Within two days, the couple next door swapped houses with a battalion commander at the other end of the compound.
After that, I rarely encountered that couple.
Feng Mingshu didn't take the matter to heart. The new semester started, but her mother-in-law didn't come back. Only Zhou Caifeng came back to school, but she was arranged to live in a high school outside the island. She was already in her first year of high school.
Feng Mingshu felt a sense of unease, because in a few months there would be unrest that would affect all the students.
After the start of the school year, Feng Mingshu went to discuss the matter with the former principal.
The old principal has aged considerably in the past two years. After hearing Feng Mingshu's words, he immediately stood up and paced back and forth.
“It’s fine to let graduating students graduate early, but where will they be placed? And not every child has the opportunity to join the army.”
At their middle school, only a portion of the students are children of military personnel; the majority are children of island residents.
"Could we set up a few factories in the name of the school? It doesn't matter what they're doing, as long as some children can stay," Feng Mingshu suggested.
She doesn't disagree with sending children to the countryside for training, but the students in the final year of junior high school are too young. Due to the educational reforms, most of them will graduate from junior high school at the age of fourteen or fifteen.
At this age, the body is not yet fully developed, and the mind is not mature either.
The old principal sighed: "Even if the factory can be set up, there are graduates every year, how many people can the factory hire? Your method is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause."
The fundamental solution is available, but Feng Mingshu can't reach it.
“Principal, even if it’s just a temporary fix, it’s better than doing nothing,” Feng Mingshu insisted.
"Opening a factory, what kind of factory, what scale, what kind of people to hire—these all need to be discussed. Let's call everyone together for a meeting." The old principal straightened his clothes and perked up.
Several meetings were held, and finally everyone adopted Feng Mingshu's suggestion to set up a seafood processing plant, which has a natural advantage for the island.
The challenge lies in packaging and preserving the food.
The school's faculty and staff consulted with fishermen in their spare time, visited and learned from factories outside the island, and conducted their own experiments upon returning home. Finally, they succeeded in their experiment before December.
Next comes the design of the process, manufacturing, and purchasing of equipment.
Of course, this factory was established under the name of an experimental base for learning from workers and farmers, so it was approved.
In early December, we officially began recruiting from our own graduates. Some were willing to apply, while others were not. In the end, we recruited twenty people.
When the first batch of products produced by the factory were sold off the island, the higher authorities issued an instruction that "it is very necessary for educated youth to go to the countryside to receive re-education from poor and lower-middle peasants."
Following this, all the junior and senior high school graduates of this year, including those from the previous 1966 and 1967 classes, were assigned to rural or border areas.
Of course, this excludes those who have jobs.
The entire island was in an uproar; some were willing to go to the countryside with dreams in their hearts, while others were unwilling.
Some who went to the school-run factory were glad they avoided being sent to the countryside, while others gave their jobs to others.
Joy and sorrow unfolded on the island, and Feng Mingshu felt somewhat sad, but did nothing else.
Zhou Caifeng, however, returned to the island excitedly at this time.
When Zhou Jinshan saw her, his brows furrowed: "Why did you come back when it's neither a holiday nor a festival?"
Zhou Caifeng immediately darted behind her sister-in-law and said with a grin, "I was thinking that I'd have to go to the countryside sooner or later, so I might as well go back to my hometown to avoid being assigned to another place after I graduate in two years."
Zhou Jinshan frowned even more. Feng Mingshu patted the back of his hand and said, "Just find a job before your little sister graduates, or you can join the army."
Zhou Jinshan stared at his younger sister: "Can you endure the hardships of being a soldier?"
Zhou Caifeng stuck out her tongue: "The art troupe's communications officer is not bad."
Zhou Jinshan's face darkened instantly: "Do you have any talents as an arts and culture soldier? Have you mastered Mandarin as a communications soldier?"
Seeing that the siblings were about to start arguing, Feng Mingshu tugged at Zhou Jinshan: "There are still two years left, there will always be a way."
After persuading her husband, Feng Mingshu called Zhou Caifeng to the study and said, "No matter when, knowledge will never let us down, and the opportunity to study at school with peace of mind is even more precious."
Zhou Caifeng said helplessly, "I understand what you're saying, sister-in-law, but there are no students at school who are paying attention, and the teachers are just going through the motions. I'm not young anymore..."
“You’re only eighteen, what’s the rush? Even if the teacher is perfunctory, you can learn on your own or come back and ask me. But once you leave school, you’ll never have that kind of opportunity again.” Feng Mingshu patted her shoulder. “The situation is changing. This year’s graduates have all gone to the countryside, but the next year, and the year after that, may not be the case.”
"Sister-in-law, you mean..."
"I didn't say anything, just that people should have hope."
After this conversation between the aunt and sister-in-law, Zhou Caifeng went off to study on the island again.
That day, Feng Mingshu felt nauseous again. She didn't tell Zhou Jinshan, but took some time to go to the hospital for a check-up, where she ran into Fu Jiarong, who worked there.
Fu Jiarong handed her pregnancy test results out the window. Feng Mingshu took them, thanked her, and then turned to leave.
"Comrade Feng, wait a minute."
Fu Jiarong called her back, quickly told her colleague, and then walked out the window.
"Is there something you need?" Feng Mingshu asked in a calm tone.
"I'd like to ask you for a favor. Can we talk outside?"
Once outside the hospital, when Feng Mingshu heard Fu Jiarong's so-called "help," his face turned cold: "I can't help you."
"Why can't I help? I don't care who Zhai Qingping has in his heart anymore. I just want to have a child with him. Is that not allowed?" Fu Jiarong questioned with red eyes.
Feng Mingshu said coldly, "This is between you and him, I have no interest in getting involved."
“But he will listen to what you say. I beg you, please go and persuade him, okay?” Fu Jiarong grabbed her arm and pleaded.
Feng Mingshu stared at Fu Jiarong, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying, and asked, "What do you think your husband will face if I tell him about this?"
Fu Jiarong's crying stopped abruptly. She thought of the punch Zhou Jinshan had delivered to her husband's jaw six months ago, and the blood that had spilled from the corner of his mouth.
After her expression shifted several times, Fu Jiarong's gaze swept over Feng Mingshu's stomach, and she sneered, "You'd better not come to me with any favors."
Feng Mingshu was not surprised by Fu Jiarong's change of expression, nor did she respond. After chatting with the doctor for a few minutes, she left the hospital and went to the daycare to pick up Mao Mao.
Mao Mao is two years old and can walk on his own. He also loves to talk. Feng Mingshu always responds positively to encourage Mao Mao's desire to express himself and helps him develop his speaking skills.
When we got home and had lunch, Mao Mao got sleepy. He kicked off his shoes, climbed into his little bed, and even pulled the blanket over his belly.
Feng Mingshu looked at Kele, lowered her head and kissed his chubby little face, then turned to Zhou Jinshan who was walking over and said, "In another six months or so, Mao Mao should have a younger brother or sister."
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