Chapter 130: Reviewing Trivial Matters
“There’s still the house,” Mu Lantu said.
Xu Huazhang replied, “We’ll sell it after the exam.” They weren’t likely to come back here often, so there was no need to keep the house.
At the scrap collection station, the yard inside and out was packed with people, all young folks looking for textbooks.
“Don’t push, there’s no more room inside!”
Yue Xiaoying and several other female educated youths stood outside. The male educated youths were nowhere to be seen.
Yue Xiaoying gave a wry smile. “Too many people. The men squeezed their way in, but I’m afraid…”
Jiang Qiaohui frowned deeply as she stared inside.
Mu Lantu glanced at her, half casually.
“Let them all come out first.”
“All come out?” Yue Xiaoying asked uncertainly.
“Oh, whatever Comrade Mu Lantu says, let’s just do it.” Lin Shuzhen rushed to the doorway and shouted loudly, “Brother Zhang! Comrade Mu Lantu says you all should come out!”
“Alright, got it!”
Mu Lantu and the others waited outside for a while before Zhang Guodong and the rest squeezed out, drenched in sweat, their clothes disheveled.
“Brother Mu, did you think of a good idea?” Miao Jiaze tugged his nearly-trampled shoe back on.
Mu Lantu motioned for them to follow him. He led them to a quiet, secluded spot before saying, “Huazhang borrowed one set of textbooks, plus his own set. With so many of us, it’s still not enough. We’ll need more. But don’t just stare at the scrap station. Try schools, bookstores, factories, housing compounds—ask more young people. Some want to take the college exam, but some don’t. The county’s big. It shouldn’t be too hard to find four or five more sets.”
Everyone’s eyes lit up.
Zhang Guodong said, “Then let’s split up, two to a group. That way we’ll have company. If we need to spend money, we spend it. Later we can figure out how to split the cost.”
Zhao Chengxin muttered, “Do we need to go that far? The state should consider that we don’t have textbooks. They’ll probably reprint a batch.”
“They might reprint, but who knows how many?” Yue Xiaoying knew he was reluctant to spend money. After living together for years, everyone was well aware of Zhao’s stinginess. “The state doesn’t know how many will sit for the exam. If they print too many, it’s wasteful. Too few, and we might not get any.”
Zhao Chengxin quickly backpedaled. “Alright, split up then.”
…
Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang returned to the county house.
“If we can’t gather enough copies, I could buy a photocopier from the mall and copy for them. But getting it to them is tricky. Ask Gong Juren to mail them?” Mu Lantu asked.
Xu Huazhang shook his head. “Baby, not wise. If you print twenty copies, people will expect two hundred more. Between us, two sets is enough—lend one, keep one.”
The two of them had long since mastered the knowledge, but outwardly, they still needed to keep a set as cover.
In truth, Mu Lantu had kept his textbooks all along. He’d brought them when he left the Mu Lantu family. But he couldn’t reveal them now.
“Alright, I’ll listen to you,” Mu Lantu said. “I’ll find someone to watch the black market. If high school textbooks show up, we’ll buy and resell to the others.”
Xu Huazhang shook his head. “Do you think Comrade Jiang hoarded all those high school books and materials just to profit? I’m more inclined to believe she destroyed them.”
Mu Lantu sighed. “That transmigrator or reborn woman really doesn’t do anything decent.”
Fortunately, since Zhang Jingxian’s departure, Jiang Qiaohui had been relatively well-behaved.
…
At that moment, in the Jiang Steel Factory housing compound, Auntie Ma hurried out and nearly bumped into Mu Aijun, who had just entered.
Mu Aijun chuckled, “Sister Ma, where are you rushing to?”
“How can I not be in a rush?” Auntie Ma said. “The college entrance exam is coming back. My daughter called and asked me to send her high school textbooks. Your son and daughters should’ve called you too, right?”
Mu Aijun’s face stiffened. He gave a vague response and climbed the stairs without his earlier lightheartedness.
Mu Honghong and Mu Xiuxiu had both called him. Only Mu Lantu hadn’t.
It had been years. Since going to Heiliao Province, Mu Lantu had never once called or written.
“Does he really resent me, his father? I’m his father! How dare he resent me?”
But as he muttered, he conveniently ignored the fact that he himself had never written or called Mu Lantu either, though he had sent money to Honghong and Xiuxiu.
Back home, the place was empty.
Mu Aijun sat in the living room, brooding. The more he thought, the more agitated he felt. Though he had quit smoking for a while, he lit up again.
Perhaps he finally realized—Mu Lantu truly had no feelings for this father…
…
Zhang Guodong and the others spent two days and only gathered five sets of textbooks.
As Xu Huazhang predicted, Mu Lantu never found any at the black market.
Du Xuewen, Yan Xuan, and Bai Ningning’s families gradually mailed them complete sets.
Those without books borrowed and copied, making sure everyone had a set.
The educated youths clearly had no mind for work, but lacked the courage to quit—afraid of another unexpected change.
The brigade leader arranged for them to take unpaid leave.
Mu Lantu didn’t work at the soy sauce factory anyway. He’d been a harvester driver all these years, so it didn’t concern him. He and Xu Huazhang studied at home daily.
Miao Jiaze and Du Xuewen brought them questions they couldn’t solve. Somehow, it seemed Heaven favored them—their hardest questions, Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang could always answer.
Soon, more and more people came to seek help.
The Dongfanghong brigade had five members, including two older married educated youths, who also wanted to take the exam. They studied together.
Mu Lantu’s house was crowded from dawn to dusk, people even knocking at mealtime or at first light.
Annoyed, Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang applied to the brigade leader to use the office every evening from 6:30 to 8:00 as a “review class” to answer questions.
Most were considerate, but some still knocked at other times. Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang simply ignored them.
Xie Xiaojun, Zhao Chengxin, Bai Ningning, Cai Xiufen, and a male named Bai Mingliang spread malicious gossip, as if failing the exam would somehow be Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang’s fault.
When Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang learned of it, they said nothing—just canceled the nightly classes.
Serves them right!
Zhang Guodong and the rest were furious. To let it go felt unbearable, but to fight back risked ruining their study mood.
Finally, they found a solution—move out of the educated youth dormitory.
Zhang Guodong, Wang Guofu, and Yan Xuan moved in with Miao Jiaze and Du Xuewen. Yue Xiaoying, Lin Shuzhen, and Su Qianqian moved in with Yan Xuan’s house. It was quieter, and they could still study together.
Other members and older educated youths (except Bai Mingliang) came to join them during the day.
When they hit a wall, they first discussed among themselves. If still unresolved, they sent Miao Jiaze or Du Xuewen to ask Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang during the evening study slot. Then they’d return and explain to the group—much more efficient.
This left the gossipers stunned.
Bai Mingliang’s parents noticed his odd behavior. After pressing him, they learned what he’d done. Nearly furious to death, they beat him hard, then dragged him to Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang to apologize, carrying gifts—cured meat, dried vegetables, eggs…
The two elderly workers, humble and sincere, made a pitiful sight.
For their sake, Mu Lantu forgave Bai Mingliang and let him rejoin the study group—on the condition there’d be no next time.
Whether Bai Mingliang truly submitted, no one knew, nor cared, as long as he stayed quiet.
Thanks to his parents, Bai Mingliang was allowed back into the review group.
But Xie Xiaojun, Zhao Chengxin, Bai Ningning, and Cai Xiufen had no such backing.
Cut off from Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang, they had no choice but to beg Miao Jiaze and the others. If people had free time, they’d explain. If not—too bad, personal study came first.
…
On October 21, 1977, all major media in Dragon Nation officially announced the reinstatement of the college entrance exam. It would be held nationwide in just one month!
The time was far too short.
Everyone threw themselves into review with even more urgency.
To save time, Miao Jiaze and Yue Xiaoying pooled their grain and hired an auntie from the village to cook for them.
If they missed this chance, there might not be another. This was no time to pinch pennies.
Xie Xiaojun’s group copied the idea and also hired someone to cook.
The weather grew colder by the day, and the exam drew nearer.
December 10—the exam date.
On December 5, Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang moved early to the county seat to rest properly.
On December 9, Miao Jiaze and the others checked into rooms they’d booked at the guesthouse.
