Chapter 78

After Su Ye finished speaking, everyone listened and agreed that hard work was the key to success—it was more convincing than just relying on luck.

They thought back to when Su Ye was lazy. No one had ever heard of her being lucky back then. But now that she had become diligent, she seemed to find wild pheasants and ducks every now and then, and many people were even sending her food. Wasn’t hard work her secret?

As soon as Su Ye finished speaking, a voice came from the crowd: “Well said! Labor is the most honorable thing!”

The speaker was Ning Xingdou. He gave Su Ye a thumbs-up and immediately started clapping. At first, the applause was sparse, but soon others joined in, turning into a loud and enthusiastic round of applause.

Gu Xiangqian timely added, “We are members of the People’s Liberation Army. We must not believe in feudal superstitions. We must understand that happiness is earned with our own hands.”

The family members who still wanted Su Ye to touch their heads blushed after hearing this. They all understood and resolved to keep materialism in their hearts.

Although they kept materialism in their hearts, it was still rare to see someone as lucky as Su Ye. They regretfully pulled their hands back and secretly winked at her, suggesting she could touch their heads another time.

The sun had set, and the sky grew dim. The light from the unit building illuminated the faces of the group, and on the face of a young, handsome man standing outside the crowd, a gentle smile appeared as he watched Su Ye.

Su Ye squeezed through the crowd, holding up her lunch box and handing it to Gu Xiangqian. “You’re just in time. I need to go deliver something to Uncle Ning.”

Gu Xiangqian, with his steady and strong arm, led her out, smiling as he said to the neighbors, “Sorry, my wife and I have something to do, we’ll be leaving now.”

He didn’t expect such a warm reaction from the neighbors. Su Ye was surrounded by layers of people, making it hard for anyone to get through.

If Gu Xiangqian had seen a large-scale celebrity fan event in the future, he would definitely understand how they felt.

It wasn’t really the fault of the poor neighbors, anyone who witnessed one person after another finding rabbits, wild pheasants, and ducks would likely start questioning their own life. Moreover, Su Ye’s luck hadn’t been a one-time thing, every time, she amazed others anew.

The family members in the compound who had been skeptical had gone from doubting to believing without question, and finally, they accepted with numbness that there really were such lucky people in the world. She seemed like a character from a folk legend! She was so lucky, and whatever she said must be right!

After leaving the crowd, Su Ye quickly patted her chest and thought to herself, “It’s a good thing I usually keep a low profile. Otherwise, if they knew I could not only find meat but also grains, they’d probably pick me clean!”

This development was something Su Ye had never anticipated, though it felt quite good. However… Su Ye preferred to quietly enjoy her gains without drawing attention.

The night breeze was cool, and Gu Xiangqian reached out to touch the back of Su Ye, which was slightly damp. He stopped, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to her. “Wipe your sweat.”

Su Ye said, “Thank you for what you said earlier.”

Su Ye, with a strong desire to survive, understood that Gu Xiangqian had been helping her. Engaging in superstitions wasn’t a good thing now, especially in a place surrounded by intellectuals.

Su Ye reached out to take the handkerchief, but Gu Xiangqian held onto it and gently wiped her sweat, lowering his head as he did so. His gaze, which had been cold, softened as he looked at her.

“It’s nothing. We’ll try to be even more low-key from now on.”

Su Ye and Gu Xiangqian then took the lunchbox to the Ning family.

When they arrived at the Ning house, Su Ye saw that Professor Ning was packing his bags. Ning Qian was organizing his clothes and smiled at the couple, saying, “It’s a good thing you came at the right time. If you had come a little later, you wouldn’t have seen me.”

Su Ye was surprised, and Ning Xingdou explained, “Dad received a transfer order from the organization. He’s been packing for the move.”

Ning Qian was just an ordinary intellectual, but this was the first time he had received an order with unclear details. Although Mother Ning didn’t know the specifics of the transfer order, after her son became a soldier, she had long been accustomed to receiving various confidential orders.

Su Ye counted the days and quickly understood what the “secret transfer order” was about. Her heart suddenly warmed, and she felt a deep respect, her eyes glistening with tears.

He was going to the mysterious Ninth Research Institute to work on building China’s first atomic bomb.

Mother Ning eagerly took the lunchbox and opened it to find a steamed fish inside.

The fish was still hot, releasing a rich fragrance. The freshly pressed peanut oil from Changyou had a strong, aromatic scent, and the oil droplets floated in the sauce, garnished with a few sprigs of green onions, creating a sense of warmth that was indescribable.

She exclaimed in delight, “Ah, fish! I haven’t tasted fish in such a long time!”

And it was such a large fish! All the nearby lakes and reservoirs had been thoroughly fished, with only tiny fish remaining. It was rare to see a fish this big, like the one Su Ye had brought. The canteen could get a few ounces of pork every month, but finding a fish was a real challenge.

After Ning Qian finished packing his luggage, he noticed a large, plump fish on the table and jokingly asked, “Did you two specially bring this to send me off?”

Su Ye nodded. “Yes, yes, yes. Uncle Ning, make sure to eat more tonight. Consider this meal our farewell gift to you.”

Mother Ning happily set the table, took her chopsticks, and picked up a piece of fish, dipping it into the sauce before eating it. The fish was tender and fragrant, the oiliness rich, and it tasted incredibly fresh.

Mother Ning asked, “Is this cooked with peanut oil? It smells so good!”

Su Ye handed Mother Ning two pounds of peanut oil. “Yes, this peanut oil is for you.”

Before even looking at it, Mother Ning could tell it was Changyou peanut oil. Recently, it has become more scarce than “dacron fabric.” Many people in the neighborhood went to the supply and marketing cooperative to stand in line but still couldn’t get any peanut oil. She never expected that Su Ye would give them two pounds.

Mother Ning felt a warmth in her chest, not sure of how to respond. She felt even more embarrassed when she remembered that Su Ye had only taken one gold bar.

“You child, always bringing us food and supplies. It makes it hard for us to know how to thank you.”

Su Ye smiled and said, “Aunt Ning, don’t think like that. Xingdou and Xiangqian are good brothers, and you’ve always helped him. During tough times, we help each other. Everyone supports one another, and the hard times will pass quickly.”

She silently thought to herself that, given Ning’s contributions, he deserved the best delicacies. He had lived a life of simplicity and never enjoyed luxury, and the youth of this generation felt deeply ashamed when they heard of his deeds.

Su Ye gently patted Mother Ning’s hand. “We should head back for dinner now.”

After the couple left, Mother Ning was moved and wiped her eyes. She turned to her son and said, “Your sister-in-law is such a good person, and both of them are wonderful people. You need to remember this kindness, and you two brothers should always support each other.”

—

In mid-June, all the middle school students in the city were preparing for their entrance exams.

Although the atmosphere surrounding exam preparations was much calmer compared to decades later, a diploma still served as a stepping stone to a stable job. Many parents were hoping that their children would successfully pass the exam and secure a place in a technical school, thus ensuring a steady future.

The entire graduating class of the high school was cramming in the final moments of review, reciting formulas wherever they went, such as “Odd changes, even stay the same, symbols depend on the quadrant,” and “Hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, neon…”

The junior high school graduates took the exam first, and the class that Su Ye taught had excellent results, with more than half of the students passing the vocational school admission line. The vocational school acceptance rate was extremely low, and yet half of Su Ye’s class made it in, which meant that other schools faced a crushing defeat, with no one making the cut.

For a while, the study materials that Su Ye had compiled became highly sought after, with parents from several streets inquiring about the “secret weapon” of the No. 1 high school.

Not only did Su Ye’s class perform well, but the other two classes also did great. Everyone remembered that when they received their diplomas, Su Ye promised to treat them to a steamed bun.

The aroma of fine grains was irresistible! Even if it was just for a steamed bun, students were determined to study hard.

After the vocational school admission list was released, the students from the third year of junior high, with their results in hand, rushed to find Su Ye to collect their “steamed bun reward.”

Su Ye smiled and said, “Yes, everyone gets one. The hardworking kids will get their buns. I’ve saved ten kilograms of flour just for you!”

After returning home, Su Ye spent a yuan hiring a cook, took out a bag of premium flour, and steamed several large baskets of buns. The school originally had a cafeteria, but due to the famine, it had long been shut down.

That day, the cafeteria was reopened. The cook started making the buns at 5 a.m., and the entire school was filled with the fragrant smell of wheat, making the students drool.

One kilogram of flour could make more than a dozen large buns, but Su Ye, counting the heads, asked the cook to make only seven. The buns she made were more substantial than those at state-run restaurants, firm with no water content. The steamed buns were round and large, bigger than two adult fists put together.

Students from other grades watched Su Ye distribute the buns, mouths watering. Qian Xiaohe received her bun and gasped in amazement as she looked at it, stunned to see that the snow-white, steaming bun was nearly as big as her face.

She marveled, holding the bun and drooling for a long time without wanting to eat it.

The high school graduates, witnessing this joyful scene, seemed calm on the surface, with the older students not envying the fine grains. However, deep down, they were frustrated and wished they had taken the entrance exam earlier, or else they too would be part of this moment.

After distributing the buns, Su Ye went to visit the schools where the students had been admitted.

Yang Xue and the others had filled out their applications early. Yang Xue was directly promoted to the high school division of the No. 1 high school, and Qian Xiaohe applied to the Agricultural Technology Vocational College. Those who passed the admission line, although most applied to vocational schools, many still chose high school.

The students who applied to vocational schools all chose technical fields, such as railways, mechanics, and water conservancy… Su Ye felt quite pleased as she looked at the list.

However, when Su Ye saw Qian Xiaohe’s application, she asked, “Why did you choose this school?”

Qian Xiaohe anxiously glanced at Su Ye and shyly replied, “Because food is very important. I see many people on the streets are hungry, and I often think how wonderful it would be if we no longer had to worry about food.”

Su Ye was suddenly moved upon hearing this and gently patted her head.