as they aged.Su Cen realized it would take time to change his parents' mindset and help them pursue a different path in life, but this wasn’t something he could accomplish merely by convincing them wi...Chapter 114: Ouyang Feng

The day before the final exams, he was picked up by his family.

The school was bustling with noise as if everyone was migrating en masse.

Su Can had already taken all his thick books stacked on his desk home a month ago. He only prepared necessary exercise materials for each day in his backpack, which could fit everything he needed. Therefore, unlike many others who would clear their desks before graduation day, Su Can was rather relaxed.

He helped Wang Weiwei and the other three move their desks and collect books.

Exiting the chaotic school, they hailed a taxi outside and headed straight to the villa in Rongcheng Garden where they were staying.

"Life isn't fair. Why can you get a direct admission while we have to take the exam ourselves," Lin Zouwu leaned against the back of the cab's seat, one hand resting on the pile of books beside him and said with much dissatisfaction.

Su Can smiled helplessly, "Or I could give you guys a lift to the test venue tomorrow."

"Absolutely not. It would be like being led to the execution ground; we’ve finally mustered up the courage to face our fate and here you are jumping around happily beside us. Don't tell me you want me to be uncomfortable If I'm upset, my performance on the exam will suffer."

Lin Zouwu was hit by Lin Luoran who said, "What nonsense are you talking You already feel like it's an execution ground when facing the college entrance examination. Why should we care"

The four of them chatted and laughed their way back to Rongcheng Garden. They stopped outside a grand neo-classical gate in the complex. The taxi driver, seeing that these four young people lived inside, kept looking at them thoughtfully while giving change.

Walking along roads lined with tropical trees, they entered a small villa by the artificial lake and opened the door to their rooms. They stored away the things they had brought back from school and then opened cans of beer to celebrate this minor graduation ceremony.

"So we're graduating like this," Lin Zouwu said wistfully, "I should have called my classmates in Xia Hai by now but I doubt any of them are home. Without a mobile phone, it's really inconvenient. The first thing I need to do over the summer is get myself one."

"Actually, we aren't truly graduating yet," Wang Weiwei counted on his fingers. "We still have two days of exams and then return to school on the ninth for graduation photos. Scores will be out by around the 20th, and only after that can we officially graduate." He continued, "Then comes the summer vacation, our last high school summer."

Wang Weiwei sighed, “Thinking about parting ways is quite sad, but fortunately, we still have enough time together. We should really think about how to spend the holiday.”

"I suggest you put your thoughts of vacation aside and focus on the exam instead," said Su Can as he stood up and took out several hardcover notebooks from his backpack, placing them on the table. "In class, I already sorted out the main points for revision, thinking this day would eventually come. These notes might not be useful to me anymore but you can refer to them when studying; it will save time."

Lin Muran flipped through these notebooks carefully and Wang Weiwei joked, "It feels like a secret manual. Alright, I'll try my best to look over them in the next couple of days.

Taking Su Cen out, the three of them reminded him, "Let's make it clear beforehand; don't come to show off your might by escorting us for our exams. Beware, we might gang up on you!"

The pre-exam holiday period passed quickly.

During this time, the entire Chengdu city and other smaller cities in Sichuan province, as well as candidates across the country facing the college entrance exam, were all put through their final gauntlet.

Some people ate better food every day than during the Spring Festival. Many chose to read with low intensity while using more time for relaxation, listening to music, and so on. A lot of people were nervous to the point of being unable to sleep! Occasionally they imagined their future, thinking about where they would travel after the exam and what unfamiliar scenery they would see; leaving this sky that had been part of them since childhood and this city that had become almost unbearable.

For some people, the college entrance exam is not all there is to the future. There are many other ways to succeed in life, but for students growing up during a stable period at seventeen or eighteen years old, the future remains distant.

Perhaps what most people fear isn't the exam itself but rather the transformation that comes with it, a transformation regarding their lives. For students within the education system, after years of hard work and study, they finally have the opportunity to make their own choices for their future path. Humans are afraid of change; to suddenly conclude and end these memories and student life is naturally disquieting.

And yet everything will inevitably arrive and pass.

The night before the college entrance exam, various satellite TV stations' news channels were reporting pre-exam information. It was raining outside as Su Cen stayed with his parents, watching TV and eating fruit that Zeng He had prepared while listening to his incessant chatter: "You don't need to take the exams yourself, but you should still read books. When you reach university, try your best to be ahead of others. Your major in commerce isn't bad either; after studying it, maybe come back home and mom will hand everything over to you. To tell the truth, she did all this for you. Now that you've made a name for yourself, I feel exhausted."

This night, rain pattered outside Su Cen's window. Lying on the couch, he listened listlessly to his parents' vague chatter and the news report about how police forces would be dispatched tomorrow in Chengdu to ensure smooth passage for the exam routes and guarantee that all candidates could complete this crucial test without any hindrances.

On the seventh day of June, heavy rain fell as the city was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

In his memory, it had never been sunny during college entrance exams at this time; there were always thick clouds and pouring rain.

Su Cen woke up very early but didn't go to escort anyone for the exam. He called Tang Wu, chatted a bit on the phone, then hung up reluctantly, lying on the leather sofa and watching TV lazily. The leather sofa was bought during their move; it was one of Su Cen's favorite pieces with smooth texture that felt comfortable when touched. On top of him lay a thin blanket, as he had been feeling sleepy recently.

Although it should have been the day of Minor Heat according to the solar calendar, the weather remained gloomy and cold. Watching TV while looking out at the world in such weather gave a peculiarly comfortable and refreshing feel, like the rebirth brought to Su Cen's life was unique.

The exams finished on August 8th. The whole world seemed suddenly quiet except for some students who either went online or obediently returned home because August 8th wasn't really a time for gathering; that would be the day after the exam.

The ninth day of returning to school.

The sun was scorching hot, completely different from the rain that fell without restraint during the days of the college entrance examination. It seemed like a joke played by God.

While the entire school was on holiday due to the collective return of seniors, there was now more life and energy. Female students were wearing makeup, and some of them wore white shirts over their bras, barely covering their bodies. On the playground, many people stood under the broad tree shade like a pyramid, while the trees in the buildings provided plenty of foliage that filtered sunlight through; it gave off a faint scent of grass.

This smell made many people want to cry. For female students, it was the scent left by boys running past them on the playground over countless seasons. To male students, this was the aroma associated with standing in one place for three years and looking at things afar.

Students who needed to take graduation photos stood at one end of the playground, waiting for busy photographers to take pictures of groups of people one after another.

Su Can saw Li Qingyang standing on this side of the flower bed.

This boy in school who was very much like Takuya Kimura and whom Su Can had surpassed stood alone under a big tree. When he saw Su Can approaching, he felt uneasy, as if bitten by a snake once before being extra cautious.

Seeing Su Can's friendly smile, Li Qingyang smiled back. Regardless of the people who made Su Can feel uncomfortable in the past like Zhao Chengyan and Qian Long or all these others, they were no different from ordinary high school students during this last period. They rarely caused trouble as before and had started to face graduation and their uncertain futures.

Li Qingyang held a letter but tore it up when he saw Su Can coming his way, throwing the scraps into nearby trash cans. "I originally wanted to give this to Tang Wu, but now I realize there's no point. Even if I could leave some impression on her... I've still lost."

This boy had a helpless demeanor and seemed self-pitying, typical of an artistic young man.

"You don't just lose; you'll keep losing forever," Su Can said coolly. Li Qingyang's face turned pale as he was extremely weak in front of this man after being defeated by him once before. He felt everything paled in comparison to what Su Can had achieved and wondered if the latter would say something even more devastating.

Su Can continued, "This isn't a war; it's not about winning or losing."

Li Qingyang was stunned for a moment before nodding vigorously. "No wonder the most excellent girls in No. 27 High School—Sun Man and Tang Wu—are connected to you somehow… Among all the people I know, you are indeed very special."

Su Can smiled at this attempt at flattery. “How many people have you met You're graduating soon; what university did you apply for”

Seeing Su Can was willing to chat and had no objections, Li Qingyang became excited. "Tongji University, majoring in TV and film directing."

"I like Wong Kar-wai's work. My speech as the literary society president was inspired by him; I hope one day to write scripts for Wong Kar-wai. I've watched Ashes of Time more than ten times; it’s a masterpiece. After finishing my exams yesterday, I watched it again today. Suddenly thinking about graduation made me chuckle; it's still quite strange."

Over there, Wang Weiwei and Lin Zhouda along with other students from Class 3 were searching for Su Can to take group photos. In the distance, many people held digital cameras and Sony phones ready to take individual pictures with him.

"You go ahead, I'll take a moment to myself. There should be many people wanting to take pictures with you; don't let them down."

Su Cen reached out and patted Li Qingyang on the shoulder, "Good luck then."

After walking for some distance, Li Qingyang suddenly called from behind, "Lastly, I hope you can help me do one thing. Can you tell Tang Wu that I quite like her She's such an excellent girl."

Li Qingyang hesitated again, "Forget it, never mind. Well... I hope after graduation, both of you will go even further."

Su Cen smiled and walked away with his back to them. When he was surrounded by the crowd at the group photo stand, he glanced back at Li Qingyang standing below.

Li Qingyang should be quite a handsome type; standing under the shade, looking like someone who writes scripts for Wong Kar-wai, exuding a youthful literary air of self-pity. When the wind blew, his thick and smooth hair would dance around him.

Su Cen felt that this guy was somewhat like Ouyang Feng at that moment. He stood stubbornly under the shade facing the grand farewell from No. 27 Middle School, unwilling to leave until spring brought blooming peach blossoms.

But Wong Kar-wai might not understand what his script is about; in the future, Leslie Cheung would be gone, and Ashes of Time would become a timeless masterpiece.

The shutter clicked, capturing the graduation photo in the scorching July of 2001.

Everyone walked down from the stage. Su Cen was pulled by many to take photos together. Plus.

Zhang Feifei, dressed in a way that made others drool, came over through a crowd of people and stood under a spot of light dazzlingly bright. She said to Wang Weiwei, Zhang Xianzhuang Zhiyu, and others clustering around Su Cen, "Let's go out tonight for some fun. Singing, walking down the street, going to bars—there are countless possibilities. Many people will come along too. Zhao Mao from Class 2, Huang Yufei from Class 9, Zhao Zhilan the beauty from Class 10..."

Basically all of these were famous figures in school, either for excellent academic performance or striking appearance, or due to sustained discussion about them during various events.

Zhang Feifei then warned Su Cen, "Su Cen, you must come tonight. Many people are here because I said you would be."

Originally intended for a noon update, but it's late now and I'm truly sorry about the delay.

The third river interview is at 7:30 PM today; if you're not waiting for the nine o'clock start or watching the game, please come over!er thinking for a moment, Su Can stepped in with a smile to Wang Yue: "Sis Yue!""Why are you here" Wang Yue was somewhat surprised but quickly understood that it was around dismissal time at No. 1 Hig...