Old Master Li pursed his lips and smiled,
Lu Jianxun nodded in agreement,
People like them..,
Their ancestors had been working with crops for generations,
If they did not grow crops, they would feel uneasy.
Not long after, Zhang Shun and the others finished the questions. When they learned of the three brothers' results, they were stunned. They could not believe that the three brothers could get full marks,
They anxiously opened the three brothers' test papers to check. The paper was dirty,
There were ink stains everywhere,
They carefully looked at the steps and answers of the questions,
Indeed, they could not find any problems. The process and details were clearly written, and there were no steps omitted,
Lu Jianxun was next to Zhang Shun,
He smiled a little embarrassedly. "Comrade Zhang Shun,
Is the handwriting ugly? "
"No, it's not ugly."
"Impossible." He roughly glanced at Zhang Shun and the others' test papers,
The paper was clean and tidy, and the handwriting was even better than in the textbook,
He raised his hand and drew a few words in the air for Zhang Shun to see,
He asked Zhang Shun,
"Why are your handwriting so good-looking?"
"I've been writing since I was seven years old." Zhang Shun lowered his head,
He seriously looked at the two questions that he did not know how to do. Lu Jianxun and Lu Dewen, Lu Mingwen's algorithm was different. The steps were simpler, and it was enlightening. It was as if this question could not be any simpler. Why did he not write it correctly? He was instantly annoyed. "Comrade Jianxun, how did you think of doing this?"
Lu Jianxun leaned over to take a look, but he did not feel anything. "I thought of it when I saw the question. What's wrong?" Lu Jianxun did his homework and never thought about why he did it. To him, answering questions was a race against time. How could he have the time to think about anything else? He just picked up the pen and wrote. As for the knowledge, he had learned all of it before. As long as he could master it, he would be able to find a way to break through.
"Nothing." Zhang Shun had to admit that some people were born smart. Even though he had been studying and receiving education from the age of seven, his results were still not as good as Lu Jianxun's.
Not long after, everyone's scores were out. Unsurprisingly, the three brothers had the best scores. The elders praised the three brothers generously, causing the three brothers to look nervous and anxious. They had a feeling that there was a trap waiting for them, especially Lu Dewen. He had a very strong feeling that something bad was about to happen. Based on his experience in puzzles, he could tell that something bad was about to happen.
Sure enough, after a round of compliments, Secretary Liu changed the topic and asked, "You guys are good at history and geography. Do you want to learn other courses?"
The unexpected topic shocked Lu Mingwen and Lu Jianxun. Lu Dewen was prepared and quickly expressed his opinion. "No need, no need. My mum said that passing the literacy test is considered a success. We don't need to learn other courses." Lu Dewen thought of the Russian book that Luo Mengying had dropped into the cesspit when Secretary Liu mentioned the other courses. Learning a foreign language would cost him his life. Moreover, even if he learned it, there was no place for him to speak it. He couldn't just help the old men speak Russian. He would be laughed at.
Lu Mingwen and Lu Jianxun also shook their heads to reject Secretary Liu's suggestion.
The high school curriculum was already torturous enough. Adding one more course meant more exams, and if one couldn't reach 70 points, their money would be deducted. It was better to just study the courses that Xue Huahua had set. Why would they find trouble for themselves?
People should know how to be content. They were satisfied with the current situation.
"You guys should have a goal in life. You guys are good at studying. It's a pity if you stop at liberal arts. If you ask me, you should choose science courses. After that, you can learn two foreign languages …"
The smile on Lu Dewen's face was stiff. "That's not necessary. We should focus on farming. We have missed a lot of work in the past few years. We have to work hard to make up for it in the future." If it weren't for the high cost of literacy, their family would have saved a lot of money. Seeing that there were only two books left for high school courses, he did not want to continue to work hard.
Literacy sounded easy, but it was not easy to do. In the past two years, they had been working from dawn to dusk to study. Many times, they were still muttering the text when they were asleep. They even dreamed about exams. They were happy to have a chance to get out of this situation. They did not want to go back.
All in all, the three brothers were extremely against the new courses and did not want to study anymore.
This made old man Zhang feel a little regretful. He used to do scientific research and mainly came into contact with knowledge about physics. With the intelligence of the three brothers, they would be very talented in physics. Maybe they could make some contributions to the country in the future. However, the three brothers refused to study, so he could not keep pestering them. He sighed. "It's a pity if you don't study physics."
Lu Dewen smiled embarrassedly. What was physics? He had never heard of it.
With the arrival of Lu Ming and the others, the yard was very lively. After eating lunch and chatting for a while, it was almost evening. Lu Ming washed the dishes and quickly prepared dinner. Lu Dewen and the others helped him. They would rather walk around the kitchen than chat with the elders. They talked about how the frontline would be at a disadvantage when weapons and equipment were outdated, how the country lacked talents in that area, how more people should be sent abroad to study, how to import advanced technology … These were all topics that they did not understand. Lu Jianxun asked Lu Ming, "Did you talk about these things when you came to the old man in the past?"
It seemed so far away from his life that he dozed off. It was even more boring than history lessons.
Lu Ming waved the spatula in his hand and warmed up the cold lunch. He replied, "Grandpa did not like to talk about these things in the past. It's probably because seeing you guys aroused his passion." The yard had never been as lively as it was today. In the past, it was lifeless. The adults and children did not talk much. When they got home, they would close the door and speak in a low voice. It was unlike the production team, where everyone shouted at the top of their lungs and could be heard from afar. Compared to the noisy production team, the farm was quiet. Even the footsteps of people could not be heard.
To be honest, he was not used to it. He still felt that the atmosphere in the production team was more comfortable.
Lu Jianxun looked down at the straw sandals on his feet. He was puzzled. "There's such a saying?"
Lu Ming nodded and stir-fried the cold vegetables in the wok a few times. Then, he scooped them into a bowl and poured another bowl of cold vegetables into the wok to stir-fry. The sizzling sounds filled the entire kitchen.
The few elders were in high spirits. They passed the wine around the table to the person next to them. When it was Lu Dewen's turn, he passed it around without hesitation. Lu Mingwen passed it around to Lu Jianxun, and Lu Jianxun passed it around to Lu Ming. Old Master Li was puzzled. "You guys don't drink? It's specially reserved for you guys. Have a taste. "
"Grandpa Li, you guys drink. We'll just eat." They did not like to drink, and Xue Huahua did not allow them to drink. Their family was poor, and if they became alcoholics, their family would not be able to feed them.
Old Master Li frowned. "What's wrong? Is it because your mum doesn't allow us to drink? It's okay. I'm in a good mood today. It's okay to drink a few mouthfuls." They only dared to drink a few mouthfuls at night. They did not dare to drink during the day. They had to stay awake and work.
"That's right. My mum doesn't allow us to drink. Alcohol is for the elderly. She said that we can only drink when we are grandpas." Lu Jianxun interrupted. "Alcohol is very expensive. If you indulge in alcohol and tobacco at such a young age, you will make your family poor." When they were building the house for Lu Ming and his brothers, Xue Huahua had warned them that they were not allowed to drink at the dining table, and that they were not allowed to take cigarettes from others. They were not allowed to touch cigarettes or alcohol if they could, otherwise they would regret it in the future.
Lu Ming knew the situation of the three brothers. He took a sip and passed the bowl to Old Master Zhang. "Grandpa, you don't have to persuade them. They really don't drink. I invited them to drink when we moved, but they did not drink."
Old Master Li was a little surprised. There was a production team next to the farm, and they would visit them occasionally. From what he knew, when the production team held weddings and funerals, they could not do without alcohol. Regardless of young or old, they loved to drink a few mouthfuls at the dining table. Why did the men and women sit separately? It was because the men liked to drink.
The fact that the three brothers did not touch a drop of alcohol was out of Old Master Li's expectation. He saw that the three of them were full of pride when talking about Xue Huahua. At their age, it was rare for them to worship their parents. Old Master Li was at their age and loved to talk back to his family. He sighed and said, "Your mother gave you a lot of rules. It's right to listen to your mother."
Lu Jianxun nodded without hesitation. His mum did it for their own good. It was not easy for the family to save up some food. If they really used it to exchange for alcohol, they would be as poor as the Zhao family in no time. They did not have enough food to eat and had to rely on cheating to survive. Everyone in the production team hated the Zhao family. Even a rabbit would not eat the grass near its nest. The Zhao family would take advantage of every opportunity to cheat two people, but they would not cheat one.
At the dining table, Old Master Li once again tested the three brothers on their homework. However, it was not the knowledge in books. Instead, he asked them about their views on current affairs, politics, and the situation of the country. The three brothers stammered for a long time before they could say a few words. They stuttered as they did not have their own views. Old Master Li frowned. "Other than studying, you have to broaden your horizons and have your own ideas …"
"Other than studying, I only know about farming. I don't know much about the outside world. Grandpa Li, we have never heard of the things you asked …" At most, they knew about the war in the past, which was told by the old people in the production team. As for the situation in the country, they really did not know much. The army, the government, and the units were all unfamiliar terms.
"You also have to understand more about the outside world. It will be good for you in the future." He always felt that if the country wanted to develop, talents were indispensable. Perhaps one day, the knowledge the three brothers had learned would come in handy. At that time, if they did not understand the situation, they would run into a lot of obstacles. "The country is still in its infancy. You have to look further. If the country needs you one day, you will have to go out."
Lu Dewen nodded solemnly. "Okay."
Old Master Li told them many things he knew about the country, from the tense international relations to the domestic steel making activities. Old Master Li was half moved and half sighed. Lu Dewen and his brothers listened with great interest. In the production team, they always did what the team leader said. They did not understand much about the policies of the leaders. When they suddenly heard Old Master Li talk about it, they seemed to have opened the door to a new world. They pestered Old Master Li with all sorts of questions, until midnight, they could not bear to go to sleep …
Old Master Li was very patient. He answered everything the three brothers asked. His words were humorous and witty, making the three brothers laugh non-stop. When he talked about a few famous battles, the three brothers felt their blood boil. They gritted their teeth and scolded the Japanese for not being human. Lu Jianxun rubbed his fists and wanted to join the army.
In the dark room, Old Master Li's voice was filled with excitement that had not been heard for many years. "You all have patriotic zeal. If you join the army, you will definitely achieve great things in the near future. Xuemei's father also wanted to join the army when he was young, but I always opposed it. I even sent him abroad. Later on, I thought that if I had followed his wishes, he would not have encountered those unhappy things …" In the end, he even lost his life.
Thinking back to the scene of his son and daughter-in-law's death, Old Master Li's face was filled with sorrow. In the countless dark nights, he thought of his son's face full of enthusiasm to join the army and felt extremely guilty …
"The army has a strict system. With your background, if you work hard for a few years, you will still have the opportunity to climb up the ranks." He really hoped that the three brothers could join the army. Staying in the production team would only gradually wear away the enthusiasm and hope in their hearts. Young people, there were still many opportunities. They should not stop moving forward. "You all believe that whatever you do for the country, the country will repay you. Your blood, sweat, and sweat will be repaid one day."
This was what his father had said when he was young. He had also taught his son this. After his son and daughter-in-law passed away, he had blamed himself, despaired of the country, and complained. After many years, he saw the three brothers filled with the spirit to move forward, and he suddenly remembered these words.
"Is military training tiring? If I don't pass, will I not have food to eat …" Lu Jianxun was concerned about this topic.
Old Master Li came back to his senses and could not help but laugh. "No, it's much easier than working in the production team. You are surrounded by your comrades, and you all encourage and supervise each other. It's very fun."
Lu Jianxun heaved a sigh of relief. Having food to eat was better than anything else. He nudged Lu Mingwen, and the latter said, "What if we don't know how to shoot during the war?"
"The army has professionals who will teach you how to shoot. You will learn it after two tries." Old Master Li more or less understood what the three brothers were worried about. He purposely picked the nicer things to talk about, from the army's uniform to the canteen. He explained everything in detail. He sincerely hoped that the three of them could go out and see the outside world, broaden their horizons, and help them in their lives. With the three brothers' temperament, they should not be restricted to the production team.
It had to be said that Lu Jianxun was indeed moved. Which man did not want to protect their country? He looked forward to serving the country and going to the frontline to fight in the war, as Old Master Li had said. After returning to the production team, his desire to be a soldier grew stronger. He listened to the production team's elders talk about the war between the Red Army and the Japanese, and he felt like he was there. At night, he dreamed of fighting with the Japanese. After a few days, he could not suppress the desire in his heart, and told Xue Huahua his thoughts.
"Mom, I heard that soldiers get subsidies. The army provides food and lodging. If I become a soldier, I will bring you money every month. You can buy whatever you want …" Old Master Li said that the conditions in the army were much better than the conditions in the Red Army. There was a special canteen, and clothes and shoes were distributed every year. If they worked hard, they could even wear military boots. It was much better than the production team. Most importantly, if the three brothers became soldiers, their family would have three mouths to feed, and they could save a lot of food. He felt that being a soldier was a very wise choice.
In private, he had discussed it with Lu Mingwen. If they wanted to go, the two of them would go together. If they had time, they could learn from each other. They wanted to finish their senior year courses, so that they would not be overtaken by Lu Hongying when they returned home for the New Year.
Seeing that Xue Huahua was staring at him, Lu Jianxun paused for a while and continued, "Mom, don't worry. Even if we go to the army, we will continue to study. When we return home for the New Year, you can come up with questions for us. If we can't answer them, you can just send the test to the army. Second Brother and I will finish the questions and send them back to you." He knew where Xue Huahua's bottom line was. Nothing was more important than eliminating illiteracy. If he did not express himself clearly, Xue Huahua might think that he was slacking off and hiding in the army.
Xue Huahua was cleaning the room. It was almost the New Year, so they had to clean the house. Lu Dewen tied a broom to a bamboo pole to sweep the dust off the beams and walls, while she cleaned the cabinets in the room. Hearing that, she stared at Lu Jianxun for a few seconds. Ever since they returned from the farm, Lu Jianxun's heart had been floating. He liked to ask Lu Jianguo about the war and many details about joining the army. She knew what he was thinking about even if she thought with her toes.
"Why do you want to join the army?" Xue Huahua's tone softened. Her face, which was stiff because of the cold, gradually relaxed.
Seeing this, Lu Jianxun felt that there was a chance and said seriously. "I want to protect our country and contribute to the country. Old Master Li said that at our age, it is the best time to work hard. Coincidentally, the frontline needs people, and we should step forward. Old Master Li said that with our intelligence, we will achieve great things after we leave the production team …"
Xue Huahua pursed her lips and smiled. She asked Lu Jianxun. "With your intelligence? Don't you feel embarrassed to say such words? "
Lu Jianxun was embarrassed. "Err … we scored the best in the farm. Old Master Li praised us. Mum, what do you think about joining the army?"
Xue Huahua said honestly. "Soldiers protect the country and the people. If you really want to join the army, I will not object."
Hearing this, Lu Jianxun was ecstatic. But Xue Huahua changed the topic. "But you better think about it. If you still want to join the army at the end of the year, you can go next year." No matter what, Xue Huahua will watch them until they finish their Grade 12 courses. In the future, whether they want to join the army or take the National Higher Education Entrance Examination can be discussed slowly. "This year's mission is Grade 12 courses. If you have any thoughts, just put them aside."
Whether it was a moment of impulse or determination, one year was enough for them to consider.
Lu Jianxun, who got approval from his mother, was ecstatic. "Alright. Next year. I will join the army next year." Lu Jianxun laughed heartily as he imagined himself putting on his military uniform and returning to the production team in high spirits. He hurriedly went to the next room to explain the situation to Lu Mingwen. "Second Brother, Second Brother, Mom has agreed to let us join the army. We will finish our senior year courses this year and go next spring."
Lu Mingwen, who was wiping the cabinet, was stunned. "Really? I will join the army too. "
Because they want to finish their Grade 12 courses as soon as possible, the two brothers were very serious. When Li Xuemei was not around, they had to do their own homework. Luo Mengying's homework and the test papers were sent to them by the farm. The siblings did not slack off because of Lunar New Year. On the contrary, they worked even harder. Compared to Lu Jianxun and Lu Mingwen, Lu Dewen was more indifferent. In the battlefield, he would rather stay in the production team peacefully and eat eggs every week. He did not want to live an exciting life.
Lu Jianxun looked down on him. "Big Brother, you're a man, the pillar of the family. How can you be so cowardly? Didn't you hear what Grandfather Li said? If we go to the army, we'll definitely be valued by the leaders. You should know that we're considered to have a high school education. People with a high school education like us will be given preferential treatment in the army.
No matter how Lu Jianxun explained, Lu Dewen does not want to join the army. He retorted to Lu Jianxun. "I am like our father. I am timid. When Liu Huaxian brought her men to our house, I was so scared that I ran away. If we were to fight against the enemy, I will be killed. I will not join the army. Furthermore, if we are all gone, there will be no men at home. What if someone bullies our mum?" After he finished, he realized something was wrong. Xue Huahua was not a man. She had always been the one bullying others, never the other way around. Thinking of this, he immediately changed his words. "What if our mom isn't feeling well and we're not by her side? And what about Third Sis? When she gets to the age where she's going to get married, as her brother, we have to support her from behind. I've thought it through. I'll just stay at home and not go anywhere.
He still felt that Old Master Li was not encouraging them to join the army. Otherwise, why didn't he recommend Lu Ming? However, it was not good to tell this to Lu Jianxun. Otherwise, Lu Jianxun would think that he did not know what was good for him. Anyway, he will not join the army no matter what.
"You are right." Lu Jianxun thought about what Lu Dewen meant. It is not good to have no men at home. Don't think that Xue Huahua is powerful now. What if she gets old and can't walk anymore? Lu Hongying was getting married. If her husband's family found out that she had no brothers and bullied her, what would she do? Lu Jianxun sighed. "Okay, you stay at home. I'll send money back every month."
He thought that he would have Lu Mingwen as his companion. But after hearing what Lu Dewen said, Lu Mingwen gave up. Lu Mingwen was already feeling uneasy in the County. If he were to join the army, he might not be able to adapt. Lu Mingwen thought about it and gave up on the idea of joining the army. He does not have Lu Jianxun's courage. If he joined the army, he will only be a burden. It is better not to join the army.
He explained the reason to Lu Jianxun, and Lu Jianxun stomped his feet in anger. "What are you afraid of with me around? If anyone dares to bully you, I will teach him a lesson. Furthermore, even Mom is not against it. Can't you be braver? Why are you and Big Brother always like this?"
Lu Mingwen chuckled. "Big Brother and I are like our father, and you and Third Sister are like our mother. It's not the same. Jianxun, if you really want to go, then go. Second Brother promises you that no matter when you come home, there will be food to eat."
Lu Jianxun rolled his eyes and angrily went back to his room to sulk. Because Lu Mingwen refused to accompany him, Lu Jianxun did not speak to Lu Mingwen for many days. Xue Huahua saw it, but she did not mediate. However, one day the Zhao Family came to visit, and Lu Jianxun told Lu Mingwen to hurry home and call Xue Huahua. Only then did the two brothers break the deadlock.
Lu Jianxun didn't have a good impression of the Zhao Family. Even though he hadn't been to Zhao Village, he had heard too much about the Zhao Family. In his eyes, the Zhao Family were liars who specialized in swindling food. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Dewen and Chao Caizhi went back with the food. In just two days, the whole family came with their mouths. Thinking about their appetite, Lu Jianxun didn't like them. If it wasn't for the people from the educated youth section who saw the Zhao Family coming in to inform them, the Zhao Family might have quietly gone to their house. There was only Xue Huahua and the two kids at home. As the saying goes, two fists can't fight four hands. If they fought, what would happen to his mother?
Lu Dewen put away the books and pen on the table and hurriedly said goodbye to the people from the educated youth section. "I don't think we can study in the morning. Let's go back first and try to come back in the afternoon."
There were two female educated youths in the educated youth section who had graduated from high school. Yesterday, after they came back from the city, they offered to teach them. Based on the attitude of three people, Xue Huahua asked them to study in the educated youth section today. In two days, Li Xuemei would be back, and then they would go to Lu Ming's house. Lu Dewen didn't expect that only two hours after they arrived at the educated youth section, the Zhao Family would sneak into the village.
Standing on the eaves outside, Liu Mengmeng squinted at the two female educated youths sitting in front of the table. Their eyes were not eyes, and their noses were not noses. Don't think that she couldn't see their purpose. They wanted to flatter the siblings who would go back to the city to study in the second half of the year. The Lu Family had a high status in the production team. Flattering the siblings was equivalent to flattering Xue Huahua. And Xue Huahua had a say in front of Lu Jianguo. If Xue Huahua recommended them, they would definitely get a place to study at the University of Workers, Peasants and Soldiers.
Their minds changed after they went home. It must be the idea of their family. Liu Mengmeng snorted and turned to look at Lu Mingwen who ran out in a hurry. The disdain in her eyes deepened.
Lu Mingwen met the Zhao Family at the fork. Zhao Dongliang had seen Lu Mingwen two or three times, but he didn't have any impression of him. Hearing Zhao Chenggang calling Mingwen, he remembered that the man in front of him was the younger brother of his son-in-law. He smiled and greeted, "Mingwen, you came from the educated youth's house. I heard that you are cultured people. Cultured people get along well …"
Lu Mingwen looked at them with a fake smile. Except for Luo Xiufeng who was carrying a small basket, the whole family came empty-handed. Lu Mingwen relaxed a little. "Uncle Zhao, why are you here?" In the past, the two families didn't have much contact. Even if they did, it was the Zhao Family who came to ask for food. Suddenly, all of the Zhao Family came over. Lu Mingwen didn't think it was a good thing.
"I haven't seen Grandma Xixi for a long time. I thought that since we have so much time during the New Year, I wanted to talk to her. Is she at home?" The one who spoke was Luo Xiufeng. She was a few years older than Xue Huahua, but she looked younger than Xue Huahua. Xue Huahua worked a lot and looked very old. It was only in the past two years that she was able to relax at the pig farm, but she still looked old.
Lu Mingwen didn't feel good in his heart. His mother worked so hard, but she couldn't bear to eat. Even if they had a good meal on New Year's Eve, the meat was given to them. He only had a small piece of meat in his bowl. He didn't have as good a life as Luo Xiufeng.
"I'm busy at home. I'll go back and talk to my mother first." Lu Mingwen ran home as he spoke.
There was a thin layer of snow on the road, making it a little slippery. The first few days of the first month were the days to visit relatives. Every family's yard was filled with people. Lu Mingwen didn't have time to greet them and ran home in a hurry. Even though it was the New Year, Xue Huahua didn't have time to rest. She was busy making straw ropes. Although she didn't let them do it, she did it herself. Lu Mingwen walked into the yard and stomped the snow on his feet. "Mom, sister-in-law's family is here. Hurry up and close the door to your room."
He hastily scraped the soles of his shoes clean and rushed into the kitchen. He put all the lard in the cupboard and the cured meat hanging on the stove into the dustpan. If possible, he even wanted to put away the rice in the jar. Xue Huahua frowned when she saw him come out with the dustpan. "If they want to come, then so be it. Why are you hiding it? Our grain and meat are all obtained fair and square. What's there to hide?"
"Mom, sister-in-law's family is here. They're all here …" He purposely emphasized the word "all". The Zhao family had a big appetite. A few pieces of meat were probably not enough to fill the gaps between their teeth. The whole family worked hard for a whole year to get the meat. How could he not care?
Xue Huahua was speechless. "So what if they're all here …" Xue Huahua thought that she did not owe the Zhao family anything. During Chinese New Year, whenever Lu Dewen and the others went to get food, Xue Huahua did not believe that they would dare to rob them.
Lu Mingwen was not as generous as Xue Huahua. He put everything that he could into Xue Huahua's room. The salt and soy sauce on the stove were put away. Even the jar with the rice was moved to the back of the door. He only regretted that he did not have four hands. Otherwise, he would have to hide the firewood in the shed.
As soon as he locked the door of Xue Huahua's room, the Zhao family entered the yard. Lu Mingwen stretched out his hand and grabbed his thigh. He shouted in a sharp voice, "Auntie is here. Come in and sit. I'll get you a stool." He turned around and went into the central room. He shouted for Xixi and Dong Dong, "Where's Xixi? Your grandpa and grandma have brought you delicious food. Go out and call them."
During the first month, when visiting relatives, no matter how poor the family was, they would bring some gifts. No matter what the Zhao family's purpose was, the necessary etiquette should not be too far off. Seeing Dong Dong holding a burnt branch and scribbling on the wall, he went forward and pushed him out by the shoulder. "Dong Dong, go out quickly. Grandpa and grandma have brought delicious food. Hurry up. Be careful not to be eaten by your cousins."
Hearing that there was food, Dong Dong threw away the branch in his hand and ran outside. He shouted in a crisp voice, "Grandma, grandma, I want to eat sweets."
There were still sweets left at home from Luo Mengying. Xue Huahua used a kitchen knife to cut them into cubes and wrapped them up. The brothers could only eat them when they behaved well. Therefore, when Dong Dong heard that there was food, he subconsciously thought that it was sweets. "Grandma, grandma …" He ran to the yard happily. However, an awkward thing happened. He could not recognize his grandma. He seemed to have never seen his grandma before. He looked at one and then at the other. In the end, he turned around and ran back. "Second Uncle, Second Uncle …"
Xixi walked out calmly and pointed at the woman carrying the basket. "That's grandma."
Dong Dong looked back and then ran over happily. He hugged Luo Xiufeng's knees and looked up at her. "Grandma, grandma, Dong Dong wants to eat sweets. Sweets!"
Luo Xiufeng smiled awkwardly. She bent down to pick up Dong Dong and pretended not to hear Dong Dong's words. She said to Zhao Dongliang, "Dong Dong is already so big. I remember he was only a few months old the last time I came. Grandma's good grandson. Grandma can't even recognize you now." As she spoke, she kissed Dong Dong's cheek. Dong Dong raised his hand to block her and kept asking for sweets. Xue Huahua finished rubbing the rope in her hand and stood up. She called out to Dong Dong, "Come down and let grandma rest for a while. Come down quickly and help grandma tidy up the rope."
The straw ropes that had been rubbed had to be strung together and hung on the wall. Otherwise, the air would be humid and the straw ropes would rot. If they were rotten, they would not be able to exchange for money. Xue Huahua had explained this to Dong Dong. Thus, when he heard Xue Huahua calling him, Dong Dong struggled out of Luo Xiufeng's embrace and ran over. He obediently picked up the straw ropes on the ground. Luo Xiufeng took this opportunity to educate her grandson beside her. "Look at how obedient Little Brother Dong Dong is. He's not like you guys at all."
Lu Mingwen came out with four long stools in his left and right hands. After the Zhaos sat down, Luo Xiufeng took out two pieces of clothes with indistinguishable colors from the basket on her back. She called Xixi and said, "Xixi, come here. This is what your second cousin used to wear. Try it on and see if it fits." Her family lived on food sent by others. How could she be willing to buy sweets for Xixi and the others? Before she went out, she hurriedly grabbed two pieces of her grandson's clothes and came over without preparing any gifts.
Xixi walked over slowly. Luo Xiufeng pinched the shoulders of the clothes and gestured at Xixi's back. She seemed relieved and said, "It seems that it's too big to wear. It's okay. Grandma will keep it for you. You can wear it when you grow a little taller. Xixi, why don't you come to Grandma's house to play? Grandma misses you so much."
Xixi twitched the corner of his mouth and didn't say anything. When he saw Lu Dewen and the others coming back, he ran over with a smile and said, "Dad, Dad, Grandma and the others are here."
For some reason, Lu Dewen and Chao Caizhi never brought their children when they went to the Zhao Family. Dong Dong was almost three years old, but he didn't even know the direction of the Zhao Family. Xixi had been there when he was a child, but he couldn't remember it. Lu Dewen bent down to pick up his son and greeted everyone in the yard. Luo Xiufeng smiled and said, "Where did you come from? Didn't you visit your relatives?"
Lu Dewen had an aunt and uncle. Due to various reasons, they hadn't visited for many years. Except for the Zhao Family, they didn't go anywhere. Instead, they spent a lot of time studying. Lu Dewen put down Xixi and said, "No, I have to study every day. I don't have time to visit." Lu Dewen was no longer afraid of the Zhao Family. On the contrary, the Zhao Family was especially friendly in front of him, and he was often the one who kept a straight face.
Chao Caizhi called out to her parents. Zhao Dongliang's nose immediately turned red, and his shoulders trembled as if he was about to cry. "Caizhi, Mom and Dad are useless. Only you can save us now …" Zhao Dongliang was reserved in front of his son-in-law, but he didn't feel awkward in front of Chao Caizhi at all. He explained the purpose of his visit immediately, and it couldn't be separated from one word: to borrow food.
The food he borrowed was not for his family to eat, but to repay the debt.
"Caizhi, you know the situation at home. It's not easy to feed the family. The food you gave us on the second day of the New Year was all snatched away. Even so, we still owe them dozens of catties of food. The other party said that if we don't pay them back by the eighth day of the New Year, they will send people to beat up your brother." Zhao Dongliang didn't feel that crying in front of others was a shameful thing at all. He wiped his tears as he spoke, and pulled his clothes to ask Chao Caizhi to see how skinny he was.
"Caizhi, Dad listened to you and didn't go around lying. Dewen is right. If there's food, eat more. If there's no food, eat less. I've discussed with your mother. From this year onwards, the whole family will start to starve. We won't eat unless we're starving to the point of fainting. Even if we do eat, we won't eat as ravenously as before. Instead, we'll eat according to a controlled plan. Everyone will eat half a bowl of rice, and our stomachs will shrink. Slowly, we'll be able to free up some food." Zhao Dongliang cried so hard that the whole yard was filled with his voice. Lu Dewen couldn't be bothered to listen to him, and went straight to Xue Huahua. "Mom, Jianxun said he'll go to school in the afternoon. Is there anything you want me to do?"
Xue Huahua pointed at the straw rope. "String the straw rope together. I'll go and see how much cold rice is left from this morning." Since the Zhao Family was here, she couldn't just leave them with food. The cold rice from this morning was not scooped out of the pot, and it would definitely not be enough if the Zhao Family came. Xue Huahua scooped out the cold rice, washed the pot, and prepared to cook some rice. Lu Mingwen saw Xue Huahua busy in the kitchen, and he got anxious. He rushed into the house and whispered, "Mom, why are you cooking? Are you going to ask them to stay for lunch?"
He had been listening to Zhao Dongliang's words. He said that he would gradually reduce his appetite, but who knew if he was lying? If he really took action, the Zhao Family wouldn't be in this state today. He pulled Xue Huahua and looked outside through the window. Luo Xiufeng tilted her head, as if nothing had happened, but she was secretly paying attention to them. Lu Mingwen asked Xue Huahua to take a look. "Mom, look. They're here to ask for money. We don't even have enough food for ourselves, so why should we give it to them? Mom, don't cook."
"After all, they're your sister-in-law's family. How can you not cook?" Xue Huahua didn't blame Lu Mingwen, but she didn't approve of his actions. "Have you forgotten the principle of using peaceful means before resorting to force?" No matter what the Zhao Family was like, Xue Huahua liked Chao Caizhi, her daughter-in-law. For the sake of Chao Caizhi, she shouldn't be so cold.
Lu Mingwen felt uncomfortable. "My sister-in-law is so good, but her parents …" Lu Mingwen was afraid that the people in the yard would hear him, so he lowered his voice and said, "Have you forgotten that they went around pretending to be our relatives to deceive people?" Lu Mingwen had never seen anyone more shameless than the Zhao family in his entire life. They would swindle and deceive anyone they caught, claiming that they were relatives of someone else. Then, they would take the opportunity to swindle food from them. Therefore, several families went to the production team to look for Xue Huahua, saying that they were only borrowing food because of Xue Huahua. Relatives like the Zhao family would be a disgrace to anyone who asked for food.
Xue Huahua glanced outside and glanced at Luo Xiufeng, who was sitting on the bench uneasily. "I have my own plan for this matter. Don't show up in front of your eldest brother's father-in-law, or others will laugh at you. Ask Third Sister to come in and help me light the fire." Xue Huahua opened the jar and scooped half a bowl of rice. Lu Mingwen's eyebrows relaxed a little, and he reminded Xue Huahua, "Don't open the door of your room. It's good enough to have rice for them to eat. I'll go get some sweet potatoes."
Knowing that Xue Huahua did not really treat them as relatives, Lu Mingwen felt relieved. The Zhao Family was a hole, and no matter how much food was stuffed into it, it would be of no use. As relatives, they had done their best. If it were him, he would probably die of old age and never come into contact with them.
Xue Huahua cooked a pot of sweet potato porridge, kneaded some dough, and spread out some pancakes. Seeing smoke coming out of the kitchen, Luo Xiufeng grinned from ear to ear. She called Xue Huahua "Xue Huahua", and even asked her daughter-in-law to go into the kitchen to help. She looked around carefully, but could not find any meat, and the smile on her face gradually became cold, "In-law, I heard that you got a lot of meat before the New Year. The pigs in your production team are the heaviest in the whole Fenggu Township. Why can't I see any meat?"
Xue Huahua stood in front of the stove and kneaded the dough. She looked gentle, "It's hanging in my room. Mingwen and the others are frugal, and they want to save two pieces of meat for the busy farming season. They don't want to waste it on other days. Have you finished all the meat at home?"
Luo Xiufeng nodded, thinking that she cooked the meat at noon on the day they got the meat. She didn't even save it for the New Year, let alone now.
"The door to your room is closed. If it's not closed, I really want to see what the meat from your pig looks like." Luo Xiufeng grinned again, but her smile was not very natural. There were guests at home, and she should more or less cook some meat to eat. Xue Huahua really did not know how to be polite.
Xue Huahua focused on kneading the dough, and said in a lukewarm tone, "What's there to see? Doesn't pork taste like that? "
"That's not the same. I heard that the meat of the pig you raise is fragrant, and it will leave a lingering aftertaste." As she said that, Luo Xiufeng could not stop drooling. She rubbed her hands, and wanted to go to Xue Huahua's room to take a look. However, she did not dare to act rashly without Xue Huahua's approval. You should know that Xue Huahua was famous for being powerful. Even the production team leader did not dare to provoke her, not to mention people like her.
Xue Huahua laughed, "Really? Maybe the taste of a pig raised with care tastes like this. If you work hard, you can do it too. " Xue Huahua ordered the pancake. There was a lot of water, and the pancake was very thin. Dong Dong smelled the aroma and came in. He clapped his hands and wanted to eat the pancake. Xue Huahua placed the pancake in a bowl and passed it to Xixi. "Give some to your brother, sister, and brother. They will be having dinner later."
Before Xixi could take the bowl, the pancake was snatched away by Luo Xiufeng's grandchildren. The pancake that had just come out of the pot was very hot, but they were not afraid. They tore the pancake and ate it. Dong Dong started crying. Xixi pulled a long face and obediently took the empty bowl. He held it in his arms and lowered his head in frustration. Xue Huahua was stunned. She heard Luo Xiufeng laugh, "Xixi, being gentle is not good. You have to be like your cousins to get food."
Luo Xiufeng did not have the intention to scold her grandchildren. Instead, she thought that Xixi and his brother were too weak. They saw the pancake and ate it slowly. It would be strange if they did not get snatched away.
Xixi did not say anything. He stood on tiptoe and put the bowl on the stove. After distributing the pancake and wolfing down the pancake, the children rushed in with shining eyes and licked the lard on their fingers one by one. "Grandma, it's delicious. The pancake made by Grandma Xixi is delicious."
Hearing their comments, Dong Dong cried even louder. Xixi patted his back and comforted him, "Don't cry, brother. There are more pancakes in the basket. You can eat them later."
The basket was placed on the stove with a bowl under it. After tasting the pancake, the children stood by the stove and were eager to reach for it. Xue Huahua squinted at them. They immediately withdrew their hands and did not dare to move. Xue Huahua continued to spread the pancake. Dong Dong, who was crying loudly, gradually stopped crying. He squinted his eyes and carefully looked at Xue Huahua's expression. Before she said anything, he walked to Lu Hongying in silence and reached out for Lu Hongying to hold him.
The kitchen suddenly became quiet. No one spoke. Luo Xiufeng smiled awkwardly and patted her grandson's arm, "Why are you looking at us when you haven't eaten? Go out quickly, or Grandma Xue will not cook for you."
They did not move at all. They all stared at the pancakes in the basket. Luo Xiufeng urged them again, but no one paid attention to her. She just ignored them and told Xue Huahua about the situation of the Zhao Chenggang's family. They were forced to come here today. Before the New Year, someone sent more than ten kilograms of grain to Zhao Chenggang. On the second day of the New Year, he came to the production team to visit his relatives and asked them to return the grain. However, he was too slow and the production team beat him to it. The other party felt that they were acting shamelessly and brought a group of people to find trouble with them in the morning. Fortunately, Luo Xiufeng was visiting outside. When she heard the news, she rushed home in a hurry. She packed her things in a hurry and went out the door. She was afraid of bumping into others, so she took a big detour from the back mountain.
"Obviously, they gave it to us willingly, but in the end, they accused our eldest brother of cheating. Not that I want to say, but our eldest brother is the most honest and straightforward. Once, he picked up two cents on the road and asked everywhere with it. He did not go home until he returned the money. After so many years, the production team is still talking about this matter …" In Luo Xiufeng's eyes, her sons were all good and no one could compare to them. It was the outsiders who ruined their reputation.
Xue Huahua acted as if she did not hear it and focused on spreading the pancakes. Luo Xiufeng continued with interest, "I know that people everywhere say that we are cheating, but it is pure nonsense. Our family has a lot of labor and we earn our own grain. Even if we don't have enough grain, we still have our daughter and son-in-law to help us. Why do we need to cheat? In-law, in the future, if anyone wants to talk nonsense in front of you, you have to say something fair. We are all honest and dutiful farmers. Nobody's grain is from the strong wind. We are not the kind of people who can't distinguish right from wrong. "
Lu Hongying pulled a long face and tried hard to hold back her laughter under her serious expression. "Auntie, not that I want to say, but no one in our production team can compare with your ability to distort the truth. We are all from the same village, and many people know about the situation at home. Why do you have to lie through your teeth?" Speaking of the Zhao Family, who did not say that the Zhao Family was a liar? They cheated wherever they went, and even relatives who were thousands of miles away were cheated by them. There was no one in the Zhao Family's production team who was not afraid of them. Some of them even went door to door to tell their relatives to stay away from the Zhao Family. Even their relatives in the production team were cheated by the Zhao Family. It was just that the Zhao Family did not seek revenge because of their reputation. How could Luo Xiufeng say that they were innocent?
She was really shameless to a new level.
Luo Xiufeng was speechless after being contradicted by Lu Hongying. Lu Hongying wiped away the tears on Dong Dong's face, got up, and took out a pancake. The eyes of the children by the stove suddenly lit up, and they stared at Lu Hongying's hand without blinking. Lu Hongying tore the pancake in half and gave one half to Xixi and the other to Dong Dong. She said to Xue Huahua, "Mom, give me two more pancakes. Dong Dong is probably hungry."
Dong Dong held the pancake in both hands and looked warily at the people who were slowly moving toward him. He asked Lu Hongying to hit them.
"Dong Dong, it's not right to hit them. They are older brothers and sisters, and they love Dong Dong very much. If Dong Dong has food, he has to share it with them, understand?" Luo Xiufeng was afraid that Lu Hongying would raise her hand to hit them, so she spoke first to gain the upper hand.
Lu Hongying was obviously displeased. "Should older brothers and sisters snatch their younger brothers' food to eat? Auntie, it's not that I want to be nosy, but these children really need to be taught well. They are already so lawless when they are young, what will happen when they grow up? It's not like before now. If they commit a crime, they will go to jail. Just look at those rampant thieves in the past. They are still locked up in the county jail. "
Luo Xiufeng was a little embarrassed, but she still spoke up for her grandchildren. "It's not as serious as you say. They are just joking with Dong Dong. They all fight like this at home. The more brothers and sisters fight, the better the relationship. "
Lu Hongying raised her eyebrows. "Really?"
"Of course, if you don't believe me, you can ask them …"
The few of them nodded vigorously. Seeing that Lu Hongying did not say anything, they became bolder and reached out to pull Xixi. "Little brother Xixi, let's go play outside." Although he said that, his eyes were fixed on the pancake in Xixi's hand. "Little brother Xixi, is the pancake good? Can I try it? I will give it to you when you come to our house next time. We have a lot of pancakes. Some are this big. "He drew a big circle in the air with his hands." It's even bigger than a pot. "
Xixi shook off his hand and stood behind Lu Hongying. He ate the pancake in his hand obediently. It was different from the previous pancakes. This time, the pancake was sweet and fragrant. He tore a piece and fed it to Lu Hongying. "Auntie, eat it. It's sweet and delicious."
The sugar was bought by Xue Huahua before the New Year. The rest of the Xue Huahua was in the cupboard. If it was outside, Lu Mingwen might have kept it in her room.
"If it's delicious, grandma will make more next time. After eating, go and ask Second Uncle to clean up the central room for dinner." There were only two big square tables in the house. It was definitely not enough for everyone. Xue Huahua asked Lu Mingwen to borrow a few stools from the production team and make do with it.
The central room was a little cramped with two tables. Lu Dewen helped to carry the bowls. Luo Xiufeng pretended to be surprised when she saw Xue Huahua scooping sweet potato porridge into the bowl. "You don't have to do it yourself. Whoever wants to eat can scoop it himself …" She then turned around and shouted at Zhao Chenggang. "Boss, boss, hurry up and help your auntie scoop rice. Scoop as much as you eat. Don't waste it."
She said it as if her appetite was small.
Lu Dewen stood in front of the stove and stared at Xue Huahua scoop rice. "My mom always scoops rice in our house. We eat as much as she scoops. We don't have much food at home, so we don't dare to eat as much as we want. If brother-in-law wants to control their appetite, they can't do as they please like before. Let's try my mom's method."
Luo Xiufeng's expression froze.
It was fine if Xue Huahua shared the food. It was fine if everyone had a pancake. But for some reason, Lu Hongying grabbed the children's hands and tore a piece of the pancake. The children were so angry that they rolled on the ground and cried. Lu Hongying passed the pancake to Xixi and Dong Dong as if nothing had happened. She explained with a smile, "Grandma said that people who snatch food have feelings for each other. Xixi and Dong Dong, try the pancake and see if it tastes good."
The pancake was made by Xue Huahua. It was naturally delicious. Dong Dong got a lot of it. He happily gave a thumbs up. "It's delicious. Grandma's pancake is delicious."
Xixi nodded to show his agreement.
The two brothers ate with relish. They didn't care about the crying people in the house. Luo Xiufeng wanted to teach Lu Hongying a lesson, but she had to lower her head under the eaves. In the end, she could only coax her grandchildren to eat quickly. Otherwise, the food in the bowl would also be snatched away. The children immediately got up from the ground and pounced on the bowl like wolves. They kneaded the pancake and stuffed it into their mouths. Tears and snot slid down their cheeks and into their mouths. Lu Hongying curled her lips and educated Xixi next to her. "Don't learn from them in the future. Otherwise, I'll spank you."
"Okay." Chao Caizhi tore the pancake in Xixi's bowl into small pieces. Xixi picked them up with his chopsticks and put them in his mouth. He urged Lu Hongying to eat quickly. If she was slow, it would be gone.
The Zhao family's fighting strength was too strong. When Lu Dewen and the others got their chopsticks, they heard a few slurping sounds. The bowls of the Zhao family next to them were already empty. Zhao Chenggang got up and was about to go to the kitchen to turn the bowls when Lu Dewen stopped him. "Brother-in-law, we don't like to turn bowls at home. You have to save the food in the pot for dinner. Don't you want to save the food? You can't eat to your heart's content."
Zhao Dongliang put down his chopsticks and was about to stand up. When he heard Lu Dewen's words, he did not know whether to get up or sit down. With his appetite, how could one bowl of rice be enough? He blinked his red and swollen eyes and said in disbelief, "You don't turn bowls?" How was that possible? It was understandable that Lu Hongying and Xue Huahua did not turn bowls, but Lu Dewen was a man. Wasn't one bowl of rice too little?
"If we turn bowls, we can eat faster. What if we don't have enough for next year?" Their family did not have the habit of turning bowls. Didn't they see that Xue Huahua used a bowl to serve the food?
However, Zhao Dongliang and the others seemed to feel bad. They specially picked small bowls to eat. Who could they blame?
Zhao Chenggang looked at the empty bowl in his hand, and then looked at his parents, who were also eating like a tornado. He could not wrap his head around it. "I'm not full yet."
"We are not full either. If we can fill our stomachs every time, what are we worried about?" Lu Dewen frowned. They wanted to fill their stomachs? Except for the exams, they were hungry the rest of the time.
Zhao Chenggang did not go to the kitchen to scoop rice. One bowl of rice was not enough for the children. He held the chopsticks and complained that he was hungry. As he complained, he lay on the ground. Before Xue Huahua said anything, Lu Dewen slammed the table and stood up. "What are you crying for? If you want to cry, go home. We are already full. Why should we care about whether you are full or not? It's already good enough to give you food." Xue Huahua was not a stingy person. They did not think that the food was good. They were greedy and wanted to eat more. They really thought that there was a lot of food at home.
Even if there was food, they earned it themselves. They wanted to save it for Xixi and Dong Dong.
Lu Dewen's serious look was a little scary. At least the Zhao family present did not dare to go to the kitchen to scoop rice. They sat obediently. After eating, Xue Huahua cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks. Lu Dewen directly drove them away. "We have to go to the Educated Youth Study Room in the afternoon. You can go home. We don't have any food to borrow."
If it was in the past, Lu Dewen would not dare to speak loudly in front of the Zhao Family. However, after visiting the Zhao Family several times, he faintly felt that the Zhao Family was flattering him, and their words were filled with flattery. He was not so afraid anymore, and his arrogant expression surprised Lu Jianxun so much that he looked at him in a new light. He whispered to Lu Mingwen, "Big Brother's temper makes him suitable to be a soldier. He still says that he is timid, but I think he is very brave."
Lu Mingwen stopped him and signaled him not to speak. He wanted to get rid of the Zhao family as soon as possible.
"Caizhi, you know the situation at home …" Zhao Dongliang did not dare to talk back to Lu Dewen. He could only turn to his daughter. However, Chao Caizhi was very quiet. No matter what Zhao Dongliang said, she did not speak. Zhao Dongliang sobbed. His eyes inadvertently drifted to Xue Huahua, who was not happy or angry. His body trembled and he choked. "Caizhi … Live your life well. Don't worry about the things at home. Your mother and I are still here."
At this moment, he remembered that the most powerful person in the Lu Family was Xue Huahua. She seemed to have said everything from the beginning to the end. If they accidentally offended her, the whole family would not be able to leave alive. Instantly, Zhao Dongliang's mind cleared up. He called Luo Xiufeng and wanted to leave. The children were rolling on the ground. He picked them up and slapped them. "What are you crying for? It's the New Year. Aren't you afraid of bad luck? Say goodbye to your aunt and we will go back first."
They did not know if the debt collectors had left. Of course, they did not dare to return to the Zhao family village. They did not borrow food from Chao Caizhi, so they could only go to Zhao Caiping's house. On the way, their stomachs were growling. Zhao Dongliang complained to Luo Xiufeng. "Why did you suddenly think of Caizhi's house? You know what kind of person her mother-in-law is. Fortunately, she did not kill us. Otherwise, we will suffer. Don't come here again.
He did not think too much when he came, but now he had a lingering fear. Xue Huahua could not be provoked. Whoever provoked her would die.
Luo Xiufeng clutched her stomach and said unhappily, "Mother-In-Law Caizhi is powerful. Those people did not dare to look for us directly. What if they found out that we went to Caiping's house? Did you forget? In the twelfth month, we borrowed a few dozen catties of food from Mother-In-Law Caiping's house. What if Mother-In-Law Caiping asks? " Mother-In-Law Caiping was not as easy to provoke as before. She was stubborn and would ask for help from the production team. If they dared to go to her house, they would definitely not be able to get away with it.
Zhao Dongliang thought about it and said, "We can go to Cailian's house, right?"
"Have you forgotten that we borrowed food from Cailian's house half a year ago?"
Zhao Dongliang was angry, "According to what you said, I can't even go to a girl's house at this age, right? No matter what, I am their father. If I do something wrong, they will have to take responsibility for me. If they dare to ignore me, I will break their legs."
Luo Xiufeng did not fall for his trick, "If you want to go, you go. I will not go. In my opinion, Caizhi is more filial. I heard from her mother-in-law that there is still meat at home, but she deliberately did not take it out to eat. Her mother-in-law is very stingy, and when relatives come to visit, she deliberately hides the meat. In my opinion, it must be Lu Hongying's idea. Caizhi's sister-in-law is very powerful. In the future, only a powerful person will be able to subdue her."
Luo Xiufeng had suffered twice in the hands of Lu Hongying, and she felt very bad. Like mother, like daughter.
"What should we do? We can't hide outside every day, right?"
"Do you think we should look for Fifth Brother? As the saying goes, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. He should still have money with him. Anyway, he has no place to spend money at the farm, so he can lend us some." Luo Xiufeng rolled her eyes, and the more she said, the more she felt that it was possible. She said firmly, "Yes, yes, yes. Let's look for Fifth Brother. He will not leave us in the lurch."
Zhao Dongliang really could not find anyone to help, so he asked someone to find out where Fifth Brother's farm was and rushed over with his family.
As for the Zhao family, Xue Huahua and the rest did not care at all. After Li Xuemei came back, she brought back a lot of test papers. Old Master Li had prepared all the test papers for the Grade 12 students. In the future, there was no need for them to write letters for the exams. Not only the test papers, but there was also a fountain pen inside, which was given to them by Secretary Liu. He hoped that they would practice writing well, and that their words would reflect the person they were.
As for the enthusiasm of the old people at the farm, other than studying hard, there seemed to be no other way to repay them. Therefore, they put even more effort into studying. Even when the farm was busy, the siblings did not slack off for even half a day. They would wake up before dawn to study, and sleep very late at night. When they were really sleepy, they would pinch each other's arms and legs, clench their teeth and persevere. Even when Xue Huahua reminded them to sleep early, the four siblings did not listen and persisted in reading.
Luo Mengying sent a few books from her university. They majored in Russian, and the siblings could not understand them at all. However, Lu Mingwen was very interested in the medical books of Luo Mengying's boyfriend. That's right. Luo Mengying had a boyfriend after she went to university. Within half a year, they had met each other's parents. In the letter, Luo Mengying said that they would get married during the Spring Festival, and they had been invited to attend her wedding in the city.
In the letter, she said that the man's family had a lot of rules, and he had asked for an engagement before the wedding. Therefore, she could not come during the summer vacation. Luo Mengying's letter caused a stir among the educated youth. It gave many people hope to go back to the city. Going back to the city to find a suitable partner and get married was a dream life for the educated youth, especially the female educated youth. Once they went to university, they did not have to worry about not being able to get married. Instead of following their partners to suffer in the countryside, it was better to find a way to go back to the city and live a good life.
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