r18novel Chapter 75 Going to school is difficult!!
Chapter 75 Going to school is difficult!!
After returning to school following a leave of absence, I missed too much time and had to go home after get off work.
At this time, both junior and senior high schools were incorporated into "Liuhe Middle School" in the town where the Liuhe Farm headquarters was located.
My fourth sister and I both went to Liuhe Middle School, which was 15 li away from home. She went to high school and I went to junior high school.
Even before coming to Liuhe Middle School, the students' families had already been informed to prepare bicycles. The other students' families all bought bicycles; those with better financial means bought nearly new ones, while those with average or poorer means bought used ones for their children. My family, with two students, should at least have bought a usable used bicycle with a back seat. My fourth sister and I discussed it with our father, but we couldn't manage it.
My family wasn't that poor; it was just that my father was stingy with money. He would always delay paying even a dollar or two for tuition or books. We would only go home and tell my mother when the teacher called our names, and she would find a way to get the money back and pay it.
It's hard to describe my feelings during this period: getting up early only to arrive late is an understatement. I also felt inferior. I was always the first to get up, but the last to arrive. I would set off more than an hour early, walking briskly along the roadside. When I could see the school from about a kilometer away, my classmates would ring their bicycle bells, wave, and overtake us.
Our clothes were also shabby; our pants weren't long enough, so we had a piece of fabric attached to them, which was much darker than the pants themselves, and there was a big patch on our buttocks. It would be hard to find anyone dressed like that among our classmates.
There was another pair, two sisters, who conspicuously walked along the county road from dawn till dusk, unaware of how many disdainful glances they received from others.
In the latter half of 1978, the newly arrived educated youth teachers who had been sent to the countryside were on duty, while the older teachers who had been brought in to implement the policy or their children took over their positions, resulting in a wide range of teaching levels.
The male geography teacher who replaced him looked like a big boy. He was more shy than the mischievous and naughty boys. He kept his head down, reading the textbook, and wrote very little on the blackboard. He was just waiting for the bell to ring so he could escape from the classroom.
The female political science teacher, who had returned to her post after the policy was implemented, spoke eloquently about "Marxist theory." The classroom was completely silent as everyone followed her pace, but we couldn't quite grasp these profound theories.
Our physics teacher, Ms. Yu, was a young woman who had been sent to the countryside. She was smartly dressed and had bright, almond-shaped eyes. We heard she was the future daughter-in-law of a leader in the "field headquarters." When we went to her to ask her questions, she read the questions twice, but we still couldn't understand them. She seemed a little impatient, so we had to leave.
Another female teacher, also promoted from among the youth sent to the countryside, was short and slightly plump; she taught us math. When we went to her with questions, she was completely different from her serious demeanor in class—approachable and friendly, explaining the problems clearly and pleasantly.
Our homeroom teacher, Wang Diankui, lives in Balitun. He is enthusiastic and responsible in his teaching, and his intonation and rhythm are very much in the style of a Chinese language teacher.
The country is paying more attention to education, and schools have started having evening self-study sessions. The afternoon dismissal time has been extended from 4:30 pm to 6 pm, with teachers present.
My fourth sister and I dared not attend evening self-study sessions, which added even more pressure to my mind, because there were rumors among the people of Xipie that "young people" robbed people at Balidaokou and under the Dagoubang Bridge.
School ended at 4:30, and by the time we reached Balidaokou, the sun had already set. We quickened our pace, passing through Xiaoliujiatun before it got dark, but before we even entered Daliujia's territory, night fell. At this time, the light faded the most easily into darkness; it felt like only a few minutes later, by the time we reached Dagoubang Bridge, we could no longer see anyone within a dozen steps.
The classmates who rode their bikes had all passed by Xiao Liu's house. Apart from a few cars passing by, it was quiet all around, and my heart began to clench.
On the distant horizon, against the blue sky, a head appeared, half of it moving in and out, both familiar and comforting: "Are you a student coming home from school?" This question was the happiest and most beautiful sound. The tension and fear instantly vanished with joy: "Mom! Mom! It's us!" They were right in front of each other. Embracing each other, they walked back to the roadside.
My second brother is approaching twenty, over 1.7 meters tall, with muscles that rival his eldest brother's, and is among the top performers in the team. He's a man of few words, clumsy with words. He's hardworking, not afraid of dirt or fatigue, and does all the odd jobs, never idle. He believes what Dad said: "To get good results, you have to get up 3,600 early."
Xia's father, Liu Zhenhui, is in poor health and works as a storekeeper in the production team. He doesn't do any housework and loves reading. He's good at talking to superiors, but he often uses unpopular arguments to lecture young people, which makes them dislike him.
But from some point onwards, a force began to draw her second brother to her house frequently. He would rebuild the garden wall when it collapsed, and he would help rebuild the chicken coop when it fell down. He was very attentive and had a natural talent for doing chores. He did a good job, and Xia's whole family liked him very much.
Winter conscription began, and my second brother eagerly signed up. He really liked being a soldier, and his family supported him. He underwent thorough medical examinations, and since he was healthy, he passed all the tests smoothly. He was overjoyed and was just waiting to receive his uniform.
More than a month passed without any news, but he was not discouraged. He was old enough to register for the check-up the first time, and he would register again next year, two more years later.
Third Sister, like the other girls in the team, worked from dawn till dusk.
Liu Shifu from West Street still comes to visit every few days. Today, he brought it up, saying, "How about I act as a matchmaker for my third niece? Do you believe me?"
Father: "What are you saying? I believe you, why wouldn't I? Where is it?"
Liu Shifu: "The area around Dongpie and Tangshulin is more prosperous than our place. When my third daughter (real name Liu Shuqi) came back, I asked her about the situation there. She's the youngest of five brothers; her three older brothers are married and live separately. Her two older sisters are also married. In the dam area, her eldest sister is her aunt and sister-in-law, and they live next door. Her third brother is a bit simple-minded and hasn't started a family yet; he lives with his parents and the other two. If you agree, take your niece to visit them in a few days."
Dad: "Sure!"
It was settled then. One day in early winter, the third sister, along with Liu Shuqi and Liu Shifu, went to Liu Shuqi's house to look at the potential partners.
"This is Zhu Zhifu, and this is Zhang Xialian." Liu Shuqi introduced them, and after they met, neither of them had any objections.
A few days later, accompanied by his relatives and friends, Xiao Zhu came to my house, led by Liu Shifu.
Mom cooked her best dishes to entertain them.
After the meal, tea was served. Xiao Zhu's third uncle, the director of water conservancy in their commune, was smartly dressed and seemed very sensible. He politely said, "Thank you for the Zhang family's hospitality. We've become relatives; now that we've established a formal relationship, the two children should visit each other more often."
Liu Shifu was also very pleased: "Since both sets of parents are here today, and you're facing Uncle Zhu, can you represent the parents?"
Uncle Zhu nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes!"
Liu Shifu: "Then let's get straight to the point. Brother Zhang, what kind of bride price do you want?"
Father: "Is it customary to ask for a bride price in this place?"
Liu Shifu: "Fine! But if not, I'll ask for a bride price!"
Father: "Then I need two hundred yuan. My daughter needs three rooms for her wedding."
Liu Shifu then turned to his mother and said, "What do you want? Raising such a big daughter must be so hard for a mother."
Mom: "If that's okay, I want two hundred too!"
Liu Shifu turned to Uncle Zhu and asked, "Do you have anything to say?"
Uncle Zhu: "No problem, we agree."
Liu Shifu then asked his third sister, "Xia Lian, what did you have them prepare?"
Third Sister: "I don't have anything special. Just make me a couple of sets of clothes, and make sure I have everything I need in the house. Just follow the crowd."
Liu Shifu: "Okay! Let's do it this way! Uncle Zhu, go back and tell your second brother about this, okay?"
Uncle Zhu: "No problem, I can handle all of that!"
Xiao Zhu's brother-in-law, Lao Cao, nodded repeatedly: "No problem."
Liu Shifu: "It's settled then. You go back and discuss a date, then visit each other's homes to exchange betrothal gifts, okay?"
Uncle Zhu and his brother-in-law nodded repeatedly, "Good! Good!"
While everyone was talking, Xiao Zhu sat by the window, staring blankly into space, and then slumped there. His third sister put a pillow under his head.
After they had finished talking, his third uncle and eldest brother-in-law got up to say goodbye and went back, but he was still asleep. His eldest brother-in-law said, "He probably had a little to drink. Let him sleep. Let's go, no need to wait for him."
As the sun set, Zhu Zhifu stirred a few times, catching his mother's eye. She assumed he was awake and asked, "Awake, Xiao Zhu? Are you thirsty? I'll get you a bowl of water." She turned around to get a bowl, poured water from the thermos, and brought it over.
Xiao Zhu sat up, covered her face with her hands, and cried. Her mother was stunned. Why was she crying when she was sleeping so well?
So she went over to comfort him, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" But instead of comforting him, he started shouting. His mother, puzzled, asked, "What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong!"
Zhu mumbled something unintelligible, but one sentence sounded like, "Up, up the tree to catch sparrows..."
The mother gradually realized that the man had drunk too much and was still intoxicated, so he was talking nonsense.
Because I was taking care of him, I was late preparing the swill. The large black pig, weighing over 200 pounds, came to the door, barking at it with its snout. Then, it slammed the door shut with a loud "bang!" It glared at the person at the stove with displeasure. I found it amusing; even animals have such thoughts.
Mom said, "Keep this pig, we'll slaughter it in the first month of the lunar year to celebrate your grandma's 80th birthday. Your grandma was young and widowed her whole life, it wasn't easy for her."
The next day, after lunch, Xiao Zhu woke up and started making arrangements to go home. His third sister saw him off, but he hadn't returned by the time they crossed the bridge and got onto the county road.
After a while, Grandma asked, "Where did Sanya go?" Mom replied, "She went to see the guests off!"
Grandma: "You found this person? And the way they were entertaining you, crying like that?"
Mother: "This man's character isn't good enough. If Sanya spends her life with him, she won't have a good life."