"The purpose of life is to give..."
"Okay, okay! That's all! It's very good!" Mo Xiaohu glanced at him appreciatively.
However, because he was wearing sunglasses, Xiao Letian couldn't see clearly his true appearance.
I just felt that he was looking at me, and my heart couldn't help but feel tight.
"Let me ask you two simple questions. What is forty-four plus thirty-seven?"
"Eighty-one" Xiao Letian blurted out without hesitation.
Mo Xiaohu was stunned for a moment, then said: "Ninety-four plus eighty-three?"
"One hundred and seventy-seven." Xiao Letian blurted out again.
Mo Xiaohu gradually became serious.
There is no mathematical environment in Dajing. Ordinary people can do the shopping and calculation clearly.
But it always seems difficult to single him out and ask him to do number crunching.
Even addition and subtraction within ten are difficult to understand.
It's really surprising that the kid in front of me can calculate so quickly and accurately.
"What is one thousand, three hundred and fifty-six minus two hundred and eighty-one plus six hundred and thirty-nine?"
"One thousand and seven hundred and fourteen." Xiao Letian answered quickly again.
This guy is obviously talented, or he has been trained, otherwise he would not be so fast. In any case, he is a good prospect.
Mo Xiaohu slammed the table excitedly: "Okay! Come on, write your name and address here!"
Xiao Letian felt happy and quickly pulled out a piece of white paper and left the message.
"Tomorrow at seven o'clock...chenshi, remember to go to the Banshan newspaper office to take the second exam! Let's go."
Mo Xiaohu took the paper from Xiao Letian's hand and wrote a big letter A above his name.
Xiao Letian saw this and felt ecstasy in his heart.
He kept saying, "Thank you, interviewer, thank you, interviewer!"
After saying that, he turned around and left, with a bit of briskness in his steps.
Xiao Letian rushed home, feeling this rare pleasure all the way.
Until I returned home, this joy disappeared immediately.
Walking into his shabby house, a person appeared in the house who shouldn't have appeared at this time.
An old man with a stooped waist was leaning over the stove to pack something.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, he immediately turned around to check.
"Lotte? Why did you come back so early today? Didn't you say you were going to study with your classmates?"
Xiao Letian looked at the other party's ravaged and weather-beaten face, and felt a huge sense of shame in his heart.
He called out "Dad" nervously, and then said with a guilty conscience: "Mr. has something to do today, so I went back early."
Xiao Kang saw his son's expression was different, he said no more questions, lowered his head and continued to pack up.
Xiao Letian said awkwardly: "Dad, why are you back so early today?"
"I was fired by my boss. I'll go out to find a job tomorrow. Have you eaten? It's just the right time. Let's eat together."
Xiao Kang opened the lid of the pot, and steam suddenly gushes out. After it dissipated, a few stewed sweet potatoes were revealed.
After picking it out with chopsticks, he took two pairs of bowls and chopsticks and brought them to the dilapidated and stained dining table beside him.
Then he took a small bowl of pickles from the stove.
After everything was set up, he said: "Eat, continue reading after eating, don't waste time."
The father and son sat down, lowered their heads and ate in silence, without anyone speaking.
In this slightly dark dilapidated house, the atmosphere was even more silent.
Halfway through the meal, Xiao Kang spoke: "An interesting thing happened in the city today. I heard that a certain university was established in the eastern suburbs, which caused a stir. I heard people discussing it on the way home."
Xiao Letian's face showed a trace of excitement and he quickly asked: "Dad, what do you think of Eastern Suburb University?"
"Ha...I heard people say that it trains craftsmen, which is a bit ridiculous. It's such a big fuss, it's simply a disgrace to politeness." Xiao Kang showed a bit of contempt on his face: "You can enter the imperial court after entering Dongjiao University. You dare to call it a university?"
Xiao Letian couldn't hide the disappointment in his heart. He pursed his lips and lowered his head to eat.
This trace of emotion was keenly captured by Xiao Kang. Xiao Kang frowned and said, "What did you learn in today's class?"
"No...it's nothing. My husband was feeling unwell early in the morning. I studied on my own with my classmates." Xiao Letian hesitated.
"What on earth did you learn!" Xiao Kang's tone became a little more serious, and the movement of his hands stopped, staring at Xiao Letian with his eyes.
"What did I teach you when you were little? Tell the truth!"
Xiao Letian was scared, goosebumps suddenly appeared all over his body, and he said tremblingly: "I...I went to see the...interview at Dongjiao University."
"brute!!!"
As soon as Xiao Letian finished speaking, Xiao Kang suddenly got up and kicked Xiao Letian over.
Caught off guard, Xiao Letian was kicked to the corner and huddled up skillfully.
Red blood threads gradually appeared in Xiao Kang's eyes, and he gasped: "I work outside for you to study... You actually want to be a craftsman! Are you worthy of your mother! Are you worthy of me!!"
Xiao Letian murmured, looking at his old father with shame in his heart.
Xiao Kang's face was full of regret.
His wife died young, leaving only an only son.
He is also a scholar!
In order to raise the child, he gave up the exams and gave up all his future!
He became a lowly old farmer, working as cattle and horses for others in exchange for pitiful wages.
His only dignity is the worn-out Confucian uniform he wears all day long, which symbolizes his status as a scholar, but he doesn't care at all even if he is laughed at.
Because he also has a son... who has been smart since he was a child.
As long as they are carefully cultivated, they will surely stand out one day, leap over the dragon gate, and enter the Emperor's Hall.
Guangzong Yaozu, Guangmenmenlintel!
For this reason, he suffered everything.
It's a pity... This son is smart, but he always lacks the perseverance that ordinary people should have when it comes to studying, so he failed to pass the exam three times.
But the potential is there, and as long as you work hard, you will definitely pass the exam!
Xiao Kang always told himself this.
But today, this dream and the expectation that supported him to bear the heavy pressure of life suddenly shattered!
His wife's death, his son's failure to make progress, and his own grievances began to reverberate in Xiao Kang's mind like a fleeting glance.
Waves of dizziness hit Xiao Kang's senses, and two lines of clear tears flowed down the ravines on his face.
suddenly!
Xiao Kang seemed to have gone crazy. He picked up the broom beside the table and hit Xiao Letian!
While slapping him in the mouth, he yelled and cursed: "Beast! Beast!! Are you worthy of your mother! Are you worthy of yourself!"
One blow after another hit Xiao Letian hard.
If he couldn't study well, his father would beat him countless times.
It's just that it was just a small fight before, but this time it was really angry!
Xiao Letian covered his face and wailed without making any excuses. Through his fingers he could see his father crying.
My eyes are also moist.
With more and more tears gathering, Xiao Letian let go of his hand and suddenly knelt down in front of Xiao Kang.
Bang bang bang! He kowtowed three times and blood slowly flowed down his forehead. Xiao Letian cried out in distress: "Father! Beat me! My son is unfilial and I am sorry for you! Beat me to death!"
When Xiao Kang heard the sound, his movements stopped unexpectedly.
As if all the bones in his body were softened, he casually threw the broom aside.
Walking into the house in despair...
...
