Wei Dang smiled and replied, "Thank you, Auntie. I don't need to go to high school anymore; I graduated almost ten years ago! Back when I was in high school, my grades weren't great, so I didn't get into university that year. My father sent me to the army for training."
Chen Lan thought for a moment and asked, "Wei Dang, let me ask hypothetically, if the country were to reinstate the college entrance examination and everyone could go to university, would you want to try again?"
Wei Dang smiled dismissively and said, "Auntie, if there were really a chance to retake the exam, I would definitely sign up."
Chen Lan smiled and asked, "Wei Dang, tell me honestly, how much of the knowledge you learned in high school can you still remember?"
Wei Dang touched his nose and chuckled somewhat awkwardly. "Auntie, to be honest, I've almost forgotten everything I learned before."
Seeing Wei Dang say this, Chen Lan advised, "Wei Dang, since that's the case, you should definitely use this time while you're recovering to go back to school and study properly. Listen to me, go back to school and pick up the knowledge you've forgotten. It will only do you good and no harm."
Wei Dang lowered his head and thought for a moment, then asked with some confusion, "Auntie, do you think the country will really reinstate the college entrance examination?"
Chen Lan looked at Wei Dang very seriously and said earnestly, "Wei Dang, you've been educated, so you should know that if a country falls behind, it will be bullied. Therefore, for the country not to be bullied by others, it must raise its overall scientific and technological level, manufacturing various advanced weapons with good performance. To achieve this, we need to cultivate our own scientific and technological talents. So, if the country wants to develop and not be bullied by outsiders, reinstating the college entrance examination is only a matter of time."
Chen Lan's words made Wei Dang nod repeatedly. Since Chen Lan had other things to do, she didn't continue to persuade him. Besides, Wei Dang was an adult, so she let him consider whether or not to go back to school himself.
That evening, Chen Lan still set out for Harbin Railway Station alone as planned, and then took the train back to Changchun after one in the morning.
When Chen Lan climbed over two large mountains and appeared in the valley, the people in the valley were very surprised.
Chen Lan quickly explained a few words to everyone, then hurried to the breeding farm to find Zheng Sanpao. She briefly explained the matter of taking the children to Harbin to study, and then asked him to take people to the border defense camp to deliver supplies and get a certificate.
Zheng Sanpao readily agreed! However, the two of them struggled with what to send.
So Zheng Sanpao said, "Xiao Lan, I think we should forget it! It's too hot now. If you want to send pork! The pigs we raised this year are still small and not ready for slaughter. Besides, it's too hot now, and it takes hours to walk in the mountains. I'm worried the meat will spoil!"
Chen Lan was at a loss for what would be a good gift for the border defense camp at this moment. Since she was asking for a favor, Chen Lan felt it wouldn't be right not to send something.
So she said, "Brother Zheng, I remember that before we went to Harbin, Granny Sun and the others in the big kitchen pickled a lot of salted duck eggs and preserved eggs. They should be edible now. How about arranging for someone to send two baskets of each?" After all, we're asking for a favor, so this is a small token of our appreciation. What do you think?"
Unexpectedly, Zheng Sanpao replied, "Xiao Lan, you're a bit late this time. We didn't have this plan initially, so as soon as the salted duck eggs were pickled, the big kitchen started boiling and eating them for breakfast. I heard my mother-in-law say that the first batch pickled has long been finished, and even the second batch is almost eaten. Ducks don't lay many eggs in the summer, so the third batch of duck eggs hasn't been pickled yet."
Chen Lan asked with some reluctance, "What about the preserved eggs? There should be some left!"
Zheng Sanpao replied with a smile, "They're all gone long ago. They were eaten with drinks by Uncle Zhao, Uncle Zhou, and a bunch of their old friends who like to drink."
Chen Lan thought about it. She hadn't prepared supplies specifically for the big kitchen in a long time. The crops in the fields were at a critical stage, and the elderly men responsible for field management were indeed working hard. It was only right for them to have a drink to relieve their fatigue, especially with the autumn harvest approaching. It was time to improve everyone's diet.
Thinking of this, Chen Lan said, "Brother Zheng, the matter of getting the certificate is urgent. The schools in Harbin have already started. I'll figure out a way to solve the problem of sending the duck eggs. Let's send five hundred salted duck eggs and five hundred preserved eggs each. How many people do you think we should arrange to send them tomorrow morning?"
When Zheng Sanpao heard that they were still sending gifts, he didn't say anything more. He said, "Xiao Lan, let's pack a hundred in each carrying basket! After all, we still have to walk for several hours on the mountain road. If there are too many things, I'm afraid they'll be crushed."
This time, Chen Lan brought her three daughters along. Only the triplet siblings were left at home. After all, Chunni and the other two were already quite old. If they didn't hurry to school now while the student enrollment was low and the management wasn't so strict, and get a high school diploma, Chen Lan worried that if they missed this opportunity, they might not be accepted in another two years. Su Dan Novel Network.
So Chen Lan handed over the household responsibilities to Cui Qiao and Hu Yuzhen, and the sisters Yulia and Milana helped to take care of things. Then she set off with a group of children.
And so, Chen Lan commuted between the valley and Harbin for several years. Chen Lan bought two adjoining farmhouses near Harbin Normal University Affiliated High School at a high price. She then had the two courtyards connected, and hired old Zhang and his brothers to do a simple renovation, which temporarily served as temporary dormitories for the children attending school in Harbin.
For the children's meals, parents of each student were arranged to take turns coming to Harbin to cook for half a semester, and it also gave them an opportunity to see the world.
Many things happened in these years. During Chunni's two years of schooling in Harbin, she and Wei Dang spent a lot of time together, and they secretly developed feelings for each other, sparking a romance.
Chen Lan was initially worried that Uncle and Aunt would not agree, because she and Xu Mingxuan had always respected them as elders. Now that the two families had become in-laws through their children, Chen Lan felt a bit awkward.
Xu Mingxuan, however, had no such concerns. Uncle and Aunt also didn't have this idea. They were all very satisfied with Chunni. They all said that Chunni was not only educated but also gentle and generous, and capable of managing the household. She took good care of them, the elders, and the other elderly people in the family. In short, she was good in every aspect.