age, I was still in the countryside of Ankang County, working to earn money during the day and studying by a kerosene lamp at night."

"What was I thinking about then?"

"I was thinking about whether I could get enough to eat; how could I dare to think about Tsinghua or Peking University."

Xu Tianhua looked at his son, his gaze softening.

"Your generation has better conditions and more opportunities, yet it's easier to push yourselves too hard."

"Comrade Weidong, remember one thing your dad says."

"Just do your best, and let the results take their course."

These words were insightful, and the knot in Xu Weidong's heart loosened slightly.

But he didn't know that when his father said this, he was thinking about something else.

The internal assessment report sent by the Education Department the day before yesterday showed that the difficulty of this year's science exam was significantly higher than last year's, and the province-wide average score was estimated to drop by about ten points.

In the days after the college entrance exam, Xu Weidong spent his time in a daze.

His classmates had already started comparing answers and estimating scores, but he didn't participate even once.

Wei Yingying called to ask him to the library, but he also made excuses about having things to do at home.

June 25th, the day the results were released.

Xu Weidong locked himself in his room; he had refreshed the score-checking website page on his computer screen a dozen times.

When that number finally popped up, he stared at it for a full minute.

657 points!

It was one point lower than the minimum admission cutoff for Civil Engineering University in Hanzhong Province last year!

From the living room came the sound of his mother, Shen Ziwei, walking with deliberately light footsteps; she hesitated outside the door and did not knock.

Xu Weidong took a deep breath and pulled the door open.

"How is it?"

Shen Ziwei tried to keep her tone calm.

"657."

Shen Ziwei took a look, a complex expression flashing across her face, but she quickly put on a smile and said: "That's a very good score!"

"Last year, this score would have been enough to get into Fudan or Jiaotong University."

"Yeah."

Xu Weidong replied and walked toward the kitchen.

"I'm getting some water."

He heard his mother sigh softly behind him, and when Xu Tianhua returned home that evening, the atmosphere in the house was clearly off.

Shen Ziwei was busy in the kitchen, and Xu Weidong sat on the sofa staring at the television, but his eyes were unfocused.

"Are the results out?"

Xu Tianhua asked while changing his shoes.

"657."

Shen Ziwei poked her head out of the kitchen and answered before her son could.

"It's quite good."

Xu Tianhua nodded and walked over to sit beside his son.

The news was being rebroadcast on TV, with the volume turned very low.

"Not reconciled?"

Xu Weidong turned his head and said: "A little."

"If I could have been five minutes faster on that last physics question..."

"There are no 'ifs'."

Xu Tianhua interrupted him: "Victory and defeat are common occurrences for a soldier; even a general who is always victorious cannot guarantee they will win every battle."

"When Liu Bang fought Xiang Yu, he lost seven or eight out of ten battles, but didn't he still win the empire in the end?"

Xu Tianhua patted his son's shoulder and said: "Since ancient times, who among those who accomplished great things hasn't experienced setbacks?"

"The college entrance exam is just a small hurdle in life; if you can't even cross this, what will you do when you encounter bigger things in the future?"

Xu Weidong didn't speak, but the grayness in his eyes faded a little.

"So, if you can't get into Civil Engineering University, there are other good schools."

"If it really doesn't work out, repeating a year isn't impossible."

"But you need to think clearly: is it to prove a point, or do you really have the determination?"

"I..."

Xu Weidong paused, then said: "If Civil Engineering University doesn't work out, I want to apply to Zhejiang University or Jiaotong University."

"That's fine."

Xu Tianhua nodded and said: "As for the applications, you decide for yourself."

"If you need any advice, feel free to ask me or your mother at any time."

The conversation between father and son was interrupted by the ringing of a telephone. Xu Tianhua glanced at the caller ID, his expression shifted slightly, and he stood up and went to the study.

The call was from Liu Dehai...

"Tianhua, am I interrupting you?"

The voice on the other end of the line was loud and filled with laughter; the old leader was still as robust as ever!

"Old leader, what are you saying."

"You're never interrupting, no matter when you call."

Xu Tianhua closed the door and sat down at the desk.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries about their recent situations, and the topic naturally turned to the children.

"How did Comrade Weidong do on the college entrance exam?"

Liu Dehai asked directly; he had always treated this capable subordinate, whom he had personally promoted, like his own nephew.

Xu Tianhua did not shy away: "657 points, one point lower than the cutoff for Civil Engineering University last year."

"This kid has always wanted to get into Civil Engineering University, but he didn't perform well this time and is currently feeling down."

Liu Dehai laughed heartily on the other end of the line: "I thought it was something big!"

"People make mistakes, horses stumble; it's perfectly normal."

"This score is quite good!"

Xu Tianhua chuckled: "It is good, but it's still a little short of his own goal."

"Goals can be adjusted."

Liu Dehai changed the subject: "But having said that, since the kid wants to go to Civil Engineering University, just let him apply."

"What if the cutoff score drops this year?"

The words were spoken casually, but Xu Tianhua's hand gripping the receiver tightened slightly.

He knew this old leader too well; Liu Dehai never said things he wasn't sure about.

"The old leader is right."

Xu Tianhua followed his lead: "He hasn't submitted his applications yet; I'll have him fill in Civil Engineering University and give it a try."

"That's right, trying doesn't cost anything."

Liu Dehai said with a laugh: "By the way, Minister Yang was on the phone with me a few days ago, talking about how university admissions work needs to be more scientific and flexible."

"The Ministry of Education has a new spirit this year: to appropriately consider the differences in exam difficulty across provinces and avoid judging solely by scores."

Yang Chengliu, the current Minister of Education, was the former secretary to Liu Dehai's father and the pillar of the Liu Faction in the education system.

Xu Tianhua understood immediately, so they chatted a bit more about daily life, and finally Liu Dehai said: "Tianhua, don't worry too much about the child's affairs."

"Comrade Weidong is a good seedling; he can succeed anywhere."

"But since the child has his heart set on it, as elders, we should help where we can, don't you think?"

"Thank you for your concern, old leader."