083 signal (the beginning has been changed)
It was another Sunday, and Guan Yuehe went to the Five Star Automobile Factory to deliver the translated documents to Zhang Xinbi.
Zhang Xinbi was busy going to a meeting in the technical department and didn't have time to check her documents, but before leaving, she pulled her aside and whispered, "My senior sister wrote to me saying that Jin Province recently held a national conference on college admissions. I think this is a signal. If the college entrance examination is really reinstated, the academic qualifications of worker-peasant-soldier students might be a bit awkward. If the college entrance examination is reinstated, you should definitely attend if you can."
Zhang Xinbi wanted to say that if the college entrance examination is reinstated, postgraduate admissions will most likely follow suit. Yuehe doesn't only have the option of taking the college entrance examination.
But after thinking about it, I swallowed my words. It's too early to say what will happen next. We can wait until the college entrance exam is truly reinstated.
After being urged to the meeting room by her colleague again, Zhang Xinbi patted her arm, picked up her notebook, and followed her colleague.
Guan Yuehe stood frozen at the entrance of the translation team's office for a long time before slowly exhaling. It was good that a signal had been transmitted.
But her teachers probably encouraged the wrong person; she couldn't recall any of the knowledge she learned in high school.
A while ago, I collected high school textbooks and sent them to Ding Xuewen. She flipped through a few pages and was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. She now finds German books simpler and easier to understand than high school math books.
Furthermore, she has already obtained her diploma from the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University, so can she still take the college entrance examination?
This is a big problem.
After leaving the car factory, I bought two pig trotters at a nearby butcher shop and went straight to my older sister's house.
Gu Mannian rested at home on Sunday, and Jiang Guiying also stayed home that day and didn't come over to help.
When Guan Yuehe came over, Gu Mannian was downstairs drying Gu Yu's quilts and diapers.
Two rows of diapers and baby clothes were neatly hung on the long bamboo pole for drying clothes, drying in the sun.
Gu Mannian also shooed away the kids playing football nearby, otherwise, with all that dust, washing the clothes would be pointless.
"You've come at the perfect time. Your sister said she's feeling bored at home. Why don't you go up and chat with her?" Gu Mannian looked at the two pig trotters she handed over and smiled, "Perfect timing. I was just thinking of buying some pig trotters to make soup, and you brought them over."
The past two years have been chaotic, and Gu Mannian's relatives back home stopped sending pork to the city; they're still observing the situation.
Otherwise, Gu Mannian wouldn't have to worry about not being able to get a piece of meat at the meat stalls outside.
Guan Yuehua was bored when someone in the living room spoke, and she quickly sat up. "Guan Yuehe?"
"Wait a minute, let me wash my hands." Guan Yuehe replied and went to the bathroom on the balcony to wash her hands with soap.
This was her sister's rule, and because of this rule, her mother grumbled several times when she got home, saying that her sister was too particular.
Guan Yuehe thought this rule was quite good. It was a pity that Lin Sitian was still studying at school and couldn't come back. Otherwise, she would have dragged Lin Sitian to do some health education for her mother: conditions are not like they were twenty or thirty years ago. Raising children can't be too rough. We have to be more particular.
Putting aside other things, some workplaces are now implementing family planning policies, with cadres taking the lead and couples only having two children.
She felt that this policy would eventually reach all state-owned factories, and since she, her sister, and her brother-in-law were all factory cadres, they would definitely take the lead.
Both parents work and are government officials. They only have two children, so they have to raise them very carefully!
I smelled my hands; they had a faint, pleasant fragrance.
To make room for the two of them to chat, Gu Mannian carried Gu Yu, who was fast asleep, outside.
"Lin Yiku hasn't returned yet?"
"Sis, the college entrance exam might be reinstated!"
As soon as Guan Yuehe sat down, the two sisters spoke at the same time, and then they replied together.
"He's on a mission and we can't get in touch with him."
"Did you get sunburned?"
Guan Yuehe: "..." Her sister has ruined the few remaining moments of sisterly affection she had left.
"At the end of May, the central government proposed to respect knowledge and talent. Recently, Shanxi Province just held the National Conference on College Admissions. I think it's possible."
Guan Yuehua stared at her intently, noticing that she wasn't joking at all. Her expression remained calm, but her fingers involuntarily tightened around the remaining sheets.
Guan Yuehe glanced at the living room outside the bedroom. They were speaking in hushed tones so as not to wake Gu Yu, and they guessed that Gu Mannian in the living room could not hear what they were saying.
On her way to the Zhuoyue Garment Factory's residential compound, Guan Yuehe was conflicted: should she tell her sister at this time?
She had already been thinking about this issue when she sent the textbooks to Ding Xuewen. Without concrete information, she was afraid that telling her sister would make her postpartum period uncomfortable. She originally planned to wait until her sister's postpartum period was over before discussing it further.
But today Zhang Xinbi told her about the meeting in Shanxi Province, and she felt that she should have told her sooner.
Now that the Shanxi province is holding a meeting, who knows when it will be the central government's turn to hold one?
She shared what she knew; what she would do in the end would depend on her sister's opinion.
She has to consider both work and family. She feels that if the college entrance examination is reinstated, her sister will still participate, but how to balance work and family is a big problem.
"Are you stunned?" Guan Yuehe gently nudged Guan Yuehua, who was lost in thought.
Guan Yuehua was completely focused on what Guan Yuehe was saying, and caught off guard, she was almost pushed over.
He swayed a couple of times before settling back down.
Guan Yuehe smiled awkwardly and scratched her head. She hadn't even used any force! It was all her sister's fault for not sitting up straight!
After saying this, Guan Yuehua thought for a long time, then asked, "Who else did you tell about this?"
"Ding Xuewen, I found a set of high school textbooks and sent them to him."
There's no need to look for her sister's books; they're all neatly arranged on the living room bookshelf. Just look to the left as you enter, and you'll see them at a glance.
"It's hard to say how things will turn out in the end, so keep your mouth shut and don't tell anyone."
Guan Yuehe gave an "oh" and said that she didn't have many friends who were good at studying. Instead of thinking about how to become a factory leader, they thought about how to get into university through the college entrance examination.
Only her sister and Ding Xuewen truly loved learning and studied diligently in school, showing some promise. Otherwise, she wouldn't have specifically sent them a message.
"Don't just think about others, you should start preparing too." Guan Yuehua ignored her shaking her head. "Can junior and senior high school knowledge be more difficult than the German you're learning?"
Guan Yuehe felt that this was a completely different kind of difficulty. For now, German was easier, since she had already barely grasped the basics.
Fearing that Guan Yuehua would continue to persuade her to review her high school textbooks, Guan Yuehe was making an excuse to slip away.
Just then, Gu Yu started crying, and Gu Mannian quickly comforted her with "Aiyo, Aiyo." Guan Yuehe immediately got up and said, "I can't talk to you anymore, I have to go back and move."
Last week, we repainted the walls and replaced the sofa and dining table.
She had been staying at the Lin family's house for a week, but she still felt uncomfortable. Today, she had to move all her belongings back home so she could live in her own room!
She had made a special trip hoping to play with her silly niece. But Gu Yu was crying so hard that it hurt her ears, and all her desire to play with the child vanished.
"No, you're not having dinner at home tonight?"
"You're busy, I'll come over for a meal another day." Guan Yuehe waved her hand, signaling Gu Mannian not to be so polite, and then quickly slipped away as soon as she left the house.
When I left the family compound, I saw Qin Zilan and Niu Niu near the ping-pong table, so I stopped the car and talked to them for a while.
After giving Niu Niu a good rub and kneading to satisfy her desire to tease the chubby little boy, she happily rode her bike home.
—
After eating her fill, Gu Yu whimpered a few times before being lulled to sleep.
As soon as the baby was placed on the small bed next to her, Guan Yuehua said to Gu Mannian, "Bring in my high school textbooks."
"Why did you suddenly decide to look at your high school textbooks?" Gu Mannian asked, puzzled. Ever since Guan Yuehua went to a cadre training course, she had put away her high school textbooks.
Previously, the books on the bedside table were her high school textbooks, but later they were all moved to the bookshelf in the living room.
Although she was puzzled, Gu Mannian listened to her and brought back the high school textbooks from outside, placing them one by one on the bedside table.
"What's wrong? You're suddenly looking at me like that, it's making me a little nervous."
Guan Yuehua didn't hide anything and told him everything Guan Yuehe had said.
"So, does this mean the college entrance exam is really going to be reinstated?"
"Tsk!" Guan Yuehua corrected him, "Just guessing! Nobody knows if it will really be restored. Don't go around spreading rumors."
But she didn't want to miss any opportunity to recover. She hadn't looked at her high school textbooks for many years, and although she still had some recollection of the knowledge points, she didn't remember them well. She had to pick up the knowledge points again.
Gu Mannian scratched his head sheepishly, "If you have the chance, you should take the exam. But, as you know, I'm not cut out for studying..."
"..." Guan Yuehua didn't know whether she should praise him for being self-aware.
Clearly, she wasn't referring to whether he would take the exam or not.
She said firmly, "I have to tell you in advance that if the college entrance examination is really reinstated, I will definitely take it, and if I pass the exam, I will definitely go to school."
Gu Mannian smiled, took her hand and squeezed it tightly, "I know. It's not like I just met you yesterday."
She turned her head to look at Gu Yu on the small bed and said softly, "Our daughter is easy to take care of. Our factory is also planning to set up its own after-school care program, so we're not worried about not having anyone to take care of her... If all else fails, our sister doesn't have any children yet, and if she's too busy, we can ask her to take care of her for a couple of days."
Guan Yuehua's initial surge of emotion vanished, and she angrily slapped his shoulder, "Can you even beat her up before you order her around to take care of your child?"
"That's true. My sister also found a brother-in-law who's good at fighting. I can't beat either of them."
Gu Mannian said with a worried look, "My brother-in-law lives nearby and has an excellent reputation in Ginkgo Alley now. You have no idea how much Aunt Xie praised him when I went back last time."
Gu Mannian imitated Aunt Xie's sarcastic manner almost perfectly, saying, "As soon as I got home for vacation, I would cook and do laundry for Yuehe, and then go back to work in Courtyard No. 3..."
She said sourly, "Aunt Xie is pointing this out to me. I think our parents will find him more and more pleasing to the eye, and I'll have to step aside."
Guan Yuehua clicked her tongue in disdain: "Don't you have a mouth? She pointed at you, so you just stabbed her in the back! As if everyone knows about her family's affairs?"
"I was so jealous that I didn't think of that."
The conversation veered further and further off track, and Gu Mannian, with a grin, soon brought up the factory's next round of housing allocation again.
He's now a deputy section chief, married with children, so it's reasonable for him to be re-assigned to a housing allocation.
I don't know if I'll be able to get a room in the next round. Otherwise, if my elders come to help, I'll have to sleep on the floor in the small living room.
The two major questions of taking the college entrance examination in the future and how to raise children were answered in just a few words.
In Gu Mannian's words, the big problem became a small problem, and he quietly helped Guan Yuehua get rid of her many worries.
While gently patting her daughter's body, Gu Mannian asked, "For dinner, I'll make some pig's trotter soup, steamed eggs, and stir-fried vegetables. What else would you like to eat?"
That's enough, that's all.
Guan Yuehua now understands what Guan Yuehe said before: "When you get married, the most important thing is to eat and drink well, and take care of the daily necessities."
I don't remember the exact words, but that's roughly the gist of it.
Gu Mannian suddenly chuckled briefly, "You have no idea how many nicknames our sister had back in the factory. Every time the announcement came over the loudspeaker that the canteen would have meat and vegetables today, wow, she would be the first one rushing to the canteen at lunchtime!"
“Our Guyu looks like she can eat and sleep well, with chubby arms and legs. When she grows up, even if she can’t learn her aunt’s strength, she can learn her aunt’s running speed, that’s fine too… Hey, hey, wife, I was wrong, I was wrong.”
Gu Mannian touched his ear, which had been pinched so hard, and he didn't actually know that what he said was wrong.
Is it that you can't laugh at her sister? Or is it that you can't tell your daughter to learn from her sister?
—
As soon as Guan Yuehe returned home, she asked the neighbors who were chatting in the yard to help her move the furniture.
She often helps her neighbors, so when she needs help herself, she won't stand on ceremony with them.
With more people, the work gets done faster.
Everyone only had to make two trips to bring everything back, and they also moved the furniture according to Guan Yuehe's arrangement.
Auntie Er clapped her hands, put her hands on her hips, and stood in the middle of the living room, saying, "All this stuff in your house must have cost a lot of money to buy."
Guan Yuehe nodded contentedly, putting her hands on her hips as she did the second aunt.
That's right!
The things in her house took her seven years to assemble, from a small pair of chopsticks to a newly bought leather sofa. It cost her not only her salary over the past few years, but also seven years of her life!
Buying early has its advantages; at least she's used it for several years now. Money in the bank doesn't generate more money.
Once the money is spent, can it be saved again?
In the previous two years, her seniority increased, but her salary did not increase by one level.
This is somewhat related to the fact that the factory's profits did not increase as previously held by the deputy secretary.
After this year, she estimates that her salary will increase by one level, and she won't be far from earning forty yuan a month.
With her salary, Lin Yiku is now able to save a sum of money every month. Life is truly getting better and better!
She had just finished tidying up her new home when Song Xibei rushed back, "Sister Yuehe! I passed the political assessment, and if I pass the physical exam next month, I'll be a recruit!"
The neighbors who had gathered at her house rushed out all at once, "Northwest, did you get approved for registration?"
"No, after passing the political assessment, you still need to pass the physical examination. Once you pass, you'll enter the pre-enlistment stage, undergo a period of training, and only after passing the evaluation can you be approved for enlistment."
Now, neither the staff of the educated youth office nor the street office have come to persuade him to go to the countryside anymore.
None of the neighbors had military family members and didn't know the specific procedures for enlisting, but when Song Xibei said he had passed, they all congratulated him.
As for the subsequent evaluations, they felt that with Song Xibei's physique and strength, there shouldn't be any problem.
Someone suddenly remarked, "You guys think those kids who've been climbing beams and removing roof tiles since they were little are more robust and have better physical health?"
Song Xibei and Lin Yiku, hey, they both signed up to join the army.
Guan Yuehe joked, "Why don't you go back and let your grandchildren learn how to climb the roof and remove the tiles from Song Xibei? They're still young, it's not too late for them to learn now."
"...Ugh, never mind, just thinking about it gives me a headache." I'm afraid I'll be driven crazy by that rascal!
Song Xibei, who was being used as a role model, snorted heavily. "You only know how to talk about him, why don't you mention Brother Yiku? He's the real troublemaker in Ginkgo Hutong!"
—
The person who said he might be away on a business trip for a month actually stayed away for a month and a half, and didn't return until August, looking travel-worn.
Guan Yuehe's first reaction upon seeing Lin Yiku was not to rush up and hug him, but to block him from entering the bedroom.
Taking advantage of the break, Lin Yiku scanned the house.
He was away for a month and a half, and his home was completely transformed.
"I'll get you a bath ticket. Go to the bathhouse and scrub yourself clean before you come back." Guan Yuehe found the bath ticket and also went to the wardrobe to find the new clothes that Xu Cheng had recently made for him, and put them all in his washbasin.
As she handed the basin over, Guan Yuehe looked up at the person who was almost tanned to a dark charcoal husk, and her breath caught in her throat. Before she could suppress her laughter, she quickly looked away, saying, "Wash your face clean too."
The last time I shared a room with someone who's a bit of a blackie was back in college. Oh, they were a bunch of blackies.
Lin Yiku put her face close to the red mirror hanging there, looked around, and realized that she had gotten quite tanned.
He's been on missions outside lately, facing his comrades who are also tanned to a deep tan every day. He's gotten used to it and hasn't even realized how tanned he's become.
But while he went out for a bath, at least ten neighbors exclaimed in surprise, "My God! Yiku, how did you get so tanned?"
He came out of the bathhouse and ran into his mother who was returning from grocery shopping. He called out to her several times, but she didn't realize that the person behind him was her son.
"Oh dear! You..." Aunt Fang really didn't know how to describe Lin Yiku's current state.
"Mom, just laugh if you want to." Lin Yi tried to grab his hair, but realized that he still had a buzz cut and couldn't reach it at all.
"I just got home, and Yuehe was secretly smiling."
He spent ages looking for clothes, but actually he was hiding his head in the closet, secretly laughing to himself, completely oblivious to his presence.
"No, I'm just not used to it," Aunt Fang said with a laugh, covering her mouth.
During the years Lin Yiku served in the army in the south, he didn't write back often, only sending back photos once. Just looking at the letters and photos, she couldn't imagine what he would look like when he returned from his mission.
It's strange to see such a big, dark-skinned guy like this now.
But she felt good that the person came back healthy.
"It's getting late, I need to go back and stew the chicken. I'll tell Yuehe that I'll be home for dinner tonight."
"knew."
Lin Yiku strode home. As soon as he entered the house, he saw his luggage being carried onto a stool, and the aroma of meat wafted from the kitchen.
"Mom invited us over for dinner tonight, so we don't need to cook at home."
"We'll talk about dinner later. Come in and get the noodles."
Guan Yuehe cooked him a big bowl of noodles, and also cooked one for herself.
It was hot, so her appetite was affected at noon, and she didn't eat much. Just as she was thinking of making something for Lin Yiku to eat, she suddenly craved noodles, so she made an extra portion.
The green vegetables and poached egg on top of the bowl looked very tempting, or perhaps it was the sight of the person sitting directly opposite me that made me feel so hungry.
The two of them held their own large bowls and busily slurped down noodles one mouthful after another.
Guan Yuehe thought that the noodles she made were better than those Lin Yiku made.
After eating and drinking their fill, and taking advantage of the fact that no one was around to disturb them, the neighbors either rested at home or went out to run errands. Once they locked their doors, they would go back inside and take apart a new family planning product to use.
Guan Yuehe was also quite worried. The higher authorities advocated that everyone should marry and have children later in life and have fewer but better births. However, they neither increased the publicity for "vasectomy" nor provided enough family planning supplies. Wasn't this making it difficult for young comrades who wanted to respond to the call?
But the worry only lasted for a short while.
She noticed that although Lin Yiku's face was a bit tanned, the feel of her in her arms was even better than before.
Lin Yiku sighed silently, wondering what was going on in her head again. At this moment, she buried her face in his shoulder and chuckled.
After a while, Guan Yuehe realized that Lin Yiku was not replying to her. When she looked up, she saw that he was already fast asleep, with only his hands and feet still tightly binding her.
Was he afraid she'd kick him while she was asleep?
Hmph! She's already woken up from her afternoon nap! She never intended to sleep again...
When Guan Yuehe woke up yawning, it was quite lively outside. She could hear the voices of several middle-aged women in the courtyard and Lin Yiku.
Oh right, she thought she'd lie down with Lin Yiku for a while, but she ended up falling asleep herself.
After tidying up and coming out, he saw his clothes that he had washed and the bed sheets that had just been changed that day hanging on the bamboo pole outside the door.
The evening breeze is unusually gentle tonight.
Guan Yuehe squinted her eyes to feel it.
Lin Yiku rested at home for two days after returning this time, and also accompanied her to work and waited for her to get off work for two consecutive days.
I spent one day visiting my older sister's house to celebrate Grain Rain, and another day going to see a movie.
The elderly folks in the alley must be saying behind their backs that they're so clingy it's unbearable to watch.
On the third day after Lin Yiku returned, he moved most of his luggage back from the military base, leaving only one set of spare clothes in his office.
"So, you can come home every day from now on?"
“In special circumstances, I will still stay at the military base. If something happens and I can’t come back, I will call the neighborhood committee.”
"That's great!" Guan Yuehe was so happy that she tried to turn over, but her legs were pinned down by Lin Yiku's legs.
It's one thing if she's asleep at night and doesn't know, but now that she's awake, you want to pin her down and not let her move?
Guan Yuehe exerted all her strength; she was determined to push her leg back down today!
Seeing that she was getting into it, Lin Yiku also pressed down harder. The two were locked in a stalemate for a while when Guan Yuehe suddenly pulled out a pillow and threw it at him. Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, she flipped over and pinned him back down.
The two wanted to compete again, but suddenly they both held their breath and listened intently.
"Did you hear a few clattering sounds just now?" Guan Yuehe wasn't quite sure.
"It seems so." Lin Yiku also frowned.
Guan Yuehe dared not make a fuss anymore. She rolled off Lin Yiku, rolled a few times to the side, and lay down quietly. "Go to sleep quietly. This kang was just repaired not long ago. If it collapses, we'll have to cover our faces when we go out in the future."
She might even get her ears grabbed and scolded by her mother: "You two have used up all your strength on the bed?"
It might even reach the Zhuoyue Garment Factory! Does Section Chief Guan still have any left?
Just thinking about it, Guan Yuehe felt that even someone with such a thick skin like her couldn't withstand these jokes!
"You stay put and sleep over there, don't cross the line and turn over. Okay, I'm going to sleep!"
In less than three minutes, the person who had just said he was going to sleep quietly rolled over and rolled over next to him.
The next second, just as she was about to roll over again, a long leg was about to come across and press down heavily. Lin Yiku reacted extremely quickly, reaching out to block it and expertly pulling the person close to prevent her from launching another surprise attack that night.
The person who was sleeping soundly suddenly muttered, "I can't see you. Shine your flashlight so I can see where you are."
Lin Yiku: "..."
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