It seemed like the blink of an eye, and another Dragon Boat Festival had arrived.
Su Xiaotian had been re-leveling her account for three years.
As she passed the river where she had fallen into the water all those years ago, a smile graced her eyes and brows.
It was because of that fall that everything had changed.
In her previous life, what were her family members doing around this time?
They were probably still among the poorest in the entire brigade, right? Eating one day and starving the next!
But now, everything was different.
Although they didn't eat white rice and white flour for every meal, they could guarantee one meal a day.
No more worrying about what to eat after the current meal!
Last year, their family had acquired quite a few new items: two bicycles, a radio, a sewing machine…
They were considered a well-known affluent household.
Su Xiaotian had a personality that was content with modest wealth. She didn't aspire to achieve earth-shattering feats; she only wished for her family to live in peace and happiness!
To be able to live a life where they were well-fed and clothed during such special times was truly not easy.
In fact, it wasn't just the Su family.
The Hongxin Brigade's days had also improved.
With the chicken farm and pig farm as their foundation, the members not only received a larger share of money at the end of the year, but their horizons and the people they interacted with had also changed.
They knew that more effort meant more reward, but only if the effort was directed towards a goal.
Eggs and pork were both best-selling goods, and many units wanted them.
Although most of the pork and eggs produced by the Hongxin Brigade had to be handed over, a little was still left.
This small amount was enough to make many units eager to acquire them.
In the past two years, other brigades had tried to replicate the Hongxin Brigade's model, but none had succeeded.
The commune leaders, and even the county leaders, were very supportive, but for some reason, they all ended up losing money in the end, and only the Hongxin Brigade persevered.
With the booming development of the chicken egg cake factory serving as propaganda, it further convinced many people that long-term development could only be achieved through the Hongxin Brigade.
In the distant fields, many people were bent over, hoeing the soil, and Su Shouwen was among them.
"Big Brother, Big Brother!" Su Xiaotian called out with a smile from the edge of the field.
The surrounding brigade members saw her and greeted Su Xiaotian.
This child was beautiful, spoke nicely, and was endearing; no one disliked her.
"Seventh Uncle, Eighth Uncle, Ninth Great-Aunt…" Su Xiaotian greeted them one by one with a beaming smile.
"Xiaotian, are you here to find your Big Brother again? He's so grown up, could he possibly get lost?"
"How can you think that? Our little accountant definitely won't get lost… but he might get snatched away!"
Someone else chimed in with a teasing remark, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
"Don't say that, there are plenty of families from ten villages around who fancy our little accountant. It's like one family has a daughter and a hundred families seek her out, but our little accountant has a son and a hundred families seek him out!"
Su Shouwen was used to their teasing, but he still blushed slightly and quickly walked a couple of steps to Su Xiaotian.
"Sister, why are you here? It's so hot, you must be exhausted?"
"No, I'm fine. Big Brother, Grandpa sent me to find you, saying that today is a festival and you should come home early for dinner!"
Su Shouwen nodded upon hearing this and said, "I know. Just for this, you could have asked Little Eighth and Little Ninth to come!"
Su Xiaotian shook her head.
"That won't do. Eighth Brother and Ninth Brother are busy studying; they don't have time!"
In the past three years, at Su Xiaotian's urging, the children of the Su family had studied diligently. Even the youngest two were now in their third year of junior high.
"Even if you're studying, it's not like you're short on time. Hurry back, I'll be back later."
"Little accountant, you should go back quickly. If you go back, we can slack off a bit!" someone joked with a smile.
Su Shouwen returned the smile.
The team leader walked over and said, "Hurry back. Your father, mother, and your second father still have to go to the breeding farm tonight. It's a festival, and the family should have a reunion dinner!"
Su Shouwen looked at the busy people in the field, finally nodded, and walked back with Su Xiaotian's hand.
"The Su family must have had their ancestral graves smoking with good fortune. Their lives have been getting better and better these past two years, improving year by year," the team leader sighed.
Su Shan, standing nearby, watched with jealousy and envy.
His elder brother's family had not lived well before, but these past few days, they had soared, doing much better than his own family.
Not only was it better than his family, but looking around, not to mention the Hongxin Brigade, there wasn't a single household in the entire commune that had produced three workers in one year.
Besides the three workers, two sons worked in the brigade's pig farm, and one daughter-in-law worked in the chicken farm, both associated with the government.
What an honorable family!
Why had he listened to that foolish woman years ago and let his relationship with his own elder brother deteriorate like this?
If the two families still had a good relationship, wouldn't he have benefited?
Su Shouwen led Su Xiaotian back as the sun slanted westward.
Su Xiaotian skipped along, but she carefully avoided the small grass and flowers by the roadside.
Su Shouwen looked at the cheerful Xiaotian, his eyes filled with a smile.
"Big Brother, quit your job as accountant and go back to school!"
Su Xiaotian suddenly said this, startling Su Shouwen, who stumbled and almost fell.
"Xiaotian, what are you saying?"
He was doing a perfectly good job as an accountant; why should he quit? This child Xiaotian just thought of things on a whim!
"Big Brother, do you like being an accountant?" Su Xiaotian asked seriously.
Although it was a good job, in a year or two, with the implementation of household contract responsibility, this accounting job would become meaningless.
But if Big Brother liked it, it wasn't impossible to continue.
Su Shouwen shook his head, "I can't say I like it. But being an accountant is good; everyone in the brigade respects you!"
Su Xiaotian smiled, "Big Brother, they don't respect you; they respect the position of accountant!"
Su Shouwen laughed heartily, "Don't I know that? But I am the accountant. Whether they respect me or respect the position of accountant, isn't it all the same?"
"Big Brother, it's different," Su Xiaotian said earnestly. "If you master your own skills, you will truly earn respect in the future, and it will be respect for you, not for the position."
After she spoke, Su Shouwen fell silent. Would such a day come?
Perhaps it would?
Xiaotian always said that knowledge changes destiny!
Does Xiaotian mean for me to go to school?
"You want Big Brother to go to a Worker-Peasant-Soldier University?" Su Shouwen asked tentatively.
Otherwise, he couldn't think of any reason for him to quit his accounting job.
He clearly felt that being an accountant now was quite good. As others said, his job was easier than many other jobs and very respectable.
Such a job was something others couldn't even ask for!
"Big Brother, have you ever thought that besides Worker-Peasant-Soldier University, you could go to a real university!" Su Xiaotian asked tentatively.
Su Shouwen was stunned. A real university? Was it different from a Worker-Peasant-Soldier University?
"There is a difference!" Su Xiaotian seemed to guess Su Shouwen's thoughts. "Many people who go to Worker-Peasant-Soldier Universities can't even write a basketful of characters, and they won't learn much there. But a real university is different; only those with good grades can go!"
The so-called Worker-Peasant-Soldier Universities of this era were for those who were recommended to study. Most of them were connected by relationships, and perhaps they didn't even recognize their own names. Going to university would be a waste of a few years.
Su Shouwen couldn't help but reach out and touch Su Xiaotian's forehead.
What was this girl thinking about?
Universities hadn't enrolled students for how many years?
Now she was thinking about going to university; how was that possible?
He did want to go to a Worker-Peasant-Soldier University. He had been considering it for the past two years, thinking of working hard for a couple of years and then getting a spot in a Worker-Peasant-Soldier University.
But Su Xiaotian had always said the timing wasn't right, preventing him from asking for this spot.
He didn't understand; when would the timing be right?
And now, this girl was talking about going to university…
Wait, this girl Xiaotian never spoke without reason.
Her suddenly saying this and asking him to quit his accounting job must have a reason.
For some reason, Xiaotian always knew some information that others didn't. Perhaps this time, she had also learned something.
"Xiaotian? Did you hear any news?" Su Shouwen's excited voice trembled slightly.
That's right, it must be like this. Xiaotian was very capable; she must have heard some news.
Su Xiaotian looked around, ensuring no one was nearby, and then lowered her voice. "A few days ago, when I went to the county town, I accidentally overheard someone say that the leaders were preparing to hold a meeting to discuss it. Perhaps it will be finalized in a few months."
According to her memory, the country did hold meetings to discuss university enrollment during this year, but she didn't know the specific time. However, she guessed it would be around this time.
"Really? From now on, you won't need recommendations to go to university, but you'll have to take an exam?"
Su Xiaotian shook her head and said, "Not necessarily, it's probably like that."
She couldn't be too definitive.
What if something unexpected happened?
"Xiaotian, if this is true, then I'll go to school!" Su Shouwen wasn't someone who couldn't let go of things.
Moreover, after being influenced by Chi Ge, Du Tonghe, and Shen Zizhen over the years, the young man also had a dream of going to university.
When the two returned home and announced this decision, the family members were surprised, yet it seemed not entirely unexpected.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom? What do you mean?" Su Shouwen asked tentatively, afraid the elders would be angry.
Grandpa Su took a puff of his pipe and said, "It means nothing. Just do as you think best!"
As he spoke, Grandpa Su specifically glanced at Su Xiaotian.
It must be this girl's idea.
However, whatever this girl said, it would definitely be beneficial to the family.
Su Xiaotian stuck out her tongue at Grandpa Su, her little expression incredibly charming and cute.
"Shouwen, you're already this age. Just a few days ago, someone sent word to introduce you to a potential partner. Why are you still thinking about going to school?" Grandma Su had a different opinion.
Whether he was an accountant or not wasn't important; what was important was why her grandson wanted to go to school?
If he went to school, when would he get married and have children? She wanted to hold her great-grandchild.
"Grandma, I'm only eighteen. Why do I need to get married? I want to go to school!" Su Shouwen quickly said.
If he were to get married now, he would truly have no chance in life.
Grandpa Su said, "If the child wants to go to school, let him. Our family doesn't depend on the child to work and earn work points."
That's right, the Su family didn't rely on Su Shouwen to work and earn work points. After all, with three people in the family working in the city, no matter what, they wouldn't earn more work points than other families.
"Alright, then go to school. It's always a regret not to have attended high school," Elder Su said with a hearty laugh. "My life's regret is being too late and lacking education. Otherwise, I would have become a worker like the third brother!"
He had promised to study together back then, but he wasn't as diligent as the third brother.
Wang Xianghua never objected to her son's decisions. Seeing that her father-in-law and husband agreed, she also agreed with them.
Grandma Su wanted to hold her great-grandchild, but if her grandson didn't agree, she couldn't do anything.
The old lady could only try to adjust her mindset. Forget it; children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. If the child wants to study, let him study!
After the Dragon Boat Festival, the members of the Hongxin Brigade heard that Su Shouwen was going to study and would no longer be the brigade's accountant.
Su Changjiu was shocked when he heard this news. Wasn't everything going well before? Why the sudden decision to quit being an accountant?
At such short notice, where would he find an accountant?
"Eldest son, you should think about it again."
"Team Leader, I've made up my mind. I want to go to school. If I don't go to school now, my Grandma will start finding me a wife. I should at least attend high school for a year, right?"
Su Shouwen thought of what Su Xiaotian had said and couldn't say much else, so he joked.
Su Changjiu heard this and thought this boy was too informal!
But everyone has their own aspirations, and it was not good to force him. In the end, he could only agree.
However, he asked Su Shouwen to help with accounting during his school hours until he found a suitable replacement to hand over the work.
"Eldest son, you're not going to be an accountant anymore, what are you going to do?" an elder couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Exactly, this brigade's accountant is actually quite good, much easier than other jobs!" Even Su Shan couldn't help but express his objection to his grand-nephew's decision.
Although he was jealous that his elder brother's family's life was getting better and better, if Su Shouwen stopped being an accountant, he, as the second uncle, would also lose some face.
"After working as an accountant for two years, I feel I've learned too little. I plan to return to school to study."
Seeing that he had made up his mind, the brigade members didn't say much more. In their hearts, they began to consider who the accountant position would fall to now that he wasn't the accountant.
Some who had already made up their minds began to prepare to let their sons or daughters try to see if they could snatch this accountant position.
Only Su Shan thought, Big Brother is truly foolish. No wonder his wife always says their family is full of idiots, and their good children just wander around aimlessly every day!
Now look at it, isn't it true?
He would have to find Big Brother to talk about this later!
At this moment, Su Shan completely forgot that his Big Brother's children were indeed wandering around outside, but their lives were going well!
Su Shouwen, who had resigned and returned home, couldn't hear any news from the outside and began to doubt if Su Xiaotian had misheard!
"Xiaotian, what are the schools like these past two years? If I go to study now, I'm afraid I won't learn much. It's better to study by myself at home." After Su Shouwen toured the school in the county town, he decided not to go to school for now.