What a ticking time bomb of motherly affection and filial devotion—always on the verge of exploding. (Please keep reading)

There was an unexpected event at noon.

To everyone's surprise, Feng Jiayou took the initiative to introduce her two close friends, Huang Beijia and Zha Jianying, to Cheng Xueming, and the four of them had lunch together.

At the table, there was the usual round of praise for Feng Jiayou and Zha Jianying, extolling their achievements. But even more, everyone was shocked by Cheng Xueming—the husband of Feng Jiayou, who had come from a remote village in northern Shaanxi—studying in the Yanda University library to prepare for next year's college entrance exam. Was he truly determined to attend Yanda and nowhere else?

Seriously?

Who had filled his head with such bold ambitions?

In any case, after learning of the couple’s aspirations, Huang Beijia and Zha Jianying were left dumbfounded, not knowing what to say. All they could do was offer half-hearted encouragements and blessings, assuring them that they would succeed—that next year’s entrance exam would see them admitted to Yanjing University, becoming their juniors.

After lunch, the three girls returned to their dormitory for a nap, while Cheng Xueming stayed hidden away in the library, busy working on his manuscript.

That afternoon, after school, Feng Jiayou was summoned by her mother once again.

“Feng Jiayou, tell me the truth—did someone from your university get their work chosen for the front-page headline of Yanjing Literature? Was it Zha Jianying?”

That day, their chief editor, Liu Xinwu, had personally gone to Yanjing Literature to probe for information. But Editor-in-Chief Li Qingquan kept everything tightly under wraps, refusing to let a single word slip, merely telling them to wait for the end-of-month issue, promising a huge surprise.

This only made Liu Xinwu even more anxious. Upon returning, she sought out Feng Jiayou’s mother, Gu Xueqing, hoping she would use her daughter’s connections to verify the rumor about the manuscript.

From Li Qingquan’s hints, it was clear that such a manuscript existed and that it truly was a new work by a student of Yanjing University.

This left Liu Xinwu even more stunned—was it really a new author? Did Li Qingquan truly dare to promote a newcomer?

“Mom! Where did you hear that Zha Jianying’s manuscript was picked for the headline by Yanjing Literature?” Feng Jiayou was just as bewildered. Why was her mother so obsessed with this particular headline?

“Didn’t you say so yourself yesterday?” her mother retorted, then pressed further, “Besides, Old Liu happened to be at Yanjing Literature today and confirmed that a student from your university got the headline slot!”

“Mom, did I ever say anything about the headline yesterday? I only mentioned that Zha Jianying’s manuscript, which your editorial team rejected, was accepted by Yanjing Literature! As for whether it’s the headline, I genuinely don’t know!”

Feng Jiayou shook her head repeatedly, inwardly anxious—so even their chief editor, Liu Xinwu, had gone to Yanjing Literature to dig for answers? Would Aunt Zhou or Editor-in-Chief Li betray them? After all, they were still waiting for her husband’s future manuscripts!

If they did, with no pen-name protection, who would dare submit to Yanjing Literature in the future?

“Were there any other students whose work was accepted by Yanjing Literature this issue?” her mother pressed on.

“How could I possibly know? There are so many students in the Chinese department, and probably others from different departments as well. Who knows how many submitted to Yanjing Literature, or whose pieces got accepted?” Feng Jiayou put on a troubled face.

“Then help your mother find out. When the next issue of Yanjing Literature comes out, whoever gets the headline will surely become known!”

Indeed, as the debt collector said, with so many students at Yanda, it’s impossible to identify the author without a specific lead. All they could do was wait for the end-of-month issue. If it was the headline, it might not make national waves, but it would certainly cause a stir at their university. Then it would be easy to find out which classmate wrote it.

Old Liu’s plan was, if they couldn’t secure the manuscript, they’d recruit the writer directly—make sure to book their next piece in advance. It was just like that student author in Shanghai who wrote “Scar.” Liu Xinwu had even gone to Shanghai to seek them out, hoping to commission a piece, but to no avail.

But Shanghai was still far from Yanjing, and soliciting work wasn’t so straightforward—there was a sense of helplessness in being unable to reach. However, with this Yanda student right under their noses, if Li Qingquan dared to give them the headline, who’s to say they weren’t about to discover the next “Scar”? They had to put all their efforts into securing that next manuscript.

“Alright, that shouldn’t be a problem!” Feng Jiayou replied vaguely.

“What do you mean, ‘shouldn’t be a problem’? I want you to find this person for me—otherwise, don’t expect your own manuscripts to get accepted or any increase in your payment!” Seeing her daughter’s evasive answers, her mother was instantly displeased.

“No problem, Mom. As long as it’s a Yanda student, I promise I’ll find them for you!” Feng Jiayou nodded quickly, but in her heart she thought, “A Yanda student? It’s just your country bumpkin son-in-law!”

So if it turned out not to be a Yanda student, her own mother couldn’t blame her for not being able to find the person!

“That’s more like it!” Her mother finally nodded in satisfaction, reminding her again, “You’re a generation whose youth was delayed. Now that you have such a good era, don’t waste your days dawdling—read more, write more, make up for what you missed out on!”

“I know, I know! You just want me to hurry up and write another manuscript, right? Don’t worry, Mom, I already found inspiration and started writing last night. I’ll give it to you to review soon!”

Feng Jiayou rolled her eyes—she’d never seen anyone so eager for manuscripts. She wasn’t even a famous writer!

It was fortunate her mother didn’t know her country bumpkin son-in-law’s true ability, otherwise she’d be hounding him for drafts twenty-four hours a day, treating him like a beast of burden rather than a son-in-law.

“As long as you’re writing, that’s good. But don’t rush it. Good writing takes time to polish. I’m not asking you to produce something next month, but surely you can finish another piece before the New Year?”

Hearing her daughter had already started writing, her mother was both surprised and pleased, but also worried she might rush and compromise quality. She couldn’t help but offer some advice.

“Got it, got it. Is dinner ready, Mom? I’m starving!” With an appetite for two, Feng Jiayou digested quickly and was indeed famished.

“Almost! Go to the kitchen and have some egg and meat soup to tide you over. Dinner will be ready soon!” Though annoyed, her mother was also doting. Because Feng Jiayou finished school early, she’d hardly ever missed a nutritious meal.

“Hehe, you really are the best, Mom! When I earn some more from writing, I’ll buy you new leather shoes for the New Year!”

Feng Jiayou teased playfully.

“Enough! If you’d just give me less trouble, that would be the best gift!” Her mother rolled her eyes, but her smile was full of affection.

What a lovely scene of maternal kindness and filial piety!

Meanwhile, Cheng Xueming, hiding in the other room, didn’t dare make a sound. His mother-in-law was now investigating the headline story at Yanjing Literature! And she was sending her daughter—her own rebellious, filial child—to do the digging!

All Cheng Xueming could think was: amazing. He couldn’t imagine how Feng Jiayou would explain things to her mother, or what she’d do when the truth inevitably came out. Would there still be such a harmonious mother-daughter scene in the courtyard?

Time quickly passed to the weekend, the Saturday and Sunday when the transfer exam for Yanda High School’s repeaters’ class took place.

This time, Feng Jiayou’s mother didn’t take leave to accompany them—it was Feng Jiayou and her sister Feng Jiamei who escorted Cheng Xueming and their second sister-in-law, Sun Juan, the two exam candidates.

On the way, everyone was full of confidence.

But when they arrived at the school and saw at least five or six hundred people there for the exam, Sun Juan’s courage failed her on the spot.

She knew Yanda High School’s repeaters’ class would only accept fifty students this year. Faced with so many candidates and fierce competition, she, already a mediocre student, lost hope before the exam had even begun and wanted to give up. Had she known there would be such a crowd, she would have stayed home to prepare and not joined in this commotion.

As for Cheng Xueming?

Though surprised by the numbers, with his ability, he was undaunted—it was nothing more than a formality to him.

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