Chapter 85: Decision

During this time, Feng Yi has been studying middle school knowledge, and Jiang Liyun has flipped through middle school textbooks.

Although she never attended middle school, her cunning son did.

Jiang Liyun noticed that the middle school textbooks at this time were much simpler compared to the future.

However, it was challenging for students to excel at this time, considering the limited study materials and a shortage of teachers.

Knowing Feng Yi’s intelligence, Jiang Liyun was still surprised when Zhao Hai suggested that Feng Yi could take the high school entrance exam and might even make it to high school.

“If Feng Yi takes the high school entrance exam, is there a chance for him to get into high school?” Jiang Liyun asked.

“There’s a chance,” Zhao Hai said. “Although middle school knowledge is harder than elementary school, with hard work, progress won’t be slow. It’s mainly because Feng Yi is very intelligent.”

In middle school, some students didn’t like doing homework but still scored well by just listening in class, having no trouble getting into high school.

Feng Yi was even smarter than these students, and he worked hard.

“Feng Yi, you’re really amazing!” Jiang Liyun smiled at Feng Yi.

Feng Yi didn’t feel that he was amazing; he actually enjoyed studying.

Compared to working at the brick factory, learning was truly easy.

Studying also gave him a feeling of chasing after Jiang Liyun!

The lame couple didn’t stay at the dumpling shop in the afternoon; they still had Jiang Liyu to take care of, and there were various things to do at home.

For example, during this time, they were renovating their house and gradually moving.

At seven in the evening, Jiang Liyun sat behind Feng Yi’s tricycle, heading home together.

The tricycle was new when they first bought it, but now it looks a bit worn.

Jiang Liyun placed a bamboo chair in the cart, sat on it, and looked at the dark shadows of trees around him. Suddenly, she asked Feng Yi, “Feng Yi, do you want to go to school? Not self-study, but go back to school, attend high school, and attend university.”

Feng Yi, who was twenty years old this year, went back to high school, which seemed a bit late.

But it wasn’t overly late for his age. If he could enter high school this year and study for three years, he would be twenty-three when entering university.

Some people repeated multiple years and entered university in their twenties.

At this age, some rural students started school late, around eight or nine years old; even if they didn’t repeat, they would be around twenty when entering university.

“Sister Liyun, in two more years, I can get married!” Feng Yi blurted out.

His goal was to self-study and earn a diploma in two years, then marry Jiang Liyun.

He did want to go to school; when he was young, he envied those who could study in a classroom.

But more than that, he wanted to be with Jiang Liyun.

“Yes, you can get married in two years. How about going to school for two years?” Jiang Liyun smiled at Feng Yi.

Feng Yi was momentarily stunned.

Jiang Liyun continued, “In the next two years, I might be a bit busy. Actually, going to school would be a good idea.”

Jiang Liyun had noticed that Feng Yi, probably due to not receiving much love when he was young, attached great importance to her.

This resulted in Feng Yi not opposing her decisions when they were together, but instead unconditionally supporting everything she did.

She had to admit that she liked this aspect of Feng Yi. After all, who wouldn’t like someone who unconditionally liked them?

Furthermore, Jiang Liyun has a strong personality, making her suitable for a partner like Feng Yi.

But for Feng Yi, it’s not ideal.

“Feng Yi, in the coming years, I’ll definitely focus on making money. You have two choices: either stay with me and help with work or go to school,” Jiang Liyun said.

“What do you want me to do, Sister Liyun?” Feng Yi asked.

“This is your life; you should make the decision yourself. Of course, there’s no rush; take your time to think,” Jiang Liyun replied.

Suddenly, Feng Yi said, “Sister Liyun, if I can make my own decision, can I follow you and, by the way, go to school?”

Jiang Liyun was momentarily surprised.

Feng Yi continued, “Sister Liyun, when you stay in town, I’ll watch over the dumpling shop. If you go elsewhere, I’ll go with you. As for studying, I’ll keep studying. I want to take the high school entrance exam to see if I can pass. If I do, I’ll study high school knowledge, but I still want to be with you.”

He did want to study, but he wasn’t fixated on getting a diploma. He wanted to learn more so he could always stand by Jiang Liyun’s side.

During this period, he read many books and gained knowledge. He understood the importance of knowledge; acquiring more would enable him to help Jiang Liyun even more.

But deep down, he didn’t want to be separated from Jiang Liyun. “Sister Liyun, I do want to study, but if it means being apart from you, I’d rather not.”

Jiang Liyun suddenly thought of Feng Yi from his previous life.

Before her divorce, Feng Yi worked outside and did well, though not exceptionally wealthy.

But later, he came back.

Feng Yi was truly someone guided by love, unlike her—a rational person who didn’t care much about emotions.

In some aspects, she was a bit like her sister, Jiang Liping, who placed more hope in others, while she always believed in relying on herself.

“Your idea is good. Adults need to make choices; they can’t have everything!” Jiang Liyun smiled.

Feng Yi looked a bit lost.

Jiang Liyun stood up, hugged him from behind, and kissed him. “Feng Yi, I’m starting to like you more and more.”

Feng Yi suddenly asked, “Why?”

“Probably because you speak so nicely,” Jiang Liyun said.

Feng Yi pondered.

Jiang Liyun added, “Feng Yi, tomorrow I’ll enquire if you can participate in this year’s high school entrance exam. Even if you don’t get into high school, you can still get a junior high school graduation diploma. After that, you can participate in self-study. If you manage to get into high school, I’ll talk to your school. You can pay tuition but don’t have to attend classes regularly; just show up for exams. Later, you can even try the college entrance exam. If you make it, great; if not, you’ll have a high school diploma to continue self-study!”

“Okay,” Feng Yi agreed.

Feng Yi doesn’t think he can make it to university, but getting a high school diploma is already good enough for him!

The local government is recruiting, and having a high school diploma allows direct entry!

In the next two or three decades, schools would be strict about students’ records, and transferring to another school would not be easy.

However, during this era, such matters were relatively easy to handle.

Especially since compulsory education for nine years began in 1986, new schools were built, including both primary and middle schools.

A new primary school was built in Qiaotou Village, and the neighbouring village even had a newly constructed middle school.

Getting into the good town’s middle school might be challenging for Feng Yi, but arranging for him to attend the village’s middle school was completely feasible.

Due to her involvement in raising white-feathered chickens, Jiang Liyun had gained some connections in Hongxing Township!

When Feng Yi got into high school, they could negotiate with the school. By paying a bit, Feng Yi could study at home, which should be possible in those times when various regulations were not as strict. Some people who didn’t score well on the high school entrance exam paid to attend high school, and others paid to temporarily attend prestigious high schools.

Thinking it through, Jiang Liyun felt relieved. She said to Feng Yi, “In a few days, I’ll be going to Shanghai again. Come with me.”

“Okay!” Feng Yi agreed, recalling Jiang Liyun’s compliment about his speech. He added, “Sister Liyun, I really don’t want to be apart from you for a single day!”

Jiang Liyun couldn’t help but smile, pinched Feng Yi’s cheek, and said, “Let’s ride the bike; we should get back soon.”

“Sure!” Feng Yi stood up and pedalled the tricycle with determination.

Jiang Liyun quickly sorted out the matter of Feng Yi “attending middle school.”

In the neighbouring village’s middle school, there were always kids playing truant or unwilling to attend. Now, with someone actively wanting to go to school, they immediately helped with the paperwork.

Feng Yi became a third-year student at their school and would participate in the high school entrance exam a few months later.

When Jiang Liuhai heard about this, he was dumbfounded. “Feng Yi is so old, and he’s going back to school?”

“Yes!” Jiang Liyun affirmed.

Jiang Liuhai stared at Feng Yi for a long time, his eyes full of confusion. Finally, he asked Jiang Liyun, “Liyun, can you help me get a middle school diploma? I want to self-study.”

He had to work and was getting married soon; it wasn’t possible for him to go back to school, but he wanted to self-study and learn something!

“Go ask at the commune about those middle schools yourself,” Jiang Liyun suggested.

Although Jiang Liuhai was not young, with the current emphasis on nine years of compulsory education, even students who scored only a few points in exams would be awarded a middle school diploma. Getting Jiang Liuhai a middle school diploma shouldn’t be a problem; it’s just a matter of paying some money.

“What if they refuse to issue one for me?” Jiang Liuhai asked.

Jiang Liyun helplessly said, “I’ve been quite busy lately. Go find Sun Jinshan.” Sun Jinshan knew many people, and with a pack of cigarettes and a few drinks, he could easily get this done.

The village’s middle school diploma wasn’t a valuable item.

In fact, throughout the 1990s, the management of rural middle schools was chaotic. Many students in Qiaotou Village attending middle school in the countryside routinely skipped classes, and the school either didn’t care or couldn’t enforce attendance.

Jiang Liyun remembered from her previous life that Jiang Fenlan claimed to have left after graduating from middle school, but she had actually stopped attending school during middle school and started working in a private workshop.

Back then, the government often investigated child labour because there were indeed many child labourers.

Jiang Liuhai: “Is my sister prioritising her lover over her brother? Definitely!”

Despite thinking this, Jiang Liuhai didn’t mind and changed the topic to “Liyun, Xie Zugen has run away.”

Not long ago, both Xie Zugen and his father were fired from the brick factory, but the factory didn’t pursue Xie’s ill-gotten gains.

Mainly because Xie’s father insisted he had only taken a few thousand yuan and had nothing left now.

During this period, the Xie family sold their TV and other belongings, repaid ten thousand to Zhou Laoda, but still hadn’t paid the remaining money. Zhou Laoda continued to intimidate the Xie family, especially Xie Zugen, who even had one finger broken by Zhou Laoda.

Subsequently, probably scared, Xie Zugen ran away from home, and no one knew where he went.

Although Jiang Liuhai always disliked Xie Zugen, he couldn’t help but sigh, “I wonder where he went. It’s not easy outside.”

Jiang Liyun remained silent.

For Xie Zugen, she had completely let go. The next step was to focus on her business and work hard!