After dinner, Song Ying and Liu Wufeng took Liu Hong to the alley. The smiles on the couple's faces were seen by the neighbors.
"Hey, what good things happened to Song Ying's family? She's so happy."
"Look at what you said, there is no day when I am not happy." Song Ying said this on the surface, but in her heart she wished that the other party would continue to ask questions so that she could show off.
It's a pity that the other party didn't say anything further, which made Song Ying hold back what she wanted to say.
Coincidentally, as soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw Huang Ling coming out to wash dishes, and I couldn't wait to hold Huang Ling's arm.
Huang Ling was amused for a while: "Look at you smiling so hard that your mouth is twisted. Tell me if you have any good things to say."
Song Ying cleared her throat and announced in a very solemn tone: "Just now, Teacher Liu from the Children's Palace Go class said that our Haozi is very good at playing Go and asked him to represent our Suzhou Children's Palace in the National Children's Go Competition."
Huang Ling's eyes widened when she heard this: "Really?"
"That can still be a holiday. Teacher Liu can't wait to notify us tomorrow. He came all the way here just to tell us the good news as soon as possible." Song Ying said proudly.
The conversation between the two was heard by Wang Yong's family next door.
"Oh, Haozi is going to participate in the national competition, that's a big deal."
Song Ying folded her arms and raised her chin high: "That's right, Teacher Liu said that in this national children's Go competition, the top ten can directly enter the youth class of the China Chess Academy. In the future, they will be national players and represent the entire country in the competition.
You know how to fight for honor."
Wang Yong's wife heard this and said sourly: "Oh, then Song Ying, you are going to enjoy the blessing. The salary of the national players must be very good, maybe even higher than the salary of our factory director."
"It's still very difficult to be in the top ten in the country. I don't expect Haozi to get a ranking. After all, he is still young. He just needs to participate in competitions to practice and accumulate some experience." Song Ying naturally heard that the other party was yin and yang herself, and curled her lips.
"That's right. There are so many children from across the country participating in the competition. It's not that easy to get into the top ten."
If Huang Ling hadn't stopped her, Song Ying would have quarreled with Wang Yong's wife on the spot.
"Don't be angry, she's just jealous. You don't have to be the same as her. Haozi is so smart, he will definitely be in the top ten."
Song Ying pursed her lips and nodded: "Yes."
Seeing this scene, Qin Hao could only sigh helplessly. It seemed that he really wanted to get a good ranking in this Go competition, and for no other reason than to make Song Ying happy.
After Huang Ling returned to the house, Zhuang Chaoying suddenly asked: "Is the neighbor really going to participate in the National Children's Go Competition?"
"Yes, what's wrong?" Huang Ling asked doubtfully.
Zhuang Chaoying pushed up her glasses: "I've heard of this National Children's Go Competition. It's not small. There were more than two hundred players participating in the last competition. The age range is also quite wide, from 8 to 16 years old.
Sign up, there are many players in the last session whose chess skills are comparable to professional chess players."
"Really? It's really not easy to get into the top ten." Huang Ling murmured to herself, hesitating whether to tell Song Ying about this, and worried that she would be disappointed when she found out.
Zhuang Chaoying was happy: "Top ten? That's not something ordinary people can get. Our school's Lao Wang, his son likes to play Go. For this reason, Lao Wang specially found a retired professional chess player as a teacher for him. It took a lot of money
It’s a lot of money. His son was very good at primary school in Suzhou and in the junior high school age group. But when it came to the national competition, he didn’t even pass the preliminary round and was eliminated.”
"Is it so difficult?"
"Go is a very talent-demanding sport. At first I had the idea of letting Tunan learn it, but later I saw that he had no interest in it, so I gave up. This road is not easy to take."
Huang Ling did not doubt Zhuang Chaoying's words. Although her husband was foolish and filial, he still cared about the education of his children.
Zhuang Xiaoting on the side saw that her parents had finished speaking, so she came to Huang Ling and said in a sweet voice: "Mom, the teacher in the vocal class said, let us practice hard. I heard that if we practice well, we can participate in the Children's Day report
The show can even be on TV.”
"Well, then you should work hard, our Xiaoting is the best."
"Um."
A day passed in the blink of an eye, and every household in the alley was next to each other. The news that Qin Hao was going to represent the Suzhou Children's Palace in the national competition spread. Early in the morning, when Song Ying went to work, many neighbors asked about her.
Although Song Ying was proud, she did not forget to keep a low profile, saying that Qin Hao was still young and just went to join in the fun.
The neighbors thought it made sense when they heard it. After all, they had never heard that Qin Hao had any talent for playing Go before. He only learned chess in the Children's Palace for a few days. How could he be so good?
Soon, this gust of wind blew, and no one cared about it. No one thought that Qin Hao could really get any ranking, let alone ten points ahead of schedule.
Before we knew it, March was here.
In late spring, in March, grass grows in the south of the Yangtze River, there are mixed peanut trees, and flocks of orioles fly around.
At the same time, a piece of heavy news also spread in society.
The resumption of the college entrance examination in 1977 came very suddenly and was not held until December. This was the only college entrance examination in the history of the college entrance examination held in winter. Because it was too hasty, many people did not catch up with this wave of college entrance examination.
Therefore, the superiors decided that the 1978 college entrance examination would be held in late July, which meant that there were only four months until the next college entrance examination.
For students who want to take the college entrance examination, four months is too short. Especially some educated youth who go to the mountains and countryside. The college entrance examination has been interrupted for ten years and they have to face hard work. How can they have the mood and energy to study.
No, the small courtyard soon received a wave of uninvited guests. Li Yiming was the son of Aunt Li, a cotton mill worker. Zhuang Chaoying couldn't refuse him thousands of miles away, so she could only give him a small talk after get off work.
As a result, Li Yiming came to class by himself and often brought people over, which made Huang Ling's family almost overwhelmed and seriously interfered with the studies of Zhuang Tunan and Zhuang Xiaoting.
Early that morning, Li Yiming brought one of his cousins to class and knocked on the door. Zhuang Chaoying was really disturbed and refused because Zhuang Tunan was about to take the junior high school entrance examination.
As a result, Li Yiming, the cousin, said directly: "Teacher Zhuang, I don't think you have clear priorities. The college entrance examination is more important than the small test."
At that time, Zhuang Chaoying's face became ugly. Song Ying held it in for a long time. After returning home, she couldn't help laughing loudly, and she also imitated it in a decent way for Lin Wufeng.
Qin Hao really couldn't stand it anymore: "Those who don't know, I think you are here to teach for free. I haven't figured out my priorities yet. You won't do anyone any good by going to college. On the contrary, you interfere with Zhuang Tunan's learning environment."
, if he does not do well in the quiz and cannot go to a key middle school, it will affect his life. Can you take this responsibility?"
Li Yiming and his cousin were stunned into silence.
Huang Ling looked at Qin Hao with a "savior" look.
Li Yiming smiled bitterly and said to Zhuang Chaoying: "Teacher Zhuang, I know this will disturb you, but the college entrance examination is really important to us. My cousin is an educated youth and went to the countryside in a nearby village. He sat more than two days in advance.
Those who drive into the city will have to take the bus back to the brigade in the evening after answering the questions."
Zhuang Chaoying was a little moved when he heard this. Qin Hao secretly cursed this pig teammate and had to speak first.
"The college entrance examination is important to everyone, but there is no such thing as you. It's hard work. That's because you want to change your destiny through the college entrance examination. This process must be painful. You have to pay for this pain yourself instead of passing it on to others. If you want
Teacher Zhuang teaches you, then come up with a plan that will not disturb everyone's rest as much as possible, instead of blindly engaging in moral kidnapping."
Huang Ling wanted to applaud Qin Hao from the side. She knew that Qin Hao was precocious, spoke and acted in a more organized manner than children of the same age. No, it should be that children much older than him have clear minds. For example, her son Zhuang Tunan, although
He is smart, but all his intelligence seems to be used in reading, and the rest of his worldly sophistication is completely black-eyed.
However, what happened today really made Huang Ling realize that Qin Hao was much smarter than she imagined, and she could no longer look at him the same way she looked at a child.
Li Yiming and his "cousin" looked very ugly. It wasn't that they didn't understand the ways of the world, but their past experiences taught them that "whoever is poor is justified." That's why "cousin" could confidently accuse Zhuang Chaoying of ignoring priorities.
But when Qin Hao directly spoke back, they realized that the previous method didn't seem to work anymore.
Zhuang Chaoying originally wanted to say a few words on behalf of Li Yiming and others to avoid a stalemate, but Huang Ling did not compromise at all when it came to the issue of her children's education, and kept giving Zhuang Chaoying a wink to tell him to leave it alone.
In the end, Lin Wufeng came up with a plan, asking Li Yiming and his "cousin" to sort out the problems, and then wait for Zhuang Chaoying to be free before going to each house to answer the questions. If you want to make a fuss with everyone, for the sake of your children's college entrance examination, this kind of sacrifice is always necessary.
Bar?
This plan was unanimously approved by everyone, and the storm was over.
After Zhuang Chaoying took Li Yiming and her "cousin" to Aunt Li's house, Huang Ling quietly came to Song Ying's house with a few White Rabbit toffees.
"Haozi, thank you so much just now. We are all neighbors in the street. There are some things I can't say. Anyway, Aunt Huang owes you a favor today, a big favor."
Qin Hao did not pick up the White Rabbit candy that Huang Ling handed over, but smiled: "Aunt Huang is such a big favor, how many White Rabbits are you going to use to kill me?"
"No, this is an extra thank you. The favor is still owed. If you have anything to do in the future, Aunt Huang will definitely help you if she can." Huang Ling waved her hands repeatedly.
Song Ying signaled Qin Hao to accept it.
Qin Hao was no longer polite, but he gave some toffee to Zhuang Tunan and his sister. Lin Dongzhe finished sharing the candies and only ate one himself.
At first, Huang Ling refused to let the Zhuang Tunan brothers and sisters take it. Qin Hao just said lightly: "Aunt Huang, since this is what you want to give me, then it belongs to me. It should be my right to give it to whom I want to eat."
right."
Huang Ling was speechless for a moment and could only acquiesce. Zhuang Tunan and Zhuang Xiaoting then took it, peeled off the sugar coating, and happily held it in their mouths.
"Thank you, Brother Hao. The white rabbit is so sweet." Zhuang Xiaoting half-squinted her eyes, her little face full of happiness.
"Well, it's so sweet." Lin Dongzhe nodded repeatedly. He could only eat a few white rabbits every year during the Chinese New Year.
Zhuang Tunan said to Qin Hao: Thank you, but did not eat it, but put it away.
After dinner, Qin Hao and Zhuang Tunan brother and sister did their homework together, while Lin Dongzhe ran to Grandpa Zhang's house in the alley to watch TV. In 1977, TV was a rare item. Not only did it cost up to five hundred oceans, it cost an average worker one and a half years.
Salary, and you can't buy it even if you have money, you have to have TV tickets, and state-owned stores will sell them to you.
And due to the extreme shortage of goods, even if you have tickets, you have to grab them. It is common to queue up all night in sub-zero temperatures just for a TV.
The main reason why Lin Dongzhe is so interested in TV is because Zhuang Xiaoting said that she watched the News Network at her grandfather's house last year, and Lin Dongzhe would go to Grandpa Zhang's house to watch it every day.
As a result, Lin Dongzhe came back crying that day.
"Grandpa Zhang said that I have a small butt and take up a bench in their house."
Even though Song Ying yells at Lin Dongzhe on weekdays, she is actually very protective. If outsiders say anything bad about Lin Dongzhe, she will remember it for the rest of her life.
"I won't go to his house to watch TV anymore. It's just a TV. Let's save money and buy it!"
Seeing Song Ying wave her hand, Lin Wufeng couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Really buy it?"
"Buy it. Starting from next month, we will save thirty yuan every month. Our family will be able to buy a TV next year."
Lin Wufeng looked at Qin Hao helplessly. There was nothing he could do. Whose daughter-in-law should be favored? What else could he do?
So, starting from the next day, Song Ying began to be careful when buying vegetables. It happened that Huang Ling brought a pack of snake melon seeds from get off work that day, saying that they could be planted in the yard, and the yield would be high, which would save money on vegetables.
"Planting to buy a TV."
Then Lin Wufeng and Qin Hao braved the rain to open up a small vegetable garden in the small courtyard and built a wooden frame. Snake melons and loofahs are both cucurbits. After the vines grow, they will spread along the frame.
Conducive to fruit bearing.
It's April soon, and the snake melon in the yard has begun to grow vines and begin to climb up the shelf.
However, Qin Hao couldn't eat snake melon because he was about to go to the capital to participate in the National Children's Go Competition.
Before leaving, Lin Dongzhe said to Qin Hao with pity on his face: "Brother Hao, don't worry, when the snake melons mature, I will hide a few for you and keep them for you."
No need to!
Song Ying reluctantly put Qin Hao on the train and burst into tears before leaving. After several months of getting along, she really regarded Qin Hao as her own son.
"Brother Hao, if there is anything new and interesting in the capital, remember to bring some back to me, don't take it all by yourself." Lin Dongzhe shouted as he ran after the train.
Song Ying stopped her tears instantly, grabbed Lin Dongzhe and spanked him hard several times: "How many times have I told you not to run after the train, or you will die!"
That night, Lin Dongzhe began to let himself go, neither taking a shower nor sleeping, which made Song Ying jump to her feet in anger.
"Oh, I suddenly felt that this family couldn't survive without Haozi. As soon as he left, Lin Dongzhe, the monkey, started to act like a monster again."