Chapter 172 Winter (Part 3)
Once the farm work was done, the school assignment came along. Of course, this assignment was limited to fourth and fifth graders: they had to go to the hillside not far from the school to chop firewood. Third graders and below didn't have to go, but substitute teachers did, because the firewood was stored there for the teachers, who used it for boiling water and other things.
It doesn’t take up class time. On Saturdays, after class in the morning, students in grades four and five have to go to school in the afternoon and go up the mountain with their teacher.
It was Wen Wan's first time to participate in such collective labor in school. Fortunately, Lu Donglin explained it to her along the way, so she had a general idea when she arrived at the place.
The teachers were the main force in chopping firewood. The teachers and several older boys in the fifth grade chopped the wood with kitchen knives, while the rest of the students dragged the wood to school according to their strength.
The firewood-cutting area was about half a mile from the school. We went up from behind the school, past several houses and wheat fields, and then up to the woods. The climb up was a bit strenuous, but the return journey was smooth, and we could reach the school in one breath, lugging the firewood.
When there are more people, work can be done faster, and it is also very lively. Lu Donglin and a group of boys were working there. They started to make a fuss while they were working. No one knew who started it, but they shouted "One, two, three, four, five, go up the mountain to fight the tiger", and soon they started shouting "Red carrots, they are sweet as honey, it's the New Year when you see them, Happy New Year, Happy New Year, no need to pick pig grass during the New Year".
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Wen Wan found it very interesting. She felt that the passion of these children outside was something she could never match even if she tried her best in class.
For the entire afternoon, firewood was piled up in front of the school gate.
Wang Xiannian asked a few fifth-grade boys to help. He, Wang Xueyi and Hu Gaoquan also stayed and piled up the firewood they brought back in the open space behind the school. Then they went to the edge of the field and dragged some straw over it to cover it.
The weather in Ganling is much warmer than that in the capital, but it is still miserable once winter comes, especially at five or six in the morning when it is still dark. There is a clay jar behind the stove at home. The charcoal from cooking is poured with water inside the jar. When it is full, it is poured into the rotten bamboo basket in the corner of the wall. It is saved throughout the year and kept for Lu Chun'e, Lu Donglin and others to use as a fire when they go to school in winter.
When his hands started to freeze, Lu Donglin's drying basket made of an old enamel pot came in handy. In the morning, he sprinkled a handful of pine needles in the fire pit, and Lu Donglin took a blowpipe and blew on the fire. When the pine needles burned out, the charcoal also ignited.
He put two pieces of charcoal in his own baking basket and two pieces for Lu Chun'e. He put on his book bag, carried the baking basket in one hand and the charcoal in the other, and walked out of the house and called Wen Wan, "Sister-in-law, are you okay? Let's go!"
Wen Wan responded, shouldering her bag and wearing gloves, and went out. When the weather got cold, she would cover herself tightly with a furry hat and a bright red scarf, which only left her eyes exposed. She also wore very thick clothes, two pairs of socks, and leather shoes with fur linings. She was wrapped in a sweater, woolen trousers, and cotton-padded jacket and trousers, making her look plump, but she was also very warm.
Lu Donglin and Lu Dongfu rushed down from the path at the entrance of the yard, swinging the baking baskets in their hands with a whooshing sound, and the fire inside soon ignited.
Lu Chun'e and Wen Wan followed behind. Wen Wan asked Lu Chun'e, "They said you have to shake it to get it started. Why don't you shake it?"
Lu Chun'e said, "It will catch fire even if you don't shake it. I'm wearing the gloves you knitted for me. I won't feel cold when I walk around. They will catch fire by themselves when we get to school."
After she finished speaking, she looked at Wen Wan and said, "Sister-in-law, you should actually bring some charcoal to school. Your hands and feet are frozen, and it would be nice to have some charcoal to warm them up."
Wen Wan waved her hand: "It's okay, I don't feel that cold. I'm in class all the time, and the break is so short, how can I have time to warm myself by the fire? I have a teacup over there, I can pour some water in it after class and hold it there to keep me warm."
“It’s so comfortable to be a teacher!”
Wen Wan laughed: "Envy?"
"Yeah!" Lu Chun'e nodded vigorously: "If I get into high school, I can become a teacher, right?"
"Then I don't know. Maybe I need some connections. But I know that if you get into a technical secondary school, you can definitely become a teacher. There's a teachers' college there, and after you finish your studies, you're guaranteed a job. It's said that you can become a teacher after you graduate. With your qualifications, I think you can pass the exam."
Lu Chun'e said, "I've heard about that, but I don't think about it. Technical secondary schools usually only have two spots per commune, and you need to have very good grades to get in. I can't do that, but Lu Dongfu has some hope. I just want to get into high school safely, and then find a job in the county after graduation. That would be the best."
"Alright! The goal is clear, keep going!"
"Keep going! I will definitely achieve my goal."
The two of them were chatting and laughing, and Lu Donglin was shouting in front: "Sister-in-law, sister, you two hurry up, you're going to be late!"
The loud voice caused a dog on the hillside, which was fed by someone unknown, to bark wildly.
It was still dawn when we arrived at school. Students who arrived early complained that the classroom was too cold and were chasing each other on the playground.
It’s not very clear inside the office, but a teacher has already arrived.
Wen Wan followed suit and said hello: "Good morning, Teacher Wang!"
Wang Xueyi replied, "Good morning! Today is the coldest day since the beginning of winter. The frost is so thick on the dew that it looks like snow."
Wen Wan took off her scarf and agreed, "That's right. It makes a crunching sound when you step on it. The road is frozen solid."
After taking off her gloves and scarf, she felt the heat dissipate immediately. She quickly put the scarf back on and wrapped it in a different way so that at least her face was exposed.
It was Xueyi's turn to be on duty today, so he came early and went to the shed to boil some water and fill the kettle. Then it was almost time for morning exercises.
As soon as the bell rang, Wen Wan came out of the office, organized her class into teams, and then lined up in order.
Wang Xueyi held an iron whistle in his mouth, and the sound was extremely loud. He blew it in a rhythm of one, two, one, and the sound could be heard from far away.
Wen Wan also ran beside her class. She was quite good at running. It wasn't a matter of speed. She just wanted to run in the morning to keep warm.
After the morning exercise, it was already bright outside and the classroom was also bright. Taking advantage of the warm air from the morning exercise, everyone went into the classroom to start morning reading.
Wen Wan used a bucket to go to the office, poured half a bucket of water, and carried it into the classroom. She didn't sit on the podium. It was too annoying to sit on the cold bench in such weather. Not only was her butt cold, but her feet were also cold. It would be better to walk around to warm herself up a little.
There were many children in the class who were hot-tempered, mostly boys. Wen Wan would remind them every day, "Be careful with your fire, don't burn your pants, clothes, or books. Be careful, don't let them catch fire."
She walked around the classroom and then left. The sounds of morning reading were getting louder and louder, some reading this article, some reading that article, the chaos was so noisy that it made my head hurt.
The student sitting by the window watched her leave the classroom, stood up slightly, half-knelt and watched her enter the office door, then turned around and reported to the other students: "Go, go, the teacher is going into the office."
So, there's no need to be so loud and serious. Wouldn't it be nice to warm yourself by the fire? It's so cold hugging a book!
Wen Wan went into the office. Perhaps because it was too cold, Wang Xiannian got a tattered enamel basin, poured half a basin of charcoal into it, and placed it outside the office after it had just been slightly lit.
Wen Wan drank some of the water in the jar and put the rest on the table. She turned and asked Wang Hongmei, "Did Principal Wang light the fire outside? Should I bring some charcoal too?"
Wang Hongmei said, "Yes, charcoal doesn't cost money. We have it at home. If it's convenient, just bring some. It's only for a little while in the morning. We won't be able to grill it during class, and we won't need it when the sun comes out."
Wen Wan knew what was going on. She went outside and saw several teachers gathered around the fire, talking. When they saw them, they said, "Teacher Wen, Teacher Wang, come and warm yourself."
Wen Wan came over, and Wang Xiannian asked, "Is Teacher Wen busy during the winter vacation?"
"Ah? Not too busy." She wasn't going to clear the land, but she hadn't finished the clothes for Lu Chun'e and Lu Donglin yet, and she hadn't started on the clothes for Old Wen and Lu Dongping yet. She also wanted to make two more pairs of soles, one for Grandpa and one for Grandma, so she wouldn't be idle. But the principal asked, and she couldn't tell him everything. Who didn't have something to do?
Wang Xiannian nodded. "I think the activity you organized for the class last time was great. I mentioned it when I gave a report at the commune. The school and the Women's Federation there are planning an event at the end of the year, and they might want to invite you to attend."
Wen Wan blinked her eyes: "Are we going to have a recitation competition too?"
"I won't be able to compete in recitation, but I should be able to sing. I might ask you to teach singing and rehearse dancing. I heard this year that the city art troupe will come here to give a rural performance, and all the communes will have to respond. We might start around the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, and we'll have to visit all the brigades and maybe even the county. Teacher Wen, you have to keep up the good work!"
Not every team or school has people qualified to participate. Wen Wan can sing well and is also good-looking. He originally planned to recommend her to participate in the performance. It just so happened that the activity that the little girl organized for the class last time caught Zhao Ping'an's attention. He might have mentioned it when he went to the meeting at the commune, otherwise they would not have asked him. He clearly showed his intention to let Wen Wan go over to help.
Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, it's almost certain, so it doesn't hurt to tell Wen Wan in advance.
It was a leisurely job, much more comfortable than participating in land reclamation work with the team. Although there were no work points, there were many benefits in the end, including subsidies for rice and flour bills. If you could really stand out from the various communes and go to the county to perform with the art troupe, that would be even more amazing, as there would be bonuses.
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