Chapter 96
Jiang Nan was the president of his high school's student union and vice president of the county student union.
His excellent grades and good social skills made him feel at home in school.
Jiang Nan had a clear understanding of his own strengths, so when most of his male classmates applied for science, engineering, medicine, and agriculture majors, he applied for the political science department of the provincial university for two consecutive years.
I failed the exam in the first year and was transferred to the Department of Industrial Economics in the second year.
He thought that industrial economics was fine, at least he could get into a key university.
With his abilities, he would be able to find his place even if he doesn't study political science.
However, when he arrived at the provincial university to report, he found that his ideas were too simple.
There are a lot of transferred students in the Department of Industrial Economics, and all the important positions in the class and department are occupied by transferred students.
His little experience in student work is completely insignificant in front of these older brothers and sisters who have actually started working.
Especially the appearance of Chen Teye made him realize this.
He was the deputy director of the office of the Industrial Bureau and had also worked as the furnace master of a small blast furnace. After listening to his description of the spectacular scene of steelmaking, the male classmates were all excited and convinced.
Students who have just entered university from high school can only act as younger brothers in front of others.
So, when he accidentally discovered that Chen Teye was canvassing for votes on the boys' side, he mentioned it to Bian Queqiao and then left it alone.
There are only two important class leader positions, and the three transferred students can't even divide them up, leaving no room for anyone else to get involved.
While he was worried about the young squad leader Ye, he was also thinking about the possibility of joining the school student union or the student union.
However, Ye Manzhi said at today's class meeting that he wanted to add a deputy monitor to the class and nominated him to run for election!
The opportunity has been presented to him, and there is no reason for Jiang Nan to retreat.
"Besides Chen Tie and Jiang Nan," Ye Manzhi looked around and asked, "are there any other students who want to be class monitor? You can nominate others or put forward your own nominations! Both boys and girls are welcome to participate!"
Class leaders are no longer exclusive to transferred students, and other students are also interested in them.
Soon another man and woman raised their hands.
"Okay, there are currently five students running for class monitor and vice-monitor: Du Ranran, Qin Sheng, Jiang Nan, Chen Teye, and Ye Manzhi!" Ye Manzhi said with a smile, "Then let's be more formal this time and follow the process for electing people's representatives. First, please invite a few students to speak on stage and meet the 'voters'!"
"Squad leader, is this really how the people's representatives are elected?" Du Ranran asked.
"Yeah, didn't you vote for your representative?"
"No, I just turned 18 last month, and they didn't let me participate before."
"I can try it out this time," Ye Manzhi boasted secretly, "I'm the third people's representative of Zhengyang District. This time, we'll vote according to the formal procedures."
Bian Queqiao: "..."
Not only are you the deputy director of the street, but you are also a people's representative. It would be a bit unreasonable if people didn't elect you as the squad leader.
The candidates took turns to speak on stage.
Chen Teye was very eloquent and spoke very contagiously. He talked about a series of policies and movements in the city, his expectations for university life, and his relationship with his classmates. He even boasted that he could take his classmates to visit the small blast furnace.
Ye Manzhi thought to himself, the small blast furnace is filled with smoke and black ash, what is there to see?
She had been working at the street office for several months and had seen enough.
His big promise can only fool students who are oblivious to the world outside, but how many college students nowadays really are oblivious to the world outside?
Ye Manzhi drew a question mark in his mind and asked Jiang Nan to come to the stage to speak.
Jiang Nan said a lot, claiming that if he became the class monitor, he would serve his classmates without compromise, just like he did during the first period of school.
In the more than half a month since school started, he has indeed helped everyone with a lot of work, and almost all the activities for the boys are organized by him.
In this regard, he has an advantage over Chen Teye.
After everyone had made a brief speech, Ye Manzhi announced, "Everyone has a basic understanding of the candidates. There are thirty people in our class. Each of you will write down the names of two candidates on a piece of paper and vote by secret ballot. The top two candidates with the most votes will be our class monitor and vice monitor."
Since Ye Manzhi was also one of the candidates, the final counting and counting of votes was done by Bian Queqiao and his team.
Ye Manzhi received 21 votes, Jiang Nan received 15 votes, Chen Teye received 13 votes, Du Ranran received 9 votes, and Qin Sheng received 2 votes.
There were three men on the boys' side who split the votes, and Qin Sheng received relatively few votes.
Bian Queqiao announced on the spot: "After voting by the entire class, we have elected Ye Manzhi, class monitor of the Industrial Economics Department Class 1, Grade 58, and Jiang Nan, class vice monitor!"
There was a lot of applause in the classroom.
Some of the applause was given to Ye Manzhi, but more applause was given to Jiang Nan.
Jiang Nan was not a transferred student, but he was elected as the deputy monitor. This result gave other graduates who wanted to be student leaders a little hope.
Ye Manzhi walked up to the podium and said, "Before electing other class committee members, I would like to raise the issue of class cadre terms. My suggestion is that each class cadre term be one year. At this time next year, we will re-elect class committee members. We will strive to ensure that every student has the experience of serving as a student cadre and serving their classmates before officially taking up their jobs. With such a transition, everyone will adapt to their future jobs more quickly and better serve the people."
She said this in a high-sounding manner, but what she actually wanted was for all the students to be class leaders for once, so that everyone's files would look better.
Being a student leader was not very tempting for her.
Just like a mayor wouldn't fight for the position of street director.
She didn't want to cling to the position of class monitor. One year was enough to give her some experience. She wanted to spend more time on her studies and family.
Ye Manzhi's proposal was supported by everyone. Since it was beneficial to everyone, naturally no one would jump out to oppose it.
Chen Teye, who first proposed to run for class committee, only won a position as an organization committee member. However, thinking that he would have the opportunity to become class monitor next year, he had to give up reluctantly.
He had underestimated the enemy and looked down upon the young squad leader before.
*
After selecting the class committee members, the burden on Ye Manzhi's shoulders was much lighter.
Moreover, Jiang Nan was very active and his work enthusiasm was no less than that of Liu Jinbao some time ago. Ye Manzhi handed over many trivial matters to him and focused more on the textbooks.
Why.
You have to study hard!
It would be so embarrassing if the class monitor failed the exam!
On Saturday evening, after dinner, Ye Manzhi went to the library with Bian Queqiao to read for a while.
Bian Queqiao asked, "Aren't you going home this weekend?"
"Yes," Ye Manzhi said with a smile, "My wife is coming to pick me up from school."
The last time she went home, she had already told Wu Zhengrong that she would study hard at school, and if Wu Zhengrong missed her, he would take the initiative to come to the school to pick her up after school!
Ye Manzhi looked at her watch and it was almost seven o'clock.
Why hasn't this person come yet?
"It's great to go to school in this city. If I had known earlier, I should have applied to our local university. I don't miss a man, I miss my daughter." Bian Queqiao recalled a rumor and asked quietly, "Did you hear? There's no limit on the amount of food you can buy now!"
Ye Manzhi was shocked and said, "That's impossible? Who told you that?"
"I heard people talking about it while eating in the cafeteria," Bian Queqiao sighed. "I'm at school all day and only go to the cafeteria for meals. I don't pay attention to things like rice, flour, grain, and oil. We're so isolated from the news at school."
"I went home last week. It's such a big deal, there's no way my mom didn't hear about it!"
"Did I hear it wrong?" Bian Queqiao asked doubtfully, "They said the grain yield per mu is 1,000 kilograms, and in some places it's over 10,000 kilograms. There will be no grain limit in the future."
"There really are so many!" Ye Manzhi said happily, "If there really are so many, then there really is no need for a limit! The previous limit was due to food shortages!"
If there really is no limit, then wouldn't all the supplies she and Wong Tai Sin stockpiled be in vain?
Just stockpile it for nothing. A good harvest is always better than a bad harvest!
Ye Manzhi finished all the physics and chemistry homework in one go.
Although she didn't know whether it was right or wrong, she felt happy and thought about going home to ask Wu Zhengrong to check it out for her. But when she looked at her watch, it was almost nine o'clock, and this guy hadn't come to the school to pick her up yet!
You won’t not come to pick me up today, right?
She has already said that if you miss her, you can come to the school to pick her up, otherwise she will stay in school to study.
If she ran back home by herself, wouldn't it be a bit embarrassing?
Never say things that might embarrass yourself in the future.
While reflecting on this, she packed her things and returned to the dormitory.
Bian Queqiao nudged her with his elbow and reminded her, "Is that your Comrade Wu over there?"
Ye Manzhi followed her gaze and found her family's military representative comrade at the desk near the door of the reading room.
The other person is also reading a book.
Ye Manzhi walked over quickly and asked in a low voice, "What time did you come? Why didn't you call me?"
"It's a little after seven. Seeing you were studying very attentively, I waited for a while."
Ye Manzhi sat down on the chair next to him and smiled with her eyes squinting: "I thought you weren't coming!"
"If I don't come to pick you up, you'll be so angry that you'll gain three pounds, right?" Wu Zhengrong said softly, his lips moving. "There's only one day a week when we meet on the Magpie Bridge. I have to cherish this opportunity."
Ye Manzhi thought of Bian Queqiao and couldn't help laughing: "My classmate's name is quite appropriate!"
The couple went out together and rode their bicycles home.
Ye Manzhi sat on the back seat, one arm around his waist, and said, "I was coming out of the library that night when I saw a girl sitting on the beam of a boy's bicycle. She was caught by the discipline committee and criticized and taught a lesson."
"You're quite envious."
“Who’s envious?”
"That longing tone of yours, isn't it envy?" Wu Zhengrong stopped his bike, propped himself up on one leg, and turned to ask, "Do you want to ride on the beam?"
"What if someone sees us?" Ye Manzhi asked hypocritically.
Wu Zhengrong came up with a bad idea: "If you see someone in front of you, just be smart and cover your face. It's dark anyway, and the street lights are not on, so just don't let anyone recognize you!"
The idea was a bit bad, but Ye Manzhi still jumped out of the back seat and moved to the front beam.
She saw the young couple that day, walking freely in the campus at night. The dim street lights shone on the ground, and the atmosphere was particularly romantic.
Now she can experience the same romance by riding Wu Zhengrong's bicycle!
Ye Manzhi turned around and asked, "Isn't this romantic? You didn't have this kind of experience when you were in college, did you?"
"Back then, before liberation, life safety wasn't guaranteed, so there was no room for romance."
Ye Manzhi straightened her body and kissed him on the lips, "Then I have to thank the PLA uncles!"
Wu Zhengrong was about to say something when he heard a rapid whistle from the front, followed by someone shouting, "Two people on bicycles over there! Which department are you from? Get off quickly and pull your bikes over!"
"What should we do?" Ye Manzhi asked in panic.
It was so romantic one second, and turned into something so embarrassing the next.
"Just cover your face. They won't recognize you," Wu Zhengrong said, speeding up his pace while joking leisurely, "I have my marriage certificate with me. I'll show it to them if we get caught."
Ye Manzhi was busy covering her face with her hands and had no time to ask him why he went out with his marriage certificate.
The discipline committee member in front blew the whistle and yelled at them to stop their bicycles.
In the nearest dormitory building, some people heard the noise, opened their windows and whistled to make a noise.
Ye Manzhi covered her face tightly, wishing she could shrink into the ground, and secretly vowed never to engage in romance in school again.
This romance made her heart almost jump out!
Wu Zhengrong’s military training was not in vain. No matter how the discipline committee member blew the whistle, he ignored it, rode his bicycle quickly through the campus, and soon ran out of the school gate and disappeared.
"Luckily you're not wearing a military uniform today!" Ye Manzhi let go of her hand and said fearfully, "There aren't many military families in our school. If you had worn a military uniform, I would have been exposed!"
"More courageous than a mouse."
Wu Zhengrong stopped the car, grabbed the person by the waist and lifted her onto her seat. Seeing that her eyes were red with shame, he couldn't help but kiss her lips, which were even redder than her face.
*
The side effect of sitting on the beam was that Ye Manzhi's buttocks were pressed red and hurt when pressed.
Because Squad Leader Ye was gloriously wounded in the buttocks and slept on his stomach all night, the couple finally met on the Magpie Bridge the next morning.
Ye Manzhi lay on her side on the pillow and whined, "My butt isn't healed yet, stop pinching me!"
"I just checked you out, it's white and tender, nothing wrong with you." Wu Zhengrong rubbed the smoothness, "You're just having this mental issue."
Ye Manzhi's long hair was disheveled and she was pressed against the headboard of the bed, unable to reply.
She wanted to turn around and hug the man, preferably to look at his handsome face and long eyelashes.
At times like this, she liked to look at him face to face, and it would be even better if she could feel the tense muscles on his back.
Wu Zhengrong knew her little habit and was about to cooperate and turn the person over, but he heard Kuihua in the yard barking without warning.
Ye Manzhi looked at him with blurry eyes, turned around and pushed his chest, "The doorbell rang, is someone coming?"
"Never mind it."
"No, it's already morning! What if someone comes to visit and traps us in bed? Then I won't be able to see anyone!"
Wu Zhengrong cursed under his breath, quickened his pace to solve the problem, then leaned over and kissed her lips, blocking her suddenly louder moans in her throat.
Ye Manzhi panted rapidly and bit his lips absentmindedly. The incessant knocking on the door made her arms tighten around his neck.
"Take a break," Wu Zhengrong kissed her flushed face, "I'll go out and take a look."
The unexpected guest who came to visit him early in the morning made him irritated and irritated.
He put on a shirt and went out to open the door, and found that the visitors were Deputy Director Liu and his family, with his wife and daughter following them.
"Captain Wu, I hope I'm not disturbing you by coming to visit you so early."
Wu Zhengrong made way for the door: "Come in."
What's the point of saying these polite words when it disturbs people's sleep so early in the morning?
He didn't even offer the guest a cup of tea. He asked directly, "Director Liu, what's the urgent matter that brings you here so early in the morning?"
Deputy Director Liu also realized that he came at the wrong time, but his urgent matter really could not be delayed.
He placed a notice on the table. "My daughter also took the college entrance exam this year. She originally thought she wouldn't pass and planned to study for a year before taking the exam again next year. But yesterday she received an admission notice from the provincial university. She's been accepted into the major of Economics, Organization, and Planning for Mechanical Manufacturing Enterprises."
Wu Zhengrong was not interested in other people's happy events. He sat there with a downcast face, not even looking at the notice, just waiting for the other party's next move.
This family wouldn't come running to tell him the good news so early in the morning, right?
Deputy Director Liu's wife was the head of the resident group in this area. She considered herself to be on good terms with Wu Zhengrong and his wife. She took over Old Liu's conversation and said, "Captain Wu, we're mainly looking for Director Xiao Ye. She's from a provincial university, and we'd like to ask about this major."
Old Liu was the deputy director of Factory 656, and he should have found out everything he needed to know long ago. However, his daughter was a stubborn person and did not trust the news her father brought back at all. She just thought that Old Liu lied to her because he didn't want her to repeat her studies to get into Tsinghua University.
Ye Manzhi had heard the noise in the house. She dragged her sore body out of bed, dressed, and washed up briefly before hurried out to entertain the guests.
Wu Zhengrong is not a hospitable person, and he can pretend to be so when he is in a good mood.
His good time had just been interrupted. One could easily imagine how cold the unsatisfied man's attitude towards guests would be.
Ye Manzhi sighed that this family couldn't do without her while pouring water for the guests to wash the fruit.
He smiled and congratulated Liu Shichun on getting admitted to university, then asked doubtfully, "Director Liu, it's such a great thing that your Shichun got admitted to a key university. Why are you still hesitating?"
"It's not that we're hesitant, it's that this kid is so stubborn and wants to get into Tsinghua University. I told her dad that a provincial university is also a key university, and it would be great if she could get into a provincial university, but she disagrees and only wants to go to Tsinghua!"
Ye Manzhi: “…”
Is it really okay for you to come to my house and show off so early in the morning?
"Oh, Shichun has the ability to go to Tsinghua University! That really needs to be carefully considered. After all, it is a matter of life and death for the child, so we still need to consult the child's own opinion."
Deputy Director Liu said anxiously, "The key is that there is no time to consider it now. The deadline for registration for the provincial university is tomorrow. If she gives up this opportunity, what if..."
What if I fail to get into Tsinghua University next year? Do I have to repeat the year?
If he were to say, the provincial university is also a key university and is close to home, so attending the provincial university is no worse than attending Tsinghua University.
Ye Manzhi asked, "Shichun, what do you mean?"
"Of my ten choices, eight went to Tsinghua University and two to the provincial university. But the program I was accepted into, 'Economics, Organization, and Planning of Mechanical Manufacturing Enterprises,' wasn't my first choice. They're still admitting new students so late, so I'm afraid it's not a good major."
Ye Manzhi roughly repeated the department head's speech to the family of three opposite.
"The major you were admitted to is similar to our Industrial Economics Department. It was also established not long ago. People don't know much about it, so they don't dare to apply."
Ye Manzhi still admires this kind of people who have the confidence to pick professional talents.
It's different for her. She allowed the motherland to choose her with open arms. She learned whatever the motherland asked her to learn.
Ye Manzhi comforted herself that people like her were more progressive in their thinking.
After listening to her introduction, Deputy Director Liu took the opportunity to persuade his daughter, "Look, your Aunt Xiaoye said the same thing. I'm your biological father, how could I harm you?"
Ye Manzhi: “…”
Liu Shichun is a recent graduate, and they are actually only two years apart in age.
There is really no need to call her Aunt Xiaoye.
Ever since she married Wu Zhengrong, her seniority in the compound, especially in the East Gate area, has risen rapidly.
Many children of leaders call her Aunt Xiaoye.
However, some smart ones would call her Director Xiao Ye, which made both parties feel comfortable.
The family of three started arguing on the spot. Liu Shichun was determined to go to Tsinghua University and refused to listen to any advice with a cold face.
Wu Zhengrong was in no mood to meddle in other people's family affairs. His colleagues' children were all in college, but his own child wasn't even born yet.
He finally had a day to spend alone with his wife, and he didn't want to waste his time on other people's children.
So he said coldly, "For schools like Tsinghua and Peking University, those who can get in will get in on the first try. For those who can't get in, it's useless to repeat the exam as many times as you want. Even if you get in, you'll still be at the bottom of the class."
Everyone: “…”
It may sound logical, but could you please not say it in front of the children?
Liu Shichun's face turned red after hearing what he said, and tears flashed in her eyes. She stood there for a while with her eyes wide open, and without saying a word, she ran out the door.
Glancing at Director Liu and his wife who had chased after them, Ye Manzhi complained, "You're so offended by saying that!"
"Telling the truth is bound to offend people," Wu Zhengrong said nonchalantly. "If you have this time, you might as well help you with your physics homework."
*
Maybe Wu Zhengrong's truth worked, or maybe he just came to his senses.
When going to school on Monday, Ye Manzhi accepted the entrustment of Deputy Director Liu and his wife, and took Liu Shichun to report to school.
Her major, which has a long name, is right next to the office of the Department of Industrial Economics.
When Ye Manzhi sent the person to the office, he happened to meet Chen Ying, whom he hadn't seen for several days. She was holding a blower and handing in homework to the technical teacher.
"Teacher Chen, what have you been busy with these days? We didn't even see you come when we were electing class committee members!"
"They're busy making steel," Chen Ying sighed as she handed the blower to the teacher. "I was just about to look for you. Our school is also going to make steel, and every department needs to organize staff. The Industrial Economics Department has less than 200 people in total, and you freshmen will also have to participate this time."
Ye Manzhi thought for a moment and asked, "Teacher Chen, are there any students in our department who can make steel?"
"Didn't Chen Teye from your class serve as a furnace master?"
"The furnace master is only responsible for organizing and deploying the workforce. Real steelmaking requires technical talent. If the technology in a small blast furnace doesn't meet the standards, the steel will contain too many impurities and even if it's produced, it won't be usable."
Wu Zhengrong went to the small blast furnace on Guangming Street to check it out. Some of the steel produced by Zhang Qinjian and his team was usable, but it was not suitable for the production needs of Factory 656.
Chen Ying is worried about steelmaking. This year, the junior students have to go to the company for a two-month internship, and the time is very tight.
"But all departments have already taken action, and our Department of Industrial Economics cannot fall behind."
Ye Manzhi didn't want to make steel either. She hadn't even mastered the courses in her major, so how could she make steel?
She pulled up a chair and sat across from him. After a long hesitation, she suggested, "If every department builds its own blast furnace, our school will be overcrowded with them, right? Our department isn't large, so why not join forces with other departments? Those with money can contribute, and those with strength can contribute."
Chen Ying was amused by her. "Look at which department is rich? Most can only provide labor."
"That's not necessarily true! We've already done a lot of work in our technical classes. We can't just hand in the assignments and leave them piled up in the warehouse, right?" Ye Manzhi pointed at the blower she had just handed to the teacher. "We can sell them for some cash or coke. Then our Industrial Economics Department can pay for it and let other majors do the work."
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