Final form!

On his second eighteenth birthday, Chen Chong had a dream.

The space in the dream was surrounded by endless stars. He was standing in the sea of ​​stars, with a hexagonal ancient well in front of him.

He lowered his head and looked down. In the well, a pair of scarlet eyes suddenly appeared.

The next moment.

The ancient well turned into a huge mouth that encompassed the starry sky, swallowing him, the dream, and everything else.

Chen Chong opened his eyes suddenly.

The ceiling of his small bedroom was still in his field of vision.

There are no giant beasts or starry sky, and the black spots of flying insects behind the fluorescent tubes are constantly flashing.

"Nightmare...?"

Chen Chong frowned.

The dream just now seemed strangely real, and seemed different from usual ones.

But he did not feel frightened at all by this particularly clear nightmare.

A little strange.

After a moment of trance, Chen Chong tilted his head and looked at the old mechanical alarm clock on the bedside table. The hour hand was already pointing to "12".

"Slept for so long?"

He raised his eyebrows, stood up and put on his clothes, opened the door, and the sound of the TV in the living room suddenly became louder.

"...Hope Group announced yesterday that its subsidiary company "Shuguang Bio" has once again broken through the limitations of gene editing technology. In the next ten years, the average life expectancy in the central city is expected to exceed 100..."

"...Lishan City Public Security Bureau reported that many pager fraud cases have occurred in recent days. Criminal gangs Use pager information to impersonate case investigators, trick victims into making bank transfers, or going to settlements outside the city to participate in investigations, prize redemptions, and other activities, and then carry out kidnapping and extortion. The Public Security Bureau reminds the general public to pay attention to screening and not to believe the words of criminals. Any activity in the wilderness outside the city is a scam——"

The old TV that was broadcasting the news suddenly turned into a snowflake. Uncle Shen Jianping frowned and cursed, got up from the dark red artificial leather sofa, walked to the TV, and slapped the big box of the old TV twice.

"Bang, bang——"

"The next message will be broadcast now..."

Two loud bangs cured the TV and also caused the kitchen to prepare food. The aunt was startled and stuck her head out to scold:

"I told you many times to be gentle and don't get damaged - Chong'er, are you up? Wash your face first, lunch will be ready soon."

Aunt Chen Liping smiled gently. She had chubby cheeks and fair skin. Although she looked ordinary, she looked very kind. But the dense fine lines at the corners of his eyes and the few strands of gray hair on his temples showed his age.

Chen Chong nodded:

"I don't know why I slept so late."

"It's okay, it's winter vacation. Young people should sleep more and grow up."

After Chen Liping finished speaking, she retreated to the kitchen, and the sound of cooking was immediately heard from the kitchen.

Only ten minutes.

As soon as Chen Chong had washed up, Chen Liping placed the last dish, a pot of braised carp, in the middle of the large round dining table and invited the whole family to eat.

"Old Shen!"

"Here we come."

Shen Jianping first picked up the remote control panel and turned up the TV volume, then left the sofa and walked to a The bedroom door opened:

"Shen Dong, why are you closing the door? Eat——"

Shen Jianping's voice suddenly paused, and he silently closed the door again.

Cousin Shen Dong's panicked voice came from the door:

"Come on, it's coming soon!"

Shen Jianping's expression He stood strangely for a few seconds, then moved to another bedroom, knocked on the door gently, and his voice became gentle:

"Ying'er, the meal is ready, come out to eat?"

The door opened with a bang, and cousin Shen Ying walked out expressionlessly, walking to the dining table and sitting down.

Not long after, Shen Dong came out of his bedroom with a red face and muttered:

"How many times have I told you, can you knock on the door first? Hey, it's so rich?"

This time Shen Jianping did not glare and say "Is this your home or my home" as usual this time, but his expression was complicated and he didn't say anything.

Chen Liping stood in front of the dining table and saw the whole family sitting down. She wiped her hands on her apron with satisfaction. She was about to sit down, and then she said "Ah":

"I almost forgot."

Quickly walking to the "Arctic" brand refrigerator she bought when she got married, Chen Liping opened the refrigerator door, took out a plant-based cream cake, lit colored candles, placed it in front of Chen Chong, and said with a smile:

"Happy birthday, Chong'er!"

"Is it my cousin's birthday today? No wonder!"

Shen Dong, who was about to sneakily pick up the braised pork, held back his words water, and took back the chopsticks:

"Happy birthday, cousin!"

Facing the blessings from his family, Chen Chong smiled and said:

"Thank you, aunt, thank you."

"In a blink of an eye, you are eighteen years old...make a wish."

Chen Liping's face was filled with emotion.

Chen Chong looked at the dancing candlelight in front of him and his eyes were in a trance.

What wish do you want to make?

He didn't know it for a moment.

Return to the original world? It has never been fulfilled so many times.

In the end, he closed his eyes and clasped his hands, silently prayed for the health of his family, and then blew out the candles.

"Okay! Let's eat the cake!"

Seeing a few wisps of smoke rising from the candle, Shen Dong clapped his hands with anticipation on his face.

Chen Chong personally cut the cake into several pieces, put it on a small plate and handed it to his family, and then the family enjoyed this rare sumptuous lunch.

Braised chicken, roast pork, braised carp, and cakes... Although Shen Jianping is the workshop director in the factory, and Chen Liping also runs a good breakfast shop downstairs, it is still very difficult to feed three children in this era of economic downturn. The family only eats such dishes during the holidays.

The whole family ate to their heart's content. Not to mention the eleven-year-old Shen Dong, even the rebellious Shen Ying stopped talking about losing weight and even added an extra bowl of rice.

Chen Chongzheng exhaled with satisfaction. Only then could he open his belly and feast.

Suddenly, red flashed before his eyes, and then a number:

"1%."

Chen Chong raised his eyelids.

"Chen Chong, your teacher Yue called me this morning and said that the results of your cultural class exam have been released."

Shen Jianping picked his teeth with a toothpick and suddenly spoke.

He paused and continued:

"You are still number one, with full marks. Now you have successfully graduated from high school. You can go there next semester or not."

Shen Dong cast an admiring look. After all, he failed in elementary school, but his cousin ranked first in the best middle school in Lichuan City.

According to the school’s teachers, my cousin is the only student in this class who is likely to pass the entrance examination to Central City based on his cultural studies.

Central City...

Shen Dong couldn't help but turn his head to the window.

The weather is still bad today, with thick clouds hanging over Lichuan like a pot lid.

But on the few sunny days a year, looking west from here, you can see the silver "snow mountain" in the central city dozens of kilometers away -

That is the headquarters building of the Hope Group. It is like a real snow mountain and can be seen from such a distance. It is a science fiction building that is unimaginable by people in satellite cities.

"Teacher Yue asked about your plan."

Shen Jianping continued, his tone calm:

"I helped you go back, and I will not go to Central City."

The air at the dinner table became quiet.

Shen Dong turned back abruptly, his dark eyes turning quietly, looking at the expressions of his father and cousin.

Chen Chong squinted his eyes and saw what was happening in front of him:

"2%."

He turned his head and found that his uncle was still staring at him, and the number was printed on Shen Jianping's face.

Chen Chong took a sip of orange juice, suppressed his surprise, and nodded calmly:

"I know, uncle."

He was not surprised by this matter.

It’s better to say that I can’t go than to say I can’t go.

Even if his grades are very good.

The institutions of higher learning in the central city are not accessible to ordinary students in satellite cities based on their grades.

Although the studies in this life are much simpler than the previous one, as a former 985 graduate student, he can easily get full marks.

But without a letter of introduction, people from the satellite city cannot enter the central city. What the head teacher, Teacher Yue, said is just an encouragement, or a test.

As the director of the factory workshop, Shen Jianping was not qualified to receive a letter of introduction, which Chen Chong had expected.

But this question is not important right now, but what is this number?

Chen Chong frowned slightly and continued to stare at the numbers in his field of vision - there was no doubt that his family could not see this thing, it only existed in his own field of vision.

Chen Liping, who originally looked pleased when she heard the results, now looked at Chen Chong who was in a daze, and her expression gradually became uneasy.

However, the couple had communicated for a long time. She wiped her hands on her apron, pursed her lips and said:

"Chong'er, it's difficult to get an undergraduate degree in Central City. Lichuan Science College will definitely not be a problem for you. After graduating from a college, After working in the enterprise for a few years, you will definitely have the opportunity to be transferred to the headquarters in Central City because of your intelligence..."

"I also told Teacher Yue that I will not apply for the technical college."

Shen Jianping interrupted her.

Chen Liping said in surprise:

"What? Old Shen, what do you mean?"

Shen Jianping did not say anything, but took out a pack of crumpled cigarettes from his pocket, took out one and lit it.

Smoke filled the dining table, and the family members couldn’t see each other’s faces.

"Speak! Didn't we agree before?"

Chen Liping's eyes widened and she raised her voice.

Shen Dong shrank his neck, feeling that something was wrong with the atmosphere at the dinner table.

He suddenly felt his chair being kicked.

Turning his head in surprise, Shen Dong saw that his sister had stood up, went back to the room, and closed the door.

Shen Dong's head turned left and right, and he whispered, "I'm done eating." He jumped off the chair, went back to the room, and locked the door.

Seeing that the children were gone, Chen Liping frowned even more tightly:

"Old Shen, what's going on?"

Shen Jianping took a breath of cigarette and finally said:

"Chen Chong, your aunt and I are I have raised you for fourteen years, and you have never been short of food. You eat whatever you want, and you wear what Dongzi wears - no, he wears your leftovers. Do you think my uncle treats you well?"

"Very good."

"Look, your sister is about to take the high school entrance exam, and she also wants to go to No. 1 Middle School. As you know, the cost of your school is not low.

"As for Dongzi, maybe he can't even take the high school entrance exam. I have to save some money for him to find a wife. After all, before his grandfather left, he wanted to rely on this boy to pass on the incense of the old Shen family." Shen Jianping took the cigarette to his mouth again, but found that only half of his butt was left, so he had to press the cigarette back into the ashtray.

Another puff of smoke.

"Chen Chong, it's not that my uncle doesn't believe you, but those who can go to the technical college have a few brushes. This is not guaranteed, right?"

Shen Jianping stopped talking again and said slowly:

"If you can't get it, the pressure on the family will be great."

"With Chong'er's grades, how could he not get it? Arrive? It’s more than enough for him to go to Central City to study as an undergraduate!"

"What if?"

"No chance!"

"That’s not how it works..."

Shen Jianping felt helpless and finally sighed:

"There is another problem. The factory's performance is not good, and it is always attacked by gangs and refugees on the edge of the wasteland. There is news from the head office that this year may be the last year of the factory."

"What? Old Shen, this..."

Chen Liping was suddenly surprised, and then said worriedly:

"Then your job ?"

"It's just a rumor now, not necessarily. And it's about relocation, not withdrawal."

Shen Jianping immediately comforted his wife:

"I have worked in the factory for so many years, even if the factory moves, I will not lose my job. It's just... don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the worst.

"If Chen Chong goes to a technical college and fails to get a scholarship, the family will be in trouble; if the factory is gone, then the family will be stuck. Look at Lao Zhang downstairs. Back then, the couple gritted their teeth to send one of their children to college. As a result, they lost their jobs, couldn't repay their student loans, and couldn't repay their mortgages. The family was in debt, and now they have moved to a settlement. City people go to the wilderness... I don't know if they are still there.

"Chen Chong, this era is not a good era for ordinary people. You have younger brothers and sisters. I have raised you until you are an adult, and I don't ask you for anything in return. As long as you can find food for yourself, that's not too much, right?"

Seeing Chen Chong lowering his head and saying nothing, Shen Jianping frowned, took out another cigarette from the cigarette case and lit it:

"I entered the factory when I was fourteen. You are eighteen, and you are already an adult even in the old days. If you have no place to go, I will find a job for you in the factory next door. Of course, you will be a worker when you enter the factory. Don't complain, don't complain, don't complain, don't complain, don't have a student's temper."

Chen Liping watched her nephew keep his head down and said nothing, and his expression changed a little.

When she thought that this was the only son entrusted to her by her late second brother, she wanted her husband to grit his teeth and think of a solution;

But when she turned her head and saw her husband, who had been working in the factory for nearly thirty years and was only in his early forties, he already had a face as full as an old man, and when she thought of a pair of children, she couldn't say anything.

After a long time, Chen Liping sighed feebly and whispered:

"Chong'er, it's a bit hard in the factory. If you don't want to go, just come to the store and help. My aunt happens to be too busy to do anything else. At home, you don't have to suffer, there is always a bite to eat."

Shen Jianping frowned as he listened, but in the end he didn't say much. Just watching Chen Chong keep his head bowed in silence, he finally couldn't help but slap the table and said loudly:

"Chen Chong, after today you will be an adult, tell me what you think! Man, be quiet, don't be here Your aunt and I have nothing to do with you!”

“Old Shen!”

Chen Chong finally raised his head.

He glanced at Chen Liping, who looked worried, and then at Shen Jianping, who was scratching his neck.

He saw the "5%" reflected on their faces.

Smiling, Chen Chong said:

"Uncle, aunt, everything you say makes sense.

"However, I think I have another way."

(There will be updates)