Yan Ci said aggrievedly, "Wife, it's been two months already. Now that the house is finally quiet, let's not waste any more time, okay?"
After saying that, he started kissing his wife. It was really hard to bear seeing her every day but not being able to eat her.
Now that it's time to start, how could Yan Ci possibly resist?
...
In the courtyard where the Cui and Xiang families lived, Cui Jinxiu and Cui Yunchen were talking in a room.
Cui Jinxiu said, "Yunchen, I once said that Yan Ci looked familiar, but you said I couldn't possibly have met him before."
Have you looked closely at his son, Xiaobai? He looks somewhat like our son, especially his eyes.
Cui Yunchen said, "I saw it. When Dad first saw Xiaobai, his eyes turned red."
Cui Jinxiu asked, "Father misses his grandson, Yunchen. Could you possibly have some connection with the Yan family?"
Cui Yunchen said, "Jinxiu, don't worry about it. Given our current status, we can't have any connections with anyone."
Cui Jinxiu: "I was just saying this to you, I didn't mean to bother them."
...
Not long after, Uncle Bai brought back some big news: the commune had several slots for worker-peasant-soldier college students, and each production brigade could recommend one student for the commune to select based on merit.
The recommender must be a poor or lower-middle peasant with good political ideology, good health, at least a junior high school education, and more than three years of practical experience.
Going to university means getting a government job; who wouldn't want to go?
However, graduating from junior high school eliminates 90% of the applicants.
The remaining 10% are eager to compete and are all showing off their skills.
The thresholds of Uncle Bai's house and Ye Jianguo's house were almost worn down by the crowds.
Bai Xiaoyue found some time to ask Bai Wenli:
"Brother, has Uncle reserved a spot for worker-peasant-soldier college students?"
Bai Wenli frowned: "Xiaoyue, what's wrong? You want to go?"
Bai Xiaoyue said with a grin, "Let me ask around and see who wants to go."
Bai Wenli waved his hand and said, "It's not easy. Everyone wants to go, and the cadres are in a real bind."
I think it would be better if there were no such spot at all.
Besides, even if you get a spot, you still have to go through the commune and county education bureau's review process, and you have to take an exam. It's not that easy.
That evening, Bai Xiaoyue asked Yan Ci, "Ci, what do you think of this worker-peasant-soldier college student?"
Yan Ci ruffled his wife's hair: "Wife, what's wrong? Do you want to go to school?"
Bai Xiaoyue shook her head: "I don't want to go. I'm asking if you want to go."
Yan Ci also shook his head: "I'm not going either."
Bai Xiaoyue said, "Going to study in Beijing would be wonderful!"
Yan Ci hugged his wife and said, "I haven't gone anywhere these past few years, I've just stayed with you and the children."
Bai Xiaoyue felt sweet inside after hearing Yan Ci's words, and said with a beaming smile:
"Actually, I'm also reluctant to part with you. If you're not home for several years, I won't be used to it."
Yan Ci: "Wenyi said that he was very upset about this quota, and his uncle scolded his aunt terribly."
Bai Xiaoyue suddenly looked up: "Why?"
Yan Ci found his wife's expression somewhat amusing:
"They said that my aunt accepted gifts from others, and when my uncle found out, he scolded her severely and made Wenli accompany her to return the gifts to each family."
Bai Xiaoyue was secretly pleased that her aunt had been humiliated: "Serves her right, she's too short-sighted."
Yan Ci: "Wenyi said that Auntie did it all for Bai Xiaomei."
The couple had three children, a heavy burden, and earned few work points, so they simply couldn't make ends meet.
Bai Xiaoyue: "Aci, why is Xiaomei acting so strangely?"
Lin Hua treats her terribly. She's currently unemployed and receives no salary, yet she still treats Lin Hua like a treasure.
Yan Ci: "There are millions of people in this world, and there are all kinds of oddballs."
Bai Xiaoyue hugged Yan Ci and gave him a light kiss: "My A-Ci is the best."
Yan Ci took the opportunity to kiss his wife, and the two began their night together.
...
Bai Xiaoyue felt that Yan Ci didn't want to go, and she couldn't be bothered to care who was going to university.
Unexpectedly, the matter escalated further.
The people in the educated youth compound learned about the college student quota.
Li Xinru dreams of returning to Beijing; how could she possibly give up this opportunity?
She went to the county to inquire and found out that the policy stated that educated youth sent to the countryside could be recruited.
Upon returning, she said to the other five educated youths:
“We are also within the recruitment scope, let’s go find Secretary Bai.”
Several educated youths were overjoyed and ran to the brigade headquarters, rushing into the office.
Uncle Bai, Captain Ye, and Accountant Wang were all in the office.
Li Xinru said, "Secretary Bai, we request to compete with everyone for the quota of worker-peasant-soldier college students."
The three people in the office looked up at the same time, and Uncle Bai asked, "What do you mean?"
Li Xinru said, "The policy states that we can also recruit educated youth who went to the countryside."
Uncle Bai has been racking his brains these past few days trying to secure just one spot, and now several more have come up with applications.
His face darkened: "Fine, we'll hold a general meeting of members and vote on it publicly. Whoever gets the most votes will get the spot."
There weren't many people in the village who graduated from junior high school to begin with, so apart from those who couldn't go or didn't want to go, there were only four suitable candidates.
Upon hearing that there would be an exam, two candidates were scared off, leaving only two candidates for the production brigade.
On the day of the commune meeting, Uncle Bai asked everyone to vote, and the result truly opened Bai Xiaoyue's eyes.
Li Xinru received more votes than the candidate from her own village. Isn't that the most ridiculous thing ever?
Bai Xiaoyue and Li Mingyue went to inquire separately, but no one was willing to tell the inside story.
Xiao Bai went for a stroll with the children and came back to say to Bai Xiaoyue:
“Mom, my friend said that Li Zhiqing gave his mom 50 cents, so his family chose Li Zhiqing.”
It seems that Li Xinru has gone to great lengths to get into university.
Seeing Li Xinru's confident and assured demeanor, Bai Xiaoyue felt extremely uncomfortable.
She walked over to Uncle Bai and Ye Jianguo and said:
"Uncle, this policy says that we can recruit educated youth."
The policy also states that one must have a good ideological awareness and rich practical experience to qualify.
How can someone who isn't proactive and earns few work points be considered qualified?
Uncle Bai slapped his thigh: "Yes, yes, yes." He looked at Ye Jianguo.
Captain Ye said to everyone, "Li Xinru's ideological and practical work as an educated youth does not meet the standards, so her qualification is revoked."
Li Xinru's smile froze on her face, and she immediately screamed:
"Why are you disqualifying me? This is discrimination against educated youth."
Ye Jianguo said calmly:
“I treat all educated youth the same, regardless of how often you take leave, how you are not proactive in your work, or how few work points you earn. I do not discriminate against any of you.”
Li Xinru was speechless. She had spent all her savings and even borrowed thirty yuan from Liu Aiguo. She was about to secure a place in university.
Now that all her efforts have been in vain, how could she accept it?
She pointed to several village officials and said:
“You want to reserve the spots for your own people and don’t want to give them to us educated youth. That’s not fair.”
This quota needs to be reviewed by the Revolutionary Committee; I'm going to report you to the Revolutionary Committee.
Ye Jianguo: "You can go now, I won't stop you."
The meeting of members ended without any results.
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