Chapter 91 Literacy Class: "A woman fears marrying the wrong man, and I fear bringing in a wolf..."
"I haven't been back for a year and a half, not ten and a half, right?"
A tall, imposing man in a crisp green military uniform stood before a propaganda poster at the village entrance, staring intently at a piece of paper pasted on the wall. His usually cold and resolute face now showed a dazed expression, revealing the familiar look of the country boy he once was.
Zhong Ying looked at the red paper pasted on the wall and explained to her brother with some helplessness, "The production team that was awarded the Red Flag Team had to post a notice at the village entrance and keep it for seven days to accept criticism. I originally thought I would take it down after the time was up, but everyone wouldn't let me. It's been posted until almost the New Year."
Miao Suyun, who was standing next to her, immediately nodded, "Yes, why bother peeling it off? Let's just leave it on like this."
As she spoke, she looked at the notice posted on the wall again and again, overjoyed. "That's wonderful, that's wonderful."
Zhong Ying lifted her leg, wanting to take them home, but her legs, carrying a child, were too heavy to move. Her helplessness increased from three parts to six parts. Zhong Ying looked down and said, "Guoqiang, do you have some misunderstanding about your weight? You'll be seven years old after the New Year. My thin legs can't support the weight of a seven-year-old boy."
Zhong Guoqiang, who had grown up a bit, still hugged Zhong Ying's leg with a grin, calling out as before, "Auntie, Auntie, I missed you so much!"
Zhong Yingxin's heart softened immediately.
However, a group of children soon ran out of the village, and Zhong Guoqiang immediately let go of his aunt and ran to his friends.
"Guangfu! Xiaoyong! I miss you so much!"
"I miss you as well!"
The children expressed their longing for each other in a simple and straightforward way, hugging each other affectionately.
Zhong Guoqiang noticed a somewhat unfamiliar face among the children who had gathered around. It was a pretty girl who looked about his age. He couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion. Who was she?
Li Guangfu explained to his friend, "This is my aunt's younger sister, Qianqian!"
"You have a little sister now!" Zhong Guoqiang couldn't help but boast. "I have a little sister too, even younger and cuter than yours!"
When Zhong Cheng returned home to visit his family, he brought back not only his wife and son, but also his six-month-old daughter, who was being carefully wrapped in his military overcoat by her father, who was afraid she would get a little cold.
The Zhong family's courtyard became lively again with the return of their relatives. Deng Xia was overjoyed and kept smiling. "Quick, come inside, don't let the children get cold."
Old Man Zhong was also filled with excitement. He quietly raised his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes and patted his son's increasingly broad back. "That's great. The last two times you came home were in the summer. It's been six or seven years since you were able to spend the New Year at home. This time, you can have a proper New Year's Eve dinner at home."
Zhong Cheng choked up, unable to express how hard-won this opportunity to visit his family was. He knew it would be another six or seven years, or even longer, before he could go home for the Spring Festival again. In the end, he just pretended to be relaxed and said, "Next time, our whole family will come to my place for the Spring Festival. It's quite lively at the military base. I can let my sister see if there's anyone she likes."
The second half of the sentence was really just something Zhong Cheng blurted out without thinking. Before he could even realize that he had said something wrong, he first felt an invisible, stagnant, and chilling aura.
Zhong Ying quickly tried to defend her brother, saying, "Does your brain shrink as your body gets stronger? If you want to take your parents and Xinzi to your place for the New Year, then take them. I'm not going; I'll spend the New Year with my in-laws."
Zhong Cheng chuckled twice, but in his heart he was thinking, why hasn't this ghost gone to reincarnate yet?
Miao Suyun untied the luggage she had brought back in the main room and took out the things she had brought for her family. "I've been assigned to work at a military supply factory now. These are cotton gloves made in our factory. They're really warm to wear. I bought a pair for each person in my family..."
Zhong Ying accepted the gloves, but she was more surprised and delighted that her sister-in-law had found a job than to receive the gift.
very nice.
The gloves are a large, fingerless design with a grass-green, durable, coarse twill outer layer. Your hands will soon be sweating from being stuffed with thick cotton. They are heavy and thick, but exceptionally warm.
Deng Xia and Miao Suyun, mother and daughter-in-law, went into the kitchen to cook, Zhong Xin helped chop firewood, Zhong Guoqiang went out to play with his friends, and Zhong Ying stayed in the house playing with her little niece.
Like her nephew who has an uncle's name, this little girl also has a name that is "super senior": Guiying.
When Zhong Ying saw her brother walk in, she couldn't help but complain, "Your naming skills are really... You should read some books when you have free time. You could at least try to come up with words like 'loyalty' or 'loyalty' like your parents do. If all else fails, I'll help you come up with some ideas next time you need a name."
"What do you know? Do you even know that Mu Guiying was in command?" Zhong Cheng bickered with his sister as usual, then stuffed something into Zhong Ying's hand. "Here, take this."
He gave them the items and then turned and left.
Zhong Ying stared blankly at the object in her hand. "Why did my brother give me his military medals?"
“Heh,” Li Linshi said with a forced smile, “I’ll let you use it to exorcise ghosts.”
Zhong Ying: ...
Zhong Ying cleared her throat and said righteously, "Such an honorable thing should be hung in the most conspicuous place in the house, like the red notice posted at the entrance of the village."
Old Man Zhong carried a kettle of boiled water into the house to fill a thermos. When Zhong Ying saw him, she was overjoyed, calling out "Dad" louder than usual.
"Dad! Find a place to hang it up." Zhong Ying handed the things in her hands back to her father, Zhong Chunsheng, as if they were a hot potato.
Zhong Chunsheng looked closely and said happily, "Yes, yes, yes, it should be hung up properly..."
Meanwhile, Zhong Cheng left his house and strolled around the production team.
Just like the adventures he had as a child, Zhong Cheng felt a sense of novelty every time he discovered a change that was different from what he remembered.
Zhong Cheng stood beside a roadside utility pole, looking up at the large loudspeaker hanging on it. He matched the description with the information in the letter he had received. "This must be the broadcast where Yingni reads her prepared remarks..."
"Woof woof!"
"Cousin, you're back!"
Zhong Cheng turned around at the sound and saw a young woman holding down a yellow dog in front of a house. His gaze fell on her pregnant belly, and he grinned, "I remember you were still a little girl, and now you're going to be a mother."
Zhong Ni's eyebrows and eyes relaxed, and she became a bit plumper. She was no longer the slender woman who looked like she could be blown away by the wind. However, she still had her usual shy smile.
A head popped out from behind Zhong Ni. When Zhong Shuanzhu saw Zhong Cheng, his eyes lit up. "Cousin!"
Zhong Shuanzhu immediately popped out from behind his sister, "Cousin, you haven't been back for a long time! Let me show you around our production team. You haven't seen the hydroelectric power station yet, have you? I'll take you there!"
Zhong Cheng didn't actually go to the hydroelectric power station. He was also very curious about the hydroelectric power station, which had been mentioned countless times in the letter, so he just followed behind his cousin who had volunteered.
After visiting the hydroelectric power station, the two went to see the expanded farmland.
Back in the village, a dark figure suddenly pounced, the impact strong enough to knock someone over, but Zhong Cheng only took a step back and regained his balance. He hugged the enthusiastic big dog, even happier, "Brown Sugar!"
When Zhong Cheng came back, he didn't see his sister's dog. He didn't dare to ask, afraid of touching a sore spot. After all, if Hongtang was still alive, it would be thirteen years old. There aren't many dogs that can live to that age. The Xiangchun he raised before only lived for eleven years.
So when Zhong Cheng saw the enthusiastic and lively big black dog, he was genuinely happy. "You're really strong! You even launched a sneak attack? Luckily, I reacted quickly!"
"Great, Brown Sugar doesn't look like an old dog at all. Maybe it can live for many more years," Zhong Cheng thought.
And so, it became a group of two people and a dog walking together again.
Lin Shuhong saw the middle-aged couple to the door, saying, "Don't worry, I'll definitely talk to our production team leader for you... Chengzi's back!"
Zhong Cheng stopped and nodded politely in greeting, "Aunt Liu."
Lin Shuhong turned to her fourth sister and brother-in-law and introduced, "This is our Captain Zhong's brother, the deputy company commander!"
Zhong Shuanzhu couldn't help but interject, "My cousin is a company commander now!"
Lin Shuhong was surprised, then her smile widened, "That's wonderful, you two siblings are both so successful."
Zhong Cheng couldn't help but speak up for his younger brother, "Xinzi will also be going to the commune's accounting training class after the New Year."
“Yes, the young man should help his sister out.” Lin Shuhong agreed, then asked, “Is Captain Zhong at your parents’ house or at her own house at the village entrance? I need to talk to her about something later.”
Zhong Cheng was stunned for a moment before realizing that the unfamiliar title "Captain Zhong" referred to his sister, Zhong Ying, who was staying at their parents' house.
After the two people and the dog had walked away, Lin Shuhong's fourth sister took her younger sister's hand and said in an even more fervent tone, "You must put in a good word for me. Although I don't have as many sons as you, they are all strong laborers who can work twelve work points a day!"
Her husband chimed in, "I can do it too! As long as your production team is willing to take our whole family in, we'll definitely work hard!"
The sight of relatives visiting each other didn't give Zhong Cheng much thought; it was perfectly normal for people to visit relatives during the off-season. But as he walked and observed, doubts gradually arose in his mind. "Is this the matchmaker from Shenjiagou? Why is she going into Hu Dating's house?" he wondered. "And why did the matchmaker from Yuqianwa quicken her pace as soon as she saw Zhong Shuanzhu?"
Upon seeing the person, Zhong Shuanzhu turned and ran, shouting, "Don't talk to me! Tell my sister everything! I'll listen to her!"
The matchmaker caught up and her eyes lit up when she saw Zhong Cheng. "You're also a young man from the Tonggan production team? Are you married?"
Zhong Cheng was puzzled, but he still nodded honestly, "We're married, and we have two children."
The matchmaker was immediately disappointed, but then picked up her feet to chase after Zhong Shuanzhu, "Hey young man, don't run away! Didn't you like that girl last time? I'll introduce you to another one—"
Zhong Cheng watched the receding figure, glanced down at Hong Tang, and asked in bewilderment, "What's going on?"
Brown Sugar barked.
Zhong Cheng took his dog home, and when he got to his door, he saw the Fan family next door also coming out as if they had guests.
"Everyone in your literacy class is so good-looking..."
Isn't this Wang the matchmaker from Liwangou?
However, when Nie Ying looked over, Zhong Cheng smiled and asked something else, "Auntie, are you running a literacy class at home?"
“No,” Nie Ying waved her hand, “I’m talking about my daughters.”
Zhong Ying stood inside her own doorway. "Brother, you don't know this, do you? These days, 'literacy classes' refer to unmarried young women."
After Tonggan Production Team was awarded the title of Red Flag Team, it seemed to suddenly become a "rising star" stamped by the commune, with unlimited potential. Many relatives came to join them, and many families wanted to move over by marrying off their daughters.
There aren't many unmarried young men in the team? Then aren't there also unmarried young women? These girls are mostly learning to read in the literacy classes at the daycare. It's not shameful for them to marry into the family; this is the Red Flag Team that built its own hydroelectric power station!
Moreover, the hydroelectric power station was built under the leadership of female educated youth, and the production team leader who was awarded the Red Flag Team was also a woman. What does this prove? Being able to read and write is remarkable!
Some timid people got off the boat first, while others were even willing to marry off their sons in order to get back on the boat, as long as the production team leader of Tonggan was willing to issue them a certificate of acceptance and allocate them a homestead.
As the matchmakers kept repeating the phrase, they gradually simplified "a girl who had attended literacy classes" to "literacy class," so now when people hear these three words, they generally know that it refers to an unmarried young woman.
The daughters of the Fan family, who were once rejected by their prospective brides and had difficulty finding partners, are now highly sought after. After the matchmakers left, Zhong Ying peeked out and asked Nie Ying, "Auntie, who are they here to arrange marriages for this time?"
“For Erni,” Nie Ying couldn’t help but raise her chin, pretending to be troubled, “I’m still hesitating whether to choose Shen Chengtian’s second son from Shenjiagou or Yang Fuxin’s youngest son from Yuqianwa, and today Wang Daqiao from Liwangou came to help their production team find a husband for Liu Baoxuan’s eldest son.”
Nie Ying was genuinely persuaded. "Their idea was that as long as Erni agreed, they would not only be willing to come and live in our production team, but their second son could also take the surname Fan."
Fan Wu also walked to his doorstep and said, "If you ask me, we should choose Liu Baoxuan's child."
He thought he was going to die out, but he never expected to have a grandson who took his surname! No, he even took his surname—this was his own grandson!
Seeing Uncle Fan's animated expression, which revealed his true feelings, Zhong Ying wanted to say that even if he was surnamed Fan, it was because he took his mother's surname. The direction of a river changes from a certain moment, and the key point is which point it started to flow from.
However, Zhong Ying was too lazy to argue with the old-fashioned people of this era, and only said to Nie Ying, "Auntie, let me inquire about these young men for you."
Nie Ying nodded eagerly, "That would be wonderful!"
After closing his own door, Zhong Cheng looked at Zhong Ying with disapproval, "Taking on this kind of thing is really thankless. If Erni and her man don't have a good life together in the future, you'll be blamed a lot."
In response, Zhong Ying simply said, "A woman fears marrying the wrong man, and I'm also afraid of bringing in a wolf."
“There are few people in the Tonggan production team. I naturally welcome those who are willing to move here. There is strength in numbers. So much land is waiting for people to cultivate it,” Zhong Ying said to her brother. “Not for Erni, I also want to inquire about those who want to move here. I want people who are down-to-earth, ambitious, and capable of contributing, not lazybones who just want to lie on their laurels.”
Zhong Cheng's brows relaxed a little. "You're right, we can't let in everything, good or bad. How about this, while I'm resting these few days, I'll go and inquire for you."
Zhong Ying flatly refused, "I don't need you."
“Don’t be afraid to bother me. I’m your own brother. Your business is my business.” Zhong Cheng frowned again because of his sister’s estrangement. “In several production teams, I still know a few people I played with when we were young.”
“Heh,” Zhong Ying sneered unconsciously in Li Linshi’s tone, “It’s not that I’m afraid of troubling you, but what can you men possibly find out? You just cover for each other and say nice things.”
Zhong Cheng: ...
Zhong Cheng opened his mouth, but was speechless. "Then how are you going to find out?"
Zhong Ying waved her hand, "Don't worry about that, I have unique access to information."
The house in Lawangou was filled with mournful weeping. A woman in her twenties cried as she spoke, “I should have been more firm. Otherwise, I would have asked the barefoot doctor from the neighboring team to come and see him sooner, and my grandfather wouldn’t have passed away like this… He wouldn’t listen to anything I said, he just felt ashamed, and now he’s lost his life…”
The woman comforting her was really at her wit's end. When she saw a short, middle-aged woman walk in, she looked at her as if she had seen a savior. "Sister Hu, please come and help persuade her."
Using the excuse of going to the outhouse, but actually sending the recently deceased ghost out to the underworld officials, the local earth goddess responded and walked to the grieving relatives of the deceased, patting their thin backs comfortingly, "Don't be sad, your grandfather has gone to enjoy his life."
Hu Kunxin was telling the truth. Although Old Zhu was a bit stubborn, he was an impeccable person. His neighbors were a widow and her daughter. During the famine, when everyone was struggling to survive, Old Zhu would always share his food with his neighbors. It could be said that Widow Su and her daughter were able to live well thanks to Old Zhu's kindness. Widow Su and her daughter genuinely regarded him as their father and grandfather. Now, Hu Kunxin was comforting Widow Su's daughter.
Having dealt with the underworld officials for so many years, the Earth Goddess knew that those who did evil deeds in their previous life were often reborn into a miserable existence, and those who had taken lives could only be reborn as animals; while those who did good deeds were generally reborn into a life of happiness.
However, no one around her took her words seriously; they simply used them to comfort others.
"Yes, your grandfather has gone to enjoy his retirement."
"You should be happy for him; at least he won't have to suffer from illness anymore..."
After the Earth Goddess left the Zhu family and returned to her own home, she noticed the moisture in the air and couldn't help but sigh before pushing open the wooden door.
She had just finished talking to the underworld officials about the dead when a water ghost came to ask her about the living.
Hu Kunxin grumbled inwardly, but still pushed open the door and looked at the figure waiting in the yard, a kind of helpless resignation that he had grown accustomed to it. "So, tell me, who in our production team do you want to find out about this time?"
Well, whether it's birth, aging, sickness, death, or water flowing uphill, none of that is something she can control. She's just a local earth goddess, the guardian deity of this place, and all she can do is truthfully tell the people she observes.
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The author writes: In my hometown dialect, unmarried girls are indeed called "literacy class." When I first heard it, I thought it meant "ten-character class" (a slang term for a class with ten characters), which I found strange. Later I learned it meant "literacy class," and I feel that these three characters embody the spirit of perseverance and continuous learning in women—that's wonderful!
Also, my darlings, please change the update time from now on to 6 PM every day [shy face]
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