On December 10, 1977, before the frost and fog had dissipated, the gate of Haicheng No. 1 Middle School was already bustling with activity. The gates of the college entrance examination, which had been dormant for ten years, were reopened on this day, and all those who were eligible poured out—workers, farmers, educated youth, and teachers—all crowding into this long line that would change their destinies.
Fang Li deliberately changed into a brighter-colored coat, the hem fluttering in the morning breeze, hoping for a good omen that would "illuminate her future." She first adjusted Zhan Chunlan's scarf, then brushed the snow off Wang Wenchuan's shoulders, repeatedly reminding him: "Remember to write your name first, then answer the questions! Skip the ones you don't know, finish the ones you do know, and don't leave any blanks at the end—write everything down, whether you know it or not!"
Last night, she barely slept. She had reviewed everything she needed to, and was worried that the two children would be nervous in the exam room. She carefully recalled many exam techniques and gave them detailed instructions.
"Mom, don't be nervous." Seeing that the two people taking the exam looked relaxed, while the person not taking the exam seemed very nervous, Wang Wenfeng couldn't help but remind them, "Don't let your nervousness pass on to them. They're already lining up to enter the exam room."
"Then you should go in quickly. Xiao San and I will be waiting for you at the door."
When Zhan Chunlan walked to Wang Wenfeng's side, Fang Li thought the young couple were about to have a private conversation, so she pulled Wang Wenchuan to move aside.
"Take Mom back first, it's too windy outside, don't let her catch a cold," Zhan Chunlan whispered to Wang Wenfeng. Don't be fooled by Fang Li's current energy; she's just a little excited and her body can't properly sense the outside temperature, making her prone to illness.
"Okay, I know. Just focus on the exam. You don't need to worry about anything else." Wang Wenfeng looked at her nose, which was red from the cold, and found it rather cute. He led her to the queue. "You go in first. At least the classroom will keep out the wind."
This exam only had four subjects and was completed in two days.
After the exam, Zhan Chunlan automatically resumed her previous routine, without any tension or anticipation. For her, this university was just icing on the cake. It would be best if she could get in, but if she couldn't, she would still have a stable job. In the 1980s and 90s, a high school diploma still carried considerable weight.
Wang Wenchuan, on the other hand, seems a bit neurotic every day.
Currently, he works at the First Automobile Works in Haicheng as a frontline worker. The machine tools and many pieces of equipment in the factory are imported from abroad. Whenever a problem arises, he has to ask for outside help. Every time he sees those foreign experts looking so arrogant, he gets furious. After all, he is young and impetuous, and he has the idea that fortunes change and that one should not underestimate a young man's potential.
He had long been secretly looking forward to the day when he would no longer have to be at the mercy of others, so he took this exam very seriously. If he failed, it would mean that he would still have to live at their mercy.
Because the college application was submitted before the exam, he was very worried. Although he was confident in his grades, he was still worried that he might fall short by just a little bit.
Zhan Chunlan was speechless as she watched Wang Wenchuan circling in the yard. He wasn't a human being at all; he was more like an animal in a zoo with stereotypical behaviors. He had trampled a winding, circular path into the yard, ruining Zhan Xiaoman's favorite lawn. This angered Zhan Xiaoman, who followed him furtively, her eyes fixed on his heels, somewhat itching to pounce.
Aim! Strike! Zhan Xiaoman let out a "whoosh" and bit his heel.
"Ah~~~~" Lost in thought, Wang Wenchuan suddenly sensed danger. Looking down, he saw Zhan Xiaoman with her mouth wide open, four sharp canine teeth aimed at his ankle, which startled him so much that he jumped three feet high.
Zhan Xiaoman did it on purpose. It knew it couldn't bite, so it deliberately made a little noise to scare him. When it saw that it was really scared, it happily chased after him, making a "da da da" sound, with its upper teeth hitting its lower teeth, which sounded like a clapper talk.
"Sister-in-law, help! Zhan Xiaoman is biting people!" Wang Wenchuan didn't dare to stop and ran around the yard. Then he ran into Zhan Xiaoman's private lawn. Before, he had only trampled a small section of it, but now the entire lawn was a mess. Zhan Xiaoman's eyes were red with anger, and her voice was even louder.
"Xiaoman! Xiaoman!" Zhan Chunlan let Zhan Xiaoman vent her anger a little, and then started calling it. But Zhan Xiaoman was not going to stop now. Its eyes were bloodshot. The fact that it could hold back from biting people was its last bit of rationality.
"Xiaoman, come back quickly! The more you chase him, the more he runs into the lawn. You'll lose all your lawn in the end! Come out quickly!" Zhan Chunlan tried to reason with him.
Zhan Xiaoman's ears drooped down, covering them completely, perfectly embodying the sentiment: "I don't want to hear it, you're just a bastard chanting scriptures."
Suddenly, Zhan Xiaoman stopped, ran to the door, lowered her head, and listened carefully. Someone must have passed by.
A moment later, a voice called out from the doorway, "Zhan Chunlan, registered mail!"
Zhan Chunlan was a little excited. It was the postman's voice. It must be the admission notice. Zhan Chunlan hurriedly went forward to open the door and took the envelope that would decide her fate with trembling hands.
Wang Wenchuan also ran over, forgetting that Zhan Xiaoman was still standing at his feet: "Sister-in-law, quick, check if it's the admission notice!" He seemed even more excited than Zhan Chunlan.
Zhan Chunlan slowly opened it and examined it word by word.
[Zhan Chunlan:]
With the approval of the State Council, you have been admitted to our college as a student majoring in Foreign Trade and Economics, with a study period of four years. Please report to the college on March 1, 1978, with this notification.
Wang Wenchuan stood beside her and read the contents of the admission notice aloud for her, even happier than if he had received his own: "Sister-in-law, you've been admitted to the Beijing University of Foreign Trade! Congratulations!"
Zhan Chunlan nodded happily. She originally thought she wouldn't be excited, but when she actually received the admission notice, she had a different feeling. It turned out that she wasn't indifferent, but just pretending not to care. She was afraid that even though she had more time to prepare than others, she still wouldn't pass the exam.
In the afternoon, when Wang Wenfeng came home from get off work, he saw her happily showing off her admission notice to him, and he was also very happy for her: "Congratulations, Ms. Zhan Chunlan is now a college student."
Ms. Fang Li also rushed over: "Quick, show your acceptance letter to your mother."
With a smile, Zhan Chunlan handed over the admission notice, which Ms. Fang Li read aloud word by word, "Foreign Trade and Economics, Chunlan, you are truly remarkable!"
At this point, Zhan Chunlan shook her head somewhat embarrassedly: "It's just an admission notice, I'm not a college student yet."
"Chunlan, don't be modest. With your abilities, you'll definitely achieve something remarkable in four years." Ms. Fang Li was delighted. She seemed to see another woman about to step into the limelight, showcasing her energy not only at home but also in society. This was why she had always admired Chunlan. It wasn't because she was obedient, sensible, or filial; those were merely embellishments. Chunlan consistently created value in her role, and that was what truly captivated people about her.
“That’s right, sister-in-law, in the future you will shine in the trade field, and I will also shine in my own industry. When the time comes, we will work together as a team…” Before he could finish speaking, he received a “loving pat” on the head from his third brother. Realizing that he had said the wrong thing, he shut up somewhat embarrassedly.
"You're just spouting nonsense. It's not even certain if you have a notification letter." Ms. Fang Li's words almost made him vomit blood.
He squatted in the corner and drew circles: Why hasn't my admission letter arrived yet?
When Zhan Xiaoman saw him actually going to wreak havoc on her favorite corner of the wall, a deep green light slowly appeared in her eyes...
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