Chapter 38: Entering the Inner Chamber (Part 1)

  For the problem of being selected for the middle school entrance examination composition, there will usually be no grand publicity and separate notice. Every year, a new collection of middle school entrance examination compositions will be released, using some excellent articles to analyze and appreciate, which is not a big deal, Su Can doesn't know it's normal.

  Compared to Beijing reporter Zhang Chaoyang's mouthful of "little author", Su Can felt that he, as an author, was still far from being a real author.

  However, this immediately caused an explosion at home.

  A week later, the celebration banquet for Su Can was originally going to be hosted by his mother-in-law, but his elder brother-in-law suggested that since Su Can's family was in a difficult period of struggle, they shouldn't splurge and instead have a simple meal at home.

  Today, my parents unusually closed the store at noon and printed a note in the neighboring print shop that read "Temporary closure, contact us if necessary. Phone ****". The whole family went to my uncle's house early and helped my aunt prepare lunch.

  Dad is most skilled at cooking fish, and he brought four pounds of carp to make the bean paste fish that our family would savor for several days. After cutting open the fish, he stir-fried it in hot oil, filling the entire house with a mouth-watering aroma.

  A sumptuous feast is being busily prepared.

  Su Can was dragged into his study by his elder brother-in-law, who showed him stock charts. Su Can didn't have any expertise in this area, and as he listened to his brother-in-law's explanation, his younger brother Zeng Yuan gave him a resentful look with eyes that seemed to say "the computer has been occupied again". He couldn't help but smile wryly. Fortunately, his brother-in-law didn't ask for his opinion, probably just wanting to give Su Can a chance to learn more about this and see if he had any talent for it.

  The older generation tends to find a sense of accomplishment and interest in cultivating younger generations.

  Su Can walked out of his uncle's study in a daze, with the stock chart still swirling in his head. One thing was certain, however - his uncle was in a good mood. The charts had clearly plummeted due to the recent flood, and his uncle had probably withdrawn all his funds, now waiting and watching without any signs of defeat.

  The older sister was sitting in the living room watching TV, saw him coming out of the study, didn't say a word, and continued to turn her head back, staring at the TV. The older sister from ten years ago, although wearing clothes that were not trendy or branded, looked a bit old-fashioned, but with a rosy face, she still had some charm. Thinking back to when his sister was in school, although she wasn't very popular, there were quite a few people who pursued her, but it was his sister's pride that kept all the pursuers at bay. Oh, now at this stage, his own sister still held a grudge against him and didn't like him much.

  "There's beef jerky and dried fruit on the table... if you're hungry... you can eat first..." Zeng Na stared at the Taiwanese idol drama on TV, her eyes fixed.

  Su Can was stunned, "hug and eat" was her own sister Zeng Na's catchphrase, often saying things like: "Zeng Yuan, there are snacks in my room, hug and eat them!", "I just bought potato chips, Zeng Yuan, hug and eat them!"

  When will I be able to enjoy the same treatment from my older sister that my younger brother has always received?

  Su Chan was somewhat at a loss, eleven years later and getting along well with his older sister, but returning to eleven years ago, Su Chan still felt quite unfamiliar with the sister in front of him. He hesitated for a moment, then looked towards the kitchen, "Mm!" he said, "I'll go help out."

  Zeng Na, who had been staring at the TV, slowly turned her head to look at Su Can's thin and weak back as he walked towards the kitchen. She felt a little surprised and also a bit dazed. After a while, a hint of guilt flashed across her eyes.

  A sumptuous feast was served, filling the whole house with fragrance. The flavor of Su Li Cheng's bean paste fish is not to be covered up. It's said that the housewives from downstairs and upstairs often come to ask Yin Shuying what kind of fish dish they made, so delicious that the whole family can't taste their usual home-cooked meals for several days.

  The big aunt personally cooked spicy chicken stir-fry, which was the most mouth-watering dish for Su Can and Zeng Yuan.

  Mapo tofu, twice-cooked pork, spicy beef jerky, boiled cabbage with dipping sauce... the whole Sichuan-style home-cooked meal is on the table. The whole family hasn't had such a comfortable and enjoyable meal in a long time.

  It was the day of Xiao Fei's celebration banquet for his daughter, when the family's mood was at its lowest. Unexpectedly, Beijing reporter Zhang Chaoyang's intervention pushed Su Can to the forefront, and his middle school essay, which was specifically mentioned by a State Council leader, took on a form of reportage literature and suddenly became popular.

  Under the leadership of Deputy Mayor Yu, the center of the entire dinner table immediately pointed to Su Can, who made the local leaders in Xia Hai City envy and admire.

  Zhang Chaoyang, with a new mission from Xinhua News Agency, found his focus. He had read Su Can's essay and felt that many of the contents were now, in retrospect, sharp criticisms that hit the nail on the head. It was hard to believe that a middle school student could write such an article with depth and foresight. Zhang asked Su about this depth and foresight, but Su suddenly shifted his words and attributed all the credit to his older cousin, Zeng Quanming.

  Regarding the long-term man-made destruction of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, soil erosion, and the drawbacks of most research reports only reporting good news but not bad news, Su Can made a pointed criticism. He pushed it off saying that these were usually things he had heard from his elder uncle Zeng Quanming, and that he had also discussed them with his uncle before, influenced by his deep sense of worry...

  Zhang Chaoyang suddenly realized and found a breakthrough, starting to ask about Zeng Quanming's identity. At this moment when the whole nation is fighting against the flood with great momentum, he understood that such a positive image was needed in the news.

  Yu Qiu Shou immediately composed himself and introduced Zhang Chao Yang, with a serious expression, from the perspective of a leader, gave an extremely positive evaluation: "This is an excellent comrade!" This made Zhang Chao Yang nod repeatedly, deciding to collect some information about Yu Qiu Shou in his future endeavors, and promised to include this positive interview in his news report.

  Yu Qiu Shou's attitude towards his elder brother-in-law suddenly changed by one hundred and eighty degrees, he didn't know that now Su Can and Zeng Quan Ming have become key figures, also the focus of positive publicity for Xia Hai City.

  The whole family was thinking that it turned out to be so, Su Can also found an unsuspecting support for his own precognition, only the eldest uncle Zeng Quanming still felt that happiness came too quickly and could not react effectively.

  He certainly doesn't remember what he told Su Can about the flood report literature, but he hasn't read Su Can's article either. Besides, sometimes he occasionally says some nagging things, and there are many things in Su Can's speech that he also thinks are true.

  A few days later, Zhang Chaoyang finished his interview work and left Xia Hai. Soon after, the provincial government's commendation for Da Shu Zeng Quanming also came down, fully affirming Da Shu's political nature. The tone of several high-level officials in the province was surprisingly consistent this time.

  The latest issue of "Party Style" quickly came out with a special topic, through the small author Su Can's report on Zeng Quanming's series of grassroots cadres' sense of worry, to respond to the spiritual requirements put forward by high-level leaders that "party officials should reflect".

  Yang Zhengliang, the deputy secretary of the provincial party committee, is an old cadre from Xia Hai City. He also used to be the superior of Da Shu. He knew about this matter and remembered his former subordinate, so he specially made a phone call to offer condolences and praise, and took the opportunity to reminisce about his days climbing the ranks in Xia Hai City.

  Da Shu suddenly became a celebrity in Xichuan Province, and the face that was not used to smiling couldn't help but add a few more smiles, although it looked quite awkward.

  It's Xiao Fei who has been down in the dumps lately, avoiding Zeng Quanming and filled with jealousy. Occasionally, he would even complain to his wife and daughter, "He's just relying on having a nephew like a rocket! What's there to be proud of!"

  ···

  Ding dong! A family was enjoying their meal when the doorbell rang at the eldest uncle's house. The eldest uncle frowned, although there had been many visitors lately, but with a whole family eating and drinking, someone else came, which was somewhat disappointing.

  However, Aunt Yin Shuying still got up and quickly went to open the door.