Under the dim light of Fang Shugen's house, Fang Shugen's mother asked him if he had any plans to go outside.

Fang Shugen rubbed his hands together. "I do want to go. I can't make money working myself to death at home, but Hua Mei is like this, and Jing Ming is still young. I'm worried about letting her go out."

“We’re fine at home. Huahua’s all grown up now, and I’ll take care of Jingming.” Fang Shugen’s mother held Fang Shugen’s youngest son, Fang Jingming, in her arms and patted his back.

"That Hua Mei?"

"Hua Mei?" Fang Shugen's mother's eyes and mouth widened. "She's such a big girl, why are you worried about her? She can eat and walk by herself."

"Mother, while I'm not home, you... how will you treat her..." Fang Shugen was still worried.

“What can I do? Do you think I’d eat her?” Fang Shugen’s mother paused, then softened her tone and deepened her voice. “Shugen, it wasn’t easy for me to raise you all by myself.”

Here we go again. No matter what Fang Shugen was thinking, he still patiently replied, "Mother, I know. Don't worry, I will take good care of you in the future."

"Shugen, I have never remarried, and it is all for you."

"I know."

"Me and your Uncle Lu Tong..."

Fang Shugen knew about this, but the mother and son never brought it up directly.

Fang Shugen kept his head down and didn't say anything.

“I originally planned to go to the mountain with him after Hua Mei gave birth, but I didn’t expect Hua Mei to turn out like this. I don’t dare let her take care of Jing Ming. I can only help you raise Jing Ming before we go.” Fang Shugen’s mother sighed. “A mother can’t help but worry about her son. While I’m at home taking care of him, go out and earn more money.”

“Okay,” Fang Shugen agreed, “I’ll go ask Da Miao.”

"Why ask him? There are so many people from the village living elsewhere now, why can't we ask him?"

Amidst everyone's calculations and plans, the first month of 1987 arrived.

In the next village, there is a kindergarten with one class. It is mainly for children who are about to start primary school to transition here. Some children are sent here because their families have no one to take care of them. Children of all ages are in the same class.

Fang Dongqiang, Fang Yu, and several other children from the village will go there to study for half a year when school starts in the first month of the lunar calendar, and then go to primary school in the second half of the year.

Fang Meili made a schoolbag for Fang Dongqiang using canvas from the shop. As soon as Fang Dongqiang got the schoolbag, he started playing with it. He slung it over his shoulder and swung it back. When he ran, the schoolbag slapped his bottom with a "pat pat".

"Hahaha, my schoolbag is hitting my butt!" Fang Dong shouted cheekily.

"Couldn't you move it a little to the side?" Fang Meixiang's mother moved the schoolbag forward and pressed it to the side.

Fang Dongqiang deliberately pulled his schoolbag back.

"Let the schoolbag hit you. If you don't listen, I'll spank you every day." Fang Meixiang's mother helplessly let him have his way.

Yu Jihong made Fang Yu a red plaid crossbody bag with a lace trim around the edge.

Fang Damiao specially bought a train ticket for a trip outside the city a couple of days later so that he could take Fang Dongqiang to register on the first day of school. On the first day of school, Fang Damiao rode his bicycle to take Fang Dongqiang to register.

The children in the village attend primary and junior high school in the neighboring village. The road leading to the neighboring village used to be a dirt road. On sunny days, it was a bare dirt road that would kick up fine soil when you stepped on it. On rainy days, it would become muddy, with water accumulating in the potholes, making it easy to get your trousers wet and sink into the mud.

Last year, the "Compulsory Education Law of the People's Republic of China" was promulgated, which clearly stipulates the implementation of nine-year compulsory education. In order to make it easier for children to go to and from school, the village leveled and compacted the roadbed of the dirt road, and then evenly laid crushed stones and coarse sand to change it into a gravel road.

At this time, the road was full of children on their way to school. The children chased each other along the road, and the naughty children kicked pebbles on their way to school.

"Dongqiang, from now on you'll go to and from school by yourself, just like them. Go straight home after school and don't play on the way," Fang Damiao told his son.

"Fang Yu!" Fang Dongqiang shouted excitedly when he saw Fang Yu sitting on the back of the bicycle in front of him.

Fang Damiao kicked hard a few times and caught up with her. "Jihong, you're taking your daughter to school too? They'll be classmates from now on. Tell them to walk to and from school together."

Yu Jihong nodded without saying anything more.

"Fang Yu, do you recognize this road? Next time, you'll have to walk it yourselves," Yu Jihong said, turning to her daughter.

"Yes, I'll go with Dongqiang and the others." Fang Yu gripped the strap of her backpack.

"Okay, go home after school and don't play on the way," Yu Jihong added.

The kindergarten was just a brick building at the very end of a row of houses. The exterior walls were painted a light yellow, and they were somewhat mottled from wind and sun. The doors were two double wooden doors painted red, and the words "Kindergarten" were written crookedly in chalk on the lintel. Next to them was a round sun, which looked quite lively.

The room was filled with rows of old wooden tables. Against the wall on the teacher's desk stood a peeling wooden cabinet, where the teacher's textbooks and the children's enamel bowls were kept. On top of the cabinet sat a tin biscuit tin containing chalk and erasers.

The open space next to the house is not large, only about half the width of a basketball court, and it is solid yellow earth.

There was an old loquat tree growing in the corner of the wall, its branches and leaves providing shade for a small area. Under the tree were two smooth bluestone slabs, where children often sat and played marbles.