When school was about to end in the afternoon, an old man in his sixties walked in from the gate of Cai Gezhuang Primary School. He was of medium build, had a straight back, a chubby face, and a short beard. He walked calmly and steadily. When Principal Cai saw this, he hurriedly went out of the house to welcome her."Uncle, you're here. Come and sit in the house.”
"No, no need to sit. I'll leave after I talk to Ah Hui.”
"Then you can sit in the room first. I'll get someone to call him over.”
Ah Hui came. Seeing that it was her uncle, she hurriedly entered the house and called him uncle. His uncle was called Cai Laowen. Everyone called him that. When he was young, he was a servant. Later on, because he was good at scheming, he became a butler. He had been in charge of the Hao Dianqing family in Huge Village for a long time and was highly valued by the Hao family. When Ah Hui was young, she had followed her mother to her aunt's house. He respected this uncle very much. However, ever since Ah Hui came to Cai Zhuang to study, First Uncle had never come to school. Why did he come back? Ah Hui stood there, calculating in her heart.
"Go home and send a message to your mother. Ask your mother or father to come to our house tomorrow. There's something to discuss with them. That's all." Then, he added,"Don't forget."”
Ah Hui replied with an " Mm." He didn't know what was going on.
Early the next morning, his mother arrived at his aunt's house. It turned out that Brother Lian, Cai Mengjiu, wanted to find a wife for his brother. Brother Lian works in the county court. He had a colleague from Di Zhuang and a niece called Di Yulian. She was beautiful and honest. She wanted to find a good husband. If the family was good, the young man should also be good and capable. Brother Lian thought that her aunt's family met the requirements, and the two of them were very enthusiastic about making this matter a success. When her mother heard that, she was especially happy. She said that she would go home to discuss it and contact her when she could get a face-to-face meeting.
His parents were already holding back their anger. Ni 'er, didn't you break off the engagement? We won't be single. Just wait and see, you have to find someone stronger than you. Now that someone had come to their door so quickly, and it was two famous officials who were matchmakers, they felt very proud and excited. After telling her brother, her brother had originally planned to not look for her for the time being and wait for an opportunity to go out. However, knowing that Brother Lian was the matchmaker, out of respect for Brother Lian, he was willing to take a look.
Actually, the girl, Di Yulian, was the uncle and sister of Ah Hui's classmate, Di Yunying. They met in the classroom every day, and the communication between the two parties was completely done by the two students. They were very satisfied with the results. More importantly, they trusted the matchmaker and decided to betroth her immediately. In order to get back at him, he went on blind dates, got engaged, and got married at a fast pace. In the summer of 1954, his brother got married.
After that, everyone in Ah Hui's family, mainly her parents, seemed to have a sense of victory. In his heart, he thought,'Ni' er, you don't have to give me a head. There are plenty of people who can give me a head. In terms of looks, morality, family background, and social fishing boats, they're not inferior to you.' His parents often wore a proud smile from the bottom of their hearts, and even walked more energetically. The people in the village also praised him and said,"Old Zhang's family is still capable."”However, in Ni 'er's eyes, nothing had changed in the Hui family. Ah Wu was still Ah Wu. He was still a farmer and could never be compared to an officer.
In autumn, an officer really came to Xia Manor. His name was Liu Xingfu. He was in his twenties and had a medium build. He had thick black hair and a pair of big, bright eyes on his handsome white face. His new military uniform fitted him well. He wore black leather shoes and a Bayi hat. He looked especially handsome.
During the war, Xia Village belonged to the old guerrilla area. The 48th Regiment and 11th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army were often active in the Luannan area. People had seen a lot of the Eighth Route Army when they stayed and ate in the homes of the common people. After the Liberation, the troops were stationed in the city and the border, and the people of Xia Village rarely saw soldiers. Therefore, Liu Xingfu's appearance in the village made people feel fresh. People looked at him with curious and respectful eyes. The image of the officers after liberation was very different from the Eighth Route Army during the war! What was he here for? Slowly, after the meeting and listening to his speech, people realized that he was here to recruit soldiers. As it turned out, there were sacrifices in the army during battles, or soldiers who had been discharged from the army. It was a natural phenomenon to reduce the number of soldiers. In order to maintain the combat effectiveness of the troops, it was necessary to replenish the troops on time. According to the military service law, youths between the ages of eighteen and twenty were recruited into the army. Liu Xingfu was here to do this job. His identity was the advisor of the Luan County Military Service Bureau.
From then on, Awu's heart seemed to have ignited with a raging flame. Ni Tou silently breaking off the engagement was a great humiliation to himself. Although he was married now, this kind of happiness was not enough to wash away the depression in his heart.
"I have to go out, I have to do well, I want to be an officer too.”Awu thought to himself, his heart heavy.
Not long after, he signed up. After a physical examination and political review, he was approved to join the army. Xia Changhe and Xia Junwen were also approved. At the end of the year and the beginning of the year, in order to send off the young people to enlist in the army, the village started to dance the Yangge, which was very lively. At night, when the Yangge dance was performed in Wangzhuang, people carried a table over and let Awu stand on it to give a speech of " farewell to his hometown." The next morning, when the sun rose from the forest on the east mound, the three chosen youths rode west on the street. There were people standing at the door of every house. Applause, laughter, and blessings were all heard. There were quite a few people behind him. Ah Hui also followed behind and sent them all the way to Zhuang Xili. Seeing the three young men with red flowers walking away with her brother's horse leading the way, Ah Hui was indescribably happy.
His parents did not come out to send him off. They were happy that their son had joined the army, but they could not bear to see their son leave the village and leave them. After sending her brother away, Ah Hui didn't know how to meet her parents when she returned home. He didn't enter the house directly. Instead, he went around to the east side of the courtyard and stood there, feeling lost. He listened to his parents crying in the house. His mother sobbed,"I didn't think he would really be able to…"”His father didn't say anything and only sobbed.
Ah Hui also cried. However, he felt that it was right for his brother to leave. He had embarked on his own path of hope. That afternoon, the whole family did not eat.
About a week later, his brother sent a letter back, along with a photo, saying that he was in Tianjin and that he was doing well, so that the family would not worry about him. The letter flew into the house like a pigeon, making the whole family curious and happy. This was because Ah Hui's family was a pure peasant family and had no contact with the outside world. This letter made people feel that our family was connected to the outside world.
In May 1955, Ah Hui graduated from Caigezhuang Elementary School. Before leaving the school, he had completed all the procedures for entering junior high school: photos, school application forms, candidate registration forms, and so on. When he returned home, he was waiting for the exam and the notification. The exam was about a month away, and it was boring to stay at home. It just so happened that his uncle and father had planted a field of melons on Dongtuo. They were almost ripe and needed someone to watch over them. They were worried that there was no one. Ah Hui's return at this time was the best candidate to watch the melons. Ah Hui was also eager to go and agreed immediately.
It was Big Brother Ah Ting who brought Ah Hui to the position. After they got off the bridge and walked out of the river for 400 to 500 meters, Big Brother said,""We're here. This is the watermelon field."
Ah Hui took a look. There was a small path leading to Shigezhuang. Both the north and south sides were densely grown with crops. Sorcery, corn, or green hemp. "Where is the watermelon field?"
"Idiot, how can the watermelon field be so clear? If they could see it on the streets, wouldn't they be stolen by others?”As Ah Ting spoke, he led Ah Hui through a patch of sorghums and saw a small melon shed. This was the watermelon field. In front of the shed, there was a large melon field that was more than 100 meters long and 20 meters wide. Surrounding them were the white sorghums and corn grains, while the middle was green. As there were crops and trees all around, it was impossible to see that this was a watermelon field from afar. Big Brother brought Ah Hui here and went back. Ah Hui was left alone in the small shed. It was so quiet. There were no sounds of cars or people, only the chirping of grass and insects and the chirping of cicadas on the trees. The melon shed was built with wooden poles, tangerines, and grass. The shed had a pointed roof and the shed was covered with grass. Even during the hottest noon, the shed was still cool. Looking at this melon shed, Ah Hui couldn't help but recall that year, his mother had asked him to go to Hou Garden's third aunt's house. When he walked to the main road east of Lantuo, he suddenly heard a crisp and loud sound of reading. Looking to the west, not far away, there was also a small melon shed in the shade of the sorghums. The sound of reading came from there. Ah Hui stood still and listened for a while. The voice was not soft, but it was still a little far away, so she could not hear what it was. However, from the voice, Ah Hui determined that the scholar was older than her and was of a higher grade. She thought to herself, This person really knows how to find a place. Reading in the melon shed was quite interesting. Ah Hui had a deep impression of the sound of books in the melon shed. At this moment, Ah Hui was sitting in her little melon shed, thinking, What should I do? I should read some books too. It's almost time for the middle school examination. I'll stay here and revise my homework. However, Ah Hui didn't have a single book with her. How was she going to revise? Ah Hui did not like reading. She threw the books away as she read. After a semester, she finished reading and there were no more books. After graduating from elementary school for two years, he returned home empty-handed, not bringing back a single book. He didn't take notes or do his homework. There was no school bag. How to revise?
The next morning, he said to his big brother, Ah Ting,"You have to cover for me for half a day today. I have something to do and have to go back to school.”
Cai Gezhuang Elementary School. Although the sixth grade had graduated and left the school, the other grades were still in class. Gao Guorong, the form teacher of the sixth grade, sorted out the graduate files and forms every day to cope with the needs of the secondary school enrollment. When he was free, he would sometimes look at the graduating students in his heart. Who would enter middle school? Cai Shaoying, Xia Junji, Zhou Cuiying, Ah Hui…He didn't want to continue thinking about them. Ah Hui was his favorite student. He liked that he was smart. He was really smart. She was also the student he hated the most. He hated him for being naughty and too naughty. He didn't even listen properly in class. Sigh, just like that, he might still be able to get in. Gao Guorong was thinking to himself when a student pushed open the door and came in. It was Ah Hui.
" You've graduated. Why are you still here? You haven't studied enough yet." Gao Guorong stared at Ah Hui, who was getting closer.
"Teacher Gao, I'm here to borrow something from you.”
"Borrow something? Borrow what?"
"I'm looking at melons at home now. I stay in the melon shed all day. There's nothing to do. I wanted to read the book again before the exam and revise, but I didn't have a book in my hand. Can you lend me your textbook? I'll return it to you after the exam.”
Teacher Gao Guorong was very surprised. It was the first time he had heard such words from Ah Hui. No matter what, he had taken the initiative to borrow books and revise for the upcoming battle. He should be supported. So he said,"There's still a time when you're done playing! Alright, I'll find it for you right away." There were two teaching books on the table, and he gave them to Ah Hui. The math class was taught by Teacher Ai Wenjin. He borrowed it from Teacher Ai and gave it to Ah Hui. He also said,"Review well. I wish you good luck in getting into middle school."
Ah Hui left the school and walked back. She felt a little warm in her heart. Usually, the teacher would criticize her, but at a critical moment, she was still kind enough. He was really touched.
Xia Junji also graduated from Cai Gezhuang and was one of Teacher Gao Guorong's favorite students. He was meticulous in his studies. His homework was serious, his notes were complete, and his handwriting was clear and beautiful. A few notebooks were bound together and weighed about a pound. Ah Hui also borrowed it from him.
The melons weren't ripe yet, so it wasn't time to sell them. Ah Hui spent every day reading, and the small melon shed became his study room. He had never put in such effort before. After reading the language book over and over again, he could memorize many of the texts. Actually, objectively speaking, when Ah Hui returned home after graduation, she had already learned enough things to be proficient in. She had to revise, but she was more familiar with them. If he didn't do well in school, his revision wouldn't be as smooth and effective.
One morning, when the sun had just risen from the top of the tree, Ah Hui was flipping through a book in the shed when a sound came from behind the melon shed." There's movement." Ah Hui walked out of the melon shed alertly. When they heard that Ah Hui had come out, the people who came walked around the melon shed and hid from Ah Hui. Ah Hui then turned around in the opposite direction. She immediately saw that it was Zhao Qixiang, Zhao Qilin, and Xia Junji.
"This melon watcher isn't careless. He even sleeps with his eyes open.”Ah Hui said.
"Don't brag. If I steal from you, I guarantee that you won't be able to catch me.”Zhao Qilin said.
"Aiya, don't say anymore. There's an old classmate watching the melons. There's no need to steal. If you want to eat, come.”
"The melons aren't ripe yet. They're generous enough. When they're ripe, I'm afraid they won't be like this.”
"I won't do that. If you don't believe me, I'll definitely let you eat to your heart's content when you come.”
"Sigh, I'm just joking. I know you're not stingy, but we're not here to study and eat melons today. We have more important things to discuss with you.”Zhao Qixiang said.
"What is it that you want to discuss with me?"
"We think there's still some time before the entrance exams. This period of time is very precious. We should form a study group. Learning together would allow them to exchange information, promote each other, and complement each other. If he gathered everyone's work together, the revision would be more effective. Li Dazhao and Leader Mao started to study the Old Horse Doctrine by forming study groups. We should also form a study group and study together. The results will definitely be good.”Zhao Qixiang said seriously.
"Anyway, I feel that it's a little boring to review this section alone. I feel that I can do it by reading books. If I don't read it, I don't feel confident. It might be better if a few people study together and ask each other some questions.”Zhao Qilin said.
Ah Hui's attitude was that she could do anything. She had learned well in the small melon shed, so she could also form a group.
In the end, the four of them decided to form a study group. They would go to Zhao Qixiang's house every day at 8 am and 2 pm. Brother Ah Ting will take care of the melons.
The Yangjia Village where Zhao Qixiang's family lived was only two or three miles away from Ah Hui's Xia Village. At the bend of the river, there was a small village where families lived. As it was close to the river, it was simply a one-sided street. Zhao Qixiang's house was in the middle of the village. There were two main rooms in the north of the courtyard, and two west rooms in front of the window in the south of the main room. Zhao's parents lived in the main house, while Zhao Qixiang lived in the side house. It was quite clean. There was a farmer's cabinet on the west wall of the basement. There was a table on the kang and a blanket.
Ah Hui and Jun Ji left after breakfast. Standing in the courtyard to welcome them were Zhao Qixiang's father and mother. His father was of medium build, with a red face and was nearly forty years old. His mother was about thirty-six or thirty-seven years old. She was tall, had an oval face, and a pair of big, bright eyes on her white face. As soon as Ah Hui and Jun Ji entered the courtyard, she was the first to say happily,"Come quickly!" She was busy opening the door to get the things in the way, her big eyes shining with joy and kindness.
Actually, it was her idea to set up a study group and ask Junji and Ah Hui to study at her house. It turned out that Zhao Qixiang wasn't a fresh graduate. He had failed to pass the exams last year and had resumed his studies for a year before he got together with Ah Hui and the others. Zhao Qixiang was the only son. Her son was her hope. Last year, Zhao Qixiang did not get in, which made her very angry. She cried a few times behind Zhao Qixiang's back. After a year of classes, what should he do if he couldn't get in again this year? She was illiterate herself. Ah Hui and Jun Ji had long been famous in the village for their studies. They were famous for being top students in Caigezhuang. Isn't it a good idea to gather them together and let them bring my son to study?
Ah Hui and Jun Ji were both here. She was especially happy. Looking at these two innocent youths, her eyes were smiling. She liked them very much. She tidied up the small room and specially bought some paper for them to use. When the four children were studying, she and Zhao Qixiang's father each guarded a door to prevent outsiders from entering and disturbing their studies. Every day when Ah Hui left, she would remind him to come early the next day and then clean up the house. The study group did not have a leader. In fact, she was in charge of them.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。