Yang Wei and Yang Wei's partner couldn't do anything about it and had to comply with the contract, but Xia Ping had no interest in watching because it was very late and he needed to go home to eat.
He went home, and as soon as Xia Ping arrived, the strong aroma of meat greeted his nose — even the cells of his whole body longed for it, and he couldn't help swallowing his saliva.
"Mother, what did you cook today that smells so good?" Xia Ping asked with big eyes.
A slightly chubby middle‑aged woman wearing an apron leaned forward — she was Xia Ping's mother, Huang Lanxin — and she smiled slightly: "This is Fire Bear Beast meat that I just bought. Today you're lucky to have something good to eat."
"Fire Bear Beast meat? We got rich today? How did you buy this?" Xia Ping stared wide‑eyed, knowing that the Fire Bear Beast was a famous powerful monster on Yanhuang Star, very difficult to capture, impervious to blades and bullets — ordinary firearms couldn't kill it.
However, this meat was extremely precious, containing massive life energy. Making it into soup and consuming it could improve one's physique and even strengthen the True Qi inside the body, increasing strength — not inferior to major medicinal pills, far better than Earth's ginseng and deer antler.
But the price was also very expensive — six hundred federation coins per catty. It was a luxury item ordinary people couldn't afford, only eaten on holidays occasionally.
"If we didn't get rich, we couldn't buy it, but we should indulge once in a while. If you earn money and don't spend it, are you going to take it into the coffin?" Xia Ping's father Xia Chuanliu, sitting in the living room, coughed and said in a very natural way.
Xia Ping was speechless. He remembered that his father, Xia Chuanliu, was a civil servant working in the City Administration Bureau, responsible for managing small traders and street peddlers — basically city management. With his position, his monthly salary plus benefits came to five to six thousand federation coins.
But his mother earned about three thousand federation coins a month selling snacks from a street stall. It seemed like the family income was over ten thousand federation coins.
The problem was that this house was bought with a loan, with a thirty‑year term, so every month they also had to repay three thousand federation coins, plus living expenses and Xia Ping's tuition fees — it was a bit tight.
When it came time to eat the Fire Bear Beast meat, which wasn't a holiday, his mother still couldn't bear to hold back.
"Alright, enough talking. Come eat." Mother Huang Lanxin hurriedly served dish after dish, filling the table with five dishes and one soup — dazzling, fragrant, and very sumptuous.
Seeing such a feast, Xia Ping's heart thumped. This was completely like a Feast at Hongmen. His usually stingy father, who usually wouldn't even give up a cigarette butt, was being unusually generous.
"Father, does our family owe someone a loan shark? After this final dinner, are you planning to pack and run away? Just tell me the truth. I can handle it." Xia Ping's face was very serious as he stared at his father.
He sighed emotionally — this day had finally come. He knew his father's character well. His father liked to gamble a bit, and he always thought that this behavior would lead to trouble sooner or later. He didn't expect it to actually happen.
His father Xia Chuanliu's nose bent angrily as he asked, "Son, what is this expression you're giving me? What do you mean owing a loan shark or planning to run away? Do you think I am that kind of person?"
Xia Ping blinked his eyes: "We don't owe a loan shark?"
"Of course not," his father said proudly. "After all, I am a civil servant with status. My ideological awareness is higher than the average person — how could I be addicted to gambling? Of course, the occasional small gamble can cultivate temperament. There's that saying: A small gamble for joy, a big gamble to get rich, rotten gambling turns to smoke and ashes."
Xia Ping was still a bit suspicious: "So what exactly is the reason for this meal?"
Seeing his son's suspicion, Xia Chuanliu's complexion grew a bit awkward. He coughed and said, "It's nothing really. To be frank with you — your school should have started the admissions discussion today. You're probably going to fill out your university application. Do you have any plans for the future?"
His eyes shone brightly as he looked at Xia Ping.
"I plan to take the university entrance exam," Xia Ping replied casually.
Mother Huang Lanxin cried out in alarm, "You — you plan to take the university entrance exam?!"
"Son, is that for real?! You actually have that idea?" Father Xia Chuanliu looked panic‑stricken as he stared at Xia Ping.
Xia Ping's mouth twitched — typically parents would be very happy to hear their son wanted to take the university entrance exam. Why did these two act as if they had seen a ghost?
"I really have that idea," Xia Ping said honestly.
"Son, that idea is wrong — it departs from tradition and betrays principle!" Xia Chuanliu lamented. "What's good about taking university? After four years of study, when you graduate, you'll only earn three to four thousand federation coins a month. If you're unlucky, you'll get a ruthless boss, no benefits, and you still have to pay four years of tuition — that's not a small number."
"Father, I've thought this through — after graduating high school, I can come out and work, enter a government department, just like you, and work at your City Administration Bureau."
"Don't look at my low‑key expression," Xia Chuanliu continued proudly, "I've worked there for twenty years and have some connections. I play mahjong with the Minister sometimes, and when the time comes, with a few cigarettes as bribes, you could enter the bureau through the back door. Then you and your father can walk the streets together, contributing to city management by driving away street vendors, becoming the city's heroes."
He said this with immense pride and a face full of hope.
Xia Ping's mouth twitched speechlessly as he said, "Father, I still want to take the university entrance exam."
"You! Rotten wood cannot be carved!" Xia Chuanliu glared wide‑eyed, showing the frustration of someone who couldn't shape up.
"Alright, don't mention this now. Hurry and eat. There's still a while before you graduate from high school. You can think about this slowly." Seeing the atmosphere getting a bit stiff, Mother Huang Lanxin quickly intervened.
"Okay."
Upon hearing this, Xia Chuanliu didn't continue to speak.
Within half an hour, after finishing dinner, Xia Ping went back to his bedroom to rest. In the living room, only Huang Lanxin and Xia Chuanliu remained.
"Chuanliu, it seems like our son doesn't agree with your path," Huang Lanxin said as she looked at her husband.
Xia Chuanliu waved his hand and didn't care at all. "This is just the youthful rebellion period. I was young too, and I understand. But in reality, his performance is average. After the college entrance exam results come out, he'll see how wise and mighty his father is. Then he'll happily agree."
Huang Lanxin nodded — she knew their son's results were ordinary, and getting into a third‑class university would be difficult. If he performed poorly, he might even fail the admission exam.