In the class teacher’s afternoon class, he mentioned the application for the martial science examinations again.

　　The situation of Sun City No.1 High School was not that bad. In the past few years, there were students who were admitted into martial sciences every year. Last year there was a spike in their numbers — five students were admitted.

　　Senior Three (4) was a normal class, but two among the five students who were admitted last year were from normal classes.

　　This made the school leaders, who did not place too much hope on normal classes before, pay extra attention to the application for the martial science examinations.

　　It did not matter if they stood a chance or not, they pushed them to apply first anyways. If they did not apply in the first place, they would not have a single chance.

　　The costly application fee was the first challenge, blocking ninety-nine percent of the hopefuls out.

　　Ten thousand bucks just for an application. Unless they were confident in themselves, they were not willing to shell out just to muck in the waters. Those with better conditions were not counted, of course.

　　That was why only a few responded when the class teacher mentioned this. Only several marginally hopeful students reacted to his reminder.

　　After he finished talking about the application, the class teacher reminded, “Those who want to apply for the martial science examinations, the school will organize a pre-examination answering session next Wednesday afternoon.

　　“This time the school paid a huge sum to invite Wang Jinyang from Nanjiang Martial Arts University back to give a speech to everyone, so all of us must value this opportunity.

　　“Students who are applying for the martial sciences examinations, the school will notify you when the time comes. Remember to dress neatly…”

　　The class teacher reminded them of those points for a while. The gist of it was to exhibit a respectful attitude.

　　This Wang Jinyang from NMAU was only a year-1 university student who graduated from Sun City First High and entered NMAU.

　　However, only this was enough for the teachers in the school to treat this seriously.

　　At that moment, Fang Ping realized the difference between ordinary citizens and martial artists once more.

　　Chen Fan beside him focused his attention on something else. He muttered quietly, “The school has really spent a lot. They would have to pay fifty to sixty thousand at least for his appearance…”

　　Fang Ping’s forehead twitched. He asked, “They still ask for payment although they’re just going back to share their experiences with their juniors?”

　　Chen Fan said with a laugh. “Of course, do you think that it’s easy to invite a martial artist?

　　“Martial science students are much busier than social science students. We still have winter and summer holidays, but they still have to earn money during holidays, and they have to cultivate too.

　　“If you don’t pay, who would advise other people for free?

　　“If Senior Wang doesn’t want the money, the school will pay him nevertheless.

　　“Favors would be exhausted eventually. If the school asks its graduates to give speeches for free every year, it will be fine for a time or two. If they ask for more, the favor those graduates owe the school will wear out.

　　“If they pay him a fee, it’ll be counted as a courtesy. When those seniors become famous, those who are more sentimental will think of the school in the future.”

　　After what Chen Fan explained, Fang Ping finally understood everything.

　　Then he looked at Chen Fan strangely and said, “I didn’t expect you to evaluate this so methodically.”

　　Chen Fan was only a high school student. Fang Ping had neglected some issues due to the difference between worlds, but this guy understood them quite clearly.

　　“This doesn’t amount to anything…”

　　Chen Fan said with a self-effacing smile, shook his head and did not speak more.

　　Fang Ping stopped talking too, mulling everything in his mind instead. Martial artists really earned much more money than ordinary citizens.

　　A Year-1 student returning for an answering session that would last two to three hours at most could already earn a fee of fifty to sixty thousand.

　　Although this could not be treated as everyday work, this sum was more than what his parents earned after working their boots off for a year.

　　…

　　After the class teacher’s period ended, Fang Ping suffered through a few more periods before the school bell finally rang.

　　This was a Saturday, so the school did not arrange a nighttime self-study session.

　　As the Gaokao approached, some students who were preparing for the martial science examinations did not attend the nighttime self-study sessions. They could come and go as they pleased too. The school paid more attention to martial science students than social science students even though there were very few who could pass the exams.

　　He walked out of the school with Chen Fan and a few other classmates he was familiar with. Everyone parted ways in front of the school gates.

　　Fang Ping walked home following the familiar path in his memories.

　　As he walked, Fang Ping started to reconsider. Although this world had many similarities with the one in his memories, there were many inconsistencies too.

　　Would his home during this lifetime be in the same place?

　　If his home still existed, would his parents be different people?

　　As an adult aged thirty mentally, he would not be able to call them Dad and Mom easily if they were not the same people he knew from before.

　　“It should not have changed, should it?” Fang Ping reassured himself not that confidently.

　　His classmates and teachers were the same, so there was no way his parents would change.

　　It would be best if they were still the same people, of course, but it would be nice if his family conditions changed while the people stayed the same. For example, it would be best if Fang Ping reached home to find out that his family was the richest in Sun City!

　　Or if his parents were elite martial artists… That would be even better!

　　Of course, all of it was just a thought.

　　Sensing the world’s unsavory attitude towards him, Fang Ping had no hope that everything would happen as he wished.

　　…

　　Twenty minutes or so later, Fang Ping reached the area his house was in.

　　Lakeview Gardens.

　　The name sounded nice, but it was actually one of the few remaining residential areas in Sun City with a history of over thirty years.

　　When he saw this familiar old area, with its dilapidated, ancient buildings, Fang Ping tossed his wish for his family to be wealthy aside completely.

　　In his memories, Fang Ping resented something for many years.

　　He never got to become a teardown-second-generation ¹ !

　　Rumors saying that Lakeview Gardens would be demolished soon started circulating after the 21st century arrived. There were similar rumors almost every year, but Lakeview Gardens still stood firm in the year 2018.

　　He did not fear returning to his home. A few days before he reincarnated, Fang Ping had returned to Lakeview Gardens to visit his parents.

　　Now his parents were younger, and this was something good, so he did not need to have thoughts that were too complicated.

　　Block 6, Flat 101.

　　Outside the door, Fang Ping did not knock, but instead fished out a set of keys from his pocket and opened the door.

　　After that, a small living room appeared before his eyes.

　　As a residential block aged over 30 years, the rooms were not big — most of the old houses from back then were smaller in size.

　　Although Fang Ping’s house had two bedrooms and a hall, its area was small, at about 60 square meters.

　　Combined with the miscellaneous objects they had acquired during the long time they had lived here, the living room, which was not that big to begin with, seemed even more cramped.

　　Although it was cramped, it was not too messy, as the small living hall was tidied neatly by Fang Ping’s mother.

　　As a unit in an ancient block, it had many shortcomings. Insects and reptiles were easily lured in, the unit was easily humidified, and there were lots of dust. The sound of footsteps could always be heard as other tenants walked up to their units.

　　It had many shortcomings, and the only advantage of this unit was that they could gate themselves a tiny yard.

　　In an old residential area such as Lakeview Gardens, the management was already shut down. Other related departments would not pay too much attention to the area too, so the yard they made would not be demolished for rule-breaking.

　　The Fang family had a yard too. In front of the living hall was a door that could link to the backyard.

　　Their kitchen and washroom were built in the backyard while the original rooms were transformed into a small room, which was the one Fang Ping resided in.

　　Under normal circumstances, there was no need to alter a house with two rooms, but Fang Ping still had a younger sister in middle school. The four of them could not squeeze themselves in this small house without a backyard.

　　Just when he was thinking about her, she appeared.

　　Fang Ping was squatting on the floor to change his shoes. While he was thinking about the house, the voice of his younger sister Fang Yuan boomed from the right side of the living hall.

　　“Fang Ping, you still have the nerve to return!”

　　Fang Yuan’s voice was somewhat sharp, but she was only thirteen years old, so it could not compare to that of an old woman’s no matter how sharp it was.

　　Very quickly, together with the sharp yells infused with fury, a silhouette burst out from the small room.

　　Fang Yuan was not tall, and there was some baby fat still left on her face, making her small face look rounded. She was not scary even when glaring at him; she looked more adorable instead.

　　When he saw Fang Yuan, Fang Ping’s hands itched. He did not ask for the reason of Fang Yuan’s fury or say anything else.

　　He got up without a word, pinched the young girl’s chubby cheeks and pulled them outwards, with a little effort and with familiar ease.

　　Under Fang Yuan’s angry glare directed at him, Fang Ping said with a satisfied face, “I haven’t pinched you for a long time. I finally have the chance to do so!”

　　The round-faced girl had suddenly grown into a V-shaped face in a few years as the chub on her face vanished to who knows where.

　　This was something Fang Ping had always regretted!

　　Only a chubby round face would feel good when he pinched it. How annoying it was when it became V-shaped suddenly!

　　Fang Ping was satisfied while Fang Yuan boiled with fury. She swatted Fang Ping’s evil hands away and said angrily, “Mom, Fang Ping is pinching my face again!”

　　Outside in the yard, Fang Ping’s mother, Li Yuying, was busy in the kitchen. She did not turn around but said with a smile, “Don’t fool around. We’ll eat when your father comes back. I’ve prepared a delicious meal for you all.”

　　“Mom!”

　　Fang Yuan screamed unhappily. Seeing that her mother would not support her, she glared at Fang Ping, annoyed.

　　Then she remembered what she had wanted to say, and so she snapped furiously, “Fang Ping, give me my money back!”

　　“What?”

　　“You’re still acting as if you don’t know! Mom gave us 50 bucks, and we agreed on splitting them into half. Why are there only 5 bucks on my table? Where’s the rest?”

　　Fang Ping’s gaze wandered. Was there something like this?

　　If that was so, then did this mean that the 28 bucks in his pocket all hers except for the money he had spent on lunch?

　　However, Fang Ping was now extremely poor, with only 15 bucks in his pocket. As a man, he could not possibly have an empty pocket without a single penny left.

　　Having no intention to return the money to her, Fang Ping shook his head instantly. “I don’t know. Maybe you spent all of it yourself. You should look for it again.”

　　“Fang Ping!”

　　“Call me Elder Brother.”

　　“Elder brother, your ass, you only know how to bully little girls. Mom, why aren’t you scolding him?”

　　“…”

　　The siblings argued for a while. The young girl, defeated moments later, looked morose.

　　Fang Ping thought the entire thing was funny, but he also felt wistful. The way his life was right then was simply pitiful.

　　He bullied the young girl like that only for this small amount of money.

　　Under Fang Yuan’s skeptical gaze, Fang Ping promised her countless benefits, and the young girl finally forgot that her brother had just tricked twenty bucks out from her.

　　If not for his reluctance to do so, Fang Ping thought that he would be able to trick the remaining five bucks from the girl.

　　After he was finished with Fang Yuan, Fang Ping walked into the kitchen to greet his mother.

　　When he walked out of the kitchen, his mind was mostly filled with the thought, ‘A penny can incapacitate a hero!’

　　He exchanged a few greetings with his mother, and that made Fang Ping remember that his mother only worked half a day in his Senior Three year to look after him and his sister.

　　Her work was not particularly technical, either, and Sun City was not affluent. His mother worked half-days, so her monthly wage was only eight hundred bucks!

　　Which meant a mere ten thousand bucks a year.

　　He had wanted to mention his intention to register for the martial science examinations, but he could not get the words out when he thought of that.

　　Fang Ping kneaded his face and muttered, “It’s true that there has been no instance where I’m not short of money…”