The Poor School Heartthrob Was Secretly a Financial Titan - Chapter 35

He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his face and lifted his backpack up a bit.

The bag was filled with thank-you gifts prepared by my mother—boxes of candy, neatly stacked one after another. Inside were pastries called “Zhuangyuan Su” (状元酥), made by a time-honored brand in Ninghai, wrapped in red paper and tied with gold thread, looking festive. My mother said that since the class monitor helped pass on the message, we should thank them properly. We should also give some to the teacher; it’s the custom.

He originally wanted to go home and boil water to take a bath, but he suppressed the thought as soon as it came to mind.

Admission notice.

Just thinking about those four words makes my heart race.

From his past life to this one, he had waited far too long for this piece of paper. In his past life, while in prison, he could only dream of the college entrance exam results through the iron bars of his cell. In this life, he had come a long way, from the Zhou family affair to his father’s injury, from the turmoil in Donglin to Ninghai, going through such a long and winding road, and finally, he was about to get his hands on it.

That sense of urgency was like something bursting out of my heart, making my breathing urgent.

I’m not going to wash anymore, I’m going to school first.

He walked towards the exit with his bag on his back, blending into the crowd. If it weren’t for his good looks, he would have looked no different from those other migrant workers heading south.

…

As Han Xuetao entered the high school campus, he paused for a moment.

I’ve been in and out of this place countless times, never feeling anything special. But this time, looking at that drab teaching building, the old locust tree in the flowerbed, and the empty running track on the playground, I felt as if I were in another world.

He never came back after graduating from here in his previous life.

In the years that followed, I spent time in jail and drifting in the streets, enduring the bloodshed and violence, and long forgot what high school was like. Now, standing here, smelling the scent of grass wafting from the playground, and hearing the faint sounds of reading coming from the school building, it’s like looking at myself through a layer of fog.

He turned his gaze away and walked towards the teachers’ office area.

After taking a few steps, he stopped again.

Which office is Teacher Wu in?

He stood in the corridor, looking at the rows of closed doors on both sides, a little dazed. It had only been a little over a month since graduation, and he had even forgotten where his homeroom teacher’s office was. If he ran into a teacher and they asked, “What are you doing here?”, he would be too embarrassed to ask.

Just as I was hesitating, a door in front of me opened and a person came out.

Zhang Lu.

She was wearing a floral dress, her hair was down, and she was holding an envelope. When she looked up and saw Han Xuetao, she froze, as if nailed to the spot.

Han Xuetao was also taken aback.

I never expected to run into her here.

Some things happen in the dark, and the coincidences are simply too perfect.

Zhang Lu’s face paled for a moment, and she lowered her head, trying to walk around him.

“stop.”

Han Xuetao spoke, his voice not loud.

Zhang Lu froze, and her shoulders visibly trembled.

Han Xuetao felt a mix of emotions as he looked at her.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “I won’t hit you today.”

Zhang Lu lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

“I’m asking you, which office does our homeroom teacher, Ms. Wu, live in?”

Zhang Lu paused for a moment, then looked up, her eyes filled with confusion.

Han Xuetao didn’t urge her, he just stood there.

Zhang Lu realized what was happening and pointed towards the end of the corridor: “That room, the one with a ‘Fu’ character pasted on the door.”

Han Xuetao nodded, ignored her, and walked straight past.

Behind her, Zhang Lu watched him enter the office, felt her legs go weak, and slowly squatted down on the ground.

…

In the office, Ms. Wu was looking down at something when she heard the door open and looked up.

“Han Xuetao?” A smile bloomed on her face. “He’s here, come in quickly!”

Han Xuetao went inside, put down his backpack, took out a candy box from it, and handed it over with both hands: “Teacher Wu, my mom asked me to bring this. Please try it.”

Teacher Wu took it, smiled, and looked at it: “Zhuangyuan Su (状元酥), a product from a time-honored brand. Please thank your mother for me.” She put the candy box aside and took out a red envelope from the drawer. “Here, this is for you.”

Han Xuetao took it.

A red cover with gold lettering: Ninghai University.

His fingers paused for a moment, then he slowly opened the seal and pulled out the admission notice inside.

Opening the acceptance letter is like opening a door.

Han Xuetao, with the approval of the Provincial Admissions Committee, you have been admitted to the Department of Earth Sciences, Class of 1996, of our university. Please report to the university on September 2nd and 3rd, 1996, with this admission notice.

Below is the principal’s signature and the official red seal.

Han Xuetao stared at those few lines of text for a long time.

Department of Earth Sciences.

What are you studying?

He thought for a long time but couldn’t remember what he filled in when he applied for college.

Did he choose the Department of Earth Sciences himself, or was he assigned to it through a major change?

It doesn’t matter anymore.

It doesn’t matter to him what he studies.

But at this moment, holding this piece of paper and looking at the three words “Han Xuetao” on it, he suddenly felt the sunlight shining in through the window, shining on his body and penetrating directly into his heart, making him feel a little hot.

It was as if something frozen for a long time began to melt away in that instant.

Teacher Wu looked at him and sighed: “Han Xuetao, that letter from last time…”

Han Xuetao put the notification away and smiled, “Teacher Wu, it’s all in the past.”

Teacher Wu paused for a moment, then nodded and said nothing more.

…

After leaving the office building, Han Xuetao walked towards the school gate.

Just as I reached the big locust tree, I bumped into two people.

Ma Hui and Luo Diandian.

Ma Hui, with his sharp eyes, spotted him immediately and ran over, grabbing his arm: “Taozi! You’re back! Here to pick up your admission notice?”

Han Xuetao stumbled as he was pulled: “Yeah, what are you two doing?”

“We got our acceptance letters too!” Ma Hui grinned. “We ran into them outside.” Hmm.

Han Xuetao looked at the two of them: “Neither of you took it? I thought I would be the last one.”

Luo Diandian, standing to the side, puffed up with anger: “You’re from a top university, and we’re from an ordinary university. How could we be in the same batch? Han Xuetao, you’ve gotten into a top university and now you’re starting to mock us ordinary people!”

Han Xuetao quickly waved his hand: “No, no, I really didn’t know. If I had known, would I have come so late to get it?”

Ma Hui laughed beside her, and Luo Diandian rolled her eyes at him before she couldn’t help but laugh too.

Han Xuetao asked them which schools they had been admitted to. Ma Hui got his wish and went to Ninghai Agricultural College, which was only a junior college. Luo Diandian was admitted to Ninghai Normal School, a bachelor’s degree program.

Han Xuetao then took out two candy boxes from his bag and handed one to each of them: “Here, have some candy.”

Luo Diandian took the bag, looked at the candy box, and suddenly asked, “Han Xuetao, why are you carrying such a big bag? It’s full of candy?”

“My mom prepared it,” Han Xuetao said. “She insisted that I give it to the teachers and the people who helped.”

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something and looked at Luo Diandian: “By the way, do you know where Li Man lives?”

Luo Diandian was taken aback: “I know, so what?”

Han Xuetao pulled a box of candy out of his bag: “This time she called Ninghai to tell me to come pick up my report card. My mom specifically told me to thank the class monitor properly. Could you please bring her a box of candy for me?”

Luo Diandian said, “If you want to take it, go take it yourself. You wait here. I’ll go get the admission notice and come back to take you.”