Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Resuming the College Entrance Examination

"Have you found a job?" Lu Yannan asked.

Pang Youcheng replied: "The Arsenal, I'll follow the school's assignment. My dad said that since I don't want to join the army, he won't bother looking for other units for me."

Lu Yannan turned to look at him, "Why don't you join the army?"

As children of military servicemen, most people’s first choice after graduation is to join the military.

Pang Youcheng said with a smirk, "How can my physical condition compare to yours? I played for half a day without getting red in the face or out of breath. I need to rest and not go to the army and cause trouble for others."

Lu Yannan smiled, knowing that his habit of talking nonsense had come back again.

"Actually, I don't like the restrictions of the army..." Pang Youcheng propped up his head with one hand and looked up at the sky, with a rare serious look on his face: "I just like to enjoy the days, I want to eat well and work less, tsk tsk... If my dad heard this, his hands would itch again, it doesn't conform to his values ​​at all."

Not only does it not conform to his father's values, but in the eyes of today's people, people who have such ideas are just second-rate people.

Lu Yannan didn't react much after hearing this. He said calmly, "Everyone has their own aspirations. Everyone's pursuits are different."

Pang Youhua smiled and patted his shoulder: "Okay, brother, I was right about you. You called me out today for more than just playing basketball, right? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Lu Yannan nodded.

"Let me guess," Pang Youhua hurriedly asked, stroking his chin, and guessed, "Do you want me to take good care of Xia Qinqin after you leave?"

He looked at Lu Yannan's stern face and smiled a little: "Hehe, what position do you stand on to ask me to help you take care of her?"

Lu Yannan glanced at the person next to him and said calmly: "I'm not asking you to take care of her. She doesn't need you to take care of her."

Pang Youcheng was surprised: "Huh?"

Lu Yannan said: "I'm telling you to remember to keep your distance from her."

"...No, you..." Pang Youcheng was speechless: "Lu Yannan, what do you mean?"

Lu Yan said: "Literally."

Pang Youcheng smiled and said, "So, from what standpoint are you making these demands? Could it be that you are... hehe..." As he spoke, he nudged the person next to him with his elbow and made faces, his meaning was self-evident.

Lu Yannan said slowly: "Qinqin and I grew up together and are as close as family. Naturally, I have a position to manage her affairs."

Pang Youcheng raised his eyebrows: "Oh? Then you treat her as your sister."

Lu Yannan paused and said, "Anyway, just remember what I just said and keep a proper distance from her."

Pang Youcheng was unhappy: "Why? You don't like her, why are you still bothering me?"

Lu Yannan said: "She is still young, and you are not suitable."

"Why is it not suitable? Is it because of our family backgrounds or our looks and heights?" He patted his butt and stood up, standing straight and confidently said, "I am already 1.78 meters tall now. My dad said I will continue to grow taller. I may be 1.80 meters this year."

Lu Yannan also stood up. He was obviously taller than the confident person next to him. He brushed off the dust on his body and said, "You two are not compatible. You are too cunning. It's easy to be deceived when you are with me."

"Tsk," the man who was recognized by many parties as having many schemes shook his head and said calmly, "You don't know this. When looking for a partner, you should look for someone with a complementary personality. An impatient person should look for someone with a gentle personality, a talkative person should look for someone who doesn't talk much, and a smart person like me should look for someone who is stupid... ahem, simple-minded."

Lu Yannan picked up the basketball on the ground, spun it lightly on his fingertips, and turned his head and said, "Want to play again?"

Pang Youcheng kept shaking his hands: "No, no, it's getting late. If I go back late, my parents will scold me." Then he patted Lu Yannan's shoulder and said with a smile: "Don't worry, I never want to suffer losses. If I provoke her, I can't afford to offend her father or mother, let alone you."

He continued, "Considering the relationship between my family and the Xia family, if I were to be with Xia Qinqin, I would be completely suppressed. I can't afford to offend her family, my own parents won't help me, and even my sister will firmly stand against me."

Thinking of this, he shook his head and said, "Oh, that's terrible. I'm not that stupid."

Listening to his thoughtful remarks, Lu Yannan smiled and nodded, "Well, you are indeed a smart person, and you think very clearly."

Pang Youcheng said: "Hehe, if you want to live a comfortable life, you have to think carefully."

It has to be said that Pang Youcheng is indeed a smart man. A few years later, he found a simple-minded girl to marry. The girl's family is an ordinary dual-working family, and his in-laws are very enthusiastic about him, the son of a cadre.

He is good at talking and making fools of others. His wife worships him very much and the couple never quarrel. Of course, because of his ability, his wife never has to worry about his career, family and children.

The couple lived in harmony. It was just as he said, finding a partner with a personality that complements yours will make life more comfortable.

…

Lu Yannan left in a hurry, and Xia Qinqin didn't even have time to see him off. In the early morning before dawn, someone drove into the family compound and took him away directly.

Xia Qinqin was sad for a while because she had not yet given away the farewell gift she had prepared. It was a short scarf she had crocheted herself. Although it was still summer now, she would be able to use it in a while.

She often heard her father talk about his training life in the army when he was young, lying in the mountains in the snow and ice for several days at a time.

Forget it, I'll send it to him next time when I know his address.

Xia Qinqin didn't feel sad for long about Lu Yannan's departure, and went to Hai City with Pang Youhua and his sister.

Three and a half-grown children are already adults in this era. Every year, thousands of children of this age go to the countryside in batches, so parents have nothing to worry about when letting them go to Haishi.

However, before departure, Xia Junshan personally sent them to the train station. The conductor on the train happened to be a family member of the military family compound, and she took care of them all the way.

After getting off the train, Mr. Meng, who had been waiting for him at the train station, said that in the past few years since his retirement, he has been practicing Tai Chi and drinking tea every day, and his body is very strong.

During the few days in Haishi, Xia Qinqin, as the host, took them around the streets and alleys of Haishi and tasted the local delicacies.

"Youhua, when are you going to work?" Xia Qinqin asked on the return train.

Pang Youhua's eyes were fixed curiously out the window, watching the city scenery gradually receding in front of him with reluctance.

"I have to go back to work." Then he sighed and said, "I can't go out and play casually anymore."

Xia Qinqin comforted her, "It's okay. Maybe you won't need proof to go out in the future. You can go wherever you want."

If you go out now, without proof of work, you can’t buy a ticket or even find a place to stay.

Pang Youhua smiled: "It would be nice if that day comes."

"By the way, Youhua, which position are you assigned to?" Xia Qinqin only knew that she went to the ordnance factory like her brother Pang Youcheng, but she didn't know which position she was assigned to.

Pang Youhua said, "I was assigned to the union of the ordnance factory, and they happened to be short of an office clerk."

Xia Qinqin said: "That's great. Your main job should be to seek benefits for the employees and organize activities. It's very suitable for you."

Pang Youhua nodded: "Yes, I also think it suits me. Originally my mother wanted me to go to the Publicity Department, saying that it would be a good place to train myself, but I didn't want to go. I hate writing essays the most. If I go to the Publicity Department, I will have to write articles every day."

Xia Qinqin smiled and said, "Auntie may think that it is easier to get promoted in the publicity department." - People who come from the publicity department have always been valued by leaders.

Pang Youhua said, "I don't care. Being a leader is too tiring and I have to work overtime. I just want to get off work on time."

Her parents were both leaders of the unit, and they held inspection meetings every now and then. She was annoyed by hearing about this since she was a child, and she just wanted to have a leisurely job.

Pang Youcheng, who had been reading in the upper floor, poked his head out and said with a smile, "How can a leader's overtime be the same as that of an ordinary person? Ordinary people work overtime to do work, but a leader's overtime is to give orders."

Pang Youhua raised his head and glared at him: "You talk as if you are the leader."

Pang Youcheng raised his eyebrows: "Not now, but it may not be the case in the future."

"Hmph, a power-hungry guy!" Pang Youhua rolled her eyes at her brother.

Xia Qinqin was already used to the bickering between the siblings, so she raised her head and asked, "Brother Youcheng, which position are you assigned to?"

In the past two years, she and Pang Youhua have been getting along well. Their families live close to each other, so they often visit each other's homes. She also follows Pang Youhua in calling Pang Youcheng "Brother".

However, Pang Youhua did not follow her in calling Lu Yannan "brother". According to her, she was one month older than Lu Yannan, so Lu Yannan should call her "sister".

Of course, Lu Yannan didn't listen to her, and Pang Youhua complained to Xia Qinqin about it several times.

"He is assigned to the production supply department," Pang Youhua answered for her brother, "It seems that he is in charge of the material supply of the factory."

This department has great power and correspondingly has high requirements for people, who need to be able to coordinate relationships among all parties. Pang Youcheng's personality makes him capable of handling the job.

Pang Youhua said, "I heard that their department often goes on business trips all over the country. With a certificate from the unit, they can go wherever they want. It's fun."

Pang Youcheng smiled and said, "You want to come too? I'll transfer you over once I get to know you better. With your personality, you can't handle complicated interpersonal relationships well, so you can just be responsible for serving me tea and water."

Pang Youhua jumped up and patted him angrily, and said with his hands on his hips, "You are the one serving tea and water. Since you like to coordinate interpersonal relationships so much, I will go to the Women's Committee in the factory when I get to work and ask them to transfer you over so that you can handle interpersonal relationships properly."

Pang Youcheng said hurriedly, "Tsk, how could you resort to violence while talking? A gentleman should talk, not fight, don't you know?"

Pang Youhua snorted, "To deal with a villain like you, we have to take action."

Xia Qinqin watched them bickering with a smile, walked over to hold Pang Youhua's hand, and said with a smile: "Don't make a scene on the train, or else the train police will be attracted. Let's sit down and watch, it's still early before we get to Lingcheng."

Pang Youhua nodded: "Okay, I want to read the comic books I bought at Haishi."

"Yes, it's in my bag." The two of them walked downstairs to read. Pang Youcheng, who was lying on the upper bunk, shrugged and lay down to continue reading.

......

After returning from Hai City, Xia Qinqin officially started working.

The Cultural Palace is in the city center, and it takes 40 minutes to ride a bicycle there every day, so she doesn't go home at noon and eats at work.

The Cultural Palace doesn't start work until 8:30 in the morning. She eats breakfast at home every morning, leaves home at 7:30, and arrives at work before 8:30.

At noon, I ate in the unit canteen. The dishes were not as rich as those in the army canteen, after all, there were fewer people, but the taste was okay and I could eat whatever I wanted.

After dinner, she would go to the unit’s library to read. This is the unit’s internal library, which contains many books that are not available outside. Xia Qinqin felt like she had discovered a treasure, and the time she looked forward to most every day was during noon.

Because Xia Qinqin has good painting skills, she was assigned to the Art Group of the Propaganda Department, responsible for the design and production of wall posters.

Xia Qinqin's high school education was not enough for this cultural palace. Her team leader graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1950, and another team member graduated from Haishi Fine Arts.

Xia Qinqin was much younger than them, so they both treated her like a child. There was no intrigue between them as there was between colleagues, and they often gave her guidance on her painting skills.

She originally studied ink painting, but under the guidance of two new teachers, she also learned some knowledge about oil painting.

Their group's task was to design some propaganda posters that were in line with the policies of the time every month and send them to streets, factories and other relevant units to be painted on conspicuous walls to achieve the purpose of propaganda.

Occasionally, Xia Qinqin would curiously run to the propaganda walls on the street to watch them painting. Later, she also participated in the production of several propaganda paintings, which was quite interesting.

Xia Qinqin worked like this for more than a year, and she lived a fulfilling and happy life every day. She didn't really dislike going to work.

After work that day, the autumn wind was blowing and the weather was getting cooler. After get off work, she put on her coat and rode her bicycle leisurely home.

At the gate of the family compound, I happened to meet Pang Youhua, who was also returning home from get off work. He held the handlebars of his bicycle with one hand and waved the other hand vigorously, shouting excitedly: "Qinqin, did you hear the broadcast just now! Great news!"

Xia Qinqin shook her head: "No, I just came back. What happened? Any good news?"

Pang Youhua held her hand and said in surprise: "The college entrance examination has been resumed! The radio just said that the central government has decided that the college entrance examination will be officially resumed this year..."