Sun Jie heard Ning Shu’s remark and quickly waved her hand, saying, “Even if I want to go, I don’t have the ability. There will be many family members eyeing the positions at the cooperative store, and they will definitely have to go through exams and selection. In our family compound, we have junior high school students and high school students, so they will surely select from among these people.”

Granny Yang agreed upon hearing this, saying, “That’s for sure. It’s going to be lively when the time comes.”

Both Sun Li and Ning Shu understood what “lively” meant in this context.

With such a desirable job, everyone wanted it.

However, there were only a few positions available, and with so many people interested, whoever got selected would certainly leave others feeling envious.

Later that night, as they were getting ready for bed, Ning Shu asked Lin Guodong about the matter: “Did Aunt Yang and Sun Jie mention that our family compound is planning to set up a cooperative store?”

Lin Guodong was momentarily surprised. “I’m not sure about this. It’s handled by the logistics department.” After a moment’s thought, he asked back, “Do you want to work at the cooperative store?”

Ning Shu jokingly replied, “Can I just decide to go and get in?”

“Not exactly,” Lin Guodong replied candidly. “Regardless of the man’s rank, as long as they are family members, they must go through a fair and impartial exam. But you have a good chance.”

Intrigued, Ning Shu asked, “How so?”

Lin Guodong explained, “Working at the cooperative store will likely have educational requirements. However, most family members with higher education in our compound are already employed, either at the clinic, schools, ranging from childcare to high schools, covering most family members with higher education. So if you want to work at the cooperative store, your chances of being selected are quite high.”

Ning Shu decided against it. “I’ll pass. “

If I work at the cooperative store, I might not have a day off each week, which means I wouldn’t be able to use going to town as an excuse to manage the food on the APP.

So it’s better to be a substitute teacher at the childcare center.

One class per day makes it easier, although the salary is lower.”

Lin Guodong understood her personality well and wasn’t concerned.

His monthly salary of just over a hundred yuan was enough to support their family of four.

With the National Day approaching, the talent commendation for the two classes was also finalized quickly.

Their class prepared two performances, one of which was the three children’s martial arts demonstration.

The brothers’ kung fu performance impressed Teacher Hong greatly, especially when she learned from the three children that their father had taught them military boxing, which further pleased her.

It was all very fitting for the current situation.

However, to create the right atmosphere, they needed music for their Martial Arts performance.

Teacher Hong would take care of the music.

Additionally, there was a singing program.

Based on Yi Bao’s talents, all the students who could sing were gathered to perform.

Everyone would get a chance.

But even though their class had decided on two programs, not all might be chosen; there would be auditions later.

After all, the elementary school had two classes per grade, five grades in total making ten classes.

The middle and high school had two classes per grade as well, with six grades totaling twelve classes.

If both performances from each class were selected, they’d end up with 44 performances, which could take a whole day.

So, the performances needed to be selected carefully.

After school that day, when the three siblings returned home.

Yi Bao spoke up first, “Mom, Teacher Hong said we need music for our Martial arts practice. We don’t have a radio at home. Teacher Hong has lent us one, but she needs you to pick it up.”

Ning Shu realized they indeed didn’t have a tape recorder at home.

In those days, tape recorders were also valuable. It was normal for Teacher Hong not to trust the three brothers with it.

“Okay, should I go get it now?” Ning Shu asked.

Yi Bao nodded, “Yes.”

“Do you know where Teacher Hong lives?” San Bao asked thoughtfully.

he truly was their “little cotton jacket.”

“I really don’t know. If you know, can you take me there?” Ning Shu rubbed San Bao’s head affectionately.

At five years old, San Bao looked even better than Yi Bao and Er Bao did at that age.

When Yi Bao and Er Bao were five, they were thin and not very tall, with pale faces.

But now, at five years old, San Bao inherited Ning Shu’s fair complexion and looked adorable and blessed.

Comparing them made Ning Shu look at Yi Bao and Er Bao again.

Though they weren’t as fair as San Bao, they had grown taller, and their wheat-colored skin looked very lively.

They seemed like two handsome little boys.

It’s a good thing it’s not the 1960s; otherwise, if her three children looked this good, she wouldn’t find any excuse.

San Bao rubbed his little head against his mom’s palm and then gave her a cute smile.

In an instant, he melted his mother’s heart.

Er Bao chuckled, “San Bao is still a little kid.”

Unlike many children who wanted to prove they were grown up, San Bao was happy being his mom’s little kid.

So, no matter what Er Bao said, he didn’t mind.

Ning Shu smiled at Er Bao, “Can I touch Er Bao’s head too?”

Er Bao hesitated and felt conflicted.

He was a big kid now.

If his classmates found out his mom still touched his head, they’d surely tease him.

Only little kids get their heads patted.

A big kid, especially a boy, should protect his mom.

How could he let her pat his head?

But looking at his mom, Er Bao couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

Besides, deep down, he liked his mom’s affection.

Finally, Er Bao closed his eyes and leaned his head forward, “Okay, you can pat it, but don’t tell anyone.”

Eight-year-old Er Bao cared about his image.

Ning Shu didn’t hesitate and tousled Er Bao’s hair playfully, making it look like a bird’s nest.

Er Bao protested, feeling aggrieved, “Mom, be gentle. You’ve messed up my hair.”

Ning Shu snorted lightly, “You’re already impatient at such a young age. When you grow up, you’ll probably find me annoying. Oh…”

Er Bao quickly explained, “No, Mom, I didn’t mean… Go ahead, pat it again, even harder if you want.”

Yi Bao smirked at the scene, thinking Er Bao was a fool.

Ning Shu looked at Yi Bao with a faint smile and flicked his forehead gently, “Yi Bao has the smartest head. Such precious heads don’t need patting.”

Yi Bao’s smile widened.

He didn’t envy Er Bao and San Bao being patted on the head by their mom because his own head was the smartest.

Mom didn’t pat it because she cherished it.

After patting the heads of both brothers, Ning Shu washed her hands and then went with the three brothers to Teacher Hong’s house.

The residential area was large, and Teacher Hong’s house was quite far from theirs, like from one end of the village to the other.

It took several minutes to reach the lane where Teacher Hong’s house was located.

However…

As they neared Teacher Hong’s house, they ran into someone familiar.

Although they lived in the same residential area, bumping into each other again was unexpected.

Ning Shu was genuinely surprised.

“Mom, that’s the auntie who used to live next door to us,” Erbao said in surprise when he saw Ning Qin and her child.

Kids sometimes have short memories. Years ago, the three kids resented Ning Qin because she had made their mom cry. But now, two or three years had passed, and they had long forgotten about it. Seeing Ning Qin now, they no longer felt the same fierce protectiveness.

Ning Qin also saw Ning Shu and her three children. To be honest, since returning to the family compound, she had often unintentionally tried to hear news about Ning Shu. Sometimes, she even saw Ning Shu on the road but would quickly avoid her before being noticed.

She was somewhat afraid of seeing Ning Shu. But she never expected to run into her now. Ning Qin even wondered if Ning Shu had come here specifically to find her. What would she say? Was she here to ask her to leave again? For a moment, Ning Qin’s mind was a mess.

However, Ning Qin was overthinking it. As she was lost in her thoughts, Ning Shu simply responded to Erbao’s question with a nod and then said calmly, “Are we at Teacher Hong’s house? Which courtyard is it?”

Erbao was easily distracted by Ning Shu’s question. He pointed to the courtyard ahead, “Mom, it’s right here. Look, it’s the third courtyard from the outside. Do you see it, Mom?”

Ning Shu replied, “I see it, I see it.”

The four of them continued walking, chatting and laughing.

Ning Qin watched them walk away and then looked at her own son, who was playing happily beside her. She gently wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking that her small family and her son were the most important things to her now.

Teacher Hong had heard about Ning Shu but had never met her before. Unlike many women of her time, Ning Shu had a unique aura that didn’t quite fit with the simplicity of that era. Perhaps because Teacher Hong was a Chinese teacher, she described Ning Shu in such terms. Most people would have described her as looking like a wealthy family’s daughter or a capitalist’s child.

“Hello, Comrade Ning. I’ve heard about you for a long time, but this is the first time we’ve met,” Teacher Hong greeted with a smile. Any teacher would be friendly and enthusiastic towards the parents of well-behaved students. This didn’t mean they were unfriendly towards other parents, but they would naturally be more relaxed when dealing with the parents of good students.

Ning Shu smiled politely, “Hello, Teacher Hong. I’ve heard a lot about you from my three children. Thank you for teaching them.”

“Oh, not at all,” Teacher Hong replied modestly. “They are always very well-behaved and obedient,” she said sincerely.

Ning Shu continued, “Let’s work together to teach them well so they can make us proud and contribute to the future of our country.”

Teacher Hong appreciated Ning Shu’s way of speaking. “Absolutely,” she agreed. Teaching students well was every teacher’s duty. Then, she got to the point, “Comrade Ning, our class is preparing two programs for the upcoming national performance. You might have heard about this from Lin Haizhi and the others, right?”

Ning Shu: “Yes, I heard about it. The children said you prepared a tape recorder for them to practice with.”

Teacher Hong: “Yes, both programs require a tape recorder. These two recorders are borrowed, and I’m giving one to you. Please take good care of it.” She was worried about the borrowed equipment getting damaged, which is why she asked Lin Haizhi to have a parent come to pick it up.

Ning Shu understood the importance of the equipment and promised to take good care of it.