"Doctor Zhan, you must get involved." When Director Zhou came to see Zhan Aiping, he was holding the math problems that Zhan Aiping had designed for the children's primary school. These problems were easy to get difficult, with pictures and texts... They were much more novel and interesting than those rigid problems.
Zhan Aiping asked: "Design a set of elementary school math tutoring exercises?"
"Yes, there is a lot of room for development now! I was afraid that our publishing house would fall behind." Director Zhou was excited. Since the resumption of the college entrance examination last year, there has been a wave of learning across the country, with mathematics, physics and chemistry being the most popular. Mathematics, physics and chemistry tutorial books are in short supply across the country.
Look at how those rough and messy wax plate materials for the college entrance examination were sold like crazy last year? Hundreds of publishing houses across the country worked overtime to rush to produce them. Xinhua Bookstore was in short supply, and the publishing houses also made a lot of money. Everyone's bonuses were filled, and the New Year was even more vigorous, preparing for a big job.
"People from our publishing house have visited several publishing houses across the country to learn about the situation. This year, most publishing houses have begun to turn to publishing teaching supplementary books. Hucheng Publishing House is also working on elementary school mathematics..." Director Zhou talked incessantly to Zhan Aiping about the prospects of their publishing house.
Zhan Aiping said: "I can design teaching materials, but I want to write them myself. I won't cooperate with others. I will create the content and my husband will provide the illustrations. We will share the profits from the publication of this set of teaching materials..."
"Ah? You want to publish it alone... This is not a small matter. How can one person do it? Can... Can it be sold?" Director Zhou was very hesitant. This set of elementary school mathematics teaching materials was the biggest project of their publishing house this year. He had invited many people to cooperate with him, and he wanted to invite Zhan Aiping to participate. However, Zhan Aiping now said that she wanted to start from scratch and compile a set of elementary school mathematics teaching materials by herself.
Zhan Aiping smiled and said, "Your publishing house has a lot of teaching supplementary publication tasks this year, so it doesn't matter if you add one more of mine. I'm just making a small effort."
"In Yunnan Province, with my fame, I don't have to worry about not being able to sell in the next two years. Last year, I became famous in the college entrance examination. My brother and sister-in-law were admitted to university, as were the doctors in our hospital and those barefoot doctors... Many of them were admitted to university."
Director Zhou sighed, "That's right. Recently, this notification letter came in. You, Doctor Zhan, have become very famous. In the whole province, only our side has so many people who have been admitted to universities. It has caused a sensation in the newspapers. They all say that you have made good materials for the college entrance examination review..."
Zhan Aiping said: "Then it's settled."
"Ah?!" Director Zhou said, "We are in a hurry to publish. We want to be the first. Can you do it alone? It would be best if it can be printed and published before next spring."
Director Zhou was very anxious. What they wanted was an expedited process to get there first.
Zhan Aiping said: "It can be done."
Zhan Aiping knew that supplementary teaching materials were a huge business opportunity in recent years, but she did not want to participate in the cooperative publishing project of Director Zhou's publishing house. This project must have invited a lot of people, and with too many people there would be no unity. In the end, in order to speed up the publication, the result would most likely be sloppy.
The working atmosphere in the unit now is not very good. People are only concerned about speed and do not pay attention to details. There is still a lingering style of exaggeration. People want to get things done in one step and just shout slogans and go through the motions.
Director Zhou is still pragmatic. He plans to find someone to write the textbook himself. But after a few years, the teaching aid market across the country is in chaos. People are copying from others, copying a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and the questions are full of loopholes. Despite this, because the teaching aid market has just been developed and has broad prospects, sales are still hot and profitable.
Zhan Aiping wanted to take the lead in designing a set of elementary school mathematics tutoring books for children that would be interesting, easy to understand, and would broaden their thinking.
Director Zhou hesitated and said, "Okay, you must remember to get it out quickly."
Director Zhou once again emphasized the word "fast". The sudden resumption of the college entrance examination triggered a learning frenzy. All schools had a chain reaction and began to focus on learning. They all needed tutoring books!
But there are only a few tutorial books on the market, and some of them are old, worn and outdated.
Zhan Aiping said: "More haste, less speed. I will try to be as fast as possible."
Zhan Aiping took on the job of writing a primary school mathematics tutorial book. She already had a blueprint in her mind. In the past two years, as a question setter in the children's primary school, she had accumulated a lot of experience and examples, which could be applied. In addition... She and her own daughter Xiao Tangyuan competed in learning mathematics and knew how to use interesting questions to arouse children's interest.
She also planned to ask her son, Guo Bao Rou, to help. The little guy was very smart and loved to do exercises, and was particularly sensitive to numbers.
They controlled the cheap labor force and let Xiao Guobao do odd jobs.
Zhan Aiping smiled and said, "It's better than him writing summer homework for others for a few cents."
She is truly a conscientious capitalist mother.
However, she can't really be considered a capitalist. The book says that a capitalist must have eight or more employees. She doesn't employ eight people, so she can't be considered a capitalist. At most, she can be considered a self-employed business owner.
*
Dr. He, who was recuperating at Yanxin Health Center, left. He accepted the arrangement from above and went to work as a teacher at a medical school. In addition, his daughter Helan was also admitted to university.
He felt relieved when he learned that his daughter was admitted to university.
Before leaving, Dr. He thanked Zhan Aiping very much: "Thank you so much. If you need anything in the future, just let me know."
"In my opinion, you are more suitable to be a teacher. You can educate more doctors and save more patients in the future... This is much more important than treating difficult and complicated diseases. No matter how good a doctor's medical skills are, how many people can he save in his lifetime?" Doctor He murmured to himself.
Zhan Aiping smiled and said, "If I want to be a teacher in a school one day, I'd like to ask you for a recommendation."
"good."
Zhan Aiping saw Dr. He off. In the hospital, in addition to her daily work, she also took time to accompany her daughter and designed elementary school mathematics tutoring books. Her life was busy and fulfilling every day.
Several barefoot doctors, led by Zeng Jiang, often came to the hospital to ask her questions. They wanted to learn medical skills and take part in the upcoming college entrance examination.
Zhan Aiping is a famous person in the nearby town and village. Zeng Jiang is also a famous person in the town. Now when he goes out, he is too embarrassed to say his real name. He introduces himself to others by saying, "My name is Jiang Zeng. I am a local. I am not an educated youth sent to the countryside."
"I am not the educated youth who went to the countryside named Zeng Jiang."
Zeng Jiang felt bitter: "I am almost becoming a joke among the educated youth. It's so painful. I am still the pump for the villagers to encourage the children. I am just a pump... They all use me to encourage their children."
Are there any educated youth who are worse off than him? Other educated youth failed to get into college, but he was an orthodox educated youth who went to the countryside. His wife from the countryside got into college, but he, the only educated youth who went to the countryside, failed. Now Xue Xiaomei is in college, and he is left behind in the countryside with his children.
—This is simply the most famous and explosive news in the area.
Zhan Aiping couldn't help laughing: "You should be more positive and try to get into university as soon as possible."
It is also because of Zeng Jiang and his wife that she became famous.
Zeng Jiang, an educated youth who was left behind in his wife's hometown because he failed to get into university, is a "clear stream" among a large number of people who abandon their husbands and wives and children.
His father-in-law, Uncle Xue, is very kind to him now. He told him: "You have been wronged. In the future, take good care of your children in the countryside and try to get them into university as soon as possible."
Zeng Jiang: “…”
Zeng Jiang was extremely depressed. He reflected upon his mistakes and decided to get into university.
*
1977 and 1980 were years of great change. People's dressing style changed dramatically. Bell-bottom pants and shoulder-length hair began to appear, and disco became popular.
Little Tangyuan was clamoring to buy a TV, "Mom, I want to watch TV!"
Zhan Aiping went to buy a black and white TV. Gu Sheng got the TV tickets. She saw that most of the color TVs on the market were imported and expensive, so she bought a black and white TV first, which would not be eye-catching. Many families had started buying televisions, but black and white ones. It was not that their families could not afford the color ones, but that they were too eye-catching.
For now, I am using a black and white TV. Wait a few years until domestic color TVs come out and the price goes down. Then I can buy a color TV and sell the black and white TV second-hand.
Zhan Aiping took her two daughters to a department store in the city to buy a black-and-white TV. The two little ones were very excited along the way. Little Tangyuan hugged her sister and said, "Sister, we can watch TV now!"
Little Mianhua didn't quite understand what watching TV was, but since her sister was happy, she just smiled foolishly.
They took a taxi back home and immediately turned on the TV. At that time, the TV had an antenna, but the signal was not very good, sometimes good and sometimes bad. It was a metaphysical problem. The mother and daughter tried and pulled the antenna to several positions, and finally found the most stable picture state.
Little Tangyuan was waiting to watch TV... However, there were not many TV programs in the afternoon, and the TV at home could not receive many channels. He could only wait, and after waiting, there would be news.
Xiao Tangyuan wanted to watch movies and TV series, of course—mainly she didn’t want to do her homework.
Sweet and sour pork was not very interested in the new TV at home. He preferred to do math problems. Solving problems and making money made his mind happy.
His mother said that as long as he worked hard on math problems and thought about various solutions to them, she would give him a reward. Although the reward was not much, it could add up to a lot.
—He had worked hard to earn twenty dollars.
Every time he saw his son working so hard to learn mathematics, Comrade Zhan Aiping felt that he was an unscrupulous and black-hearted capitalist who abused child labor.
Seeing her brother making money, Xiao Tangyuan was very jealous. She said with a big face: "Mom, I can also help you with math exercises."
"I'm cheaper than my brother, just one cent."
Zhan Aiping pinched her little face and said, "As long as you write three essays honestly, Mom will give you one cent."
Little Tangyuan: “…”
She is a woman of integrity, and she would rather not make a penny.
"Mom, writing an essay is not the most important thing. Dad said that we should grasp the main contradictions of the matter. You'd better let me learn math well. It would be so embarrassing for you if I am not good at math." Little Tangyuan blinked.
Zhan Aiping said: "In order not to embarrass your mother, you should work harder."
"If a little dumpling like you can't get into college, it will be a huge shame for your mother."
Little Tangyuan: “…”
Her older brothers and sisters are in elementary school, and her younger sister Xiaomianhua is in kindergarten. Zhan Aiping is very worried about this soft little daughter, fearing that she will be bullied if she goes to school alone, especially since she is so cute.
After Zhan Aiping sent her daughter to kindergarten, she discovered that there was a problem in another aspect.
Her daughter Xiaomianhua is very popular, so popular that other children are willing to give her their toys and want to play with her.
In order to monopolize the opportunity to play with her, two children, a boy and a girl in the kindergarten quarreled and fought. While they were fighting, Little Cotton was cheering them on and said that she would play with whoever won.
Zhan Aiping looked at her cute daughter and was puzzled: "My little girl is quiet and obedient. It's ok for her not to be bullied. How could she deliberately stir up trouble?"
Teacher Chen from the kindergarten was having a headache. When she first saw Little Mianhua, she thought she was a well-behaved, quiet, obedient and sensible little girl. But after gradually understanding her daily behavior, she was helpless: "Don't you know how strong your daughter is?"
Zhan Aiping: “… not as big as her sister.”
Teacher Chen: "A kid tried to push her, but she pushed him back."
Zhan Aiping: "My daughter is very good at protecting herself."
"She won't be bullied. Many people are vying to play with her, but she actually said she'll play with whoever wins. Little Cotton's mother, you have to go back and teach her a lesson. Everyone should play together."
Zhan Aiping said: "I understand, thank you teacher."
Zhan Aiping took her little daughter back home. When Little Mianhua saw her mother, she immediately jumped up happily. She was as attached to her mother as her sister. Zhan Aiping held her in her arms and kissed her little face.
"Did you have fun today?"
“Happy.”
She also dressed her little daughter very cutely. The little daughter was soft and fluffy. Her sister spoke in a coquettish voice, but she spoke in a baby voice. She was shy in front of her mother and loved to act coquettishly with her mother.
"You have to play with everyone from now on, okay?"
Little Cotton said honestly: "I know, Mom."
Zhan Aiping asked her curiously, "Why do you say you only play with the one who wins?"
Little Cotton said, "They don't want to play together, they just want to play with me alone."
"Is that why they're fighting?"
"Yeah, yeah." Little Cotton hugged her mother's neck and nodded very obediently.
Zhan Aiping kissed her again and said, "The teacher misunderstood you. I will tell the teacher tomorrow."
"Mom..." Little Mianhua whispered in her mother's ear, "It's so fun to watch them fight. I'm so tired of shouting for them to cheer me on."
“I tried very hard to praise them!”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
You didn't start the trouble, you just like to exaggerate it.
"My dear, we can't do this."
On the way back, Zhan Aiping taught her little daughter a good lesson, telling her not to cheer others up indiscriminately and that everyone should live in peace.
After educating her little daughter, Zhan Aiping told Gu Sheng about this. Gu Sheng said silently: "Weren't you like this when you were a child?"
"My dad is chasing me and trying to beat me up, who are you cheering for?"
Zhan Aiping: “…”
"Why didn't you stop him, hold my father's legs, and tell him that he couldn't hit his son casually?"
Zhan Aiping glared at him and said, "When my mother scolded me, didn't you exaggerate? Your face looks very sarcastic and you deserve a beating."
It would be fine if they didn't bring up the past, but she would get very angry if they did.
Gu Sheng: "... Are you serious? Do I look sarcastic and deserve a beating?"
Zhan Aiping said coldly: "Sincerely."
"Mom and Dad, did you have a fight?" Little Mianhua ran over and hugged Zhan Aiping's legs. She was very worried, her eyes were red, and she was afraid that her parents would have a fight because of her.
Zhan Aiping said coldly with a sour face: "Mom is very angry now. Your dad has a bad attitude and has irritated me. Now mom wants to fight with him. Are you on mom's side or dad's side?"
Little Mianhua was frightened by Zhan Aiping's angry face. She burst into tears: "Mom and Dad, please stop quarreling."
Zhan Aiping picked up her daughter and said softly, "So you can't gloat over other people's quarrels, understand?"
Little Cotton's eyes were blurry with tears: "I know."
"That's better." Zhan Aiping kissed her daughter and said softly, "Since you are so obedient and sensible, I will forgive your father."
Gu Sheng raised his finger and pointed at his face: "Does this face still deserve a beating?"
Little Cotton looked up at her mother, then at her father, and encouraged her: "Mom, can you give Dad a kiss? Mommy smells sweet, so if you give Dad a kiss, he won't deserve a beating."
"My dad is so handsome. They all say that my dad is handsome, even more handsome than Xiaopang's dad!"
Gu Sheng blinked his peach blossom eyes: "Wife, give him a kiss. Look, my daughter said that he is prettier than Xiaopang's father."
Zhan Aiping didn't know who the fat boy her daughter was talking about was, nor did she know who the fat boy's father was. She kissed Gu Sheng on the face and said, "Okay, he's pretty, prettier than the fat boy's father. Mom likes him very much."
Little Cotton nodded excitedly and obediently in her mother's arms. She didn't like her parents quarreling. She liked her parents to love each other. She wanted her father to love her mother, and she also wanted her mother to love her father.
Zhan Aiping coaxed her little daughter and took her to listen to music on the radio. Before leaving, she turned around and gave Gu Sheng a wink.
They are quite sensible and cooperate well, which makes it worthwhile that they have been arguing for so many years in the past.
They have reached the seven-year itch and have seldom quarreled. Small quarrels can soothe the relationship but big quarrels can hurt the body. Perhaps it is time for them to quarrel.
After washing up and going to bed at night, when she was held in Gu Sheng's arms, Zhan Aiping said to Gu Sheng: "Don't you think our married life has become dull? It's the seven-year itch now, do you want to have a fight and try it out?"
Gu Sheng hugged her and said, "I don't like quarreling with you. I'm tired of fighting with those rough men every day. Wife, let's fight on the bed."
Zhan Aiping: “…”
Gu Sheng: "As the saying goes, don't waste your words if you can take action."
"Gu, please don't mess around."
"Now that little Mianhua is sleeping alone, why can't I do anything wrong?" Gu Sheng is very satisfied with his current life. At night, the couple can do whatever they want without worrying about disturbing the children.
"There are so many people with the last name Gu in our family. I don't know who you are talking about."
The next morning when Zhan Aiping went to work, she also checked the sturdiness of their beds. After all, they were made of wood and had been there for several years, so they might not be sturdy.
If they really start fighting, it can be quite a hassle. Even though the cubs have been sent away, it would be embarrassing if they were to end up on the bed.
Zhan Aiping said: "I want to sleep on a Simmons bed."
At that time, only high-end hotels and restaurants had Simmons beds. However, it has been seven or eight years now, and I believe it won’t be long before people can sleep on spring mattresses. When that time comes, she must choose a good and comfortable mattress.
The key is to make more money.
When Zhan Aiping sent her daughter to kindergarten, she asked casually, "Who is the fat kid in their class?"
She was very curious about who Xiaopang's father was
Teacher Chen told her who Xiaopang was. "Xiaopang is a nice kid. He gets along well with everyone, but he loves to eat. He is very greedy. He will grab a bite of anything he sees."
Zhan Aiping smiled and said, "Which child doesn't like to eat snacks?"
"By the way, Xiaopang's father is..."
After knowing the answer, Zhan Aiping left the kindergarten silently. When she met Gu Sheng in the evening, she couldn't help but murmured, "Old Gu, Old Gu, I really don't know whether your daughter is confident in you or not. Xiaopang's father is an old bear."
Lao Xiong, his name suits him.
They say that Dad is better looking than Little Fatty’s dad… Who says he isn’t? Even the next door Captain Luo is better looking than Little Fatty’s dad.
(End of this chapter)