Xu Ning picked a few cucumbers from his private plot, soaked them in cold water, and prepared to make some cucumber salad for lunch.
When Wei Lanlan came, she was eating a cucumber. Seeing that Wei Lanlan was sweating profusely, she took a cucumber from the basin and gave it to her, asking, "Why are you running so fast?"
Wei Lanlan took the cucumber and took a few bites before saying, "This year our village has one quota for recommendation to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University."
Xu Ning heard about it from the village head's wife a few days ago, but she didn't care much. It wasn't her turn based on seniority. Even if it was her turn, she wouldn't leave now. The whole family was here, what would happen to them if she left?
Xu Ning finished eating the cucumber and asked, "Are you sure?"
"It's already been confirmed. Who do you think is qualified to go to the Youth Hostel?"
Xu Ning said, "It is not stipulated that this quota must be selected from the educated youth. There are so many people in a village."
Wei Lanlan sighed, "Yes! There are still a few high school students in the village. By the way, Xia Qing is also going back to the city. Her mother had two fingers cut off by a machine while working. She has to go back to take over and will leave in two days."
Xu Ning said, "Tell me when she leaves, and I'll go see her off." After all, they were all educated youth here, so there was no conflict.
Xia Qing left in the morning two days later. Xu Ning went to the fields to pick some cucumbers and tomatoes and asked her to take them with her on the road.
She knew that there were only a few trees planted in the private plot of the Youth League Institute, but they were picked and eaten before they had grown fully.
Xia Qing saw Xu Ning coming and brought her cucumbers and tomatoes. She said with emotion, "Xu Zhiqing, thank you! When you return to Beijing, come to my house to play. My home address is..."
Xu Ning smiled and said, "Okay, I'll come find you when I get back. I've already washed the cucumbers and tomatoes, you can just eat them on the way."
Xia Qing sat on the ox cart, looking at the cucumbers and tomatoes in the bag, feeling emotional. She had been here for more than a year, and she and Xu Ning were only close enough to say hello when they met.
When I first came here, I heard Li Fengjiao and Lin Qiuhua say that she was difficult to deal with, although later I felt that what they said was not true.
But believing that less trouble is better, I never thought of making friends with her. I didn't expect that when I was about to leave, she still prepared things for me, and the people in the Youth League Institute just left their addresses to each other.
Old Chen saw the girl sitting on the ox cart and staring at the cucumbers and tomatoes in her bag in a daze.
He said with a smile, "Are the cucumbers and tomatoes planted by Xu Zhiqing good? This girl is very hardworking. When I go to the cowshed in the morning, I often see her carrying water to water the vegetables.
I met her when I came back from driving the ox cart in the afternoon. She went to the field to pick cucumbers for me to eat. I had to eat them. This child is very kind-hearted. Everyone in the village praises her and her brother. ”
Xia Qing nodded in agreement and said, "He's a nice guy."
In fact, Xu Ning was not as good as they said. When she was about to send Xia Qing to the Youth League Home, she saw that the cucumbers and tomatoes in the private plot were ready to be picked again.
I planted more of these two things this year, and the fruits were good. I still had half a basket of them left uneaten at home, and some in the space, so I picked a few, washed them and took them away.
If Xu Ning knew the conversation between Old Chen and Xia Qing, she would definitely sigh and say that this was a beautiful misunderstanding.
During this period, the village was in an uproar over the number of places in the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University, and the village chief was also very troubled. Finally, he held a meeting to discuss and let several qualified people draw lots, and whoever drew the lot would go to school.
The first two people to arrive at the Youth League Institute were Ge Hongbin and Sun Hao. There were three others from the village, two high school students and one model worker.
When drawing lots, the village nominated two representatives and the Youth League Institute nominated two representatives. The village chose Chen Hongjun and the accountant, while Sun Hao and Ge Hongbin from the Youth League Institute both called for Xu Ning, and finally Yang Wenli.
The four people watched from the side. The village chief put the written note in a bowl and took it out for the others to catch.
Ge Hongbin was lucky because he was the last one caught and the note on it said "going to school", while the notes on the other four said "staying".
The election at the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University was fair, just and open, and no one could complain.
There was still more than a month before school started, and Ge Hongbin told the village chief that he wanted to go home. The village chief thought that everyone was about to leave and there was no point in keeping him a few more days, so he approved his request and told him that he didn't need to come back and could go directly to school.
When Ge Hongbin left, Xu Ning was planning to pick some tomatoes and cucumbers for him and boil some eggs, but when he saw that they had a lot of fruits in their private plots, he didn't pick any and just planned to boil some eggs for him.
She put four eggs in the pot, and thought about when she and Xiao An first came, their cotton coats were too thin and they were too cold to go out. It was Ge Hongbin and others who helped fetch water and cook. She was afraid she would never have the chance to repay this favor, so she took four salted duck eggs and put them in the pot to cook together with the eggs.
Xu Ning put chicken and duck eggs in a small basket, put a few cakes in it, covered it with a cloth, and took Xu An to the Youth House.
The two arrived early and some people had not yet gotten up. Ge Hongbin was packing his luggage in the house. Xu Ning did not enter the house, so Xu An went in and greeted them.
Ge Hongbin saw the brother and sister coming out and asked, "Xu Zhiqing, Xiaoan, why did you get up so early? What happened?"
Xu Ning smiled and said, "I boiled some eggs for you to eat on the road," and handed the basket to him.
Ge Hongbin hurriedly said, "Xu Zhiqing, this is embarrassing. I made some dry food yesterday. You can take these back and give them to Xiao An."
Xu An said, "Brother Ge, you take it. We will be on the road for several days, so it's better to prepare more."
Seeing that he was still trying to refuse, Xu Ning said, "Ge Hongbin, when my brother and I first came here, you three helped us a lot. This is just a small token of our appreciation. Just accept it. It's too polite to keep pushing it back and forth."
Hearing what the two said, Ge Hongbin also smiled and said, "Okay, Xu Zhiqing, Xiao An, I'll accept it. Thank you!"
The people in the Youth League Home stood at the door, watching the carriage going away. They all had complicated feelings. Some were envious, some were jealous. It could be said that no one was calm.
How many people who come here to work in the countryside really respond to the call and come here willingly? Everyone here wants to deal with mud every day. Such an opportunity to return to the city in a legitimate and glorious manner is the dream of everyone here.
The one who felt the most regretful was probably Sun Hao. Clearly, they both had the same chance, but he missed it because of bad luck when drawing lots. He couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
Xu Ning looked at the expressions on everyone's faces, smiled slightly, and took Xu An home.
Passing by the private plot, I saw that the beans and peppers were ready to be picked, so I went back to get a basket, planning to pick the beans and dry them, then pick the red peppers, string them together with needle and thread and hang them on the wall. I could just pick one when I wanted to eat. It was very convenient.
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