Mr. and Mrs. Su greeted them nervously. Ordinary people like them rarely had any dealings with these local officials. Mr. and Mrs. Su were honest and simple farmers, and it was understandable that they felt uneasy facing three such officials all at once.
Su Xingran followed behind her parents, unsure how to address the three middle-aged men in front of her. Xingran approached and greeted the three men. Just as she was hesitating, Grandpa Huang spoke up to rescue her.
She walked over and stood next to Dr. Huang, greeting each of the three seated uncles in turn. "Uncle Deng, Uncle Zhang, Uncle Huang, hello, my name is Su Xingran." "Xingran, hello too, please sit down next to Dr. Huang."
Xingran's parents, I'll call you Guomin and Huilan. Today, I've invited the village chief, the brigade leader, and a few of my juniors to witness Xingran's apprenticeship ceremony. After becoming an apprentice, Xingran will be my disciple, Huang Zhenhua's disciple.
The apprenticeship ceremony began. Master Huang sat in the seat of honor in the middle of the room. Su Xingran's parents helped her place the gifts she had brought on the table. Su Xingran stood solemnly below Master Huang and performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows to him.
Then she knelt on the ground, took the teacup from the village chief, and presented it to Doctor Huang with both hands. Doctor Huang took the teacup, drank the tea, and Su Xingran respectfully and formally addressed Doctor Huang as her master.
Su Xingran handed a red envelope wrapped in red paper to her master, who then gave her a red envelope in return. "Xingran, come over here and sign your name on this paper." Su Xingran walked to the table, where a document resembling an agreement lay.
The gist of the document was that Huang Zhenhua had accepted Su Xingran as his apprentice, and from that day forward, Su Xingran would have the right to use and dispose of everything under Huang Zhenhua's name. Huang Zhenhua would only have Su Xingran as his apprentice in his life. Her master had already signed his name, and Su Xingran felt a lump in her throat. Her master was truly good to her; she hesitated to write.
She wasn't stupid. From the people her master had invited to witness this apprenticeship ceremony, she knew her master's background was definitely not simple. She felt she had gotten a great deal.
"Xingran, please sign this. This is your apprenticeship gift from your master, and this one in my hand is too." After saying this, he handed a box to Su Xingran. Su Xingran took the box, looked at her master, and met his earnest and expectant eyes. She gripped the pen tightly and carefully wrote the three characters "Su Xingran" on the paper, stroke by stroke.
The commune secretary, Deng Jianjun, gave Su Xingran a red envelope and a pen, telling her that she could ask him for help if she needed anything in the future.
The town mayor, Zhang Hengyuan, also gave her a red envelope and a book, telling her that he would be her uncle from now on, and that she shouldn't be shy. He added that she could visit his house with her master whenever she had time.
Captain Huang Tai'an smiled at Su Xingran and told her that he was her master's cousin, and that she could come to him directly if she encountered any difficulties or troubles. He then gave Su Xingran a very thick red envelope.
The village chief and the brigade leader also gave Su Xingran a red envelope, and congratulated Doctor Huang on taking on his beloved apprentice. They both shared the same thought: from now on, Su Guomin's family would rise in status because of their daughter. Xingran, this little girl, would one day soar out of the mountains like a phoenix.
Su's parents felt like they were in a dream. Suddenly, their daughter had several powerful people in the town to rely on—no, she had a major backer: her mentor, Huang Zhenhua.
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