After the New Year, spring quietly arrived.
As the snow melted and fresh green buds sprouted on the treetops, preparations to reopen the village primary school began.
This news caused a stir among the villagers.
The reopening of the school meant new teaching positions, and teachers would not only receive wages but also earn work points.
The monthly salary alone was a full five yuan!
At the village chief’s home, the brigade leader’s house, and the party secretary’s home, things became bustling with activity.
Every day, people came bearing gifts, hoping to secure a teaching position for their family members.
The brigade leader was visibly annoyed.
“Do you think just anyone can become a teacher? We’re all from the same village—don’t I know your situation? Your son only completed primary school, and even then, his grades were always at the bottom. And now you expect him to teach the children of our brigade? Schools are for teaching kids to read and gain knowledge, not for having teachers and students stare blankly at the textbook together!”
The reprimanded villager shrank back, muttering, “But he did attend primary school, didn’t he? He can at least recognize some characters.”
“The upper levels have said that teachers must pass an exam to qualify. Take your things and leave. If you’ve got the time to scheme, why not have your kids hit the books instead?”
“But if he studies, can he really pass the exam?”
The brigade leader rolled his eyes. “I’m saying they should study to learn something useful—not just dream about impossibilities all day. Our kids go to school to read and learn, not to play make-believe.”
His frustration was understandable. Despite announcing through a loudspeaker that teaching positions would be determined through exams, people still came, acting like they hadn’t heard a word.
Not only did villagers from his brigade come, but outsiders also showed up bearing gifts, which further infuriated him.
At the same time, the mood in the educated youth dormitory was a bit restless.
“Should we also try to curry favor with the brigade leader? What if they somehow leak the exam questions?”
Song Wei dismissed the idea. “The brigade leader is already annoyed. If you go now, you’re walking straight into trouble. I don’t know about others, but he won’t reveal the questions for sure.”
The brigade leader was known for his integrity, but others might not be so scrupulous.
Song Wei continued, rubbing her chin thoughtfully: “If someone does leak the exam questions, and too many people find out, there’s bound to be trouble during the test.”
And sure enough, some people managed to get hold of the test questions—such as the village chief.
At the village chief’s home, his granddaughter Wang Xiaohua was throwing a tantrum.
“Grandpa, I’m carrying Brother Luo’s child! How can you be so heartless and ignore me? Brother Luo is knowledgeable, and if he becomes a teacher, won’t you be proud? And the baby in my belly will have a secure future. You have to help me!”
Wang Xiaohua was a naïve and foolish girl. Although she had quarreled fiercely with Luo Yecheng in the past, his sweet talk and attentiveness since the teaching position opened up quickly won her over again. She forgot all their past grievances and came running to the village chief for help.
“We’re family, after all. You may not like Brother Luo, but now we’re married, and I’m pregnant with his child. Whatever happened before, it’s in the past. I’m still your kin!”
The village chief puffed on his pipe. “Fine, fine. I’ll see what I can do.”
Wang Xiaohua left beaming.
Returning to the small house she shared with Luo Yecheng, he immediately asked, “How did it go?”
Wang Xiaohua puffed up her chest. “Trust me! Even though Grandpa chased us out, we’re still family. He said he’d figure something out.”
Relieved, Luo Yecheng praised her, drawing her into an embrace.
Wang Xiaohua, who was plump and dark-skinned, leaned against Luo Yecheng with a bashful smile.
While Luo Yecheng hid his disdain and disgust, he gritted his teeth and bore it.
One day, when his life improved, he vowed to crush anyone who had ever humiliated him.
The village chief eventually managed to obtain the exam questions, much to Wang Xiaohua’s delight. She eagerly handed them over to Luo Yecheng.
However, word of this leaked out. That very night, many of the village chief’s relatives showed up, pestering him with both threats and flattery.
Unable to withstand the pressure, he finally showed the questions to his relatives as well.
On the day of the exam, the turnout was larger than expected.
Song Wei also joined the crowd, more to watch the show than anything else.
Aside from her, almost all the educated youth decided to take a chance, including Bai Yunjiao.
With the winter vegetable greenhouse dismantled and its materials safely stored for reuse next winter, they were back to working in the fields.
Becoming a teacher would mean avoiding such labor altogether.
The number of examinees far exceeded expectations, and the team leader looked like he might faint.
“You lot! Don’t think I don’t know. Some of you didn’t even finish primary school!”
A few people stepped forward to defend themselves. “Brigade Leader, you’re being unfair. So what if we didn’t graduate? Our kids have been self-studying at home!”
The brigade leader snapped, “Fine. But there are only twenty test papers. So if you’re just here to make up the numbers, get lost!”
But none of them budged.
Frustrated, the brigade leader called out, “Song Wei, come here!”
Song Wei pointed at herself. “Me?”
“Yes. Come here. Write a few questions—nothing too hard, just at a middle school level. Let’s weed out the unqualified right here and now!”
Reluctantly, Song Wei complied. For math, she gave simple two- and three-digit calculations. For language, she asked them to recite a short poem from a textbook.
The results were amusing. Many couldn’t even handle two-digit multiplication and division.
“Get lost! Stop wasting my time!” the brigade leader roared.
Those who failed shuffled away dejectedly, grumbling about the unfairness of having Song Wei set the questions.
The brigade leader wasn’t having it.
“She’s the fairest person for this. She’s not even taking the exam herself, so don’t start accusing her of cheating!”
In the end, thirty people qualified to take the actual test. Since there weren’t enough papers, Lin Zhen had to drive the tractor to the commune to fetch more.
By afternoon, the exam finally began, with two representatives from the education department supervising and grading the results.
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