Restarting your life starts with filling out your college application.

Chapter 3: Filling out College Applications - I Want to Be the King of Finding the Best Opportunitie

Hearing this answer, He Fei was slightly taken aback.

In her memory, Chen Zhiyuan was originally a top student who consistently ranked in the top ten of his grade, but it seems that his grades started to decline throughout his senior year of high school after he fell in love with Zhao Sisi from the next class.

What she really wanted to say was: Chen Zhiyuan, you shouldn't have started dating so early.

But the words caught in her throat, and her introverted nature held them back. In the end, she just pursed her lips and continued to look down at her answer.

As the score estimation drew to a close, the classroom became lively again.

The students gathered in twos and threes, asking each other questions and discussing.

For example: "What did you estimate?" "Where are you planning to apply?" "Can this score get you into [university name]?"

Excitement, anxiety, and anticipation mingled in the air.

After estimating his score, Jin Liang walked over, looking somewhat dejected.

"Zhiyuan," he sighed, "it looks like I have no chance with Jiangnan University of Finance and Economics."

These days, finance and economics are popular majors. Although Jiangnan University of Finance and Economics is just an ordinary undergraduate university, its admission scores are often close to those of key universities.

Seeing his friend's disappointed look, Chen Zhiyuan reached out and patted his broad shoulder, comforting him, "It's okay, there are plenty of good schools. How much did you estimate? Let me give you some advice."

Jin Liang sighed again: "Sigh, probably around 510. I didn't perform well this time."

Chen Zhiyuan smiled, but he knew in his heart that Jin Liang actually scored 522 points, which was higher than his estimate.

This score is more than enough to apply to Jiangzhou Electric Power College.

Although this school is not particularly prominent now, it has a bright future in the power industry. If one can get into the State Grid, it will be a "golden job".

More importantly, he remembered clearly that next year, in 2000, Jiangzhou Electric Power College would be merged into Jiangzhou University of Science and Technology.

Jiangzhou University of Science and Technology is a legitimate key undergraduate university. Although it ranks in the lower middle of the 985 universities, a lower middle 985 university is still a 985 university.

If Jin Liang applies to Jiangzhou Electric Power College now, it's like he's already stepped into the threshold of a 985 university.

Thinking of this, Chen Zhiyuan's smile faded, and he looked at Jin Liang with a serious expression: "Jin Liang, do you trust me?"

Without even thinking, Jin Liang replied decisively, "Of course I believe you!"

"Okay," Chen Zhiyuan nodded. "Since you trust me, I'll give you a suggestion: apply to Jiangzhou Electric Power College. It's a good school, and I estimate that its admission score won't be too high this year."

"Okay!" Jin Liang readily agreed, "I'll do as you say and fill it in."

He didn't even ask where the school was or what majors it offered.

In 1999, the internet was just starting out, and high school students relied mainly on television, newspapers, and word of mouth to fill out college applications. Many people's understanding of universities was limited to their names. This almost blind trust warmed Chen Zhiyuan's heart.

After agreeing, Jin Liang asked with concern, "Zhiyuan, what about you? Where are you planning to apply?"

Chen Zhiyuan didn't hide anything: "I plan to apply to Jiangnan University."

"What?!"

Jin Liang was stunned.

He Fei, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, unconsciously tightened her grip on her pen—because her first choice for university was also Jiangnan University.

Jin Liang reacted so strongly because Jiangnan University has such a prestigious reputation and such high admission scores. The score was over 600 the year before last, and it skyrocketed to over 620 last year. Everyone thought it might rise again this year.

"Zhiyuan, what... what score did you estimate? How dare you apply to Jiangnan University?" Jin Liang's voice rose involuntarily, filled with disbelief.

Chen Zhiyuan said calmly, "I did so-so on the test this time, probably around 530 points, not even 540."

"I see..." Jin Liang opened his mouth, wanting to advise him, "You shouldn't report this score," but seeing the calm and confident expression on Chen Zhiyuan's face, he swallowed the words back.

Perhaps Jin Liang's shout was a bit too loud, because many classmates nearby heard it, and Li Chenghua was the first to sneer.

"Chen Zhiyuan, do you even know what level of school Jiangnan University is? Do you know what the cutoff score for top-tier universities was last year?"

His tone was full of sarcasm, and the meaning couldn't be clearer: You're overestimating yourself, a toad trying to eat swan meat. With your meager abilities, you don't even deserve it.

If it were my younger, more impetuous self from my previous life, I probably would have already started arguing with Li Chenghua by now.

But now, Chen Zhiyuan remained calm and composed, not even bothering to reply, only giving the other person a cursory glance.

His eyes were calm and expressionless, yet they seemed to say: Idiot, I can't be bothered with you.

This blatant disregard infuriated Li Chenghua even more than a direct argument. His face flushed red with anger, and he raised his voice: "Chen Zhiyuan, you're showing off now, but you'll regret it later!"

Chen Zhiyuan then spoke calmly: "Who will laugh and who will cry in the end is hard to say now."

He remembered it clearly: Li Chenghua would apply to Jiangzhou University of Science and Technology.

However, the admission scores for Jiangzhou University of Science and Technology were relatively high this year. I don't know how much Li Chenghua estimated his score, but I remember that he only scored a little over 510 points, which was a bit short of the cutoff for top universities. In the end, he seemed to have only gone to a very bad vocational college, and I heard that he did not do well after graduation.

They were not on the same level, and Chen Zhiyuan didn't even bother with them; they were just clowns.

Li Chenghua has always been narrow-minded. He used to hold a grudge when Chen Zhiyuan's grades were better than his. Later, when Chen Zhiyuan's grades declined, he became arrogant and full of superiority. Today, he was the first to jump out and mock Chen Zhiyuan.

Of course, some friends who genuinely cared about Chen Zhiyuan also came to persuade him.

"Zhiyuan, the admission scores for Jiangnan University this year might be similar to those for Tsinghua and Peking Universities. It's too risky."

"Yes, it's better to play it safe. Just fill in a backup plan for a top-tier university."

Chen Zhiyuan smiled and expressed his gratitude for these well-intentioned reminders, but his determination to apply to Jiangnan University remained unwavering.

Around 10:30, the homeroom teacher entered the classroom again. He explained in detail the rules and precautions for filling out college applications, and then distributed the application forms and related materials one by one.

After receiving the form, Chen Zhiyuan only glanced at it briefly before picking up his pen to start filling it out.

First choice (key undergraduate): He wrote "Jiangnan University" in the first column without hesitation, filled in the university's code, filled in computer science as the major, and randomly filled in a key undergraduate university that had the lowest scores in previous years in the second column, and marked "willing to be transferred" for both.

For his second choice (general undergraduate): he filled it out more carefully, neatly writing "Jiangzhou Electric Power College" in the first column.

Third choice (Associate Degree): I randomly filled in two schools.

After filling it out, he quickly checked it again, mainly to make sure the school code was filled in correctly. Once he confirmed that it was correct, he put down his pen.

With nothing to do, his gaze naturally fell on his deskmate, and he happened to catch a glimpse of the college application form she was filling out.

In the first choice section, the neat handwriting reads the same four characters: Jiangnan University.

Chen Zhiyuan's heart stirred slightly.

With her top score of 640+, she was fully capable of getting into Tsinghua or Peking University, so why did she choose Jiangnan University instead?

In his previous life, he couldn't remember which university He Fei applied to. It seemed that after filling out her application, she completely disappeared from his world until they met again at a class reunion twenty years later.

While the fact that the memory is hazy due to the passage of time may have some basis, the more important reason is perhaps that at that time, he only had Zhao Sisi in his heart and mind, and would not have paid attention to other girls.