Chapter 24: First Update

Adult self-study examinations are currently a vital pathway for many to obtain university degrees. For those unable to leave their jobs to study full-time, it serves as a common method for working professionals to earn a college diploma. Recognizing this, the state and society encourage employees to pursue independent learning and improve their academic qualifications. During this period, a wealth of supplementary self-study materials has been published.

Since the 1980s, the educational requirements for employees in both state-owned enterprises and factories of all sizes have become increasingly stringent. The days of the "iron rice bowl"—where children would simply inherit their parents' positions upon retirement—are long gone.

In one's original position, if one's academic qualifications fail to meet the new standards, they are not necessarily laid off immediately. Instead, they face "demotion and reassignment," accompanied by a salary reduction and a move to a basic, entry-level role. Consequently, many people, desperate to secure their "rice bowls," are actively studying for self-taught exams to earn technical secondary or higher diplomas.

Compared to the standard National College Entrance Examination, adult self-study exams have no prerequisites. Even someone with only a primary school education can sit for exams to earn technical secondary or junior college diplomas, and eventually, a bachelor’s degree.

However, obtaining a university degree through self-study is an incredibly difficult undertaking. The system follows the principle of "easy entry, strict exit." While anyone can sign up, the final pass rate is extremely low. It tests genuine knowledge, and those who successfully obtain their degrees are few and far between—the success rate is barely higher than that of the standard entrance exam. The number of subjects required is so daunting that many give up halfway.

"I don't think I can pass..." Lin Xuexia murmured. She could certainly sign up, but could she actually succeed?

Back in the year 2000, she had met a female boss who, like her, had come south in the 80s as a migrant worker. With only a primary school education, this woman realized the value of knowledge after arriving. She began to study with humility, and with great boldness, she even obtained a fake high school diploma to qualify for the adult college entrance exam. She finished her degree and eventually went on to earn a master’s degree. People like her, who are both courageous and capable of seizing opportunities—refusing to give up on any chance to improve themselves—become the standouts of their era.

"How will you know if you can pass unless you try?" Fu Wei wrapped his arms around her from behind. "You aren't in a rush for the diploma; it doesn't matter if it takes you several years. Getting the piece of paper is secondary."

His fingers tapped gently against her temple. "The knowledge you gain is yours alone. Satisfying yourself is enough."

"People have an innate desire to improve, to hope that they are better today than they were yesterday. That is the driving force behind all progress."

Fu Wei spoke these words in a calm, steady tone. He had no idea what a profound ripple they caused in Lin Xuexia’s heart. She tilted her head, staring at the side of his face without blinking, as if she were seeing him for the first time.

She pressed against his chest and asked softly, "Fu Wei, have you read a lot of books?"

"Hmm. When I have time, I pick up a book to read. But most of what I read is miscellaneous. If you like to read, I have quite a few books at home. You can go and pick out whatever you like."

Lin Xuexia swallowed the words that had been on the tip of her tongue for a while. She thought sullenly, *I used to think you were just holding a book to put on a show.*

In truth, if Fu Wei hadn’t read extensively, how could he manage such a large company? His management was meticulous; he was the one at the helm, and everyone else relied on him. In the past, she had held so many prejudices against him that she had turned a blind eye to all of this.

In her previous life, at twenty years old, she had truly been an ordinary girl from the countryside—someone who had finished primary school long ago, rarely touched a book, and was limited in both education and perspective.

Fu Wei had read so much, yet he never looked down on her with the arrogance of people like Zheng Yu Kang, nor did he ever complain—as the female students did—that he lacked common ground with someone like her. He stayed by her side, traveled the path with her, pampered her, and, day by day, influenced her little by little.

This must be a tenderness that belongs only to Fu Wei.

Lin Xuexia felt a warmth in her heart, as if a small sun had risen within her, glowing so warmly she felt she might melt. Her beautiful eyes were moist, like the babbling spring water flowing down from a snow-capped mountain.

"Then I’ll give it a try." A surge of courage rose within her. If she couldn't pass, she couldn't pass; there was no harm in learning more. If she was mocked, so be it—as long as Fu Wei didn't laugh at her, it didn't matter. He would always be by her side.

Having made her decision, Lin Xuexia’s heart skipped a beat. She looked up at Fu Wei, her gaze sweeping past his sharp jawline and settling on his soft lips.

She wanted to kiss him.

Fu Wei stood one meter eighty-seven, while she was about one meter sixty-five. There was a difference of over twenty centimeters; she was a head shorter, her forehead level with his chin. If she wanted to kiss his lips, it would take some effort.

She tugged on his hand, signaling him to lean down, then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips softly.

Unlike Fu Wei’s usual kisses—which were like sudden, wild storms—Lin Xuexia prided herself on being skillful. She felt she needed to put in some effort to teach this student of hers.

However, as the kiss deepened, Fu Wei grew impatient with the awkwardness of bending over. He gathered her into his arms, lifted her effortlessly, and kissed her until her head was spinning.

Dazed, a thought flickered through Lin Xuexia’s mind: *The clumsy blows of a novice can sometimes defeat the master.*

*Is this really happening?*

Finally, Fu Wei kissed her forehead and let her go. When Lin Xuexia’s feet touched the ground, she still felt light-headed, as if she were walking on clouds.

It was late. She saw Fu Wei off. As usual, he only let her walk him to the door, reminding her to get to sleep early. Lin Xuexia nodded.

Fu Wei rode his motorcycle back to his small three-story building. He didn't rush upstairs; instead, he took a rag and wiped down the borrowed motorcycle. He was short on cash—when he had money in the future, he would take his wife to buy a new one.

He climbed the stairs, and just as he fished out his keys, the door next door opened. Zhong Xiangdong poked his head out, looking him up and down with unconcealed jealousy.

"Old Wei, back so late? I thought you weren't coming back from your lover's embrace." Under the dim orange light of the hallway, Zhong Xiangdong—who had heard from Xue Xiaoshan that Fu Wei had found a beautiful, virtuous wife who could cook—was consumed by envy. Seeing Fu Wei’s calm expression, but unable to hide the spring-like triumph in his eyes, he wondered what kind of night he had spent with that beauty. This guy was just too lucky.

Fu Wei said indifferently, "I ate dinner at her place. I'll marry her sooner or later."

"Wait," Zhong Xiangdong asked, "What did you eat?"

"Nothing special. Just regular beef and pork."

Zhong Xiangdong repeated his words: "Regular beef and pork... Old Wei, I really want to strangle you. You have so much meat to eat and you call it 'regular'? Should I feed you dragon meat or immortal meat instead?"

"If she lets me eat it, I'll eat it."

Zhong Xiangdong: "You're really something. When will you bring her over for me to see? We’ve been brothers since we were kids. I hear your wife is beautiful, gentle, virtuous, and generous—tsk, tsk, you really know how to pick them."

Fu Wei didn't follow his lead. He patted Zhong Xiangdong on the shoulder. "Good brother, I'll listen to your romantic history next time. That would be very useful for me."

With that, he opened his door, leaving Zhong Xiangdong with nothing but a fleeting glimpse of his back.

Zhong Xiangdong stood there, stunned. *Very useful? What the hell does that mean?*

Could it be that Fu Wei used the bragging tactics he had taught him to win over his future wife? Was this method actually... *useful*?

Bullshit! If the stuff he bragged about was actually useful, he wouldn’t be single now. It was useless!

Once inside, Fu Wei changed his shoes, took off his gloves, and placed his helmet by the shoe cabinet. In just these few days, his room had become much fuller, with several new pieces of furniture. He stared at the ceiling; he still needed to save money for materials and renovations.

He quickly calculated the costs in his head. It wasn't until he added it all up that he realized how much it really cost to build a home.

*Forget it,* he thought. *You can't rush things.* He would take it one step at a time. Not everyone’s home was fully furnished overnight. He decided to find a way to get Lin Xuexia a freezer tomorrow; that was the most urgent need. He didn't care about the size, as long as it worked. He would find a contact to ask about it.

Fu Wei poured himself a glass of warm water, gulped down half of it, and pulled a book from his simple bookshelf. He flipped through a few pages—a habit he had formed long ago. No matter how busy or tired he was, he always made time to read at least a page or two a day. Little by little, it added up.

Closing the book, he couldn't help but think of Lin Xuexia, and then of Zhong Xiangdong, whom he had met at the door.

Reflecting on the day’s events, Fu Wei couldn't help but view his good friend with a bit more respect. He had always been dismissive of Zhong Xiangdong’s frivolous romantic escapades, but he realized he could learn from his failures. After leaving Lin Xuexia on the side of the road today—a major mistake that almost angered her—Fu Wei realized he wasn't much smarter than Zhong Xiangdong when it came to relationships.

*I'll talk to him more next time.*

That guy had been through so much; he was a capable man.

*

Lin Xuexia woke up early to find Gao Chunyan full of energy. Unlike the puffy, panda-eyed version of herself yesterday, Gao Chunyan had rested well, her entire being brimming with ambition, her eyes practically sparkling. She had made a tidy profit yesterday and had been excited counting her money all night.

"Xuexia, let’s go, hurry!"

The two went downstairs, and Gao Chunyan joined her in knocking on the door of the first-floor grocery shop to retrieve their goods.

"Little Sister Lin, earning that 1.5 yuan from you isn't easy." The proprietress had a jacket draped over her shoulders. Her child and husband were still fast asleep. The first floor had high ceilings, and they had built a loft with wooden beams and planks. During the day, the family of three lived and sold groceries below, and at night, they slept above, climbing up a wooden ladder. There was no bed upstairs, just bedding laid out on the floor.

Having to wake up so early to climb down the ladder to open the door left the proprietress in a foul mood.

Gao Chunyan was blunt: "It’s not easy? It’s 1.5 yuan a day—you do the math for a month! Add that to your other money, and it’s almost enough to cover my monthly rent."

"You should be laughing all the way to the bank after taking our money, boss."

Lin Xuexia picked up her goods and noticed they had been tampered with. The couple running the grocery store probably didn't have the guts to do anything else, but they had certainly stolen some of her vegetables.