Reborn in '77, I have a job panel!

Chapter 87 I failed the exam?

His heart skipped a beat.

Hou Yufen, Qian Lu, and his sister-in-law all ran out of the house and surrounded him, nervously looking at the envelope.

Qian Cheng took a deep breath and tore open the envelope.

Inside was a piece of paper with a few lines of text written on it.

He was stunned after reading it.

Zhang Mingxi arrived at some point and stood beside him, nervously asking, "How did it go?"

Qian Cheng handed her the paper.

Zhang Mingxi took it and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Acceptance letter!"

She read aloud: "Comrade Qian Cheng, you have been admitted to the Department of Mathematics at Liaoning Normal University. Please report to the university before September 10th."

After she finished reading, she looked up at Qian Cheng, her eyes reddening.

"Qian Cheng, you passed the exam!"

Qian Cheng took the paper and looked at it again and again. It was stamped with a red seal and the writing was very clear.

He passed the exam.

Hou Yufen hugged him tightly and burst into tears.

"Chengzi, my son passed the exam!"

Qian Lu, standing beside him, also had red eyes. He patted Qian Cheng on the shoulder, unable to speak.

The older sister-in-law, heavily pregnant, stood to the side, wiping away tears and smiling.

Captain Li was also delighted and said, "Great, great! Our village has produced a college student!"

Qian Cheng stood there, looking at the admission notice in his hand, feeling a lump in his throat, as if something was welling up inside him.

He recalled the past six months. Those nights he stayed up late reading, those mornings he memorized vocabulary, those difficult problems he couldn't solve, those moments when his eyelids were drooping from exhaustion.

It was all worth it.

He suddenly remembered Zhang Mingxi and turned to look at her.

Zhang Mingxi stood there, tears streaming down her face, but a smile remained on her lips.

"Qian Cheng, you passed the exam."

Qian Cheng looked at her and asked, "What about yours?"

Zhang Mingxi paused for a moment, then shook his head: "They haven't arrived yet."

Qian Cheng said, "Let's wait a bit longer, maybe they'll come tomorrow."

Zhang Mingxi nodded and wiped away her tears.

That night, Qian Cheng's house was very lively.

Captain Li and Secretary Zheng both came, along with many villagers, filling the room to the brim. Everyone exchanged congratulatory words, drank tea, and ate melon seeds, the lively atmosphere lasting until midnight before dispersing.

Everyone left, and the room became quiet.

Qian Cheng sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and took out the admission notice again, looking at it over and over.

Hou Yufen stood beside her, a smile on her face, though her eyes were still red.

"Chengzi, Mom really didn't expect that our family could produce a college student."

Qian Cheng said, "Mom, our family will get even better in the future."

Hou Yufen nodded and took his hand.

"Mom believes you."

The next day, Qian Cheng went to the Zhang family.

Zhang Mingxi was sitting inside when she saw him come in, her eyes red.

Qian Cheng's heart tightened, and he asked, "What's wrong?"

Zhang Mingxi shook his head and didn't say anything.

Qian Cheng sat down next to her and looked at her.

After a long while, Zhang Mingxi finally spoke.

"My acceptance letter hasn't arrived yet."

Qian Cheng said, "Wait a little longer, maybe they'll come this afternoon."

Zhang Mingxi shook his head: "I asked, and they said that if you didn't receive one in the first batch, it means you didn't pass the exam."

Qian Cheng was stunned for a moment, unsure of what to say.

Zhang Mingxi looked at him, and tears fell again.

"Qian Cheng, I didn't pass the exam."

Qian Cheng reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Zhang Mingxi leaned on his shoulder and cried.

Qian Cheng held her in his arms, gently patting her back, unable to utter a single word.

He recalled how hard Zhang Mingxi had worked over the past six months. She came to help him with his bookkeeping every day, studied with him every day, and studied until late at night every day. She was even more diligent and hardworking than him.

But now, he passed the exam, and she didn't.

He felt as if something was tearing at his heart, and it hurt terribly.

Zhang Mingxi cried for a long time before slowly stopping.

She sat up straight, wiped away her tears, and looked at Qian Cheng.

"Qian Cheng, you go."

Qian Cheng looked at her.

Zhang Mingxi said, "You passed the exam, you have to go to school. Don't worry about me."

Qian Cheng asked, "What about the two of us?"

Zhang Mingxi lowered his head and remained silent for a while.

"I have no idea."

The room fell silent.

Outside the window, cicadas were chirping, one after another, their noise irritating people.

Qian Cheng looked at her, his heart churning like a stormy sea.

He suddenly reached out and took her hand.

"Mingxi, listen to me."

Zhang Mingxi looked up at him.

Qian Cheng said, "Whether you go or not, I want you."

Zhang Mingxi was stunned.

Qian Cheng said, "If I get into university, I'll go. But I won't leave you behind. I'll come pick you up after I graduate and get a job."

Zhang Mingxi looked at him, and tears fell again.

"Money prospects..."

Qian Cheng said, "We made a promise to take the college entrance exam together and live a good life together. Even if you don't get in, that promise still stands."

Zhang Mingxi rushed over, hugged him, and burst into tears.

That night, Qian Cheng stayed at Zhang's house until very late.

Zhang Mingxi stopped crying, but her eyes were still red and swollen like two peaches. She leaned on Qian Cheng's shoulder without saying a word.

Qian Cheng didn't know what to say. His mind was in turmoil; he felt heartache, distress, and didn't know what to do.

It got dark outside, and the moon rose.

When Deng Jingshu returned from outside and saw Qian Cheng still there, and seeing her daughter's condition, she understood most of the situation. She didn't ask any questions, but simply said, "Chengzi, it's getting late, go back and rest."

Qian Cheng nodded, stood up, and looked at Zhang Mingxi.

"Mingxi, I'll come again tomorrow."

Zhang Mingxi looked up at him and nodded.

Qian Cheng turned and left.

When he got home, Hou Yufen was still awake and was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) waiting for him.

"How is it? Is Mingxi alright?"

Qian Cheng shook his head: "I'm upset because I didn't pass the exam."

Hou Yufen sighed, "What a pity, that girl was so good and hardworking."

Qian Cheng lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at the ceiling, feeling a tightness in his chest.

He recalled the past six months when they studied together. When Zhang Mingxi encountered problems she couldn't solve, he would explain them to her. When he struggled with English, Zhang Mingxi would help him copy down vocabulary words. The two of them would lie on the kang table, heads touching, sometimes studying until midnight.

Looking back on those days now, they feel both sweet and bittersweet.

He turned over and closed his eyes.

I have to go see her tomorrow.

Qian Cheng got up early the next morning.

He went to the Zhang family's house, but Zhang Mingxi was still inside and hadn't come out. Deng Jingshu said she hadn't slept well all night and had only fallen asleep in the morning.

Qian Cheng said, "Master's wife, I'll be waiting."

Deng Jingshu nodded and sighed.

It was almost noon when Zhang Mingxi finally came out. She had changed into clean clothes and combed her hair, but her eyes were still swollen and her face was pale.

She was taken aback when she saw Qian Cheng.

"Why are you still here?"

Qian Cheng said, "I'll wait for you."

Zhang Mingxi lowered his head and remained silent.

The two sat in the courtyard, the sun shining warmly, but neither of them was in the mood to bask in it.

After a while, Zhang Mingxi suddenly said, "Qian Cheng, you should go back."

Qian Cheng looked at her.

Zhang Mingxi said, "You've been admitted to university, you should start preparing. Don't always be with me."

Qian Cheng said, "I'm not going back."

Zhang Mingxi looked up at him, her eyes reddening again.

"Qian Cheng, don't be like this. I'm fine, really."

Qian Cheng took her hand.

"Mingxi, I mean what I said. Whether you go or not, I want you."

Zhang Mingxi looked at him, and tears fell again.

Just then, the courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open.

Captain Li rushed in, waving an envelope in his hand, panting heavily.

"Myung-hee! Myung-hee! Yours! Yours!"

Zhang Mingxi was stunned.