Chapter 85 Making Contributions to the Motherland
"This is……"
Everyone was stunned.
Lu Huaiyuan stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "Liu Zhixia, have you lost your mind? Do you think this broken pen is more valuable than all of our stuff? Even if the principal is aloof, he wouldn't give you special treatment just for a pen!"
Principal Hao was also somewhat bewildered, looking at her with confusion: "Comrade, what do you mean by this?"
Liu Zhixia smiled slightly, her voice clear and strong:
“Principal, my younger brother Liu Xuejun did take the exam, but I didn't come here for him. My husband and I just got married yesterday, and this is a wedding gift from a friend. Don't laugh at me, but I'm illiterate, so this pen is useless to me. I heard the school is about to open, and the teachers here bear the important responsibility of educating the next generation; they are making a contribution to the country!”
She looked at the principal, her eyes sincere and fervent:
"Therefore, I want to donate this pen as a prize for the first place winner in this exam! To bring good luck to future outstanding teachers!"
Principal Hao adjusted his glasses, staring in astonishment at the young woman before him.
After a long pause, he exclaimed in genuine admiration, "Well said! Although you haven't been to school, your insight and perspective surpass those of many educated people! Good! I'll accept this pen on behalf of the future champion!"
"Thank you, Principal!" Liu Zhixia smiled brightly.
Principal Hao solemnly accepted the pen, but then took out a slightly worn pen from his own pocket and handed it to her.
"What is this...?"
"It's clear you're a thoughtful and conscientious comrade!" Principal Hao said earnestly. "Creating wealth with your own hands is important, but we can't neglect culture. This pen is for you! Since your younger brother wants to become a teacher, let him start by teaching you to read!"
"I understand! Thank you, Principal!" Liu Zhixia accepted the gift with both hands, as if it were a priceless treasure.
Li Xuemei, standing to the side, was completely bewildered and whispered to her son, "What does that mean?"
Lu Huaiyuan stammered and guessed wildly: "It probably means... that Liu Xuejun should stop teaching and go home to teach his sister, right?"
Upon hearing this absurd explanation, Principal Hao glanced at him in shock, then shook his head as if looking at an idiot, turned and went into the school, too lazy to say another word.
As soon as the principal left, Li Xuemei immediately sneered: "Ignorance is bliss! Like an idiot, exchanging a new pen for an old one, you'll lose a fortune!"
Liu Zhixia ignored her and happily put away the principal's pen.
Zhang Xiuying couldn't help but retort, "What do you know! This is the principal's personal pen; how can it have the same meaning?"
She pointed to the pile of returned gifts at the Lu family's house, her tone dripping with sarcasm: "The leaders are returning the goods, and the principal is refusing to accept them! I think you should stop wasting your time and just exchange these things for money to save for your retirement! Relying on Lu Huaiyuan? Hah, dream on!"
"How dare you say my son is good-for-nothing!" Li Xuemei screamed.
"Even getting a primary school teacher's license requires connections, is this all your son has achieved?" Zhang Xiuying rolled her eyes. "Daughter, son-in-law, let's go home!"
After saying that, she strode away like a victorious general.
Liu Zhixia and Shen Yi walked behind, arm in arm, suppressing their laughter.
Behind him came Lu Huaiyuan's furious roar: "Liu Zhixia! You wait! I will definitely get first place! I will get your pen! And then I will tell everyone that it is the token of love you gave me!"
However, the three of them didn't even turn their heads, leaving behind only a dashing silhouette, putting his impotent rage behind them.
On the way back, Zhang Xiuying was still a little guilty: "Girl, what if Lu Huaiyuan really gets first place? You really are something, if you wanted to give a prize, couldn't you have given him a few bottles of pickled vegetables? Why did you have to give him a pen? Doesn't that give that kid something to use against him?"
"Mom!" Liu Zhixia laughed uncontrollably. "Who gets pickled vegetables as a reward for the top scorer in an exam? How shabby! Besides, that good-for-nothing Lu Huaiyuan, as long as the principal doesn't go easy on him, he definitely won't pass the exam."
Shen Yi nodded in agreement: "That's right. The goal has been achieved, and we even unexpectedly got the principal's pen. This is a good deal."
"Purpose?" Zhang Xiuying looked bewildered. "What purpose? Didn't we get rejected when we went to deliver the gifts?"
Liu Zhixia looked at her mother and patiently explained, "Giving gifts won't work; the Lu family has already tried it for us. So, what we need to do is leave a deep impression on the principal."
Shen Yi added, "The written test assesses ability, while the interview depends on first impressions. The principal already knows that the Liu family has a positive family tradition and high moral character, so his impression of the fourth son is naturally higher. That's our goal."
"Oh my!" Zhang Xiuying slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Girl, are you really my daughter? How can you be so clever! I was wondering how the principal, who has seen so much, could possibly be interested in our pen? Turns out there's a deeper meaning to it!"
“Mother, don’t underestimate that pen,” Liu Zhixia said with a smile. “It was a gift from Brother Gangzi. When a merchant makes a purchase, it’s bound to be of high quality.”
“It’s a Hero brand, and a new model at that,” Shen Yi added. “It must cost at least ten yuan. The principal is a discerning person; he’ll definitely be able to tell the difference.”
"More than ten yuan!" Zhang Xiuying clutched her chest, her heart aching. "Then the fourth brother has to live up to expectations! Otherwise, this money will be wasted!"
"Don't tell him about this for now," Liu Zhixia advised. "Fourth Brother gets nervous when something big happens, telling him will only put more pressure on him. Let's just pretend nothing happened."
"Right, right, right!" Zhang Xiuying suddenly realized, "That kid almost fainted during the scorekeeper test! Okay, let's keep it a secret! Don't put pressure on him!"
Back home, Liu Xuejun nervously approached to inquire about the situation.
Liu Zhixia explained casually, "We originally wanted to give a gift, but we ran into the Lu family who were also there to give one, so the principal kicked us out. That's why we couldn't give the gift."
She glanced at her younger brother and reassured him, "But don't worry, the principal is an upright person. Since he didn't accept the Lu family's gift, he won't cause you any trouble."
Liu Xuejun finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay! I understand! Sister, brother-in-law, thank you for your hard work."
Shen Yi patted him on the shoulder: "We're family, don't be so polite."
He then turned to Zhang Xiuying: "Mother, is there any other work to do? While I'm here, hurry up and give it to me!"
"Yes!" Zhang Xiuying said cheerfully, "We just need to clear out an empty room to put the jars, can you lend a hand!"
"Okay!"
The men went inside, while Liu Zhixia stayed in the yard to continue working.
Seeing that Zhang Xiuying wasn't there, Shen Hongmei immediately crept over like a thief, lowering her voice: "Little sister..."
Liu Zhixia didn't even look up: "Sister-in-law, if it's about business, then let's not talk about it."
Shen Hongmei immediately became anxious: "We agreed on a 30/70 split! You changed your mind after only one split? You're being so unfair!"
She muttered sourly, "Yeah, anyway, you can just lie there and collect money. How are you any different from those landlords' wives in the old society?"
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