Li Chencan's home was outside the Third Ring Road, yet it was closer to the school.
Pushing open the door, his father had not returned, and his mother was embroidering under the lamplight.
Just like in another time and space, his parents were the same, only they were in the form they had when he was 18 years old.
However, this family in this time and space had suffered a misfortune.
"Back already?" His mother, who looked much younger, was busy with her work and said it casually.
"Uh-huh." Li Chencan nodded.
To save electricity, the lights at home were dim. Under the yellowish light, his mother, who was embroidering, looked like a scene from an art film, very lifelike.
"Mom, can you turn the lights up a bit?" Li Chencan said, "It's not good for your eyes."
"Uh-huh, I know, it's fine." Li Chencan's mother said, "If you're hungry, go make yourself a bowl of noodles."
"Okay."
Everything seemed like his high school days.
Only, in this time and space, his parents had just experienced a business failure, leaving the family heavily in debt. His parents, who once wielded great influence, now had their hair sprinkled with white, looking much older overnight. Although the empire had comprehensive welfare, vast lands, and a large sphere of influence, which could support the enjoyment of its citizens, light and darkness were always twins. Even in the most perfect nation, not everyone was wealthy. For a bankrupt family, poverty accompanied their lives.
Li Chencan turned on the TV, a somewhat simple 21-inch color TV was broadcasting the news—
"The Imperial Ancient Poetry Association held a gathering in the capital, with over 300 participants, all well-regarded and accomplished in the industry, most holding the title of First-Class Ancient Literature Researcher. It is reported that this is another grand event in the revival of ancient literature..."
After so long in this world, Li Chencan knew that the Chinese Empire and America, although two superpowers in economics, military, and politics, had awkward cultures, especially the Chinese Empire. American culture was jokingly called a 'hybrid culture,' a mishmash created by Western immigrants. The Chinese Empire, with its 5,000 years of brilliant civilization, had lost much of its cultural heritage after the Opium War due to the people's self-doubt. Many of the empire's citizens had Westernized their lifestyles, making the empire very awkward. Many countries mockingly called China a 'discontinuous culture,' criticizing the Han civilization in the empire as having been broken off after the Yuan and Qing dynasties and the New Culture Movement.
Thus, starting from the previous cabinet, the state began the revival of ancient literature... hoping to help Chinese civilization regain its sense of existence. The score for the Chinese language in the empire was increased from 150 to 200 points, including content on poetry and verse, but the results were not significant...
The doorbell rang, and Li Chencan went to open the door.
At the door stood a middle-aged man in his forties with white hair at his temples. Behind him was a tall and graceful girl, carrying a backpack and with a ponytail. The middle-aged man was Li Chencan's father, Li Chaoyong, and the girl beside him was his sister, Li Yingsnow. They had returned together.
In another world, he also had a sister and father, but in that world, because of violating the JHSY policy, the family had been fined several ten thousand yuan due to Li Yingsnow. In this world, the citizens of the empire could have as many children as they wanted, but with a high level of education, most families had only two children.
"Why are you back so early?" Li Chaoyong frowned, glanced at his handsome and upright son, then sighed and said, "The monthly exam is coming up, you should prepare... " Li Chencan was once the pride of the family, but after the business failure six months ago, his academic performance plummeted, from being in the top five in the grade to the bottom five...
Li Chaoyong was very angry, but it seemed that Li Chencan was not just slacking off; something had happened to him. After much helplessness, Li Chaoyong could only accept this reality and no longer scolded Li Chencan.
The empire had entered its most enlightened and prosperous era, but even so, education was still the best way out for everyone, especially for the Li family, which had fallen into debt and bankruptcy. If they could not find a way out through education, Li Chencan might become a low-level worker, or even get involved in crimes like drugs and guns.
"I will prepare well." Thinking about his now twice as smart brain and his photographic memory, and seeing the white hair on Li Chaoyong's temples, Li Chencan felt a slight pang in his heart: "In the next monthly exam, I will be back in the top five of the grade..."
Li Chaoyong gave him a faint smile, not believing it but not wanting to dampen his son's enthusiasm: "Do your best."
"Old Wang and the others came to collect debts again today." Li Chencan's mother, Yang Yifang, rubbed her eyes after embroidering and looked up at Li Chaoyong: "They lingered in the living room for over an hour, and in the end, they took the refrigerator away."
Li Chaoyong's face turned ashen, as if he wanted to get angry, but then his anger subsided. The Li family now had over two million yuan in debt. Although it was a lot and very frustrating, they had no right to blame these people for coming to collect debts.
"I have let you down." After a long time, Li Chaoyong sat on the sofa, pulling at his hair, and Li Chencan felt a pang in his heart, wanting to say something to comfort him but unable to find the words. Li Yingsnow quickly walked into the room, not greeting anyone, and with her delicate head covered, she secretly cried in the bed.
When the Li family was wealthy, Li Yingsnow was like a princess, with many young ladies around her, living a noble life. But now... she couldn't even afford a piece of clothing. Li Yingsnow couldn't blame her parents, only resent the unfairness of fate for her family.
Li Chencan returned to his room, said nothing, and did not review. He just took out the black notebook and wrote on the paper: "Emperor Hongwu - Chapter 25 - Zhu Di in Waiting."
In the room, the discussion between his parents continued. After careful consideration, Yang Yifang cautiously said, "What if... if it really doesn't work, we ask our elder brother for help? He wouldn't let us die, right?"
"..." Li Chaoyong was silent for a long time, then said, pulling at his hair, "Elder brother's situation isn't good either. You know, to smooth things over with us, he has almost spent all his wealth. Besides, do you want to see Elder Sister's face again?"
Yang Yifang was silent.
Li Chaoyong secretly glanced at Li Chencan's room, making sure he couldn't hear, and then quietly said, "In the past, we always hoped that Little Chencan would get into Yanjing University and bring glory to the family, but now... sigh, we should prepare to send him to a technical college to learn a skill... so he won't have to worry in the future. The tuition is also high... which will make our situation even worse."
Yang Yifang also sighed deeply, how did Little Chencan become like this so suddenly?
In the room, for some reason, Li Chencan, with his much sharper hearing, could hear his parents' conversation, and many things around him were clearly audible. He could even hear his sister's crying from the next room.
Family finances, his academic performance...
Heaven had given him such a great opportunity; in this life, he was determined to become the brightest star.