Chapter 15: Demolition in Progress
Chapter 15: Demolition in Progress
Time passed quickly afterward, as if it were just a fleeting moment.
On June 25th, the results of the college entrance examination (Gaokao) were freshly released, stirring the hearts of countless families.
Jiang Qin's score was exactly the same as in his previous life, 653 points. It was certain that he would be admitted to a prestigious university, 985 Project schools were almost guaranteed. He remained calm on the inside but had to show enough excitement in front of his parents, which truly tested his acting skills.
However, Mr. Jiang and Mrs. Yuan were genuinely excited.
653 points! This score was 20 points higher than Jiang Qin's simulated exam! Mrs. Yuan Youqin immediately went to Baiyun Mountain to offer incense and make a wish at the Baiyun Temple.
Comrade Jiang Zhenghong was so elated that he didn't know whether to sit or stand. His hands were clenched into fists and kept shaking. Finally, he grabbed Jiang Qin and ran three laps around the neighborhood.
Jiang Qin could understand his parents' feelings because in their generation, the Gaokao was a stepping stone to success, a major turning point in life, the only opportunity to change one's destiny, and the key to prosperity and wealth.
But he could never have imagined that in a few years, the world would be flooded with Ph.D. holders, and master's degree holders would be as common as dogs.
On the third day after the release of the Gaokao results, there were developments in the demolition project.
On the morning of June 28th, the street offices of Fanghua, Rongcheng, Xingfu Community, and Hongyun Community successively called Jiang Qin, briefly explaining the demolition situation and inviting him to negotiate with a dedicated demolition team.
Although the official demolition notice had not yet been publicly announced, the demolition was essentially a done deal.
To save time, preparations had begun in all the streets affected by the old city renovation project.
This was not something that was widely publicized.
In fact, apart from the homeowners whose properties were being demolished, most people were completely unaware of this matter, which spared Jiang Qin, a high school student, a lot of trouble.
In the following days, Jiang Qin shuttled back and forth between the street offices, listening to them read out the superior documents and repeatedly going through the compensation terms.
Although each street said the same things, listening to it was truly enjoyable.
After the official demolition notices were issued, the demolition work entered the negotiation stage.
This stage was the most time-consuming, as there were many greedy individuals, especially among the residents who had lived in these old, run-down houses for many years. Their lives were already tough, so they wanted to demand as much as possible, the more, the better.
But Jiang Qin was a person who knew when to accept a good deal.
He directly gave the street office a number based on the highest estimate he had made before, asking them to call him if they agreed.
The reason he was so nonchalant had an important factor: when the demolition work entered the second phase, those who signed contracts ahead of time would have the priority to choose resettlement housing. Picking a good location was far more important than haggling over tens of thousands here.
If you kept haggling until the end, and all the good locations were taken, what would you do? Sorry, you'd have to draw lots.
Anyway, the contracts were all signed, so who would cater to those who delayed?
Furthermore, he had an urgent reason.
He needed to repay the money.
Although he borrowed the money to buy the house from Feng Nanshu, it ultimately came from her father. Up to now, there hadn't been any issues, indicating that her father hadn't found out yet. However, the longer it dragged on, the higher the risk. Jiang Qin didn't know what kind of person Feng Nanshu's father was, so he didn't want to take that risk.
Getting the compensation money sooner would allow him to fill the gap and make it seem like this whole thing never happened.
After dealing with the preliminary matters of the demolition, Jiang Qin had a day of leisure and lay at home, replying to various QQ messages.
Guo Zihang said he scored 472, while Feng Nanshu claimed to have scored 671.
Guo Zihang's score wasn't surprising because the exam was quite challenging, and even a single point more was difficult to achieve. However, for Feng Nanshu, who was known as a studious girl and a top student, not crossing the 700 mark was somewhat unexpected.
Of course, the class teacher of Class 1 was also dissatisfied with this score. He believed there must have been an error and immediately went to the city to check the exam papers on the day the results were released.
As it turned out, there was no mistake in the scoring. Feng Nanshu did indeed score 671 points. The issue lay with the Chinese essay, which had a maximum score of 60 points, and Feng Nanshu only received 12 points.
What was this year's essay topic again?
Jiang Qin had memories of his past life but had forgotten many details, so he looked it up online. The result left him laughing heartily.
The essay topic was about friendship?
She didn't even have friends, and they asked her to write about friendship?
Wasn't this like asking a mouse to write an essay on its experiences with cats?
Well, 12 points seemed fair. Perhaps she got those points because her handwriting was neat.
"Don't laugh," she said.
Jungmun City Library, second floor. Sitting in a familiar spot, Feng Nanshu looked utterly disheartened. "I've thought about it seriously, and this is actually your fault."
Jiang Qin wore a puzzled expression. "We didn't even know each other during the college entrance exam. How does you losing points relate to me?"
"But if I had known you earlier, I might have written it," she responded.
"Since you put it that way, let's assume for a moment. If it were the current you taking the exam, how would you write this essay?"
Feng Nanshu raised her head with a solemn expression. "I met a friend at the library, a poor guy who loves to stare at... breasts."
"Stop!" Jiang Qin immediately interrupted her impromptu essay. "Is that how you see me?"
"Isn't it...?" There was a hint of confusion in Feng Nanshu's eyes.
"If you actually wrote something like that, you wouldn't even get those last twelve points."
Feng Nanshu lowered her head, returning to her despondent state. "Did I befriend someone I can't be proud of?"
Jiang Qin's face twitched. "Anyway, the exams are over, and thinking about this won't change anything."
"Fair enough..."
"As a wealthy young lady from a well-off family like you, why did you even bother with the college entrance exam? You could have just gone abroad to study."
Feng Nanshu looked up, her delicate, curled eyelashes quivering slightly. "A lonely girl who doesn't know how to socialize would die if you sent her abroad."
Jiang Qin hadn't considered this perspective. He had simply viewed her as a typical rich girl. But from Feng Nanshu's viewpoint, going abroad for studies was indeed a risky endeavor.
Foreign countries often touted freedom and democracy, but their societal norms could be chaotic. Take the United States, for instance – gun violence occurred almost daily. Despite having a population of only 370 million, there were 390 million registered firearms, which meant that, on average, every family of three had four guns. Were they planning to have a second child?
Sending a girl like Feng Nanshu, who was naturally naive and had social anxiety, into such an environment was akin to throwing a lamb into a pack of wolves.
"In any case, domestic universities are pretty good too. Which one are you planning to attend?"
"What about you?" She asked, expressionless, as the sunlight turned her thick eyelashes into a golden hue.