Chapter 129: The Resumption of the College Entrance Examination
“The Ministry of Education convened a national college admissions conference in the imperial capital and has decided to reinstate the national college entrance examination, which has been suspended for over ten years. Admission to universities will once again be based on a unified exam and merit-based selection! The groups eligible to take the reinstated college entrance exam are: workers, peasants, educated youth sent to the countryside and those who returned, demobilized soldiers, cadres, and current high school graduates…”
The passionate announcement rang out clearly from the loudspeakers. Inside the machinery factory, everyone stopped working, holding their breath and listening intently. The next moment, cheers erupted like a tidal wave, shaking the heavens and the earth!
“They’re bringing back the college entrance exam! The exam is back! Hahahahaha…”
“I can go to university! I’m going to university!”
Some wept tears of joy, some fainted on the spot, others took off running wildly…
Xu Huazhang, who had walked out of the office building, turned back again.
At the Dongfanghong Brigade, when the secretary ran to the soy paste factory to announce the news, the educated youth there went mad with joy—some burst into uncontrollable laughter, some wailed in tears, some rolled around on the ground.
“We can go back to the city! We can finally go back! Ahhh—”
The other workers just quietly watched them release their emotions. Besides envy, surprise, and offering blessings, what they felt most was relief and acceptance.
From the beginning, they had thought the educated youth wouldn’t last long in the countryside and never really believed they would integrate with the commune members. Later, as successive waves of educated youth became salesmen, they became even more unwilling to pair with commune members, all scheming to use the salesman job as a stepping stone to return to the city.
The commune members were well aware of this. That was why, in later years, hardly any educated youth formed families with locals.
Inevitably, workers began to glance at those few families who had married educated youth daughters-in-law or sons-in-law. As expected, their expressions were unpleasant, and they quickly lost the mood to work, asking for leave to hurry home.
Zhang Guodong led the educated youth to knock on the factory director’s office door. His booming voice was full of excitement.
“Captain, we’d like to use the phone to ask our families to help us find textbooks. Also, we’d like to request a day off.”
The others were so nervous they didn’t dare speak. They knew the captain was a good man, but they feared a last-minute snag might ruin everything.
The captain patiently listened to Zhang Guodong, smiled warmly, and stood up.
“Approved. I’ll give you two days off. The phone is right here—go ahead and use it.”
Saying this, he picked up his tea bowl and walked out.
The educated youth’s eyes grew moist—they had misjudged him. The captain was truly a good man.
Four years ago, under the relentless persuasion of Miao Jiaze and Du Xuewen, the captain agreed to apply in the brigade’s name to build a factory. The commune didn’t object and helped them report it to the county. The county requested a detailed proposal, and eventually approved the construction of a soy paste workshop for the Dongfanghong Brigade, as a trial project.
The educated youth all became salesmen.
In order to avoid farm labor and for even the faintest chance of returning to the city, nearly every one of them gave it their all, traveling across the country to sell “Dongfanghong Soy Paste.”
They were very successful. Over four years, the workshop gradually grew into a full-fledged factory.
But because they were too successful, in the past two years other brigades began to imitate them. The county even approved three more soy paste workshops.
Those three brigades hired skilled craftsmen, and their products were no worse than Dongfanghong’s.
Dongfanghong’s soy paste factory was losing its competitive edge, profits were falling, and signs of decline were showing.
Both the educated youth and commune members had been worrying about layoffs. Unexpectedly, just then, the news of the reinstated college entrance exam was broadcast.
The workers were all commune members, with little education, unable to think too far ahead. They only thought that if the educated youth left, their factory positions would open up for them. So they supported the educated youth in taking the exam.
The captain, however, thought more deeply. But the departure of the educated youth was inevitable. He had no intention of stopping them, nor would he dare to, and instead let them go generously, hoping perhaps to form a good connection for the future.
Miao Jiaze and Du Xuewen, holding the introduction letter the captain had signed, ran straight to Mu Lantu’s home.
“Brother Mu, the college entrance exam is back! Brother Mu!”
Just then, the brigade’s loudspeaker came on again, broadcasting the news repeatedly.
Mu Lantu remembered history—he knew that the day the exam was reinstated in this world would likely be today. He had deliberately stayed home. Hearing Miao Jiaze’s voice, he opened the gate and pretended to be overjoyed.
“I heard it on the radio. It’s wonderful! We can finally return to the city!”
Miao Jiaze said regretfully, “But I don’t have textbooks. Back then…I tore them all up in anger.”
Mu Lantu and Du Xuewen stared at him speechlessly.
Miao Jiaze scratched his head. “My family said they’ll ask relatives and friends, but I doubt it’ll work. We want to take the exam, and so does everyone else—who’s going to lend out textbooks? So I was thinking, maybe we should check the recycling station?”
Du Xuewen was calmer. “Let’s try family first. If not, we can prepare enough notebooks and copy paper to transcribe. I still have my textbooks kept safely—my family will send them to me.”
Zhang Guodong and the others came running over too, all brimming with spirit.
They had overheard Du Xuewen’s words.
The second year after Xu Jincheng left, Lu Manman had also gone to a Workers-Peasants-Soldiers University, leaving Yue Xiaoying as the female team leader.
Yue Xiaoying praised, “Comrade Du has thought very carefully. While others are still scrambling for books, we should hurry to prepare paper. We’re not the only ones without a full set of textbooks. By the time others realize it, we’ll be competing for paper with them! Comrade Jiang says she has a Chinese textbook—we can start copying from that.”
Mu Lantu glanced at Jiang Qiaohui and frowned slightly.
“I don’t have textbooks either. I may need to check the recycling station too.”
Yan Xuan said, “I think everyone should go. If families can send books, great—those who get extras can share. If not, no need to panic. As long as we can pull together one complete set, we’ll be fine.”
“Then let’s all go.” Mu Lantu locked his gate. “I’ll also ask Huazhang to see if he can borrow a set.”
Rumble—
A tractor roared toward them.
“Hop on!” the driver grinned, showing a row of white teeth. “The captain asked me to drive you to the county!”
Everyone cheered and scrambled aboard.
“Thank you, Captain! Thank you, Brother Lu!”
On the way to the county, they passed three ox carts and another tractor full of young people, and many walking youths, all with faces full of excitement and urgency.
One look was enough—everyone was heading to the county to find textbooks.
Lu Liuzhi, anxious for them, drove the tractor at top speed.
Mu Lantu regretted it. They should’ve walked—or at least borrowed a bicycle from the captain. Why had they chosen the tractor? His backside felt like it was being split apart.
He looked around—the others, men and women alike, all had awkward expressions, clearly just as uncomfortable.
They looked at each other—embarrassed at first, then amused—until laughter burst out.
“Hahahahaha…”
Their joyous laughter soared into the sky, echoing far across the open fields.
Soon, the tractor reached the county seat, and everyone got off.
Lu Liuzhi said, “I’ll wait here for you. At the latest, we leave at four. Any later and it’ll be dark—the road won’t be safe.”
Zhang Guodong said apologetically, “Brother, we’re troubling you. Once things settle, we’ll treat you to a meal.”
The tractor driver laughed heartily. “Don’t mention it! Isn’t this what I should do? When you all get into university, I can brag for life—that my tractor once carried more than a dozen college students!”
Their confident, radiant smiles bloomed like spring flowers.
Yue Xiaoying said, “It’s too hot here. Brother, go find some shade. We may take a while. What about lunch?”
The others were anxious but couldn’t rush.
Lu Liuzhi waved it off. “No problem. Shade is everywhere. As for food, I brought some baked flatbread. I’ll just find a place to heat it up.”
Zhang Guodong still felt uneasy. “That won’t do.”
Mu Lantu jumped back onto the tractor. “Brother, come with me to the machinery factory. Huazhang can find you a cool place to rest, and you can eat in the canteen at noon.”
Problem solved, everyone was relieved.
“Thanks, Comrade Mu.”
Mu Lantu waved. “Hurry with the important stuff. Go.”
At the factory, Xu Huazhang was playing chess with the gatekeeper, waiting for him.
“Huazhang, please find Brother Lu a place to rest—we won’t be back until afternoon.”
“No problem.”
Xu Huazhang exchanged a few words with the gatekeeper, then came back.
“Brother Lu, you can stay here with the old man, chat, read newspapers. I’ve arranged lunch for you too—I have factory food coupons, he’ll take you to the canteen.”
Lu Liuzhi said cheerfully, “Great, how much do I owe you?”
“Don’t talk like that. It’s nothing at all,” Xu Huazhang replied.
“This…”
Before he could insist further, Mu Lantu grabbed Xu Huazhang and dragged him off.
“Brother Lu, we’ve got business to do. We’ll go ahead.”
The old gatekeeper chuckled, “Young man, don’t refuse. Comrade Xu never lacks for this sort of thing. Even I, an old fellow, take advantage of him often. Come, let’s sit inside.”
“Alright.”
Xu Huazhang pulled a greased paper packet from his pocket and handed it to Mu Lantu.
Mu Lantu caught the scent of chicken leg—it was still hot.
“I told them I don’t have textbooks.”
Mainly to guard against Jiang Qiaohui.
Xu Huazhang actually had a full set.
“No problem. I already found one. A colleague’s younger sister got married and doesn’t plan to take the exam. Just had to give them a few things.”
Mu Lantu bit into the fragrant drumstick. “What about our jobs?”
Xu Huazhang replied, “We can’t quit just yet. Wait until the exam date is officially announced. By then, your job will definitely revert to the brigade. As for mine, I can sell it back to the brigade. If the captain, secretary, or accountant’s family wants it, fine; if not, I’ll sell it to someone at the machinery factory—plenty of people want it.”
