Chapter 360: Becoming Successful

On June 9th, Li Mengran sat in a wicker chair on the balcony, sipping watermelon juice and working on calculations. Although it was scorching outside, the house remained cool and comfortable.

After several attempts at calculating, Li Mengran put down her pen, frowning. Aunt Wu, the family maid, brought over some sliced oranges and said, “Ranran, have some fruit.”

Although Aunt Wu was a maid, she had been with the Li family for many years, and Li Mengran was very fond of her. Using a coquettish tone, she said, “Aunt Wu, no matter how I estimate, I’m only getting around 630 points. I definitely won’t get into Peking University!”

“Sweetie, 630 points should be more than enough for a first-tier university. You’ve done your best. If you can’t get into Peking University, so be it. It’s worrisome for a girl to go to such a faraway place for college anyway.”

Li Mengran forced a smile.

Her phone buzzed with messages from classmates inviting her out, but due to her strict upbringing, she couldn’t go out without her father’s permission. Regretfully, she declined their invitations.

Now free from studying, she wanted to relax. She took out her tablet to watch a movie. Halfway through, her father came home, and she hurriedly hid the tablet.

Her father walked in, draped his suit jacket over a chair, unbuttoned his shirt collar with his fingers, and downed a glass of water. Li Mengran watched him nervously.

After putting down the glass, her father sat on the sofa and pulled her close, “I took half a day off. It’s boiling outside. If you went out, you’d be scorched. So, how many points did you estimate?”

“Six… six hundred and thirty.”

“What!? Let me see.”

Trembling, Li Mengran handed him her calculations. He looked at them, his hand shaking. The room was oppressively silent. He counted the points himself, his face growing darker.

With a loud slap, he threw the paper on the table and glared at her. Li Mengran clasped her hands and shrank back, swallowing hard.

“Don’t even fill out your college application. With that score, it’s hopeless. I’ll find you a good cram school. You start classes tomorrow.”

“But I… I don’t want to retake the year.”

“You don’t want to? Do you think I want to? A whole year of senior high school costs a fortune! And this is what you achieve? Who are you letting down?” He kept tapping the paper, as if it were an embarrassing photo.

“Ranran did well. Her score is more than enough for a top-tier university. She’s always been in the top ten of her school,” Aunt Wu interjected.

“Stay out of this!” her father roared, then turned back to Li Mengran. “I work hard to make money, provide for you, create a comfortable environment. Look at those top scorers from poor rural areas. Do they have your conditions? Why did you score so low?”

Every word made Li Mengran flinch. She said, “I understand all the topics. There were no major mistakes.”

“A little here, a little there. You know why? You didn’t study thoroughly enough. You didn’t digest the knowledge completely. You have potential, lots of it!”

“But I don’t want to retake the year or go to Peking University. Can’t I just go to a regular university?”

“No!!!” her father shouted. “You are my daughter. You must go to Peking University. I missed it by two points. I’ve pinned my hopes on you for nineteen years. Why can’t you try harder for one more year? Do you think I’m raising you to support me? I do this for you, so you won’t have to struggle like me.”

“Mr. Li, please stop,” Aunt Wu said weakly.

Li Mengran thought of the hellish year of senior high school and started crying. Her father, seeing her tears, softened a bit. He stood up and beckoned, “Come here.”

He took her to the balcony and pointed outside, “What do you see?”

Li Mengran, still sobbing, couldn’t answer.

“What do you see?” he shook her and urged.

“Buildings,” she choked out.

“Yes, high-rise buildings. Why? Because you stand high. Look at those people below, sweating under the sun, selling goods, sweeping streets, driving taxis. What can they see? Trash, dirt, noisy traffic and crowds. They’re at the bottom! The higher you stand, the farther you see. When you’re at the top, you overlook everyone… Do you want to stay at the bottom or stand at the top?”

She had heard this speech countless times. Crying, she stayed silent.

Her father continued, “The college entrance exam is like the first time you climb a building. Some reach the tenth floor, some the twentieth. Those who give up stay at the bottom forever. Life has more climbs. If you keep falling behind, you’ll be left far behind. Do you understand? Without giving your all, you can never be truly successful!”

“I don’t want to be truly successful,” she cried.

He patted her shoulder, “You’ll understand when you’re older. I push you so you won’t regret not studying hard.”

He pulled out his phone and called a tutoring center, “Hello, Mr. Liu? My daughter didn’t score well. I want her to take summer classes…”

Li Mengran knocked his hand away, sending the phone flying. She screamed, “I don’t want to retake the year. I want to go to college! Your regret isn’t mine. Don’t force it on me! I’m not your replacement for your dreams!”

“You’re out of line!” he shouted, slapping her.

Holding her face, Li Mengran glared at him, “I don’t want to be your daughter anymore. Find someone else!” She grabbed her phone and stormed out, ignoring his shouts to stop.

Aunt Wu held him back, “Mr. Li, let me bring Ranran back. You calm down.”

He looked at his aching hand, regretting hitting her for the first time in nearly ten years. He slumped on the sofa, holding his head, “Why can’t they understand our intentions!”

Li Mengran didn’t return that evening. Her phone was off. Aunt Wu went out several times to look for her. Mr. Li called other parents and relatives, pacing anxiously at home.

At 1 a.m., Aunt Wu returned, out of breath, and suddenly screamed, “Mr. Li! Mr. Li!”

He rushed out to find her pointing in horror. He slowly turned and saw a black plastic bag hanging from the doorknob, blood dripping from it.

Trembling, he opened the bag. When he saw what was inside, his heartbeat, breathing, and consciousness seemed to stop…