Zhong Anping returned ho and began rummaging through boxes and closets, flipping through the books he had studied from elentary to middle school. Fortunately, he had kept all of them. He carefully wiped every book with a clean cloth, which included a few perfect score test papers, causing a hint of bitterness in his eyes.
He still rembered the regret in the respected teacher’s eyes when he told his middle school class teacher that he couldn’t continue to high school. The teacher didn’t try to retain him because she knew too well that as a re teacher, she couldn’t change the situation.
The head teacher only told him not to abandon the knowledge he had learned, and even if he had to work at ho, not to forget about studying. She always told him to pick up his books and read from ti to ti. The respected and beloved teacher even gave him a full set of high school textbooks to enable him to study at ho.
Zhong Anping took the set of high school textbooks given by the head teacher from the bottom of the box and wiped them from ti to ti. Since returning ho to farm, he hadn’t taken out those books to study at all, not even the set of high school textbooks his teacher had given him. He had let down his teacher’s expectations! Zhong Anping’s heart felt both regret and hatred.
"Brother, why are you taking out all these books? Don’t tell you are actually considering studying anew, just like Sisi suggested?" Zhong Ankang walked into the room, saw his elder brother squatting in front of a pile of books in a daze, and couldn’t help asking.
"Yes, I think Sisi makes a lot of sense. Knowledge is always useful, no matter when. Since we have nothing else to do at night, let’s use that ti to study," Zhong Anping responded solemnly.
Zhong Ankang imdiately jumped up, "If you want to study, do it by yourself. Don’t drag into this. Brother, I advise you to give it up too. The more you learn now, the worse off you’ll be. With our social status, we can’t go to college anyway, so why waste ti on such thankless tasks?"
"An Kang, can’t you think a little more long-term? Haven’t you grasped the aning behind Xinhua’s words today? The current situation is very likely to change. If it really does, then it would be our opportunity. Perhaps in the future, people like us could also go to college."
"Brother, stop dreaming. We’ve been carrying the label of a rich farr for over a decade now, do you still hold any hope for change? As for , I’ve given up hope! Ah, at this point, I only have one dream: to work hard, earn more work points, make our parents’ life comfortable, marry a wife as gentle and virtuous as mother, have several children, and hope that my children won’t have to bear the ’rich farr’ label like . That alone would make fully content!"
Zhong Anping listened with a wry smile and patted his brother on the head, "How can you be so content with so little? Earthworms dominate just one spot, dragons soar across nine skies. I don’t expect you to soar across nine skies, but could you please aspire to sothing more?"
Zhong Anping didn’t wait for his brother’s response and continued, "Moreover, as the saying goes, a divided realm will eventually unite, and a united realm will eventually divide. I think what Xinhua said today is a signal—things will change. An Kang, our opportunity is coming!"
At this mont, Zhong Anping’s eyes shone brightly, completely unlike his usually graceful deanor. He pursed his lips, clenched his fists, and his whole body radiated sothing called ambition, like a sword drawn from its sheath. If Tian Sisi saw him now, she would definitely be amazed that Zhong Anping was actually the real master of deception!
Zhong Ankang, inspired by his brother’s words, looked at Zhong Anping with mixed emotions and hesitation, trying to confirm it again. Zhong Anping looked back at his brother and nodded firmly.
"An Kang, we must strive hard. If you still want to leave Yuequan Village and see the wonderful world outside, we must try. Only by doing so, can we possibly break free from our shackles."
"But I’m worried that even if we work hard, it will all be for nothing in the end," Zhong Ankang murmured.
"Even if it turns out to be nothing, we still need to give our best effort. Without effort, failure is guaranteed, but with effort, there might be so gains," Zhong Anbai said resolutely.
"Right, Anping is correct. Only through learning can we change our plight. Look at those students from a poor family who studied hard for over a decade and still might end up naless. Compared to them, what is your little hardship?"
Zhong Yubai, who had been listening from around the corner for quite a while, finally couldn’t resist entering. Initially, when Zhong Anping and Zhong Ankang had to return ho to farm instead of advancing to high school, he wanted to urge his sons not to abandon their books, but given the children’s demoralizing state back then, they had already developed an aversion to studies.
He had thought Anping would never take up studying from books again, but today, he was pleasantly surprised to hear him voluntarily proposing to study. This was truly wonderful!
"Daddy." The two brothers Zhong Anping turned towards Zhong Yubai.
"Anping, Ankang, Daddy supports your study. From now on, you don’t have to do the household chores; Daddy will take care of them," Zhong Yubai excitedly told his sons.
"Daddy, there’s no need to worry too much. Everything can stay the way it was. We’ll find ti to study at night."
Zhong Anping tried to reassure Zhong Yubai, who wasn’t in great health. His daily work was already a heavy burden on him; if he tried to do more, how could Daddy endure it?
"Exactly, between my brother and , we can handle the chores at ho. Daddy, you shouldn’t worry. Besides, with your sons’ intelligence, the stuff in these books is easy for us! Daddy, just relax!" Zhong Ankang also chid in.
"That’s good as long as you both have a plan!" Zhong Yubai was very relieved, his children were not only intelligent but also sensible and filial. What more could a father ask for?
"By the way, what exactly did Xinhua tell you today?" Zhong Yubai suddenly rembered to ask.
Hence, Zhong Anping recounted Tian Xinhua’s words from earlier in the day on the mountain, and even shared what Tian Sisi had said. Zhong Yubai listened and nodded continuously.
"That’s right, Anping, your analysis is very reasonable. Xinhua has been in Beijing and has more access to information. He made a special effort to talk to you guys today; he must have wanted to share so things, but since he couldn’t say it directly, he had to hint at it that way."
"That’s what I thought too. That’s why, after what Xinhua and Sisi said, I decided to pick up the books again. Maybe in the future, the label we bear will no longer exist!" Zhong Anping said with a smile.
"The dream will surely co true. We must be full of confidence in the future!" Zhong Yubai embraced his sons’ shoulders, encouraging them.
"Ah, since both of you are so confident, then I guess I have no choice but to join you. After all, we are a family!" Zhong Ankang said helplessly, eliciting a round of laughter.
Reviews
All reviews (0)