The literacy class run by the brigade is located here, targeting illiterate housewives and out-of-school people. Of course, other people who want to learn more cultural knowledge can also come. Two classes are held every night in the evening, and educated youth and young people who graduated from high school in the village are invited to serve as teachers.

In the past, Meng Taohua had secretly come here several times in order to write letters to Tian Zhigao and also to learn some culture. But each time she was chased by Wang Shuifeng, who told her to go back to boil water for a bath or to twist hemp ropes. If she met Tian Yalan, she would be ridiculed and would leave in disgrace.

Meng Tao walked to the lighted classroom. There were more than 30 people sitting inside, both men and women. Each person brought their own kerosene lamp. There was a bright large lantern hanging in front of the blackboard. A tall male educated youth was giving a lecture.

Meng Tao leaned close to the window and looked, when suddenly someone patted her from behind, which scared her. As soon as she turned around, she was grabbed tightly by someone. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Zhou Daya. Meng Tao secretly thought: This is the one they are looking for.

Zhou Daya's full name is Zhou Cuiling. She has a junior high school education. Her father Zhou Shi'an was the director of the Linshui Brigade. He was transferred to be a commune cadre two years ago. Her uncle Zhou Shiping is the accountant of the brigade, and her uncle-in-law is a team leader. In Linshui Village, Zhou Cuiling is the envy of all the girls and lives a comfortable life, so Tian Yalan is extremely jealous of her.

But although Zhou Cuiling is a little arrogant, she is a good young person who is motivated and helpful. She works at the grain station during the day and comes to the literacy class at night. She is both a student and a counselor, and is enthusiastic about helping the sisters in the village learn to read. She is not like Tian Yalan, who does nothing all day and plots and figures out how to harm others.

Zhou Cuiling had tried to approach Meng Taohua many times, but Meng Taohua always avoided her. I don’t know what she was thinking, maybe because of her inferiority complex.

Zhou Cuiling in the novel also did not have a good ending. She died in a flood in Linshui River a few years later. Zhang Guoqing rushed back but did not see her. He cried heartbrokenly on the rocky beach by the river. There was no news of him later. Zhou Shi'an and his wife suddenly looked ten years older and moved away soon after.

Zhou Cuiling had a chubby face, also known as baby fat, with delicate eyebrows and beautiful eyes. She puffed up her cheeks deliberately, stared at Meng Tao and said, "If you want to learn, go in and sit down and listen carefully. What can you learn standing outside like this?"

Meng Tao forced a smile: "I just came to take a look."

"What do you do after you finish watching? Wait for that old woman to come and take you back to boil water and make hemp ropes? Meng Taohua, can you be more ambitious? You can survive without relying on the Tian family, so why are you afraid of them? Go in quickly and learn some knowledge, then it will be your own!"

Zhou Cuiling dragged Meng Tao into the classroom while looking back at the school gate. "If that old woman dares to chase you, I'll stop her. What right does she have to keep trying to stop you from studying? If she keeps talking nonsense, we'll go to the brigade and report her!"

Meng Tao followed Zhou Cuiling to her seat and sat down. Zhou Cuiling moved the kerosene lamp closer to Meng Tao, took out a work diary with a brown paper cover and a sharpened pencil, and gave them to Meng Tao, whispering: "This notebook is new and is given to you. Write your name on it yourself. I know you can do it. Now listen to the teacher carefully, and we will talk after class."

Meng Tao took the notebook and the pen, and carefully wrote "Meng Taohua" on the cover of the notebook, stroke by stroke. She had tried her best to imitate the handwriting of an elementary school student, intending to make it a little crooked, but there was no way. After the three words were formed, they were still very standard and neat.

Zhou Cuiling took a glance and smiled at her appreciatively.

Most of those who can come to the literacy class to attend classes really want to learn culture and broaden their horizons, so they all listen very carefully. Soon the first class is over, and many people raise their hands to ask questions to the teacher and ask for answers to their doubts.

Zhou Cuiling talked in a low voice with Meng Tao.

"Your handwriting is beautiful. You should come early tomorrow night. Don't be afraid. Huh? The old woman from the Tian family didn't come to chase you away tonight. I'm ready to have a fight with her." Zhou Cuiling said.

Zhou Cuiling was angry: "How can this be? They kicked you out just because they have meat to eat. Aren't you a member of their family? Taohua, what do you want from them? Tian Xianglan moved into your yard with confidence, but you became a farmhand in the Tian family, working day and night. Look at what you have become? Do you still look like a woman? That Tian Zhigao, he married you but didn't care about you. He didn't come home for years. Do you still remember what he looks like?"

Meng Tao shook her head, "I don't know either. I don't understand it now. So I want to come to the literacy class to learn a few more words so that I can write a letter to Zhigao in the future. Zhigao sends letters and money to his parents and brothers and sisters, but not to me. I helped the sixth and seventh brothers clean upstairs today and found a few letters. I can recognize some words, but the words on them are a bit sloppy and I can't see them clearly at first. Daya, you are well educated, can you help me see if the letter asks about me?"

Zhou Cuiling took the three letters handed over by Meng Tao and said as she took out the letter paper: "Let me take a look first, and then read it to you."

Unexpectedly, when she had just read half of the first letter, her face tensed up and her expression became very ugly. After quickly reading the three letters, she slammed the table angrily: "This is really bullying!"

Meng Tao certainly knew what was in the letter, but now she pretended not to understand and asked in surprise, "What's the matter? What does it say?"

Zhou Cuiling: "Taohua, you are such a fool! You worked so hard to help him take care of his parents and support his younger siblings in school, but he has already given up on you and married another girl from the city. Do you know that?"

Meng Tao opened her eyes wide as if frightened, closed her mouth and shook her head, looking innocent and pitiful.

Zhou Cuiling's face turned red with anger. She shook the letter paper and shouted louder and louder: "Look at the dates. This one is from April this year, this one is from May last year, and this one is from the Mid-Autumn Festival the year before last! It spans three years, and each letter mentions the 'third sister-in-law' in the city. Tian Zhigao, that despicable villain, has long fallen in love with someone else and betrayed you, and the Tian family all knew about it, but they deliberately hid it from you! For four years, your man never came home and didn't write you a letter, and you actually endured it. Meng Taohua, you are a wooden man!"

Meng Tao: “…”

You are right, Meng Taohua is a wooden man.

The noise was so loud that other people in the literacy class came over and asked what was going on. Zhou Cuiling simply read all three letters from Tian Zhigao publicly. Everyone was shocked and angry, especially the women. They shared a common hatred for Chen Shimei and condemned Tian Zhigao, scolding him for being heartless and morally corrupt.

As a weak person, Meng Tao didn't need to say anything. The poor little thing just needed to accept sympathy with red eyes.

Zhou Cuiling said to Meng Tao, "Come home with me tonight. My dad is back from the commune, and he will take care of this matter. When Tian Zhigao married you, you were young and didn't get a marriage certificate. It was my dad and the whole village who testified that Tian Zhigao got benefits from your Meng family and secretly married someone else. The Tian family helped to conceal it, and they are still after you. What's the meaning? They want an explanation!"

Meng Tao nodded, indicating that she would follow her suggestion.

The new book seedlings need sunshine and rain, so little fairies, remember to cast your votes!

(End of this chapter)