Atlas of Heaven and Man

Around two o'clock in the afternoon, not long after Chen Chuan returned from a meal, a familiar knock came from outside the dormitory door. He went to open it and saw Cheng Zitong standing there with a beaming smile.

How should I put it? It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was radiant; his face was practically glowing.

Chen Chuan's heart stirred slightly. He called out, "Teacher," and welcomed him inside.

Cheng Zitong, carrying his briefcase, walked inside, smiling broadly. "Xiao Chuan, I came here today specifically to tell you that your application to go to Central City has been approved by the main academy."

Even though Chen Chuan had been mentally prepared, he still felt an irrepressible surge of joy upon hearing the news.

Cheng Zitong smiled and said, "I wanted to notify you the moment I received this news this morning, but you happened to be out for lunch, so I've been waiting for you to return."

Chen Chuan said sincerely, "You've really gone to a lot of trouble, Teacher."

"No trouble at all. How could I not have a few extra bowls of rice with such good news? I just came from the cafeteria."

Cheng Zitong patted his rounded belly, sat down on the sofa, and took the form out of his briefcase, handing it to Chen Chuan. "Here, take a look."

Chen Chuan took the form. The content read: "After verification by the Wuyi Main Academy and the Processing Bureau, this student meets all the requirements for admission. Therefore, he is hereby approved to study at the Main Academy. This approval is effective from the date the student receives the notification."

Below were the seals of the Wuyi Main Academy, the Processing Bureau, and the Review Committee, along with the signatures of the relevant personnel—a long list of more than a dozen names.

It was just a light piece of paper, but for so many years, it had kept the vast majority of students outside Central City, making it something they could only dream of.

Now, he held it in his hands, grasping the turning point of his destiny.

After reading it twice, he looked up and said, "Teacher, it says it's effective from the date I receive the notification, which means I can go to Central City now?"

Cheng Zitong nodded and said, "That's right. Once you have the notification, you can go to Central City at any time. However, this semester is already coming to an end, and there are many things to do at the end of the year, both here and in Central City. Going now would be a bit rushed.

Cheng Zitong smiled again and took out a stack of tickets from his briefcase, placing them on the table. "These are tickets for this year's Academy Arena Competition. I specifically saved them for you."

Chen Chuan didn't stand on ceremony and said, "Thank you, Teacher."

"Alright, you go back to what you were doing. I'll be going now. It's almost the end of the year, and I have a mountain of things to do. I was so happy today that I left them all untouched."

Cheng Zitong put on his decorative glasses and got up to leave, humming a tune with light steps, indicating he was genuinely happy today.

After seeing him off, Chen Chuan returned, picked up the notification form, and felt that he should share the news with his family as soon as possible. After thinking for a moment, he went to the closet and took out the rarely used shoulder bag, placing the notification form inside.

Then, he changed his clothes, slung the bag over his shoulder, and came down from the dormitory building. Although there was a slight chill in the winter month, the sunlight was bright and dazzling, warming the body.

He retrieved his bicycle from the bike shed, hopped on, and rode back home. As he left the campus, his students greeted him, and he responded to each of them. After leaving the school, he sped up and rode home in one breath.

He parked his bike in the yard and walked into the room. The family was all there on their day off. Nian Fuli was playing the radio, tapping his fingers to the rhythm, listening to the opera with his head swaying. His younger cousins were building blocks, while Yu Wan sat to the side knitting a sweater. Seeing him come in, she said happily, "Chuan'er, you're back. Have you eaten yet?"

Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Aunt, I've already eaten."

Yu Wan smiled and said, "Is everything alright at school? If there's nothing on tonight, stay home for dinner."

Chen Chuan said, "Okay."

Yu Wan continued knitting.

"Aunt," Chen Chuan called softly.

Yu Wan looked up.

Chen Chuan then looked at Nian Fuli and said, "Uncle." He took off his shoulder bag, walked a few steps, and placed it on the table. Nian Fuli, seeing this, subconsciously turned down the volume of the radio.

Chen Chuan took out the notification form and handed it to Yu Wan. "Aunt, this is the admission notice from the Wuyi Main Academy in Central City. I'll be going to the Main Academy in Central City to study next."

"Central City…"

Yu Wan was initially somewhat dazed, but then she seemed to realize something. Her hands hurriedly went to take the notification form, but halfway there, she wiped them on her apron before carefully taking it.

When she saw the line of text on the notification form, she felt a mixture of heartfelt joy and a sense of loss, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Nian Fuli stood up at this moment, came to Yu Wan's side, and put his arm around her shoulder. He glanced at the notification form, looked up, and said, "Central City…"

He chuckled and said, "When I was in the army, the company commander always told me that his biggest wish before joining the army was to go to Central City and see the world. Chuan, you getting into Wu University was like having a gold brick in your pocket, but now you're going to Central City, that's like using a gold brick as a stepping stone." He tightened his grip on Yu Wan's shoulder. "Yu Wan, the child has made something of himself. You should be happy."

Yu Wan wiped away her tears. "Yes, I should be happy. Chuan'er, what do you want to eat? Aunt will make it for you."

Chen Chuan smiled. "I've eaten a lot of good food at school and outside, but what I like to eat most is still the chicken soup you make, Aunt."

"Alright…" Yu Wan stood up, wiping the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. "Aunt will go make it for you now."

Nian Fuli then said, "Whenever it's a day off, whether you come back or not, your aunt always buys a chicken to stew."

Chen Chuan nodded. He then took the tickets that Cheng Zitong had given him out of his bag and handed them over. "Uncle, these are tickets for this year's Arena Competition."

"Good stuff."

Nian Fuli took them. Even though he was a team leader, he couldn't get his hands on these. It was a pity that he had been promoted, making it difficult to show off to Wei Laohu.

Chen Chuan looked at his younger cousins and said, "Let's go, your cousin will take you out to play today."

"Ooh, ooh, ooh..."

The two little ones didn't quite understand what was said earlier, but when they heard this, they cheered and ran to Chen Chuan, grabbing his trouser legs and looking at Nian Fuli expectantly.

Nian Fuli waved his hand and said, "Go play, go play with your cousin."

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, let's go play..."

Chen Chuan bent down and hugged them, went over to open the door, and protected the two little ones as they walked outside.

Nian Fuli followed and came out, watching Chen Chuan lead the two bouncing little ones out of the yard. Yu Wan also walked out at this time, standing there watching as well.

Nian Fuli then said, "When we brought Xiao Chuan back then, he was about the same age as Xiao Lu and Xiao Mo, wasn't he?"

"Yes, he was so small back then."

Nian Fuli thought for a while and said, "Xiao Chuan was young back then, how long has it been? It feels like in the blink of an eye, it's time for him to spread his wings and fly high."

"I remember my second sister, she also went very far away back then. I hope Xiao Chuan doesn't follow the same path as my second sister."

Nian Fuli said, "Xiao Chuan is different. This child has his own ideas."

Yu Wan hummed in agreement. She looked at the swaying branches outside the yard, hugged her arms, and said absentmindedly, "When I was little, my mother told me that in the eyes of adults, children are like kites in the sky, watching them fly into the sky, but the string in their hands can never be let go."

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Nian Fuli turned around to block the wind, repeatedly gesturing inward with his hand, and said, "Alright, let's go back inside. It's cold outside, don't just stand there. The children are grown, and each of them will have their own way of life. You don't need to worry too much."

Chen Chuan took the two little ones to a nearby children's playground and played with them for an afternoon, then took them to buy a lot of snacks.

When they came out, Nian Mo licked the candied hawthorn in his hand and looked up and said, "Cousin, are you going on a long trip? Will you not be back for a long time?"

Chen Chuan smiled and said, "You even know that?"

"Qian'er was like this when he went on a long trip. He took us to play for a long time, but he hasn't come back for a long time."

Nian Lu corrected, "You have to call him brother. Mom said not to be rude."

"I won't call him if he doesn't give me good food. I'll call him if he gives me good food."

Chen Chuan smiled. This kid was really practical. He looked at the sky and saw that it was already late, so he took his younger cousins back home. Before dinner, he asked Yu Wan, "Aunt, is my older cousin coming back this year?"

Aunt said, "I don't know. In previous years, the telegram would come at this time, but it hasn't come this year. This child is so unreliable. Old Nian, why don't you send a telegram to urge him?"

Nian Fuli said, "I won't urge him. I don't care about him. This year, our family will still celebrate the New Year together as usual."

Chen Chuan smiled inwardly, knowing that Nian Fuli was just putting on a brave face and was probably sending telegrams and waiting for telegrams every day.

After dinner, he slept there for one night, and returned to school early the next morning. Since the matter of going to Central City had been decided, there was no need to think too much about it. He would make good use of this time to improve himself as much as possible and prepare to go to Central City.

Just one day later, the school's admissions office posted the list of students admitted to the Central City General Hospital this year at the school gate.

In the past, those who could go to the General Hospital were all recommended students and had nothing to do with the ordinary students around them. But this time it was different. The name on the list was: "Chen Chuan, second-year student, Grade A student, of the Wuyi Academy."

This incident immediately caused a sensation inside and outside the academy, because for a long time, no students other than recommended students had entered the Central City General Hospital.

Whether they were Grade A or Grade B students, they had long defaulted that this matter was exclusive to recommended students and had nothing to do with them. Even they themselves had long given up the idea.

But after Chen Chuan's name appeared on it, everyone could feel that, it seemed that from this moment on, everything was different. The waves caused by this incident even caused some students who had just graduated, or who had graduated for several years, to return to the school to watch.

Tai Dongwei stood under the notice in the window, looking at the name and the seal on it, "I really didn't expect it. What do you think, will students like us be able to go to Central City in the future?"

Deng Fu next to him said, "Us? You and I have already graduated, so there's no chance. But Geng, junior brother, may still have a chance. In any case, he also has an unlimited defense certificate. Few people in the same grade are more outstanding than him. The opportunity is great, but we joined the Mutual Aid Society, which is a demerit."

Geng Zheng thought for a while and said firmly, "I want to go."

His family's treatment still depended on the medicine from Central City. Now that the Mutual Aid Society's route was cut off, although some could be bought on the black market, to solve this matter, he had to go to Central City.

Tai Dongwei looked at the notice and said unconsciously, "I really envy Junior Brother Chen."

Deng Fu said leisurely, "Don't envy him. You can't get it by envying him. He earned it himself. If you can kill the Mutual Aid Society once, and then overturn the Molan Company, then you can also go to Central City."

Tai Dongwei said in surprise, "I know about the Mutual Aid Society, but the Molan Company... wasn't that done by the higher-ups?"

Deng Fu said meaningfully, "Do you really think it has nothing to do with Junior Brother Chen? Let me put it this way, this Junior Brother Chen dared to go to the Judgment Court and face so many powerful families involved with the Molan Company. Could he not have any support? Think about it."

Tai Dongwei and Geng Zheng were both stunned and thought carefully, feeling that there seemed to be some truth to it.

After a while, Geng Zheng couldn't help but say, "The Molan Company has fallen, but I heard that another company has taken over Molan's assets. Will there be another 'Molan Company' and 'Mutual Aid Society' at that time?"

"Yes, definitely."

Deng Fu answered without hesitation.

"Then what should we do?"

Deng Fu said, "What can we do? At worst, we'll just kill them again."

"Doesn't that mean nothing has changed?"

Deng Fu turned his back, put his hands in his pockets, and walked out of the crowd, "Nothing has changed, but it has also changed!"

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