Frederick Thorne added with a smile, "I asked Patrick’s homeroom teacher. He said that as long as Patrick keeps up his current momentum, he should be able to test into Vessaria No. 1 Middle School. Once he’s in, getting into a university is practically guaranteed."

CLATTER, CLATTER. Several pairs of chopsticks fell to the table. It was Byron Thorne, Felix Thorne, and Phoebe Huxley. They stared at Frederick Thorne in disbelief and asked in unison, "Patrick can get into the No. 1 Middle School?"

’Such a lofty goal...’ They had never even considered it. They’d have been thankful just to see him scrape through high school without any trouble.

"That’s right. Patrick was ranked 118th in his grade on last year’s final exams. For this month’s test, he was 79th. He jumped twenty-nine spots! He’s only been trying this hard for a month and his progress is already so obvious. It proves our Patrick is a natural scholar!"

Frederick Thorne grew more and more excited as he spoke. His greatest regret was never making it to university. It would be wonderful if his nephew could fulfill that dream for him. Besides, for the Thorne family to produce a university student would be a tremendous honor. Millstone Peak hadn’t seen a university student in decades.

Byron Thorne beamed, slamming a palm on the table. "Good! Patrick is bringing honor to the Thorne family! As long as he’s willing to study, this whole family, young and old, will tighten our belts to pay for his education."

Tomorrow, he would go find Shane Thorne and throw all the things that sixth brother of his used to say right back in his face. ’Hmph, our branch of the family has more than just the little girl to be proud of.’

"There’s no need for you to tighten your belt, Dad. I can definitely earn enough for Patrick’s tuition." A smile touched Felix Thorne’s eyes. He hadn’t ever held high hopes for his children’s academic careers. He’d been a terrible student himself, and projecting his own experience, he never forced his kids to get good grades.

But not forcing them didn’t mean he didn’t want it. What parent doesn’t hope for their children to do well in school?

Phoebe Huxley perked up, declaring boldly, "In a few days, I’ll go get another piglet. Frederick, you help me get some extra distiller’s grains. I’ll pay for it if I have to. The regulations aren’t as strict as they used to be. Raising one more pig will bring in a lot of extra money."

(In the seventies, there were limits on the number of pigs, chickens, and ducks farmers could raise.)

"I’ll get two piglets, too. And some chicks and ducklings. We’ll have to raise a few geese as well. Jim needs to eat well to grow big and strong," Raina added enthusiastically.

Suddenly, the entire family had a new sense of purpose. A university student! If Patrick Thorne really made it, the Thorne family would be untouchable not just in Millstone Peak, but all across Clearspring Township.

PS: In the Brystol area, there’s a custom of feeding goose meat to boys during their growth spurts. It’s believed to help them grow taller, so elderly people in the countryside often raise geese for their grandsons.

"The distiller’s grains are no problem," Frederick Thorne said in a relaxed tone. "I’ve already cleared it with the factory. You can go pick them up anytime, Sister-in-law." As a technician at the plant, he had the authority to handle a small matter like this, though he would still have to mention it to the director. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The distillery’s grains made for excellent pig feed. You just had to bring them back, mix them with some forage and rice bran, cook the mixture, and it was ready for the pigs. Over a year, it could save a significant amount of grain. Plenty of people were envious of this resource, but you needed connections to get it. Without them, it was impossible.

Phoebe Huxley had only ever raised one pig at a time before. The family never lacked for meat, so one had always been enough. But now, she wasn’t satisfied. Her son would have to go to the city for university, and living expenses there were high. If he looked too poor, his classmates would look down on him. She had to start saving money for her second son now.

"How are Howard’s grades?" Byron Thorne asked, thinking of his eldest grandson. He looked at Lana Steiner hopefully.

Lana Steiner answered honestly, "Howard has been working very hard this semester, too, but his academic foundation is just too weak. I don’t know if a year and a half is enough time for him to catch up."

"He can! My brothers and I—we’ll all be university students one day!"

The little girl’s voice was loud and full of confidence.