Chapter 142 142

That might be a scene they would never forget.

Many girls who had returned home for the New Year and had not had time to go out to work came out in pairs or threes from their homes or from the high platforms at the doorsteps of their homes, standing on their own waterproof platforms, looking down from above. Some even walked down from the platforms and surrounded the cadres at the brigade headquarters to watch the excitement.

The open space in front of the brigade was as big as a drying field. Behind it was the settlement of the first and second houses. The girls who had gone out to work early and bought new clothes to go home for the New Year stood behind the brigade, looking at the girl who was surrounded by a large group of people, standing in the center and front of the crowd, wearing a red silk ribbon and a big red flower on her chest, with two teachers holding a banner behind her.

At this moment, it seemed as if a beam of light shone on the girl who was familiar and unfamiliar to them. Everyone's eyes were focused on her, blankly, as if they didn't know her.

She was so close to them, so close that they had watched her grow up since she was a child, and she seemed so far away from them, standing at the entrance of the village, but as far away as the clouds in the sky, they could see her but couldn't touch her.

The crowd was silent.

Reporter Wu took the microphone and walked up to the brigade secretary with a smile on his face: "Hello, I am a reporter from Wucheng TV Station. Are you the secretary of Linhe Brigade?"

Although the brigade secretary had been the secretary for more than ten years, it was the first time he was interviewed by a reporter. He coughed heavily and felt very uncomfortable: "I am, you are..."

"We want to do an in-depth interview with Jiang Wu from Jiangjia Village in Linhe Brigade, who won the gold medal in the National Olympic Games and was admitted to Beijing University in advance. We want to learn more about her hometown and her growing environment. May I ask if you knew that Jiang Wu was admitted to Beijing University in advance?"

The brigade secretary looked at Jiang Wu with complicated eyes, nodded stiffly, and said in a hoarse voice: "I know."

Yesterday, the big guy came back and started setting off the loudest firecrackers from the brigade headquarters. After that, all the way, firecrackers were set off continuously, with sixteen bangs, all the way to his own doorstep, and they were still being set off. The whole three rooms were shocked. How could he not know?

He has been at home these days and has not gone out. It was also because he heard about this that he came to the brigade headquarters today.

If the incident with Lotus had not happened, he would have been so happy to see this scene.

Jiang Wu was also the daughter of their third room. The eldest man's family had two college students, and his two cousins ​​were also college students. His family already had one college student, and with Lotus, there were two. Their two families were obviously brothers and sisters from the same clan, and they could help each other. Why did things develop into what they are now?

But he still slowly smiled, looked at Jiang Xi, and said kindly: "Yesterday, his father came back and set off fireworks and firecrackers for the whole afternoon. Our whole village knew about it. We are discussing in the brigade to give her a scholarship. Last year, her brother was admitted to university, and our brigade gave her brother a scholarship. She was admitted to Beijing University, which is the honor of our village and the honor of our brigade!"

As he spoke, the brigade secretary spoke more and more fluently, and the feeling of the whole person came back, and the smile on his face became more and more natural.

"Okay, thank you, brigade secretary, then can you tell us how much scholarship the brigade gave to Jiang Xi?" Reporter Wu asked curiously.

The brigade secretary leaned over and said: "This is the accountant of our Linhe Brigade. Let Accountant Xu talk to you."

Almost all the cadres working in the brigade headquarters came from several villages in the Linhe Brigade.

Accountant Xu was from Xujia Village across the street. He smiled warmly and said, "When her brother was admitted to university last year, our brigade gave her a scholarship of 50 yuan. This year, she was admitted to Beijing University. She is the first college student from our Linhe Brigade to be admitted to a top university in the country." He glanced at the brigade secretary and the brigade leader, smiled and said, "Our brigade has tentatively offered a scholarship of 100 yuan."

100 yuan is a lot in this day and age. Reporter Wu smiled and nodded, "Okay, thank you."

Reporter Wu wanted to interview other people who were watching, but when they saw Reporter Wu coming, they were scared and scattered, or they were too shy to speak, and one pushed the girl next to him hard, "You go ahead, go

ahead." The girl who was interviewed was a little braver, but also very shy.

"Excuse me, do you know that Jiang Xi from your village was admitted to a university in Beijing? What do you think about this?"

The little girl looked at reporter Wu, covered her mouth with her hands and smiled shyly, then put her hands down: "Yesterday I heard the sound of firecrackers from the second house, and I knew that someone from the third house was admitted to a university, but I don't know which university he was admitted to. What do you think..." She shook her head shyly: "I dare not think about it, I dare not think about it."

"Hey! The reporter is asking what you think!" A girl next to her couldn't stand it.

Because this place is closest to the settlement of the first house, the people watching the excitement around are most likely people from the first house.

Jiang Gangqin loved to watch the excitement. She climbed up to the bungalow on the top floor of her house and watched from afar. Then, like a monkey, she nimbly jumped down from her own persimmon tree, and using the courtyard wall to jump onto the high platform of her neighbor's house. Then, like a flyover, she quickly moved her feet on the stone fence on the high platform of her neighbor's house, climbed over another tree, and soon climbed up to the high platform closest to the brigade headquarters. On the courtyard wall, she desperately waved to Jiang Xing, shouting: "Xing Xing! Xing Xing!"

Reporter Wu immediately noticed the blond girl on the courtyard wall. The girl was dressed very fashionably, with her hair dyed straw yellow, but she didn't wear any fancy earrings or anything like that. Instead, she combed her hair up and tied it into a high ponytail, which exposed all the red pimples on her forehead and cheeks.

This was the doctor's will for her, not to use thick bangs to cover pimples, as the dust and bacteria on the bangs would make the skin condition worse.

Reporter Wu walked to the stone under the platform and raised the microphone in his hand high: "Excuse me, what is your relationship with Jiang Qing? What do you think about Jiang Qing's early admission to Peking University?"

Jiang Gangqin bent down deeply, put her mouth close to the microphone and shouted loudly: "I am her good friend! Niu Niu Pen!" Then she raised two big thumbs, climbed up the wall of the courtyard very conspicuously and shouted: "Niu Niu Pen! Niu Niu Pen!"

In the reserved and shy small mountain village, such an unrestrained and exposed girl suddenly appeared, and reporter Wu burst out laughing. Uncle

Jiang's family of four were in the field below the front of the brigade headquarters, measuring how to dig the foundation and how deep to dig.

When he saw the group of people coming towards him, he was a little confused. He was so busy working that he didn't even see them. It was his youngest son who saw them and called his two brothers: "Big brother, look, it's Grandpa and Xiaoxiao!"

Jiang Hongjun and Jiang Hongbing were also helping Uncle Jiang measure. When they heard Jiang Jun's words, they looked up blankly: "Grandpa is back?"

Jiang Jun was very excited: "Look, look, there are reporters!"

The Jiang family's paddy fields were in a very good location for farmland because of their low terrain. There was no shortage of water, but as a homestead, it was not so good. There was water in the fields. They measured the area of ​​the foundation wearing long rain boots, which were deeply embedded in the mud. Every step they took, they had to pull the knee-deep rubber boots upwards.

When Uncle Jiang looked up, he only saw the crowd that had gathered around him, but not Jiang Xiao and Grandpa Jiang.

Jiang Jun said excitedly, "Oh, someone stopped us. There's a big red flower on Xing Xing's chest!"

Uncle Jiang suddenly remembered what his younger brother said yesterday, that Jiang Xing was admitted to Peking University in advance. He didn't think twice and took his three sons to say, "Let's go and have a look!" He then said to his youngest son Jiang Jun, "You're quick. Hurry up and call your uncle over." With these words, he went ashore.

Although this paddy field was close to the brigade headquarters, there was a ditch in between. He had to go to the brigade headquarters, and then go around in the opposite direction, cross the stone bridge, and then come back.

When Uncle Jiang and his two sons came over, reporter Wu had already finished interviewing them.

Uncle Jiang pushed through the crowd and saw Grandpa Jiang in his new clothes and Jiang Xiao, who was supporting him and wearing a red flower, in the middle of the crowd. Uncle Jiang seemed to see the scene of the number one scholar returning home on TV.

Last year, when Jiang Bai was admitted to the university, it was already very lively. Everyone in the third room sent red envelopes and gifts, and the brigade also sent red envelopes, but there was no such a big fuss as when Jiang Xiao was admitted.

Looking at the people from Dingjia Village and Shijia Village who followed behind her to see the excitement, and then looking at the people from the first and second houses surrounding her, and the long banners held by the two teachers, and the tall man with a bossy slicked back hair, dressed in black, and smiling and domineering, Uncle Jiang thought at first glance that this man was the kind of tycoon shown on TV, but he introduced himself as the principal of No. 1 Middle School. It

was the first time that Uncle Jiang knew that a principal could be so strong and powerful.

Uncle Jiang stood in front of these people, looking at the mud on his hands and body from measuring the homestead in the paddy field, and suddenly regretted standing up.

He should have gone home to change into new clothes before coming out, but it was too late. He called Grandpa Jiang: "Dad, Xiaoxiao, who are you..."

Reporter Wu immediately came over to interview Uncle Jiang: "Excuse me, who are you to Jiang Xiao? Can you introduce yourself to us?"

"I..." Uncle Jiang rubbed his hands nervously: "I'm her uncle."

Jiang Hongjun also came over: "I'm her eldest brother!"

Looking at Jiang Hongbing who was eager to try and looked excited, Reporter Wu handed the microphone to him: "I'm her second brother!"

Jiang Hongbing smiled like a fool, his face full of pride.

When reporter Wu heard it, it turned out to be Jiang Yu's eldest and second brothers. She had heard before that Jiang Yu had two older brothers, both of whom were students of No. 1 Middle School, and the second brother was admitted to Shanghai University of Science and Technology. She immediately interviewed excitedly: "It turns out to be the eldest and second brothers." She asked Jiang Hongbing: "I heard that the second brother was also admitted to Shanghai University of Science and Technology last year. What is campus life like in the university? Do you have anything to say about your sister surpassing you and being admitted to Beijing University in advance?"

Jiang Hongbing's face turned red all of a sudden. Jiang Hongjun pulled him away and said into the microphone: "We are her cousins. Her other two brothers did some part-time jobs during the winter vacation..."

"Work-study."

"Yes, work-study, and they didn't come back."

Uncle Jiang's face also turned red, looking at Grandpa Jiang who was supported by Jiang Yu and walking in front of the crowd.

Grandpa Jiang had never been so glorious in his life. Before he even reached the door of Jiang Gangqin's house, the children in the village were jumping and skipping forward, shouting in their childish voices: "The number one scholar is back! The number one scholar is back!"

They didn't know what the number one scholar was, and many of the uneducated people in the village didn't know either. Anyway, they probably heard from Jiang's father that he won the gold medal in the Olympic poker, so wasn't that the number one scholar? When they said this, the children in the family heard it, and the children thought that Jiang Gong had passed the imperial examination and returned wearing a red flower, just like the person in "Justice Bao" who passed the imperial examination, so they shouted like this.

The old and young in the village had already come out of their homes. Every household stood on the high platform and looked down. Many women who had returned to their parents' homes, holding young children, and leading children of four or five years old, all stood by the fence. Some families' high platforms did not have fences, but only planted some peach trees. They stood on the high side and looked down. Some people walked down from the high platform directly, stood on the steps of the stone stairs, and then followed the crowd to the Jiang family.

At first, it was the children who shouted loudly: "The number one scholar is back!"

The adults who were watching the excitement behind also shouted enthusiastically: "Big guy! Come out and see! Your number one scholar daughter is back!"

Jiang's father did not shout out, but Jiang's mother did.

Jiang's father went to the village chief's house to discuss Jiang Gui's family tree. Jiang Jun had already run to call him.

The village chief was the eldest of the fourth branch. He had a round head and a round body. In that era, he looked very plump.

After hearing Jiang Jun coming over and saying that Jiang Luo was back and that reporters from TV stations had come to Jiangjia Village for an interview, not only did Jiang's father rush home, but even the village chief, the former brigade secretary, the former brigade secretary's sons and daughters-in-law who had a good relationship with Jiang's father, and the village blacksmith all came out of their homes and went to Jiang's house at the bottom of the village. Before they even reached Jiang's house, they saw the road below filled with people watching the excitement. The road was crowded with people. They climbed onto the Jiang's pigpen, the top of the cement toilet next door, and the earthen wall of the yard in front, not to mention the platform of the small shop at the entrance of the village and the platform of Jiang's uncle's house. It was crowded with people watching the excitement.

There were also people from the second and fourth rooms above. After hearing the excitement, they passed the news to one another and rushed down.

Some people even ran to Uncle Jiang's house and shouted Jiang Guoliang: "Guoliang! Guoliang! This is incredible! Your eldest niece was admitted to Beijing University, and a TV reporter came to interview her! Many people came, and they even hung a banner. I heard that your eldest niece was wearing a red flower, how glorious!"

Jiang Guoliang is 1.805 meters tall.

He is a physical education teacher. Every time someone introduces his height, they say "1.80 meters."

He will add very seriously: "It's 1.805 meters."

After a long time, everyone knows that his height is 1.805 meters.

He was tall and thin, and he loved playing basketball. He took a few steps and jumped up, then ran down quickly like a monkey. His friend who came to tell him the news couldn't catch up with him and shouted, "Why are you running so fast? Wait for me!" But he couldn't catch up with Jiang Guoliang.

Jiang Guoliang pushed through the crowd and saw Principal Sun and Director Wang. He immediately called out politely, "Principal Sun, Teacher Wang."

When he was a senior, Principal Sun had just become the principal of No. 1 Middle School, and Director Wang was not yet the director.

Teacher Wang still remembered Jiang Guoliang. After all, Jiang Guoliang's appearance was also outstanding. Although his grades were not among the top in No. 1 Middle School, he successfully made Teacher Wang remember this student with his outstanding appearance, but he just couldn't remember his name.

"You are Jiang..."

Jiang Guoliang said with a bright smile: "Jiang Guoliang."

"Yes, Jiang Guoliang." Director Xiao Wang greeted: "Where are you now?"

"I am now a teacher at the Central Primary School of Chengxiang Town."

On the other side, Jiang's father had already seen Jiang Liu, who had returned wearing a big red flower.

This is not ancient times. Wearing a red flower with red silk is a particularly embarrassing and funny thing. But here, in this village, it is not funny at all. Jiang's father, including the people of Jiangjia Village, Dingjia Village, and Shijia Village, feel extremely proud.

There are many girls from Jiangjia Village who marry to the surrounding villages, and there are also girls from their village who marry to Jiangjia Village. Several villages are from the same brigade, and they not only know each other, but also have many relatives. At this moment, they look at Jiang Xiao, Jiang's father and Jiang's grandfather, and feel that the Jiang family is simply too glorious, especially when Jiang Xiao walks up to her simple high platform and stands in front of her shabby and short house with bricks below and earth walls above. She is wearing a red flower, and it seems that a thousand-foot light shines on her body, which makes people around her stare for a long time.

Of course, reporter Wu also noticed the new two-story buildings of every household around, which formed a sharp contrast with the gray and shabby house of the Jiang family.

The photographer was also very good at taking pictures. He immediately found this gap and created a huge contrast between the white porcelain brick house of Uncle Jiang's mother's house next door, which looked particularly large because the two sons built their houses together, and the short house with gray bricks and gray tiles that lived next to them and was tucked under the wall not far away from them.

This sense of contrast was exactly what they wanted.

He took pictures of the surrounding environment one by one, and then someone shouted, "The big guy is here!"

"The village chief is here too!"

"The old secretary is here too!"

The old secretary still had a very high prestige in the village. Even though he had retired, the villagers still respected him very much. Otherwise, his influence would not have allowed his son-in-law to become a strong contender for the next brigade secretary. In fact, the next brigade secretary was really his son-in-law. Later, he was reported and investigated for using the brigade's money to lend out at high interest rates. That was more than ten years later. His son-in-law had already used the interest from loans made with the brigade's money to buy a house in a city very close to Shanghai, and the whole family moved to that city.

Father Jiang went forward and shook hands with Principal Sun, Director Wang and Director Wang, and the cameraman.

Reporter Wu said to the camera: "Now let's interview the legendary father who has trained two college students, one of whom was admitted to Beijing University."

The four words "legendary father" made Father Jiang's face flush with excitement, and his smile almost reached his ears. He kept saying: "I don't deserve the title, I don't deserve it. In fact, I didn't do anything. My children are very worry-free. We don't need to take care of them. They just know how to study hard."

"Do you have anything to say about your daughter's good grades?"

Jiang's father said happily, "Since they were young, I told my children that they must go to college. College is the only way out. As long as they can get in, I will continue to support them even if they get a doctorate or a postdoctoral degree. My daughter has been smart since she was young. No matter what I teach her, she will learn it immediately."

He suddenly remembered that he used to praise his daughter's intelligence to everyone he met. As a result, after his daughter entered elementary school, her grades were mediocre in the class. She was like a nobody, and was laughed at by the teachers who knew him, saying that he was bragging.

Those teachers were from Xujia Village, but unfortunately they were not there, otherwise he really wanted to ask them loudly: "Am I bragging or not? Is my daughter very smart?"

Jiang's father had completely beautified Jiang's childhood memories at this time, and said excitedly: "When she was not in school yet, at the age of five or six, she could recite 300 Tang poems and the multiplication table by heart, and started to recite classical Chinese in the first and second grades of elementary school! She could recite such a long classical Chinese text in its entirety, and in the third grade she could do the elementary school Olympiad math problems of the fifth grade."

He took the reporter to his and Jiang's mother's room. There was a bookshelf in his room, which was full of books. In addition to some study books he bought for his three children, there were also many books such as "Ci Hai" and "Guide to Chicken and Duck Breeding".

Father Jiang took out a very old book, "Collection of Classical Chinese Literature" and "Primary School Mathematical Olympiad Competition Questions", and showed reporter Wu the marks left by Jiang Xing when he was reciting and doing exercises. The cameraman followed behind to take pictures.

Because the room was not big and it was full of closets and cabinets, not many people followed him in.

These books were originally bought to teach Jiang Song, but Jiang Song was restless and couldn't sit still. He didn't want to read them at all. Father Jiang taught him, and then he ran away like a monkey. You couldn't catch up with him.

Later, he showed them to Jiang Bai, but Jiang Bai was not interested, so all his fatherly love as a teacher was given to the youngest Jiang Xing. Jiang Xing was the only one who read and learned all the books on this bookshelf.

It has to be said that Jiang's father is a person who cherishes books very much.

He has well preserved and collected all the books of the three children in the Jiang family, from childhood to adulthood.

He climbed to the roof.

Because of his patrol of the mountains, Grandpa Jiang dragged home any dead trees on the mountain every year. Over the years, there was a row of trees on the roof, waiting for the new house to be built one year, and these trees can be used.

He took out a big box from the water chestnut pots on these trees, wiped off the dust on it, opened it and saw that it was full of various books that Jiang Xi had read since childhood. Except for some books that Jiang Song was ignorant when she was a child and tore into airplanes and various square cards to play with, even her childhood homework books were saved.

Jiang Xi knew about this.

Later, the Jiang family built a big house, and the upstairs room facing the sun was used as a reception room. In this reception room, there is a whole wall of bookshelves. The bookshelves with glass sliding doors are filled with all the books, awards, and certificates that Jiang Song, Jiang Bai, and Jiang Liu have collected over the years.

Every time she returns to her hometown during the Spring Festival, she is moved when she sees those marks of her childhood that have been carefully preserved.

Father Jiang is always like this. After she has seen through this world, this village, and even his nature, he still keeps a little warmth for you.

And this warmth is not fake, it is real.