Chapter 91 The Boots Drop
"Why? It's not like I failed the test!"
Gu Zhongzhang was shot for no reason and cried out that it was unfair.
Song Wan glared at him, and he slowly lowered his voice, "I, I'm just talking. I will definitely supervise Teacher Tang to raise Xiaobai's political score!"
"Actually, politics is the easiest subject to score well..." Gu Zhongzhang started sharing his experience.
Xiaobai fell asleep after listening to this. She was most afraid of rules and regulations.
"Okay, I'll teach her slowly later." Tang Jingmo laughed muffledly, interrupting Gu Zhongzhang's endless chatter.
The good learning atmosphere continued until October 1977.
Suddenly, a harsh electric noise came from the loud speaker of the commune radio station. Everyone put down their bowls and chopsticks - this was the precursor of an important broadcast.
"The Central People's Broadcasting Station is now broadcasting the People's Daily editorial..." The announcer's clear and melodious voice made the coconut leaves rustle.
"...Restore the college entrance examination system..."
The sea breeze suddenly became sticky.
The chalk in Song Wan's hand fell to the ground with a "click", and Lin Shuhua subconsciously touched the calloused fingertips on his body - those were left by copying papers under the fishing lamp.
Even the noisiest children quieted down. Although they didn't know what the college entrance examination was, they were at a loss when they saw the adults' suddenly red eyes.
The old village chief trembled as he took out his pipe from his pocket, but he couldn't light it no matter how hard he tried: "Are you really going to resume the college entrance examination?... Did I hear you right..."
The old man couldn't continue speaking. He wiped his face hard with his sleeve and looked around anxiously.
"Old village chief, you heard it right, the college entrance examination has been restored, and there is hope for our child!"
"Yes, we all heard it! What the radio said is true!"
"Thank God! Thank you, leaders! Thank you..."
The old village chief knelt towards the north, and the islanders followed suit.
"Fellow villagers, get up quickly, get up quickly, this is not allowed now!" Gu Zhongzhang hurriedly persuaded everyone, and the soldiers next to them also pulled people up.
"There will be many benefits in the future. As long as we remember the good things about the country, work hard, and live in peace, that will be the best reward!"
The old village chief finally lit his pipe with trembling hands, and the sparks flickered in the autumn wind.
He took a deep breath and choked, but he smiled with tears in his eyes: "Okay, okay... the kids can finally make a living with their own skills!"
The island was in an uproar.
The educated youth rushed back to the dormitory, rummaged through the drawers, took out the old textbooks wrapped in oil paper from under the bed, and kissed them again and again.
The half-grown child of the fisherman's family ran barefoot on the beach, shouting as he ran: "I want to apply to the Naval Academy!"
Even the newly appointed barefoot doctor threw down his medicine box and grabbed Song Wan and asked, "Can I still enter medical school at the age of 30?"
"Yes, of course. Didn't you hear the radio? Workers, farmers, educated youth, and even the old three generations can all apply for the exam, regardless of their background!"
"Great! Great! Go back and read!" The barefoot doctor left with red eyes.
Soon, the office was filled with people coming to register.
Song Wan and Gu Mingyue were also temporarily recruited by Gu Zhongzhang to help organize the information.
"Quiet! Listen to me!" Gu Zhongzhang shouted with a loudspeaker.
"The exam will be held in two months. Time is tight and the task is heavy. Please prepare your registration documents and queue up to register!"
"I emphasize again, don't crowd, line up properly, everyone can sign up as long as they meet the requirements."
Someone in the crowd shouted, "Director Gu, do you really not look at my background? How do you know if I meet the requirements?"
"Don't read it! Anyone can report it, of course, provided that you have not done anything illegal, and have not done anything to let the people down!"
Gu Zhongzhang’s words gave reassurance to the “problem students” in the crowd.
"The nearest test site is in Zhan County. To be on the safe side, we must leave two days in advance!"
Gu Zhongzhang already had a plan, and as he arranged things one by one, the excited crowd gradually calmed down, lined up in an orderly manner, waiting to submit their documents.
Time flies by quickly when you need it. Two months and sixty days are gone in the blink of an eye.
Unfortunately, the weather is not good. It has been raining for three days in a row and there is no sign of stopping.
The old village chief stood at the dock, looking at the gloomy sea, his brows twisted into knots.
The waves hit the rocks one after another, and the splashing water wet the village chief's shoes and socks.
"This rain...I'm afraid it's the tail of a typhoon." His hand holding the pipe was shaking slightly, "The boat can't go out to sea."
The pier was crowded with people.
The educated youth were wrapped in raincoats, holding tightly in their arms the review materials wrapped in oilcloth; the rest were either holding umbrellas or wearing straw raincoats, standing on tiptoe to look at the sea, their faces becoming more and more anxious.
Gu Mingyue was clutching a pearl hairpin - it was her only remaining piece of jewelry, which she had intended to pawn to buy a new set of stationery - and at this moment she was unconsciously using the tip of the hairpin to draw a mathematical formula on her palm.
"Report!" The signalman rushed over in the rain, "The weather station said the rain will last until at least noon the day after tomorrow!"
The crowd suddenly exploded.
"The day after tomorrow? The exam starts the day after tomorrow!"
"Let's take a chance and maybe the rain will stop when we get to the sea."
"It's over, it's over..."
Xiao Bai jumped onto the huge rock on the shore, the rain dripping down her umbrella. "Why are you panicking? The army takes the exam very seriously, and has specially approved... a warship to take you to the exam!"
As if in response to her words, a long whistle suddenly sounded from the distant sea -
"It's a warship!" a sharp-eyed child screamed.
In the rain, a submarine chaser broke through the waves, the military flag on the bow fluttering.
Tang Jingmo stood on the deck, raindrops falling down the brim of his raincoat, but his voice was as steady as a reef: "Special mission of the East China Sea Fleet - send candidates to the exam!"
There was silence on the dock for a moment, and then thunderous cheers broke out.
The anti-submarine ship was like a silent giant in the rainstorm, and the waterline at the stern was close to the warning mark.
Captain Zhang was arranging the order of boarding the ship at the top of his voice:
"Female comrades and those who are seasick go to the engine room! Young men go to the torpedo room! The rest of you go to the front and rear decks - remember to fasten your seat belts!"
The barefoot doctor rushed onto the gangway with a medicine box and distributed anti-seasickness medicine to everyone.
In fact, it is homemade ginger slices with some medicinal herbs added, but it can help to some extent.
The fishermen who came to see them off gave the examinees dried fish from their homes and told them, "Eat more. Fish nourishes your brain."
Xiaobai stepped onto the slippery boat board only after confirming that everyone was on board.
The candidates stood on the gangway and looked back. The old village chief was leading all the people on the island standing in the rain, waving his arms like reeds in the wind.
"Oops! I forgot something important! Wait!"
The old man suddenly rushed over, holding out a red cloth bag, and shouted: "Take this!"
Inside the cloth bag was a small wooden sculpture tied with a red string as a pawn - a local custom that requires one to pass every exam.
"That's not necessary, old village chief, look--" Tang Jingmo said seriously.
He took out the Red Star Badge and said, "This is better than anything else!"
The whistle sounded, and a boat full of hope broke through the rain and headed towards Zhan County, towards a new future.
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