With Xia Lan's return, the candy counter became lively again, with different children coming to buy candy every day. The children crowded the counter, and even if they didn't buy anything, they just wanted to see such a beautiful rainbow.
The children were just looking but not buying anything, and Xia Lan didn't want to kick them out, but they were already bothering other customers. Minister Yang had no choice but to ask Xia Lan to think of a solution.
"If this continues, it will upset other customers." The department store is always packed with customers, and they can't turn them away, but having children at the candy counter every day isn't a solution either.
Looking at the children's innocent faces, Xia Lan thought for a moment and decided to go to her office to get some paintbrushes. She then taught the children to draw in front of the department store.
Xia Lan led the children in creating paintings with their hands. The children had never played like this before, and they were having so much fun that they couldn't stop. Many passersby found the scene heartwarming, and the children's laughter was the best way to heal.
The adults, seeing the children laughing, couldn't help but laugh along with them.
"What's going on over there? Why are there so many people?" A reporter seemed to be approaching and saw Xia Lan drawing with the children, looking very happy.
I couldn't help but take out my camera and capture this joyful moment.
Xia Lan was unaware that she had been photographed. The children had a great time and were taken home by their parents to take a bath.
Xia Lan washed the paint off her hands and remembered the colorful flower they had just created with their little hands. Xia Lan arranged the counter in the shape of a colorful flower.
The next day, someone saw a report in the newspaper about Xia Lan teaching children to draw.
These days, being featured in the newspaper is a very important thing.
Those who witnessed it yesterday all felt like witnesses and proudly showed it off to their friends.
The children and their parents felt incredibly proud and rushed to the department store to express their gratitude to Xia Lan.
Xia Lan was still completely confused as to why everyone was congratulating her.
Sitting in his office, looking at today's newspaper, Qin Yu was stunned when he saw his wife, who had inexplicably appeared in the paper.
It wasn't until Minister Yang invited Xia Lan to his office and placed the latest newspaper in front of her that Xia Lan learned that she and the children had been photographed drawing yesterday.
"I didn't know I was photographed. Will it affect my workplace?" Xia Lan asked worriedly.
"What are you saying! This is an honor, how could I blame you!" Minister Yang said with amusement, looking at Xia Lan's worried expression.
"Are you alright?" Xia Lan was taken aback, then remembered that the reporters these days weren't the paparazzi of the past, and breathed a sigh of relief. "But why did he take pictures of me..."
"Look at what it says above. You represent our department store. This is a huge honor for us!" Minister Yang was very pleased. Such an opportunity is rare and hard to come by.
"The factory has unanimously decided to reward you for your outstanding performance recently. As for what you will receive, I don't know," Minister Yang said with a smile. "I only found out this morning."
"Thank you, leader," Xia Lan said gratefully.
I didn't expect there would be a reward.
Xia Lan returned to the counter, which was surrounded by people.
Everyone looked at Xia Lan as if she were a hero, and she was admired by everyone.
"Thank you everyone. It's probably not because of me, but because the children's laughter attracted you. I was just playing with the children," Xia Lan said to everyone.
Hearing Xia Lan's modesty, everyone felt even more that she was a good comrade.
The story continued to unfold, with people coming specifically to see Xia Lan, the ordinary citizen who had made it into the newspapers.
Xia Lan was also helpless about this situation, but the work continued.
Fortunately, the factory gave Xia Lan a reward, which made her very happy.
"Bicycle voucher?" Xia Lan looked at the bicycle voucher in her hand and then looked at Minister Yang in disbelief.
"Yes," Minister Yang said to Xia Lan with a smile. "And we happen to have one in the store right now. I'll give you a discount. Do you want it?"
"Can I go back and discuss it with my husband?" Xia Lan didn't answer immediately, but thought about it and realized that a bicycle didn't seem to be a real necessity.
"Okay." Minister Yang nodded.
After Xia Lan got off work, Qin Yu immediately ran over to pick her up. Xia Lan told Qin Yu about the bicycle voucher, and after listening, Qin Yu thought it was worth buying.
"I'll buy it, and I'll take you to work." Qin Yu decided to buy it after hearing that.
"Are you really going to buy it?" Xia Lan looked at Qin Yu, and Qin Yu nodded while holding Xia Lan's hand.
"Alright then! I'll buy it." Xia Lan nodded.
The next day, he took the money and went to the department store.
"Minister, take a look at that old bicycle, it's cheaper, I'll take it..." Xia Lan said to Minister Yang with a smile.
"Xia, why didn't you buy that women's bicycle?" Minister Yang asked Xia Lan, puzzled.
"Brother Yu said he'd drive me to work after he bought it," Xia Lan said to Qin Yu with a smile.
"You two really have a good relationship."
Minister Yang took Xia Lan to pick up the brand-new Phoenix bicycle. Qin Yu came to pick up Xia Lan after get off work that day, and then rode the new bicycle home with her.
Happy days always fly by, and everyone is immersed in the ordinary days, going back and forth between home and work every day without ever changing.
October 21, 1977, a day destined to be unforgettable.
At 10 a.m. this morning, the radio started playing on time, and many people listened to it lazily while doing their work.
A familiar radio melody began to play, and many people looked up from their work.
"Today is a great day. In order to promote reform and opening up, the country... officially announces the resumption of the college entrance examination..."
The host, with a strong and righteous voice, announced an explosive piece of news.
"Officially announced: The National College Entrance Examination is hereby reinstated!"
This sentence is deeply imprinted in everyone's mind.
On that day, radio stations and other media outlets reported the resumption of the college entrance examination as headline news, and this exciting news quickly spread throughout the country.
"What's going on outside? Why is it so noisy all of a sudden?" Inside the department store, everyone was startled by the cheers around them.
Many people flocked to the streets to begin the celebration parade.
An older woman couldn't help but rush over to ask what had happened. Upon hearing the news, she was shocked and her eyes widened. She then rushed back to tell everyone the important news.
"They're celebrating...celebrating..." the old woman gasped for breath.
"Oh my, what are you celebrating?! You're going to drive us crazy with worry."
"Celebrating the resumption of the college entrance examination!" the woman shouted.
The entire room fell silent.
The National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) has been banned for so many years, and now it's actually going to be reinstated?!
"Oh my god!!"
"Wow, I've waited so many years, and finally the college entrance exam has been reinstated!"
"Does that mean our daughter who went to the countryside can come back?!"
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