Even after such a heartfelt speech from his Chemistry, Tian Hong Yu had thought to himself that even that was not heartfelt enough to warrant him slacking off during school. He laughed; it was like a joke to him.
A couple of months passed, and Tian Hong Yu still kept this attitude of "as long as it doesn't affect me, I don't care." However, the Gaokao national college examinations (1) were coming up and Tian Hong Yu started taking his classes slightly more seriously.
"Xiao (2) Hong, you really need to work harder at school during this period. You do know how important the Gaokao examinations are! Growing up I never asked much of you ever, but this time around, I am asking you to work a bit harder and focus up at school and get a good grade. at the exam" his mother Mei Huang Hua had said.
"If you do receive an excellent grade, you could go to any school you want! This will make your future so much easier! Trust in your mother. However, your mother, I, knows that you are not interested in these things but once you come out of university with a good degree and get a high-paying job and become a well-respected citizen of this community. You can live a good life that way your mother when she grows old and weak, has something to brag about to her friends about""
"I understand mother." Tian Hong Yu had replied "I will work harder, I promise."
. Although usually when his parents and teachers talk about studying harder for exams, he would sigh and agree half-heartedly on everything so he would get out of the situation faster, this time the realization of the severity of the examinations had sunk in.
Even if he does not care about school. He at least should get a decent grade so as not to embarrass his mother.
With newfound inspiration and willingness to do good in his exams, he studied a bit harder for his exams.
Although that inspiration and willingness soon died...
"Tian Hong Yu, I am really glad you got back on your feet the last few months leading to the examinations. You understand the severity of this exam, and the outcome dictates your future" His language teacher had said.
Many of his teachers had noticed Tian Hong Yu's new attitude and was glad of such changes, even if it was a little bit.
Although he did study, he still did not do it particularly hard or long per day. At most it would be a good hour and a half before he indulged himself again in his favourite things to do in the world: watching tv series, reading books, or playing some video games.
However sure enough, the week leading to the exams came.
Then it was suddenly the day before the exam...!
Then it was the day of the exam!!!
Tian Hong Yu was surprisingly slightly excited about the exam, it gave him adrenaline even just thinking about such an important exam and finally being able to graduate from this dreaded school.
And sure enough, Tian Hong Yu had passed the exam with just above average grades, which he was only all right, but he did not care
The following years of Tian Hong Yu went in a blur. One moment he was at the graduation ceremony for those who passed and in another, he was graduating from university and receiving his software engineering degree. He had given a minimal amount of effort in order to pass (which means he had barely a passing score, his scores were not really that good, but hey presto he passed).
After some years, he then went on to work at some game-making company that demanded too much work from Tian Hong Yu every day, he was always so exhausted at the end of the 12-hour shifts every day with almost little to no breaks in between.
He really was a corporate slave! He reviewed his life and thought about how it got up to this point...
Right now, he really wished he had worked a bit harder during his school years and gotten a better paying job with better working hours that did not suck the living soul out of you.
One day he was walking home from said 12-hour shifts (with another extra hour to finish the massive workload that his employer had given him) and on the way back home, he was massaging his sore shoulders and biceps. His eyes wandered around while he made himself comfortable when he saw a speeding truck almost hit a girl walking towards the other side of the street!
The girl had no chance to escape such a predicament, she closed her eyes and screamed. Her legs locked in place by fear itself.
It all looked too late before a young man had pushed her out of the way. This had left him almost face to face with the truck head on. This guy was willing to exchange his life for the girl's!
Tian Hong Yu opened his mouth in amazement, he could not believe his eyes!
The young man had not been hit by the truck, (The truck had managed to stop in time, phew) But being so close to a speeding truck had traumatised the young man so much that he had wet himself and died of a heart attack soon on the spot!
The girl had called in medics, but due to a traffic jam currently happening close to the hospital the girl called at the time, the young man had not been able to receive treatment in time and died.
Wait hold on-, where have I seen this plot before? Tian Hong Yu thought to himself.
Tian Hong Yu knows he saw this kind of situation somewhere before ,but at this moment he was unable to pinpoint where or what he saw it in.
However, what he was sure about in this moment was that...
He really had the urge to say: "Truck-Kun?!? (3) "
For some absurd reason, he was barely able to hold himself back from saying it!
Was this some kind of weird foreshadowing?..
Tian Hong Yu snapped out of it had left the scene once everything was under control.
What a weird day...
This was way too much stress for one man!!! He really needed a break...
However, he was unsure how he would receive one from his evil corporate manager. The employees under him all suffer! How is this not against the rights of workers! How is this legal!?
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Author's notes to help you understand:
(1): [Goakao]: Goakao national college examinations are really important in China, it dictates what kind of university you could attend and if you could achieve higher education. Many students study extremely hard for this exam. It is really important and important thing in China.
(2) [Xiao]: People in China commonly use the word 'Xiao' as a nickname for close friends and family Infront of their actual names to show affection and friendship. 'Xiao' means small or young
(3) [Truck-Kun]: Truck-Kun, also known as Truck-Sama and Truck-Chan, is a nickname given to trucks involved in fatal accidents in various anime and manga stories.