Chapter 11: Dreams Take Root

If it were Li Ping'an, whose academic performance was so poor that teachers were unwilling to bother with him, he would surely prefer the more relaxed, less rigorous Castellar Middle School, where he had friends to hang out with. But Su Mu, who excelled in his studies and genuinely enjoyed learning, naturally aspired to attend a better school. The teachers at his current school were mediocre, much of the knowledge had to be self-taught, and he was often left frustrated by questions he couldn't figure out. The academic atmosphere was equally dismal.

Through his conversations with Du Zhong, Su Mu had come to understand what the environment at a good school was like. If he could get into an excellent school, he might even have a shot at Caltech, MIT, or one of the Ivy League universities. There were still three years to go before college entrance, and with hard work, he could even aim for Harvard or Cambridge. In reality, his grades weren't what was holding him back—it was the steep tuition fees. Attending a good school would give him a shot at a full scholarship to a top university, and that was the true reason his heart was set on it.

Seeing his silence, the old man continued, "Just listen to me and take the exam. The students at Castellar Middle are all busy playing around. Staying there is just wasting your time. Don't worry about the money we're spending now—focus on getting into a good college. Once you graduate and start working, you'll earn it all back. That's called sharpening the axe before chopping wood. Supporting you through college will be tough, but private middle school is still manageable, and your dad and I are still working. In the future, you could be a bank manager like Xiao Du, and then we'll finally have some good days ahead."

Though it was exhausting, just thinking about his grandson Su Mu's bright future filled the old man with happiness. The little orange cat curled up at the doorway, a small ball of fur.

Su Mu's mother, standing nearby, was also overjoyed. She smiled and said, "Go take the SSAT. Your Aunt Wang works in housekeeping—she earns a decent wage. I just discussed it with your dad: from now on, he’ll handle the restaurant on his own, and I’ll go with her to find work. There’s a big demand in this field now, and the tips are good. In a few years, we should be able to save enough for your college tuition. And if you get a scholarship, all the better."

Perhaps only Chinese parents place all their hopes on their children, generation after generation, not for their own sake, but to create the best possible circumstances for their offspring. The most precious years of their adult lives are devoted to the next generation, scrimping and saving, accumulating whatever wealth they can—perhaps not much, but always left to their children.

Take the old man, for example. Even though he was already in his fifties, he still decided to go back to work to pay for his grandson's tuition, with not a trace of selfishness mixed in. He could have easily stayed home to enjoy his later years, drinking tea and playing mahjong with friends, but after raising his own son and daughter, he continued to worry about his grandson.

Su Mu was mature beyond his years, as children from poor families often are. Hearing his grandfather and mother say these things, he was nearly moved to tears. Already a young man, he didn't want his family to see him weak. Clutching the sixty-dollar bill tightly in his hand, he turned his back and walked out. "Alright, I'll sign up for the test. Some schools have scholarships, and I'll fight for one!"

"Son! You forgot your money! Use it to buy some clothes!" Seeing Su Mu run out the door, his mother stuffed over a hundred dollars in small bills—mostly tens and twenties—back into her own pocket, laughing and scolding, "That boy..."

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Every family has its troubles.

Li Ping'an was in low spirits as well. His parents were away on long-haul trips, leaving him home alone. He was used to their absence, but being by himself still felt uncomfortable.

At that moment, he noticed Su Mu’s red-rimmed eyes and asked curiously, "What’s wrong, did you have a fight? You were all happy at dinner, and now you look so down."

"Nothing," Su Mu replied, making up an excuse. "I’m going to take the SSAT soon—just thinking about leaving you behind makes me sad." Teenagers rarely share their worries with others; it just isn’t cool.

"So you really are taking the test. Will you cry when you leave me? Somehow I think you’re crying from excitement. Thanks to your good luck, looks like I really will have to repeat a year. The teacher talked to me yesterday, and now I don’t even want to study anymore."

He knew that going to another school was a good thing for Su Mu, so Li Ping'an kept his feelings to himself. He had no interest in studying. His family always said bad grades were due to laziness, but the truth was he just didn’t have the aptitude. Others could memorize a math formula at a glance; he would spend an hour learning it only to forget it right away. When it came to learning, effort alone just wasn’t enough.

Now that Su Mu was leaving for another school, his own reason for staying was gone. Without a friend to hang out with, school would be boring. He began to seriously consider the future.

Knowing Li Ping'an’s dislike for studying and thinking differently from the adults, Su Mu said, "If you really don’t want to study, staying in school is just a waste of time. I advise you to learn a trade—a real moneymaking skill. You might earn just as much as anyone else in the future."

"What kind of trade makes good money?" Li Ping'an immediately perked up. He always liked Su Mu’s advice, thinking him smarter than himself.

The question stumped Su Mu. He’d never really thought about how to make money before, but the word “money” had just struck a chord, and for the first time in his life, he began to consider it seriously. His mind was still blank, but the things he’d heard on the old radio days ago were quietly influencing him. He patted Li Ping'an’s shoulder and said earnestly, "Computers! They’re amazing. Haven’t lots of people started making money with them recently? We could earn some cash for a few years, and then, maybe someday, start our own company and be our own bosses!"

Li Ping'an burst out laughing at his serious tone and scoffed, "You? Do you even know how to use a computer? Start a company? If you ever become a boss, I’ll buy the Empire State Building and turn it into apartments!"

He was clearly mocking Su Mu’s wild dreams. When dreams are first born, they always seem a little ridiculous.

Still, the radio broadcasts from a few days ago had left their mark on Su Mu, giving him at least a vague idea of the future potential of the internet. Online shopping, searching for files, listening to music—it was all still just speculation for him, but it allowed this Chinese boy to imagine what the future might hold. It was a very good start, already putting him ahead of his time.

With a mind full of treasures but only sixty dollars to his name, Su Mu and Li Ping'an went to a street stall and bought a T-shirt for five dollars and a pair of big shorts for eight more. Their entire outfits cost less than fifty dollars. The shopping mall was out of reach for them, but even picking out clothes at the street market was a joy.

Perhaps because he now had dreams of earning money and the prospect of testing into a good school, Su Mu’s mood lifted again. Even a poor boy from Chinatown could have his own small dreams...