I Am A Prodigy

Chapter 20: Capital City, Here I Come...

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The leaders from the education bureau then engaged in some irrelevant conversations with the people before they got into the car and left.

The entire scene was deathly silent. The numerous villagers looked toward Ye Lingchen and his mother. Their expression was a combination of awkwardness and envy. No one spoke out at this very instant surprisingly.

By now, a fool would know that the people from the education bureau were here solely because of the provincial top scorer Ye Lingchen!

It was funny that Chu Ran still had the courage to make that self-conceited conjecture. His result could not compare to Ye Lingchen at all.

“Mom, let’s go,” said Ye Lingchen once again.

“Hmm, I want to let your father knows about this news as soon as possible.”

Xu Zhen nodded hastily. Her voice sounded incomparably excited. She turned her head to the side and wiped away the tears in the corners of her eyes secretly.

Both of them left slowly. Ye Lingchen paused for a moment when he walked to Chu Hao’s side.

He said calmly, “your uncle’s garage can’t afford to employ me genuinely!”

Chu Hao’s expression displayed his unstable emotions. His cheeks were burning hot from embarrassment.

What virtues or abilities had his uncle’s garage to employ a provincial top scorer?

Xu Zhen fished out her phone to make a call eagerly as soon as they left the place.

“Hello?” Ye Jin’s voice was heard echoing from the phone.

“We got Lingchen’s results already.” Xu Zhen’s voice was trembling even.

The voice on the other end of the call was quiet for a long time. Ye Jin said with forced calmness, “I thought we will only know tomorrow?”

“A student sought help from someone to find out during dinner.”

Ye Jin could hear from Xu Zhen’s voice that she was choking back the tears. He felt like his heart had sunk into the bottom of the valley despite the fact that he did not have high hopes originally. He spoke in a hoarse voice, “poor academic performance is within our expectation originally.”

Upon saying that, he paused for a moment. He was incapable of suppressing his curiosity anymore so he continued to ask with the last hope, “So... what is his score?”

His tone of speech sounded solemn as if he was awaiting some form of verdict.

“Lingchen scored... 725 points.”

“725 points, the score...” Ye Jin did not manage to react to the situation accordingly at once. However, his pupils enlarged abruptly in the next moment while his entire body trembled. He spoke in a voice that was almost shaky, “I may have listened wrong earlier. How many points again?”

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“725 points. Lingchen is the provincial top scorer!” Tears streamed down Xu Zhen’s face as she lost all control to suppress it.

She cried tears of joy and held high hopes for her child.

“Has the score been checked and confirmed?” Ye Jin could not help asking.

“The people from the education bureau paid us a visit already and they said that they are awarding Lingchen with a 50000RMB scholarship.” Xu Zhen explained about the events that took place today to her husband.

“Good, good, good...” Ye Jin was already speechless from excitement. He muttered irrelevantly for a while before he said, “I’m coming home now.”

In the house, Ye Jin and Ye Lingchen sat on opposite sides gazing into each other’s eyes. None of them had spoken to one another.

It was Ye Lingchen’s first time looking at his father so close up over the years.

His father’s eye sockets were slightly sunken. There were already three to five crow’s feet around the corners of his eyes. His incomparably bright eyes in Ye Lingchen’s memories were already covered with the traces of passing time and life.

“Son...” Ye Jing was looking at Ye Lingchen just the same. He had thousands and thousands of words to say but in the end he said, “You’re all grown up.”

‘You’re all grown up, while I, am old.’

Ye Lingchen’s vision was growing blurry from the tears welling up in his eyes. He hastily rubbed his eyes with his hands. “Dad, you and mom needn’t worry about me anymore from now on.”

Ye Jin’s eyes were moistened by tears too. “Hah-hah-hah. Very well! Then we shall drink to the night as father and son today!”

As a doctor, Ye Jin was not a drinking man on usual days. However, he made an exception today and had Xu Zhen procured two bottles of liquor in his collection.

“Lingchen is still a child. How can a father encourage his son to drink?” Xu Zhen complained.

The father and son gazed into the eyes of one another and broke out laughing. The best was left unsaid.

That night, the father Ye Jin and son Ye Lingchen chatted about many things and drank plenty of liquor. Ye Jin spoke of one sentence the most, which was, “Lingchen, good job. You’re certainly my son, hah-hah-hah...”

The feast had only ended when Ye Jin fell asleep from being drunk. On the other hand, Ye Lingchen’s alcohol tolerance proficiency had soared to 70% instantaneously.

Ye Lingchen thought to himself about how it would be very difficult for him to get intoxicated in the future.

Ye Lingchen remained to be just as sober as before. He helped Ye Jin into the room before he returned to his room to sleep.

The next day, Ye Jin had only opened his eyes drowsily when it was late in the morning.

At the very moment he woke up, he had completely sobered up. He sat upright in front of the telephone machine and picked up a pen and paper as he waited in combat readiness.

Even though he found out about Ye Lingchen’s score from Xu Zhen, but he was still feeling concerned as the result had yet to be officially announced.

He had memorized the telephone number for checking score and Ye Lingchen’s candidate number clearly in his mind. He pressed the buttons according to the instructions given with shaky hands.

“Hello, your score is...”

With every subject that was announced, Ye Jin took note of the score in an incomparably cautious and meticulous manner.

When the result for the last subject was announced, the tears that Ye Jin tried so hard to swallow yesterday streamed down his face.

Then, he picked up his phone eagerly.

“Hello? This is the second uncle right, it’s me, Ye Jin. My son’s result is out. He scored 725 points, not so bad, just lucky enough to be the provincial top scorer...”

“Hello? This is the sister-in-law right, it’s me, Ye Jin. The result for the college entrance examination has been announced. My son scored 725 points. Hah-hah-hah, his result is genuinely not bad...”

...

For the rest of the day, Ye Jin was absorbed in the task of calling every single number of the relative members he could think of.

He laughed joyously like a child.

On the other hand, Ye Lingchen had already arrived at Longhu Estate currently.

“You’re going to Capital City¹?”

Ye Lingchen said in astonishment as he massaged Xiao Feifei’s silk-like skin and body.

“Hmm.” Xiao Feifei nodded. Her eyes were squinted shut akin to a kitten, a sign that she was enjoying Ye Lingchen’s massage treatment.

Next, she turned her head and looked at Ye Lingchen in anticipation. “I’ve recently signed onto a martial art television series project. I’m going to return to Capital City for filming.”

“You said before that I will need to receive the massage treatment for half a year before I can recover. Why don’t you join me to go to Capital City?”

Ye Lingchen was silent.

Beijing was the capital city of China. It was a thriving and prosperous city with people living extravagant lives. The attraction of the city blinded countless people and made them yearn for its presence.

Even if Xiao Feifei had not mentioned this, Ye Lingchen could definitely apply and get accepted into either Tsinghua University or Peking University with his outstanding results.

“Do you have any plans for summer holidays?” asked Xiao Feifei.

“Nothing at the moment.” Ye Lingchen shook his head.

“Since you don’t have any plans, then why don’t you follow me for a trip to Beijing. I can be your tour guide.” Xiao Feifei looked at Ye Lingchen before she continued to speak seductively, “moreover, I’m paying your wage too.”

“When are you going to depart?” asked Ye Lingchen.

Xiao Feifei replied, “we’re leaving in the afternoon tomorrow.”

Ye Lingchen nodded. He was not in a rush to commit himself.

On one hand, he had never traveled so far before on his own. He hesitated whether he should stay back and accompanied his parents. On the other hand, he wanted to visit city where its people lived extravagantly before he made the decision if he wanted to attend a university there.

He had a youth’s temperament and now was just the right time that he was proud of his achievement. He wanted to experience a different place badly.

“Don’t worry, Capital City is my territory. I’ll make sure that you won’t get bullied over there,” said Xiao Feifei as she assumed the tone of an old senior woman suddenly. She could not refrain herself from sniggering aloud after saying that.

Ye Lingchen pondered for a moment before he brought up the most important issue to him at last. “How much is the wage?”

Xiao Feifei said, “...”

Sister Lin, “...”

Ye Lingchen had a long discussion with his parents after returning to his home. Then, he began packing his luggage in preparation to depart the next day.

“Mother, I plan to enroll in Peking University. After arriving in Capital City, I’ll enroll in the university directly when the new semester begins,” said Ye Lingchen.

“Hmm.”

Xu Zhen answered softly. She kept her head down all the time while she helped Ye Lingchen to pack his luggage.

Ye Jin kept his silence as well on the side.

“The weather in Capital City is dry and arid. I heard that now is the driest season of all. You must take good care of yourself.” Xu Zhen briefed her son, “I’m putting your summer clothes in this section, autumn clothes in the middle section, cashmere sweaters and coats on the other side. Wear them if the weather gets too cold.”

“Mom, it’s still too early for me to pack winter clothes now.” Ye Lingchen felt speechless.

“It’s hard to predict the weather. You have never traveled so far before. Moreover, you’re going away for such a long time. It’s better to be prepared than sorry,” said Xu Zhen. She could not help wiping away her tears.

“Your son is traveling to the city. This is promising, don’t cry about it,” said Ye Jin from the side.

Xu Zhen helped Ye Lingchen to zip up the luggage then she brought over a package from another side. “I’ve placed some food in here. It’s our Rugao City’s native produce. Have some if you’re hungry during the journey. Text mom if you’ve run out and want more. Mom will send it to you via the post.”

“Also, here’s some money for your expenditure. Your dad will be transferring money into your bank account every month from now on. Spend it on what is necessary.”

Xu Zhen suddenly spoke more than usual. It felt as if her words were never-ending. She reminded Ye Lingchen on this and advised him on that without stop.

“Mom, I can make my own money too.”

“The expenditure in Capital City is high. Don’t worry, mom and dad have some savings. Don’t overthink this.”

Ye Lingchen listened to his mother’s words quietly from the side. As he looked at his parents, he made a decision in his mind.

‘I must make it to the top and return to the village with high honors!’

“Lingchen, you’re sent to work in Capital City because your effort is valued, be sure to put in more effort at work!”

Before Ye Lingchen’s departure, Ye Jin finally gave his advice.

Ye Lingchen nodded. Then, he turned his head once again to take a glance of his parents before he turned around and got into the car.

“Son, remember to take good care of yourself. Be sure to call home if you face any difficulties and need help!” Xu Zhen could not refrain herself from taking a few steps forward.

Ye Lingchen replied softly without turning back.

The car drove away slowly. Ye Lingchen could still see the silhouette of his two aging parents through the rearview mirror until they vanished from sight when the distance was too far.

Perhaps it was because they realized that Ye Lingchen was not in a good mood, Sister Lin and Xiao Feifei did not speak to him during the journey.

The car drove for over an hour before arriving at the airport.

They boarded the airplane at three in the afternoon.

Through the window, he watched as the land underneath his feet shrunk smaller and smaller and buildings turning into ants before vanishing from his sight at last...

‘Goodbye, Rugao City.’

‘Capital City, here I come...’