Gao Huan's nine-year compulsory education has come to an end.

In other words, if he wants to continue his studies and successfully enter high school, all his subsequent tuition fees will be borne by him personally, and the state will no longer provide any subsidies.

In order to compete for a chance to study, Gao Huan worked hard for the whole summer vacation after graduating from junior high school.

Delivering milk on a bicycle in the morning, washing dishes in a western restaurant during the day, and working as a waiter in a night bar at night.

He only sleeps four hours a day, eats some white flour steamed buns when he is hungry, and drinks some boiled water when he is thirsty.

Treating his young body as if he were a machine.

Even so, he only saved 5,000 Huaxia coins in one summer vacation.

This number seems like a lot, but the tuition fee required for the high school that Gao Huan likes is still a full 10,000 yuan.

And the rural orphanage that raised Gao Huan couldn't afford such a large sum of money.

There are only three days left before the end of school registration, and there are only two choices in front of Gao Huan.

Either give up your studies, and then find a mediocre job with peace of mind, serve the public, support yourself, and honestly become one of the thousands of ordinary screws in this society.

Another option is to scrape together 10,000 yuan in three days, and then you can happily go to high school.

10,000 yuan of Huaxia coins may be just a meal for people at the top of society, but for Gao Huan now, it is a huge astronomical amount.

Gao Huan was standing in the courtyard of the orphanage at the moment, staring at the ants who were busy on the ground, but his hand unconsciously reached into his jacket pocket.

In his pocket was a business card that he had stuffed into him when he was working as a waiter in a bar when a drunken fat white lady stuffed him.

"Yo, this handsome little guy, what kind of waiter is he like this? Why don't you send my sister back to the hotel. Money or something, just ask for it. That's what the lady said when she was rubbing Gao Huan's body with the strength of wine.

After the lady's companions came to take her away, Gao Huan had an extra business card of the lady in her pocket.

Looking at the information on the business card, it seems to be the regional manager of a certain magical equipment company.

Although Gao Huan is only a sixteen-year-old boy who has not been deeply involved in the world, since he has chosen to work in the night club, it is natural to understand such obvious hints.

He didn't throw away the business card at the time, but kept it in the deepest part of his pocket, but he kept himself in check not to think about it again.

He wanted to go to high school so badly.

For a child like him who grew up in an orphanage, as long as he can go to high school, whether he chooses "a high-tech major subject illuminated by the light of civilization" (hereinafter referred to as "liberal arts") or a "super-era magic major subject shrouded in the light of ideals" (hereinafter referred to as "science"), it will be the only chance to change his fate.

This heartfelt desire made him want to take out the business card in his pocket several times and look at the phone number on it.

But is it just a little setback to betray yourself?

Gao Huan is so unwilling.

Just when the heavens and men were fighting in the depths of his heart, he heard the voice of a soft girl calling his name.

"Brother Gao Huan, what are you looking at?"

Gao Huan pulled his hand out of his jacket pocket as if he had been electrocuted, and at the same time forgot about the business card.

A little girl about ten years old stood under the eaves not far from Gao Huan, tilted her head to look at Gao Huan, smiled, and showed two small tiger teeth and two shallow dimples.

The little girl wore a pair of ponytails, a pink dress and a pair of white sneakers, although the clothes were very old, they were also very clean, and the little girl was like a white porcelain doll.

Gao Huan looked at the little girl and smiled unconsciously.

"I didn't look at anything, I just thought about some small questions." Gao Huan replied with a smile.

The little girl pouted and said, "Brother Gao Huan hasn't decided whether to study science or liberal arts?" ”

"Don't think about it, how cool it is to study science! Science students can become magicians in the future! The little girl stood under the eaves with some exaggerated expression, and said with her hands dancing.

"With a wave of my hand, it was windy and rainy. I shook my arm, and it was lightning and thunder. ”

Gao Huan walked over, touched the little girl's head, and smelled the smell of food wafting from the house, only then did he feel hungry in his stomach.

Looking at the sky again, it was almost time for dinner.

"Xiao Ling, grandpa asked you to come over and call me for dinner, right?" Gao Huan touched his stomach, looked down at the little girl and asked.

The little girl called Xiao Ling slapped Gao Huan's palm that was still stroking her hair, stuck out her tongue, and said, "The nose is quite smart." Let's go, Aunt Zhang has already cooked the meal, and she is waiting for you. ”

Unexpectedly, he hid in the backyard and missed the meal, Gao Huan touched his nose a little embarrassed, and was pulled away by Xiao Ling.

The orphanage was not large, with only three bungalows that are common in rural areas. One is a dormitory for the children, one is a staff dormitory, and one is a dining room that is both a kitchen and a dining room for the children to eat.

The person who Gao Huan called his grandfather was the old director of this orphanage, in addition to a widow who lived alone in charge of laundry and cooking on weekdays, called Aunt Zhang by the children, and a middle-aged veteran with some disabilities in his legs, who was responsible for guarding the gate and planting vegetables on weekdays, and the children called him Uncle Zhao.

There are a total of five children in the orphanage, including Gao Huan, and Gao Huan is the oldest of them.

Walking into the dining room, the six people who had already taken their seats looked at Gao Huan in unison.

Gao Huan glanced at the dishes on the table, then smiled awkwardly and apologized to these people who had been waiting for him.

Xiao Ling was already hungry, so he didn't care about that, so he pulled Gao Huan into the table.

The old dean was about sixty years old, dressed in a neat tunic and wearing a pair of reading glasses, and looked like a serious old pedant.

He glanced at Gao Huan, was silent, and motioned for Gao Huan to sit next to him with his eyes.

After everyone was seated, the old dean picked up his chopsticks and took a vegetable leaf from in front of him. It was only at this time that everyone began to pick up the bowls.

There are many rules in the orphanage, and one of the simplest is "eat without saying a word".

Therefore, in addition to hearing a few clashing dishes and chopsticks, there was only the sound of people chewing food with their heads bored.

It wasn't until there was not a grain of rice left in everyone's bowl and not a single vegetable leaf left on the plate that the old dean slowly put the dishes and chopsticks in his hand neatly on the table, and then sighed in a low voice.

Even if everyone knew, the old dean had something to say.

"Xiao Huan, how much is your tuition still missing?" The old dean helped his reading glasses and asked.

Gao Huan replied with a smile and said, "It's not much worse, I'll be able to make it up soon." ”

"It's not much worse." The old dean didn't look at Gao Huan's hippie smiling face, his voice sank, and he asked again.

Gao Huan and the old dean looked at each other, the two have been together for sixteen years, and they both know each other's temper very well.

"Ten thousand." Gao Huan finally replied frankly.

As soon as he said this number, he heard Aunt Zhang, who was cooking, exclaim in a low voice, "Why is the current high school tuition so expensive." ”

Gao Huan glanced at Aunt Zhang and explained: "The high school that sent me the admission letter is in Yuanhai City, and this 10,000 yuan includes the school's accommodation fee, as well as the purchase of basic equipment, electronic components, and the use of the virtual practice room, as well as ......."

He explained to Aunt Zhang, but his voice became quieter and quieter, and finally stopped.

The other four children in the room were too young to understand what 10,000 yuan meant to this humble orphanage, but they only knew that the adults were talking about something very serious, so they all sat obediently and did not make any noise.

And Aunt Zhang was speechless, she looked at the empty plate on the table in front of her in a daze, and she didn't know what she should say.

"I'm sorry." The old dean was silent for a long time and said.

His eyes drooped behind his reading glasses, and he didn't look at Gao Huan's eyes, and the old voice sounded lonely and helpless at this moment.

Gao Huan knew the difficulties of the orphanage, and he didn't need this apology.

Before he could say anything more to the old dean, Xiao Ling pulled Gao Huan's sleeve at this time, frowned, and asked, "Is 10,000 yuan a lot?" Why did Grandpa apologize to you? Is it because you don't have the money to go to school? ”

Gao Huan was stunned, not knowing how to explain this matter to a little girl who had no concept of money.

No, Xiao Ling looked at the old dean again, and suddenly said, "Otherwise, Xiao Ling won't go to school anymore, and he won't buy new clothes, so save all the money for his brother to go to high school." ”

With Xiaoling taking the lead, the other children also looked at the old dean and said in unison: "Yes, we don't go to school either, we don't want new clothes, give all the money to my brother!" ”

Gao Huan was stunned, he looked at Xiao Ling, then at the other children, and immediately returned to that smiling appearance, and said freely: "It's nothing, it's just 10,000 yuan, and my brother can earn it in two days!" ”

After speaking, Gao Huan glanced at Aunt Zhang.

Aunt Zhang, who had just come back to her senses, immediately understood, and together with Lao Zhao, who was watching the door, she drove out all the "chirping" dolls.

In the dining room, which is not too big, only Gao Huan and the old dean are left in this short period of time.

"I know you've been working part-time this summer, and I know you'd love to go back to school." The old dean said in a deep voice.

Gao Huan nodded, looking at the group of little dolls who were surrounding Aunt Zhang outside the door, and his eyes became more and more worried.

"I know you're worried about me, Grandpa, but you don't have to worry too much."

"Some things are actually just a 'life'. A lot of times, it's okay to know that you've worked hard but don't get what you want. ”

"No matter how bad it is, it's just resigned to fate."

"But this is my life, what is there to be afraid of." As he spoke, he still acted as if he didn't care, but the hand hidden under the table had inadvertently clenched into a fist.

The old dean raised his head at this moment and looked at Gao Huan's eyes, as if he could see through his disguise at a glance.

"Child, really, I've hurt you." The old dean said.

He really wanted to be like other parents, take out his bank card and slap it on the table, saying "good boy, take it and swipe it".

But if he does this, the financial chain in the orphanage, which is already very difficult to function, will immediately break, and the other children will probably not even be able to afford homework books.

Gao Huan smiled, but comforted the dean and said, "It's nothing, and you don't have to go to high school to have a way out." In addition to magicians and mechanics, there are also chefs, bartenders, and sanitation workers. ”

"The great leader once said no, the working people are the most glorious. And how safe the rear is! If I really become a magician or something, I may have to be forced to go to war to fight the beasts. ”

The old dean listened to Gao Huan's comfort, but his expression did not change a trace of joy because of this.

"I'm ......" The old dean opened his mouth to say something more, but was interrupted by Gao Huan.

Gao Huan smiled, but this time the smile was not his pretended to be free and easy, but he really smiled, and the smile was pure and unpretentious.

Gao Huan looked at a few carefree children in the yard and said, "Do you know, I suddenly felt ashamed just now. ”

"Little Ling, they're all good kids who like to go to school, you know. Xiao Ling has always wanted to be a magician, Xiao Yuan's ideals are the same as hers, and Xiao Kai and Xiao Yang want to be mechanics. Although they are still young, they should also know that if they do not go to school, these ideals will not be realized. ”

"But for my sake, these younger siblings can say things like not going to school without hesitation, do you know how ashamed and uncomfortable I feel when I hear them say this?"

"I can accept my fate, I am not afraid. But I don't want them to have to resign themselves to their fate like me when I get to this point. I absolutely, absolutely, never let my younger siblings suffer the same helplessness as I do! ”

"Never!"

Gao Huan restrained his smile and said solemnly to the old dean, "So I have decided not to go to high school." Tomorrow I will go to the town again to find a job to support myself, and then slowly save money for them to go to school in the future. ”

"Don't blame yourself, I assure you that what I just said is from the bottom of my heart! There is no such thing as a lie! I will never regret the decision I made today! ”

……

The long night was like a dripping ink, and after the setting sun had sunset, it was easy to render in the sky, and in just a moment, it had already enveloped this side of the world.

The old dean is a person with a strict schedule of work and rest, so there is no entertainment at night in the orphanage, and the children finish washing and going to bed under the supervision of Gao Huan after watching a few fixed children's programs.

By the time the cold dew of the night fell, the remote orphanage was completely silent.

Everyone had already fallen asleep, but Gao Huan couldn't sleep at all.

As he tossed and turned on the bed, the old wooden bed finally made a soft "squeak" sound, which made the only bit of sleepiness he had dissipate.

Gao Huan simply got out of bed, put on his coat, and walked out of the dormitory lightly.

It's late summer and early autumn, and it's time for the cooler months.

The night breeze took away a lot of heat when it swept across his cheeks, and he couldn't help but shiver.

Gao Huan tore off his coat, and then rubbed his hands on his face, only then did he feel warmer.

There is a ladder next to the dormitory that leads to the roof.

Gao Huan stood next to the ladder and looked at the night sky, was stunned for a while, and then climbed up the ladder.

On the roof was a platform that used to be a place for children to cool off at night in the middle of summer, and Gao Huan stood on that platform, trying to slow down his breathing as much as possible.

Between heaven and earth, in the vast universe, all the sounds are lonely, and the stars are sparse.

The tall figure of the young man stood here, lonely and stubborn.

Gao Huan looked up at the night sky, remembering what he said to the old dean in the dining room, and suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, and his heart felt like a long knife was twisting.

He frowned, took out a crumpled business card from his pocket, lit it with a lighter, and burned it to ashes in a few moments.

After carefully stepping on the embers that still flickered by firelight, Gao Huan wiped his face with his sleeve and took out an envelope from his arms.

"Congratulations to Gao Huan, you have been admitted to our school with excellent results, please come to our school's admissions office before September 9 to report."

By the moonlight, Gao Huan took out the paper in the envelope and read it in a very low voice.

With a "bang", the trembling flame ignited again and burned onto the thin piece of paper.

The paper was too thin, so the flame burned quickly.

By the time Gao Huan remembered what he had just done, the paper had already been burned, and the ashes were like dead butterflies, whirling and falling in front of him.

At that time, a wind suddenly rose and blew the ashes on his face, which was stuck by the moisture on his face, and he couldn't wipe it off, and he didn't know whether the misty moisture was the cold dew of the middle of the night or the tears of a young man.

He frantically wiped the stains from his face and quickly walked to the ladder at the edge of the platform, almost on the verge of fleeing.

At this moment, behind the thin clouds, an arc of light suddenly swayed in the middle of the night sky.

Meteor?

Gao Huan looked at the arc of light and immediately reacted.

Without thinking, he immediately folded his hands in front of his chest, closed his eyes, and silently said in his mouth: "If Meteor can really make a wish, I hope I can become a rich man!" You can go to high school! ”

After the wish was made, Gao Huan opened his eyes again.

Eh, that's weird. Shouldn't a meteor be a flash and disappear? Why is this one getting brighter and brighter?

When Gao Huan realized that the meteor was not getting brighter and brighter, but getting closer and closer to him, it was too late to escape.

This meteor-like light only flashed, and then disappeared into Gao Huan's eyebrows.

Before Gao Huan could react to what was happening, he subconsciously touched his head, and then felt that his eyes were dark, and he fainted on the roof of this building.