Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Classmates
In September, news quickly spread that the resumption of the college entrance examination was inevitable.
In October, the newspapers officially announced the confirmation of the resumption of the college entrance examination, and stipulated that the enrollment targets for this year included workers, farmers, educated youth who went to the countryside... and so on. There was also a special requirement for "those with rich practical experience and professional achievements and special skills". The age limit was also very loose, within the age of 30, and there was no restriction on whether one was unmarried.
Celebrate together.
The twenty-odd members of Buxiantun and the educated youth were truly relieved. The remaining six educated youth were especially moved, tears welling up in their eyes. It had been so difficult for them over the past year. Seeing their companions resorting to various methods to return to the city, only six of the twelve were left with nowhere to go, how could they not be worried?
These twelve of them were particularly different from the educated youth sent to the countryside elsewhere. Xiao Lanqin, the last to arrive, had been there since 1972. Having spent all those years together, they had become closer than brothers and sisters. The sudden separation was truly bittersweet. Fortunately, the old branch secretary and his men looked after them. Seeing the unrest, they halted their work and placed them directly in the "mutual aid study class" run by the brigade and Hetan Farm.
Among the six who stayed behind were Yang Weibo and Cui Xia, a married couple of educated youth. Both of them came from relatively well-off families, especially Yang Weibo. It was said his family was ready to give him their job at the fertilizer factory. However, Yang Weibo refused, as regulations required him to return to the city without his family and only take one child with him. Cui Xia, on the other hand, lived in a different city, and Shanghai's regulations for returning to the city were even stricter. If the young couple returned to the city, they would have to go back to their own families, leaving their two children, a son and a daughter, to each their own.
At that time, both families even advised them to divorce directly. After all, the working positions in the city were so popular at that time. In order to be able to return to the city, there were many young people competing for the job of collecting excrement that was once only assigned to bad elements.
The young couple, despite the pressure to stay together, lived a life of deep depression, their two young children trembling with fear. Cui Xia, a broadcaster in Buxiantun, knew firsthand the overwhelming tide of educated youth returning to the city. National radio broadcasts reported on the situation, while local newspapers and news outlets reported even more. The urge to return to the city was frenzied, with many abandoning their rural families. Many couples of educated youth divorced and ran away, leaving their children behind. At some point, the local evening papers began to feature numerous small, square missing person notices, all looking for educated youth. Whenever Cui Xia read the notices aloud on the radio, she felt a shudder of fear, terrified that one day she and Yang Weibo would become the protagonists of this tiny piece of paper, a scene filled with blood and tears.
Fortunately, fortunately! Cui Xia was able to join the mutual aid study class. At the beginning, she really just wanted to cover her ears and not listen to the outside news. She was only half-hearted in her studies and didn't dare to let herself be idle. However, the atmosphere of the study class was tense and the courses were packed. From morning to late at night, Cui Xia gradually lost the energy to think about random things. In addition, the study class had a small test every Monday and a big test every month. The weekly test found the weak points, and the monthly test determined the courses that must be taken for the next month... The educated youth had never been so strict in school before, but after a monthly test, everyone's enthusiasm was lifted - they heard the teachers muttering that there was a rumor coming from Beijing that the college entrance examination might be resumed! It was only in Buxiantun that the brigade had the courage to organize this full-time study class before the news was confirmed.
At that moment, Cui Xia truly felt as if the shackles she had been carrying on her shoulders had shattered to the ground, and the shaky foundation beneath the couple's feet had once again stabilized. She nestled in Yang Weibo's arms and cried for half the night. Yang Weibo, hugging his emaciated wife, wet his pillowcase until half his head was wet: "No matter how wonderful Buxiantun was, no matter how much it resembled a paradise on earth, they still longed for the bustling city."
The next day, when the two children were sent to the childcare group of the old ladies with bound feet, the four members of the family had swollen eyes, but they were all grinning, a rare sight.
But with no official notification, from the snow still thawing until winter arrived, not only were the educated youth in the study class anxious, but even the local youth, who had left their jobs months before, were restless. When classmates greeted each other, they could see the blisters on their lips. Until today, not only were the official admissions regulations announced, but it was also revealed that this year's college entrance examination would be held nationwide in a month!
The college entrance examination will be resumed this year!
Everyone first hugged each other in tears to celebrate the resumption of the college entrance examination, and then cheered wildly - compared to others who only had a little over a month to review, they had already started studying for more than half a year in advance! This advantage was infinitely magnified, and Cui Xia felt like her fate was in her own hands.
"I told you our aunt wouldn't lie. She sent me a telegram asking me to study harder, and it turned out to be true!" A young man in the village grinned happily.
Wei Chunfeng and Wei Chunxing, brother and sister, put away their notebooks, papers, and pens. "Let's all go home today. Those who want to send telegrams home should report to the brigade headquarters immediately. Those who have other matters have already made arrangements. For the next month, we will not have to worry about anything else and will just focus on reviewing."
The two siblings were the monitor and vice-monitor, and Wei Chunfeng, in particular, was the one who helped the teacher with the curriculum planning. Her words always carried weight. As soon as the news was announced on the radio, several teachers at Hetan Farm left. They clearly understood that everyone was so excited that they probably couldn't concentrate on their studies.
"Sister Chunfeng, how old is my Yang Weibao?" Yang Weibao was over 25, and the line for educated youth on the broadcast was no older than 25 and unmarried.
Wei Chunfeng smiled, "It's okay. The brigade will issue a certificate." Doesn't age equate to extensive practical experience? Research achievements are easy to prove. The experimental fields have been producing a steady stream of small discoveries over the past few years. The two agricultural technicians have reported all the valuable ones, so adding a few more names to the list of useless "tricks" isn't a big deal. Wei Chunfeng herself was over the age limit and needed a certificate.
"Sister, isn't Layue taking the exam this time?" As the two siblings walked out, Wei Chunxing felt sorry for his cousin. He and Wei Layue were not much different, having been classmates for several years. When he was bullied because of his lame leg, it was Wei Layue who, with a soft voice, pulled him aside and stood up for him. Regardless of whether he passed the exam this time, he and his sister would go to the capital to reunite with the fairy girl. They heard she had a piece of land there to grow medicinal herbs...
Wei Chunfeng was also troubled: "Layue's grades... She has three children now, and her third aunt, so she can't leave." Although Wei Layue is clear-headed and tactful, and seems to have a natural talent for business, this quiet girl has always had poor academic performance. She also participated in the full-time study class this time. After barely persevering for more than a month, it was the teachers at Hetan Farm who couldn't bear it anymore. Even the patience of Teacher He Songlan, who has now returned to work, was defeated. Everyone racked their brains to come up with an excuse for Wei Layue's "pregnancy makes her stupid for three years"...
"Why can't we leave?" The group of old ladies with bound feet raising children was also at the brigade headquarters. Grandma Wei was just about to come talk to them. The old lady, who had become increasingly sharp-eyed and perceptive over the years, disliked using their age as an excuse. "Liangzi will also take the exam this time. If he passes, I'll let Layue go to the city with him. When the time comes, Liangzi will go to school, and Layue will go and help the little fairy lady! I have the three children, and the village staff will take care of them. I guarantee they will be well raised."
Zhou Liang had a solid foundation. He didn't attend full-time classes, copying textbooks and reviewing them after work. He also took exams with the class, and his scores were significantly better than Wei Chunxing's. Unlike other elderly parents who were reluctant to let their sons-in-law and daughters-in-law take college entrance exams, Grandma Wei not only supported her grandson-in-law Zhou Liang but also encouraged him to pursue the exams in a major city, ideally aiming for a school in Beijing... Everyone in the family knew exactly what this old lady was up to.
But it wasn't just Grandma Wei; even Wei Chunfeng, Zhou Liang, and the others felt like they'd lost their backbone since Little Fairy had settled in Beijing. Especially Wei Chunfeng, the oldest and most accomplished student. If Lin Xinghuo hadn't disapproved, she would have packed up and gone straight to Little Fairy. Fortunately, Lin Xinghuo had spotted her thoughts during his occasional stays in the mountains over the past two years and quickly put them to rest. Otherwise, Wei Chunfeng would have dared to abandon her studies and go straight to farming for her.
*
After the news was announced, the atmosphere in the small courtyard became more serious.
Lin Xinghuo was taking the science exam, which consisted of four subjects: politics, Chinese, math, and physics and chemistry. Math and physics and chemistry weren't difficult for her; it would be unusual for her to get less than a perfect score in those two subjects. As for politics, Rong Bocen brought her a year's worth of newspapers. Go ahead and memorize them all, and your politics score wouldn't be low. Only Chinese...
Lin Xinghuo felt aggrieved. She had once squeezed through that narrow bridge, and even boasted that her Chinese score was the best in her previous college entrance exam. But now, Master Fang despised her.
When she wrote an argumentative essay, the old man said that her opinions and views were too sharp and not pleasing; when she wrote a narrative essay, the old man said that it was like chewed sugarcane residue, dry and without meat or juice, and not full of substance; when she wrote an expository essay, the old man turned his face away and said that this kind of scientific essay was unlikely to be tested this year, and asked her to put this boring and rigid expository essay away from his eyes... As for the application essay, Lin Xinghuo remembered the format very well, and she was very good at fitting it into the essay after memorizing many newspapers, but it also belonged to the type of writing that Fang Tongjian thought would not be tested.
But after the results came out, Lin Xinghuo actually did very well and ranked among the top three.
Lin Xinghuo's essay, in particular, was selected for publication in the newspapers. The essay topic for the first year of the reinstated college entrance examination was "My Year of Fighting," and dozens of excellent essays were published in newspapers, with Lin Xinghuo among the first wave.
Even if these articles are excellent, people subconsciously still think that the ones that appear in the newspaper first should be the best.
Fang Tongjian shook the newspaper and squinted at his apprentice: "Do you see the difference?"
"Do you know why they chose you for this edition?"
Lin Xinghuo hung his head and answered honestly, "I see. I know."
Her writing couldn't be said to be bad; in fact, among the dozens of essays she'd written, it was considered average. But there were certainly more exceptionally talented people. Her essay, over six hundred words long, was a gem, and Lin Xinghuo couldn't possibly add or subtract anything from it. And Lin Xinghuo's biggest weakness remained a lack of emotional richness and sincerity. As she read an essay submitted on the same day but ranked later than hers, she was moved by the surging, passionate emotion it embodied. While her writing might not have been as refined in its choice of words and sentences, the richness and sincerity of her emotions made her own essay seem like a dull meal.
Lin Xinghuo's composition was published in the first wave because her overall ranking was so good.
Fang Tongjian sighed inwardly. He couldn't blame the girl entirely. She had tried her best, but when it came to writing, "accidental success" was far more important than diligence. Besides, Xinghuo truly couldn't have the same emotions as others. Others had weathered years of hardship, their emotions like magma bubbling beneath the ground, ready to erupt at the slightest crack. But his own apprentice, thanks to her skills, hadn't suffered much. Even though she'd been holed up in the mountains for the past few years, Buxiantun was a paradise. Those who stayed in the city to take over didn't have it as easy.
Well, we can't be too demanding of the child, can we? The knowledgeable old man Fang softened his heart and coaxed his apprentice: "You have the skills, your practice was not in vain! Your grades are also very good, so I will reward you with a bicycle!" Lin Xinghuo will be going to school after the new year, and it will be a few days away. He will have to go to school as a day student, but Fang Tongjian was reluctant to let his child ride an ox cart every day. It is more decent to ride a bicycle.
Fang Tongjian also knew that the cow pulling the cart at home was actually the legendary "Linghu", but no matter how big of a cow it was, it wouldn't work. Young people had to save face, especially senior intellectuals. Fang Tongjian, who had lived through that time, knew this very well.
The old man clapped his hands twice in a serious manner, and Wu Nian came out of the moon gate pushing a brand new 26 bicycle. Rong Bocen was carrying a basket behind him, and in the basket sat the chubby Lin Beiguo. Lin Beiguo was holding a big red flower and clapping his little hands.
As they got closer, the bamboo lid of the bicycle's front basket was pushed open, and the two little Foxes, Fox Two and Fox Three, whimpered as they unfolded a certificate.
Lin Xinghuo, delighted, gathered all three in her arms and circled the bicycle several times. The women's bicycle had been repainted with chubby foxes: two old foxes, one wearing glasses, the other holding a paintbrush. They were Master Rong and Master Fang. There were also little fox cubs gathering herbs, chasing chickens, and scraping rocks. Lin Xinghuo, with his black ears, and Wu Nian, with his caracal face, stood side by side under a tree, watching the little foxes frolicking. From the flowers and trees, the red tail of a ox with a beard could be seen, Fang Hui's head like a woman's bun, and the claws of a medicine animal pounding medicine... Hidden by the bicycle bell was the Buxian Temple, and in front of it stood the distinctive fox pine tree...
The most important thing is that these paintings cleverly formed several formations, defensive, accelerating, isolating... Wu Nian really put a lot of thought into it. No wonder he has been coming home later and later recently. This morning he even told her not to release her spiritual consciousness.
Fang Tongjian was very proud. Although he did not paint the picture, the idea was his.
As for the bicycle ticket, Rong Bocen, the only employed member of the family, had naturally bartered with someone. While Rong Bocen held a high position and enjoyed generous benefits, getting the ticket was a real struggle—after all, it was during the recent wave of educated youth returning to the city, with so many young people suddenly arriving. Not only was there a critical shortage of jobs, but supplies of all kinds were also strained. Furthermore, his junior apprentice remembered it late, and needed it urgently, so his requirements were quite high. He specifically requested a "Phoenix" brand, saying his prized apprentice was a phoenix, and no other brand, no matter how good, would be acceptable.
In other words, Rong Bocen was used to his impulsive personality. If it were someone else, he would have been angry. Not only did Rong Lao not get angry, but when he celebrated for his niece, he also remembered his junior brother and brought him a 17-inch black and white TV!
Seventeen inches! The largest TVs in Beijing's largest department stores are only twelve inches. A seventeen-inch TV like this is probably a manufacturer's experimental product or simply a foreign product hidden in a Chinese overseas store. It's truly rare. At least much harder to get than Lin Xinghuo's 26-inch bicycle.
Lin Xinghuo glanced at Fang Tongjian who was also standing around her bicycle in amazement. No wonder the old man looks younger and younger, it’s because he has his senior brother pampering him.
Wu Nian showed her the bicycle basket, and Lin Xinghuo realized it was actually made of vines woven around the storage box Qingji had assimilated. This allowed it to be secured to the bicycle without disrupting the spiritual energy circulating within the yew heartwood box. It was a rather large storage box! Lin Beiguo grinned, clinging to Wu Nian's legs and jumping high, trying to demonstrate to Lin Xinghuo that she could sleep in the basket!
Lin Xinghuo, who was feeling very moved, suddenly understood Wu Nian's intention: Doesn't this guy want her to take Lin Beiguo to school?
Wu Nian was not so crazy, because Fang Tongjian was the first to disagree. The old man was now showing off his eldest granddaughter to his old friends all day long. Lin Beiguo was in Dongyuan most of the time during the day. If she didn't come one day, the old man would miss her very much.
But the family of three must show up at Lin Xinghuo's school!
Debut? That was indeed a debut.
It was just after the Chinese New Year, and the weather in Beijing had not yet warmed up. The February wind was still as sharp as a knife. An ox cart slowly approached the gate of Beijing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The guard was shocked. Today was the first day of reporting, and students from all over the country were excited. Some were already squatting at the gate waiting before dawn. He had seen many people that morning, all carrying large and small bags, but none of them were pulling such a large amount of luggage on ox carts! In fact, there were only a dozen or so bicycles, and these were only owned by students from well-off families in the city.
Many glances came her way, but Lin Xinghuo didn't feel awkward. She had luggage for two people in her car: hers and Wei Chunxing, who had also been admitted to the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Wei Chunfeng had done better than her brother and had been accepted into Master Fang's alma mater. She wouldn't be able to register for another two days. Wei Chunxing had just discussed with Lin Xinghuo about borrowing an oxcart to take his sister to school next week.
Ox carts are great; they can hold a lot and are warm. Wei Chunxing particularly likes them.
Lin Xinghuo also thought that the ox cart was good. At least driving the ox cart today was much better than riding a bicycle. There was no other reason, it was just that Wu Nian pushed out the shiny bicycle early in the morning. Lin Beiguo sat on the front beam, and Hu Er and Hu San clung to the basket of the bicycle. The whole family was eagerly waiting for her to sit on the back seat of Wu Nian's bicycle.
Lin Xinghuo had already gotten on, and Wu Nian patted his head as if he had just remembered something: "Where should I put the luggage?"
This person was very kind and suggested: "Why don't you sit in the front? Put the luggage on the back seat. You can hold Fox Da in your arms, or Fox Da can sit on the handlebars." The luggage cannot be placed in the basket. Although it can hold it, it is difficult to take it out.
Lin Xinghuo did have to go to school as a day student, but she hadn't vacated the school dormitory, so she could take a nap and other things, and it would also help her integrate into the group. Rong Bocen meant to let Xinghuo apply for it herself after school started, but Fang Tongjian was not happy about it. His apprentice had many special features, and there was no need to hide it and go along with the crowd. So the old man asked a friend to make arrangements and take care of the accommodation matters.
Another point: Lin Xinghuo originally enrolled in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but the school switched her to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Wei Chunxing, who had performed less well on the exam, remained firmly in Traditional Chinese Medicine and didn't switch to another program. Lin Xinghuo's interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine far outweighed her traditional Chinese medicine, and her future career prospects were focused on Chinese herbal medicine. Therefore, Lin Xinghuo was bound to pursue both, and Fang Tongjian's move paved the way for her, preventing any staid teachers from interfering.
...Wunian was a little depressed because he failed to get Xinghuo to sit on the bicycle frame and had to drive the bicycle. But since he turned the corner and saw the school gate, he held his head high and chest out, like a very energetic young man.
The guards were dazzled by the young man's brilliant smile. Not only did they let their ox cart into the school, they also enthusiastically showed them the way and patted Wu Nian on the shoulder, encouraging him to study hard.
The dormitories at the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine were quite spacious, and their class was assigned to a building that looked quite new. It was said that the nationwide promotion of barefoot doctors a few years ago had boosted the entire TCM system. Besides recruiting workers, peasants, and soldiers, the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine also had annual training programs. Consequently, several new buildings were built for dormitories, and the entire campus expanded considerably. The TCM department even had its own large herb garden.
Lin Xinghuo was envious when he heard this. The male and female dormitories were in two different courtyards. Wei Chunxing glanced at Wu Nian and didn't offer to help Lin Xinghuo with the luggage. Instead, he pulled a shoulder pole from under the cart, picked up his own luggage, and walked away in style.
Wu Nian nodded to him, and the whip made a loud sound in the air. Ling Hu then walked towards Lin Xinghuo's dormitory leisurely and leisurely.
Lin Beiguo nestled in Lin Xinghuo's arms, giggling.
"Oh, you are a day student too? I am a day student too! There are four people in our room, and now two of them are day students. Could the remaining two also be day students?" Before Lin Xinghuo reached Room 301, he heard an unfamiliar female voice speaking inside.
Lin Beiguo now knows more characters than words. She pointed at the house number 301 and mumbled "one" to herself.
"Who brought the kid?" The woman from the other end of the door said with a laugh. "Registration is still two days away, so I brought my son this afternoon to show him around our school. He went to his dad's school with his dad the other day, and he doesn't like our campus anymore. I wouldn't get him out of bed today."
A male voice inside politely asked the other person what school he was from.
Lin Xinghuo felt that the male voice that spoke first sounded familiar, and he should be quite old. Just as she was wondering who it was, she walked up to him and the door opened.
There were two couples standing separately inside. Judging from the distance and the situation, they should be two couples.
"Lin Xinghuo?" a female voice suddenly said.
Lin Xinghuo looked over and saw that the girl who had not spoken just now was Xiao Lanqin, who had fired the first shot of the educated youth from Buxiantun returning to the city!
The man standing closely next to her was Lin Qiyun, who used to often go to the small courtyard to urge her to submit her manuscripts.
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The author has something to say: The fierce Chunfeng is a top student, and the quiet Layue is a poor student...
I want to be pampered by messages//(// //·//ω//·// //)//
Note:
Enrollment targets: workers, farmers, educated youth who went to the countryside and returned to their hometowns (including those who stayed in the city according to policy but have not yet been assigned a job), demobilized soldiers, cadres and recent high school graduates. Applicants must be around 20 years old, not more than 25 years old, and unmarried. The requirements are: clear political history, support for the Communist Party of China, love for socialism, love for labor, compliance with revolutionary discipline, and determination to study for the revolution; have a high school diploma or a high school diploma equivalent (high school students in school with particularly good grades can apply on their own and be introduced by the school to take the exam); and be in good health. In addition, for those with rich practical experience and achievements in research or who have real expertise, the age limit can be relaxed to 30 years old, regardless of marital status. - "Turning Point (1970-1979)"
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