Jie said, "We're about to graduate from university. Wherever you go, Master, we'll follow you unconditionally."
Yi-jing and Mei-ting also expressed their willingness to follow Da-qi and close down their small shop.
Mother-in-law: "Son-in-law, why go to school? Why does one have to go to university in their entire life?" Qiwen immediately said: "Mom, what are you saying? Daqi is just going to university to have some fun. Why don't you support her?"
My mother-in-law said, "I hope he lives closer to me. It would be so inconvenient if he went to another province for his studies!"
Daqi said, “My dear wives, you don’t know. I’m in a situation where ‘one small thing affects everything.’ What will happen to this big family once I go to school? Qianru and Chunxiao are both government officials…”
Qianru said, "Honey, it's okay. With our family's financial resources, it wouldn't be a big deal for me to quit my job."
Chunxiao said, "If you insist on us going with you, and the school you're going to isn't in Rongzhou, then we might as well quit our jobs. It doesn't matter, we're determined to go with you. You're such a rascal, we know you want to go to university, so we'll put you first, do whatever you want."
Qiwen said, "I think the whole family must be of one mind and support our master in going to university. We should take some time to go to Rongzhou, close the shops that need to be closed, and let those who need to quit their jobs quit. I would like to give everyone an update on our family's current savings and assets."
Daqi said, "Wen'er, tell me. I'm completely clueless about the family accounts, I only know that there seems to be 35 million RMB in savings."
Qiwen said, “To be precise, our family has 35.52 million yuan in savings, and we own a large villa each in Rongzhou and Longhai. We also have three shops on Zhongshan Road in Longhai, which Xiaoli, Muping, and I bought last year. The rent alone brings in 400,000 yuan a year. I think that even if we didn't work, it would be enough for us to live on for a lifetime. I also plan to buy five more shops in Changqing Tongjia, which will bring in 200,000 yuan a year just from rent. The annual rent alone will be around 600,000 yuan, which is enough for our family to live on. Even if we just sit at home eating and drinking every day, we still wouldn't be able to spend it all.” All the wives said they were willing to listen to Qiwen's suggestions.
Daqi said, “If I want to go to university, I have to go back to my alma mater, Changqing No. 1 High School, to study for a year. That way, I'll have a better chance of getting into a better university. I haven't studied for too long. The college entrance exam these days is like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge; the competition is still fierce. In other words, if I really decide to go to university, I have to stay here, at the Tong family mansion, for a year. Are you all willing to stay here with me for a year?”
All his wives agreed, and Daqi said, "Alright, since Dazhong wants me to go back to university, and you all support me, I'll give it a try. I've looked up some information online, and I estimate that the government will announce policies to abolish college entrance exam restrictions soon. This year, Wen'er, Ping'er, and Qin'er will stay in our hometown with me to focus on my pregnancy and childbirth. Huan'er, Jie'er, and Xiaoman will go back to Rongzhou for school. Don't worry, I'll visit you when I have time. You can come back to our hometown to spend May Day and National Day with me, and also during winter and summer vacations. As for the rest of you, it's up to you. If you want to go back to Rongzhou, then go back to Rongzhou." Unexpectedly, they all said they were willing to stay with Daqi in his hometown for a year.
Daqi was very happy that his wives always went along with him and thought of him as their husband in everything. He didn't even need to say anything as the "emperor"; these loyal "empresses" and "concubines" who regarded him as their master did what he wanted to do.
That night, Daqi had his mother-in-law, Qiwen, and Lijie keep him company. The four of them played naked on the bed. Qiwen was pregnant, so Daqi naturally didn't dare to be too rough with her. But he played with Lijie and his mother-in-law quite freely. While playing with his mother-in-law, Daqi said to her, "Mom, you should go home to spend two months with your father-in-law every two months, and then come back to be with me. I can't live without you, okay?" His mother-in-law swayed her body and said sweetly, "Son-in-law, husband, my master, you can decide everything. I'll do whatever you say." Daqi smiled and said, "Mom, you're getting more and more obedient and well-behaved. Let me ask you, everyone supports me going to university, why do you have a different opinion? Tell me what's on your mind." His mother-in-law said coquettishly, "My dear, my master, I have to take care of your father-in-law and also keep you company. Of course I don't want you to go to university. If you go to university, you'll have even less time to spend with me. It's fine if you get into a university in our province, but what if you get into a university in another province..."
Daqi said, "When you take the provincial exam, you'll be spending two months with your father-in-law and two months with me, just like now. In short, I can't be without you, understand?" His mother-in-law replied, "Yes, I understand." Daqi teased her, saying, "Who understood?" His mother-in-law turned and smiled, "Master, this slut Wenhua heard everything perfectly, and I will definitely do as you say." Lijie and Qiwen smiled and shook their heads. Qiwen said, "Mom, you're so incredibly seductive! Every man would love you." Lijie said, "We'd need twenty more years to catch up to Auntie's sexiness." Daqi said, "So, you should both learn from Mom. That way, I'll love you even more. Come on, you two, get down here too." Qiwen and Lijie both smiled and nodded, then, like their mother-in-law, assumed a perfect horse-riding position. Three white, snowy buttocks rose high before Daqi. He thoroughly admired the three shapely buttocks and the boundless spring scenery between them…
On April 3, 2001, the Ministry of Education officially announced a new measure in the reform of the college entrance examination system: the restriction that candidates must be "unmarried and no older than 25" was lifted. Just as Da Zhong had told Da Qi in advance, the country indeed relaxed the restrictions on the college entrance examination. Da Qi sat in front of the TV and thought for a long time, deciding that he should still take the college entrance examination. At dinner, Da Qi said to the fourteen beautiful women, "I've decided to take the college entrance examination this year!" Ye Huan, Zheng Jie, and Xiao Man had all returned to Rongzhou for school, so only the fourteen beauties accompanied him. Upon hearing this, everyone happily raised their glasses and said in unison, "Wishing our master a resounding victory in this year's college entrance examination battlefield!"...
Daqi's first step was to return to his alma mater, Changqing No. 1 Middle School. He went directly to Principal Li and told him his intentions. Principal Li said, "You, Tong Daqi, are quite something! Six years ago, I wanted you to go to high school, but you insisted on going to a vocational school, which made me lose face. The school held a special meeting about your situation, and I also spoke with you privately, but you still ran away. Now you've achieved great success, but you want to go to university. What am I supposed to say to you?"
The Third Female Newspaper Reader
Daqi laughed and said, "Principal Li, now that the country has lifted the restrictions, please let me study at my alma mater for just one year. I guarantee I'll still get into university." Principal Li smiled and said, "Alright, alright. You've made a special contribution to our alma mater. I'll arrange for you to study in the repeat class. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. Come to class in a few days. I suggest you take the college entrance exam next year and prepare well for a year; that way, your chances of getting in will be much higher."
Daqi said, "That's what I came here for too. I'm preparing to take the 2002 National College Entrance Examination. It's April 2001 now, so I won't be taking the exam this year. I plan to repeat a year at my alma mater. How about this, I'll return to my alma mater in September, which is five months from now." Principal Li said he would do his best to arrange everything for Daqi. Daqi, still shameless, said to the principal, "Principal Li, I don't have any relevant textbooks or study materials..." Principal Li said, "I'll send someone to deliver a complete set to you. Don't worry, I'll have my secretary deliver it to the Tong family mansion." Daqi smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Principal! I'll rest at home for a few months first." Principal Li said, "Daqi, since you want to go to university, you should prepare properly. You haven't studied for several years, and it's difficult to master three years of high school curriculum in just one year of retaking the exam. The college entrance exam questions are more flexible now than in previous years. What I mean is, you need to put in some effort!" Daqi said, "Don't worry, Principal, I will."
After returning home from his alma mater's principal, Daqi told Qiwen and the others about his experience at the No. 1 High School. He said, "I'm preparing for the 2002 college entrance exam and will return to my alma mater's preparatory class in September. These next few months will be relatively relaxed. I'll take you all to visit different places in our hometown. In September, I'll be focusing on my studies, which means I'll have less time to play with you." His wives all said they understood their master's meaning and hoped Daqi would concentrate on the exam. His mother-in-law said, "It's alright, as long as you're home, we won't disturb you while you're studying. When you're not studying, just keep everyone company." Daqi laughed heartily, and in front of everyone, he pulled his flirtatious mother-in-law onto his lap, kissed her, and said, "You're so intrusive, such a seductive little vixen!" Everyone laughed. His mother-in-law smiled like a blooming flower, because Daqi was holding her alone. Seeing herself being held by a man in front of a dozen other beautiful women, she was naturally overjoyed: It seems my charm isn't inferior to these young girls!
His mother-in-law's charm was certainly no less than that of any beautiful woman. Especially her seductive allure, which Daqi particularly loved. He knew that in terms of seductive charm, only Jia Ran could compare to her; Xiao Li and Ma'er couldn't match her!
For the next few months, Daqi and his group of beautiful wives lived a relatively peaceful life. He disliked crowds and preferred the quiet companionship of his dozen or so beautiful wives. Every day, he would take his three pregnant wives for a walk. After the walk, they would have breakfast together. After breakfast, Xiao Li, a beautiful woman with a background in broadcasting, would read the newspapers to him. Every morning, she would read the *People's Daily*, *Reference News*, and their hometown's *Binxi Daily*. Daqi loved it when Xiao Li read to him. Firstly, it kept him informed about the latest international and domestic events; secondly, he could quietly appreciate Xiao Li's broadcasting style; and thirdly, he could hear her beautiful and pleasant voice. Of all the women, Xiao Li had the best voice. Daqi had admired Xiao Li's broadcasting style since his vocational school days. Xiao Li knew her husband enjoyed her reading the newspapers to him, so she read them very diligently every day.
Once, Xiao Li deliberately wore the suit she used to wear when she worked at the TV station, styled her hair like she did when she was an announcer, and wore makeup for the camera to read the newspaper to Da Qi. Upon seeing Xiao Li's beauty, Da Qi was immediately surprised and exclaimed, "Li'er, what's this?" Xiao Li smiled slightly and said, "What's wrong? Don't you like me wearing this?" Da Qi shook his head and said, "I love it, I love it! You look incredibly sexy in your old work suit. Start reading the newspaper!" Xiao Li smiled slightly, pulled up a chair, sat up straight, and began to read the newspaper with a serious expression: "Xinhua News Agency reports, President Jiang Zemin..." Da Qi listened with pleasure and watched with lust. He was lying on the sofa, and Xiao Li was sitting beside him reading the newspaper. Looking at Xiao Li's full announcer attire, watching her shapely lips move as she opened and closed her mouth, Da Qi was instantly filled with lust. Without a word, he cupped Xiao Li's head in his hands, gently pressed it against his bulging hips, and whispered, "You know what to do, right?" Xiao Li blushed and nodded, whispering, "Or, I could finish reading the newspaper first..." Da Qi immediately interrupted her with a smile, "Li'er, continue reading the newspaper later." Xiao Li smiled charmingly, "Master, you're so lecherous! I'm reading the newspaper to you, and you're making me do that filthy thing. You're so bad!" Da Qi laughed heartily, "Li'er, you know I love it when women serve me like this, especially you. Your little mouth is my favorite. Stop rambling, let's begin!" Xiao Li nodded and gently pressed one soft hand against Da Qi's waistband, while the other soft hand gently unzipped his trousers. Daqi deliberately said, "Li'er, be good, don't use your hands." Xiao Li had no choice but to smile charmingly and use her little mouth to bite the edge of his underwear and gently pull it down... After enjoying Xiao Li's fragrant little mouth service, Xiao Li continued to read the newspaper to Daqi, but there was still a trace of the man's residue on the corner of her mouth.
Daqi continued to have the beautiful women take turns spending the night with him. When he had nothing to do, he would read, practice calligraphy, and sometimes watch TV with his wives. He particularly enjoyed taking walks with Qiwen and the other two pregnant women. Their bellies gradually began to swell. Their mother was overjoyed, as she desperately wanted a grandchild.
The family lived a simple but happy life. The mother-in-law would return home every two months to take care of Daqi's father-in-law. However, she usually wouldn't stay away from Daqi for more than two months before coming back, because she enjoyed being with him. The father-in-law couldn't do anything about it, because she said she missed Wen'er and wanted to see her daughter. Daqi turned a blind eye, because his mother-in-law focused all her attention on him, her son-in-law and also her man, and he was naturally happy.
These past few months have passed uneventfully. Daqi has been happy every day because his beautiful wives rarely make him angry; they all treat him like an emperor. The Tong family mansion was a bit busy during the May Day Golden Week holiday. Ye Huan, Zheng Jie, and Xiaoman were traveling home from Rongzhou. The three beautiful college students greeted Daqi with exceptional warmth upon seeing him.
Ye Huan: "Master, I've missed you so much these past two months!"
Zheng Jie: "Master, I feel so unaccustomed to you not being around. I can't even concentrate in class."
Xiaoman: "Master Daqi, Xiaoman only has one thing to say: I think about you every day!"
Daqi was overjoyed because his family was finally reunited for the May Day holiday. The whole family welcomed the three beautiful college students home like it was Chinese New Year. Throughout the entire Golden Week, the three women kept Daqi company overnight. Daqi and they engaged in "battles" for three nights, each night letting the three women experience his "power" and "virility." The three women also used all their skills to serve their master well, and the four of them were busy and happy throughout the entire Golden Week!
After the May Day holiday, the three girls returned to Rongzhou for school, and life at the Tong family mansion returned to normal. Principal Li of Changqing No. 1 Middle School personally sent his secretary to deliver a complete set of humanities study materials for the three years of high school: textbooks, supplementary materials, and test questions. When Daqi received these study materials, his mood became somewhat heavy.
Can I really finish reading all the high school textbooks in just one year? Even if I do, can I absorb the knowledge? Can I do well on the exams? To put it simply: can I get into university in just one year? Since I've come to take the college entrance exam, I can't afford to get into a bad university; otherwise, I'd rather not go at all!
In June 2001, Tong Daqi finally began to look through his college entrance exam study materials. He skimmed through his high school textbooks for Chinese, math, English, politics, history, and geography. The Chinese textbook was fine; he could understand it completely, even effortlessly, because his classical Chinese foundation was quite good. The politics textbook was too easy for him; he was confident he could read it without a teacher, and the high school politics textbook seemed too simple. He could get into history and geography, but unfortunately, his foundation was somewhat weak; he had never had systematic geography and history classes before. Although he had read many books on Chinese history, he hadn't read much world history. High school history mainly focused on modern Chinese and world history, while ancient Chinese history was only one section, not the whole picture. Geography, on the other hand, required starting almost from scratch.
The biggest problems were math and English. Daqi thought to himself: Damn it, I can't understand this math book at all! All those formulas, laws, and reasoning are giving me a headache. The English book is even worse; I haven't looked at English in years.
At this point, Tong Daqi realized that although the country had lifted various restrictions and allowed...
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Section Reading 194
People of all ages are allowed to take the college entrance examination. Objectively speaking, this is an opportunity for many. However, this opportunity is too difficult to seize. It's almost impossible for someone who has been away from the classroom for many years to fully absorb the knowledge from these high school textbooks meant for teenagers! At least it's impossible for Tong Daqi...
Daqi had never felt such pressure. In junior high, he was the best student at Changqing No. 1 Middle School. He remembered secretly looking at high school textbooks, especially math and English, and he could understand a lot of them. But now that he was older, looking back at those books, it seemed like only the books recognized him, while he didn't recognize them at all.
What should I do? Am I really hopeless? Is it true, as some people say, that what works in junior high might not work in high school? Am I really incapable of winning the college entrance exam next year? Well, thankfully I looked at these books beforehand and know which subjects I'm good at and which I'm not. Maybe things will improve after I enter the repeat class at the top high school in September.
Daqi decided to skim through the math book first, and then systematically study all the other subjects after returning to his alma mater in September. So, he began researching high school math. Fortunately, he had a good foundation; he scored 118 out of 120 on his middle school math exam. Daqi was delighted to find that after a few days of dedicated study, he could actually understand the math book. However, there was also a regret: the math problems in the book seemed too simple compared to the college entrance exam questions. In other words, the college entrance exam math was quite difficult. It was really frustrating, but he had to keep studying, no matter how frustrating it was.
Summer vacation arrived quickly, and Daqi's mother-in-law returned to Ping'an County to take care of his father-in-law. Daqi was happy that Ye Huan, Zheng Jie, and Xiaoman had come home. Xiaoman, being a child, immediately moved in with her mother, Jia Ran. Ye Huan and Zheng Jie preferred to share a room. Daqi instructed Jia Ran to add the three of them to her "beauty schedule."
The so-called "beauty schedule" refers to the specific day when someone will serve Daqi or spend the night with him. Daqi originally wanted to ask Ye Huan, Zheng Jie, or Xiaoman how to review his high school courses. Unexpectedly, Ye Huan and Zheng Jie said that they were art students with a weak academic foundation, while Xiaoman said that she was already a university student and had indeed forgotten all her high school courses. Daqi shook his head helplessly and said, "You three, sigh, I really don't know what to say to you?" Xiaoman said, "Master, you used to tell me to study and I could do it, but now it's so difficult for me to take exams?" Daqi said, "Teaching and studying are two different things. A person who can teach may not be able to study themselves. I'm worried about math and English; the others are fine. These two subjects will be huge obstacles for me to get into university." Xiaoman said, "Master, I wouldn't lie to you; I really forgot, otherwise I could definitely help you. I scored around 70 on my math exam in the college entrance exam, which isn't high." Ye Huan and Zheng Jie said, "Master, our math level is even worse than a junior high school student. Because we are art students, math scores aren't counted in the college entrance exam." Daqi had no choice but to "cram" through math on his own first. As for English, Daqi thought: just read and memorize more.
For most of the summer vacation, Daqi spent his mornings memorizing English vocabulary, all from his high school textbooks, and his afternoons studying math. Of course, he would often go out with his beautiful wives, either for fun or to eat and drink. In the evenings, he wouldn't study; instead, he would watch TV with his wives or play mahjong or cards with them. Sometimes, he would take the whole family to a karaoke bar to relax.
As soon as summer vacation ended, Principal Li of No. 1 Middle School called him personally. Principal Li said on the phone, “Daqi, September 4th is the start date for your senior high school re-examination class. I’ve arranged for you to attend the 2002 Senior High School Re-examination Class (6) at Changqing No. 1 Middle School. Come and attend class then. Don’t worry, all the teachers in this class are among the best in our school. The history teacher is even your junior high school homeroom teacher, Teacher Rao!” Daqi quickly replied, “Thank you, Principal Li, for your arrangement!”
The 4th High School Retake Course
September 4, 2001. Qiwen and Xiaoli accompanied Daqi to Changqing No.1 Middle School.
Ye Huan, Zheng Jie, and Xiao Man set off back to Rongzhou a few days ago. Before leaving, the three of them repeatedly reminded Da Qi to take care of his health and not to study too much for high school books. Da Qi said, "Since I've come to take the college entrance exam, it's to fulfill my dream, so I will definitely do my best. Don't worry, you three." Ye Huan and Zheng Jie said, "Master, we'll be graduating from university soon. After graduation, we can stay by your side every day." Da Qi smiled and nodded.
Upon arriving at the school, Qiwen and Xiaoli exclaimed, "Wow, your alma mater is so beautiful!" Daqi laughed, "It's been a prestigious school since ancient times, how could it not be beautiful? Another day, I'll show you around the campus. Today I'm here to teach. I'll head to the classroom first; why don't you go home first?" Qiwen smiled, "No, Master, let Li'er accompany me. We'll stroll around your campus together. Don't worry about us, go to class." Daqi smiled and nodded, then walked directly towards the teaching building. As he passed the commemorative statue erected in 1994 to mark the school's 90th anniversary, he was filled with emotion! Just then, someone called out from behind, "Master!" He turned around and saw Meiting.
Daqi: "Ting, what brings you here?" Meiting walked over and took his arm, saying, "I know today is your first day back at your alma mater. I wanted to come to school with you, but I overslept. I heard from Mom that you went to your alma mater with Wen'er and Li'er, so I rushed here. I knew you would come to this memorial statue." Daqi nodded and said, "Do you remember when we used to walk and chat here often in junior high?" Meiting smiled slightly and nodded. Daqi said, "By the way, you've been home for so long, have you visited your sister?" Meiting shook her head and said, "I don't want to see them. They forced me to go to Singapore back then... Never mind, let's not talk about the past. Today is a happy day because I finally see you back at your alma mater. I know you often dream about going back to your alma mater to attend high school and take the college entrance exam." Daqi said, "Ting, things are different now. I, Tong Daqi, can't possibly have the same study habits as before. After studying for two months, I feel like my brain can't absorb anything." Meiting smiled and said, "Master..." "It's alright. You're the best. Da Zhong said many old classmates are concerned about your retaking the college entrance exam. I believe in your abilities. You hate being a businessman, but you've done it very well. And studying is what you're best at; you can definitely do it!" Da Qi said, "People's minds really do change. I can only do my best and leave the rest to fate. I'm going to the classroom first. What about you?" Mei Ting said, "I'm going to find Wen'er and the others. I also want to visit my alma mater; it's been so long since I've been back." Da Qi nodded, kissed Mei Ting goodbye, and went to the classroom alone.
The moment Daqi entered the classroom, he was truly overwhelmed with emotion: he didn't recognize a single one of his classmates, and they were all several years younger than him. Many of them were also looking at him with great surprise. Daqi smiled kindly at the students who were giving him these strange looks. He found a corner seat and sat down. He carefully observed the students in the classroom. From their clothing and accents, he could tell that most of them were from rural areas. Changqing No. 1 High School had a very high college entrance examination pass rate, and every year a large number of students who failed the college entrance examination came here to retake it, hoping to get into a better university the following year. At this moment, a classmate next to Daqi said to him, "Hey buddy, which high school did you go to before?" Daqi said, "I went to No. 1 High School." The person said, "I went to Xinqiao High School." Daqi knew Xinqiao High School; it was a large high school in the countryside of Changqing. He asked the man, "Hey buddy, what score did you get on the college entrance exam? Why are you here to retake it?" The man replied, "Don't talk about those sad things. Sigh, I'm still more than 100 points away from the undergraduate cutoff. My dad wanted me to try this high school, saying the teachers here are good, so I came to give it a shot." Daqi chatted with him for a while longer. He learned about the 2001 college entrance exam for humanities students. Many people said the 2001 exam was quite difficult, especially the humanities comprehensive subject. Daqi asked, "Is the humanities comprehensive subject a combination of politics, history, and geography?" Several classmates looked at Daqi in surprise and said, "Dude, no way, you don't even know that? Of course it's a combination of the three subjects. Didn't you take the college entrance exam this year?" Daqi smiled and shook his head, saying, "I am... Anyway, I'm just here to have some fun." Some people immediately said, "I understand, are you a vocational school student here to take the college entrance exam?" Daqi could only nod.
Daqi thought to himself: How pathetic, he doesn't even know what a humanities subject is. Actually, it's not that he doesn't know, it's that he's never done a test like this before.
The school bell rang, and Principal Li and Mr. Cai, the homeroom teacher of the repeat class, entered. Principal Li smiled at Tong Daqi in the corner but said nothing. Mr. Cai said, "Welcome to our Changqing No. 1 High School for your repeat class..." Mr. Cai's speech was powerful and rhythmic. He introduced the teachers of each subject to everyone. Daqi had already heard of this Mr. Cai. It was said that he was the head of the Chinese language teaching and research group at Changqing No. 1 High School, a key Chinese language teacher in the province, and his teaching level was no less than that of any professor in the Chinese department of a university in Binhai Province. During the break, Daqi used his mobile phone to make a long-distance call to Da Zhong, who was far away at the National Defense University.
Daqi: "Dazhong, I came to class today. A teacher named Cai** came today. Is he the awesome teacher you guys always talk about?"
Da Zhong: "Brother, he's also my teacher. He hasn't retired yet? He's a pillar of our Changqing education system! You're so lucky to have met him as your teacher. His level isn't just ordinary, it's super high. I doubt there's a single professor in my National Defense University who can rival him."
Daqi listened briefly to Dazhong recount Teacher Cai's illustrious past. When the bell rang, he returned to the classroom. Teacher Cai then said, "Today, I will be giving your first lesson. I am also your homeroom teacher, and you can call me Lao Cai! Note, not 'Pizi Cai,' but 'Lao Cai'!" The whole class burst into laughter. Then, Lao Cai asked everyone to go to the stage to introduce themselves. Everyone shyly went up to the stage to introduce themselves. Daqi was really reluctant to go up and introduce himself. However, he had no choice; everyone wanted him to. After all, he was a skilled orator, so he calmly gave his self-introduction. Unexpectedly, Lao Cai loudly announced from the side, "This student on the stage is Tong Daqi, who has made special contributions to our Changqing No. 1 Middle School!" The whole class immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause. Daqi smiled and said to everyone, "Classmates, although only a small portion of you are from Changqing No. 1 Middle School, your presence here today means you are all students of No. 1 Middle School. I studied here for three years of junior high school. I believe this place will not disappoint you! I hope you have a very enjoyable year here, and I wish you all good results in next year's college entrance examination!" As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted throughout the room. Old Cai immediately said, "Everyone remember, if Tong Daqi gets into university next year, he'll treat us all to a drink—it won't bankrupt you. As for any of you here, if you still don't do well next year, No. 1 Middle School welcomes you back to repeat a year!" The whole room burst into laughter again, but unexpectedly, Old Cai immediately said, "I really don't want you to come back! To be honest, your fathers sending you here to study is the greatest trust they can place in No. 1 Middle School. We really don't want to make money off you all again next year!" Old Cai's simple words resonated strongly with all the students in the classroom.
Daqi was still a little excited after returning to his seat. From everyone's self-introductions, he knew that everyone's morale was somewhat low. This was because his classmates had all just returned defeated from the "college entrance exam battlefield"—they were a special group in the vast army of college entrance exam takers. They had all taken the exam at least once, but they were all failures! However, Daqi felt that they weren't failures either, because they had accumulated experience from the exam, and he believed that next year when they went to the exam hall again, they would be more composed than this year.
Daqi felt a bit pathetic. Firstly, he hadn't attended high school, and secondly, he had never taken the college entrance exam. "Oh my god," he thought, "I, Tong Daqi, am truly taking the college entrance exam with absolutely nothing!" Life is so helpless. He really didn't know if coming back to take the exam was the right or wrong decision. Let experience be the judge!
During everyone's self-introductions, two girls caught the attention of Daqi and all the other students. Daqi secretly sighed: "I never expected to find such pretty girls in a cram school." However, Daqi wasn't really interested in these high school girls, unlike the boy sitting next to him who was practically staring at them. Daqi knew why he was there: getting into a good university next year would be incredibly difficult. Firstly, he hadn't studied for years, and secondly, he had never attended a high school humanities class.
The teacher started the lesson, and Daqi felt a little out of sorts. After being away from the classroom for so long, it felt strange to be listening to lectures again. However, he was relieved that he could understand the lessons, except for math. He could even manage a little bit of the English he was learning.
After school, Daqi went to the school cafeteria for lunch, but his phone rang. He answered it; it was Qiwen calling. Qiwen said, "Master, why don't you come home for dinner? The whole family is waiting for you." Daqi said, "Okay, okay, I'll be right back." He had originally planned to eat at the school cafeteria, but thinking about all the beautiful women at home waiting for him, he felt bad. He took a rickshaw home. Although he had a car, to make himself look more like a student taking the college entrance exam, he decided to either walk or take a rickshaw home. Back home, at the dinner table, each of his wives asked him how his classes went.
Qiwen: "Master, how was it? Did you listen?"
Daqi: "It's alright, the teachers they invited are all high-level, and their lectures are really good; I can understand them. It's just that I can't understand math. Sigh, my brain has rusted."
Xiao Li said, "It's okay, take your time. With your intelligence, you'll be fine." Da Qi smiled and nodded. He wasn't actually very confident, though he was never lacking in self-assurance. However, he believed that with a year of hard work, many things would change. Each of his wives encouraged him, even his mother said, "Son, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Whether you pass the exam or not, you'll live the same life." All his wives said, "Mom is right." Only Qi Wen said, "It would be best if you passed. I believe in Master's abilities!" Da Qi gently touched her cheek and said, "You always say the nice things to me."
Thus began Daqi's high school preparatory studies. Jia Ran continued to have Daqi rest with his wives according to the "beauty schedule." Because of his preparation for the college entrance exam, Daqi even reduced the frequency of his sexual encounters with his beautiful wives—significantly reduced them, as he still put in considerable effort. He began studying every day, reviewing all his high school subjects. He listened attentively in class and took careful notes. He gradually became familiar with his classmates. Everyone called him "Big Brother," a title he quite liked, as he was indeed a few years older than them. They were all only in their early twenties, while he was already 25.
A 25-year-old high school graduate who has retaken the college entrance exam should be the best student in the entire Changqing No. 1 High School.
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Section Reading 195
He was an older student. After the first month's exams, Daqi was filled with mixed emotions. On the bright side, he surprisingly scored first in the class in Politics, with 130 points out of 150. According to his Politics teacher, Daqi's score would place him in the top five even among graduating seniors. Keep in mind that in this provincial, even national, key high school, ranking in the top 30 in any subject is considered top-tier. His Chinese was average, around 95 points, slightly above a few others. He surprisingly scored 90 in English, a pitiful 36 in Math, 100 in History, and 70 in Geography. He specifically asked his homeroom teacher, Mr. Cai, where he would rank in the class. Mr. Cai smiled and said, "Probably in the bottom 20." With about 70 students in the class, this was a very poor score. Keep in mind this was in a high school preparatory class; if he were in the graduating seniors, he would probably only be in the bottom 10.
Old Cai spoke with Daqi. Old Cai said, "Xiaotong, Principal Li and I are aware of your situation. Just come and have some fun; don't put too much pressure on yourself." Daqi could only say, "Thank you, Teacher Cai and Principal Li!"
Wow, things are so different now! This is the first time Daqi has ever gotten such a bad score on a test. He's almost always been at the top of his class since he was little, this is such a huge embarrassment!
Back home, Daqi was a little down. He reported his monthly exam results to his wives. Yijing said, "Master, your politics score is amazing! You got 130!" Daqi laughed, "It's useless in all subjects, my math is terrible." Xiaoli said, "That's a common problem for humanities students, it's not just you." Daqi nodded. Xiaoli was absolutely right; humanities students generally aren't good at math.
That evening, while having sex with Jia Ran, he pondered how to improve his grades in all his subjects. Jia Ran said, "You rascal, it's up to you. If it really doesn't work, then forget it, I won't take the exam..." Da Qi pushed Jia Ran away, saying, "I'm here, and I won't back down, even if I don't get into any university next year." Jia Ran asked, "Do you have a way to improve my grades?" Da Qi said, "I'll explore for another month. It seems I need to make a plan for focused tutoring." Jia Ran said, "Tell me about it." Da Qi said, "The college entrance exam has so many subjects. Everyone will be good at some subjects and weak at others. Very few people are good at everything. I think I should focus on improving one or two subjects and temporarily put some subjects aside. 'Do what you should do, and don't do what you shouldn't do.' I can't try to do everything at once, because I only have one year. It's impossible to finish the entire three-year high school curriculum." Jia Ran nodded and said, "That makes sense, that makes sense..."
Daqi hadn't slept well for three days straight. He was pondering what to do. He started analyzing his classmates' college entrance exam scores and discovered an important phenomenon: for most people, their Chinese scores were around 90. Many people said that once you reach a certain level in Chinese, it's difficult to improve. But Daqi felt he could improve, but did he have the time? One year was too short. Actually, his classical Chinese foundation was quite good, but it didn't seem to help much with the exam questions. However, he loved listening to Lao Cai's Chinese classes because Lao Cai taught in a very imaginative and insightful way, giving people a very sophisticated feeling. Lao Cai kept praising Daqi: "Xiao Tong, it's a pity you're so bad. Your writing is good. It's just that you lost a lot of points on the basic questions, otherwise your Chinese score would be much higher than the average person. I'll use your essay as a model for the whole class." Daqi smiled and didn't say anything. As for math, it seemed that every humanities student was bad at it; only a few people did well. Those who scored above 90 were considered experts, and those who scored above 120 were the best of the best. Daqi felt there was no need for extra tutoring in math, or rather, he decided against it for now. Like Chinese, Daqi was fully capable of improving his English, but there wasn't enough time. It seemed the subjects with the most potential for improvement were politics, history, and geography.
He hardly needs to attend classes for politics; his geography foundation is weak, but he is very interested in it and finds it interesting; as for history, it's simply a matter of memorizing, reading, and applying what he learns.
At the dinner table, Daqi told his wives about his "college entrance examination strategy": for Chinese, he would just listen to the teacher in class and not spend any extra time reviewing; for math, he couldn't understand it at all, so he simply didn't listen, because his foundation was too weak; the same approach would be taken for English; and for politics, history, and geography, they would be his "main focus".
So, Daqi started studying history and geography every night, and also did some exercises related to politics, history, and geography. After a month, he was delighted to find that his ranking had improved by 10 places. To celebrate this major "victory," his beautiful wives even hosted a "victory celebration banquet" at the largest hotel in Changqing. Daqi was overjoyed. It happened to be the weekend, and he and his wives drank quite a bit. Everyone was happy; Daqi had made "such a big" improvement!
Daqi knew that only by following his self-determined "college entrance examination strategy" could he possibly improve his overall score in a short period of time. He consistently followed this strategy in reviewing his high school courses until he took the college entrance examination in 2002. It is worth mentioning that Daqi's humanities comprehensive score, which is out of 300 points and is a combined score of politics, history, and geography, showed a straight upward trend: 120 in December 2001; 180 in January 2002; 200 in March 2002 after the winter vacation; 210 in March 2002; 215 in April 2002; and 220 in April 2002.
In April 2002, a mock college entrance examination was held throughout Binhai Province. Daqi surprisingly scored above the undergraduate admission line, exceeding it by 20 points. Daqi was overjoyed. His teachers of Politics, History, and Geography used him as a role model to encourage and inspire others. During a class study session, Daqi briefly discussed his college entrance examination strategy. He said, "Taking the college entrance examination is like a person with a missing leg trying to walk; I can only do my best. But I believe my strategy is feasible; it's like a crutch that allows me to walk with a little more balance. Of course, I'll never be able to run."
However, after this mock exam, Daqi felt much less stressed. Old friends from all over the country called to inquire about his progress. When they heard of his improvement, they congratulated him and wished him success in the college entrance exam in July! His wives, Qiwen and Xiaoli, naturally wanted to celebrate with him. They all said, "Master, you're amazing! I think your results will be even better on the real college entrance exam battlefield." Yulou said, "We sisters are all looking forward to Master's real victory celebration!" Daqi was indeed happy; he knew his college entrance exam would definitely surprise everyone.
The day finally arrived. It was July 2002, a day of extraordinary significance for everyone taking the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) across the country. For most, it meant the culmination of twelve years of hard work; for those retaking the exam, it was a day to avenge past humiliations; and for Daqi, it was time to realize his dream!
The entire examination lasted two days. Daqi remained calm after the first three exams, knowing his results were neither good nor bad. He was exceptionally focused and attentive during the final comprehensive exam. As he left the examination hall, he let out a long sigh of relief. His sixteen beautiful wives were waiting outside, including Wen'er, Ping'er, and Qin'er, all of whom were pregnant. Daqi immediately said to them, "You three stay home and rest; your unborn children are important." The three women said they were concerned about his exam. His wives eagerly asked how he had done. Daqi replied, "Don't worry, there will definitely be good news!"
Next came the stage where all the students estimated their scores and filled out their college applications. He estimated he could reach the undergraduate admission line, so he applied to a media-related college in Rongzhou—Binhai Media College. Daqi chose the literature department because he enjoyed writing. Throughout his re-examination period, his essays were consistently used by his teacher, Mr. Cai, as model essays for the entire class.
Daqi successfully passed the undergraduate entrance exam and was admitted to the Journalism Department of Binhai Media College. When the admission results were announced online, Daqi jumped up from his computer chair in excitement. He shouted, "I passed! I passed!" At this moment, his mother-in-law also made a special trip from Ping'an, as she was extremely concerned about Daqi's college entrance exam results. His mother and Daqi's seventeen daughters applauded and cheered continuously! The Tong family mansion was exceptionally lively. Qiwen and the others even took out the champagne they had prepared beforehand and sprayed it.
The celebration lasted three days at the Tong family mansion. Daqi's good friends and former classmates called to congratulate him. He hosted a banquet at the "Tobacco Grand Hotel," the best restaurant in the city, for all his teachers from his high school and junior high school days. Principal Li naturally attended the banquet as well. Almost all of Daqi's high school classmates were present, along with everyone at the Tong family mansion. It was a true "victory celebration." At the banquet, the high school class teacher raised his glass and said to everyone, "Teachers and students: A year ago, no one would have believed that Tong Daqi could get into any university. But in just one year, he has covered the ground that others take three years to cover, and he is someone who has been out of the classroom for many years and has already entered society. I don't want to say much, I just want to say one thing: Tong Daqi has created a miracle! Come, let's all drink to him and congratulate him!" Principal Li also said, "Teachers and students: We have every reason to expect that Tong Daqi will make even greater contributions to our alma mater, Changqing No. 1 Middle School!" Daqi's classmates at the banquet cheered and applauded... Daqi, with tears in his eyes, bowed three times to everyone...
Daqi was thrilled: I'm finally back on campus! I've finally gotten back what I'd lost for so long! I'll have no regrets in my life, because I worked hard and it paid off! Going to university was an easy goal for me back then, but now it seems so difficult... But I persevered, I held on, I won!
The whole family was overjoyed. Daqi said, "Wives, let's go back to Rongzhou for university!" All the wives chimed in, "We're just as happy as our master! We're all university students!" Daqi grinned from ear to ear and asked everyone, "Who came up with this line?" They all shouted, "Pingjia!" Overjoyed, Daqi gave Pingjia a deep kiss in front of everyone…
In mid-August, Daqi's family returned to their home in Rongzhou in five private cars. After discussion, all seventeen women, except for the mother-in-law, were willing to find something to do. Ye Huan and Zheng Jie were assigned to teach at the provincial art school. Qianru and Chunxiao had resigned from their civil service jobs more than a year ago, and returning to civil service was impossible. They were also too lazy to return to officialdom. The sixteen women took on the following tasks, mainly to pass the time, as they were not short of money: Ye Huan and Zheng Jie taught, while the remaining fourteen women jointly managed two upscale coffee shops. Both coffee shops were called "Tian Sanpin Coffee Shop," named after Daqi's former company and Qiwen's former clothing store, both of which were named "Tian Sanpin." Both coffee shops were located near Rongjiang Villa, where 90% of the residents were foreigners from countries such as Australia, the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Daqi specifically instructed his three pregnant wives to rest at home, and they all listened obediently, only occasionally going to coffee shops to pass the time. Daqi also hired two nannies from the domestic service market to take care of all the housework for the family.
On September 1, 2002, Qiwen and two other women stayed home to rest during their pregnancies, while the other fourteen beauties, including his mother-in-law, accompanied Daqi to the "Binhai Media College" for freshman registration. During Daqi's registration, the school announced that all freshmen must live on campus. He actually wanted to live with his classmates, although he knew he would spend very little time in his dorm room since he had a family. However, to truly experience university life, he decided to stay in his dorm at least two days a week. After the registration process, Daqi led his dozen or so wives on a tour of the campus. Their group was quite eye-catching, as a dozen or so beautiful women dressed in flamboyant attire stood together. In Daqi's opinion, the girls at this school were quite attractive, as the school offered broadcasting and film performance majors, and the girls in these majors were selected through interviews.
And so, Tong Daqi began his university life. He moved into a dormitory with his classmates. Since all the male students in the department lived on the same floor, many people were curious about Daqi because he was an older student, a married older student. When filling out the relevant enrollment information, Daqi filled in "married." Many people came to talk to Daqi, asking him why he was going to university at such an age. Daqi could only simply say, "I came to hang out with everyone." There were four people living in his dormitory. Two were from Shandong, one was from Zhejiang, and one was from Binhai—that was Daqi. The two from Shandong were named Li Xianming and Xie Changjin, and the one from Zhejiang was named Ji Xiaojun.