nChapter 20: Abacus Level 5 and the First Pot of Old City

nTranslator: May Wiggins Editor: Efydatia

nThe first thing they did after the computer was on was install the games they’d gotten for free from the shopkeeper. The discs were most likely pirated ones that only cost 10 yuan each.

nThe games included Red Alert, Diablo, Legend of Sword and Fairy, and others. Qin Guan was very familiar with them. Even Wang Lei, the calmest boy in the dorm, was itching to play.

nQin Guan was not interested in these old games. He would rather read more in his leisure time instead. The boys were all playing the game though, and even boys from other dorms had come to take a look.

nThey were all watching Liu Xiaoyang play. Just watching him was exciting enough for them. They could tell how fascinating the games were.

nEver since they had bought the computer, more and more boys from other dorms would drop by and have fun in Qin Guan’s dorm. Unintentionally, Qin Guan and his roommates had made more friends.

nWith their popularity, Ye Dong was able to apply successfully for a membership at the Students’ Union and officially become a union member. He even became the leader of the freshmen.

nQin Guan had always been too handsome to have any male friends, and he had seldom talked to other boys, because they had known nothing about him. When they came to his dorm though, they found that Qin Guan was quite generous. Qin Guan made many new friends that way.

nNow that he had been recognized by his male classmates, he had successfully become the Prince Charming of the freshmen. The boys had realized that they could not point fingers at anyone until they really knew them, and recognized Qin Guan for the friendly, generous boy that he was.

nPlaying games was not the only function of the computer, though. Qin Guan had installed an office software and urged every boy in his dorm to use it to do their bookkeeping.

nQin Guan’s income from October to November was as follows.

nTutoring: ¥800 ¥500 (bonus) = ¥1,300

nPart-Time Job: ¥400 (Bateau Exhibition) ¥200 (bonus) = ¥600; Pringles Promotion: ¥240; Total: ¥600 ¥240 = ¥840

nTotal Income: ¥1,300 ¥ 840 = ¥2140

nQin Guan had also saved 100 yuan from the living expenses provided by his parents, so he had a total of ¥2,240 in savings from October to November.

nConsidering the money he had spent on treating his friends and buying the computer, Qin Guan was surprised to find that he had so much in savings.

nHe did not plan on doing any more part-time jobs in November though, because he would be taking two important tests in December, CET 4 and Abacus Level 5.

nQin Guan checked his schedule once again. Although the lectures were still ongoing, he had finished the Computerized Accounting Test in October, so he could now prepare for the Abacus Level 5 in December. In order to obtain an Accounting Certificate, he had to pass three subjects, i.e. Basic Accounting, Regulations and Professional Ethics, and Junior Computerized Accounting.

nAbacus Level 5 was essential, so Qin Guan decided to give it a shot. His first plan was to obtain an Accounting Certificate during his sophomore year.

nHe had lots of plans, and realizing each of them was a small progress for him. He believed that as long as he followed his plan, he would make big progress in the end.

nCong Nianwei was quite inconsiderate. Qin Guan would meet her every day, but she would send him away, because she was also busy with her studies. As a student at the Department of Architecture, she knew that she had to study hard to learn the abstract and obscure principles of architecture.

nShe was too busy improving her sketching ability to spend time with Qin Guan. What was love worth anyway? Love did not make money. Qin Guan hang up the phone with tears in his eyes. Courting a straight-A student was really giving him a hard time.

nHuang Jiajia was also in a bad mood. She was upset with her straight-A teacher.

nShe had been working really hard lately to catch up, and she could at least understand the class now. She was delighted by her progress, but as she watched her teacher recite English vocabulary, she felt like her small progress was being overshadowed.

nBefore they knew it, it was already December. The six boys in Qin Guan’s dorm were well-prepared. Taking their admission tickets, erasers and pens, they walked into the lecture theater to take CET 4 with the sophomores of CUFE.

nThe six boys made everybody else jealous. Before the bell rang, they had already finished their papers and handed them in.

nAs they walked out of the examination room, the boys relaxed. The exercises had been easy for them, and their reviewing work would help them get high marks, which would look great on their resumes.

nQin Guan’s next test was Abacus Level 5. Wang Lei had also applied to take the test. The registration fee was 40 yuan per person, and the test would only take them 20 minutes. The test results would be published within three days, and then they would get their certificate.

nQin Guan and Wang Lei kept practicing calculating on an abacus, and every day they would say “Goodbye” and “Welcome back” in their dorm, as if they were real accountants. When the day of the test came around, they headed to the examination room.

nQin Guan was quite familiar with abacuses. He was actually so skillful that the proctor thought he was a professional accountant. If Qin Guan had known what the proctor was thinking, he would tell him that it was because of his amazing memory.

nWhen the two boys went out of the room with their abacuses, they were not able to compare their answers, because the test papers had consisted of two different types, i.e. A and B, to prevent the students from cheating.

nQin Guan took a deep breath. He could finally relax until winter vacation. He would do fewer part-time jobs during that time and would rest more.

nAs soon as they walked out of the room, the two boys went to the First Pot of Old City. Qin Guan’s roommates had decided to celebrate their success in CET 4 there. Frankly, the boys were just looking for an excuse to eat out instead of going to the school canteen, as they usually did.

nThe nearest First Pot of Old City was located at North Taipingzhuang. Qin Guan and his roommates all rode their bicycles to the restaurant along Sanhuan Road.

nFor foodies like them, riding for several kilometers was as easy as pie. They rode fast along the road, heading straight for the lamb spines at the First Pot of Old City.

nIt was lunch time when they got there, so there were hardly any empty seats in the restaurant. The waiter put a white towel on his shoulder as he saw the boys drooling over. He felt sorry for them, so he carried several stools from the kitchen so they could take a seat by the door. That was why that restaurant was so popular. No other restaurant in Beijing would let the customers have dinner there if they could not find a seat.

nThe boys did not care, though. They all took a seat by the door. It was really crowded inside, so Qin Guan knew it would take them quite a while to find a seat. He murmured to Ye Dong and Liu Xiaoyang, and the three boys went in.

nThe other three boys were still by the door, looking confused. They looked at each other before they turned to the three boys inside.

nQin Guan looked around and saw that a table would be available in a few minutes. He immediately stood by the table with Ye Dong and Liu Xiaoyang. The boys did not talk, but Liu Xiaoyang expressed his yearning for food through his eyes, which were fixed on the leftovers on the table.

nYe Dong, who was the oldest boy in the dorm, hit Liu Xiaoyang on the head and shouted, “Have you never seen food before? Did you starve to death in a past life?”

nLiu Xiaoyang whined. Shielding his head with his hands, he answered, “I’m really hungry, okay?”

nThen it was Qin Guan’s turn. Dragging Ye Dong away, he said, “Xiaoyang is too young. He just wants some food. There’s no need to beat him.”

nThe customers eating at the table were all mid-aged and seemed very kind. Among them was an elderly woman. As the woman looked at poor Liu Xiaoyang, her maternal instinct took over. When she saw Ye Dong force Liu Xiaoyang to control his yearning, she felt sad for the little boy.

nThe people at the table had almost finished their meal and had been planning on having some small talk before leaving. When they saw that boy though, they all felt pity for him.

nOne of them said, “Hey, boys. Don’t look so serious. Ask the waiter to clean up the table. We’re done.”

nQin Guan looked at them and expressed his deep gratitude through his eyes. He glanced at the table and found a plate of garland chrysanthemum that had not been eaten. Embarrassed, he said, “That’s alright. We can still wait for a while.”

nThe elder woman looked unhappy at the thought. “No, we’re full. Look at this little boy! He’s crying of hunger!”

nQin Guan thanked them right away, “Thank you so much, brothers and sisters.” The woman seemed amused by Qin Guan. Smiling, she said, “What a cute a boy. Sister? I must be as old as your mom. Never mind, help yourselves. We gotta go.”

nWhen the customers left and the table was cleaned up, Qin Guan waved to the other three boys by the door, gesturing for them to come over for lunch.

nThe six boys took a seat and piously ordered a big lamb spine hot pot and eight plates of instant-boiled meat and vegetables. Food always tasted best when people were hungry.

nWhen the pot was served, everyone held their chopsticks and waited anxiously for the broth to boil. The sauce-dipped lamb spine with the secret gravy was boiled in a charcoal pot, and the special fragrance of the lamb and the spices filled the air.

nAs soon as the broth in the pot boiled, the boys rushed to eat the lamb spines.

nThe lamb spines were not just tasty, they had also been cooked properly. As Qin Guan picked up one and shook it in his plate, the meat dropped right away. Qin Guan was feeling quite proud of himself when he saw Mu Ledjiang pick up some more spines and put them on his plate.

nThe other boys had seen it too. Suddenly, they could not wait anymore. They all started picking up spines and putting them on their own plates. Seeing the boys’ table manners, the old lady next to them moved her chair a little further away.

nWhen the boys had eaten up all the lamb spines, they asked the waiter to put some extra soup into the pot. The milky soup and the secret gravy were mixed together, exuding a tempting smell.

nThe boys did not eat the lamb bones. Instead, they poured the instant-cooked meat into the pot and stared at each other. When the color of the meat changed into dark brown and the meat floated in the soup, the boys started their second round of grabbing.

nIt was getting dark, and the boys were all full, their bellies looking big and round. When they paid the bill, they found that they had not spent more than 30 yuan each.

nThey got on their bicycles, ready to ride back to CUFE, but they were too full to do it anymore. What a heroic feat they had performed!

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