Chapter 10

Zhao Jian's breakfast shop is both his family's business and their home.

At noon, the breakfast shop naturally does not operate.

Zhao Jian casually leaned his bicycle against a street lamp post, then walked into the house with his head down, looking dejected. His loose shirt and gloomy expression made him look like a defeated soldier.

"Jian is back! Dad, Mom, Aunt! We can start eating now!"

As soon as Zhao Jian entered the house, he heard his eldest sister Zhao Ru's delighted voice. Aunt? Zhao Jian looked up and sure enough, his aunt was sitting at the table made of three breakfast tables, holding a cup of tea and smiling at him.

"Aunt, hello!"

Zhao Jian was a bit surprised and greeted her.

Zhao Jian's aunt is, of course, his mother's sister. She didn't have much education, but she married well. Although she was a concubine, her husband was the deputy director of the provincial forestry bureau, so she lived a life of comfort and ease.

(Even though it's the 21st century, the Ming Dynasty still practices polygamy. It's quite normal for powerful or wealthy people to have several concubines.)

Women! Since ancient times, it's better to marry well than to work hard. Zhao Jian's aunt, though a concubine, enjoyed a life of leisure and luxury for most of her life, making her the best-off among all of Zhao Jian's relatives.

Because she was a concubine, her husband spent little time with her, so she had plenty of free time to visit her relatives every year. She would bring gifts to each family and give red envelopes to the children, so she was always warmly welcomed, treated to good food and drink, and given local specialties when she left.

Let's get back to the main topic!

Zhao Jian greeted her, and Aunt Wu Yimei smiled and said, "Jian, you've grown taller! You must be almost 1.8 meters now, taller than both your parents. I've always wondered who you take after. Dongrong! Did your ancestors have anyone as tall as Jian?"

Zhao Dongrong is Zhao Jian's father's name.

Aunt Wu Yimei usually calls him Dongrong.

Zhao Jian's father, who was sitting beside her, glanced at his son and said with a sneer, "Who knows how this little rascal grew so fast! He's been shooting up these past few years! His mother has to buy him new clothes twice a year, and each time, the clothes are too small by the end of the season!"

Wu Yiping, Zhao Jian's mother, was serving dishes to the table with Zhao Jian's eldest sister and younger sister. Hearing this, she glared at her husband, "What are you talking about? Like you? You're just a shorty. Is it bad that Jian is tall?"

...

The atmosphere at home was as usual, with his parents bickering, his eldest sister smiling and eating, and serving dishes to Aunt, his younger sister, and Zhao Jian.

Zhao Jian's father, Zhao Dongrong, has always had a grudge against Zhao Jian, and Zhao Jian's mother can't stand him criticizing Zhao Jian. Every time Zhao Dongrong says something bad about Zhao Jian, his mother would lash out at him, so Zhao Jian doesn't need to defend himself.

Wu Yiping's doting on Zhao Jian is obvious.

After a few bites of lunch, Zhao Jian's aunt turned and pulled out a few sheets of paper from her bag, handing them to Zhao Jian, "Oh, right! Jian! Take a look at these admission brochures! Last time your mother called me, she said you're about to take the college entrance exam, and with your grades, you probably won't get into college. So, your mother asked me to keep an eye out for a suitable technical school for you. Here they are! These are the best technical schools in the provincial capital. After you graduate, you can earn two to three thousand yuan a month!"

Zhao Jian took the brochures and his mood immediately soured upon hearing his aunt's introduction.

Go to a technical school?

Earn two to three thousand yuan a month after graduation?

Zhao Jian thought about the black Phantom he saw Xiao Mengyue get into at the school gate, which was worth at least thirty million yuan. Looking at the brochures in his hand, he felt very uncomfortable.

The college entrance exam is a turning point in life!

He had often heard his homeroom teacher say this in class, but Zhao Jian never took it to heart, letting it go in one ear and out the other.

Only now did he truly understand the meaning of these words.

A turning point? Is this the point where we diverge?

Xiao Mengyue can go to the top university, while he, Zhao Jian, can only go to a technical school? Learn to drive? Do beauty and hairdressing? Or some other nonsense?

"Jian! Take a look!"

His mother, Wu Yiping, looked at him with concern and gently urged him. In fact, everyone at the table noticed Zhao Jian's unusual expression.

A mother knows her child best!

Wu Yiping knew very well how high her precious son's aspirations were. Apart from his poor academic performance, he never gave up in anything else.

Even when it came to girls, he always found them unattractive when she asked him if a girl was pretty. He was only interested in the most beautiful girls.

"Jian! Take a look!"

His eldest sister, Zhao Ru, also began to gently persuade him.

His younger sister, Zhao Yuxiang, pouted. She always took her father's side when it came to her bullying brother, but she didn't dare to provoke Zhao Jian when he was in a bad mood.

Zhao Dongrong took a sip of wine and, as usual, taunted Zhao Jian, "Regretting it now? I told you to study hard, but you didn't listen! All you did was read novels and practice boxing. Others go to school to study, but you just fought with people! Now you regret it, don't you? Too late! Either go to a technical school or learn to be a chef from my friend! You decide! Idiot!"

Wu Yiping said, "Stop talking! Your mouth is as bad as your wine!"

Zhao Jian's aunt, Wu Yimei, glanced at Zhao Jian's father and then said to Zhao Jian, "Jian! Don't be so proud! Everyone has to accept their fate! Your parents' conditions are what they are, and you're not cut out for studying. You have to accept it! You have three options now. One is to listen to your aunt and go to a technical school. Another is to listen to your father and learn to be a chef. The last option is to join the military, but since there's no war these days, you won't get far in the military. Think about it! It's best to go to a technical school, at least you can support yourself in the future, don't you think?"

The more Zhao Jian listened, the more he felt suffocated. It wasn't because he thought his father and aunt were wrong, but because he thought they were right, which made him even more frustrated.

"I'm full! Aunt, Mom! You eat!"

Feeling extremely upset, Zhao Jian pushed away his barely touched bowl and suddenly got up, walking upstairs in large strides. He left the brochures on the table.

The remaining family members looked at each other.

"Ah!"

Wu Yiping sighed with a sad expression. Zhao Jian's eldest sister, Zhao Ru, lost her appetite. Zhao Jian's aunt, Wu Yimei, pouted and shook her head, "Jian is still too young! He'll understand what fate is in the future. No matter how high his aspirations are, if his fate is bad, what's the point?"

This time, Zhao Jian's father didn't criticize his son again. He looked troubled, took a sip of wine, and frowned.

(Thank Shen Yuanzhi, Xingren Mengdao, %Ling&Yun%, Zhou Yezi, and Jie Wu Kuangtu for their 100-point donations. Thank Lao Pengyou Zengjing for a 10,000-point donation, making him the fifth patron of this book. Welcome back!)

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