Chapter 88 Rejected
Xu Qingming laughed, angrily laughing, and raised his hand to knock her on the forehead unexpectedly: "What are you thinking about? What's in your head? Since you're a substitute teacher, then do it well. I'll find time to thank him later."
"No, no, I'm just telling you this to cheer you up. I'll thank him myself."
Knowing that he couldn't convince her, Xu Qingming didn't bother to talk to her anymore: "Okay, then you have to go to bed early tonight and get up even earlier tomorrow. By the way, did you bring a pen when you came? I brought one for you to use first."
"No, no, Lu Dongping bought it for me." Wen Wan shook the bag in her hand that she had not put down in time: "Then I'll go wash up!" She waved her hand and walked towards the door.
Xu Qingming stood there with his hands in his pockets and didn't move for a long time.
What a silly girl!
He didn't know what to do. When he left, the elders in the family repeatedly told him to take good care of her, but when he arrived, the girl had already been taken away by a wolf.
The atmosphere in the female educated youth's room was still not very harmonious. The three female educated youth who came together were particularly united, but Wen Wan seemed very out of place as she went out early and came back late. When she entered the room and saw Xu Wenfang and Zhang Yun looking at her, she nodded as a greeting, then put the things in her hand on the bed and added water to prepare to wash up.
Xu Wenfang called out to her, "Wen Wan, where have you been picking pig grass lately? Shall we go together tomorrow?"
Now that the weather is warmer and the days are getting light, no one gets up in the morning to eat before going out. Instead, they go out to work as soon as it gets light, and work until the sun is halfway up the sky before coming back to cook. They then rest in the house for a while to avoid going out when the sun is at its hottest.
The Qingming Festival had just passed, and the sun was shining one after another. The midday sun was very scorching. Xu Wenfang, Zhang Yun and the others had all become much darker. In addition, the food at the educated youth camp was so-so, and the people who ate there had pale faces, which made their complexions even uglier.
Looking at Wenwan's fair, tender and rosy face, I felt more and more uncomfortable, and my mind became active.
After all, no one wants to be so sad if they can live a better life.
Xu Wenfang didn't know what Zhang Yun and Deng Hongjuan were thinking. She decided to show some kindness to Wen Wan and try to figure out how to make life better. They were all sent-down educated youth, so if they could live such a comfortable life, there must be a way.
Wen Wan said, "I'm not going to pick pig grass tomorrow. I can't join you. I'm sorry!"
Xu Wenfang felt embarrassed. She didn't expect that such a proposal would be rejected.
Deng Hongjuan scoffed repeatedly: "Is pulling pig grass not tiring enough or is the bamboo basket not heavy enough? You have to rush over and put your warm face on someone else's cold butt. Isn't that comfortable?"
Wen Wan wiped her face and glanced at her: "We all live in the same room, so if you have something to say, just say it directly. There's no need to be sarcastic. You say you're not tired, but I'm tired of hearing it. What do you mean? You said you have your ideas, and I have mine. Even if my ideas are different, I can't refuse them?"
Xu Wenfang was busy trying to smooth things over: "It's okay, it's okay. I just asked. If you don't go, we can't go together. I thought since we live together, it would be more lively if we go out together."
Wen Wan nodded: "That's right. When I go to pick pig grass again, I'll call you to come with me." However, it is not possible for the time being. She is now working as a substitute teacher and has a basic work point subsidy. She no longer has to worry about not having enough work points to compensate the team when distributing rations at the end of the year, so why should she go to pick pig grass?
However, polite words still need to be said.
They couldn't be seen in the room, and there was nothing much to talk about. However, Xu Wenfang and the others would chat for a while every night before going to bed. Wen Wan was used to it and was not affected at all. She closed her eyes quickly.
Because she knew she had to get up early, she woke up several times in the morning. She found a flashlight and quietly checked the time under the covers. It was just five o'clock and it was still dark outside. She got up and just as she finished packing, she heard Lu Donglin's voice outside: "Sister Wen Wan, are you up?"
How could she not get up? Today was the first day of classes and she definitely couldn't be late. The production team was more than one or two miles away from the school, and it would take her time to walk.
He quietly closed the door and went outside.
Xu Wenfang opened his eyes. The room was pitch black, with no light at all. He thought he might be dreaming, so he turned over and went back to sleep.
Wen Wan, carrying her bag, walked with Lu Donglin and Lu Chun'e, talking as they went: "Do you guys get up at this time every day for school? So early!"
Lu Chun'e smiled and said, "You should get up at this time every day from now on. It's good in the summer because it's cool to get up early, but it's freezing in the winter."
Lu Donglin was very experienced in this area: "That's not a problem. Winter has just passed and it's still early to the next winter. If you're going to light a fire, light some charcoal and wait until it gets cold. Bring something into the office and warm yourself by the fire."
We chatted and laughed, and arrived very quickly. It was almost dawn when we got to school.
Some children had already started cleaning with brooms. When Lu Donglin entered the classroom, Wen Wan went directly to the office. The light in the office was still dim, but there was already someone there. It was Wang Hongmei, a first-grade teacher. Her home was in Wangjialiang, not far behind the school. She was said to be Wang Xiannian's niece.
Wen Wan greeted her: "Good morning, Teacher Wang!"
Wang Hongmei was a little unaccustomed to this polite way of greeting. She was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "Good morning."
Wen Wan went to her desk, took out an old handkerchief and wiped the table which seemed to have nothing on it again. She was wondering whether she should get a basin to wash her hands and the rag.
Then she put down the things she brought with her: textbooks, notebooks, and the book she had made herself yesterday with rough paper, and a fountain pen. She already had one, and Lu Dongping bought her one, one dipped in blue ink and the other in red ink.
It is available at Mo Shui School, in the principal's office. She went to pick it up yesterday.
After putting her things away, she looked around and saw the kettle behind the door. She asked Wang Hongmei, "Do you want to bring your own kettle?"
Wang Hongmei said, "No, there are two. Anyone can use them. But you have to boil water and follow the duty roster."
He explained everything in detail all at once: "There's no duty roster posted. It's basically arranged by grade. I'm in charge of first grade on Mondays, and you're in charge of second grade on Tuesdays. You have to come a little early when you're on duty. There's a stove in the stone house next door where you can boil water. The water comes from the well down the road outside the school. Then you have to clean the office, lead the students in morning exercises, and ring the bell at the end of each get out of class."
Wen Wan nodded: "I remember it, thank you!"
"You're welcome!"
Wen Wan was really not polite. She poured the milk powder into the teacup, then poured some boiling water into it. She packed it up and put it in the drawer.
Before I finished drinking, the bell outside rang, and it was time for morning exercises.
Wen Wan has no pressure teaching second graders. Children this age are naturally naughty, but Wen Wan is naughty too. She can learn with them and play with them too! Why should we be so rigid in life?
After a day of classes on Friday, Wen Wan quickly immersed herself in the role of teacher.
Sunday was still a sunny day with bright sunshine.
Lu Dongping doesn't have to go to the commune and she doesn't have to go to school.
The wheat seedlings in the wheat fields were growing rapidly and were already beginning to produce ears. The willows by the river were turning green, and the Chinese toon tree at the gate had also sprouted. Lu Dongping found time to use a bamboo pole with a sickle to hook the scarlet buds from the tree. After picking them, Zhang Hongying began to make pickles.
Lu Donglin and Lu Chun'e went to pick grass for pigs early in the morning, and cut some willow branches to make whistles. The sound was quite crisp and could be heard from far away.
Wen Wan returned with another small gift: a small whistle made for her by Lu Donglin using willow branches, and wild roses brought back by Lu Chun'e. To test the whistle, she approached Lu Dongping, who was picking Chinese toon seeds, and blew the first note into his ear. This provoked Lu Dongping to pretend to punish her. Wen Wan, like a rabbit, scurried into the kitchen, sat behind the stove, and called out to Lu Donglin.
Lu Donglin poked his head in the doorway: "Sister, what's going on?"
Wen Wan lit the fire at the bottom of the pot and said, "I'll boil some water. You, your brother, and Chun'e can wash your hair. Don't run away again!"
Lu Donglin's face fell. Why wash his hair at this time?
Zhang Hongying and Lu Chun'e were sitting outside on a small stool, each sitting around a lid, picking Chinese toon. The picked Chinese toon would be exposed to water and dried in the sun to absorb the moisture. Then they would pinch it with their hands. Only the ones that could be pinched could be eaten. Those that could not be pinched would be difficult to bite and would have to be thrown away.
Zhang Hongying called out to him, "I'm just boiling water. Go help your brother. You'll always pick up trash. You're already grown up, but you're wandering around when I'm not watching you. Are you worthy of your meals?"
Lu Donglin grumbled and reluctantly carried the basket out to the yard.
The area at the entrance is divided into two parts according to the downward path. The left side belongs to Lu Mingjiang's family, and the right side belongs to Lu Minghai's family. There are large and small Chinese toon trees growing there, and there are also konjacs, which have also emerged. The broad beans and peas planted last year are already in bud and blooming.
The Chinese toon sprouts on the tree have just emerged, and the scarlet tender sprouts can be pickled now. We can pickle a batch now, and pickle them again in a few days.
Wen Wan boiled some water and called Lu Chun'e first, then she sat down to help Zhang Hongying pick the toon buds.
Lu Chun'e went into the house and took out the soap beans. She pressed them on a wooden board and smashed them. After breaking them into pieces, she put them in a wooden basin, then scooped some hot water and rinsed them with it to make bubbles.
Wen Wan took a quick look and then remembered. She stood up and went to Lu Dongping to ask him, "Where did you put the shampoo I use?"
Lu Dongping exerted force with his hands and hooked down the toon buds along with the branches below.
"Shampoo your hair? I'll get it for you."
Putting down the bamboo pole and walking into the yard, Wen Wan followed him and said, "Wash them all. It's rare to have time. Lu Dongping, isn't your hair a little long? It's time to cut it." And Lu Donglin's hair was as long as that of a wild man.
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