Under Wang Jianguo's astonished gaze, Director Wang patted Qin Xiaoxiao on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Comrade Qin Xiaoxiao! Due to your substantial donations of money and supplies during this earthquake disaster, after deliberation by higher-level leaders, you have been officially approved to be awarded the title of City Charity Pioneer." (This is fictional; I don't know if this title existed back then, but it's necessary for writing the book.)
Then, he placed a tray that the staff behind him were holding into Qin Xiaoxiao's hands.
"Here are two bicycle tickets and a sewing ticket, as well as ten meat tickets and ten 10-jin grain tickets, as a reward for you."
There's also a hundred yuan. It's not much, far less than what you donated, but the leader said we can't discourage kind people, so this is a small encouragement for you.
Qin Xiaoxiao glanced at it and saw that there was another certificate at the bottom, which should be the certificate for the charity pioneer.
Qin Xiaoxiao straightened her small body and said with a smile, "Thank you for the encouragement, leader. This is more than enough. I am also a Chinese. When my fellow countrymen are in trouble, I will step forward. Besides, this is just an ordinary little thing. Compared with my family, I have not done enough. I am ashamed to accept this title!"
Director Wang smiled even more kindly, "Comrade Qin is truly enlightened. The higher-ups have seen the contributions your family has made to the country. Don't rush, take your time."
Qin Xiaoxiao understood what Director Wang had left unsaid, and laughed even more heartily.
After Director Wang finished speaking, he looked at Wang Jianguo and frowned. "Director Wang, what is this...?"
Wang Jianguo wanted to tell her what had just happened, but now was not the right time. Qin Xiaoxiao had just received an award, and he was going to complain about her? Wouldn't that be like putting the leader in a bad light? So Wang Jianguo shook his head with grief and indignation in his eyes, "It's okay, my mom fell down, I'll take her home now."
Unwilling to say any more to Director Wang, Wang Jianguo and his wife helped Granny Wang home.
Director Wang narrowed his eyes as he watched Wang Jianguo leave, and whispered to Qin Xiaoxiao, "If anyone makes things difficult for you in the future, just tell me, and I will stand up for you."
Qin Xiaoxiao smiled, "Thank you, Director Wang. We get along very well as neighbors, and it's an honor for me to live here."
Seeing that Qin Xiaoxiao didn't seem inclined to say anything more, Director Wang felt relieved, nodded, gave a greeting, and left with his staff.
They came and went in a hurry, but left a bomb in the alley for their neighbors.
"We must not offend this child from the Qin family in the future."
"That's right, she's on the leader's radar. If you offend her, you're probably not going to have a good ending."
"However, judging from what Director Wang said, it seems that other members of the Qin family have also done something. Does anyone know what happened?"
"You don't know? Qin Ye and Su Lu are Qin Xiaoxiao's brother and husband. They personally drove to Tangcheng to deliver supplies. There were still aftershocks at the time, and I heard they also helped rescue many people."
"Not only that, it seems she also has an older brother who is in the army and went to Tangcheng for disaster relief."
“She also had a younger brother who went.”
"So, does that mean those two soldiers from the Qin family will be given important positions?"
"That's right. The leaders have sharp eyes. Qin Xiaoxiao only donated money and got the title of charity pioneer. Her two brothers must also get benefits."
"What an honor to be an advanced individual! And there are two brothers in the army too. The Qin family's ancestral graves are truly blessed."
...
Qin Xiaoxiao smiled at her neighbors and went home with a pile of tickets and money.
Once the gate is closed, he ignores everyone.
Back inside, he handed the money and tickets to Ma Dahua. "Auntie, here you go. We don't have time to buy meat today, but we'll buy some tomorrow and celebrate at home."
Ma Dahua smiled and agreed, then took the money and tickets and put them back inside.
These days, Ma Dahua manages all the money and paper money in the house. Qin Xiaoxiao and Su Lu each hand over twenty yuan a month as living expenses, and Qin Ye and Su Yun are no exception.
Forty yuan is enough for the whole family. Although we can't afford anything fancy, we can still eat our fill.
Moreover, Qin Hai brings home cheap vegetables every day, and he also wants to contribute money to the family, but Qin Aiguo refuses, telling him to save it up and wait to buy a house.
The whole family took turns looking at the certificate. Ma Dahua and Grandma Qin, who were not very literate and could not understand some of the words, still looked at it with great interest, their faces full of smiles.
After this incident, the Qin family finally calmed down. Wang Jianguo and Granny Wang probably calmed down because Qin Xiaoxiao had gained the attention of her superiors, and stopped causing trouble for the Qin family and Qin Xiaoxiao.
Autumn arrived in the capital in the blink of an eye. Qin Xiaoxiao knew that the college entrance examination would be reinstated this year, so she took advantage of the night when no one was around to discuss it with Su Lu.
"Honey, what do you think? Should we take the college entrance exam? If so, we need to start studying now."
Su Shi looked at Qin Xiaoxiao as if she were an idiot. "Wife, you seem to lack self-awareness. Do you really think that with our attitude and ability in studying, we can pass the college entrance examination?"
How do you think you can pass the exam if you can fall asleep after reading for only five minutes?
Qin Xiaoxiao choked, recalling the scenes of her reading before, "Well, before it was because I wasn't in a hurry, but now the time has come, and if I don't do it now it will be too late, so, so..."
So you think we can pass the exam?
Haha, are you kidding me?
Rather than hoping you can pass the exam, I'd rather rely on my eldest daughter and eldest son.
Qin Xiaoxiao became increasingly guilty as she spoke, avoiding eye contact with Su Lu. "I think it should be about the same, right?"
Su Lu ruthlessly retorted, "It's not about the same, it's far from it. Honey, I don't think the college entrance exam is suitable for us. Let's do something more practical."
For example, the market is about to open; have you thought about what we should do afterward?
At the mention of making money, Qin Xiaoxiao perked up and looked at Su Lu with wide eyes, "Honey, I think we can buy goods from the south and then sell them in the capital."
We won't deal with small items like watches and clothing, but we won't get large items like sewing machines and bicycles, since we can't bring them back without a vehicle.
Even storing it in a spatial storage space won't work; it's impossible to explain to outsiders.
"And I think my brother might get involved too. If he goes along, those two items will be even less likely to work. Maybe smaller items like watches would be more feasible."
Su Lu nodded. "Honey, how much money do we have left? Can we buy a house next year?"
Qin Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up, "That's good, next year or the year after is fine. It would be best to have a courtyard house, but if that's not possible, we can buy land in the suburbs. It will be very valuable in the future."
The suburbs now will become the city center of Beijing in the future; no amount of money will make it a worthwhile investment.
Su Lu laughed and said, "Since you already know, then let me ask you, what is the purpose of us going to university?"
Qin Xiaoxiao thought for a moment, "Find a good job after I finish my studies?"
"Then what?"
"To make money."
"Relying on that meager salary?"
Qin Xiaoxiao fell silent.
She knew that it was impossible to get rich by relying on her salary, so she might as well buy two more houses to retire in.
I didn't write about what happened in October 1976, for fear of it being banned; everyone just needs to know it in their hearts.
These words are strictly prohibited from being used in the main text; please understand.
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