Chapter 15: The High School Entrance Examination, a Two-Month Summer Vacation

For the next week, Zhang Wanyuan didn't leave her room except for basic necessities. Although Zhang’s father and mother didn't say a word, they silently prepared many delicious meals for her and moved about on tiptoe, fearing they might disturb her studies.

The week passed extremely quickly. On the day before the exam, Zhang’s father specifically entered her room. "Did you bring your admission ticket and all those things? Do you want to check them one more time?"

To put her father at ease, Zhang Wanyuan took out the transparent plastic folder and showed him each item one by one before putting them away. "Dad, don't worry. I will definitely do my best on this exam; there won't be any mistakes."

Only then did Zhang’s father stop fretting. Early the next morning, after Zhang Wanyuan finished her meal, her father followed her out. It was only then that she realized he intended to take her to the exam site. This unfamiliar scene made her pause for a moment; she hadn't taken the high school entrance exam in her previous life, so she didn't know what would happen this time. However, having her father there to drop her off truly made her feel much more at ease. A father's shoulders are always the best support.

When the father and daughter arrived at the exam site, many parents were already lingering outside. On such a hot day, people could be seen wherever there was shade.

Zhang’s father originally wanted to stay and wait for Zhang Wanyuan to finish, but she shooed him away. She wasn't really a naive teenage girl anymore; how could she delay her father's important business?

After her father left, Zhang Wanyuan immediately checked the exam room layout and familiarized herself with the location of the restrooms. Before the bell rang for entry, she reviewed some English compositions.

As soon as the exam bell rang, all the candidates swarmed in. The first subject was Chinese. For Zhang Wanyuan, Chinese was not a problem at all. She finished the paper with half an hour to spare. She checked it back and forth twice, not missing a single detail, and only raised her hand to submit it when the proctor announced there were five minutes left. She left early while there were fewer people outside, avoiding the crowd.

In 2006, the exam rules weren't as strict as they would be in the 2010s, where one had to wait for everyone to submit their papers before the guards would let anyone leave. Zhang Wanyuan walked home along the sidewalk after leaving the exam site. It was still early, and it took her about forty minutes to walk back, leaving her enough time to eat and take a nap.

When Zhang’s father returned at noon and learned that Zhang Wanyuan had walked back by herself, he was filled with regret and made up his mind to pick her up and drop her off for the rest of the exams. Seeing her father's insistence, Zhang Wanyuan didn't refuse again.

The three days of the high school entrance exam passed quickly. Walking out of the exam site after the final subject, Zhang Wanyuan felt that today's sunset was exceptionally bright. Her father waved at her from outside the school gate, and she immediately ran over.

"It's over! You can have a good time for the next two months!" Instead of asking if she had done well, her father told her she could play carefree for two months.

Zhang Wanyuan squinted her eyes in happiness. Sitting behind her father on his bike, she said, "Dad, I don't want to play for these two months. Our teacher said we could do work-study, and some people in my class have already gone to find summer jobs to earn money."

Zhang’s father frowned, not very pleased. "You're still young; what can you do to earn money? It's so tiring to hand out flyers in this weather! Your fair, pretty face will be tanned as black as charcoal. Being a waiter in a restaurant isn't easy either; you have to stand the whole time, and you won't earn much. You'd be better off just playing!"

What her father said was the reality for student workers. Working as a waiter in a restaurant meant standing for ten hours a day with only two days off a month, earning just over nine hundred yuan. Handing out flyers paid five or six yuan an hour, earning at most thirty or forty yuan a day. It was exhausting and hard work, with the effort far outweighing the rewards.

Zhang Wanyuan had already planned this out. She continued, "Dad, I'm not going to hand out flyers or be a waiter. I want to set up a stall at Century Plaza to sell milk tea. You know how popular milk tea is right now; students love it. It doesn't take much capital to set up a stall, and I have some pocket money I've saved over the years. Trying it out can be considered an experience of life. Even if I don't earn much money, after experiencing how hard life is, I will definitely study even harder."

Zhang’s father was choked for words. This reason was so powerful he couldn't refute it. After holding it in for a long time, he replied with his back to her, "We'll talk about this when we get home."

Zhang Wanyuan grinned. Since her father hadn't refused outright, it meant there was a high chance it would work.

When the two returned to the residential complex, Grandma Huang from downstairs was out pouring water. Seeing Zhang Wanyuan's bright smile, her old face blossomed like a flower. "Back from the exam? It's the last day, right? Time to have some fun!"

Zhang Wanyuan nodded obediently and greeted her. Zhang’s father exchanged a few words with Grandma Huang before leading Zhang Wanyuan home.

In the stairwell, the father and daughter ran into Wang Chunhua, who was heading downstairs. Zhang Wanyuan ignored her completely. Zhang’s father, considering himself a man, generally didn't say much to those women; he just nodded and smiled as they brushed past each other.

Wang Chunhua rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky, let out a soft huff, and didn't even acknowledge Zhang’s father.

Zhang Wanyuan's mood went from sunny to cloudy. "Dad, just ignore that woman from now on. She's a lunatic!"

"Wanyuan! Don't talk like that. If she hears you, you'll end up arguing again." Her father looked helpless, opened the door, and quickly urged Zhang Wanyuan inside before shutting it tight.

Seeing her father's cautious manner, Zhang Wanyuan felt even more stifled.

Her father didn't mention Wang Chunhua again. Once inside, he immediately started washing vegetables and cooking, telling Zhang Wanyuan to go watch TV.

Zhang Wanyuan went back to her room and took out the plan she had written earlier, making revisions. Her serious expression left her father truly confused. Why was she still working so hard when the high school entrance exam was already over? Had the child studied herself silly?

By the time Zhang’s mother returned, Zhang Wanyuan was still in her room writing and drawing.

Zhang’s mother cast an inquiring look at her husband. He shrugged and called out, "Girl, time to eat!"

"Coming!"

As she spoke, Zhang Wanyuan carried her plan out and handed it directly to her father. "Dad, this is my plan for the summer vacation. Take a look."

Her father held the plan, feeling at a loss. "No, no, your mother doesn't know about this yet! And I haven't agreed to it either. Why did you already write up a plan?"

Although Zhang’s mother was illiterate, she understood the gist after listening for a while. She scoffed, "Your daughter has had this planned out for a long time and has been waiting for us here! Your mother can't read, and I don't understand these plans, so just tell me directly: what do you want to do?"

"Mom! I love your straightforward nature!" Zhang Wanyuan gave her mother a thumbs up and led her to the dining table. "Mom, here's what I'm thinking. I have nothing to do for the two months of summer vacation, and our family is short on money, so I want to experience the hardships of earning a living."

"You want to be a summer worker? Handing out flyers or being a waiter?" her mother asked calmly.

Zhang Wanyuan was so frustrated she stomped her feet. "Why is it that all you can think of is handing out flyers or being a waiter?"

"If you're not handing out flyers or being a waiter, what do you want to do? You're a minor; no legitimate job would dare hire you!" Her mother's gaze was filled with naked disdain, almost making Zhang Wanyuan cough up blood in anger.