My hometown is far away in Moscow.

002 Family Meeting

It was almost nine o'clock when Hu Yi got home. His parents were sitting on the sofa watching TV as usual. Hu Yi threw his schoolbag and cigarette-smelling coat into his bedroom, crossed his legs, and sat about a meter away from his father. He rubbed his swollen eyes from playing games for so long and asked, "What do you want to tell me?"

"Have you eaten yet?"

"have eaten."

The father turned down the TV volume, stretched out his arms on the back of the sofa, and looked at Hu Yi with as much kindness as possible: "It's the same old story, you don't like to hear it, but we still have to say it—the college entrance exam is just around the corner, how are your preparations going? Where are you planning to apply?"

"Let's give it a try. You all know my level." Hu Yi muttered to himself, fiddling with his belt buckle. "I'll see where I can get the test."

"You're quite open-minded," his father said, unsurprised by his attitude. He sighed softly. "I've been telling you to think about your future for a long time, but you've never taken it seriously. Now that graduation is just around the corner, you have to make plans. What are you going to do if you don't get into university?"

In fact, Hu Yi's parents were well aware of his academic situation and had almost no hope for him to go to university. However, being intellectuals themselves, they didn't want to hurt their son's self-esteem with overly direct words, so they asked a few more questions indirectly.

But this tactful approach also caused unnecessary torment. Hu Yi rolled his eyes impatiently: "If I don't pass the exam, so be it. I've made up my mind. At worst, I'll go to the tech market with my friends, set up a stall selling computer parts, and assemble computers for people."

"Set up a stall? You make it sound so easy." The father smiled patiently. "Will it be enough to support the family? How fierce will the competition be? What if you lose money? Have you thought about any of these things?"

Hu Yi was quite displeased and said in a low voice, "It's not even close to being settled yet, and you're already throwing cold water on it. I've read so many newspapers and magazines about computers over the years, I know a lot about computer components. Who says it's bound to lose money?"

"A hobby and running a business are two different things." The father's voice gradually became stern: "Do you understand the various channels? Do you have the capital to open a shop? Do you know the ins and outs of business? With your mind and temper, are you cut out for business?"

The mother nudged the father, "Don't rush, talk it out." The father's tone softened slightly, "This isn't planning for the future, it's just wishful thinking."

"Fine, even if I'm being delusional," Hu Yi said angrily, gesturing with his neck to the side. "If I can't do business, I'll just work for someone else. I have hands and feet, why can't I support myself? At worst, I'll work as a waiter in a restaurant or sell newspapers on the street. I'm not going to starve!"

"Yes, I believe you can support yourself." The father suppressed his displeasure. "But your peers are all going to university. Do you feel proud to be a waiter or a newspaper vendor?"

Hu Yi suddenly turned around, frowned, and shouted, "I earn my living with my own hands, what's shameful about that?"

In the past, every conversation ended in this unpleasant way as the father and son raised their voices. The mother quickly advised, "You two, stop arguing and talk things out. Hu Yi, we're discussing your future. Listen carefully and stop talking back to your dad."

Hu Yi turned his face away sullenly. His father was silent for a moment before patiently persuading him, "This idea is essentially correct. There's no such thing as a job being high or low, just different divisions of labor in society. But think about it from a longer perspective. Five or ten years from now, when your childhood friends graduate from university and have stable jobs—some in government agencies, some in state-owned enterprises, and some in foreign companies—when you get together and talk about your jobs, will you still think that serving dishes or selling newspapers is no big deal?"

Hu Yi took a deep breath impatiently, about to retort, when he suddenly remembered the disheveled look on the street where the owner of Good Mood had been brushing his teeth that morning.

A vague yet intense unease washed over him, and he hesitated, saying, "Well, by then... I might get a good job."

The father was amused by his childish words, and the mother chimed in, "We've told you many times that you must have a degree to find a job in the future. Even if you can't get a bachelor's degree, you should at least get an associate's degree."

Hu Yi was still unconvinced, but he no longer spoke with the same confidence as before. He lowered his head and muttered to himself, "A diploma? A diploma is just a piece of paper. What matters in a job is ability, not a diploma."

His mother patiently explained to him, "That's true, but this piece of paper might be your key to finding a job in the future. In today's society, no matter what you do, you need to look at your education first. You think you can find a good job with just a high school diploma? That's almost impossible. Education may not seem important, but it is definitely very important."

Hu Yi paused for a moment, then lowered his eyelids dejectedly: "Anyway, it's pointless to say anything now. Given my situation, even if I start studying hard from tonight, it won't be enough. I guess... there's no chance for me in the college entrance exam."

The parents breathed a slight sigh of relief. Their son had previously been very resistant to discussing these topics, but perhaps realizing that graduation was just around the corner, he at least showed a hint of worry about his future today, even though this realization came far too late.

The mother leaned forward and comforted her, "Yes, you've neglected your studies too much these past two years, and we haven't been able to urge you to correct it in time. It seems that getting into university might be difficult now, but as long as you're willing to continue your studies, we can think of other ways."

Hu Yi listlessly rolled his eyes at his parents: "What idea are you thinking of?"

"Several of our friends and colleagues have children who are taking the college entrance exam this year. Their academic performance is quite good, but they are not confident that they will get into their ideal schools, so they are preparing to study abroad."

The mother paused for a moment, seeing Hu Yi's puzzled expression, and asked, "I've heard that some universities abroad only require passing an entrance exam, and the exams for international students aren't very difficult. Would you like to go?"

Hu Yi blinked, feeling a dryness in his throat. As graduation drew closer, he had been feeling lost and even hesitant about his future lately.

Although he outwardly dismissed academic qualifications, his conversation with his father had stirred something within Hu Yi. Even if it was just for appearances, he now hoped to become a university student. However, given his poor academic performance, he had already given up and refused to discuss the matter with his parents. As for studying abroad, although he had occasionally heard others mention it, he had never connected it to his own life.

After thinking for a moment, Hu Yi scratched his head: "I...I don't know. Where to?"

The mother glanced at the father, her voice slightly hesitant: "There are many countries to choose from, but places like North America and Australia are quite expensive, costing around a hundred thousand a year..."

"Huh? That's too expensive!" Hu Yi was startled. Back then, even in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the annual cost of university could be easily kept to around ten thousand yuan. Studying abroad was certainly a good option, but he had barely passed his high school entrance exams by cheating, and he wasn't confident he could graduate from university. He really didn't dare to throw away a large sum of money.

"It's very expensive." The mother's smile lacked conviction. "But if you're willing to go, we...we can figure out a way to solve the money problem."

"Forget about it, we don't have that much money. This is too risky." Hu Yi hung his head and remained silent for a long time, then muttered with a bitter face, "Does he really have to go to university?"

"You must go, otherwise it will be very difficult to find a job later," the mother said, emphasizing each word.

"You have to go, otherwise it will be difficult to find a partner in the future," the father chimed in.

His father's words seemed to have a greater effect, and Hu Yi chuckled awkwardly, "Alright, alright, let's go then. But don't spend too much money, just find a cheap place to graduate from."

The father sighed with concern: "Studying abroad is a big deal, it concerns your future. You can't just consider the money, and you can't settle for less. We'll consult with people in different countries these days, and you should think it through carefully before making a decision."

"We also have to consider our family's ability to afford it. It's just about getting a degree, it doesn't matter where you go." Hu Yi yawned and stretched. "Let me think about it and then we'll talk about it." After saying that, he got up and went back to his room, closing the door behind him.