When Shen Shao inquired about Furong No. 3 Senior Excessive some time in the past, he realized that the college solely supplied 100 locations to exterior college students, however there can be 1000’s of candidates. The scholars who got here to enroll in the admission check normally had glorious grades, in any other case they wouldn’t even be capable to register.

It was like selecting a marshal from a gaggle of generals. Shen Shao was mentally ready, however when he noticed the doorway to the college swarming with a military of scholars who had been there to take the examination, he nonetheless lamented a bit. Right here had been 1000’s of troops, all making an attempt to cross a single-plank wood bridge.

The check consisted of three topic exams over two days. The primary examination was English, which was tough sufficient to sink quite a lot of college students within the sand. Shen Shao appeared on the sophisticated vocabulary within the studying questions and sighed to himself. How was this a highschool admission check? It was extra like a battery of fiendishly tough English issues. Native English-speaking college students would possibly take this examination and never even get a excessive rating.

After ending the English check, quite a lot of the examinees’ faces had been a determined grey shade. Through the physics examination within the afternoon, Shen Shao appeared on the check questions which had been similar to the Worldwide Physics League and gained a brand new understanding of the perverse degree of check questions for the No. 3 Excessive Faculty. The poor pupil subsequent to him was pale with anxiousness.

After the physics check, the examinees, who had been initially so assured, had been shaken to the core. As they left the examination room their voices had been weak.

Shen Shao thanked heaven for giving him an excellent mind. He couldn’t assure that each one his solutions had been proper, however no less than he was capable of end the entire questions.

The following morning, Shen Shao took the final examination for arithmetic. It was one more extraordinarily tough check, which far exceeded the traditional data degree of junior highschool graduates.

When the examination ended, some individuals had been completely happy and a few had been unhappy. Shen Shao checked out of his resort and took a bus to the Taoxiang District of Furong Metropolis. Though the Taoxiang District was a part of Furong Metropolis, its economic system wasn’t well-developed. Lots of people who labored in different elements of the town weren’t optimistic in regards to the financial prospects of the realm.

For instance, there was a big bungalow with a yard, however nobody wished to purchase it even at an asking value of thirty thousand yuan. Homes with asphalt shingle roofs value even much less. Sadly, nobody wished to purchase a home in this sort of place.

Shen Shao noticed quite a lot of bulletins about homes on the market, and the costs had been unbelievably low. When you confirmed these adverts to individuals a couple of years later, they’d bounce to purchase ten or eight buildings instantly. Even when they didn’t do something with the homes, the land alone can be value some huge cash.

Shen Shao determined that purchasing a couple of of those homes can be an excellent memento of how low housing costs had been in Taoxiang District in the meanwhile, earlier than it developed. If he didn’t make the most of the chance he’d really feel unworthy of himself.

Shen Shao stayed in Taoxiang District for a couple of days and checked out a number of homes. Ultimately, he spent a complete of 110,000 yuan on 5 massive bungalows with yards. Though they didn’t have many different benefits, they had been sited on huge heaps and the asking value was low.

For the time being, actual property paperwork weren’t as sophisticated to take care of as they might be sooner or later, so Shen Shao shortly accomplished all of the paperwork. When he was completed, he was clearly recorded because the proprietor of the homes. If the properties had been ultimately demolished and relocated, it will don’t have anything to do with the earlier house owners.

After ending up his affairs in Taoxiang District, Shen Shao went to the No. 3 Excessive Faculty to see the outcomes of the examination. He discovered that the outcomes had been posted a couple of days in the past.

The complete rating for the physics and English exams had been 100 factors every, and the complete rating for arithmetic was 150, which meant the best attainable rating was 350. However actually, there have been only a few college students who received greater than 260 factors—not even ten individuals managed it. In consequence, Shen Shao’s rating of 323 factors was significantly conspicuous on the high of the checklist, similar to a principal tank who pulls aggro in a recreation. Anybody who appeared on the outcomes would instantly really feel disgruntled or envious.

“What college is Shen Shao from? He received greater than 300 factors on such a horrible examination,” a sturdy-looking boy stated in a resigned voice to the girl subsequent to him. “Mother, look, my rating is much like what everybody else received. Why do you suppose I’m so dangerous?”

“Even when it was tough, somebody nonetheless scored greater than 300 factors,” the girl stated. She tweaked the boy’s ear with a hand sporting a jade bracelet and two jeweled rings. “Why are you glad with fortieth place?”

“However second place solely received 280 factors. You may’t simply take a look at the best one. You need to take a look at everybody else.” The boy grinned and lined his ears. “Mother, different persons are right here too. Don’t poke. Save me some face no less than.”

The lady rotated and noticed Shen Shao standing behind them. She lowered her hand from her son’s ear, gave Shen Shao a smile, and moved apart to let him take a look at the outcomes.

Shen Shao didn’t suppose he did very effectively on the check, and he felt surprised for a couple of seconds. Then he noticed a discover on the underside of the rating sheet. It stated that the highest forty college students on the examination can be assigned to the three experimental lessons, and the forty first to a centesimal college students can be assigned to parallel lessons, in any other case generally known as odd lessons.

“Classmate, how did you do on the check?” When the boy noticed Shen Shao studying the discover, he smiled and stated, “It says you may enroll beginning as we speak. I’m going to enroll and return residence. Do you wish to enroll with me?”

“I did OK.” Shen Shao wasn’t accustomed to the No. 3 Excessive Faculty, so he determined to go along with this boy to enroll. “I nonetheless have issues to do again residence. I’m glad we are able to enroll now.”

When the boy heard this, he smiled and went with Shen Shao to the registration workplace. His mom adopted, clacking on her costly high-heeled sneakers.

On the best way to the registration workplace, Shen Shao realized the boy’s title was Zhou ZeYu. He got here from Guo Metropolis like Shen Shao, however they weren’t from the identical county city.

It was the afternoon, and there weren’t many individuals within the registration workplace. The trainer answerable for registration noticed Shen Shao and Zhou ZeYu and greeted them with a smile. “Two college students are right here to register. Did you deliver your registration supplies?”

Shen Shao and Zhou ZeYu each nodded. After Zhou ZeYu handed over his admission ticket and League member certificates, the trainer checked out his file and stated, “That’s proper, this yr extra college students signed up for the examination, and the questions had been tougher. You continue to received fortieth place, which is excellent. It’s apparent you’ve been finding out laborious.”

The trainer recorded his enrollment info and stated, “At first we had been going to mail the acceptance letters out earlier than letting individuals register. Nonetheless, we heard that some exterior college students had been ready right here in Furong Metropolis for his or her check rating, and we didn’t wish to drive individuals to make a number of journeys in sizzling climate. That’s why we determined to let college students enroll now so long as their outcomes are within the high 100. We’ll ship a discover to your own home later.”

After ending the registration, the trainer requested Zhou ZeYu to go to the facet to pay the price, after which stated to Shen Shao, “Scholar, do you’ve your registration supplies?”

Shen Shao took out the paperwork from his backpack and handed them to the trainer. The trainer checked out his title and admission ticket quantity and have become much more keen. “Are you Shen Shao?”

Zhou ZeYu, who’d already gone to the facet, did a sudden about-face. This was the man who received greater than 300 factors on the examination? He appeared so light and simple to speak to. He actually didn’t look like the unique genius Zhou ZeYu was imagining.

“Sure.” Shen Shao glanced round and appeared on the registration trainer in some confusion. “Why, is one thing flawed?”

“Nothing, nothing.” The trainer shortly completed registering him, after which took out a type and put it in entrance of Shen Shao. “Our college has a coverage. If exterior college students rating within the high 5 on the admission check, they’re exempted from tuition and miscellaneous charges. Please fill out this way.”

“Thanks, trainer.” Shen Shao didn’t know Furong No. 3 Excessive Faculty had such a preferential coverage. He took the shape and sat all the way down to fill it out.

“You could have good handwriting.” The registration trainer checked out his writing and praised, “Do you apply calligraphy at residence?”

Shen Shao nodded. After filling out the shape, he politely thanked the trainer. When he rotated, he noticed Zhou ZeYu taking a look at him in shock. He gave the boy a well mannered smile.

“Report to high school on August thirty first. Lessons start on the primary.” The registration trainer put away the shape, noticed Shen Shao’s well-behaved look, and couldn’t assist however give him extra recommendation. “After college begins, the college will problem seasonal college uniforms. The varsity requires all college students to put on uniforms throughout the college day. Exterior college students such as you don’t must deliver too many coats. When the college yr begins, lots of people present up, and it’s not handy to take too many issues on the bus.”

“Thanks, trainer. I see.” Shen Shao smiled gratefully on the registration trainer. After saying goodbye, he received up and left the registration workplace.

When he left, the registration trainer stated to the opposite trainer sitting close by, “That pupil had the best admission rating in years.”

“This yr’s questions had been quite a bit tougher than in earlier years. That child has an excellent mind,” the colleague stated with a sigh. He watched Shen Shao go away and smiled. “I suppose we are able to count on good leads to the nationwide competitions for the subsequent few years.”

They checked out one another and laughed, however they each knew it was a joke and didn’t take it significantly. In spite of everything, a rating on the admission check solely proved a pupil’s present skill. After coming into highschool, it wasn’t unusual for a kid to alter from a high pupil to an underachiever. They knew to not have too many expectations.

Shen Shao walked out of the registration workplace and stood exterior for a couple of minutes. Zhou ZeYu and his mom got here out a second later. When he noticed Shen Shao ready there, Zhou ZeYu instantly smiled and walked over to Shen Shao. “I didn’t know you had been the genius who received first place on the examination.”

Shen Shao smiled with embarrassment and downplayed it. The one cause he was capable of reply so many questions was as a result of he had an excellent reminiscence and had seen quite a lot of comparable questions in reference books. An actual genius would have gotten no less than 340 factors out of 350. He was far behind that degree.

Zhou ZeYu and his mom invited him to journey again with them to Guo Metropolis, however he declined as a result of he nonetheless wanted to discover a place to stay close to college. Nonetheless, he agreed to fulfill Zhou ZeYu on the college gate on August thirty first.

Nowadays, communications expertise wasn’t very handy. Though some individuals had begun to make use of pagers or cell telephones with unstable alerts, odd individuals considered cell telephones as one thing distant.

Not many knew that in a couple of quick years, cell telephones would spring up within the Chinese language market like mushrooms after a rain. Ultimately, there can be virtually one telephone per particular person, making China the biggest marketplace for cellphones on this planet.

After a number of days of trying, Shen Shao ultimately determined to hire a small condo with a kitchen, a rest room, and a bed room in a neighborhood with good public safety close to the college. The home equipment inside had been full, and it was a bit like a small condo for single white-collar employees. Shen Shao was glad with the security of the neighborhood, though the hire was increased.

In the interim he wasn’t in need of cash, and he had no intention of skimping on his lodging. The three years he would spend in highschool had been extraordinarily necessary for his schooling. He wished to make sure an excellent studying surroundings for himself.

Cash can at all times be earned once more, however the likelihood to coach your self is uncommon.

With a stroke of a pen, he signed a three-year lease and started a brand new chapter of his life.

TL Notes:

exterior college students – 外地生 – overseas college students, exterior college students – Refers to college students stay exterior the college’s commonplace recruitment space

single-plank wood bridge – 独木桥 – single-log bridge, a tough path

sink within the sand – 汉英大词典 – with damaged halberds [arms] buried within the sand; a disastrous [crushing] defeat

homes with asphalt shingle roofs – 盖着玻纤瓦的房子 – homes lined with fiberglass tiles – Refers to shingles which have a fiberglass mat because the matrix, dipped and coated in asphalt, normally with coloured mineral granules on one facet and insulating supplies on the opposite. In non-fiberglass shingles the mat may be manufactured from a cloth like cellulose fibers (Baidu)

principal tank who pulls aggro in a recreation – 就像是游戏里拉仇恨的MT – That is gaming jargon. The principle tank (“MT”) is the participant in a celebration who concentrates on conserving the NPCs centered on him and attacking solely him (“pulling aggro”), whereas different gamers focus on injury dealing or performing different duties (WoWWiki)

weren’t from the identical county city – 只是不在同一个县城 – This appears to imply that each Shen Shao and Zhou ZeYu lived or went to high school in Guo Metropolis, however they arrive from totally different villages/hometowns close by

League member certificates – 团员 – Refers back to the Communist Youth League of China, a membership group for youth between the ages of 14 and 28 (Wikipedia)

Transliterated names, locations, and titles—new on this chapter:

Taoxiang District – 桃香区

Zhou ZeYu – 周泽宇

Guo Metropolis – 果市 – fruit metropolis/market – That is the town the place Shen Shao went to junior highschool. Its title wasn’t talked about earlier than