NABC Chapter 400: The 80s' 'Five Grains of Harvest' 5
Chapter 400: The 80s' 'Five Grains of Harvest' 5
When it comes to junior high school entrance exams, many people drop out of school early and stay at home because they feel they will not pass the exam, or if they do pass, their families do not have the money to allow them to continue their studies.
Go to the city to find a job before graduation season.
Gu Min dropped out of school because of both of the reasons.
She has a father who is domestically violent and lazy, and a mother who is not very good at working. Fortunately, with the help of her grandparents, Gu Min was able to barely finish the third year of junior high school. Otherwise, she would have been ordered by her father to go to work and earn money.
"What's the point of taking the exam? My mom said that it will take another three years to get into high school, and several more years to get into college. Those who have graduated from junior high school and have been working in the city have already earned many years' salary. Maybe they have even been promoted!" Gu Li was worrying about whether she should go to the city to find a job in advance.
Gu Yubo tilted his head and looked at Gu Li: "Your grades are so good, why don't you take the exam?"
"All roads lead to Rome. We don't just have to study. Look at my second aunt, she has the skill of a tailor and now she has opened a shop in the city. The business is so good that my second sister is so busy that she has to work overtime for several days in a row. I heard from my second uncle that they also want to open a clothing factory."
"Also, look at the brick kiln factory built behind our village. It was originally just an earthen kiln, but how big has it become now? There are so many people from several villages working there! But the boss can't read a single word, he can only write his own name! Can't he still recruit well-educated people to work in his factory?"
"I want to make money as soon as possible. I don't want my best years to be wasted on studying and memorizing math!" Gu Li's analysis was so clear that Gu Yubo was speechless for a moment.
Gu Yubo felt that what Gu Li said made a lot of sense.
However, "My grandfather said that reading can enlighten one and change one's destiny." Gu Yubo couldn't say any more truths, but she knew that she must study.
Gu Li opened her mouth but said nothing in the end. Her analysis was based on Comrade Zhang Yuhua's advice.
In fact, she was confused.
Both of Gu Li's sisters followed the path arranged by Comrade Zhang Yuhua, and it seems that they are doing very well so far.
The eldest sister married the son of the landlord from whom she had rented a house for two years and became a city dweller. After she had a child, she quit her job and stayed at home to take care of the child, living an easy and comfortable life.
She married better than other girls of the same age in the village.
My second sister has a skill, so making money is not a problem for her, but she is too busy to have time to date.
That afternoon, Gu Li did not go to school. She lay at home for a long time, still not figuring out what to do.
Comrade Zhang Yuhua came back from get off work at the brick factory and trotted to the toilet. When he came out, he found that all the clothes hanging on the bamboo poles at the door had been put away.
She walked into the kitchen and saw Gu Li sitting on a small stool, lighting a fire and cooking porridge.
"Why are you guys getting out of school so early today?" Not only did he drive the chickens back to the roost, he also put away the clothes, and even the rice porridge on the stove was almost ready.
"I didn't go to school this afternoon?"
"Is it holiday? You finished the exam so early?" Comrade Zhang Yuhua fastened his belt and waved for Gu Li to get out of the way. "You're wasting too much firewood. I'll do it!"
Gu Li readily stepped aside and said, "I don't want to go to school anymore."
Comrade Zhang Yuhua said without thinking: "Okay, then follow your second sister to learn tailoring. People live for food, clothing, shelter and transportation. Food and clothing are the most important. Tailoring is a good skill. With a skill, you will never have to worry about food and drink!"
"Ah."
"When your second sister comes back tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, you can go with her."
"it is good."
"With your clever brain, you will definitely learn faster than your second sister and do better than your second sister. Then you two sisters can open a store together!"
Gu Li thought, that’s for sure!
She wants to do her best.
Unexpectedly, the agreement between the mother and daughter was opposed by Gu Xilin.
The Gu family saved money for several years, but instead of building a house, they bought a tractor last year to transport bricks for the brick factory.
In the past few years of reform and opening up, everyone has made some money, more and more people are building houses, and the brick factory's business is so good that the production line cannot finish all the orders on hand even if it runs 24 hours a day.
Gu Xilin originally drove a tractor in a brick factory. Now the factory’s tractors were not enough, so he simply bought one for himself.
The factory quadrupled his salary as a result. He also usually hauled other things for others and was very busy all day long.
As soon as I got back, I heard that my little daughter didn’t want to go to school.
"You've been studying for three years, and you don't even want a diploma?"
"The teacher said that as long as you take the exam on the day, you will get your diploma regardless of your score."
The reason why the teachers agreed to let those students who had no intention of taking the high school entrance exam go home early was that they did not want those people to affect the studies of good students. They hoped that they would not go to school and corrupt the atmosphere.
Then, that night, Comrade Zhang Yuhua and Gu Xilin had a heated debate about whether Gu Li should continue her studies.
Comrade Zhang Yuhua was still upset because the purchase of a tractor had delayed the construction of a new house for her family. There were already several families in the village building new houses, and she was very jealous.
Not only can her family not build a house now, but they also owe money to the brick factory for buying a tractor.
Besides, she had to treat her three daughters equally. Since the first two elder sisters did not go to high school, Gu Li certainly did not have to go either.
I'm not going to high school anymore, why should I miss those extra days to go to school! There are so many chores at home, it would be great to have someone to share the burden with.
But she couldn't convince Gu Xilin for a while.
Y City is close to the Yangtze River, located in the middle and lower reaches, and has the largest shipyard in the province. In his early years, Gu Xilin had a clerical job in the shipyard because he had studied, which was considered one of the most stable jobs in the village.
Later, because she wanted to have a son, she violated the policy and had more children than allowed. She lost her job, resigned voluntarily, and went home to work in a brick factory.
Gu Xilin thinks that studying is good and that the future will be brighter for him.
The couple didn't discuss for long before they fell asleep due to exhaustion from their work, and soon two snoring sounds were heard in the east room.
Early the next morning, Comrade Zhang Yuhua woke up Gu Li who wanted to sleep until she woke up naturally. Comrade Zhang Yuhua said, "You have to work hard every day. There are only a few days left. You should at least get a diploma to prove that you have the ability to enter high school."
After drinking a bowl of porridge, Gu Li still picked up her schoolbag and went to school.
A few days passed in a flash, and as soon as the high school entrance examination was over, Gu Li threw away her schoolbag and ran to her eldest sister's house in the city.
The little niece is only a few months old, chubby like a little meat ball, so cute that she can't let go of her.
However, she came back after staying at her eldest sister's house for only two days. Her eldest sister's mother-in-law was not an easy person to get along with, and she might have been regarded as a profiteer by others.