Chi Yiyuan used to always think about returning to the capital as soon as possible.
However, now that he was about to leave, he felt reluctant.
But in the end, what he was reluctant to part with was Su Xiaotian, who had given him warmth during his most difficult times, and that was all.
If there was anything else he was reluctant to part with, it would be the entire old Su family.
They were truly a very kind family.
In the quiet of the night, he had even wondered if he could have persevered until now if it weren't for Su Xiaotian, if it weren't for the entire old Su family, or if he had been in a different place.
Chi Yiyuan gently smiled and ruffled Su Xiaotian's hair, only to find that the young girl's hair was very soft and smooth.
When they first met, the young girl's hair was yellow, like wild grass, but now, her hair was dark and lustrous.
That's right, the young girl before him was no longer the little waif of the past, but a graceful young lady.
Chi Yiyuan observed Su Xiaotian.
Such a beautiful and lovely young girl, when she grew up, he wondered who would be lucky enough to have her!
Thinking of this, Chi Yiyuan felt a flash of sadness.
He didn't want to return to the capital anymore, what should he do?
Regardless of whether he wanted to or not, time passed day by day.
Soon, it was time for the college entrance examination.
Grandma Su was as nervous as ever.
But she listened to Su Xiaotian and didn't want her nervousness to affect her grandchildren, so she appeared to be in good spirits when interacting with others.
Su Xiao Si and Su Xiao Wu had been very nervous before, but the day before the college entrance examination, they had surprisingly relaxed.
Whether they were nervous or not, the college entrance examination was still coming.
"Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, why aren't you nervous anymore?"
Su Xiaotian had prepared a whole basket of comforting words for her two brothers, but in the end, none of them were needed.
"We're not nervous anymore. No matter how nervous we are, the sun will still rise tomorrow, and we still have to enter the examination hall," Su Xiao Si said calmly.
"I've thought about it. If I can get into my dream university, I'll go straight to university. If I can't get into my dream university, at worst, I'll study for another year and take the college entrance examination next year with Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi," Su Xiao Wu also said calmly.
They were young, and even if they repeated a year, they would still be younger than many students, which was an advantage.
Su Xiaotian listened to her two brothers say this and knew that these were their true thoughts.
"Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, you must believe in yourselves. Get some sleep early, and I'm going to rest too!"
Su Xiao Si was eighteen years old this year, and Su Xiao Wu was only seventeen.
If they were judged solely by age, the two of them were indeed a bit young.
Repeating another year was not impossible.
However, did the two brothers need to repeat a year?
Su Xiaotian personally thought that they did not need to repeat a year.
After all, their grades were excellent.
Even though the students taking the college entrance examination this year were not as weak as those who took it in the first year, she believed her two brothers could break through the competition.
Three days later, the college entrance examination ended.
It was still Chi Ge who helped them estimate their scores.
According to Chi Ge's estimated scores, both of them performed exceptionally well, especially Su Xiao Wu.
Chi Ge said that with such scores, getting into Beijing University should be no problem.
"What's the point of going to Beijing University!" Su Xiao Wu said with a smile, "I want to go to a military academy!"
Su Xiao Wu had actually wanted to join the army for a long time, but Su Xiaotian always urged them to study and go to university.
The subtle influence was terrifying. Over time, Su Xiao Wu felt that he should take the college entrance examination.
Later, he accidentally learned that after taking the college entrance examination, one could also apply to military academies.
Chi Ge was clearly surprised by Su Xiao Wu's idea.
Applying to a military academy?
"Xiao Wu, you must know that being a soldier is not easy, and military academies are not like ordinary schools. You will have to endure a lot of hardship."
Su Xiao Wu showed a bright smile: "It's okay, I'm not afraid of hardship."
"Then have you thought about which university you want to apply to?"
Chi Ge was not a rigid person. Seeing Su Xiao Wu speak so resolutely, he knew that this child had certainly made up his mind.
"Grandpa Chi, between the University of Military and Political Science and the National Defense University, which one do you think I should choose?"
If he hadn't really thought it through, it would be about choosing between these two universities.
The University of Military and Political Science was in the capital, and if he applied, he could be with his brothers.
As the saying goes, brothers fight together. He felt that being with his brothers would be the best.
However, he also liked the National Defense University.
How should he choose?
Chi Ge's thoughtful smile became even brighter.
"Both of these universities are good, but I personally suggest you go to the National Defense University."
"Why?" Su Xiao Wu asked, confused.
"I know you want to go to the University of Military and Political Science mainly because you can be with your brothers."
Su Xiao Wu had to sigh that Grandpa Chi was indeed Grandpa Chi, able to understand his thoughts so clearly.
"You are right. I already have three brothers in the capital, and Fourth Brother will likely be in the capital too. In the future, my younger siblings might also go to the capital. I don't want to be the odd one out!"
Su Xiao Wu readily admitted his true thoughts.
"However, by choosing to join the army, you have chosen a path of leaving your family and career behind."
This statement was actually a test.
Xiao Wu was young, and he didn't know if he truly understood what it meant to join the army.
Su Xiao Wu was silent for a moment.
Chi Ge smiled, "There are still two days before filling out the application. You can consider it and tell me later."
Su Xiao Wu nodded in agreement.
When Grandma Su learned of her grandson's intention to apply to a military academy, she was somewhat reluctant.
Su Xiao Liang joined the army back then because he had no other choice. Xiao Wu was different. Xiao Wu had excellent grades and could have attended a good university and had a respectable job in the future.
However, Grandma Su was an enlightened old lady and did not impose her wishes on Su Xiao Wu.
Her grandson had grown up, and he could go wherever he wanted.
Besides, three of her grandsons had already traveled thousands of miles to the capital. Adding one more to the army was not a big deal.
Su Xiaotian was also surprised that her brother had such an idea.
In fact, she was not very willing for her brother to join the army.
That path was very difficult to follow.
In peacetime, it was not easy to achieve success, but if one did not achieve success, that path would become narrower and narrower.
"Brother, have you made up your mind?" Su Xiaotian asked, sitting on a chair and resting her chin on her hand.
"I've made up my mind, Xiaotian. I originally wanted to stay by your side in the future, but..."
If he chose to join the army, he would no longer be able to protect his little sister.
Su Xiaotian smiled.
"Brother, it's okay. Everyone has to walk their own path. Where I will be in the future is not certain either!"
Su Xiaotian's words finally made Su Xiao Wu make up his mind!
Because Su Xiao Wu suddenly decided to apply to the National Defense University, Chi Ge and Chi Yiyuan stayed for a while longer.
Not for anything else, but to escort Su Xiaotian to the capital together.
As for Su Xiao Wu, a child who chose to join the army was destined to strive for self-improvement.
He could go south alone then.
The little girl Su Xiaotian, however, absolutely needed someone to take good care of her. The journey to the capital was long and arduous, and she couldn't go without someone to look after her.
When Grandpa Chi proposed this idea, he was genuinely afraid that Chi Yiyuan would object.
After all, for so many years, Chi Yiyuan had been thinking about going home all the time.
They had already delayed their departure for a while to help Su Xiao Si and Su Xiao Wu review better. Another month's delay...
"Xiao Yuan, if you don't agree, we'll leave the day after tomorrow!"
Taking care of someone else's child was important, but in Grandpa Su's heart, taking care of his grandson's emotions was the most important thing.
"Grandpa, I don't want to go home. I just want to live a normal life. Since we can go back, a few days earlier or later doesn't really matter."
Even Chi Ge couldn't see how much his grandson was suppressing his true feelings at this moment.
No one knew how elated Chi Yiyuan was when he heard that they would be delayed for a while.
He was already sad about leaving Su Xiaotian, and now, in a while, he would go to the capital with Xiaotian.
Chi Yiyuan had even started planning where to take Su Xiaotian to play and what delicious food to eat when they arrived in the capital.
Chi Ge was surprised by his grandson's generosity.
"Do you really think that way?" Chi Ge asked.
"Of course, I do. Xiao Si is not a meticulous person. If he takes Xiaotian to the capital alone, even if the Su family is at ease, I won't be!"
Grandpa Chi finally understood his grandson's intentions from this remark.
This rascal was indeed concerned about Su Xiaotian.
"It's good that you're not at ease. It's good. Xiaotian will be entrusted to your care on this journey!"
Chi Ge laughed and went out.
Su Xiao Si applied to Beijing University, and Su Xiao Wu applied to the National Defense University.
Soon, the examination results came out, and as expected, both Su Xiao Si and Su Xiao Wu's scores were very good.
They soon received their admission letters from their respective universities.
Just like the three brothers Su Shouwen back then, their admission letters were personally delivered by Principal Guo.
Principal Guo held the two admission letters, wondering what he was feeling.
He actually felt quite regretful. If Su Xiao Wu hadn't applied to a military academy, their school would have had two students admitted to Beijing University at once.
What a pity, what a pity!
"Principal Guo, why did you come in person?"
Su Lao San had just returned from driving and was at home when he saw Principal Guo, looking very surprised.
"I've come to deliver the admission letters to your home."
Principal Guo said with emotion, "Two good children, and they are the first and second place in our province."
He didn't know how these Su family children's brains were wired, with each one performing better than the last.
Sometimes, Principal Guo even wondered if it was the Su family's children who had good grades, or if other children's grades were not good.
The Su family didn't know Principal Guo's thoughts.
"Principal Guo, you're here today, and since you've come to our home, you must stay for a meal." Su Lao San, as Su Xiao Wu's biological father, was very happy.
What could be happier than one's son being successful?
Principal Guo politely refused, saying he had other matters to attend to, but Su Lao San and Chi Ge insisted that he stay.
"Principal Guo, please don't be polite. There are some things you haven't said, but I know that you've been under pressure to protect our children."
Since his brother-in-law had been transferred away, the Su family's greatest support was gone. He had already felt it.
Because of this, he had inquired about the children's situation at school and knew that Principal Guo had been protecting them.
He had always wanted to thank Principal Guo properly.
But he had never found a suitable opportunity.
"This is all I should do. As a principal, if I don't protect my students, it would be truly inexcusable!" Principal Guo said with a hint of embarrassment.
At that time, he had considered giving up on these children.
Or rather, if these children hadn't been so outstanding, he would have given up protecting them long ago.
In the final analysis, it was also these children themselves who were outstanding.
And he was someone who benefited from their brilliance.
After this batch of results came out, because County No. 1 Middle School had achieved excellent results, the county leaders had decided to appoint him as the Director of the County Education Bureau and concurrently as the Principal of County No. 1 Middle School.
Good news fell from the sky, but Principal Guo knew very well that the school's good results were closely related to the Su family's children.
If they hadn't used their strength to defeat students who didn't study well, if they hadn't studied hard and achieved good grades.
If they hadn't been unselfish and had diligently helped other classmates, County No. 1 Middle School would not have achieved its current results.
Su Xiaotian was not at home when Principal Guo visited the Su family.
She had gone to the city to look for treasures.
For over a year in the county town, Su Xiaotian had visited various places when she had free time.
Over the years, she had accumulated quite a few items, which were now piled up in the temporary warehouse built by the Su family.
In the warehouse, which was over twenty square meters, there were many scattered items. Every time Grandma Su saw them, she would sigh.
After all, to this day, she still couldn't figure out what use these items brought by Su Xiaotian were.
She used the two largest stones to press the vegetables in the pickling jars.
As for the rest, they were just left there!
Anyway, the large warehouse was empty, and it wasn't like the countryside where there were many things to store.
When Su Xiaotian arrived today, she was holding a dark, spherical object larger than an adult's head, and she didn't know what it was.
"Xiaotian, do you go out every day just to pick up trash?" Su Xiao Ba teased Su Xiaotian.
Although Su Xiao Ba said that, his hands naturally reached out to help Su Xiaotian carry the item.
Su Xiaotian glared proudly and said, "You wouldn't understand this, this is a good thing, it will be very valuable in the future."
Su Xiao Ba chuckled, "Every time you come back from going out, you bring back some trash and say these things are very valuable."
Although, as Su Xiao Ba said, everyone thought that the items Su Xiaotian brought back were useless.
But the Su family was used to it. As long as it was something Su Xiaotian brought back, they would store it as a good thing.
After the siblings put the spherical object in the warehouse, Su Xiaotian suddenly asked, "Did Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother go to school? Did their admission letters arrive?"
Su Xiao Ba asked in surprise, "How did you guess that their admission letters had arrived?"
They really arrived?
Then it was right.
Not long ago, Anna suddenly pushed Su Xiaotian, and a small part of the system task was completed.
And the surprise brought by this small part of progress was not small.
Because of this small progress, her system points exceeded ten thousand.
The system mall was officially opened.
When she heard the sound of the system mall opening, Su Xiaotian was so excited that she almost dropped the spherical object she was holding on her foot.
She couldn't help but be excited. This system mall had been around for a long time, but there had been no progress, and only points had been continuously increasing.
It opened so suddenly and without warning, it was too unexpected and too surprising!
Su Xiaotian immediately hid in a corner and checked the system mall.
Upon seeing it, she suddenly felt a little dizzy.
The opening of the system mall truly gave her hope of becoming rich.
Because the points in the system mall were exchanged for real currency at a one-to-one ratio.
In other words, Su Xiaotian was actually a "ten-thousand-yuan household" now.
In an era when the concept of "ten-thousand-yuan household" had not yet emerged, having ten thousand yuan in liquid assets was a earth-shattering event.
System Anna sent her congratulations, congratulating her on finally successfully activating the mall!
Su Xiaotian sighed greatly and happily chatted with Anna for a while.
Buying ten thousand yuan worth of scarce goods from the system mall and reselling them would likely yield a large profit.
At that time, she would have the startup capital for doing business.
Thinking of becoming a rich person, Su Xiaotian became excited.
She was still very excited when she returned home.
Her entire little face was flushed with excitement.
"I just felt that according to the time, they should have arrived!" Su Xiaotian quickly made an excuse.
Su Xiao Ba was not a meticulous person. Hearing his sister say this, he truly believed it.
"Yes, their grades are good, so their admission letters arrived early." Su Xiao Ba nodded solemnly. "However, they didn't go to school to pick them up; Principal Guo personally delivered them!"
Su Xiaotian asked with a smile, "Is Principal Guo still at our house?"
Su Xiao Ba nodded, "Yes, Dad just came back and invited Principal Guo to stay for a meal!"
Just then, Grandma Su came out and saw her granddaughter's flushed face.
Suspecting that her granddaughter might have caught a cold, Grandma Su quickly reached out to touch her forehead.
"She doesn't have a fever, so why is her face so red?" Grandma Su asked, puzzled.
This child, Xiaotian, had been weak for a while after falling into the water, but later she persisted in exercising, and her constitution had always been good.
Why was her face suddenly flushed today?
"Maybe it's because I was in the sun for a while just now!" Su Xiaotian quickly touched her face and said.
Grandma Su quickly said, "The sun is poisonous. Don't run outside at noon."
Her fair-skinned granddaughter shouldn't be tanned and dark like a wild boy.
"Hurry and wash your face and go inside. You child, what are you doing running outside?"
Grandma Su muttered and pushed Su Xiaotian back into the house.
Su Xiaotian followed Grandma Su's wishes and returned to her room.
It was only then that Su Xiaotian had the time to carefully examine the items in the system mall.
There were not many items in the system mall, only four rows, with six items in each row.
And these six items were actually the most basic agricultural products.
Su Xiaotian found it incredible, why were there so many types of agricultural products in the system mall?
Moreover, there were all sorts of things, whether they grew on mountains or swam in water!
Although Su Xiaotian was slightly dissatisfied that the system mall only contained basic agricultural products, she accepted them readily on the principle of not being picky about even the smallest gains.
She could consider the system mall as a supermarket for agricultural products.
Her only regret was that the system mall opened too late. If it had opened a few years earlier, she wouldn't have had to work so hard to live by reading books and exchanging coupons.
[Author's Words]
Five thousand words today, babies. Don't forget your votes, love you all!