"I'm full. You eat this egg yourself. You need to supplement your nutrition," Chen Yang said, peeling a boiled egg and placing it near Shen Xue's mouth. Shen Xue's appetite had grown considerably, and thankfully, the dairy cow they had bought earlier was producing a good amount of milk.
Fresh milk was now a significant source of nutrition for the entire family. Chen Yang had even bought a fine mesh cloth specifically for filtering the milk. After filtering, the milk needed to be boiled for sterilization. Chen Yang had learned this the hard way, almost suffering from an upset stomach before consulting with Wang Jianguo, who then sought advice from a dairy farm worker. He discovered that raw milk could not be consumed directly.
He couldn't help but think that in his previous life, the butler had always prepared milk for him, and he never had to worry about raising a cow or the intricacies of milk consumption.
"I've eaten. This was specially saved for you. You have an exam today, and you need to be well-nourished," Shen Xue replied. "Teacher Liu specially applied to the principal for you, and they've printed an extra exam paper so you can take it with Er Ni and Pan Di."
Chen Yang had been studying for over two months using notes from his younger sister and textbooks and practice problems copied by Shen Rong and Shen Pandi. With the college entrance examination less than two months away, Liuhe County No. 1 High School was already conducting its first round of mock exams.
Chen Yang had learned about this when he accompanied his father-in-law to deliver food to his sister-in-law. Despite his two lifetimes of experience and confidence in his abilities, he still felt a bit uncertain. For the liberal arts exam, much of it relied on memorizing knowledge points and an individual's comprehension of certain subjects. In this regard, Chen Yang felt he had an advantage.
His greatest advantage was undoubtedly English, given his years of studying abroad and constant use in business, ensuring he hadn't fallen behind. Unfortunately, most ordinary universities did not count English scores in the total exam score. Even for key universities, English accounted for only ten percent of the overall grade.
Huadong University of Finance and Economics wasn't considered a top-tier institution, so Chen Yang couldn't leverage his English proficiency for extra points. This situation was precisely why he wanted to participate in the mock test organized by Qinghe County No. 1 High School. Seeing his results would help him gauge his progress and understand his standing.
He wasn't necessarily aiming for a perfect score, but he definitely wanted to get into Huadong University of Finance and Economics. For him, even attending a prestigious university would offer little practical benefit, given his prior knowledge. After all, he couldn't easily identify future leaders from a crowd.
However, at Huadong University of Finance and Economics, he knew who would become industry leaders, who would rise to prominence in politics, and who would become key figures in leadership roles. Building relationships with these individuals would pave the way for his future career development. While wealth might not attract attention in the early stages, as the 21st century dawned and the economy rapidly developed with the rise of the internet, Chen Yang's assets would skyrocket. In such a scenario, it would be impossible to remain hidden. Without a strong network of influential supporters, this would be a dangerous situation. Furthermore, having future high-ranking classmates as allies might even provide him with opportunities to connect with even more senior officials. This highlighted the importance of resources.
Of course, Chen Yang would eventually have opportunities to interact with higher-ranking officials in his future endeavors. However, without an introduction, it would be difficult for them to consider him one of their own. In times of trouble, they might be the first to distance themselves.
"Alright, alright, don't worry. It's just an exam. I haven't been studying at home for nothing," Chen Yang reassured Shen Xue. Although he felt some apprehension, he wanted to maintain a strong front for his wife.
"I believe in you. You'll be the best," Shen Xue said. "Yanyan, Haohao, cheer for Daddy!"
Shen Xue called out to the two little ones, and the children, Chen Yan and Chen Hao, toddled over and hugged Chen Yang's legs. "Daddy, you can do it!" the little ones chirped, their milky breaths and smudged faces leaving traces on Chen Yang's pants.
Drinking milk every morning had become a habit for the children. While people in the future would consider milk consumption for calcium commonplace, in this era, it was unlikely any parents other than Chen Yang provided their children with fresh milk daily.
"You two be good and listen to Mommy while I'm gone. Don't cause trouble, understand?" Chen Yang said, holding and kissing each of his children. After setting them down, he hitched up the donkey cart and headed to the county town. Upon arrival, he went directly to Liuhe County No. 1 Middle School. After speaking with the gatekeeper, Liu Shiyun came to escort him inside.
Since it was just a school-organized test, Liu Shiyun was able to arrange for an extra desk and exam paper for Chen Yang. Other teachers would help grade the extra paper. Most teachers were sympathetic towards the educated youths who wished to take the college entrance examination. Of course, Chen Yang's situation was unique; most teachers would likely ignore educated youths who abandoned their families for the sake of the exam.
When Chen Yang arrived, students were already seated in the classroom, and the exam was scheduled to begin soon. In those days, without surveillance cameras, exam discipline depended entirely on the strictness of the proctors. However, as this was not the actual college entrance examination, most students weren't inclined to cheat. Many were simply testing their current knowledge base. Liu Shiyun had arranged for Chen Yang's desk to be placed near the lecture podium. As the rest of the classroom was occupied by students during regular classes, Chen Yang had to make do with a desk at the front. He didn't mind, as he wasn't a regular student and was grateful for a place to take the test.
"Alright, students, we will now begin distributing the exam papers. Please refrain from talking to each other and focus on your test," Liu Shiyun announced. "The questions on this paper are similar to those from the college entrance examinations of the past two years since the resumption of the Gaokao. This is a fairly close approximation of the actual exam. Please answer diligently, manage your time, and assess your recent learning progress."
Around nine o'clock, Liu Shiyun began handing out the papers. The timing mimicked the actual Gaokao, and despite the rudimentary conditions, the teachers were making every effort to simulate the exam environment for the students. Every teacher wished for their students to succeed and gain admission to a good university. Both students and teachers were striving for success.