Chapter 26: Father and Son

Returning home in the afternoon, Chen Fan was surprised to find his father at home.

"Dad, didn't you go to work today?"

His mother, Li Jinqiu, glanced at her husband. "Your father was worried about how you did on your exams, so he took time off and came home early this afternoon."

Chen Fan couldn't help but laugh. "There was no need for that. You would have found out when you got home tonight anyway."

Chen Jianye stole a glance at his son. Pretending to be nonchalant, he still couldn't help but ask with a hint of anxiety, "How did you do?"

"It was alright."

"What do you mean by 'alright'?" Chen Jianye looked at his wife nervously before turning back to his son. "Didn't you say you were going to estimate your scores this afternoon?"

Chen Fan took off his school uniform jacket and tossed it into his bedroom. "That's right. I've finished estimating."

"How... how many points?" The older couple’s hearts leaped to their throats. "Can you get into a second-tier university? Or even a third-tier one?"

Chen walked over to his father, sat down, poured himself a glass of cold water, and downed it in one go. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before speaking.

"I estimated 575."

"Oh, with that score, you should be able to apply for..." Chen Jianye nodded, then suddenly froze. He stared at his son in disbelief. "How many points?"

Chen Fan smiled. "575 points. That's above the first-tier university cutoff."

*Whoosh!*

Chen Jianye stood up instantly. For the first time, the usually composed middle-aged man lost his composure. "575... 575 points. Wife, did I hear that right? Our son got 575 points!"

Li Jinqiu’s eyes were already red as she nodded fervently. "You heard right. Our son said he got 575 points. That’s above the first-tier cutoff."

"That's wonderful... simply wonderful!" Chen Jianye paced around the room excitedly, rubbing his hands together. "Quick! Wife, go fry a couple more dishes—no, there's no time, go out and buy some prepared food, pick up two pounds of pig head meat, and get a bottle of good wine..."

Chen Fan teased him with a smile, "Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration, Dad? We still have to live our lives, you know."

"Less talk!" Chen Jianye glared at him, then burst into a laugh. "I’m happy today. Tonight, you're going to have a proper drink with me."

Li Jinqiu untied her apron, smiling. "I'll go buy it right now."

That evening, the family of three sat around the table, which was spread with six different dishes. The level of opulence was something Chen Fan usually only saw during the Lunar New Year. Chen Jianye smiled and brought out two glasses.

"Now that the college entrance exam is over, you're an adult. Drink with your father tonight."

Li Jinqiu shot her husband a look. "You're really going to let him drink?"

Chen Jianye chuckled. "It's fine. Our son is grown up; a little won't hurt."

Chen Fan also smiled and said, "Mom, Dad is happy today. I’ll have a little with him."

The two men clinked glasses, and Chen Jianye took a large, excited gulp. Chen Fan took only a small sip.

"Quick, eat something!" Li Jinqiu hurriedly put a piece of pig ear into her son's bowl.

That night, the family enjoyed themselves immensely and talked for hours. Chen Jianye, in particular, was flushed after only two glasses and was much more talkative than usual. During the meal, Li Jinqiu asked curiously which university he planned to apply to.

"Yunhai University, majoring in International Trade at the School of Economics and Management," Chen Fan replied without hesitation.

In truth, the major he should have chosen was Computer Science, given it was his field in his previous life. But to be in the same major as Su Ruochu, Chen Fan changed his mind without a second thought. Besides, based on his past experience, he probably wouldn't learn much from the Computer Science program anyway; the teachers might not even know as much as he did.

"Yunhai University? Is that in the neighboring Yunhai Province?" Li Jinqiu asked curiously, not very familiar with these things. "Is it famous? With your score, shouldn't you be able to go to school in Beijing?"

As a simple rural woman, Li Jinqiu didn't know much about universities. She just instinctively felt that only universities in Beijing were truly good.

Chen Jianye slammed his glass onto the table and snorted. "What would a village woman like you know? Our son is grown and has his own ideas; he knows better than we do."

Li Jinqiu shot her husband a look and said blandly, "Yes, yes, I don't know anything. At least I have a high school diploma."

Hearing this, Chen Jianye instantly deflated, as he had only finished middle school.

Seeing his father’s embarrassment, Chen Fan quickly explained with a smile, "Mom, Yunhai University is also a top-tier school in the country. It’s a 985 project university, and it’s very hard to get into. Besides, it’s close to home. If I miss you two, I can come back by bus whenever I want."

Chen Jianye took a sip of wine and looked at his son earnestly. "You know more about this than we do, so just make your own decision. Remember, no matter where you go to school, you must study hard and act with integrity. Your mother and I don't expect you to achieve great things, but you must be upright and never lose your conscience. As long as you hold onto your integrity, you won't live a bad life."

Chen Fan nodded. "I'll remember that."

Chen Jianye looked at his son, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Study hard, try to make something of yourself, and walk out of this small place. Don't end up like your old man, living a mediocre life."

Chen Fan’s eyes reddened. "Dad, I understand. I will definitely make something of myself."

He raised his glass, and the father and son clinked them together. Perhaps because he had just been reborn, Chen Fan ended up getting drunk that night.

He barely remembered how he made it back to his bed. The next morning, his mother was cooking in the kitchen, and his father was pulling weeds in the vegetable garden.

"You're up?" Li Jinqiu glanced at her son. "Go wash your face. No more drinking from now on."

Chen Fan and his father exchanged a smile. He turned back to the room and soon emerged with a toothbrush, crouching on the steps to brush his teeth.

"Dad, you're not going to work today?"

"I swapped shifts with someone. I'll go in the afternoon." Chen Jianye stood up, brushed the dirt off his hands, and looked at his son. "When do the results come out?"

Chen Fan thought for a moment. "The 23rd, I think."

"And the applications?"

"In a couple of days. The 12th, I believe."

Chen Jianye nodded and walked over to wash his hands. Chen Fan thought for a moment and decided to ask, "Mom, Dad, I want to discuss something with you."

"What is it?" Chen Jianye asked, soaping his hands.

"Can you give me 5,000 yuan?"

Chen Jianye was stunned. "What do you need that much money for?"

Chen Fan offered the reason he had prepared the night before. "Summer vacation is coming up, and I want to find something to do. I talked it over with a classmate, and we signed up for a training course to learn computers. If I learn it well, I won't fall too far behind others when I get to college."

Li Jinqiu came out of the kitchen holding a ladle. "5,000 yuan? That’s way too much. It’s almost a month’s salary for your father and me combined."

"What do you know!" Chen Jianye glared at his wife. "You’re so short-sighted. Our son said this is for his future studies. I'll give you the 5,000 yuan. But..."

Chen Jianye looked at his son with a serious expression. "You have to understand that 5,000 yuan is not a small amount. It’s money your mother and I earned through hard work. You must study hard and not waste it. Do you understand?"

Chen Fan's eyes grew red. "I understand."

He felt a pang of guilt toward his parents because he had lied. He wasn't planning to use the money for a computer course at all.

After breakfast, Chen Fan took the 5,000 yuan cash from his mother, jumped on his bicycle, and headed straight for the city. The college entrance exam was over; it was time to start promoting the domain name network.