◎ Second update ◎ 

“What’s going on?” 

The two walked into the house and just overheard a bit of the information from the outside and were confused. Skipping class? Playing table tennis? 

Zhou Yun angrily told them that Xiaowei was skipping class just so he could play table tennis. She then looked at Teacher Fan, “Listen to what Teacher Fan has to say; she even came to our house for a home visit.”  

Teacher Fan rarely made home visits, but she had a strong sense of responsibility. She felt that constantly skipping class wasn’t right and believed that parents should work with her to help their children change their ways. 

“Xiaowei, did you really skip class?” Xu Shengjie was tall and looked imposing so when he stood in front of his younger brother, he looks quite intimidating.  

Xu Shengwei felt frightened the moment he looked at his elder brother. He lost the playful and cheerful expression he had just shown in front of his grandmother and Teacher Fan.  

Xu Shengjie had been in the army for several years and had been on the battlefield, so he was naturally very imposing, and it was not impossible for him to frighten a child. 

“Speak up.” 

“Yes,” Xu Shengwei answered briefly, and his voice was so low it was barely audible. 

“I don’t want to study anymore.” Seeing that there was no way to escape, Xu Shengwei looked up at his elder brother and spoke his true feelings. 

He felt his head spin when he studies and his grades are not good. He also feels sleepy when sitting in class and listening to the teachers talking. It is really difficult for him. 

And not studying is not necessarily a bad thing. His eldest brother didn’t study much and he joined the army very early. Isn’t he living a good life now? 

“Nonsense!” Zhou Yun couldn’t stand back after hearing her grandson’s words, “Your elder brother had no choice back then. He couldn’t continue his studies because of the situation at home. Now that life is much better, he can support you to study, but you’re still unwilling to do so?” 

Zhou Yun didn’t understand her grandson’s idea. Why didn’t he want to study when he had the opportunity? How stupid was that? She had never been to school. She only learned some pinyin and didn’t know many characters. She envied those who could study. 

“Grandma, I’m not good at studying, am I?” Xu Shengwei kept going. Now that he had said it, he didn’t hold back anymore. “Anyway, Xiaoya is good at studying. It doesn’t matter if I don’t.” 

Liang Baozhen almost laughed when she heard her brother-in-law’s words, “So if Xiaoya has already eaten. Does that mean you’re not going to eat?” 

Uh? Xu Shengwei: “…” 

“You’re studying for yourself. The knowledge you gain, the characters you learn, all stay in your head. How could it not matter just because Xiaoya is studying?” Liang Baozhen, supported by Xu Shengjie, sat down. 

Teacher Fan had mainly come today to understand the situation and hoped the parents would guide the student, “Xiaowei, your family is right. It’s normal to like sports and playing around. What child doesn’t love to play? But since you’re a student now, you still need to attend class properly, right?” 

“Listen to what your teacher Fan said, Xiaowei. Grandma doesn’t ask you to be very successful or to get into a top university, but at least finish junior high school, okay?” 

Nowadays, having a junior high school education is not low, and it could get you a good job outside. Zhou Yun thought that someone with a junior high school education could also participate in the recruitment of state-owned factories. If there are two people applying—one with a junior high school education and one with a primary school education—the choice of the factory for recruitment will be obvious. 

After being persuaded by his family and Teacher Fan, Xu Shengwei nodded silently. What everyone said made sense, but he still felt uncomfortable. 

Going to school is like being in jail; it’s so uncomfortable! 

After seeing Teacher Fan off, Xu Shengjie’s expression darkened. Their parents died early, and he felt he had to take on the role of a father for his younger siblings. Xiaoya was easy to take care of, and although Xiaowei was a little mischievous, he had never caused any trouble.  

But frequent skipping classes was unacceptable. 

“Xu Shengwei.” Xu Shengjie called his brother’s name with a serious tone, which scared Xu Shengwei so much that he jumps in surprise. 

“Brother.” Xu Shengwei stood upright consciously. He was afraid when he saw his elder brother’s dark expression. He hoped he wouldn’t be treated like Fang Zhiyin, who got whipped by Uncle Fang! 

His brother is a veteran, so his strength and power are definitely much more terrifying than Uncle Fang! 

Xu Shengjie looked at his brother and felt a wave of sympathy. Their parents had passed away when he was just a year old. Although Xiaowei and Xiaoya were raised by her grandmother, they had never felt the care of their parents like other children in the neighborhood. 

Thinking of this, Xu Shengjie resolved to talk things over with his brother calmly and teach him patiently. He stood up to pat Xiaowei’s shoulder, “You…” 

“Brother, don’t hit me!” Xu Shengwei saw his elder brother approaching and shouted loudly. He quickly hides behind his sister-in-law, “Sister-in-law, save me!” 

Before Liang Baozhen could react, she saw a black shadow passing by, and her brother-in-law suddenly appeared behind her and stuck his head out to look at Xu Shengjie. 

Xu Shengjie was amused by his brother’s speed, which was comparable to a wild rabbit running away. “Why are you hiding behind your sister-in-law?” 

“Brother, are you going to hit me?” Xu Shengwei protested. “It can’t be that bad!” 

“Come here!” Xu Shengjie raised his voice with a smile. This kid is so clumsy that he could bump into Baozhen. “Who said I was going to beat you?” 

“Fang Zhibin said that his father did this before whipping him, reaching out and leaning forward.” Exactly the same as the eldest brother just did. 

“I won’t hit you.” Xu Shengjie looked at his brother. He had grown up so fast. Despite losing their parents, he was a good kid. “Just correct your mistakes, and I won’t hold anything against you from before.” 

“Really?” Xu Shengwei breathed a sigh of relief. “I will never skip class again!” 

“Yes, you’ll never skip class again because I’ll take away your racket and balls.” Zhou Yun decided not to spoil her grandson this time. He had no focus and needed to be disciplined. 

“No, grandma! I promise, I will never skip classes again! Please don’t take my racket.” Xu Shengwei moved to his grandmother’s side, hugged her arm, and begged for mercy. If her racket was really confiscated, he would be miserable. 

Zhou Yun had a serious look on her face and wasn’t moved at all. 

Xu Shengwei glanced at his eldest brother, who looked even more serious. He could only ask his sister-in-law for help! He blinked at his sister-in-law, with sadness and desperation in his eyes. 

Liang Baozhen understood but felt caught between the three of them. She thought of Xu Shengwei in her dream. He was very different when he grew up, without any of the vitality and spirit that he has right now. He worked as a worker in a machinery factory and was lifeless all day long. Maybe it would be a good thing for him to exercise more now? 

“Grandma, Xiaowei has made a promise. I think we can give him another chance and move on.” 

“Yes, yes, yes!” Xu Shengwei nodded quickly, agreeing with his sister-in-law. 

“If he does it again…” Liang Baozhen winked at Xu Shengwei. 

“Then confiscate my table tennis racket forever!” Xu Shengwei almost shouted. 

Zhou Yun was at a loss but ultimately decided to give her grandson a chance, with the condition that he must attend school properly and never skip classes again. 

Liang Baozhen saw the struggles of the junior high school students. When she lay in bed at night, she thought of her second brother, who also dropped out of elementary school after the fourth grade. It might be really painful for him. 

“Did you really want to beat Xiaowei just now?” Liang Baozhen remembered how quickly Xu Shengwei hide and was impressed by his speed. 

It was not easy for Xu Shengjie to help his grandmother raise his younger siblings. He joined the army to earn more allowances to send home. Fortunately, since he was serving in the army away from home, the neighborhood office would also provide some benefits to military families. 

Seeing Xiaowei skip class, he suspected he really wanted to scold him. 

“No.” Xu Shengjie felt wronged. He had only slapped his younger brother and sister on their palms three times when they were young, all because they wanted to go to the river to play. This incident left a shadow in the young Xu Shengjie’s heart. 

At other times, he would at most give a lecture with a serious face but would never use violence. 

In other families in the courtyard, the fathers would not stop beating their son. After all, everyone believed that a good son is made under the stick, and if the children were disobedient, they would be beaten. 

While the girls in the courtyard were the only ones who hadn’t been beaten. All the boys had eaten fried bamboo shoots with meat, especially the Fang family next door, where such scenes were quite common. 

“Well, that’s alright. Xiaoya is fine, and Xiaowei doesn’t have too many issues. He’s just a bit lively and he hasn’t done anything too serious. But skipping class this time is indeed wrong.” Thinking of the table tennis racket she bought for him, Liang Baozhen frowned. “I hope it won’t lead him down the wrong path because of that!” 

That would make her the “culprit!” 

“What are you thinking about?” Xu Shengjie was a bit amused by his wife’s thoughts. “How could buying a racket lead to trouble? He’s just a kid without focus. He loves playing now, but once the excitement wears off, he’ll be fine.” 

“We’ll see when the time comes. I told Teacher Fan when she left that she must tell us if anything happens again.” Liang Baozhen felt that the teachers in the city were indeed responsible. They would come to student’s homes for home visits just because they skipped classes. In the countryside, teachers didn’t care; if students didn’t want to learn, it was no one’s business. 

Of course, this was also related to the overall school environment and the treatment of teachers.  

“Then you should keep in touch with her.” Xu Shengjie sighed again. It would be inconvenient for him to keep in touch with a female teacher, so it would be most appropriate for his wife to go. 

But Baozhen’s belly is getting bigger; so she shouldn’t overexert herself. 

“Did the baby bother you today?” Xu Shengjie turned sideways and put his big hand on Liang Baozhen’s belly. He could clearly feel the firmness of her round stomach. 

“The baby kicked me when I was soaking my feet just now.” Liang Baozhen was happy when she talked about this. She felt it was wonderful that she could feel the baby’s movement. It almost felt like the baby was greeting her. 

“Then let the baby kick again now.” Xu Shengjie had never experienced the baby’s movement and was a little envious. 

“Do you think the baby can understand you? Let her kick if she wants to?” Liang Baozhen covered Xu Shengwei’s hand and smiled, as if the three of them were whispering to each other. “Maybe the baby’s already asleep.” 

“Going to bed so early?” 

“It’s not early; it’s already dark.” After Liang Baozhen said this a sudden wave of drowsiness hit her—she was also tired. 

Xu Shengjie has gradually gotten used to it. After becoming pregnant, his wife often falls asleep while talking. She has basically mastered the skill of falling asleep at any time. 

*** 

Xu Shengwei has not skipped classes since Teacher Fan visited his home, but he is most active after class. He takes advantage of the break time to play ball and does not even sleep during the lunch break. His energy never stops. 

With three days left before the college entrance examination, candidates from all over the country have become nervous and are ready for the exam. 

The excitement at the State Cotton Factory paying salaries today didn’t overshadow the upcoming exams. 

After receiving his salary of forty-three yuan and the delayed summer heat allowance for July and August from a colleague in the finance department, Liang Baozhen had a total of forty-nine yuan. 

Putting the money in her bag, Liang Baozhen planned to find Director Xue Lijun; she still needed him to approve an article today. 

When she finished her work, it was already time to get off work. Liang Baozhen put on her bag and prepared to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a pillowcase for Wang Xin, who was getting married in half a month. 

Wang Xin met her match through a matchmaking set up by the other factory workers, and they quickly established their relationship. The two families met to discuss marriage and decided to get married in half a month. 

After buying the pillowcase and returning to the courtyard, Liang Baozhen asked Xiaoya, only to find out that Xiaowei had gone out to play table tennis again. She found it strange and spoke to her grandmother, “Grandma, look at Xiaowei; he’s rarely this patient and still loves it after such a long time.” 

“Yes, if he studies with such enthusiasm, he might even be admitted to Peking University!” 

The author has something to say: 

Xu Shengwei: Grandma, you overestimate me too much 😭😭😭