Old Xu glanced at Gu Zhiyun, then at Shen Jingyan.
"You two are such a pair, so clever and cunning!"
Gu Zhiyun knew it was a joke, but he insisted on interpreting it the other way around.
"Thank you for your compliment, you have excellent eyesight!"
As they were talking, it had gotten completely dark. Shen Jingyan took a new quilt from the cabinet and handed it to Gu Zhiyun.
"Brother Yun, there are no extra dormitories at the forest farm right now, so let Grandpa stay in your dormitory."
Old Xu wasn't one to make a fuss, and he had no objection to the arrangement.
The next day, Shen Jingyan prepared chalk, a pointer, and a ruler for Old Man Xu early in the morning. After Old Man Xu ate dinner, he took the lesson plan he had prepared earlier and followed Shen Jingyan to the kitchen.
The educated youth cleaned up the kitchen early, wiped the blackboard, and sat properly on small stools with manuscript paper and pencils on their laps.
They hadn't attended classes in so long, and when Old Xu appeared before them with his glasses on and a serious expression, everyone couldn't help but get excited.
For no other reason than that the moment Old Xu stood in front of the blackboard, his professorial demeanor and presence immediately became apparent.
Previously, some people doubted whether an old man with dementia who couldn't even remember who he was could tutor them.
At this moment, everyone no longer doubted Old Xu's professorship, and their expressions became respectful, their backs straightening even more.
Old Xu placed the lesson plan on the table, picked up the pointer, and tapped it twice.
"Attend class!"
Gu Zhiyun immediately reacted and shouted clearly and loudly, "Everyone stand up!"
The educated youth stood up respectfully and bowed, saying, "Hello, teacher!"
Old Xu nodded with satisfaction: "Hello students, please sit down!"
With this formal and serious opening, the educated youth quickly entered classroom mode, each one listening intently, afraid of missing a single word Old Xu said.
Shen Jingyan couldn't help but sigh that the young intellectuals of this era have a simple yet fervent reverence for knowledge, teachers, and the classroom. It is precisely because of this spirit that they were able to fight bravely and strive at the forefront of the times when the country was not wealthy.
Within just ten minutes of the class starting, everyone had fallen hopelessly in love with the professor.
Old Xu's lectures were lively and engaging, explaining complex concepts in a simple and easy-to-understand way. He explained every formula and every step very clearly and paid special attention to interacting with his students.
Moreover, he possessed an extensive knowledge base. In addition to mathematics, he was proficient in a wide range of subjects, including history, geography, literature, and English. He was practically an encyclopedia.
Gu Zhiyun then realized that Old Man Xu's class was really worth two hundred yuan an hour!
After an hour-long lesson, the educated youth all gained a lot, exclaiming that listening to Old Man Xu for an hour was more effective than studying on their own for a week!
Old Xu was generous with his time; after class, when the educated youth came to ask questions, he would patiently explain.
Before they knew it, it was the end of June. Shen Jingyan was going to the middle school in town to take her junior high school graduation exam. Gu Zhiyun took a day off and rode his bicycle to take Shen Jingyan to town.
Many people came to take the exam, ranging from teenagers to those in their twenties.
In those days, graduating from junior high school was considered a proper education. In the 1980s, many factories required at least a junior high school education to recruit workers.
Gu Zhiyun took off his schoolbag and carried it on Shen Jingyan's back, repeatedly giving her instructions:
"Don't rush when doing problems. Read carefully before you start writing. After you finish writing your math problem, check your answer and don't change it easily..."
Shen Jingyan was genuinely a little unaccustomed to the talkative Gu Zhiyun, so he took out a White Rabbit milk candy from his pocket and popped it into his mouth, laughing:
"I know, Teacher Gu, how many times have you said that? My ears are tired of hearing it!"
Gu Zhiyun pressed his tongue against the milk candy, his eyes burning with desire.
He leaned down, his warm breath brushing against Shen Jingyan's ear: "Call me Teacher Gu again?"
Shen Jingyan's ears felt slightly hot. She puffed out her pink cheeks and whispered in Gu Zhiyun's ear, "Teacher Gu, Teacher Gu!"
The breathing around her ear became noticeably heavier, and the exhaled breath made her skin turn red.
People were coming and going at the middle school gate, and Gu Zhiyun couldn't do anything to her in the end. So, when he pushed her out, he pinched her waist with his big hand.
Summer clothes are thin, and through a layer of soft fabric, the warmth of Gu Zhiyun's palm spreads across Shen Jingyan's skin like an electric current.
Shen Jingyan turned around and glared at him coquettishly, mouthing accusations: "You scoundrel!"
After saying that, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and ran into the examination room.
The exam questions were simpler than Shen Jingyan had imagined; she finished each subject in just twenty or thirty minutes.
In those days, junior high school exams only had four subjects, and they were all finished in one day.
When the two returned to the forest farm, Old Xu excitedly ran over, holding a telegram. Before he could even catch his breath, he tightly grasped Gu Zhiyun's hand and exclaimed, "Little Gu! Good news! Good news!"
Gu Zhiyun took the telegram, glanced at it, and frowned briefly.
Old Xu asked curiously, "Hey, Xiao Gu, going back to the city is a good thing, something you educated youth have been looking forward to for ages, why aren't you happy?"
Shen Jingyan glanced at the telegram; it turned out to be a notice from the educated youth office, announcing the first batch of educated youth to return to the city.
Of the dozen or so educated youths in the forest farm, only Gu Zhiyun, Yang Zinuo, and Zhang Wanfang were among the first to return to the city.
The second batch will be announced in a month.
If it were a year ago, Gu Zhiyun would have been overjoyed to receive this telegram and would have wanted to pack up and return to the city immediately.
But the situation is different now than it was a year ago. Here, he has Jingya's company and Professor Xu, a knowledgeable man, to give them lectures and review. Going back to the city, apart from the improved living conditions, is nowhere near as good as the forest farm.
Moreover, there must be something fishy about this list.
Yang Zinuo and Zhang Wanfang fully met the criteria for being among the first to return to the city, as both came from working-class families. Gu Zhiyun, however, was different; his parents were intellectuals who were classified as having a high social class back then, and he should not have been on the list of the first to return to the city under any circumstances.
"Brother Yun, you..."
As soon as Shen Jingyan opened her mouth, Old Wang from the gatehouse shouted in a loud voice, "Xiao Gu, you have a phone call!"
Gu Zhiyun shoved the telegram back into Lao Xu's hand, making it clear: "Director, I don't want to go back to the city right now!"
Under Lao Xu's astonished gaze, Gu Zhiyun led Shen Jingyan into the guard room.
Upon answering the phone, Zhao Yanyan's excited voice came through: "Brother Gu, have you received the news about returning to the city? I begged and pleaded with my dad for days, and he finally got through to a friend in the educated youth office to put you on the first batch of returnees! Hurry back, when you come back we—"
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Zhiyun interrupted her: "Thank you for your kindness, but I won't be going back!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com