This time, Xiao Jiu traded 500 jin of raw grain with the Weng family elders. No other meat or eggs were provided. The situation is getting better and better now. Even if the food is a bit worse, at least we can eat our fill. If we can't buy what we want this month, we can try to queue up next month.
Therefore, the role that Xiaojiu played was relatively limited. However, the two elders were used to getting things from her, which was not only convenient but also guaranteed in terms of quality. At first glance, they were somewhat disappointed to hear that she would no longer provide it for six months.
But it's understandable. After all, they got into a university, and a strictly managed military academy at that. All we can do is offer our best wishes.
Similarly, Xiao Jiu only secretly hid more than thirty cans of meat for her second sister, Tang Cuiju, and only a hundred or so catties of grain and forty catties of noodles. With the ration coupons Cuiju usually gave her and the grain she received every month, it was enough for her to live a good life on her own. She might even be able to help out her sixth sister and Tao Qing. Since they lived closer, it would be easy for them to have meals together occasionally.
This time, the students not only brought their admission notices, but also their household registration certificates and grain ration certificates, all of which needed to be carried along with their military records.
She was alright, but Comrade Yuan Yuan, upon seeing the certificate issued by the street office, was so moved that she burst into tears.
"From this moment on, I'm completely free from that home, aren't I?"
Xiao Jiu patted her shoulder: "Yes, you're completely free now. From now on, the sky's the limit. You're free."
"Thank you, Xiaojiu. I said I would pay you back. If there's any subsidy, I'll give it all to you."
They are enrolled in the military upon entering the school. In addition to free room and board and free uniforms, they also receive a monthly allowance, which should not exceed six yuan.
This was undoubtedly a godsend for a student like Yuan Yuan. No matter how frugal she was, the money she had extorted from her grandmother was almost gone. If it weren't for the help from the Tang sisters, she would have been homeless long ago. So this subsidy was very important to her.
Xiao Jiu comforted her, "Don't worry about these things. Take care of yourself first. Don't underestimate military medicine. You have to do military training as soon as you enroll, and physical training will become part of our daily life and studies. Military medicine is a big and not simple field. You have to eat and drink well every day, otherwise your physical fitness will not keep up, which will affect your grades!"
Before leaving, Xiao Jiu took two single-person quilts with her and went to find Ye Zhen, intending to give them to her as a wedding gift in the future.
Actually, this quilt was the cotton cover she had left over after she stripped off the Japanese soldier's coat. The brand-new cotton cover could be used directly after putting on the lining and the quilt cover.
Hearing that her younger sister had been admitted to university, Ye Zhen was genuinely happy for her and prepared a gift for her well in advance.
"This is a fountain pen I carefully selected for you. I wish my little sister a bright future. Don't worry about your sister. We'll discuss anything. Remember to give me your address when you get there so we can keep in touch. I'll keep these two sets of quilts for now. Thank you for your kindness."
"How's it going? Have you found a suitable partner yet?"
Ye Zhen felt a little embarrassed when Xiao Jiu asked her that question.
"I guess it's something, but we're still getting to know each other, so it doesn't count yet. I'll write to you first when I get good news."
Xiao Jiu could tell from her slightly flushed face that she was shy; girls these days are all very shy.
Especially for girls like Ye Zhen who are valued in their families, their daily interactions with boys are limited. Being so well protected makes them extra cautious when choosing a partner.
Before parting, she also revealed to Xiaojiu that their family had gradually distanced themselves from the Wang family.
Xiao Jiu didn't think this was a bad thing. After all, given the Wang family's calculating nature, they had probably offended many people long ago.
Once these kinds of people reach a certain stage, they will suffer the consequences of being abandoned by everyone. People they offended before will suddenly jump out to expose and report them. It's best to stay away from them as soon as possible to avoid potential harm.
Early in the morning of August 20th, Xiaojiu and Yuanyuan took the bus to the train station. They had bought their tickets in advance, hard seats, for a journey of only three or four hundred kilometers. The train was a green-skinned train, which looked brand new and should be faster. The train left at 8:20 am and they expected to arrive around 2 or 3 pm.
The ticket price was two yuan and eighty cents. I bought it at the original garden, and I couldn't refuse, so I accepted it.
They ate eggs and drank rice porridge in the morning, and when they boarded the train, they found that there were many young people their age in the carriage.
"Could they all be students?"
Xiao Jiu nodded, "That's possible. This time of year is indeed the period for military training at the start of the school term."
"I thought it was only military academies; other schools also have military training?"
"My sister went to Tsinghua University and she had military training, so I guess everyone has military training!"
The two sisters whispered to each other for a while, and finally a fair-skinned young man sitting next to Yuan Yuan couldn't help but ask.
"Are you two college students?"
Yuan Yuan looked at the other person warily, and when the man saw the two sisters' expressions, he quickly spoke.
"I heard you're going to have military training, so I wanted to ask which school you're from, because I'm going to have military training too."
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Wu Di. My father's surname is Wu and my mother's surname is Di. I took their surnames as my given name. I am twenty years old this year and am going to the Fourth Military Medical University to register."
After Wu Di wrote his name on the table, he immediately looked curiously at Yuan Yuan and Xiao Jiu. When the two sisters heard that he was also from the Fourth Military Medical University, all their guard was automatically lowered.
"Which department are you in?" Wu Di asked directly about his major. Could it be that "you two are also from the military medical university?"
"I'm a dentist," she said, proactively revealing her major despite the question.
Yuan Yuan then reached out to greet the other person: "Yuan Yuan, Preventive Medicine, Class of '63 freshman."
Xiao Jiu was a distance away, so she just nodded. "Tao Tao, Clinical Medicine, also a freshman in the class of '63."
Wu Di was surprised by their unexpected meeting, and judging from their ages, they didn't seem very old, but since neither of them mentioned it, he was too embarrassed to ask.
Wu Di is from Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, and is considered a fellow Henan province native to them. He is also quite talkative and, being older, takes good care of the two of them.
At lunchtime, Wu Di also took out his grandmother's multigrain pancakes and spicy mustard greens to share.
"My grandmother is from Shandong Province. Her multigrain pancakes are absolutely amazing. Don't be shy, have a taste. They won't keep even in this hot weather."
Xiao Jiu shared the sesame seed cakes that Grandma Weng had given her before she left, while Yuan Yuan took out the cornbread that the neighborhood committee auntie had given her, along with some spicy pickled radish. The three of them shared the food and ate it with plain water until they were full.
As the train traveled westward, the number of passengers increased, and it became increasingly crowded. After passing three cities, the national highway was packed with people.
The three of them had been traveling for several hours and were a little tired. The two sisters packed their things, put their bags inside the small wine cellar, and leaned their heads together, gradually becoming drowsy.
In a daze, they seemed to hear people arguing. When the two sisters sat up straight, they realized that just a few rows away, several young people were fighting...
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