Chapter 453 The Resumption of the College Entrance Examination
The child brought back a plate of stir-fried dried green beans with pork, a plate of pan-fried tofu, and a plate of stir-fried celery with pork from the cafeteria. In addition, Song Lubai stir-fried scallions and eggs, making up a total of four dishes for the meal to entertain Zhao Hongying.
Wei Yang left after finishing his meal, and Zhao Hongying breathed a sigh of relief, her body visibly relaxing.
Song Lubai said, "What's wrong? Are you uncomfortable with Wei Yang here? We've known each other before."
Zhao Hongying leaned closer to Song Lubai and said, "Your Wei Yang has an official air about him now. It's like the feeling I get when I walk into your bureau's office. I subconsciously feel timid and hesitant. I didn't have that feeling back in the 16th Regiment. Maybe it was because I saw him less often, and we were farther away. Plus, he was a higher-ranking official..."
Seeing Zhao Hongying scratching her head, Song Lubai felt that Comrade Zhao was actually the same Comrade Hongying they had first met in the 16th Regiment.
Although he's older and can manage things and write reports, he's still quite simple-minded.
She didn't think Wei Yang had any official airs; he just looked more mature and composed.
"If you come to my house a few more times, you won't feel that he has the airs of an official anymore."
Zhao Hongying chuckled, saying that if she came a few more times, she would get indigestion.
After dinner, the children brought out all the good food in the house to treat Aunt Zhao.
With a milk curd in her mouth, Zhao Hongying said, "Do you still remember your fellow villager, Shen Lingyu?"
Song Lubai nodded. "What happened to her?"
Zhao Hongying lowered her voice and whispered as if she were talking about a big secret: "She went to the police station to report that her husband committed murder. That winter, a comrade from the armed forces died, a young man surnamed Zeng. I heard that her husband also killed him."
Song Lubai narrowed her eyes. "Also? He's killed someone again in the past few years?"
Zhao Hongying asked in surprise, "From what you're saying, you know he's killed someone before?"
Song Lubai said, "I don't know, didn't you just tell me?"
Zhao Hongying said "Oh" and continued, "He didn't kill anyone, but he injured someone. The person injured by Zhao Lujun seems to be Shen Lingyu's fellow villager, and also your fellow villager. After that incident, Shen Lingyu went to the police station to report him."
"Why? Why would Zhao Lujun hurt someone?"
Zhao Hongying shook her head and said, "I heard that he doesn't allow Shen Lingyu to talk to other men when she goes out, and he doesn't allow her to smile at others. If she talks to any man for more than a few minutes, he'll scold her when she gets home. Don't you think there's something wrong with his head? How can he be so jealous? How can a person never talk to someone of the opposite sex in their entire life?"
“We’re only talking about the people from the 16th Regiment. What about your third aunt? Isn’t she in the city too? If you ask me, it was better when your third aunt was in the Women’s Federation. She could keep those men in check, unlike now, where there are too many shameless men like Feng Xiaolong.”
Wei Zhao was able to keep things under control because Wei Yang was behind her, and those who acted recklessly were wary of her.
Song Lubai said, "My sister has taken the child back to the capital, and she probably won't be coming back."
Zhao Hongying exclaimed in surprise, "Ah!"
Suddenly remembering someone, Song Lubai asked, "What about Tang Xuewen? Has he been behaving himself these past few years?"
Zhao Hongying laughed and said, "Everyone has their own way of dealing with someone. He's been quite well-behaved these past few years. Pang Juan's son is obedient and now calls Tang Xuewen 'Dad.' In the winter, Tang Xuewen even took Pang Juan and her son back to their hometown. When they came back, Pang Juan and her son were wearing new clothes."
Song Lubai thought it was pretty good, and then she asked, "Your Xiaohui is in high school in the city, has he graduated yet?"
Zhao Hongying nodded, "Yes, I've graduated, but the job they assigned me isn't very good."
She wanted to ask Song Lubai for help in getting someone a job at the cannery, but then felt she shouldn't ask.
Song Lubai said, "I was just about to tell you. Wei Yang got the news that the college entrance examination will be reinstated this year, and the exam is probably before the new year. Tell your Xiaohui to study hard. If he is doing well in his studies, don't let him work for now, and give him more time to study."
Zhao Hongying's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
Song Lubai nodded and said, "Don't spread the word before the official notice is issued. Just know about it and seize the opportunity. Even if you don't get into university, you can still get a good job if you get into a junior college."
Zhao Hongying was overjoyed, "I understand."
The two of them had to stop talking just before Song Lubai was about to go to work in the afternoon.
Song Lubai packed half a bag of apples for Zhao Hongying and was a little reluctant to part with her when she saw her off on the road.
She hadn't sat down with someone like this and chatted about this and that in a long time. After finishing, she felt completely relaxed.
After they had walked a distance, Zhao Hongying turned back and said, "Xiao Song, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. I'll bring you some pickled vegetables next time."
Song Lubai nodded, waved, and took the child to her workplace.
Her child is on summer vacation and won't start school for another month or so, so she has to bring her child to work at the bureau.
Fortunately, there are quite a few kids at my workplace, so we can play together outside.
In September, the capital held a national conference on college admissions, deciding to reinstate the national college entrance examination, which had been suspended for ten years, to select talents for university admission through a unified examination and merit-based admission.
This pivotal national college admissions conference decided that the target groups for the resumption of the college entrance examination would be: workers and peasants, educated youth who went to the countryside or returned to their hometowns, demobilized soldiers, cadres, and graduating high school students.
The meeting decided that priority would be given to students from key universities, medical colleges, normal universities, and agricultural colleges when admitting students, and that students would be assigned jobs by the state after graduation.
On October 21, major news media outlets announced the resumption of the college entrance examination and announced that this year's college entrance examination would be held nationwide in one month.
Song Lubai sat in her office, drinking tea and reading the newspaper. When she saw the list of students eligible to take the college entrance examination, she felt a little regretful.
If it had been earlier, she definitely would have signed up, but now it's unnecessary.
The resumption of the college entrance examination was being discussed in offices of various units, but the most excited were the educated youth who had been sent to the countryside.
It's currently the busy farming season, and after hearing the news of the resumption of the college entrance examination, many of the educated youth on the farm went on strike, insisting on studying hard to take the exam.
The commotion was quite significant. After a meeting, the organization came up with a solution, and Wei Yang and a group of cadres went down to the farm to take charge of the work.
Production tasks must be guaranteed, but time for the educated youth to study must also be allowed.
When Wei Yang returned home, he brought Zhang Heping with him.
There's only one month left, so I need to study hard.
The autumn wind was biting, fallen leaves swirled and drifted in the wind, and dust filled the air.
Song Lubai left the supply and marketing cooperative carrying half a chicken and headed home. Not far from her home, she encountered Lin Jinyao and her daughter Liu Mei.
She approached expressionlessly, pretending not to see the two people, but they were clearly after her. As she walked away, they followed.
She turned around and said, "What do you want? If you follow me again, I'll call the police."
Lin Jinyao dared not call her "Auntie" anymore, but instead looked at her with a pitiful, pleading expression.
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