Chapter 34
Jiang Guo remembered that her mother's cooking was delicious.
Even if it's just simple sweet potato porridge, she can make it taste different, not to mention that now, Youyou brought a fat field fish home!
The delicious fragrance drifted past Jiang Guo's nose along with the breeze. She couldn't help swallowing several times. She wanted to have a bowl of fish soup, but she was too embarrassed to go into the house.
Although she is confused, she is twelve years old after all. She is at the stage where she is sensible but not completely sensible, and she is still thin-skinned.
At that time, she hugged her stepmother tightly, refusing to let her leave, and kept calling her "Mom". The look on Meng Jinyu's face when she turned pale with anger is still deeply imprinted in my mind.
Thinking of those scenes, Jiang Guo felt ashamed and didn't even have the face to drink the fish soup.
"Sister." Nie Xiaojia's soft and weak voice came.
Jiang Guo came back to his senses and glared at her: "Who is your sister?"
Nie Xiaojia's fair little face suddenly turned red, and her little hands tightly grasped the edge of the coarse porcelain bowl, until her fingernails turned white.
I don’t know how long she hesitated before she whispered, “I’ll just go to Youyou’s house to smell the fish soup. I won’t lend it to you, okay?”
Jiang Guo was too lazy to pay attention to Nie Xiaojia. All she could think about was how silly she was when she was acting coquettishly and cutely in front of her stepmother. The more she thought about it, the more she wished she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
I can’t think about this too much, otherwise I won’t be able to sleep tonight!
Thinking of this, Jiang Guo immediately shook her head and put the unhappy memories behind her, but going back to the thatched cottage to eat fish was definitely impossible, so she turned around and swaggered back home.
Fenglin Village is not big. Jiang Guo walked from the end of the village to the beginning. As soon as he got home, he walked to the eight-immortals table and opened the basket to look for food.
The table is clean and there is nothing on it.
Wang Xiaofen heard the noise and came out of her room, and asked in surprise: "Guoguo, you haven't eaten yet?"
"Second aunt, please make me something to eat." Jiang Guo said.
"How old are you? Do you still need me to cook for you?" Wang Xiaofen muttered.
Hearing this, Jiang Guo walked to the cupboard and said, "Then I'll do it myself."
She rummaged through the cupboard, looked it up and down, and just as she was about to reach out to grab the eggs, Wang Xiaofen swooped over and slapped her hand away.
"I'll do it, I'll do it." Wang Xiaofen said with a gloomy face as she walked towards the kitchen. "The whole family is eating free meals at home. We don't have any work points or wages, yet we still eat so much."
Jiang Guo didn't say anything. He just held his chin and sat on the bench waiting.
Wang Xiaofen spoke louder and louder until Old Lady Jiang came out, and then she shut up.
She knew in her heart that although her mother-in-law was hurt by the third child, she still sided with the third wife in her heart.
After all, the brother-in-law is the treasure of the mother-in-law.
It's really hard to live like this.
"Pah!" Wang Xiaofen spat and banged the bowls and plates in the kitchen to vent her anger.
…
Nie Xiaojia stood on tiptoe and watched for a long time, until he was sure that Jiang Guo had gone far away and would not look back, then he slowly moved his feet towards Youyou's house.
The room was bustling with activity.
Several children gathered around the wooden table, waiting for the fish soup to come out of the pot.
Mom said that no matter how hungry they were, they couldn’t eat the fish in a hurry. They had to stew it until it was well-seasoned before serving it out. Only then would it be delicious.
Youyou and Shanshan's stomachs were growling with hunger. They looked at their brother eagerly, asking him to make some malted milk.
Although the can of malted milk was given by Ye Meihe and Sun Yongyuan for free, it was a rare thing after all, and Jiang Cheng just couldn't bring himself to buy it.
Meng Jinyu's voice came from the kitchen: "Make three bowls to fill your stomach."
Youyou and Shanshan cheered immediately.
Jiang Cheng was also very hungry. Seeing that even his mother agreed, he hurried to boil some hot water and got three more bowls. When he came back, he saw that his younger brother and sister had already found the malted milk and put it on the table.
As soon as Youyou opened the plastic lid of the malted milk, a faint sweet wheat aroma wafted out.
I don't know when the little dumpling slipped away to get a spoon. He wrapped his little hand around the handle of the spoon, gently scooped a spoonful of malted milk, and put it into his mouth.
The malted milk has been stored for a while, and no one is willing to eat it. It is a little damp and clumpy now, but if you put a small ball in your mouth and slowly sip it, waiting for the granules to dissolve, the taste is even sweeter than White Rabbit milk candy!
Before Youyou handed over the spoon, Shanshan's little mouth had already opened, with an expectant look on her face, her mouth opened so wide that your throat was almost visible.
Until she tasted the sweetness on the tip of her tongue, Shanshan blinked her eyes like black grapes and pursed her lips in satisfaction.
"Yuzu!"
Jiang Cheng drank anxiously, but Youyou had already stood on tiptoe to feed her brother big mouthfuls of malted milk.
Looking at his sister's puffy cheeks, the particles of malted milk at the corners of her mouth, and her little hands that were gradually trembling because she raised them too high, Jiang Cheng felt both angry and amused. Afraid that his sister's arms could not support her, he immediately squatted down and took the malted milk handed to him by Xiaotuanzi with his mouth.
You won’t know until you try it, it’s so amazing after one bite!
The mouth is filled with the rich milky aroma of malted milk, which is even more fragrant than brewing it with boiling water!
At this time, a faint voice was heard.
"Yuzu—"
Nie Xiaojia moved very quietly. He first poked his head into the house, then walked in cautiously with his hands behind his back, hiding the coarse porcelain bowl he had brought with him.
Youyou was startled by Nie Xiaojia's light voice and furtive movements. She swallowed her saliva accidentally with a "gulp".
Now little Tuanzi was very upset. She had originally wanted to wait for the malted milk to dissolve slowly and was reluctant to finish it so quickly!
"Youyou, what are you eating?"
Nie Xiaojia didn't even ask if they were welcome or not. He walked into the house, his eyes still fixed on the opened bottle of malted milk.
With a snap, Jiang Chengli immediately covered the malted milk and said to his brother and sister seriously, "You can't eat it anymore. This stuff is very expensive!"
After he said that, he took the malted milk and walked to the side. When he came to a tattered old cabinet, he tiptoed to put it on the top.
You can't blame him for being stingy. Such good food, he himself couldn't bear to eat it, and neither could his brothers and sisters. He couldn't let outsiders get away with it!
Nie Xiaojia was already extremely greedy and was almost envious of Youyou to death, but now seeing that Youyou's brother was acting so stingy, he couldn't help but lower his eyes, looking dejected, and shrank back a little.
"Xiaojia, are you here to play with me? But I need to eat." Youyou said.
Nie Xiaojia bit her lip, said nothing, and stood there awkwardly.
Meng Jinyu heard the noise and came out of the kitchen, surprised and asked: "Xiaojia, why are you here? Have you eaten?"
Nie Xiaojia did not lie and nodded.
Children in rural areas are raised in a rough way. No matter how good Jin Minmin's life was, it is a thing of the past. Now she always has to go to the fields to earn work points. She usually leaves the child alone at home and tells the child that if the adults are not back at dinner time, it is normal for him to eat a cake or a whole-grain steamed bun by himself.
"What about your mother?"
"My mother went to the commune primary school to look for a job." Nie Xiaojia said softly, "She found out this morning when she inquired that there was only one vacancy left for a teacher at the commune primary school, and she had to compete with another educated youth."
Youyou tilted her head.
So is Nie Xiaojia's mother now competing with Lin Zhiqing for the position of teacher in the commune primary school?
I don’t know who will succeed, but Xiaotuanzi sincerely hopes that the educated youth aunt can get this good job.
"It's getting dark, she should be back soon, why are you still coming to my house?" Meng Jinyu said, her eyes falling on Nie Xiaojia's little hands tightly behind her back. Then she turned slightly and saw that the child came with a bowl.
"I, I..." Nie Xiaojia bit her lip, "I'll come to your house to take a look."
Seeing Nie Xiaojia's eyes rolling around, Meng Jinyu disliked him from the bottom of her heart.
These days, every household doesn't have enough food to eat, especially for her as a woman with two children. Life is not easy. It's impossible that just because she often helped Jin Minmin in the past, the mother and daughter will rely on her, right?
It is so rude of me for my child to hang out at someone else's house during dinner time.
It would be fine if she was really starving, but why did she use such a big bowl to eat and drink just to satisfy her craving?
It's not easy for any family. Meng Jinyu doesn't even spoil Jiang Guo, let alone spoil her and her daughter.
"Then you watch." Meng Jinyu said this lightly, turned around and walked towards the kitchen, saying, "The fish soup is ready to eat, Jiang Cheng come in and help with the meal."
Youyou and Shanshan immediately went to get chopsticks and spoons, sat obediently on their wooden benches, and waited for dinner to start.
After a while, Jiang Cheng came out with two bowls of porridge.
Behind him, Meng Jinyu was using a dry rag to pad a basin larger than her face. Steam was bubbling out of the basin. She walked slowly, step by step, for fear that the fish soup in the basin would spill out.
As soon as the hot fish soup was served on the table, Youyou's little face was intoxicated by the fragrant hot steam. She quickly stepped back, but her little butt had already left the bench. She stood on tiptoe high, staring at the fish soup with greedy eyes.
It was a rare opportunity to get such a plump fish, so Meng Jinyu naturally used a lot of seasoning when cooking it. I don’t know how she stewed it, but the fish soup looked thick and white, and the fish meat had been stewed well. I picked up a piece gently, and the meat was still firm.
Nie Xiaojia did not sit at the table. He sat on a small stool far away, drooling all over the floor and swallowing his saliva constantly.
Meng Jinyu put some fish meat in the children's bowls, scooped some soup, and placed it in front of them: "Eat slowly, be careful not to burn your tongue."
Youyou leaned her little face forward, scooped a small sip with a spoon, puffed up her cheeks, blew on it, pouted her little lips, and took a small sip.
The delicious fish soup, with a hint of pepper, warmed the little girl's stomach after one sip. She couldn't help but have a second sip. It was so delicious that she shook her head and squinted her eyes with satisfaction.
Shanshan imitated her sister and drank the soup slowly and slowly, taking small sips, fearing that if she drank it too fast, the whole bowl of soup would be gone.
"Eat some fish." Meng Jinyu smiled and said.
Youyou is not very good at using chopsticks. Her little hands holding the chopsticks are clumsy and she picks up a bite of fish with difficulty.
"Awoo" a mouthful, the meat of the field fish is very delicate, holding it in the mouth, with a slight sip, the fish meat melts, fresh and tender, and the fragrance seems to linger between the lips and teeth, which lingers for a long time.
After tasting it, Youyou felt more satisfied. She held the small bowl in her hands, brought it to her mouth, and took a big sip.
Little Tuanzi gulped down the fish soup, while Nie Xiaojia gulped down his saliva.
Seeing that everyone was busy eating and no one was paying attention to him at all, Nie Xiaojia couldn't help feeling aggrieved.
She stood up and wanted to take a step forward to make her presence felt, but her feet seemed to be nailed to the ground and she was too embarrassed to move.
Youyou and Shanshan are still young, and a bowl of mixed rice porridge and a bowl of fish soup are enough to make their little bellies round.
Seeing the children eating with relish, Meng Jinyu also felt like she had a good appetite. However, as she was eating, she discovered that Jiang Cheng stopped eating.
How could I not see the little thoughts of my own child?
Even though the eldest brother eats well, he is still worried about his silly younger sister at home.
Meng Jinyu asked knowingly, "You still have half a bowl in your bowl, can't you drink it anymore?"
"Mom, I'm a little full now. Can I take some food home?" Jiang Cheng stammered, his ears turning red.
Seeing this, Meng Jinyu bent her fingers and tapped his head: "Eat first, and then I'll serve you a bowl to take back." After a pause, she added, "Eat when you're hungry at night."
Jiang Cheng was overjoyed and nodded vigorously. Now he could finally eat the fish with peace of mind.
…
When Jin Minmin returned home, her daughter was already crying so hard that she was exhausted.
"What happened?" She wiped the child's tears and said, "Mom has found a job. I will be a teacher in the commune primary school and earn a salary. With the salary, I will buy you a hairpin and dress you up beautifully."
Nie Xiaojia hiccuped and cried, "Really? Mom found a job and doesn't have to work in the fields anymore?"
Jin Minmin smiled and nodded.
Today she went to see the principal with Lin Zhiqing from the village.
At first, the principal only planned to recruit one teacher, but because she and Lin Zhiqing were both pregnant and both had their own difficulties, the principal couldn't bear it and agreed to let them both stay.
However, this is only temporary.
"After we both have our babies, the principal will evaluate our performance during this period. I gave birth earlier than her, so I will behave well when I return to school. She will have to rest at home for a while after giving birth, so I will go and beg the principal to let me stay." Jin Minmin didn't care whether her daughter understood or not, she just wanted to find someone to talk to.
Nie Xiaojia looked stupidly at her mother's eyes which were as bright as stars, and the smile which finally showed confidence on her lips.
"Xiaojia, although you are still young, mom has to reason with you." Jin Minmin rubbed her daughter's hair with her hands and hugged her in her arms. "Just now in the principal's office of the commune primary school, the principal initially felt that my academic qualifications were not as high as Lin Zhiqing's, and wanted to keep her. But I cried immediately, saying that it was not easy for us orphans and widows, and when the baby in my belly was born, life would be even more difficult. The principal sympathized with me, so he agreed to let me stay with Lin Zhiqing. You see, as a woman, you should learn to show weakness. Although you are a child, you are a beautiful child. If you are not so strong, more people will love and take care of you, understand?"
After hearing this, Nie Xiaojia blinked her watery eyes and started crying again.
She cried and trembled, and told Jin Minmin what had just happened at Youyou's house.
"But Youyou and her family don't pity me." Nie Xiaojia said, biting her lip.
Only then did Jin Minmin understand why her sensible daughter was crying.
She frowned and held the child in her arms: "Meng Jinyu is really cruel." After a pause, she gritted her teeth and said, "An illiterate who works in the fields all day long and talks a lot of big words, really thinks he is something."
"Isn't Youyou my friend? Why doesn't she help me?" Nie Xiaojia asked again.
Jin Minmin sneered: "Why do you care about that little money-loser? Her family is so poor, and she has a younger brother. In the future, her younger brother will have a good education, but she won't. She will suffer to death."
Nie Xiaojia nodded thoughtfully.
Yes, there is nothing special about Youyou. Just like her, she is just a child without a father.
Besides, Youyou’s mother is not as powerful as her mother.
"She's just a little bumpkin." Jin Minmin said, touching her daughter's clothes, "Look at our Xiaojia, she's dressed so beautifully, like a city kid."
Nie Xiaojia looked down at her red sweater and finally smiled.
She is also a woman of integrity. Since Youyou doesn't want to be friends with her, then she won't do it.
Little bumpkin!
…
It was almost time for Meng Jinyu to go to bed at night before she had time to ask the children what interesting things happened when they went to the commune middle school that day.
When talking about the knowledge she learned in class, Shanshan seemed to be glowing, and when she opened her mouth, many new words came out that she had never even heard of.
Shanshan only listened to the teacher's instruction once, but she memorized all the ancient poems and could recite them fluently.
Meng Jinyu then remembered that in his previous life, Shanshan had excellent academic performance. He scored high in every exam after entering school. He was easily admitted to university and graduate school, continued his studies, and became a professor, making great contributions in his professional field.
But that was also because in his previous life, Jiang Huanming was very good at making money, and as long as his children were able to study, he would support them. Therefore, their children were not like many other children from the same village who had to go to work as early as possible.
"Shanshan, you are so amazing!" Youyou's eyes sparkled, "I have forgotten everything the teacher taught me!"
Meng Jinyu turned to look at Youyou.
In her previous life, Youyou was picked up by the art troupe at an early age, and has been engaged in artistic work ever since. But this does not mean that she cannot study, it’s just that her grades are not as outstanding as Shanshan’s.
"Mom, Shanshan loves going to school so much, can we let him go to the commune primary school?" Youyou fought for Shanshan.
Meng Jinyu said, "Our Shanshan is a good student. Since she likes studying, she should study."
"Youyou has to go too," she added, "otherwise you'll go out to play in the fields, roll around in the mud, and come home dirty."
"Can I go too?" Youyou said in a soft voice, "That's great!"
The brother and sister were so happy that they forgot themselves and excitedly threw themselves into Meng Jinyu's arms and acted coquettishly, like two well-behaved little kittens.
Meng Jinyu was amused and laughed: "Our two children really love to study. They will become educated people in the future."
Although taking care of children is tiring, Meng Jinyu feels satisfied from the bottom of her heart.
After finally coaxing them both to sleep, she got up and opened her purse to take a look.
The money in the family is a bit tight for the two children to go to school.
But even so, you still have to read the books you should read.
What Jiang Huanming could do in her previous life, she can do in this life, and she can do it better.
Meng Jinyu decided to go to the commune primary school early tomorrow morning to register her two children.
At the same time, she found the fabric that Ye Meihe had given her before.
There was a lot of fabric, and at that time Ye Meihe loved Shanshan and felt truly guilty, so she was very generous.
When Jiang Cheng and Jiang Guo went to school for the first time, she made new clothes for them.
Although something has happened in the family now, Youyou and Shanshan must also have what their brothers and sisters have.
By the light of the kerosene lamp, Meng Jinyu looked at the pieces of cloth in front of her and carefully selected those suitable for the two children.
After all, she had lived one more life. With the memories of her previous life, it should not be difficult for her to make two sets of beautiful and fashionable clothes for the siblings.
…
The next morning, Jiang Huanming set out to find Village Chief Li.
As soon as he entered the village committee, he saw Jiang Zhihong there. He guessed that he was here to get a divorce certificate, and his brows relaxed immediately: "It's great that you're here too."
Jiang Zhihong had no previous contact with Jiang Huanming and was immediately confused.
Jiang Huanming directly said to Village Chief Li: "I am planning to split up the family, but my family does not have any extra housing land, and I have nowhere to live if I move out. So, can you see if you can let Jiang Zhiqing return to the Zhiqing site, and I will move into the vacated room with my son and daughter."
Over the years, Jiang Huanming has always had a sense of superiority, and now he is also arrogant, as if he gives an order and others have to carry it out.
When Village Chief Li saw his pretentious demeanor, he remembered what happened between him and Ruan Wenwen before. The corners of his mouth twitched and his eyes were full of contempt.
"If you move in, where will Jiang Zhiqing live?" asked Village Chief Li.
"The educated youth site." Jiang Huanming frowned and said as a matter of course, "Didn't they get divorced?"
"Who said they are divorced? Can you hope for something good? Do you think divorce is glorious when everyone is like you?" The village chief looked at Jiang Huanming as if he were a fool, then stamped a certificate with a red seal and handed it to Jiang Zhihong: "People always strive for higher goals. Lin Zhiqing was able to study in the commune primary school. That was her own ability. Our village committee must approve it!"
Jiang Zhihong held the certificate tightly in his hand and relaxed. At the same time, he glanced at Jiang Huanming coldly: "I still find it strange that Ruan Wenwen is so determined to persuade Lin Li and I to divorce. After all this fuss, it's you who is eyeing our house. I thought you were a decent person, but it turns out you are so despicable. However, you will be disappointed this time. Lin Li and I live here, and we will not leave no matter who chases us away!"
As soon as these words fell, Jiang Huanming became stiff all over as if he was struck by thunder.
Jiang Zhiqing and Lin Zhiqing did not divorce?
His face suddenly turned red, and he turned around abruptly and fled from the village committee under the contemptuous gaze of Jiang Zhihong and the village cadres.
…
Ruan Jinguo is not a diligent person. When it is time for lunch, he doesn't need the director to remind him and immediately calls his friends to run to the cafeteria to eat.
He is popular and many of his fellow workers follow him, hugging each other's shoulders and having fun all the way.
As they walked, they met a security guard who was carrying a pile of letters.
Normally, the postman would deliver the letters to the guard room of the unit, and then the old man would distribute them. Otherwise, it would be too tiring to deliver letters one by one to such a large meat processing factory.
This can be considered as a convenience provided by the unit to the postman.
"Uncle, do you have my letter?" Zhang Jiandong, a co-worker next to Ruan Jinguo, stopped and asked.
Zhang Jiandong's father-in-law has been having some health problems lately. He has been lying in bed all day and can't even get out of bed.
His wife was worried about him, so she went to take care of him. For two months, the two of them were separated by distance and usually relied on letters to keep in touch with each other.
"Comrade Jiandong..." The old man lowered his head and found the letter in the basket, "I got it, I got it."
He handed the letter to Zhang Jiandong, looked up, saw Ruan Jinguo, and said quickly: "Comrade Ruan, here is Director Chen's letter, why don't you take it away directly?"
"Okay, I'll give it to my mother," Ruan Jinguo said, "so you don't have to make an extra trip."
This letter was sent to Chen Liping. Originally, Ruan Jinguo was too lazy to read it, after all, he could not read.
However, he happened to glance at the envelope and saw a familiar word - Ruan.
This surname is the same as his current surname. Even if you use your toes to guess, you can guess that it was sent by Ruan Wenwen.
These days, Chen Liping was in a state of disarray, shouting that she felt sorry for Ruan Wenwen and wondered how she was doing in the labor camp. Ruan Jinguo was convinced that the mother and daughter had such a deep love.
Ruan Wenwen went to great lengths to send the letter from so far away. Why?
It must be because he wants to curry favor.
After all, she was not recognized until she was in her twenties. Ruan Jinguo would not be jealous because her parents favored Ruan Wenwen more, but he could not let Ruan Wenwen have her way.
Afraid that his coworkers would notice, he quickly stuffed the letter into his pocket and then said he was not feeling well and refused to eat.
Before going home to read the letter, Ruan Jinguo ran to the office to borrow a dictionary from someone, put it in his arms together with the letter, and walked towards the staff compound.
After using his key to open the door and making sure his parents were not at home, he slipped into his room and closed the door tightly.
It is really difficult for an illiterate person to learn to read.
Fortunately, when he was first recognized, Ruan Zhenli forced him to learn to use a dictionary, which came in handy.
Ruan Jinguo opened the letter, placed it on the desk, and read the words one by one with his hands.
He did recognize some simple commonly used words, but the letter that Ruan Wenwen wrote to awaken her adoptive parents' love for her was heartfelt, every word was heartbreaking, and it was very long.
Ruan Jinguo looked up the dictionary and became increasingly impatient, but he still persevered to the end.
In the end, he was exhausted and sweating, and he read out the main idea of the letter - Ruan Wenwen was pregnant, and she asked Ruan Zhenli and Chen Liping to smooth over their relationship and get her out of the labor camp.
Ruan Jinguo was delighted. He pinched the two corners of the letter with both hands and tore it up with a "swish".
He was afraid that his adoptive parents would pick it up and piece it together, so he tore the letter and the envelope into small pieces quickly and neatly.
However, when he picked up a bunch of small pieces and threw them into the trash can, he felt deeply moved.
It's really uncomfortable to be blind. He also needs to read some books, read newspapers and learn some culture!
…
Meng Jinyu had to report to the production team early in the morning.
The scorekeeper Zhu Haiyan is very strict. If someone is late, their work points will definitely be deducted.
However, after reporting, she could say hello to the team leader and go to the commune primary school.
After all, she usually works hard and never slacks off. The team leader sees it and won't make things difficult for her over such a small matter.
It was still early, so Meng Jinyu started working before she met the team leader.
She sat next to Xu Weiwei, and the two talked for a while.
"You want to let Youyou and Shanshan go to elementary school? Youyou should do the same. The child will have to go to school in a year or two. But Shanshan is still so young. Will she be able to understand what the teacher says if she goes there?" Xu Weiwei said in surprise.
Meng Jinyu smiled and said, "It's good to go to school. I have to go to work on weekdays, and I'm worried that there will be no one to take care of my child at home."
"That's true. We can feel more at ease with teachers watching over us at school." Xu Weiwei agreed with this. After all, her daughter had an accident because no one was watching her.
Wang Xiaofen was very angry and just listened to them talking silently.
It would have been fine if Meng Jinyu just wanted to divorce and leave, but she actually threw her son and daughter to the Jiang family and asked them to raise them.
What’s even more infuriating is that last night, when Jiang Cheng came back, he brought a bowl of fish soup, secretly heated it up, hid in the house, and ate it with Jiang Guo with relish.
What a delicious fish soup! I didn’t even tell my family to have a taste of it.
Moreover, she couldn’t even afford to eat fish, so how could Meng Jinyu, who was living a miserable life after her divorce, eat fish?
"As the old saying goes, a hat fits your head. You can only earn nine work points at best, but you have to support two children in school. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at if you tell others about it? Even if you learn from city people to raise children, this is not the way to do it!" Wang Xiaofen pinched her throat and said sarcastically.
Meng Jinyu didn't even raise her eyelids: "What's that smell? It's so sour that it makes my teeth fall out."
Wang Xiaofen sneered, "You are just poor! I know the cost of the commune primary school is 3.5 yuan a year, and you have two kids, 7 yuan! Can you afford so much money? Our Daniu and Niuniu haven't even started school yet, you really don't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is!"
Xu Weiwei was amused and said with a smile: "He even learned idioms. It seems that he has become an educated person following his brother-in-law who stays at home and does not work."
Wang Xiaofen was choked by this and her face turned red all of a sudden.
Before, Xu Weiwei was quiet and didn't like to talk, but now she is talking to Meng Jinyu!
"A little fool who can only speak at the age of three goes to school. Isn't he afraid of being laughed at?" Wang Xiaofen was furious and began to make personal attacks.
Meng Jinyu's anger suddenly flared up. It was okay to scold her, but she couldn't tolerate her children being scolded.
She rolled up her sleeves, carried a hoe, and walked towards Wang Xiaofen aggressively, looking like she was going to fight.
Wang Xiaofen was small and very thin, with skinny arms and legs. She was no match for Meng Jinyu. She immediately became scared and hid behind the other team members like a quail.
"Excuse me, is Comrade Meng here?" a gentle voice came.
Everyone looked in the direction where the voice came from and saw Teacher Yuan wearing a skirt.
Teacher Yuan had a long braid and looked very gentle. She was holding a booklet in her hand.
Meng Jinyu looked around and confirmed that she was the only one with the surname Meng in the production team.
She took a step forward: "Who are you?"
"I'm Teacher Yuan from the Commune Middle School." Teacher Yuan smiled warmly, "I came here today to discuss with you the issue of my two children going to school."
As Teacher Yuan spoke, he stepped onto the ridge of the field and walked to Meng Jinyu's side.
"It's like this. Yesterday, Youyou and Shanshan came to our class to play with their older brother and sister. The two children were very quiet. I think they can be trained well, so I want them to come to our commune primary school to study."
The team members in the field pricked up their ears and listened.
"Why did the teacher come here specifically to do ideological work for Meng Jinyu?" someone asked puzzledly.
Wang Xiaofen snorted and laughed, and said to the people around her: "The commune primary school wants to make money."
Meng Jinyu didn't expect that the teacher would make a special trip. She was about to agree, but unexpectedly, Teacher Yuan spoke again.
"As for tuition fees, you don't have to worry. The two children are still young and not old enough to go to school, so I applied to the principal to see if their tuition fees can be waived. Then they can just sit in the classroom and don't have to buy textbooks or anything." Teacher Yuan said with a smile, "The principal agreed."
This was totally beyond Meng Jinyu's expectation. She was pleasantly surprised and said, "Free tuition? That's great."
Seven dollars a year may not be a big deal in later times, but it is not a small sum nowadays. The money saved can be used to buy a lot of food and daily necessities for the children.
"What? No tuition fee?" Wang Xiaofen was so surprised that her jaw dropped. Her voice suddenly rose, "Why is it so good?"
Wang Xiaofen is really jealous.
What’s good about Youyou and Shanshan? That is to say, she looks better.
In comparison, her own daughter and son were only slightly inferior...
It’s really just a little bit!
Wang Xiaofen decided to fight for her children: "Teacher, I have three children, one is seven years old, one is eight years old, and the other is about the same age as Shanshan. Can you help me talk to the principal and waive their tuition?"
The family doesn't have that much money, and Wang Xiaofen is reluctant to support her child's education, so she wants to delay it as many years as possible.
But now, if you don’t take advantage of an opportunity, you’d be a bastard!
"No." Seeing the greed in Wang Xiaofen's eyes, Teacher Yuan frowned slightly, "The school has its own rules. Not every child can apply for a full tuition exemption."
"Why can they do it but my child can't?" Wang Xiaofen couldn't hold back her pride and put her hands on her hips. "You teachers teach and educate, why can't you treat the children equally?"
Teacher Yuan was no pushover, and he got angry: "As a teacher, in addition to treating all children equally, you must also teach them according to their aptitude. Youyou and Shanshan are very smart, one learns everything quickly, and the other has a photographic memory. If they are trained well, they will become talents in the future, contribute to this village, and even go beyond the village. Especially Shanshan, I dare say that she is a little prodigy. It would be a pity if she was delayed. Can your child do it? If your child is as smart as them, I can also apply to the principal for a tuition exemption!"
This time the players nearby couldn't help but laugh.
"Xiao Fen's kids are not smart. The eldest one still wets his pants when he's eight years old."
"Do you think her second child is smart? Last time she went to get bird eggs, she accidentally poked a hornet's nest and got stung so much that her face became swollen like a bear..."
"Before, I laughed at Shanshan for being a little fool. Although Shanshan couldn't speak before, her eyes were so bright. You can tell at a glance that she is smart. Now look at their little treasure. What's the use of being able to speak? He keeps talking all day long, and nothing he says is useful."
Wang Xiaofen was so angry that her scalp swelled and she wanted to settle the score with them.
When she looked at the proud and satisfied smile on Meng Jinyu's face again, and thought that Shanshan was already a child prodigy certified by her teacher, she felt so angry that she just wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
Why are other people's daughters and sons so promising, but my own child is so stupid?
Wang Xiaofen felt that she had just put her face in front of Meng Jinyu and let her hit her, helping her to show off in front of others.
So infuriating!
…
Jiang Huanming came when Wang Xiaofen was so angry that she gritted her teeth.
He understood the whole thing from the discussions of the team members.
It turns out that his youngest son and daughter are so successful.
Jiang Huanming couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips slightly.
This is really an honor.
He put his hands behind his back, straightened his chest, and walked towards Meng Jinyu.
"If you agree, I will write the children's names in this booklet. After I go back, I will hand the list to the teachers at the commune primary school. Tomorrow morning, Youyou and Shanshan will be able to go to school." Teacher Yuan opened the booklet.
Meng Jinyu nodded vigorously: "I agree, I agree, I definitely agree!"
Teacher Yuan saw that Meng Jinyu was willing to support the children's learning and had a very good impression of her. She smiled and said, "Do you want to write it or should I?"
Jiang Huanming was just about to say that Meng Jinyu was illiterate and couldn't write, but who knew that she had already taken the pen from Teacher Yuan and wrote the children's names on it.
He raised his eyebrows slightly. Although the handwriting was not beautiful, it was still neat. You could tell at a glance that he had practiced calligraphy at home.
Teacher Yuan took the booklet and said with a smile, "No, you have to write their full names. One of them is Jiang Shan and the other is Jiang Youyou, right? I'll add their last names."
Meng Jinyu was slightly stunned and thought of something.
"Give me the pen." Teacher Yuan added the children's surnames before the names written by Meng Jinyu.
At the same time, Meng Jinyu raised her head and happened to see Jiang Huanming standing in front of her.
After Teacher Yuan left, Jiang Huanming called Meng Jinyu to talk to him.
Seeing her brother-in-law's gentle attitude, Wang Xiaofen almost dropped her teeth in shock again.
What? Now everyone has to coax Meng Jinyu?
…
Jiang Huanming had to work hard to get Meng Jinyu out of the field.
After walking to the side, he wanted to reach out and pull her, but she dodged in disgust, leaving his hand empty.
He touched his nose awkwardly.
"I was wrong this time. I didn't expect you to be so hot-tempered. You actually said you wanted to divorce me."
"Now she has been arrested and sent to a labor camp, and we will never see each other again. Why don't we remarry and live a down-to-earth life together."
"Don't worry, although I've been temporarily suspended from my job, as long as we get remarried, there won't be any problems with my work style, and I'll definitely be able to get my job back then."
"Four children need a father and a mother. Isn't it good to let them live together? I believe that the reason you have not left Fenglin Village is that you want to give our marriage another chance, don't you think?"
Jiang Huanming kept chattering in my ear.
Meng Jinyu was still thinking about what Teacher Yuan had just said.
Until the end, Jiang Huanming finally shut up.
Meng Jinyu was silent for a long time, then said, "Are you free? Go home and get me my household registration book."
Jiang Huanming felt relieved when he heard that. He almost laughed out loud, and his mouth corners stretched so wide that they almost reached his ears.
It turns out that remarriage is so easy. People have been waiting for him to propose it!
"Okay, I'll go home and get my household registration book now!" he said simply.
Looking at Jiang Huanming's back as he happily left, Meng Jinyu showed a comfortable smile.
This should have been done long ago.
That was the baby she worked so hard to give birth to, why should he have the surname Jiang?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
