“Mom, these vegetables and meat were given to me by the textile factory—they’re fresh and untouched,” Xu Ying said as she placed the items on the table.
“I also bought this fabric from a friend. It’s slightly defective, but it was cheaper, so I bought more.”
Originally, she’d only intended to get a few yards of cloth, but seeing how worn-out her family’s clothes were, Xu Ying decided to exchange all her remaining coupons for fabric.
She called out toward the kitchen, “Sister-in-law, when you have time, could you use this fabric to make some new clothes for Shi Huzi?”
“Ah—okay!”Sister-in-law Xu was startled, as if waking from a dream.
“Mom,” Xu Ying continued, “use the leftover fabric to make something for you and Dad. And make a new set for Second Brother too.”
Mother Xu’s face softened. “Whatever you make for your second brother, Mom will make for you too.”
Xu Ying shook her head. “Mom, I don’t want anything. I don’t like the color of this fabric anyway. Besides, I already have plenty of clothes at home that I barely wear. But Second Brother—he’s going to be a teacher soon. He’ll need proper clothes to look respectable in front of a classroom.”
Mother Xu paused, thinking it over. That’s true, she thought—when her second son became a teacher, he couldn’t go around wearing patched-up clothes. After a moment of hesitation, she steeled herself and agreed to make him a new set.
That evening at dinner, Mother Xu couldn’t help praising her daughter. “Second Brother, look how much your little sister cares for you. She bought this fabric, but didn’t keep it for herself—she insisted it be used to make you new clothes. She even said you’ll need to dress well once you start teaching. And she thought of your father and me too. What a thoughtful girl.”
She sighed with a touch of pride. “My daughter’s too kind. If she keeps this up when she goes out into the world, I’m afraid she’ll be taken advantage of.”
The eldest sister-in-law, touched by Xu Ying’s gesture, chimed in. “Mom, Little Sister, don’t worry. I’ll work hard to earn work points so I can save up and buy new clothes for her.”
Xu Ying’s elder brother quickly added, “Mom, I’ll treat Little Sister even better from now on.”
Even Second Brother spoke up eagerly. “Mom, when I officially become a teacher, I’ll give Little Sister five yuan as pocket money every month.”
Mother Xu gave him a dismissive snort. “Your little sister doesn’t need you to buy her clothes. She can earn money herself—and she earns more than any of you.”
She proudly shared, “She made ten yuan today!”
The whole Xu family stared in disbelief. Even Father Xu was stunned into silence for a long while.
After dinner, Xu Ying went to find Xu Shengcai and told him about her encounter with Accountant Xu. Motivated by her story, Xu Shengcai threw himself even more diligently into his studies.
Soon, the day of the preliminary exam arrived. Each village held its own test to select three candidates to advance to the next round.
In Xujiacun, the village head was barred from overseeing the exam since his own son was taking it. Instead, the deputy head was appointed as the proctor. Besides the official proctor inside, several villagers peered in from outside, watching for any sign of cheating.
The exam ended quickly, and the candidates returned home, anxiously awaiting the results.
The next day, the top three scorers—Lu Caocao (nicknamed Lu Daya), Xu Shengcai, and Chen Yanran—were announced as the representatives for Yushan Commune.
Father Xu was overjoyed when he heard his son had qualified. He was elated for days.
Mother Lu, initially indifferent about her daughter’s schooling, changed her tune the moment she heard Lu Daya had passed. “Daya, stop working in the fields for now. Focus on studying hard. If you can become a teacher, you’ll bring honor to our family.”
Father Lu was equally pleased. Their family had never produced someone with a formal job; if Daya succeeded, they’d finally earn the respect and envy of others.
As the day of the formal exam drew near, the Xu, Lu, and Chen families were all filled with nervous anticipation.
Even Dong Wenzhong felt conflicted. On one hand, he wanted Chen Yanran to pass and secure a better future for them. On the other hand, he feared that if she succeeded, she’d start looking down on him—or worse, leave him for someone “better.”
Dong Wenzhong had mostly recovered from his injuries, though his arm was still immobile. Determined not to be left behind, he personally accompanied Chen Yanran to the exam hall.
Likewise, Xu Ying’s family escorted Xu Shengcai, and the Lu family did the same for Lu Daya. In these times, people rarely let personal desires interfere when so much was at stake.
A teaching job was a treasure beyond measure.
As Xu Shengcai entered the exam hall, many family members lingered outside, silently praying for their loved ones’ success.
The afternoon passed quickly. When Xu Shengcai finally emerged, Xu’s father and mother rushed up to him. “How did it go? Are you confident?”
Xu Shengcai nodded firmly. Thanks to his little sister’s guidance, every key topic she’d pointed out had appeared on the test. He was full of confidence.
“Mom, Dad, you go on home. I’m going to walk around for a bit,” Xu Ying said, then ran off toward the school.
Her parents thought nothing of it, assuming she wanted to visit a classmate.
But Xu Ying had something else in mind. She went straight to the school principal. She wasn’t afraid of long odds—she was afraid of dirty tricks. After thinking of Accountant Xu, she couldn’t help worrying that someone might tamper with her brother’s scores.
“Principal,” she began with a big smile, “everyone in Yushan Commune says you’re an honest, upright man—someone who never lets corruption cloud his judgment.”
The principal, an older man with graying hair and a stern face, softened at her words. “You’re a sweet talker, girl. Now tell me—what’s this about?”
“Principal, I believe this recruitment is really important. Could you personally grade the exams? It would show how much you care about the school and the students,” Xu Ying said sincerely.
The principal tapped his pen thoughtfully. After a pause, he smiled. “You’re right, young lady. As principal, I want nothing more than to see my students grow into pillars of the nation. I can’t afford any carelessness here.”
With that, he stood up and retrieved the exam papers.
The teacher originally tasked with grading the papers tried to protest but couldn’t stop the principal from taking over.
A female teacher among them watched the principal with thinly veiled resentment. She’d been on the verge of marking the papers—and securing a spot for her nephew. Now that chance had slipped away.
Why does the principal meddle in everything? she thought bitterly.
The principal worked late into the night, carefully grading every exam himself.
Three days later, the final results were announced.