Translator: SJade, Editor: Dj22031
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Before that, Ye Ning went to the office to find her class teacher. She had to review the textbooks, but her focus had to be on the pharmaceutical factory exam.
“My grades were mediocre. If nothing had happened at home, I could barely get into an ordinary university. I originally planned to go to a normal school, where there was no tuition fee and I could get subsidies. But now… I’m afraid I won’t be able to get into university because of my grades. The family situation is like this, and now there is such a good opportunity, I want to give it a try.” To put it bluntly, teachers’ salaries may not be as high as those of Everbright Pharmaceuticals workers.
There was a similar pharmaceutical factory in the county town of her own world. It was still a state-owned factory until her death, and earned a lot of money. After all, people got sick and had to take medicine. Old-brand pharmaceutical factories were still very popular among Chinese people. Not to mention that the profits from drugs were so high.
Of course, Ye Ning won’t work in the pharmaceutical factory until she retired. But it was good to use it for now.
Teacher Zhang could certainly think of everything she could think of, and even thought more than she did. She was very clear about the situation in Ye Ning’s family. Her mother was an educated youth. She had not been heard from since she returned to the city in 1980. After such a long time, she had probably remarried, and now that her father was gone and she had two younger siblings to take care, she had to bear the family’s livelihood.
“I understand. I will communicate with the teachers in various subjects. Please review carefully. My students, even if they do not enter college, should enter the largest factory in the county.”
“Thank you, teacher.” With Teacher Zhang’s help, Ye Ning didn’t have to be secretive when reading extracurricular books. Of course, she would still review Chinese and English, and she would also take a look at mathematics. She couldn’t fail in the exam, that would be too embarrassing.
There were no weekends at this time, only one day off. As a senior high school student who was about to take the college entrance examination, she didn’t even have this day. Ye Ning counted the time. Spring ploughing was about to begin at home. Ye Qingshan could not go home. She was worried about people from her old house would come looking for them. Her younger brother and sister would be in trouble and thus asked for leave from the class teacher.
“Okay, you can go back. If anything happens, just call the school.” Teacher Zhang thought that there was no phone in Ye Ning’s village, so he frowned and asked, “How about I go back with you?”
“No, I can handle it, thank you teacher.” Ye Ning went back and bought two kilograms of white sugar and one kilogram of hard candies to take with her. Of the two kilograms of white sugar, one kilogram was given to the old party secretary. He had a high prestige in the village. If there was anything in the village, he was most useful, and another pound was intended to be given to the auntie next door. When Ye Qingshan and she were not at home, that aunt often took care of Ye Lan and Ye Gu. She had to show her appreciation and even though it was just a pound of sugar, it was not bad at this time as a gift, she bought the hard candies for her younger brother and sister, so that they could have a sweet treat once in a while.
After waiting for the bus for more than half an hour, she got home before lunch. She also bought two kilograms of meat. She occasionally ate some meat at school. The two younger ones hadn’t eaten it since the Chinese New Year. They didn’t think so much about it last time. She only remembered it when she saw her two skinny siblings.
This time, because it was about time to have lunch, there were many people returning from work on the road. When they saw Ye Ning, they asked curiously: “Why are you back again?”
“I have something to do so I came home.” Ye Ning smiled and said hello all the way back.
Aunt Guihua’s eyes lit up when she saw Ye Ning coming back from a distance. She felt it was luck. It was a rare time for her son to come back. Unexpectedly, even Ye Ning came back at this time.
“You said Xiao Ning is back?” Ye Huaxing’s eyes also lit up. He had been restless ever since he met Ye Ning. He just felt that he had finally waited for his love. He thought about how his mother said that Ye Ning would take the college entrance examination this year, it seemed that her results were also good, so he was even more anxious.
He was not arrogant enough to think that a college student would marry him, so it was best to settle the marriage before Ye Ning’s college entrance examination, so he returned to the village on the weekend just to ask his mother how she was doing.
“That could still be false. I want it to be true, but her father is not at home, and her grandfather may not be able to make the final decision on her marriage.” Aunt Guihua had asked Ye Ning’s step-grandmother and eldest aunt to talk about Ye Ning’s marriage. They were obviously very excited about the marriage, but they said they couldn’t make the decision.
Little did she know that Ye Ning’s step-grandma and aunt were really moved. As for why they refused, it was entirely because they looked down on her family.
In their opinion, Ye Ning was beautiful and a high school student, the only one in eight villages within ten miles. Of course, such a girl must marry into the town or the city. If you don’t talk about it far away, just take a look at Er Mazi’s house. Just because a daughter married into the city, her brothers also moved to the city to work as workers.
Ye Ning was such an easily coaxed girl. When the time came, she could help her eldest grandson become a city citizen. Would she have to worry that her other grandsons will not be able to become city residents in the future then?
Moreover, there was still a large amount of betrothal gift to be received. Ye Qingshan was not usually at home, so her grandfather, as the elder, must receive the money, and it would become theirs by then.
Ye Ning didn’t know that the people in the old house wanted good things like this, she just hurried home, not seeing the same attitude as last time. When she entered the house, she saw Ye Lan lighting a fire, and took out the meat for her to fry.
“Why did you buy meat if it’s out of season?” Ye Lan frowned. Now that her parents were gone and she had no source of income, no matter how much money she had, she was worried about spending it all. But if her sister bought it, she couldn’t afford to say much, she just said: “Let’s eat noodles for lunch. I’ve made them in the morning. Can we cook the meat in the evening?”
“I’ve got my job done, so it’s a celebration.” Ye Ning was not angry. Ye Lan also thought about her family and waited. In the future, when she had a salary, she won’t nag when she bought things.
When Ye Lan heard Ye Ning say that her job was secured, Ye Lan’s face lit up. She won’t go into details about how difficult it was to find a job at this time. In short, being able to stay in the city was definitely a matter of honor.
Suddenly, her little face fell again, “Sister, what kind of job? Will it be very hard? Otherwise, don’t go to work. The money can definitely be used for four years. Sister, you can continue to go to college. If you don’t have enough money, use my share.”
Ye Ning smiled gently when she heard this, “No need, I took a long leave this time and missed a lot of classes. Also, I have to take an exam for this job. I have to prepare for the exam. I can only choose between the two. One, the job is good. After graduating from college, I’m going to work anyway, so I might as well work early to make money.”
But that’s not what they said. Was working after college the same as working after graduating from high school? The room for advancement was different.
If she planned to mix the system or simply work, of course the higher the diploma, the better. The problem was that Ye Ning had no intention of working all the time. This matter was difficult to explain. In this era, being self-employed was a very shameful thing, so she did not plan to explain this to Ye Lan.
“I know it well. You cook first, and I’ll go wash my face.” As soon as they arrived in the yard, they saw Aunt Guihua and Ye Huaxing arriving in a hurry.
“Xiao Ning, I just heard someone said you were back and I came over to see you. Just in time, my son is back too.” Aunt Guihua smiled broadly.
Ye Ning saw a lot of people watching the fun and stopped them from entering. She didn’t have any elders in her family, so if she just let people in, she would turn around and hear gossip about her and Ye Huaxing’s date.
“Aunt Guihua, my dad is not at home. If you have anything to talk, let’s sit outside.”
Ye Ning walked out of the yard and closed the door behind her, not intending to invite them in. Aunt Guihua’s face suddenly turned ugly, “This is not the first time you met with my Huaxing and he even said that he would help you review your homework. Huaxing just happened to have returned to the village, so he came to ask you which course you need to review in order to teach you more. He is a teacher after all, and he is the best at teaching people.”
This was so misleading. What do you mean when they met last time, he said he would help her review? Those who didn’t know would think they were so close. Sure enough, someone asked, “Xiao Ning, do you know Huaxing?”
Before Ye Ning could say anything, Aunt Guihua responded: “Of course, Huaxing and Xiao Ning are from the same high school and the same village, how could they not know each other?”
“Just last time I took a car to town, I met Aunt Guihua when her son came to pick her up. There is a four-year age difference between me and Teacher Ye. Teacher Ye was in school when I only knew how to play. When I was in high school, teacher Ye had already graduated and come to the town to become teacher. How can we know each other? Aunt Guihua, our high school has been restructured. Teacher Ye used to be in the two-year system and I’m in the three-year system. The textbook content is different. Don’t bother your son. If there is any problem, I can always ask the teacher.”
Ye Ning felt that her eyes were opened. You couldn’t be too polite to some people, or they would take themselves seriously.
“Xiao Ning…” Ye Huaxing was a little anxious when he saw Ye Ning say this. Ye Ning directly stopped what Ye Huaxing planned to say, “Teacher Ye, I was in a bus with your mother when I went back to the county town last time, and then we met when you came to pick up Aunt Guihua. We said a few words. I really don’t know you well. It would be a misunderstanding to call me Xiao Ning. Please call me Classmate Ye or Comrade Ye Ning.”
Now everyone around them understood, and the relationship was like having one’s head shaved and picking one’s head off. Ye Huaxing was definitely considered a young talent in the village. Many families with daughters in Shiliba Village had considered him. However, Aunt Guihua told people that her son had just started working and was not in a hurry to get married, so they gave up their thoughts. Now look it’s not that they’re not anxious, it’s just that they look down on the girls in the village.
Everyone looked at Ye Ning. She had fair skin, delicate facial features, and was tall. She was still a high school student, and may even become a college student. No wonder people were attracted to her. But just because Ye Ning’s conditions were so good, could she like Ye Huaxing?
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