Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 86 Failing the Tsinghua and Peking University Admissions Exams
On a summer day filled with the incessant chirping of cicadas, the scorching sun bakes the earth, as if trying to evaporate all the moisture from everything in the world.

The day the college entrance examination results were released felt like a judgment of fate, falling heavily on Lin Yanqing.

When he saw his score—which only qualified him for a second-tier university—among the densely packed lists, it was as if the whole world had lost its color and time had frozen.

Mr. and Mrs. Lin have always placed almost obsessive hopes on their son.

In their eyes, Lin Yanqing showed extraordinary intelligence from a young age, had a strong thirst for knowledge, and was so diligent and hardworking that it was touching.

From the time Lin Yanqing began to speak, they firmly believed that their son would definitely be able to get into top universities like Tsinghua and Peking University, bringing glory to the family.

Lin Yanqing himself felt the same way. On countless nights of studying late into the night, he buried himself in piles of books, imagining countless times the beautiful vision of stepping into the campus of Tsinghua and Peking Universities and roaming freely in the hall of knowledge.

For this dream, he gave up countless hours of playtime and fought day and night in a sea of ​​practice problems.

Now, the enormous gap between reality and dreams is like a sharp sword, piercing straight into his heart and causing him excruciating pain.

Lin Yanqing returned home dejectedly and locked herself in her room like a wounded and terrified wild animal.

The radiant confidence and light that once shone in his eyes had vanished without a trace, replaced by endless disappointment, confusion, and self-doubt.

He stopped going to work and spent his days dazed and curled up at home, completely uninterested in meals and often not eating a single bite all day.

The room was a mess, as if it had been swept by a hurricane. Books were scattered haphazardly in every corner, some with crumpled pages, just like his shattered dream that could never be pieced back together.

Seeing their son so dejected, Lin's parents were filled with overwhelming heartache and deep helplessness.

The words of reproach swirled in her throat, but each time she reached them, seeing her son's emaciated, desperate, and helpless eyes, it was as if an invisible hand had forcefully blocked them back.

Lin's mother often lingered outside her son's room, her footsteps light, yet sighing repeatedly, her eyes filled with worry for her son, her gaze seemingly telling of a mother's heartache and helplessness towards her child.

Lin's father sat all day on the old sofa in the living room, a sofa that held countless memories. His brows were furrowed like knotted rope as he smoked one cigarette after another. Amidst the choking smoke, he expressed his deep worry for his son's future, a worry that weighed heavily on his heart like a lead weight.

At this moment, in the factory, Lin Yao had not seen Lin Yanqing for the past few days, and a wave of worry washed over her.

She and Lin Yanqing got along very well at the factory. As they spent time together day after day, Lin Yao unknowingly developed feelings for Lin Yanqing.

However, in most people's minds, it is still something that requires a lot of courage and is somewhat embarrassing for a girl to take the initiative to call a man.

Lin Yao was torn. On one hand, her worry for Lin Yanqing was spreading and growing in her heart like vines, and on the other hand, she felt shy and reserved due to traditional values.

However, after several days without seeing Lin Yanqing, the vines of worry finally broke free from their shy cage.

Lin Yao arrived at a public phone booth on the street. The booth looked somewhat dilapidated under the scorching sun. She stood in front of the phone booth, hesitating for a long time, her hands unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes, her palms already covered in sweat.

In the end, worry completely overcame shyness. She took a deep breath, slowly picked up the receiver, and dialed Lin Yanqing's home phone number with slightly trembling fingers.

After the phone rang a few times, Lin's mother's familiar voice came through the receiver.

"Hello, is this Lin Yanqing's house? Hello, Auntie, I'm Lin Yao. I work with Yanqing at the factory."

Lin Yao's voice carried a hint of nervousness, and her cheeks were slightly flushed with shyness. Upon hearing this, Lin's mother understood the purpose of her visit and sighed softly, saying, "Lin Yao, Yan Qing didn't do well on the college entrance exam and suffered a huge blow. He's been cooped up at home these past few days, not eating or drinking. We, the old couple, don't know what to do."

Lin's mother's voice was full of helplessness and heartache.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yao felt a sharp pang of heartache. After hanging up, she didn't dwell on it and hurried straight towards Lin Yanqing's house.

Throughout the journey, her feelings were very complicated, like a tangled mess of yarn.

She was worried about Lin Yanqing's condition, afraid that he was still immersed in pain and unable to extricate himself, and she was also a little nervous about seeing him. There was also a hint of shyness in her heart caused by taking the initiative to care for him.

Arriving at Lin Yanqing's house, the familiar door now looked somewhat heavy.

Lin Yao gently knocked on the door, the sound standing out clearly in the quiet atmosphere.

When Lin's mother opened the door and saw Lin Yao, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, as if she had seen a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

"Lin Yao is here, come in quickly."

Lin's mother greeted her warmly, her enthusiasm tinged with anticipation for Lin Yao.

Lin Yao walked into the living room and saw her father sitting on the sofa with a worried look on his face and a deep frown. The ashtray was full of cigarette butts, as if telling the story of the father's anxiety and helplessness.

Lin Yao asked softly, "Uncle and Aunt, how is Yan Qing now?"

Mr. and Mrs. Lin shook their heads helplessly, their eyes filled with worry.

Lin Yao walked to Lin Yanqing's door, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.

She knocked gently on the door, her voice soft and tinged with caution: "Yan Qing, it's me, Lin Yao."

There was no response from inside the room at first; the silence was unsettling.

After a while, Lin Yanqing's deep voice, as if coming from the abyss, came: "I don't want to see anyone, you should leave."

The voice was filled with deep weariness and despair. Lin Yao didn't give up and continued, "Yan Qing, I know you're feeling bad right now, but running away won't solve anything. Come out, let's talk, okay?"

Her voice was firm yet concerned. After a moment, the door slowly opened.

Lin Yanqing appeared at the door, his face haggard as if he had gone through a long ordeal, his eyes dull and lifeless, his hair disheveled like a bird's nest, and he seemed to have lost his soul.

Lin Yao looked at him, feeling a sharp pain in her heart as if struck by a heavy hammer. "Yan Qing, don't be like this. Failing one exam doesn't define you. You're so outstanding; countless opportunities await you in the future."

Lin Yao's voice was gentle yet firm, like a ray of warm sunshine trying to penetrate the darkness and illuminate Lin Yanqing's heart.

Lin Yanqing looked at Lin Yao, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes—a mixture of gratitude, resentment, and disappointment in himself.

"Lin Yao, you don't understand. I always thought I could get into Tsinghua or Peking University and have a bright future, but now..."