Chapter 6

The next day, after breakfast, Wang Lifeng rode his motorcycle to drop Xiao Fei and Wang Lika off at Heyang No. 1 High School.

Standing at the entrance of the school, Xiao Fei sighed deeply.

In his previous life, it had been over fifteen years since he last left this place. He only returned to Heyang No. 1 High School to drop off his nephew, and by then, the school had changed beyond recognition. Even the direction of the school gate had changed, and there was not a trace of the old days left.

Now, standing at the entrance of Heyang No. 1 High School in 1996, looking at the familiar school gate, the nearby small buildings, shops, and every blade of grass and tree, he couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions.

"What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and go in! Xiao Fei, I'm not saying this to criticize you, but it's just one bad exam. What's the big deal? Look at you now, you're so depressed. If I were like you, I'd be dead by now," Wang Lika, misunderstanding Xiao Fei's deep thoughts, began to lecture him again.

When they entered the classroom, many students were already there. Seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar young faces, Xiao Fei felt a bit dazed.

He felt a bit melancholic, wondering when he had developed such a sentimental nature.

The answers hadn't been sent to the school yet, and everyone was waiting.

With nothing much to do, they gathered in small groups, chatting idly.

Xiao Fei greeted each classmate and saw Yan Zhang and You Gui talking with a few other students at the back of the classroom. He walked over to them.

Wang Lika, on the other hand, was darting around the classroom, telling everyone about his excellent performance in the college entrance exam and spreading the news that Xiao Fei had groped Ms. Qian Meiju's chest during the exam. The class immediately erupted in a chorus of strange sounds, and everyone looked at Xiao Fei with meaningful smiles.

Ms. Qian Meiju, a beautiful teacher, was well-dressed and had an outstanding figure, making her a popular figure among many students.

Hearing that Xiao Fei had actually groped her chest in such a solemn place as the college entrance exam, it was no wonder it caused a sensation.

In fact, there were many familiar faces in the same exam room as Xiao Fei, but few would publicize it like Wang Lika, as it wasn't a glorious thing.

Xiao Fei didn't bother to pay attention to Wang Lika spreading rumors about him. He went over to greet Yan Zhang and You Gui.

Yan Zhang and You Gui were Xiao Fei's closest friends.

They had been in the same class for three years of high school and got along very well.

Yan Zhang had a loyal appearance but a mischievous heart. He was of medium height, but his arms were longer than normal, making him agile and a good basketball player.

Because of his extra-long arms, he was a perfect imitation of a monkey, earning him the nickname "Big Brother." Later, some people called him "Beijinger" to suggest his atavism.

After "A Chinese Odyssey" became popular in China, he was also called "Zhenbao."

In any case, it all revolved around the word "monkey."

You Gui had a baby face, with clear and delicate features. He was outgoing, talkative, and always seemed to be in high spirits, as if nothing could truly bother him. To describe him in one word, he was "carefree."

However, Xiao Fei knew that beneath You Gui's cheerful exterior lay a fragile heart.

In his previous life, You Gui, like Yan Zhang, only attended a teacher's college in X City. In the second year after graduation, due to job dissatisfaction, he committed suicide.

When the news reached Xiao Fei, he was shocked. He couldn't understand why such a carefree person would commit suicide.

After You Gui's death, a few friends discussed whether to visit his home and burn some paper money at his grave, but they never went through with it. Many years passed, and Xiao Fei still sometimes dreamed of You Gui.

You Gui's death became a permanent regret.

In this life, he was determined not to let such a tragedy happen again.

"Let's go outside for a smoke," Yan Zhang said, pulling Xiao Fei and You Gui to the corridor outside the classroom.

"Sure, there's nothing else to do," Xiao Fei replied.

In the past, they wouldn't dare to smoke so openly at the classroom door, but now that the college entrance exam was over, no teacher would bother with such trivial matters.

Yan Zhang and You Gui both said they didn't do well, and Xiao Fei said the same.

Yan Zhang didn't quite believe it. Xiao Fei's grades in the liberal arts class were usually in the top 8, much better than his and You Gui's. Even if he performed poorly, how bad could it be?

Xiao Fei could only smile bitterly.

Could he say that it was because Wang Lika's uncle was too hospitable, providing plenty of good food and drinks, and he drank too much, leading to a malfunction during the exam?

That was something he couldn't possibly say.

"According to Wang Lika, he did well. Is that true? Look at him, acting as if he's already guaranteed a spot at Tsinghua or Peking University. Isn't he being a bit too boastful?" You Gui flicked his cigarette butt and stomped it out, looking at the lively Wang Lika darting around the classroom with disdain.

"I also think he's celebrating too early. Once the scores are out and he really did well, then he can be happy. Now, he's just boasting and putting on a show. What if he scores low and ends up embarrassed?" Yan Zhang whispered.

Xiao Fei guessed that most of the students felt the same way.

This reminded him of a fable: A person, fleeing from a tiger, fell off a cliff but managed to grab a vine, preventing him from falling into the abyss. He tried to climb up the vine, but he found that the tiger was still waiting above, and the vine was about to break. Below, three fierce dragons were waiting with their mouths open. In this hopeless situation, he looked up and saw a honeycomb above him. A drop of honey was about to fall, and he stopped struggling, opened his mouth, and waited for the honey to fall into his mouth.

This was the last bit of joy in a hopeless situation.

Xiao Fei didn't know what Wang Lika's mindset was, but he decided to watch him "die" in a spectacular way.

Sometimes, being too concerned about one's reputation can lead to losing it completely.

Wang Lika's example in his previous life was the best illustration of this.

At 9:40 AM, the answers finally arrived at the school. The homeroom teacher, Li Tangqiu, called two students to bring the answers for their class into the classroom and distribute them to everyone.

Li Tangqiu was a well-built middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle, always combed with gel. He had a square face and a broad build. In class, he often walked with his hands behind his back, speaking in a drawn-out tone with a poor command of Mandarin.

The answers were in a book, with the questions in the front and the answers in the back.

After receiving the book, all the students began to nervously check their answers.

Li Tangqiu walked around the classroom with his hands behind his back, paying special attention to the top students, occasionally stopping to chat with them.

Xiao Fei already had the answers in his mind and had checked them the night before.

He knew that his scores in Chinese, Math, English, and Politics were all poor. Each subject was out of 150 points, and his highest score in English was only around 90, while his lowest score in Math was 37.

Chinese, which was usually his strong point, only scored around 80 this time.

His score in Politics was also around 80.

These four subjects added up to only about 270-280 points.

His History score, due to his rebirth, was higher, around 130 points. His total score was approximately 410 points. This estimate was based on the strictest standards, and if the actual score was a bit higher, Xiao Fei wouldn't be surprised.

Because of the unexpected high score in History, this was already much better than in his previous life.

In the liberal arts, subjective questions make up a large portion of the score, and it's difficult to estimate the score accurately, unlike in science subjects where the answers are unique.

Therefore, rational students are very strict with themselves when estimating their scores, counting any uncertain points as zero.

During the score estimation, Wang Lika became the center of attention. He shouted and cheered, saying he got this question right and that question right, his joy evident, causing the other students to look at him with disapproval.

This also caught Li Tangqiu's attention, and he stood by Wang Lika for a while, having a friendly conversation and asking a few questions.

Xiao Fei knew that Li Tangqiu was trying to confirm whether Wang Lika had indeed performed exceptionally well and become a dark horse in this college entrance exam.

In the liberal arts college entrance exam, such dark horses appear every year. Students who usually don't perform well suddenly excel and stand out, which is not considered a miracle.

Ultimately, this is because the liberal arts involve more rote memorization, and the probability of random events is higher than in science subjects.

In the end, Li Tangqiu probably confirmed that Wang Lika was indeed a high-quality dark horse and treated him like a top student, just like Tian Yongzhi.

The score estimation lasted for over an hour, and most students had estimated their scores.

"Xiao Fei, what score did you estimate?" You Gui asked with a smile.

"About 410 points," Xiao Fei replied.

"I only got around 330 points," Yan Zhang said, leaning over.

You Gui said, "I estimated about the same as Big Brother, around 330 points."

"Then we'll have to retake the exam. How many people actually get into college on their first try?" Yan Zhang said nonchalantly, pointing at Xiao Fei, "Your score might be enough to get into a junior college. If you really get in, will you go?"

"Would a score of 410 be enough for a junior college?" You Gui questioned.

"Xiao Fei's estimate is definitely on the low side. I believe he has discounted his score significantly," Yan Zhang explained.

Going to a junior college? It was a possibility. Xiao Fei knew that although his Math score would drag him down a bit, he remembered that the 1996 liberal arts Math exam in H Province was quite difficult, with an average score of only around 40 points. A score of 37 wouldn't drag him down much, and his History score of 130 points would significantly boost his overall score.

So, what Yan Zhang said could very well happen.

If it were his previous life, Xiao Fei would have definitely chosen to attend a junior college if he got in.

But now, how could he be satisfied with just a junior college degree?

"Even if I get into a junior college, I won't go. I plan to retake the exam for another year," Xiao Fei said, thinking to himself. In his previous life, he had a junior college degree and was unhappy for half his life. This time, with a second chance and such a powerful advantage, he had to make a significant impact in the world, he thought, gritting his teeth.