"I heard you're in the second year of junior high. You'll be going to high school in the city next year. What will you do after that?"
"It's okay. I've saved up a lot of dried sweet potatoes. I'll have enough to pay for the grain tax, the pension is quite substantial, and there's also a monthly allowance. That's enough for me to go to school."
"How can you keep up with eighth grade classes if you never go to school?"
"No problem, I've almost finished reading the first-year high school textbooks. Don't worry, I'll start attending classes in high school."
"It's a real shame that I'm taking my college entrance exams this year and can't be with you."
"I don't need you to accompany me. I'm used to it on my own. Besides, Sister Er Ya and Brother Zhu Zi are also preparing for the high school entrance exam. Although it's a year later, I'll still have someone to accompany me in the future."
Which university is Jingze planning to attend?
"Capital University, Department of Political Science"
"A future leader! Is it too late for me to curry favor with him now?"
"You brat, are you trying to embarrass me? You don't need to flatter me. I'll help you out if you have any problems in the future."
"I've got it. I'll come find you then, so don't pretend you don't know me."
"Don't worry. Hongmei, which university are you planning to apply to?"
"I don't have a goal yet, I don't know. Although I sometimes want to go out and see the world, I'm reluctant to leave when I think about it. Home is so nice."
"You can come back after you finish school."
"Then how about I go to an agricultural university?"
"You want to spend all day in the fields?"
"In no mood."
"Then go to the Capital University, learn a good major and come back to serve your family. It's the same thing. Maybe it will benefit everyone more than agriculture."
"We'll see when the time comes; maybe I won't pass the exam."
“It’s okay, I’ll give you all my notes and wait for you at the Capital University. That way, I’ll have company.”
"So you were thinking of having family around? I won't have time to spend with you then. I want to have some fun. Besides, I want to go to university in Shanghai."
“Haishi University is also good, but Capital University has more departments and is closer to home, so you can come back often. If you really go to Haishi, you'll get tired of taking the bus.”
"Yes, I hate taking the bus. Even if I go, I don't like it. There are universities in our provincial capital where I can take the entrance exam, so I'll apply there."
"You, how can a provincial university compare to a university in the capital? You'd better not waste your time."
Going to a university in the capital will offer great opportunities for development, allowing you to better serve your family.
"I understand, I'll think about it carefully." Zhang Hongmei didn't know where the potential danger lay, but she sensed it was in the capital, so she didn't want to go. However, Liu Jingze was right; there was still better development potential at a university in the capital.
Am I really going to spend my whole life here?
Liu Jingze stared blankly at Zhang Hongmei, knowing that she had taken his words to heart. It would be wonderful if this little girl could also go to the capital.
Looking at their watches, it was almost three o'clock, so the two decided to head back.
Liu Jingze scooped up a lot of grass from Zhang Hongmei's basket and put it into his own, pressing the grass down firmly. He also placed the snakeskin bag on top of his basket. Zhang Hongmei found his appearance rather unsightly.
"Brother Jingze, shall I do it?"
"You think I can't carry it? Haha. Don't worry, I can carry it even if you sit in the basket."
"No, it's just that you don't look right carrying a basket, it seems like there's a mistake."
"Hehe, what do I look like?"
"It's all about being refined, scholarly, and gentle. But being gentle and refined isn't your job."
"Hahaha, Hongmei, I've been doing farm work since I was five. Although I haven't done it since I started school, I'm still a farmer. Let's go home."
Zhang Hongmei carried half a basket of grass on her back and drove the cattle and sheep down the mountain.
As soon as I reached the foot of the mountain, I saw Er Ya walking towards me. "Sister Er Ya, you're back?"
"Yes, I was just about to look for you. Is Brother Jingze here too?"
"Er Ya is back! It's been two or three years since I last saw you. I heard you're doing well in your studies. Keep up the good work so you can go to university in the future."
"Okay, I'll try my best," the three said as they walked. Zhang Hongmei suddenly slapped her forehead, realizing how stupid she was.
"What's wrong, Hongmei?"
"What's wrong, Hongmei?"
"Why am I so stupid? I could have just brought a few more bags and put them on the old ox's back next time!"
The two men glanced at her helplessly; she seemed to be acting on a whim.
In the evening, there was sweet potato noodle soup and steamed cornbread made from the scraps of grinding sweet potatoes. Zhang Hongmei didn't want any of it; she just wanted a bowl of noodle soup and didn't even have an appetite for the cornbread.
After finishing his meal, Wang Hongxi informed everyone that they would be eating at their own expense the next night. It was a holiday, so everyone should prepare something good to eat themselves, as the cafeteria didn't have much of a good selection.
Wang Laowu was unwilling. Relying on his age and seniority, he said, "Village chief, I have no good stuff at home, and I have nothing to eat."
Wang Lao Er chimed in, "Yeah, if there's a canteen, why don't they cook?"
"You two, shut up! Don't you have anything good to hide? I saw your son carrying a rabbit down the mountain yesterday. Did you go to the sweet potato field traps again?"
Liu Changhe didn't give them any face at all and went straight to the bottom line: "And you two are really dishonest. Since you picked up someone else's trap, you should have restored it for them. Today, when Jingze came up the mountain, the trap hadn't been restored. Is this how you do things?"
Wang Laowu and Wang Laoer blushed with embarrassment and stopped causing trouble.
Zhang Hongmei knew these two people. They were the ones who wanted their share of the family property when Zhang Aiguo and his wife held their funeral. They were shameless.
"Sir, although I dug the trap, we all live in the same village, so it's fine for everyone to eat together. I have no objection. However, if anyone takes game without my permission, I hope they won't do it again. If they do, please put it in the canteen so everyone can eat together."
The two old people were even more ashamed, but after all, they were old and had lived shamelessly for most of their lives, so they pretended that Zhang Hongmei hadn't said anything.
Liu Jingze found Zhang Hongmei particularly adorable. He wondered what these two had done to offend her. He really wanted to stroke her fur.
Wang Hongxi coughed and said, "Everyone should be careful in the future and avoid causing conflicts over this."
After finishing their meal, Liu Jingze walked up to Zhang Hongmei and said, "Hongmei, I won't go up the mountain with you tomorrow. I'll stay home and help my mom and grandma with some chores."
"Okay, you should spend more time with them. My aunt must miss you terribly."
The next day, Zhang Hongmei took six snakeskin bags, carried baskets, and drove the cattle and sheep up the mountain.
They drove them to a radish patch not far from the water and fed them soybeans before heading to the river to see if there were any prey in the trap.
Zhang Hongmei was incredibly lucky; she actually found a dead wild boar. How was she going to get it back? Letting it go was out of the question.
Just as Zhang Hongmei was scratching her head in distress, she heard Dashan's voice: "The cattle and sheep are here, and Hongmei must be by the water."
"Brother Dashan, come over here quickly, I want some meat. Hurry up."
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