Thanks to Da Wa, we have fresh mangoes to eat every day at home.

Ningtang ate all the Taiwanese mangoes, egg mangoes, etc. that he wanted to eat, without spending any money. I heard from Big Wa that he exchanged the mangoes he picked with others.

Mangoes alone are boring, so Ning Tangluo racked her brains to come up with many ways to eat mangoes, such as adding mango juice to flour to make mango dumplings, or adding mango to coconut milk and fish gelatin powder to make mango pudding... Shen Lie and the three children were so addicted to it.

However, eating mangoes excessively has its side effects. Shen Lie even developed a mouth ulcer from eating them. Later, he drank chrysanthemum tea made from wild chrysanthemums picked by Da Wa in the back mountain for a few days, and only then did he feel better.

I kept eating it until the end of July, when mangoes were out of season.

One day, Shen Lie was reading a newspaper at home when he suddenly saw a piece of news in the newspaper, which said that the Ministry of Education would hold a national college admissions meeting in the capital Beijing in September this year.

Shen Lie pointed at the newspaper and said to Ning Tang, "Look at this news. The higher-ups are going to hold a national college admissions meeting." He clicked his tongue and said, "Why would they hold a meeting for no reason? Are they planning to reinstate the college entrance exam?"

As soon as the words fell, Shen Lie was stunned. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that this was indeed possible.

Ning Tang had known for a long time that the college entrance examination would be resumed at the end of October after the meeting in September this year, but she still pretended to be surprised, "That's not a good thing. In the future, the eldest, second, and third children can all go to college."

"It's a good thing indeed. In the past, we could only rely on recommendations to go to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University. Every year, only so many students were admitted, and the selection was very strict. If the college entrance examination is restored, more universities will recruit students, and there will be more students who can go to university." Shen Lie glanced at the three children playing in the living room, "Maybe our family can really have three college students."

The eldest child chuckled and said, "Rely on me? That's impossible. Maybe you can rely on the second and third children."

Shen Lie was amused. "Can't you grow up a little bit and promise your dad that you will be able to get into college?"

Erniu tilted her head, "What? What? Going to college?"

It's no wonder that Erniu asked this question. There is only elementary school to high school on the island, and there hasn't been a college entrance examination for nearly ten years. It's normal that she doesn't know that there is such a thing as going to college.

Shen Lie explained to her, "Going to college is the same as going to elementary school, middle school, or high school. You just go to school and have the same teachers and classmates."

Erniu nodded, "So? Change the place where I study."

Ning Tang said, "It's a long way to go. There is no university on our island yet. If you want to go to university, it's best to go to a big city. Big cities have good universities, good majors and good teachers."

Sanwa was unhappy. He didn't want to leave Shen Lie and Ning Tang, so he pouted and said, "Then I won't go to college."

Ning Tang pinched his little face and said, "Okay, stay at home with your mom and me."

Shen Lie snorted, "If you have no ambition, it would be great to go to college. In our time, there was no college to go to. If there was, I don't know how many people would have squeezed their way into it."

The eldest child didn't understand, "Why? Why? Is it so good to go to college?"

"Of course. Nowadays, college students are guaranteed jobs after graduation, and they are good jobs with a stable salary." Ning Tang thought about how to explain to him, "Do you still remember the job of a clerk in the Women's Committee that your Aunt Xinlan took an exam for a few months ago?"

The eldest child said, "Remember, many people signed up for the exam, so Aunt Xinlan didn't pass."

"If you become a college student, you won't have to take any exams and you'll be assigned a job that's several times better than working in the Women's Committee." Ning Tang said, "High salary, good benefits, and it's relatively easy. Now you know the benefits of going to college, right?"

The eldest child nodded, then shook his head, looking downcast, "I know, but I don't think I can pass the exam."

"So? You have to work hard now." Shen Lie said, "Otherwise why would I let your mom tutor you? Isn't it just to improve your grades?"

Originally Shen Lie planned to let Da Wa join the army like him, or take the exam to get a formal job in a city factory. Now that the college entrance examination has been resumed, there will be another way out, so it will be even more necessary to improve Da Wa's grades.

Da Wa pursed his lips and said, "So according to you, people who can't get into college are all useless."

Shen Lie said without thinking, "Then..." Of course.

Before he could finish his words, Ning Tang interrupted him, "Of course not."

Ning Tang explained to the three kids, "Getting into university means you can have a better platform, see a wider world, meet different people, and have a more fulfilling life. This is the original intention of going to university. Even if you don't get into university, if you can do these four things, then it doesn't matter whether you go to university or not."

Having a high level of education is definitely a good thing, as it means that your efforts have been proven.

But failing to get into college doesn’t mean you’ll achieve nothing.

After all, all roads lead to Rome.

As long as you look back on your life and feel that it was worth living, then you will have no regrets.

The eldest child's face seemed to be lit up and glowing, "What is the vast world?"

Ning Tang said, "It's high-rise buildings, it's airplanes and steel-clad cars, it's restaurants opened by foreigners that sell coffee and cakes, it's sturdy tweed pants with bell-bottom sleeves, in short, it's all kinds of new things you've never seen before."

Big Baby was not interested in tall buildings or cars. What he liked most was food. As soon as he heard the can of coffee and cake, he immediately started drooling. "What are coffee and cake? Are they delicious?"

Of course Ning Tang couldn't answer, otherwise he would be exposed.

She looked at Shen Lie, who had tried it once. "Coffee is for drinking. It doesn't taste good. It's bitter. Our chief of staff brought a bag last time and we shared it. It was terribly bitter. I took a sip and almost spit it out. Our chief of staff even said I was wasting it. That small bag is worth a lot of money."

When he heard that the coffee was bitter, Da Wa immediately lost interest and asked, "What about the cake? Is it bitter too?"

"Cake." Shen Lie said, "The cake is sweet, especially sweet. I heard it's because it's covered with cream."

The eldest child exclaimed, "Wow, then I will go to college, go to a big city to eat cakes, and buy lots of cakes to bring back for mom and dad, and for the second and third children."

Shen Lie snorted, "You are kind-hearted, but the college entrance exam is still a long way off. There have been national college admissions conferences in the past, but they were all just talk and no action. The college entrance exam may not be held yet."

According to Shen Lie, this might be another story about the boy who cried wolf.

However, Shen Lie miscalculated this time.

A national college admissions conference was held in Beijing in September.

On October 21, major media outlets announced the resumption of the college entrance examination, and that when enrolling students, priority would be given to medical and agricultural colleges, with a focus on recruiting doctors, teachers, and active agricultural science and technology personnel.

For a while, newspapers, radios, and televisions were all reporting and broadcasting news about the resumption of the college entrance examination, and people were spreading the news.

When Shen Lie heard the news, his eyes widened, "No way, the college entrance examination is really being resumed this time."

"Yes." Ning Tang continued, "This is a good start. In the future, there will be more and more public universities established, and more and more college students will be enrolled. Who knows, maybe we will have a university on our island too."

But I just mentioned it briefly.

The three children are still young. The eldest is only eight years old and is in the second grade. The second girl just entered the first grade in September this year. The youngest, the third child, is still in the Yuhong class. The college entrance examination and going to university are still a long way off for them.

At the same time, the Su family learned the news.

The Su family did not subscribe to newspapers, nor did they buy a radio or TV. Ning Xue was able to learn about the resumption of the college entrance examination only because Su Junyan brought it back.

The moment she heard the news, Ning Xue was in a trance and murmured, "The college entrance examination has been resumed... The college entrance examination has been resumed... College students..."

She pursed her lips, her expression complicated, "What if? I wish I was born a few years later, so I could go to college and become a college student."

Going to university was once her lifelong dream.

The Ning family has an uncle who has a bad background and was labeled a capitalist. So even though Ning Xue had good grades at first, she did not get the recommendation for admission to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University and missed the opportunity to go to university.

This time the college entrance examination has been restored and enrollment has been liberalized. Anyone can sign up to take the college entrance examination regardless of their background.

If the college entrance examination had been resumed a few years earlier, perhaps Ning Xue would have been able to be admitted to university and become a college student. By then, she would have taken a completely different path.

What a pity, it’s fate and time.

Ning Xue thought so, but Su Junyan didn't think so.

He curled his lips and said, "Forget it. The college entrance examination is like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge. Even though you have entered high school and your grades are okay, they are only relative to your small village. Compared with the students with good grades all over the country, you are nothing."

Ning Xue opened her mouth to refute, but then she thought again and felt that what Su Junyan said made sense, "You are right."

She glanced at Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu who were studying hard at their desks, and sighed, "In my lifetime, I can only hope to raise Guangzong and Yaozu to become college students." She was even more determined to urge the twins to study hard.

Ning Xue curled her lips, and a strange light flashed across her eyes. "If I can't be a college student, I'll be the mother of a college student."

Su Junyan thought so too? Otherwise, he wouldn't have given the twins a name like "Guang Zong Yao Zu" which clearly expressed his hope for their success. "That's right."

He said, "As a woman, it doesn't matter if you make a name for yourself and have a career. Others will only ask how your husband is and whether your children are promising. If you don't have these two, you will still be looked down upon no matter how rich and successful you are. Raising your children to be successful is your greatest mission as a mother."

Ning Xueshen took it for granted and complimented Su Junyan, "I have married a good husband now. As long as they can get into college and become college students, it will be a real honor for the family and bring glory to me."

The couple smiled at each other, totally unaware that, out of their sight, Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu's faces turned pale, and they looked at the exercise books in their hands, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit.

On November 10, Shen Lie came home from get off work and saw Ningtang writing a letter.

He asked, "Yes? Writing a letter home?"

Ning Tang nodded, "It's almost Chinese New Year, I'll send a letter to my parents to wish them a happy new year."

Shen Lie nodded, "Remember to mention it in the letter. We will go back to Shangang Village to celebrate the New Year this year."

Ning Tang followed Shen Lie's instructions and wrote down what he said. As soon as he finished writing, he realized what was going on and asked in surprise, "What did you say? Go back to Shangang Village for the New Year this year?"

What does it mean?

Does it mean that she can go back to Shangang Village during this Spring Festival and see Ning Weiguo and Sun Aiju?

Shen Lie smiled and said, "I have already requested for my annual leave, which is a total of 20 days, just right for this Spring Festival."

I accompanied Ningtang back to Shangang Village to take a look. She had been away from home for more than a year and she must have missed home.

"Twenty days." Ning Tang blinked, "You still have a lot of time to take your annual leave."

Shen Lie raised his eyebrows. "Military officers who have served or worked for less than 20 years can take 20 days of annual leave each year. This year, I will use all of my annual leave here."

Ning Tang was so happy that she jumped into Shen Lie's arms, "Captain Shen, you are so kind!"

Shen Lie's body became stiff because of her hug. He coughed and said, "You are hugging me like this. How can you be so indecent? Get off me quickly. You are peeling me like an octopus. If anyone sees you, what shall I do?"

Ning Tang glanced at him and said, "Go upstairs and look in the bedside cabinet in our room."

"What are you looking for?" Shen Lie was puzzled.

"Look for the marriage certificate." Ning Tang said without hesitation, "We are a legal couple, and we are in our own home, so what's wrong with hugging each other? I want to, I can still kiss you."

After saying that, she pouted and moved her lips close to Shen Lie's cheek.

Shen Lie's face suddenly turned red, like a monkey's butt, and he stuttered when he spoke, "You, you, get out of here quickly." An idea suddenly occurred to him, "Dawa and the others will be back soon, don't let those three see us."

As soon as the words fell, the eldest child's voice was heard, "Dad, we didn't see you, just pretend we don't exist."

Shen Lie looked back and saw that Da Wa and the other two had been standing at the door without him noticing when.

The eldest child covered his eyes with both hands, but there was a big gap between his fingers. The second girl covered her own eyes with one hand and covered the third child's eyes with the other hand, with a tiny gap between her fingers. It was not as obvious as what the eldest child did, but it was easy to see that the three little kids were peeking.

When Shen Lie was caught by the children, his face turned even redder, and he wished there was a one-centimeter gap under his feet so that he could crawl into it.

Ning Tang was much more generous than him. He narrowed his eyes and asked the three little ones, "What did you see just now? What?"

The eldest, second, and third children all shook their heads and said in unison, "We didn't see anything."

Ning Tang: "You guys are good at recognizing each other."

Looking at Shen Lie again, he still looked at a loss.

Ning Tang was amused. He had already given birth to three children, but he still looked so innocent. She couldn't help but tease him and whispered in his ear, "Captain Shen..."

Before he could say a word, Shen Lie fled in panic, staggering. Looking at him, if you didn't know better, you would think there was a dog chasing him.

Ning Tang sneered, stretched out his hand to call the three children over, and said to them, "Let's go back to our grandma's house to celebrate the New Year this year."

The eldest child tilted his head, "Grandma and grandpa? But? We don't have? Grandma and grandpa?"

Ning Tang was stunned. She thought Da Wa would ask if he was going back to his grandparents' home, but she didn't expect Da Wa to give this answer.

Shen Lie came down from upstairs, obviously keeping an eye on what was going on here all the time, "Da Wa's biological parents died a few years after she was born, so she was fostered in her uncle and aunt's home."

So that's how it is.

After figuring it out, Ning Tang explained to the three kids, "You now have a grandma and a grandpa. Your grandma and a grandpa are my mom and dad."

Erniu asked, "Mom's dad or mom?"

"Yes." Ning Tang said.

Da Wa was a little uneasy, "Are they good people?"

Shen Lie looked unhappy and explained to Ning Tang in a low voice, "I don't have any elders here. Da Wa's mother's uncle and aunt came once during Da Wa's mother's funeral, asked for two hundred yuan and left."

"Wait a minute." Ning Tang asked in surprise, "Dawa's mother is dead, why are her uncle and aunt coming to ask for money? I don't understand the logic behind this."

She was... It was the first time she heard that someone did not bring free money to a funeral, but instead came to the door to ask for money.

How fresh!

Shen Lie sneered, "Da Wa's mother's uncle and aunt think that they raised Da Wa's mother to such an age, she lived well at home, married me, gave birth to three children for me, and then died. It was all because I didn't take good care of her, treated her harshly, and used her as a reproductive tool, so she died so early. They came here to ask for compensation."

Ning Tang was speechless and didn't know what to say. She asked him, "Did you give me the money?"

Shen Lie curled his lips and said, "Give it to me, just like giving it to a beggar."

At that time, Da Wa's biological mother's uncle and aunt came to the house with great arrogance and made a huge commotion. Da Wa and his two children were still young and were so scared that they huddled aside.

Shen Lie didn't want the three children to suffer any psychological trauma, nor did he want to get involved with those two scoundrels, so he gave them two hundred yuan at once and asked them not to come to his house again.

He added, "Just give it to me. Don't you know that those two are two-faced people who can't keep their money? They gave birth to a son who acts like a local emperor at home. I heard that he indulges in eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. He is a bottomless pit."

Shen Lie glanced at Erniu and whispered, "Da Wa's mother favors boys over girls. This was probably caused by the pressure from her uncle, aunt, and cousin."

Ning Tang nodded, then thought about it and felt something was wrong, "You said they are a bottomless pit, so it's impossible that they would only come to you once to ask for money."

"They know that I spent a lot of money on medicine for Da Wa's mother and the funeral, which emptied our family savings. The two hundred yuan was the maximum amount I could come up with at the time." Shen Lie said, "And my rank was not as high as it is now, and the salary and benefits of the army were not as good as they are now."

No wonder.

Ning Tang understood, "If they knew you got promoted and could make more money, wouldn't they come to your house again?"

Shen Lie hesitated and said, "I don't think so. I have lost contact with them a long time ago. We haven't exchanged letters in the past few years."

But he was not sure. After all, he was a well-known regiment commander. The couple knew that he was serving in the military on Hailang Island with his eldest, second and third children. Maybe one day, when he had spent all his money, they would come to him again. Who knows?

Seeing Shen Lie's hesitation, Ning Tang smiled and said, "It's okay. If they dare to come, I will use a broom to beat them out."

Shen Lie also laughed, "Just your little arms and legs."

After laughing, he said seriously, "If such a thing really happens, don't get into conflict with them. Wait for me to come back and solve it. They are just two rogues and two-faced people. If you get into conflict with them, it will only hurt you."

Ning Tang's eyes flashed with an inexplicable light, "Hey, Captain Shen, are you really concerned about me?"

Shen Lie's eyes darted around, but he didn't look at her. He coughed and said, "Well, I'm going to cook."

Having said that, he fled.

Ning Tang was happy. She never thought that Shen Lie would have to escape one day, and twice at that!

After Shen Lie ran away, Ning Tang continued to talk to Da Wa and the others, "Where were we just talking about? By the way, let's go back to Shangang Village for the Spring Festival this year. I'll take you to meet your grandparents, that is, my parents."

The eldest boy pursed his lips and didn't respond.

Ning Tang pinched his little face and said, "Don't worry, grandma is a very nice person."

The eldest still didn't believe it, and the second and third kids were also a little hesitant.

The three children were actually frightened by their mother's uncle and aunt at the funeral.

The word "elder" left a foul and unpleasant mark in their minds.

Ning Tang didn't explain to them. Anyway, when they saw Ning Weiguo and Sun Aiju, they knew how good the two old people were.

Instead, he pulled them aside to discuss, "What do you think we should bring back for grandma and grandpa? Dried shrimps, dried mackerel?"

Ning Tang sends these seafood back every two months. This time during the Spring Festival, she wants to bring some fresh ones to please Ning Weiguo and Sun Aiju.

The eldest child said, "Our island is famous for seafood and fruits. It depends on what you want to bring."

"I would like to bring some fruit," Ning Tang said, "but it takes nearly seven days to get from Hailang Island to Shangang Village by train, and the fruit will become rotten if I bring it with me. Besides, it's not easy to bring fruit on the train. What if I don't get a seat or sleeper ticket and it gets squeezed by other people, the fruit will become squashed."

Erniu concluded, "Then we can only dry the hairtail fish. If the fish is dried, it won't get squeezed."

Ning Tang suddenly had an idea, "Not really, Erniu reminded me, we can dry the fruits and take them back as jerky."

She thought of the dried pineapple, dried kiwi, and dried banana she had eaten in her previous life...

"Dried fruit?" asked the eldest child. "Can it be delicious?"

He thinks fresh fruit is better, sweet and juicy.

Ning Tang said, "Let's give it a try. Maybe it will taste better than fresh fruit."

Shen Lie came out after finishing cooking and just happened to hear this sentence. He was amused, "Comrade Xiaoning, you want to waste things again. I have never heard that dried fruits are better than fresh ones. If you really want to bring fruits to your parents-in-law, then get off the train and go to the department store in the city to buy a few bags of fresh fruits to take back."

Ning Tang said, "What? What do you mean I'm wasting things? And? What? What do you mean again? I don't even have one? The variety of fruits I buy in the department store in the city is not as rich as those in Hailang Island, nor are they as delicious. They are also expensive, only a few dollars, and I have to get a ticket. It's not a calculation at all."

When she was in Shangang Village, Ningtang was hungry, so Sun Aiju bought a bag of apples. There were only four apples in the bag, and each apple was only half the size of a fist. They were dry and thin, and they were powdery and unpalatable when you bit them.

Just this thing? It costs two yuan, which is equivalent to fifty cents for a nasty apple.

In addition, you have to buy fruit tickets at high prices on the black market.

When you think about it, it's not worth it.

In comparison, the fruits on Hailang Island are simply the best.

Take the mangoes we ate a while ago, for example. They were everywhere in the mountains. No money or tickets were required. Anyone who wanted to eat them could just pick them.

If it were in Shangang Village, mangoes like this would probably be several times more expensive than the dried-up apples that Ningtang eats.