During my first year examination, Mom filled out my school choices according to her own wishes.
She was ambitious. With a flourish, she filled out the form with the choice of the number two key junior high school in the city.
At that time, only students with excellent grades were qualified to take the examination.
I didn’t do too badly for myself. When I was in sixth grade, I did put in a bit of effort. The so-called “hard work” simply involved listening more attentively in class, but even then my results skyrocketed.
I actually came in top of the class for the elementary school graduation examination. This shocked many people.
When I successfully clinched a school application form and brought this home, Mom was so shocked she almost lost her balance.
As we ate, Dad kept lamenting that I had a good brain, but I was just too lazy in my studies.
I had obtained excellent results for the school selection examination, and easily snagged an acceptance letter from the school.
During the entire summer vacation, my status instantly rose from that of a servant to a princess in terms of treatment.
In the past, when I did badly in my studies, my mother would order me to do housework. She would say that girls had to learn to do housework sooner or later. With my poor grades, she felt I’d be useless in the future. So I would end up doing housework, taking care of my husband and teaching my children anyway.
And so, from the time I was young, I had to start learning.
When I was told these things, I didn’t think much of it. I believed that my future would be limitless!
However, despite receiving the acceptance letter, I still felt a little regretful.
Because that year, Dongyu received the acceptance letter from the provincial key high school.
Although we were three years apart, it felt like we were separated by all the years of our youth.
Some people say that junior high is the starting point of one’s youth journey.
A lot of feelings and early memories would begin here.
During the summer holidays after primary school graduation, I spent much time fantasizing about what junior high would be like.
Back then, there were a many campus-themed teen idol dramas on TV. Hence, I began to wonder if real school life would be like those scenes in the idol dramas.
Of course, the idea was completely dispelled during the first week of junior high school life, when I was confronted by a thick stack of homework.
The so-called “youth” was probably murdered by a pile of homework.
“Why is there so much homework?”
Every time I got home, I would drop my heavy bag onto the couch and cringe involuntarily.
“Before I could even familiarize myself with the teacher of each subject, I was attacked by a thick stack of exercise books!”
As Dongyu walked pass, he lightly hit me on the head with the newspapers he held in his hand.
“There’s more to come.”
At that time, he was already a first-year high school student.
Every time I got home, I’d see his homework spread out on the table, creating a spectacular sight.
Now, it was finally my turn to suffer this!
“Dongyu…” I whined.
But he had foresight. Before I could even plead with him, he said callously, “Don’t expect me to do your homework for you.”
After I started junior high school, I could no longer spend every moment with Dongyu.
The elementary school days sitting by the window and staring at him had truly come to an end.
Fortunately, our schools were not too far apart. Whenever I finished school early, I would sneak into his school.
Because his school was a provincial key school, it was heavily guarded. However, there was a wall at the back of the field. It wasn’t very high and I was able to climb over it.
His classes ended late, so I would wander around his school while waiting.
I’d go to the library, music room, playground, and even the teachers’ office area.
When I became bored, I would sit on the field with my bag next to me and watch the boys play basketball.
