The town's primary school consisted of two rows of single-story buildings with a total of five classrooms. There were also two offices, one for the principal and the other for the teachers.
Because the primary school in the town accepts children from all the brigades below, although many families are poor, there are also many families who want their children to be successful.
Most importantly, if you excel academically, the school may even waive your tuition and fees.
So, a few people from each village came, filling all the classrooms of the town's primary school to capacity.
When it was their first time registering, Ning Jing and Xiu Hua carried the twins on their backs, Fu Hongxing carried Siya on his back and held the shy Xiu Chun in front of him, while Tie Dan walked by himself.
However, he had two schoolbags hanging around his neck and on his hands, and he was also carrying a schoolbag in one hand.
The schoolbag was made by Ning Jing from green coarse cloth. It was square and had a strap sewn on it, the right length for the children's height. She also embroidered a five-pointed star on the schoolbag with red thread.
Each backpack contained two notebooks, a pen, and an eraser.
Fu Hongxing bought this from the county's supply and marketing cooperative; he had promised his younger siblings.
If the student achieves excellent results in the exam, he will reward them with another set of these.
This made all the children eager to compete, including Xiuhua, who secretly resolved to win first place.
When we arrived at the school gate, we saw that the school was built with mud brick walls, and the surface was full of pits and bumps, caused by rain.
There was an old man guarding the gate; he was the same old man Ning Jing had met at the post office years ago.
"Grandpa, do you remember me?"
Ning Jing went up to him and tried to get closer to him, but the old man looked her up and down suspiciously, then shook his head, indicating that he didn't remember, and then closed his eyes to rest, ignoring her.
It's no wonder Old Wang doesn't remember Ning Jing; after all, he only met her once.
Although she had some recollection of it at the time, Ning Jing never went to the post office to collect the money again afterward, and naturally forgot about it.
Seeing that Ning Jing's attempt to strike up a conversation had failed, Fu Hongxing calmly put the two children down and then took out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from his pocket.
"Sir, one, please."
He took one out and handed it over.
Old Wang was delighted when he saw it, reached out and took it, but didn't count it, just looked Fu Hongxing up and down.
"What, you brought your child to register?"
When Fu Hongxing heard him respond, he knew there was hope.
"Yes, it's quite far from our home. I wonder where they'll have lunch?"
Old Wang nodded and then said, "Most people cook something at home in the morning and bring it with them, because there's nowhere to cook at the school these days."
We used to have it, but the expenses were too high, so we canceled it.
Fu Hongxing, however, grasped the key point in Old Wang's words: the majority? What about the remaining small group?
Upon hearing Fu Hongxing's question, Old Wang pointed to a house next to the school and whispered, "This family's wall is made of the same wall as the school's wall."
They installed a ventilation window here, and they pay you 50 cents a month. In the morning, you pass your lunchbox through the ventilation window, and they steam the rice for you while they cook.
"It's steamed. Pick up your lunchbox according to the name on the box."
It's only early spring, and it's still quite cold. If you eat breakfast at noon, it will definitely be rock hard.
So even if they need money, as long as they get a hot meal, some families will grit their teeth and give it to them.
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