Chapter 113: Study Abroad Plan

This story is purely fictional.

Xiao Jin was very fond of the E Super League matches, but every time he placed a bet on them, he ended up empty-handed, never gaining any advantage. He believed his analysis skills were sound, yet he continuously stumbled over the E Super League games, to the point where he felt embarrassed to boast about it among his friends. His claims of never failing and handling bets with ease had become a huge joke within his circle.

His daughter’s failure in the college entrance exam was a devastating blow to him. He had always bragged to his friends about how well his daughter performed academically, her reputation widely known. At one point, he even boasted that gaining admission to Peking University or Tsinghua University was a mere formality for her.

But the exam results were shocking: she had barely met the cutoff for the fourth tier of vocational colleges.

He completely disagreed with his wife’s way of educating their daughter. Yet in the past, he had left the matter entirely to his wife, believing he had greater ambitions and projects to attend to. Now, reflecting on it, he deeply regretted entrusting their daughter’s education solely to his wife, which had resulted in their daughter not even getting into an ordinary university in the country.

Xiao Jin put down the sports newspaper and thought of his wife. Every time she returned from a parent-teacher meeting, she was extraordinarily excited, boasting about how she had gained face in front of other parents. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Jin Yan rarely had the luxury of spending peaceful moments at home like this, with the whole family dining together.

It was less that Jin Yan had become more virtuous and more that ever since their daughter failed the exam, she had been too ashamed to meet her friends, afraid of the awkwardness when the topic of college entrance exams came up.

The parents she used to exchange experiences with all had children at Peking University or Tsinghua, or at least reputable 211 or 985 institutions.

Seeing that Xiao Yi had not yet come home, Jin Yan began nagging, “I don’t know what face she still has to wander around outside all day like a wild person.”

Xiao Jin felt a surge of anger rise to his head upon hearing Jin Yan’s nagging about their daughter. “It’s your oppressive style of education that harmed her. You have no right to be nagging here. You don’t understand her feelings, nor do you understand mine. When she’s unhappy, you should let her relax and clear her mind, so she doesn’t bottle up her unhappiness. Otherwise, the pressure will build up and she’ll fall ill. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t get into a good school. I have the money to send her to any university in Europe to study. But if she loses her health, that’s absolutely unacceptable. Do you understand, my dear?”

“Yes, I know. Sending her abroad would solve everything, so I wouldn’t have to worry here anymore.” Jin Yan said as she brought a plate of food from the kitchen, setting it down heavily on the table with a crisp clatter.

Xiao Jin knew Jin Yan was venting her dissatisfaction, and already burning with anger, he slammed the sports newspaper onto the sofa in frustration. “Haven’t you noticed she’s been acting strange these days?”

“Strange? That’s just her usual crazy self. She’s been more obvious now since she’s relaxed. Her wild nature is fully exposed.” Jin Yan replied dismissively.

“Wild nature? What wild nature? I think she’s a bit like you sometimes—crazy in a way that’s almost identical to when you were young.” Xiao Jin suddenly recalled Jin Yan’s own wildness.

“Like me? I wasn’t crazy at all when I was young. You really don’t mean what you say.” Jin Yan countered.

“You don’t mean it? Have you forgotten those early days after we married? You’d be out all night every few days, always saying you were at your mother’s house. If you weren’t out partying, then where else would you be? You know perfectly well what happens when you go home to your mother’s place. I don’t need to say more.” Xiao Jin recalled the times when Jin Yan came home late.

“Out partying? You’re lying with your eyes wide open. Is it wrong for me to visit my mother’s house?” Jin Yan defended herself.

“There were several times when our daughter told me you stayed at your mother’s place. I called you, and twice you whispered to me, afraid of disturbing them, saying you were spending the night there. Actually, I was calling from your mother’s house. Do you think I didn’t know? You stayed out overnight. I was just worried your father would find out you were coming home late and lose face.” Xiao Jin brought up old grievances.

“Yes, I came home late, but I had my reasons. I just liked to play mahjong, chat with my childhood friends, and get some beauty treatments. What’s wrong with that?” Jin Yan argued.

“That’s your excuse for coming home late? That’s a joke. I have responsibilities every day and never come home late like you do. No matter how late, unless absolutely necessary, I never spend the night out.” Xiao Jin stressed how disciplined he was.

“Alright, alright, I come home late. You know what you were like back then. After you got shot and injured, you were obsessed with football. Were you a real man? I cried every day, living as a lonely widow. Sometimes I felt a little spark of joy at home, but you were like a eunuch. I didn’t go out, but staying home felt like a living punishment. Do you know what it’s like to live as a lonely widow? It was unbearable.” Jin Yan grew impatient.

“What? You said I’m like a eunuch? I was disabled on duty, and you call me a eunuch? If I were a eunuch, would we have our daughter? Although I can’t be like when we first married, making you feel free and easy, I’m still a man. Maybe not as vigorous as before, but still barely able to manage.” Xiao Jin was struck in a sore spot.

“Barely manage? Is that something that can be solved by barely managing? I think you’re an idiot, a big idiot. You know half of a man is a woman, but do you know that half of a woman is also a man? We’ve been married over twenty years, but are you really a man? You can ask your friends how they fulfill their duties as men, and how many times you have. You could count them on one hand. And even those times were just formalities. You’re not really a man. Do you understand that, Xiao Big Mouth?” Jin Yan, embarrassed and angry, lashed out.

“If I’m not a man, then who is? I earn money for you to spend, support the family, and manage the children’s education. That’s responsible enough. You say I’m not a man because I don’t show much affection in bed, but apart from that, I think I’m perfect.” Xiao Jin hated hearing himself called Big Mouth, especially by his wife, his face turning green with rage.

Just as the couple was in a fierce argument, Xiao Yi wearily entered the room.

The two immediately stopped quarreling, and the room fell silent.

“Keep arguing, why did you stop?” Xiao Yi asked.

Both realized they had lost control and shifted their gaze to Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi’s heart was torn apart; she was on the verge of collapse, feeling her life was falling apart.

Failing the college entrance exam, falling in love with a gangster uncle, and now her period was nearly ten days late, making her anxious. She thought, “If I’m pregnant, what a huge blow it would be to my future and to my mother.”

She knew her exam failure was entirely due to her mother. Since learning she wasn’t her father’s biological child, she endured the months before the exam with great difficulty. She deeply understood how much her father loved her and couldn’t imagine how he would react if he ever found out the truth.

For some unknown reason, her stomach began to growl loudly, very hungry.

Hearing the rumbling, Jin Yan said, “Oh my, my precious is finally back. You really scared your mother.”

Xiao Jin saw how quickly Jin Yan changed her tone and didn’t want to continue their endless quarrel. Especially seeing their precious daughter, all his worries and anger vanished instantly.

The three sat around the table, Xiao Jin staring at Xiao Yi without blinking. “Look, look, in such a short time after failing the exam, my precious has lost so much weight. Daddy really feels heartbroken.” He stroked her head.

“I haven’t lost weight, Dad. I just weighed myself; I actually gained a bit since before the exam. I got a little fatter, not thinner,” Xiao Yi said, looking at her father.

“Better a little fat than thin. Don’t worry about the exam. Since you’re going abroad to study anyway, why not settle it now? I’ve already arranged your overseas study. Whether you choose Country E or Country M, it’s up to you.” Xiao Jin told her.

“Dad, you’re really the best.” Xiao Yi nestled her head in Xiao Jin’s arms.

Xiao Jin felt her heart beating faster; her sweet kiss warmed him like a soft cotton jacket. Though his face had been green with anger moments before, her affection made him feel incredibly happy. He glanced at Jin Yan, thinking how grateful he was to his wife for giving him such a lovely daughter. “Our boss also said he will hold a ceremony for you to study in Country M and officially take you as his goddaughter. It will be in a few days. See if you want to invite some classmates?”

Xiao Yi hesitated, thinking about her situation. “Whether to invite my classmates, I’ll think about it.” (To be continued)