Soon she would be leaving home to study in Beijing, and Zhao Mingyue carefully reviewed all the family matters, making arrangements where necessary and giving clear instructions where needed. Her biggest worry now was Zhao Mingxiu. Going to Beijing, so far away, she wouldn't be able to help her cousin much, fearing she might not be able to keep an eye on her and another tragedy might occur. However, there were still two years until the time her cousin's accident happened in her previous life, and she hoped she could still change her fate.
Before leaving, Zhao Desheng and Wang Zhaodi treated their nephew and niece to a meal and also invited Shen Xuyue. Their nephew and niece were now successful; although not their own children, they were still family, so it was natural to try to maintain a good relationship so they could ask for help in the future. Zhao Mingyue and her brother understood this; it was all about social etiquette. They were all family, and it was only natural to help their relatives within their means when they prospered in the future.
Wang Zhaodi hardened her heart, killed her own crowing rooster, and prepared a more lavish meal than for the New Year. She kept urging her nephews and nieces to eat, saying, "Minglang, Mingyue, Secretary Chen, eat up, don't be shy. After you go to other places, you won't be able to easily eat chicken from home." As she spoke, she even took out her chopsticks to put chicken pieces on their plates.
This custom of urging guests to eat is largely a bad habit in traditional Chinese customs, especially prevalent in these difficult times. It's likely that guests, understanding the host's hardships, are reluctant to eat the fish and meat, or feel embarrassed to do so. The host, to demonstrate generosity and hospitality, will put food into the guests' bowls without asking, regardless of whether you like it or not, or even if it's hygienic. Once food is put in your bowl, you feel obligated to eat it.
Zhao Mingyue lifted her bowl off the table and said with a smile, "Second Aunt, don't be shy. We'll take whatever we want to eat. You can eat by yourself, don't give us any."
Shen Xuyue also held up his five fingers to block his bowl, and said with a wry smile, "Yes, Second Aunt, don't be shy, we can do it ourselves."
They both refused, so the dishes Wang Zhaodi picked out ended up in Zhao Minglang's bowl, which was overflowing. This was the first time in his life he had received such a warm welcome from his second aunt, but this kind of enthusiasm was really a bit ridiculous.
Zhao Mingyue asked, "Second Aunt, where's Xiuer? Why isn't she here for dinner?"
Wang Zhaodi said, "She's eating in the back, just ignore her."
"Second Aunt, let Xiuer come along. We're all family, there are no outsiders here, why be so formal?" Zhao Minglang said.
Wang Zhaodi glanced at the kitchen and called out, "Xiuyatou, come out and eat."
A little while later, Zhao Mingxiu came out with a bowl. The little girl didn't dare to sit at the table without her mother's permission and was eating leftovers in the kitchen.
Shen Xuyue looked at Zhao Mingxiu and smiled: "Mingxiu, why are you eating in the kitchen? Come and eat with us."
Zhao Mingxiu smiled shyly and then sat down next to her brother.
Zhao Mingyue took a pair of clean, unused chopsticks and picked up a large chicken leg: "Xiuer, come and eat this chicken leg. I like you the most, and I want to thank you properly."
Zhao Mingxiu glanced cautiously at Wang Zhaodi, who said, "Your sister put this on your plate, so just eat it."
Zhao Mingxiu then said to Zhao Mingyue, "Thank you, Sister Mingyue."
"You need to eat more nutritious foods to grow taller and become smarter," Zhao Mingyue said.
Wang Zhaodi looked at her daughter and sighed, "If only she were half as smart as you and Minglang, I wouldn't have any worries."
Zhao Mingyue said, "Second Aunt, Xiuer is already very smart, and her grades have always been excellent. If you had agreed to let her go to school back then, she might have been able to get into a good university in the future."
Wang Zhaodi sighed and said, "It's too late to say anything now. She hasn't been to school for over a year. Who knew she could take the college entrance exam back then? In the past, it was all about recommendations."
Shen Xuyue said, "If you really want to send her to school, it's not impossible to send her back now."
Zhao Mingxiu's eyes lit up. Could she really go back to school? Heaven knows how much she envied her older cousins who could go to university, while she could only attend elementary school.
Wang Zhaodi hesitated at this moment: "Really? It's been over a year since I last went, can I still go again?"
"As long as you want to let her attend, let her transfer to a class, and she can keep up with the exams, it should be fine," Zhao Mingyue said.
Wang Zhaodi casually replied, "Then I'll take another look."
Zhao Mingxiu pleaded, "Mom, please let me go to school. I'll gather pig feed every morning before going to school, and when I come home from school, I'll help you cook, feed the pigs, and water the plants. I can manage all of that."
Wang Zhaodi hesitated and said, "Let me think about it first. Maybe the school won't accept you." Mingxiu is almost fourteen years old and can do half a job. She can cook, wash clothes, feed pigs, chop wood, cut grass, herd cattle, and pick tea. She can do everything. Nowadays, tea picking is all about efficiency, not age. You can earn a lot of money in a year. If she goes to school, won't she lose this income?
Zhao Mingyue said, "Second Aunt, I think if Xiuer goes to school, she will definitely be able to pass the exam in the future. You should let her go to junior high school, then she can take the exam for a vocational school and become a teacher. I guarantee that it will be better than doing farm work at home, and she will be able to help the family more in the future."
Wang Zhaodi looked at her niece and said, "Can being a teacher be a good thing? Your father was criticized and denounced even when he was a teacher."
Zhao Minglang said, "Second Aunt, times have changed. In the future, studying will be the best way out for us rural people. Being a teacher is definitely better than being a farmer. You get a government job, a fixed salary every month, a stable income, and you're respected. What's wrong with that?"
Shen Xuyue also said, "Auntie, Minglang and Mingyue are right. Our country's tradition has always been that all other professions are inferior except for studying. Now that the Great Revolution in Wuhan is over, a golden age for scholars is about to begin. We must seize this opportunity."
Zhao Desheng, who had been silent all along, wiped his mouth and said, "I think Secretary Shen makes sense. How about we let Xiuer continue her studies?" Zhao Desheng only had two children, and he loved them both equally. He wasn't as sexist as his wife.
Zhao Mingxiu's face was filled with hope.
Wang Zhaodi looked at her son and said, "But Minggang still doesn't have a wife, and our family is poor. Mingxiu goes to school, so not only can she not earn money, but we also have to pay tuition. If she stays at home, she can pick tea and earn a little money each year." The implication was that losing a breadwinner and having to spend money was unacceptable to Wang Zhaodi.
Zhao Mingxiu's face immediately fell, and she looked down at the bowl.
Zhao Mingyue said, "Minggang's wife can't be rushed. Think about it, if Xiuer can get into a vocational school, won't your family's situation improve? With someone in the family receiving a government job, Minggang will have more leverage when it comes to finding a wife. It's actually a good thing. Second Aunt, the hardship will only last for these two years. Just grit your teeth and get through it. Things will get better and better afterward. Our Xiuer is sensible and filial. If she becomes successful, she will definitely help the family and her brother. Right, Xiuer?"
Zhao Mingxiu nodded repeatedly: "Yes. Mom, please let me go to school. I will definitely study hard and work hard. I also have winter and summer vacations, and Sundays, I can go tea picking."
Wang Zhaodi was somewhat tempted: "Okay, let me think about it."
Zhao Mingyue knew that this was probably all she had to say; the rest was up to Wang Zhaodi to decide. If Mingxiu could go to junior high school, her life would probably take a different turn. She hoped her cousin could grow up healthy and safe.
Zhao Mingyue privately told Zhao Mingxiu, "Talk to your mother nicely, and also say nice things to your father and brother. Maybe your mother will agree. If you can really go back to school, you must study hard and pass the exam. Cherish this opportunity, understand?"
Zhao Mingxiu nodded: "Yes, I will."
It wasn't easy to get a meal at my aunt's house. Halfway through the meal, Zhao Desheng started trying to persuade everyone to eat more. Everyone tried to stop him, and it was only with great difficulty that we finally finished the meal.
After coming out, Shen Xuyue breathed a sigh of relief: "Your second uncle and aunt were just too enthusiastic, I couldn't handle it. Your parents are so much better, they don't know how to serve food to others."
Zhao Mingyue laughed: "Of course, my dad is a teacher, he knows about hygiene." Their family doesn't have this bad habit of urging people to eat; they let guests eat as they please. Occasionally, when they encounter very reserved guests, their mother will use clean serving chopsticks to serve them food, stopping at the right amount, without being overly enthusiastic.
To ensure Zhao Mingxiu could attend school smoothly, Zhao Mingyue even went to her alma mater, her familiar teacher Liao, to explain the situation. Teacher Liao said that as long as Zhao Mingxiu was willing to come, she would definitely arrange for her to transfer into a class. Zhao Mingyue was Teacher Liao's most outstanding student; before her, no student had ever been admitted to a university in Beijing.
Once everything was arranged, the departure day arrived. This year, the Spring Festival was particularly late, falling on February 7th. Before the Lantern Festival, it was already mid-February. Zhao Mingyue and Shen Xuyue shouldered their bulging luggage, bid farewell to their families, and embarked on their journey north to pursue their studies.
This was Zhao Mingyue's first time traveling so far, and it would last for half a year. Her parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law were all reluctant to let her go, seeing her off for a long way. When they arrived at the village entrance, a tractor was already waiting for them. The fact that two college students from Beijing came from Moon Bay made the team feel particularly proud, so the director and the new secretary went to the commune to borrow a tractor to take them to the county's long-distance bus station.
Zhao Mingyue refused to let her parents see her off anymore: "Dad, Mom, you should both go back now. Your daughter is leaving. Don't worry, I will take good care of myself and study hard. I will come back to see you when I have a holiday."
Shen Xuyue also said, "Uncle, Aunt, please don't see me off. I will take care of Mingyue, don't worry, I'll take care of everything."
Zhao Shunsheng said, "Daughter, when you get there, remember to write back often." His voice was choked with emotion. His mother, Hu Nianchun, was already silently wiping away tears behind him.
"I will, Dad." Zhao Mingyue's emotions were also affected, and her nose couldn't help but tingle. "Mom, don't worry, I'm fine. I'll write back often. Don't work too hard at home, take good care of yourselves. Eldest brother, second brother, while I'm away, please come back and visit often, and take good care of the family, okay?"
Zhao Mingliang and Zhao Minghui waved their hands: "Yes, don't worry, we've got you covered at home. Have a safe trip!"
Shen Xuyue supported Zhao Mingyue by the elbow and helped her into the car.
Zhao Minglang hadn't started school yet. He lived nearby and his school started later, so he was the one to take them to the station to catch the bus. He climbed onto the bus, pulled Shen Xuyue up with him, and waved to the people below: "Dad, Mom, don't worry, I'll take them to the bus, you can go back now."
The tractor rattled and spewed black smoke as it set off. Zhao Mingliang lit firecrackers, which crackled and popped as they saw them off. Hu Nianchun, who hadn't spoken until now, shouted, "Mingyue, take good care of yourself!" The last two words were drowned out by a sob.
As Zhao Mingyue listened to her mother's words, tears streamed down her face. No matter how many lifetimes she had lived, she was still her mother's youngest daughter, and her mother would always be her dearest and most beloved person.
Shen Xuyue took out his handkerchief from his pocket and silently handed it to Zhao Mingyue without saying a word.
The figures of her parents, brother, and sister-in-law slowly turned into black dots. Zhao Mingyue shaded her eyes with her hand, but she could no longer see their faces clearly. She knew that her mother's face must still be wet with tears.
Suddenly, a black dot appeared in their field of vision. The dot got closer and closer, and Shen Xuyue and Zhao Minglang both noticed it, saying in surprise, "Hey, who's that?"
Zhao Mingyue blinked and recognized the person approaching. It was Yu Youqing chasing after their tractor on a bicycle, waving and calling out to them. Zhao Minglang quickly told the bicycle to stop. Yu Youqing caught up on his bicycle, panting, "Secretary Shen, Zhao Mingyue," he said, still out of breath.
Zhao Mingyue looked at him: "Youqing, what brings you here?"
Yu Youqing smiled shyly, "I've come to see you off." He placed a brown paper package into the tractor's trailer, then waved, "This is for your journey. Well then, have a safe trip! Goodbye!"
Zhao Mingyue was completely confused, so she could only say, "Goodbye! Youqing, keep up the good work, and I hope you can come to Beijing to study too."
Yu Youqing nodded firmly: "Okay!"
The driver started the car again, and a thick plume of smoke billowed from the back of the vehicle, obscuring Yu Youqing's smiling face.
Shen Xuyue picked up Yu Youqing's package and handed it to Zhao Mingyue, who asked, "What is it?"
Shen Xuyue said, "I don't know, you can take a look."
Zhao Mingyue opened the package, which contained six hard-boiled eggs and a bunch of bright yellow wild oranges, a type of wild fruit that grows only in the mountains and has a sweet and sour taste that they often ate when they were children. Zhao Minglang looked at the bag of wild oranges and said in surprise, "Wild oranges are hard to find now, where did he find them?"
Zhao Mingyue shook her head, took one and put it in her mouth. A familiar sweet and sour taste spread on her tongue, a taste she missed very much. She handed it to Shen Xuyue: "You should try it too, it tastes pretty good."
Shen Xuyue picked up a piece, looked at it, put it in his mouth, and then looked at the figure on the road that had turned into a black dot, and sighed slightly.
There was also a new fountain pen. Zhao Mingyue held the pen and glanced at Shen Xuyue. Shen Xuyue smiled and said, "This is a gift from him. You can keep it."
Zhao Mingyue said, "It could also be a gift for you."
Shen Xuyue didn't say much: "It's fine if it's given to me. You can take it and use it. I have one here." Shen Xuyue pointed to the Parker pen clipped to his upper pocket. It was a gift from his father and had been with him for many years. It was very good.
Zhao Mingyue said, "Okay, I'll take it." She lowered her head and put the pen into her crossbody bag.
Shen Xuyue and Zhao Minglang exchanged a glance. Zhao Minglang smiled silently, while Shen Xuyue shook his head slightly.
They first had to take a bus to the region, then a train from the region to the provincial capital, and finally a train from the provincial capital to Beijing. This involved several transfers and a long journey, making the round trip extremely difficult. Because of the distance and limited access to information, they couldn't buy tickets in advance; they had to go to the train station to buy them. If they couldn't get a ticket for the same day, they had to stay overnight and wait. Traveling was incredibly inconvenient, and they had to be fully prepared for potential delays along the way.
They had quite a lot of luggage. Everything had been streamlined to the extreme, but there were still several packages. Zhao Mingyue had a bedding roll, a bag of clothes, and a bag of miscellaneous items. Shen Xuyue also had three packages. There was no way around it; he had lived in Moon Bay for nearly ten years. Although he rarely bought anything, he had accumulated quite a lot. After packing up and giving away a lot of things, there were still so many left.
Hu Nianchun had originally planned to prepare two buckets for them, as these were useful and would need to be purchased in Beijing. However, in those days, there were no plastic buckets or lightweight aluminum buckets; only wooden and iron buckets. A small iron bucket weighed at least a pound or two, couldn't hold much, and was inconvenient to carry, making a clanging noise. Shen Xuyue firmly refused, saying it was too far and too much trouble to transport; they would buy them in Beijing. He carried the heaviest items on his back, letting Zhao Mingyue carry the lighter luggage.
Looking at the provincial capital, Zhao Mingyue realized it was so different from what she remembered. She would have to dig deep into her memories to find even a trace of the past. Shen Xuyue was actually less familiar with the provincial capital than Zhao Mingyue, but Zhao Mingyue entrusted him with asking for directions and finding places, letting him take care of everything so she could relax and Shen Xuyue could have a chance to show off.
In those days, not many people traveled long distances, so tickets should have been relatively easy to buy. However, trains were also scarce, and everyone heading north had bought tickets for the same train. Shen Xuyue queued for an hour and finally managed to buy two standing tickets. When he returned, he looked apologetic: "I'm sorry, Mingyue, there were no seats, only standing tickets. There are no seats left for tomorrow either, so you'll have to make do." The journey was long, and time was limited; he couldn't afford to wait any longer.
Zhao Mingyue smiled and shook her head: "It's okay, as long as there are tickets."
Shen Xuyue said, "After we get on, let's find an empty place to sit. I'll ask around and find two people who are getting off at nearby stops. Once they get off, we'll sit in their seats."
"Okay, you can arrange it." Zhao Mingyue gave her a trusting smile.
Shen Xuyue felt relieved. Zhao Mingyue was a very understanding person, and it was very easy to get along with her.
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