Being an educated youth had a huge impact on a person's destiny. In the first few years, the first few batches of educated youth responded eagerly to the call and went to the countryside. They didn't know what kind of life they would face... But by 1975, many educated youth had been in the countryside for seven or eight years and had really become farmers. It seemed that they would never have the hope of returning to the city again in their lifetime.
They settled down in the countryside, found partners, got married and had children, and drifted further and further away from their previous lives in the city.
The educated youth have become accustomed to life in the countryside. Of course, what makes them uncomfortable is no longer the discomfort and pain in the countryside, but the torment of being increasingly distant from their family members.
If you are a country person from the beginning, have never seen a big city, have never seen the world, you will naturally be content to stay on the loess and work.
But they came from the city, they had brothers and sisters, they came here as educated youth, and their other brothers and sisters were able to stay in the city to work... Their situations were so different from those of their brothers and sisters, how could people get over this
They are all born of the same mother, and their younger brothers and sisters are not necessarily smarter and more capable than them. Why can they live a good life in the city
These inner cries were like poisonous insects entangled in their hearts. The educated youths were always looking forward to returning to the city, leaving the countryside, returning to the city with better conditions, and eating commercial grain.
Nowadays, in a family, it seems that whoever goes to the countryside as an educated youth is "sacrificed" by this family.
Usually the "unpleasant" one.
Shen Liqing thought of her cousin who was going to be an educated youth. She felt sorry for him. "He was a good student, but it was useless... It would have been great if he could have been admitted as a worker-peasant-soldier student."
Now that universities have resumed enrollment, the number of workers, peasants and soldiers enrolled each year has increased, but... they have been in the countryside for so long that they have forgotten all the knowledge they once learned. Even if they become workers, peasants and soldiers, it is difficult for them to learn anything in university.
What's more, when selecting workers, peasants and soldiers as students, their learning talents and knowledge are not considered at all.
Zhan Aiping said: "I have a younger brother who also wants to be an educated youth."
"Ah?!" Shen Liqing was stunned: "Don't you have a younger brother, Zhan Mingzhao, who is an educated youth?"
Zhan Aiping said: "I have a younger brother, and my family also let him come here as an educated youth."
Speaking of this, it was a bit of an accident. The propaganda work for educated youth is difficult now. Zhanbo's "selfish act of sacrificing family for the sake of justice" of sending his youngest son to be an educated youth was admired by everyone. He was even cited as a "propaganda model". Zhanbo's rank, which had not been promoted for a long time, was raised by one level.
It was a done deal that Zhan Mingkang would go to the countryside as an educated youth, and no one could change it. He was going to Yunnan Province as an educated youth, but he didn't know where he would be assigned.
"Ah?" Shen Liqing was stunned: "He wants to come too? Isn't it not necessary?"
Zhan Aiping said: "Dad said to let him go to the countryside to exercise."
"That's right." Shen Liqing thought that the Zhan family had a clean family background and was of good descent, so going to the countryside was not a bad way to go. As an educated youth, one could also be selected as a worker-peasant-soldier student; one could directly become a brigade cadre or a township cadre, and could still be elected to join the party and go to university to study; one could even join the army. Joining the army would not hinder anything. Of course, the days of military training were also hard. Most people would rather stay in the countryside as educated youth, where at least they could eat from the same pot and work slackly.
Some villagers in the village don't like the educated youth very much, because the new educated youth don't know how to do farm work and have to be taught again, which creates more trouble for them. The old educated youth, on the other hand, have become experienced and are good at slacking off. Those who do not strive to be advanced have become masters at slacking off.
There were also some who performed well in the first few years, but later found that their names were not recommended, so they simply gave up and lived a mediocre life in the countryside every day.
This was the case with Shen Liqing's old friend Chen Yuan. Chen Yuan was the educated youth pen pal who encouraged her to marry Wang Youli. Chen Yuan found a husband who was also an educated youth who went to the countryside, and the couple lived a mediocre life in the village.
Chen Yuan and Shen Liqing no longer have much contact with each other.
Shen Liqing smiled and said, "Your father is confident that he must be a capable person, as he took the initiative to go to the countryside."
"For those who are good at speaking and handling affairs, going to the countryside is a good stepping stone."
When they arrive in the countryside, those who are truly capable, good at handling things, and have leadership skills will not be buried even if they go to the countryside as educated youth.
The countryside is different from the city. People in the countryside don't care so much about their background. There are few people who understand culture, and ordinary people don't understand what struggle is. They are simple and honest. Some look down on those who only know how to read, while others respect those who read. There are educated youth with poor backgrounds who work hard in the countryside and win praise from the villagers. As long as the members collectively approve it, those with poor backgrounds or those from certain types of families can also become commune cadres.
Zhan Aiping shook her head: "He is not a capable person. He really came to the countryside for reform."
Shen Liqing made a metaphysical mistake, thinking that Zhan Mingkang's coming as an educated youth had paved the way for him, or that Zhan Mingkang himself was very capable, but she didn't know...
Zhanbo thinks differently from most people. He cares more about his own face than his children.
Nowadays, every family has many children, and both fatherly and motherly love are divided into three, four, five or six parts. Who can treat them equally
Shen Liqing shook her head: "I don't believe it. Your family is full of capable people. Don't be too modest."
Zhan Aiping shook her head and said, "I'm not being modest. Besides, my stepmother's biological son has nothing to do with me."
"I only have one brother from the same father and mother, and he's the only one I care about."
Shen Liqing nodded: "If it were me, I would only care about my brother."
*
In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, Zhan Aiping felt much better. She had a strong reaction in the early stages, but after she became pregnant, the symptoms gradually decreased. Later on, her appetite got better and better, but she didn't grow much.
This time she was pregnant with her first child. Although she was in her advanced stage of pregnancy, her belly was not too big. Shen Liqing envied her belly very much, "It's more comfortable to be pregnant with one child."
"Pingping, your belly is smaller than most people's."
Zhan Aiping: "It's within the normal range. Don't eat too much, or I'll suffer."
Shen Liqing shook her head and sighed: "I won't have a third child, just in case it turns out to be twins again."
Zhan Aiping laughed and said, "There aren't that many twins."
As her body became heavier, Zhan Aiping pushed back some of her work and focused on training new people in the hospital. She insisted on taking a walk outside her home every day and chatting with her sisters-in-law in the compound from time to time.
"Dean Zhan, is she going to give birth soon?" Zhang Lirong from next door stared at Zhan Aiping's belly. Sometimes she thought it was round, and sometimes she thought it was pointed. She didn't know whether this girl could give birth to another baby.
"You don't even check whether it's a man or a woman."
Zhang Lirong smiled ambiguously. It didn't matter whether it was a boy or a girl. Those were just words to fool outsiders. Who wouldn't want to give birth to a big fat boy
"Is it okay to have a daughter?"
Zhan Aiping said: "I just want a daughter."
Zhang Lirong smiled and said, "You two are venting your anger on the same ground. Our old Luo asked Xiao Gu, and Xiao Gu also said that he wanted a daughter."
"I wish you two all the best and have a daughter."
After Zhang Lirong finished speaking, she stared at Zhan Aiping's face. Some people say they want a daughter, but when you really wish her to have a daughter, she will scold you and curse her.
Zhan Aiping smiled faintly: "Thank you, I'll give you a good wish. If we give birth to a daughter, I'll name her Little Marshmallow."
Zhang Lirong: “…”
She looked at the smile on Zhan Aiping's face, and that beautiful face hurt her heart. How well a person is living is often reflected in his face. Zhan Aiping had a peaceful smile on her face, and there was nothing in her life that made her unhappy.
Zhang Lirong sneered in her heart and thought, when you really give birth to a daughter, let’s see if you can still smile.
Zhan Aiping said: "It's just right for my third child to come out. His older brothers and sisters are going to school, they are sensible now, and can help take care of his younger sister."
"My family has the demeanor of a brother."
Sweet and sour pork is smart, and Zhan Aiping doesn't plan to delay him any longer. She sends him to kindergarten for a year of preschool classes, and then lets him go to elementary school. He can already recognize quite a few words.
Zhang Lirong said enviously: "Your eldest son is such a good kid."
Zhang Lirong's own son was only a little over one year old, the apple of her eye. She and Captain Luo doted on this only child, fearing that he would cry or make a fuss. They almost treated him like a ancestor.
The two children next door are not noisy, but her child likes to cry at night, which gives the adults a headache. He can't sleep well at night and has no energy during the day.
"When my child starts primary school, I will have less worries."
When Zhan Aiping returned home, Guobaorou and Xiao Tangyuan sat side by side, holding pencils in their hands and practicing calligraphy on rough graph paper. Both of them could write their own names, and could also write the three words "Mom Zhan Aiping".
Although Guo Bao Rou knows a lot of words, his handwriting is still as ugly as ever.
My younger sister Tangyuan doesn't know many words, but she writes them carefully and beautifully, stroke by stroke.
Zhan Aiping said: "Mom will take you to Aunt Shen's house tomorrow to learn calligraphy."
Shen Liqing is now at home in her spare time and does not work. She reads books and practices calligraphy. Zhan Aiping asked her two children to learn calligraphy from her, and the four children gathered together to learn calligraphy.
Practicing calligraphy requires patience.
Little Tangyuan said happily: "Okay! Let's go to Aunt Shen's house to play."
Little Tangyuan is strong, can dance, has good finger and wrist coordination, is talented in calligraphy, is keen on practicing writing, and likes to be praised by adults.
“Alas…” Guo Bao Rou sighed in a condescending manner. Although he could write many complicated characters, but… the characters were big, crooked and ugly.
How could he be inferior to his sister
Why do such things as brushes exist in this world
Comrade Xiao Guobaorou couldn't help but feel fortunate that pencils and pens have been invented nowadays, otherwise in ancient times, even if he was well-educated and smart, he probably would not have passed the imperial examination.
Zhan Aiping took the brother and sister to find Shen Liqing, who welcomed them warmly. Shen Liqing was a mean person. She always thought about being lazy when she was working. After being idle at home for a few years, she wanted to teach again.
Open a small calligraphy class at home.
"Practice calligraphy with our Big Fish and Little Fish."
Shen Liqing's eldest daughter's nickname is Sweet and Sour Fish, and her son's nickname is Pickled Fish. In fact, they never call each other by these words at home. They all call each other "Wang Dayu" and "Wang Xiaoyu".
Zhan Aiping suggested to her: "You can have another child and name him Wang Duoyu."
Shen Liqing waved her hand: "We don't raise that many fish at home. This isn't a fish pond."
As soon as little Tangyuan entered the house, he shouted excitedly: "Big fish, big fish, I'm here to play with you!"
Zhan Aiping said: "You are here to learn calligraphy."
"Big fish, big fish, here I come!"
"Yuanyuan!" Wang Dayu ran out excitedly. She grabbed Xiao Tangyuan's hand, and the two little girls jumped and danced excitedly.
Xiao Tangyuan and Wang Dayu both like skipping rubber rope recently. They both love jumping around and are having a lot of fun.
What a coincidence, they both have a brother who is a tool.
(End of this chapter)