Chapter 60
With the kind of character Meng Yi's mother has, would she allow her daughter-in-law to take the college entrance examination?
Oh my god, she's still dreaming! If she really passes the exam, she'll be so proud of herself, right?
She went to school and left the man and the child in the countryside. Wouldn't all her work be in vain?
But Yin Xue was no pushover. She kept telling her that her father was a high-ranking official and that when she returned to the city she could transfer her child's household registration there and then take Meng Yi to work in the capital. With her father's connections, it wouldn't be difficult for him to find a job for Meng Yi.
Meng Yi's future is bright. When Meng Yi becomes powerful and rich, he will take them to the capital to enjoy a good life and let them experience the splendor of being an official's wife.
When Meng Yiniang comes back to visit her relatives, it will not be an ordinary return home. Not to mention a small cadre like Li Decheng, even the commune secretary and the big leaders of the county will come to greet her in person.
Meng Yiniang could then walk around the village freely.
No matter how powerful Meng Yinniang is, Yin Xue can't easily fool her. But Yin Xue said, if she didn't have some connections in her family, could she get a boat ticket to the port city?
Originally she wanted to run away because her father was persecuted, but now times have changed and her father has been reinstated.
This is different again.
Meng Yiniang was so excited when she talked about this. She never expected that she would pick a young lady from an official family as her daughter-in-law. Now, she brought her daughter-in-law to find Zhen Zhen.
Yin Xue was afraid that Zhen Zhen would not agree, "We are not learning for free, we will pay you tuition, how about you teach me for a month and I will pay you fifteen yuan?"
When Meng Yiniang heard that she had to pay, she became anxious and quickly winked at her.
"What are you talking about? His aunt is a family member. She is just helping out and doing some work. She doesn't have much money. How can she charge money from a kid like you?"
Zhen Zhen almost laughed when she heard this. How could he be so shameless to ask her for help and expect to get it for free?
Meng Yiniang laughed dryly and said, "Auntie, you are not busy now, so you can teach my daughter-in-law a lesson. My daughter-in-law's family is not ordinary people. When my daughter-in-law returns to the city, she will definitely benefit from your family!"
Zhen Zhen refused directly, "I won't teach you."
"Her aunt, you are wrong. We are all relatives and we live in the same village. What's wrong with you helping my daughter-in-law? It's just a matter of talking. It's not too busy or tiring. Why can't you teach her?"
Zhen Zhen laughed when he heard this, but he didn't look kindly at Meng Yi's mother.
"Just talking? You make it sound so easy. If it's so easy, why don't you teach me?"
Meng Yiniang was embarrassed, "It's not that I don't know how to..."
"You can't even open your mouth and speak, what else can you do? The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law begged me for help, and they held their heads high. If you want to get something for free, just say so. You even sang the same tune and ran to her to sing a duet. I, Zhen Guizhi, will be nice to you for two days. You really think you are a big shot!"
Zhen Zhen is not polite at all.
Life has become much happier since she lost her quality.
Meng Yi works at the city's power supply bureau. He has a stable job and a stable income, and he thinks he is a cut above the farmers in the countryside.
Zhen Guizhi was just a rural woman. They came to her to ask for help, which was a favor to her. But she was shameless and turned around to blame them.
Meng Yi was very unhappy, but he didn't dare say it in front of Zhen Zhen. Meng Daguo's muscular body was famous in the village. Meng Hua was a college student, and they were all relatives. It would be bad to make a scene.
After leaving the house, Yin Xue said pitifully, "Meng Yi, mother, does my aunt look down on our family? Otherwise, why would she treat me like this?"
After hearing what her daughter-in-law said, Meng Yi's mother's face turned a little ugly. In recent years, the big country has lived a good life. It has built a house and bought a bicycle and a sewing machine. Now it looks down on them, the old relatives.
Meng Yi's mother said:
"What are you so proud of! She's just a widow whose husband died, but she thinks she's a teacher! Look how capable she is!"
Meng Yi also felt that this was just an old country lady and was not qualified to be Yin Xue's teacher.
"Should I find you a new teacher?"
Yin Xue shook her head. She didn't know why she felt that this Aunt Zhen was a hidden talent.
After taking her class, Cheng Su and Meng Zhaodi's temperaments have changed.
Yin Xue had a hunch that there was something special about this Aunt Zhen.
Zhen Zhen ignored these people. Not to mention that Yin Xue had evil intentions and was a vicious person, even if Yin Xue was not that kind of person, she would not have gotten involved in this mess.
She didn't come from Notre Dame de Paris. Why does she have to be so eager to be a good person? If she has time, she can just drink tea and bask in the sun. Why would she have the heart to teach others how to get into college?
Zhen Zhen took some peach gum from the cupboard and soaked it.
There are several peach trees at the door of the Meng family's house, and a lot of peach gum is harvested in the summer.
She soaked the peach gum in mulberry ash soup, washed it and dried it, and then took it out and soaked it when she wanted to eat it.
Put the soaked peach gum in water and boil it. Then add some red dates and rock sugar and serve it as a dessert. It not only beautifies the skin but also lowers blood pressure. It can be eaten by both the elderly and children.
Zhen Zhen asked Meng Daguo to send two bowls of soup to Old Lady Meng and Old Lady Meng's father. The two of them usually liked to eat some salty dishes, and Old Lady Meng's father would also have a couple of cups of wine when he had nothing to do, which would cause their blood pressure to rise.
The old couple was surprised that their daughter-in-law thought of giving them this gift. Peach gum is everywhere in the countryside, but no one usually eats it.
For a daughter-in-law who loves to eat, it’s not necessary to send her a bowl of peach gum, right?
Jiao Huilan said: "This peach gum is not only good for beauty, but also can lower blood pressure! Mom said that your blood pressure is a bit high, you need to control it well."
When Mrs. Meng heard that it could lower blood pressure, she felt very happy. She thought that her daughter-in-law cared about them and was filial to them.
"Old man, we'll each have a bowl."
Old Mrs. Meng took the bowl and ate it in a few bites. You have to say, although peach gum is very common, it tastes quite good when his daughter-in-law prepares it this way.
Although they are old, they love sweets very much. After finishing one bowl, they still felt it was not enough, so they shared the rest. Fortunately, their daughter-in-law brought them a large bowl, which was just enough for them to drink.
As winter was approaching, Zhen Zhen found a lot of dead leaves and melon vines from the mountains and brought them back to make compost to improve the soil. She has almost improved the vegetable garden in the backyard. If she continues to improve it this year, the harvest next year will only be better.
There is no longer much farm work to do in the small vegetable garden. Although many vegetables can survive in the winter, they will wilt if there is a frost. They have to be harvested in advance and stored in a shady cellar.
Based on his past experience, Zhen Zhen stockpiled more than a thousand kilograms of the best coal and asked his two sons to stockpile firewood early.
She didn't have to make clothes anymore, as Jiao Huilan took care of it all by herself. She made a new cotton jacket and a new pair of cotton trousers for each of the four children, and she also sewed the soles to make new cotton shoes for them.
The radio said there will be heavy snow this year, so flat cotton shoes will not be enough.
Zhen Zhen also learned how to make high-soled wooden clogs from Zhang Cuihua and Gou Zi's mother. These high-soled wooden clogs were not simple to make, as they required the cotton shoes to be fixed on the high soles.
Zhen Zhen thought that the predecessor of this kind of high-soled wooden clogs was Xie Gong's clogs, as they looked a bit similar.
Normally, carpenters would be hired to make them, but this year Zhen Zhen plans to do it himself. He chose tough mulberry wood for the soles, saying that the wood from the locust tree is too heavy and the wood from the poplar tree is too brittle, so mulberry wood is just right.
Although these high wooden clogs are difficult to make, they are very practical. When it snows heavily, the roads in the countryside are bad and there are no asphalt roads. Cotton shoes will sink into the snow as soon as you step on them, so you can only rely on high-soled wooden clogs to go out.
She was thinking of making a few pairs this year to use as a toilet on snowy days.
She stockpiled 2,000 kilograms of vegetables, including all kinds of vegetables, and all kinds of meat, including lamb, beef, fish, and shrimp, but she didn't stockpile too much.
Firstly, the weather is not too cold yet, and if you stock up too much, it will go bad easily.
Secondly, there are rats in the countryside, and the meat can easily be eaten by rats, so it is enough to stock up half a month's supply. If it is not enough, you can buy it on the black market.
A heavy snow fell in early December, and the number of people coming and going in the village decreased. Every family stayed indoors, and only black smoke would come out of the chimney on time at mealtime.
Zhen Zhen often stood on the porch and looked into the distance.
Batou Village was covered in white. On the mountain path walked an old man with a dog. Smoke from cooking rose up, and there was a scent of fireworks. Time seemed to have slowed down.
It's the annual peak pregnancy season again. Young people lock themselves up at home and work hard. For a manless widow like her, there is really no other entertainment activity except knitting sweaters to pass the time.
Zhang Cuihua sent a bag of dried sweet potatoes over. She knew that Zhen Zhen loved to eat this rural delicacy. Zhen Zhen soaked the beans and prepared to grind them into soy milk. When it was ready, she sent her a pot of it.
The next morning, Zhen Zhen came out from under the quilt. Because the stove was on, the room was very warm and she wasn't too cold even without a cotton jacket.
Cheng Su was already reading a book. She smiled at Aunt Zhen and asked affectionately:
"Are you hungry? I'll cook for you."
Zhen Zhen found it funny. Why did this girl always take care of her?
"Just do your homework. I'll go make some sesame paste and bring you a bowl."
Zhen Zhen took out the sesame paste from the space. There are sesame pastes these days, but none of them have the same recipe as this one, so it still tastes a little bit worse.
This sesame paste is very famous and tastes delicious. Children will love it whether it is thinner or thicker.
The four children sat upright with their small bowls. Zhen Zhen scooped a large spoonful for each of them, made a cup of Lego for each of them, and fried two eggs. Breakfast was solved.
She brought another bowl to Cheng Su and Meng Zhaodi. As the exam was about to start, Zhen Zhen didn't let them do any work.
They were both tired from studying, but luckily the food was good at the Meng family's house. Breakfast consisted of eggs, milk, sesame paste and the like. Lunch was usually just some meat soup or a bowl of shredded pork noodles. Dinner was much more grand, with either lamb chops, braised fish, pork bone soup, or salinated rice.
Although they studied hard, they ate well and had no taste for the dishes of other students.
At least I managed to get through this period before the exam.
After the snow melted, Zhen Zhen went to the county town. When Zhao Meilan saw her, she was like meeting a relative and quickly pulled her aside.
"Sister, you're finally here!"
Zhen Zhen smiled, "Why, do you miss me?"
"I miss you so much, my sister. You are so amazing! Where did you get those test questions? They are so good!"
Zhao Meilan's excitement could not be described in words. At the beginning, although what Sister Zhen said was quite mysterious, and she had hired a team of famous teachers to set the questions, and they had come up with them with great difficulty, Zhao Meilan did not take it seriously.
Where can we find good teachers these days? Teachers are all being bullied, so how can they have the energy to write questions for the college entrance examination?
Not to mention the handouts on key points, most people really wouldn't risk doing such a thing, for fear of being caught if the wind changes. In the final analysis, those knowledgeable people are scared.
Taking a step back, where did Sister Zhen get the connections to find such famous teachers?
So Zhao Meilan asked someone to copy a hundred copies with the intention of just selling them casually, but she didn't expect that all the hundred copies were sold out on the same day.
Some students, when they got the test papers, read them eagerly, and stood beside their husbands' bicycles, refusing to leave, begging for more information to be sold to them.
Some candidates would rush back after buying the tickets, and within ten minutes they would bring a group of people to frantically buy them, fearing that they would miss out if they bought too late.
Only then did Zhao Meilan realize something was wrong.
I hired someone to copy the test papers and outlines overnight and sold them, and then sold them at a very high price the next day. Even so, it was not enough to sell them.
It’s not that Zhao Meilan is evil-hearted, it’s just that the labor cost is not low. In order to copy the test papers and questions for everyone, many of them have not slept for days and nights. They have to give them more points, right?
When supply exceeds demand, it is normal to sell at a higher price. No one will care if the product is sold at a lower price, right?
In short, Zhao Meilan made a lot of money during this period, so she was naturally excited when she saw Zhen Zhen.
"Sister, please count it." Zhao Meilan distributed the money to Zhen Zhen as if she were presenting a treasure.
Zhen Zhen took it and counted it in front of her. The total was 813 yuan. This was the share after deducting labor costs and Zhao Meilan's profit. It was really a huge sum of money!
Zhen Zhen also smiled and put the money in his pocket, "Thank you for your hard work, Meilan. You have dark circles under your eyes. Have you not slept well recently?"
Zhao Meilan felt like she was being comforted by a leader. She was so flattered!
She smiled and waved her hands, "Sister, I'm young, it won't be a problem. Think about when I gave birth to my child, I had to stay up all night and go to work during the day, but I got through it."
"So women are stronger than men. Oh, I have something good for you," Zhen Zhen said, and then he took out a bag of peach gum from the basket and gave it to her. He also gave her some of the Ruoqiang dates that Meng Hua had sent. "Take the peach gum home and soak it, and add some rock sugar and red dates. The dates were sent by my son from another place, and they are also very good. Take them back to replenish your body!"
Zhao Meilan felt a little emotional. Women still understand women. But now she listens to her man and treats Sister Zhen as a leader. She dare not accept her like this.
"Sister Zhen, you are still kind to me and you know how to care for me."
Zhen Zhen smiled and said, "I also have to thank you for making money for me."
"Sis, seriously, if you get any new information or find any money-making opportunities, don't forget me."
The wind direction has been changing recently, and Zhao Meilan thought that she had to be more alert so that she could make money.
Zhen Zhen agreed. Even if she wanted to give Zhao Meilan some advice, it was not the right time. Reform and opening up had not yet begun. What could Zhao Meilan do with her iron rice bowl? She should just do her job well first.
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Zhang Qiaohong didn't care at all about her daughter's college entrance examination. Not only did she not think her daughter could pass, she would also say some sarcastic words from time to time, blaming her daughter for not helping to take care of her younger brother.
Meng Laidi was still instigating, and Zhang Qiaohong felt that this girl was deliberately taking the college entrance examination just to avoid being lazy.
Fortunately, under Zhen Zhen's persuasion, Meng Zhaodi devoted herself to studying and did not put down her books until the night before the exam.
The two of them followed Zhen Zhen's instructions and went to a nearby mountain to relax, and they refused to mention the exam.
After coming back, he took Da Ya and Er Ya to jump rope together, and followed Jiao Huilan to make dumplings to divert his attention.
It turns out that this trick is quite useful. The two people, who were originally very nervous, completely relaxed after this operation.
On the day of the exam, Zhen Zhen made fried dough sticks and eggs for them, adding up to 100 for good luck. She also burned incense for Daguo's father, and the occasion was full of ritual.
The two of them did a good job and performed quite well that day. They felt that there were no major problems with the correct answers.
Meng Zhaodi had to say that her aunt was very far-sighted.
Attitude is very important during an exam. She actually gets nervous very easily. Fortunately, she relaxed enough the day before. Although her hands were shaking during the college entrance examination, she was still able to control herself.
A girl who was in the same examination room with her started crying with her head in her hands halfway through the exam and was taken out of the room by the invigilator.
Cheng Su also nodded, "I heard that some people in the county also went crazy before the exam. It was all because of too much pressure."
After the exam, the two of them completely relaxed.
Zhen Zhen's farm work was handed over to them.
Zhang Qiaohong wanted Meng Zhaodi to go back and take care of her two younger brothers, but Meng Zhaodi replied:
"I have to report to my aunt and grandma. I will go back after I finish my work here."
Zhang Qiaohong felt that this girl was not smart enough. What was there to give back? It was not certain that she would pass the exam.
Before the Chinese New Year, every household steams buns, cleans the house, and prepares New Year meals. It is quite busy, and the achievement lists are issued at this time.
Cheng Su's report card was received first. Her grades were good to begin with, and Zhen Zhen had been helping her review, so she took the first place in the county in the first exam!
Not to mention the commune, the entire county was in an uproar. Li Decheng even bought a string of firecrackers out of his own pocket and set them off, saying that Cheng Su was an educated youth from Batou Village and was half a Batou Villager. Setting off firecrackers would allow the descendants of Batou Village to share in the joy.
Cheng Su lived in the Meng family, so Li Decheng naturally put the firecrackers at the door of the Meng family.
The villagers sighed and said that the Meng family was very lucky. They got an educated youth and he actually got the first place in the county in the exam.
Others said that it was not the Meng family that was lucky, but the educated youth who were lucky. It was said that Cheng Zhiqing followed Zhen Guizhi to study every day. He was really Zhen Guizhi's little tail. He would hit Cheng Zhiqing wherever Zhen Guizhi pointed at him.
This relationship is comparable to that of mother and daughter.
Cheng Su went to share her joy with Zhen Zhen with her report card in hand. Zhen Zhen knew that she would do well in the exam, but she didn't expect it to be so good. It turned out that the good scripts all went to other people.
Qian Ziyi next door also did well in the exam. Although he was far worse than Cheng Su, he was able to return to the capital to study at university, and he was quite satisfied with it.
Meng Zhaodi was happy for Cheng Su, but she herself did not receive a report card.
Cheng Su couldn't laugh anymore, "Did you miss it? Aunt Zhen said you can pass the exam, so you can definitely pass it."
The more Meng Zhaodi thought about it, the sadder she became, so she ran home and cried bitterly.
Zhang Qiaohong frowned when she saw her daughter running into the house crying. "What are you doing, you stupid girl? I told you long ago that you are not cut out for studying. Just give up on this idea and get married peacefully!"
Meng Zhaodi's face was covered with tears.
Meng Zhaodi was so proud that she said, "Mom is right, you don't have that fate!"
The next morning, Zhang Qiaohong was sewing shoe soles at home. There was a hole in Chaowa's shoe sole, and it was cold so the air leaked in. He needed to repair it early.
Gouzi's mother ran in and said hurriedly, "Qiaohong, your brother's report card is out, she she she..."
Zhang Qiaohong didn't even raise her head. "She didn't pass the exam, right? I said this girl is stupid. She's not as smart as her brother or my brother. What kind of university can she get into? She should just come back and farm and get married!"
Gouzi's mother was so anxious that she slapped her thigh and said, "You are such a fool as a mother! Your brother Zhaodi has passed the exam! Li Decheng has gone to buy a whip, you should hurry out to greet him!"
Zhang Qiaohong was stunned, thinking she had heard it wrong. It was not until she heard a noise outside that she realized that Meng Zhaodi had really passed the exam!
Is it possible? How can a dull girl like Meng Zhaodi really go to college?
Then wouldn’t her son Chaowa be a definite college student?
Meng Zhaodi's grades were not particularly high, so it was a bit difficult for her to get into university, but she was sure to get into a junior college.
Meng Zhaodi was quite satisfied with her results. Her starting point was not as high as Cheng Su's, and it was already very good for her to be admitted to a junior college despite her poor foundation.
Zhen Zhen also thinks that junior college is not bad. The value of junior college these days is comparable to that of a good undergraduate degree in later generations. It is highly professional, and after graduation, many people are eager to hire you, and you will be guaranteed a job.
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