The college entrance examination was approaching, and the head teacher, Mr. Lu, finally talked to Qiao Nan and tactfully told him about the hidden health hazards of the food outside. Qiao Nan silently reflected for a night, and was very ashamed - it turned out that the student's behavior of thinking that he was full of wit was just the teacher turning a blind eye, but in fact, his every move was under the teacher's nose.

Qiao Nan decided to stop buying steamed buns, but fortunately, the students were also very understanding and thanked him for his silent dedication during the three years.

Summer came, SARS almost disappeared, and the college entrance examination came faster than expected. The morale of the experimental class is at an all-time high, and the big war is imminent, but the students have never been so united. Even Xue Dongmei no longer disturbed her roommates to rest, and her roommates didn't isolate her anymore. There is no need to do pre-war mobilization at all, the day before the college entrance examination, the classroom of the first experimental class heard an earth-shattering slogan: "Ten years to sharpen a sword, once to try the edge"!

Principal Xu was smoking a cigarette under the teaching building, and when he heard the slogan, he suddenly felt that there was a lot of pride in his chest. He spit out a puff of cigarette, squinted his eyes and said, "I really don't believe it, I must get a few guaranteed places for the dolls next year!"

The college entrance examination is over, and the classmates have signed it. The parting is imminent, and the emotions that the girls have suppressed for three years suddenly explode, and Qiao Nan received a love letter for a while.

Love letters naturally can't hide from Jolene's eyes, anyway, the home is so big, and there is no place to hide love letters. Qiao Lin ran around like a puppy with love letters in her mouth, causing Qiao Nan to jump up and down to catch her. Jolene said triumphantly, "If I don't tell my mother, there is a way..."

Qiao Nan had to take out the money and viciously stuffed it into his sister's hand: "You are really the number one fraudster in the world!"

Jolene stuck out her tongue disapprovingly, took the money and ran away. Most of her pocket money was extorted from her brother, and if her brother went to college, she would have a lot less financial resources, and she was really reluctant to think about it.

Qiao Lin got pocket money, which was nothing more than eating skewers with Zhao Linlin, or buying "Sports Weekly" and "Football News". In fact, Yang Xu and Zhang Yu in the class are all fans, and the female fans seem to be the only ones, so the boys never let her spend money, and everyone takes turns to buy them. But Jolene couldn't help it, as long as she had more money, she would actively buy it for everyone to see.

In this day's reading class, the children were reading books and newspapers in the reading room, but the school never subscribed to football newspapers and magazines, which was very depressing. Qiao Lin took a copy of "Youth Digest" and looked at it intently, copying some sentences from time to time; Zhao Linlin was secretly reading girl's comics, and Yang Xu was bored flipping through the "Donglai Evening News" that had just come out today.

"Hey, Jolene!" Yang Xu called him softly.

"What's wrong?"

"That handsome little guy you like, it's possible to go to AC Milan. ”

Yang Xu handed over the newspaper, and on the sports page of the evening newspaper, there was indeed a news with the headline "AC Milan announced this summer's recruitment plan, and the Brazilian golden boy is expected to join".

Qiao Lin almost jumped up excitedly, couldn't help but dance, and was glared at by the Chinese teacher a few times before she relented.

"He's going to AC Milan! Zhang Yu also leaned over and said.

Jolene smiled as she folded the newspaper and prepared to buy a collection after class. The moment she closed the newspaper, she saw the most conspicuous report on the culture page, and her heart sank and her eyes darkened.

After class, she quickly ran back to the wonton restaurant. Qiao Jianjun was already familiar with his daughter's footsteps, and asked with a smile in the back kitchen, "That little friend outside, another bowl of stuffed pork with shepherd's cabbage?"

Who knew that Qiao Lin broke in as soon as she lifted the curtain and said breathlessly, "Dad, my aunt is divorced again!"

Qiao Jianjun was stunned for a moment, took the newspaper in his daughter's hand, and sure enough, he saw "European writer Qiao Mu revealed the third marriage change, and the plan to issue a book in August remains unchanged".

Qiao Jianjun quickly glanced at it, shook off the newspaper, wiped the sweat with a towel, and started to get busy again.

Jolene cautiously asked, "Would you like to call your aunt and offer condolences?"

Qiao Jianjun wrapped the wontons and didn't raise his head: "Don't call, the transoceanic phone is so expensive." ”

"But, but that's my aunt, your own sister!"

Qiao Jianjun paused, and a trace of resentment flashed in his usually calm eyes: "Heh, it's been so many days since the divorce, did she tell me? She is divorced, and I still read it from the newspaper! People don't regard me as their own brother." ”

Qiao Lin had to walk out dejectedly, just as Sun Ruiyang and her brother came together. Qiao Nan saw that her sister was worried, so she put two fingers between her eyebrows, and stretched her brows in a daze. Jolene held her cheeks and glared at her brother.

Sun Ruiyang asked curiously, "Brother Qiao Nan, haven't you seen Teacher Qiao Mu either?"

Qiao Nan said: "I saw her once when I was about five or six years old, and then she went abroad and never came back. Soon after she left, my grandparents passed away, and my father was all responsible for the funeral. She had barely heard from her since she left, and if it weren't for the occasional package back, I wouldn't have remembered that I had an aunt. ”

Sun Ruiyang asked puzzledly: "Why? Your family is so good, why is she willing to break off the relationship?"

"Who knows?" Qiao Nan drank a large glass of water and said, "The brain of a literary female writer is unpredictable to ordinary people. ”

Sun Ruiyang laughed: "When I was a child, I read her "Starry Plains", which was the best prose I have ever read. I didn't expect her life to be so legendary, married three times, and divorced three times. ”

Qiao Jianjun took out the wontons and said with a cold face: "Those reporters are also unscrupulous, she is a female writer, and she is not a female star, what are you doing staring at her private life?"

Jolene blinked her eyes wide: "Maybe my aunt is willing? If she exposes her private life, won't more people come to buy her books?"

Qiao Jianjun reprimanded: "Your aunt is not this kind of person, don't talk nonsense in the children's house!"

Jolene pursed her mouth unconvinced, and muttered in a low voice, "Who just ignored me?"

The three of them were eating, Qiao Nan also saw AC Milan's recruitment plan, different from his sister's cheers, he was very calm: "Last season I scored 8 goals in Brazil, which is good as a midfielder, but I don't know if I can cooperate well with Sheva?

Jolene gagged her ears and looked at her brother dissatisfied. Sun Ruiyang hurriedly played a round: "Linlin's vision is still good, and she hasn't missed anyone yet." ”

Qiao Nan didn't raise his head: "It's just her? I can't pull my legs when I see a handsome guy, what kind of judgment do I have? These female fans who only look at their faces are pseudo fans in the final analysis... Ahem"

It turned out to be Jolene shouting "Pegasus Meteor Fist" and slamming her brother's back. Qiao Nan glared at her sister angrily and yelled, "You want to murder me?"

Qiao Lin crossed her waist without showing weakness: "What can I do then?"

Qiao Nan was so angry that he waved his fist for a long time, and finally flicked it lightly on his sister's forehead. Jolene covered her forehead, took a deep breath, and her fist became more violent.

Sun Ruiyang had long been surprised, eating wontons calmly, watching the report on SARS on TV.

The next day is June 25th, and the results of the college entrance examination will be released. In the morning, when Jolene was still asleep, she heard the sound of ping-pong from the kitchen, and it turned out that her mother had broken the bowl.

"The years are safe, the years are safe. Li Lanzhi, who has never believed in evil, hurriedly prayed a few words.

Jolene got up and went to the bathroom to wash up sleepily, and when she came out, her mother was pouring soy milk into the bowl. As a result, my hands trembled, and the soy milk in the plastic bag was all spilled on the coffee table.

"It's evil!" Li Lanzhi scolded secretly, and quickly wiped the soy milk with a rag.

Since going to No. 2 Middle School, Jolene has been communicating less and less with her mother, and she tries to avoid talking to her mother first. But seeing her mother's unyielding appearance, she still couldn't bear it and comforted: "My brother will get good grades." ”

"Needless to say, I'm not worried at all. Li Lanzhi took out two yuan from her bag and handed it to her daughter: "Go to your Uncle Wang to buy some breakfast." ”

Qiao Lin said sensibly: "No need, I'll go to our store to eat." ”

Li Lanzhi was no longer reluctant, but still stuffed the money into her daughter's schoolbag and hurried to school.

Is the college entrance examination really so scary? Qiao Lin tilted her head and thought for a while, anyway, there are still several years before it is her turn, what's the use of worrying now?

Throughout the afternoon, Qiao Nan stayed in the wonton shop, calling every half hour to inquire. Beads of sweat were on the tip of his tall nose, and his two sword eyebrows were tightly locked. He kept saying he didn't care, Jolene thought to herself, it was all a lie!

The phone rang suddenly, and Qiao's family was startled. Qiao Nan suddenly hesitated, but Qiao Lin grabbed the phone: "Hey, ah, grandma... It hasn't come out yet, and I can't check it yet. Oh, don't worry, I'll call you as soon as the results are out... Tell my uncle too, you should have dinner first..."

Qiao Lin put down the phone, and Qiao Nan asked, "Grandma also knows that today's results will be released?"

Qiao Lin took a big bite of watermelon and nodded: "I said I was waiting with my uncle." ”

The phone rang again, and this time Qiao Nan grabbed the phone without hesitation: "Ah, sister? No, they're all waiting." I found it at five o'clock, and I don't know what the outcome was... Well, I'll wait. ”

Needless to say, Jolene also knew that it was her sister calling. Qiao Nan suddenly felt very sorry, as if all the family members were worried about him, and he couldn't be sure that he could give everyone a satisfactory answer.

The phone rang for the third time, and everyone's hearts rose to their throats again, Qiao Nan picked up the phone as calmly as possible, and the other party said a few words, Qiao Nan suddenly hung up the phone, looking very strange.

Qiao Jianjun was so anxious that he jumped to his feet: "What's wrong? Who called?"

Qiao Nan couldn't come back to his senses and didn't speak. Jolene leaned into her father's ear and said, "I heard it just now, it seems to say something 'champion'?"

Qiao Jianjun also panicked, and hurriedly sat down opposite his son: "You took the top prize?

Qiao Nan nodded: "Principal Xu personally called just now, saying that I was the first in the second middle school. ”

The wonton restaurant fell into a short silence, and Jolene jumped up suddenly: "yes yes yes!

Qiao Lin ran out like a fly, but she ran back in ten minutes, and from the beginning to the end of the alley, she knew about Qiao Nan's top prize. The wonton restaurant was quickly packed, and everyone was not only praising it, but also curious about the whereabouts of the champion. It's just that Qiao Nan has always been wooden, and he can't believe that he won the first place in the second middle school, and he doesn't know how to vent this joy.

It was late at night, and only the Qiao family was left gathered at the wonton restaurant. Jolene was tired from memorizing math problems and fell asleep in the back room. Li Lanzhi took the filling guide of previous years and analyzed it one by one: "Although you got a very high score in the exam, you are 2 points less than last year's Tsinghua University and 3 points less than Peking University. ”

"It's no problem to go to Fudan and Jiaotong University, but it's a bit of a pity that this score is... But it's not a loss to pick an ace professional. ”

Li Lanzhi was talking in a whisper, and Qiao Nan didn't say a word. Li Lanzhi came back to her senses and asked vigilantly, "You don't still want to go to the military academy, do you?"

Qiao Nan asked, "Mom, let me ask you, how much money can the family come up with now?"

Li Lanzhi blushed: "What are you worried about? In short, it won't be less than your tuition, we have been ready for a long time." ”

"Don't hide it from me, our family's money will either be repaid or given to my uncle, I know all this. If I go to college, I have to borrow money from my aunt's family, right?"

Li Lanzhi said: "What does this have to do with your schooling? If you get an ordinary high score, it would be fine, but you took the first place in the second middle school! Don't you think it's a pity to go to a military school with this result?"

"It's not a pity. Qiao Nan calmly analyzed: "First of all, I have wanted to be a soldier and a big hero since I was a child, and you won't know this. Secondly, if I can't get into Qingbei, other schools are the same for me. Instead of this, it is better to report the military school I have always longed for. Finally, it doesn't cost a penny to go to military school, and you can get a subsidy every month. Besides, as long as you enter the army, it will be an iron job for a lifetime. If I can enter the military engineering and scientific research units, the development prospects will not be worse than going to Qingbei, and I have this confidence. ”

At the end, Qiao Nan said: "When you go to the military academy, you can take into account both ideals and reality, why not?"

Maybe in the three years of high school, Qiao Nan didn't say as much as this time, Li Lanzhi was surprised by her son's calmness, but she still didn't want him to go to military school. She rubbed her face and said bitterly: "How did your Uncle Dong's house collapse next door, you don't know, right?"

"I know, Brother Da Ming died during the flood fight in 98. ”

Li Lanzhi's face turned pale: "Da Ming is such a good young man, in the end, he was stunned that he didn't even find the body... As soon as this child leaves, this family is over. Have you ever considered how worried your dad and I would be?"

Qiao Nan smiled slightly and clenched her mother's hand: "Mom, although Brother Da Ming is gone, he will always be a big hero in my heart, and I want to be such a big hero." Don't worry, I have a smart brain and good skills, and my life is hard! Besides, I want to learn communication, and I will not be in any danger when I become a technician in the future. ”

Li Lanzhi held her head to prevent her son from seeing her tears, and she finally persuaded: "You can take the risk of reporting to Tsinghua University and Peking University, don't you really want to go? What kind of place is Qingbei, that is the Olympic Games for athletes, the World Cup for football players, and the place where every candidate wants to go! How can you give up so easily?"

Qiao Nan pursed his lips, and finally smiled: "If I don't pass the exam, I have to obey the adjustment, and I may not be able to go to the military school." This year's political examination of the military academy was finally passed, and if I can't go, then I won't be able to take the exam again next year. ”

Li Lanzhi clasped his fingers, and knew very well in his heart that his son seemed to be sullen and didn't like to talk, but he actually had a lot of ideas, as long as he made up his mind to do something, others couldn't persuade him at all. Besides, his score is not as high as Qiao Lu's test back then, and it is indeed a bit suspenseful to apply for Qingbei.

Thinking of this, Li Lanzhi had nothing to say, Qiao Jianjun finished tidying up the back kitchen and sat down next to his wife. He glanced at the application guide, looked at his son and asked, "I went to the military academy, and I don't regret it in my life?"

"No regrets. ”

"Life in the army is not so good, the training is very hard, the internal affairs requirements are very strict, life is very boring, and even for a long time, you have to learn to fold quilts, pull weeds in the compound, and you can't be a big hero, don't you regret it?"

"As long as I can go to the army, I don't regret it. ”

Elders always want to teach the lessons to the children without reservation, and for children who have never experienced it, these golden words are tantamount to hearing from the ear. As a result, there will be a situation where the adults are bitter and the children are unimpressed. It was only after experiencing it that I suddenly realized, and even regretted it.

Qiao Jianjun is well aware of this truth, he knows that his son can't listen to it at all, so he no longer nags, and said: "I hope that in two years, four years, or even ten years, when you regret your choice, you will think of tonight and remember the decision you made up on this night." ”

Qiao Nan was stunned, he and his father may not talk more than ten times a day, and he has never confided in his father, but his father seems to have insight into his future. Qiao Nan looked at those old eyes and said firmly: "If I regret it, I will definitely recall the determination of this moment." ”

"That's good. A smile appeared on the corner of Qiao Jianjun's mouth, and the brows that had been frowning for a few days gradually relaxed.

Qiao Nan devoted himself to going to the military academy, which caused many people to talk about it. Although the teachers felt a little pity, no one could guarantee that Qiao Nan would be admitted to Qingbei, and they didn't dare to persuade him to apply for the exam. It's Xue Dongmei, although she is one point less than Qiao Nan, but she is very determined to apply for Tsinghua University, but she has applied for a super unpopular major - philosophy.

A science tyrant who chose a major that liberal arts students didn't want to touch.

Although it was very unexpected, and the teachers also sweated for her, I had to admire her intelligence. In recent years, philosophy majors have been dissatisfied, and many students have been transferred. Although Xue Dongmei's score is very hanging, she has a great hope of being admitted to the Department of Philosophy.

And Xue Dongmei has her own plans, if she can go to Tsinghua University, she will strive to change her major, and if she can't go, it will be worth transferring to other schools.

While praising Xue Dongmei, the teachers also loved and hated Qiao Nan, who had a tendon. When leaving the school, Xue Dongmei couldn't help but catch up with Qiao Nan and earnestly persuaded: "Qiao Nan, you also report to Tsinghua University, okay?"

Qiao Nan shook his head and said, "No, you can go to Tsinghua in the future, but if the military school misses it this time, there will be no chance... That, I wish you a good admission. ”

Qiao Nan didn't want to say more, so he threw off his long legs and left. Qiao Nan has long legs and broad shoulders, and his posture is straight, which often attracts countless girls to peep at his back. In Xue Dongmei's view, the tall back revealed a sadness and loneliness that could not be hidden. Her heart pinched together in an instant, and at that moment, she wanted to catch up very much, and asked him-

Qiao Nan, in your heart, you must be extremely eager for Tsinghua!