Chapter 52(b): New Year's Eve

Even among siblings, the inclination to compare oneself remains. Though Chen Ping's family conditions weren't as lavish as Zhou Tao's, they were still adequate to be juxtaposed with Chen Xiao's.

Witnessing Chen Xiao's possession of a desktop computer, Chen Ping couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and disbelief.

Chen Xiao explained, "I didn't buy this computer! It's Deng Chao's, a classmate from our school. He's attending a winter vacation cram school and let me use his computer."

Chen Ping felt relieved upon hearing this. So, the computer was only temporarily lent by her classmate.

It wasn't a big deal if Chen Xiao didn't own a computer. After all, given his family's financial situation, affording a computer was out of reach.

Zhou Tao and Chen Xiao continued to enjoy their game, while Chen Ping observed her surroundings in Chen Xiao's room.

His room was modest, the bed was no longer needed after Chen Ping moved out, and the desk's paint was peeling off.

Various textbooks from classes and extracurricular activities cluttered the desk, including C language and integrated circuits materials.

Chen Ping remarked, "Xiaozi, the college entrance exams are approaching. You should focus on studying and cut back on gaming."

Zhou Tao added playfully, "Come on, Pingping, let Xiaozi have some fun. Let's play a game; I'll pick France!"

In 1998, France clinched the World Cup, propelling Zidane into the limelight.

Zhou Tao's competitive spirit mirrored his father's.

With the gamepad in hand (a device Chen Xiao bought himself), Zhou Tao confidently chose the champion team, France.

Chen Xiao countered, "Alright, then I'll pick Xia Guo."

In the Pro Evolution Soccer 3 game version, Xia Guo boasted players like Gao Feng and Ma Mingyu, arguably the country's strongest lineup in decades.

Zhou Tao displayed a mix of disdain and bewilderment. Why would anyone choose anything other than France, Brazil, or at worst, Italy, Argentina, or Germany? Chen Xiao selecting Xia Guo was beyond comprehension!

At the outset of the game, Zhou Tao assumed he'd easily trounce Chen Xiao. Little did he know that in a ten-minute match, Chen Xiao would win by a resounding 5-0. And that was with Chen Xiao deliberately holding back.

Zhou Tao couldn't hide his astonishment. Was it Chen Xiao's gaming skills that were too exceptional?

How could the reigning champions France lose?

"Xiaozi, teach me! How do you play? How do you handle the ball? How do you execute the Marseille dribble? I've been struggling with the gamepad for ages and can't get it right."

Chen Xiao remained composed, "It's all about luck."

Was it truly just luck?

Of course not.

During his idle moments at home, Chen Xiao had tweaked the attributes of all Xia Guo players to 99 using cheat codes. The goalkeeper, Ou Chuliang, was virtually a striker. Playing against Xia Guo would be cruel.

"Zhou Tao, I'm heading out to buy something!" Chen Ling announced, her voice revealing her dissatisfaction with the antiquated and unclean environment at Chen Xiao's house.

Zhou Tao reluctantly set aside the gamepad and accompanied his potential daughter-in-law outside.

In the room, only Chen Xiao and Chen Ping remained.

Chen Ping inquired, "How did you do in the final exams?"

Both were high school seniors, though one attended Jiangzhou No. 1 Middle School's honors class and the other studied at Jiangcheng No. 1 Middle School.

In terms of educational quality, Jiangzhou No. 1 Middle School had the upper hand.

Chen Xiao responded, "Not too well."

Chen Ping was familiar with Chen Xiao's past performance. He excelled in science subjects but struggled in Chinese, and his English wasn't strong either. Every time he dragged behind, managing a score of 550 points was considered acceptable.

Chen Ping confirmed, "550 points?"

Chen Xiao shook his head.

Sensing the situation, Chen Ping didn't pry further. It seemed that scoring less than 550 points meant Chen Xiao had his reasons.

Chen Ping shifted the conversation, "I started attending a preparatory class in Jiangzhou during the third year of junior high. The teachers are top-notch, hailing from renowned institutions. They are well-versed in the college entrance exam's question patterns and can help boost your score. Interested?"

Chen Xiao inquired about the fee, "How much?"

"One hundred yuan per day."

Chen Xiao grinned. So, education's "involution" had already begun in 2000. Charging 100 yuan a day during this era could only be afforded by the wealthy.

"I'll pass," Chen Xiao decided. "It's too costly. Sister, which subject do you find most challenging? Let me know, and I'll check if I have any study materials to share."

Both focused on science subjects, but Chen Xiao was earnest. Yet, he wasn't sure if the materials he had gathered were suitable for Chen Ping.

Chen Ping disagreed. After all, what quality materials could a high school in a county-level city offer?

"No need. I already have enough materials."

At noon, the Chen family enjoyed a simple dumpling meal, leaving room for the grand reunion dinner in the evening.

Chen Ling struggled to adapt to her surroundings. Sporting a glum expression all day, she barely touched the Chen family's chopsticks.

After lunch, she took Zhou Tao to eat out and later watched the newly-released movie "Endless" at the cinema.

Chen Mei wasn't overly impressed with her potential daughter-in-law's behavior, but she chose not to create a scene. "We don't really understand the activities youngsters engage in these days."

Lin Hui, of course, noticed Chen Ling's aversion to her utensils. Swiftly, she commented, "No worries, watching a movie is a good choice!"

In the afternoon, Lin Hui replaced all the chopsticks at home with new ones.

At 6 o'clock in the evening, the Chen family's New Year's Eve dinner commenced.

Lin Hui had prepared all the dishes, while Chen Mei and Sun Yan chatted away in the living room, munching on melon seeds.

Since it was his sister's place, Chen Qiang had brought out a cherished bottle of Jiangcheng Daqu wine.

Lin Hui supplemented the meal with several bottles of Coke and Jianlibao.

"Brother-in-law, brother, let's make it a good one tonight!" Chen Qiang, ready to open a bottle, declared.

While Jiangcheng Daqu was a prized liquor to Chen Qiang, it was merely a local product in the grander scheme for Zhou Hongbing and Chen Jian.

Taking on the persona of a contractor, Zhou Hongbing retrieved a bottle from the car trunk. "Let's go for this one!"

Zhou Hongbing's choice was Fenjiu, an ordinary yellow-capped glass bottle of Fen. Although it cost around ten yuan per bottle, it was much higher-end than Jiangzhou Daqu.

While Zhou Hongbing normally dismissed the lower quality of Bofen, for needy relatives, it sufficed. Of course, the best items were reserved for those who actively supported them.

Zhou Hongbing even economized by providing just one bottle.

Chen Qiang was left somewhat embarrassed, retrieving his prized Jiangcheng Daqu.

With the wine uncorked, the atmosphere around the dinner table grew lively.

When siblings gather, numerous topics emerge.

Shared conversations often delve into childhood memories, stories of their parents, and the present situation of their children.

After several rounds of toasting, Chen Jian and Sun Yan couldn't stop praising their daughter.

Sun Yan said, "Pingping excels in everything, but she works too hard! She even attended classes on the third day of the New Year, paying 100 yuan per day!"

"Her final exams this semester scored 550 points. Her teacher believes she just needs one good textbook to perform well. With dedication, she can surely succeed."

"Lin Hui, let me tell you, the cram school Pingping attends has fantastic teachers. If she can improve by a few points after the training, your Xiaozi might want to give it a shot."

Lin Hui was quick to wave off the idea. "It's too costly, too costly!"

Chen Mei's family seemed proud of their financial stability.

"Last month, we bought a downtown suite in Jiangzhou for Zhou Tao, costing over 100,000 yuan! Motherly advice, you'll come to understand life's difficulties when you leave home."

Sun Yan chimed in, "And you, Brother, how are you doing? You seem to have aged quite a bit this year."

"Aha?" Chen Qiang chuckled awkwardly, unsure how to respond.

At this moment, in Yanjing.

Professor Yang and Yenching University's Zhao Lixing decided against returning home for the Spring Festival. Thanks to Yenching University's higher-ups, the special admission application deadline had been extended to early March.

Eagerly, Professor Yang contacted the Admissions Office of the Jiangcheng Education Bureau.