Chapter 111: First Watch

Chapter 111: First Watch

There have been quite a few events happening recently in Liuqiao Commune. First, there was a persistent rumor that the embroidery factory was going to move, which had the local commune members in a frenzy. Even the commune leaders were so anxious that they kept running to the county, almost wearing themselves out.

As it turned out, the Southern Province No. 2 Embroidery Garment Factory did move, but the original site and staff smoothly transitioned into the Lingjiang City Embroidery Garment Factory. Contrary to everyone's speculation that they would stop hiring, it was said that because over two hundred people had left, they would actually recruit more this year.

What a pleasant surprise!

Commune leaders, like Zhang Zhengxiang, specifically sought out Shen Moer to express their dissatisfaction, complaining that she didn’t give them a heads-up about her backup plan, causing them to worry for so long.

Shen Moer explained that she wasn't sure if the plan would succeed, so apart from Mayor Gu, she hadn't mentioned it to the county.

Actually, Zhang Zhengxiang could understand. Taking the factory from the Provincial Department of Industry was like pulling teeth. If the news had leaked earlier, how could they have succeeded?

It was said that the Provincial Department of Industry had been in turmoil over this matter recently, even taking it to the provincial leaders. Shen Moer acted decisively, and now that the embroidery factory had become a subsidiary of Lingjiang City, any issues from the province would be handled by Mayor Gu, who would take the brunt of it. Shen Moer was left unscathed.

Zhang Zhengxiang's complaint was just a front; what he really wanted to know was whether the factory would move again, as he was aware that Mayor Gu had always hoped the factory would relocate to the city.

This time, Shen Moer gave him reassurance, clearly stating that the factory would not move again and would remain in Liuqiao Commune, as agreed upon by Mayor Gu.

Zhang Zhengxiang finally breathed a sigh of relief and left satisfied.

Apart from the factory's relocation, name change, and recruitment, another recent event in the commune was the establishment of a night school by the embroidery factory.

The embroidery factory, being well-funded, managed to set up the night school in just a week, and it quickly became bustling.

The teaching staff included not only educated youths from various brigades known for their education and academic excellence but also teachers from the county high school. The educated youths were responsible for teaching on weekday evenings, while the county high school teachers taught on weekends.

Cheng Tao had arranged an intensive three-month curriculum. The first two months would cover the main content of two years of high school, and the third month would be a review and enhancement phase. After the entire course, the night school would organize an exam, and those who passed would receive a graduation certificate.

This certificate might not be useful elsewhere, but the embroidery factory recognized it. This meant that for external applicants, as long as they obtained this certificate, they could participate in recruitment exams that required a high school diploma. For internal staff, there was also an opportunity to apply for corresponding positions.

Because of this, the night school, which was initially expected to have few applicants, suddenly enrolled over three hundred students.

So, they conducted a placement test after enrollment to divide the students into classes based on their levels.

"This is almost comparable to the number of students in the Commune Middle School," Xing Fangjie was utterly surprised. What seemed like a spur-of-the-moment idea from Shen Moer had turned into such a large-scale project.

It was worth noting that the Commune Middle School originally didn't have so many students. It was only in recent years, as people stopped dropping out before graduating from junior high to secure jobs, that the number of students had been consistently growing, almost doubling from before.

"This night school can continue next year, and based on it, we can apply to establish an affiliated high school," Shen Moer said as they walked. "We've visited some of the older state-owned factories in the province, and they have everything internally—affiliated schools, hospitals, stores... everything. We're not inferior to them. Originally, the province didn't want to spend money in this remote corner of Jiangbei, but now we have the authority. We can start whatever is essential and achievable."

Xing Fangjie's eyes lit up. She was from Jinshi, and before visiting the provincial capital, she knew that many older state-owned factories had affiliated schools, hospitals, and various other facilities. But she had never dared to imagine that their embroidery factory could also establish such things.

Now, hearing Shen Moer's words, Xing Fangjie had an epiphany.

Indeed, their factory was not inferior to those older state-owned factories. While their production capacity might not match some of the older factories, their export revenue was significantly higher.

They had the money; it was just that in the past, every significant expense had to be approved by the province. Now, they only needed approval from the city.

Investing locally, the city had no reason not to approve.

"Our embroidery factory, our Liuqiao Commune, will continue to improve!" Xing Fangjie suddenly felt even more motivated. Life was increasingly promising.

As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at the factory gate.

"Oh, your Fu Zhiqing still gives you a ride every day?" Xing Fangjie couldn't help but feel envious when she saw the figure holding a bicycle at the gate. "You two really have a strong bond."

Shen Moer smiled and asked in return, "Don't you and Principal Cheng have a good relationship?"

Xing Fangjie: "Oh, we’ve been married for ages. Now, he's completely focused on the night school and even signed himself up, saying he’s forgotten a lot of high school knowledge and wants to take this chance to relearn it. It’s a bit much."

Though she said this, her expression was gentle. They had supported each other through many years, and their relationship was indeed very good.

Shen Moer glanced at her and casually remarked, "Now that the educated youths are returning to the cities, there have been big changes in all walks of life. It's good for Principal Cheng to study more. Who knows, he might even get into university? Even if he doesn’t, once our affiliated high school is established, he could become the principal there."

With Cheng Tao's abilities and teaching level, he was more than capable of teaching middle school. However, with the increasing number of children attending school in the Brigade and Zhou Mancang's strong insistence on keeping him, Cheng Tao remained the principal at the Brigade School.

Xing Fangjie said, "How could there still be a chance to go to university?" But deep down, she felt bad for her husband. He was a top student and had a real chance to attend university. Unfortunately, he graduated just as the college entrance exams were suspended, and he became one of the first educated youths sent to the countryside.

If there really was a chance to go to university, she would definitely support her husband.

After saying goodbye to Xing Fangjie, Shen Moer walked over to Fu Mingze's bicycle. Fu Mingze took the bag from her hand and asked, "What were you talking about?"

Shen Moer sighed, "About Principal Cheng. I heard he was a top student in high school, but he graduated just as the college entrance exams were suspended, and then he was sent to the countryside."

She looked at Fu Mingze and asked, "You were a good student in high school, weren’t you? If there was a chance to take the college entrance exams now, would you take it?"

Over the years, they had never put down their textbooks. With Fu Mingze's help, Shen Moer finished high school. Still, they’d occasionally review the material, claiming it was to refresh their knowledge.

Shen Moer had long noticed that the high school curriculum seemed very easy for Fu Zhiqing. Math, physics, and chemistry were no problem, and even the humanities subjects were a breeze for him. He remembered everything he’d read, no matter how much time had passed.

So Shen Moer wasn’t worried Fu Zhiqing would fail if the exams came back.

However, they’d never talked about what came next or whether the college entrance exams would be reinstated.

Fu Zhiqing had done well in farming over the years, teaching himself countless agricultural techniques, seemingly set on being an agricultural technician. Shen Moer wasn't entirely sure if he still wanted to attend university.

What if she went to university, but Fu Zhiqing stayed to farm? Wouldn’t that mean living apart?

Fu Mingze glanced at her and countered, "What about you? If there was a chance to take the college entrance exams, would you take it, even if it meant giving up your position as the director of the embroidery factory?"

His family wrote that in early August, the government held a science and education symposium. The meeting was confidential, but since his parents had returned to the capital, they naturally had ways to find out. It was rumored that the college entrance exams might be reinstated.

Fu Mingze had been thinking how to tell Shen Moer, but before he could, he heard that she was planning to start a night school at the factory, teaching the high school curriculum in stages and with focus. He figured there was no need to say anything.

After all, studying was studying, whether for a certificate or the exams. The outcome was the same.

Fu Mingze was just unsure whether Shen Moer was studying purely for the sake of learning or if she would also take the college entrance exams if given the chance.

After all, she had recently put a lot of effort into moving the embroidery factory to the city, and in her plans, it seemed she wanted to build affiliated schools, affiliated stores, and more—as if she was preparing for a big endeavor.

If he were to take the college entrance exams and go to university, while she stayed in Liuqiao Commune to continue as the factory director, wouldn’t that mean living apart?

Of course, there was also the possibility that Shen Moer only had a middle school diploma and wouldn’t be eligible to take the exams.

If that were the case, Fu Mingze thought he might as well apply to a university in the southern province, preferably one close to Lingjiang City, so he could visit his wife and child from time to time.

After each pondering their thoughts, they both spoke in unison:

"If the college entrance exams are reinstated, let's give it a try together?"

"If there's a chance, let's try it together?"

The night school at the embroidery factory was in full swing. On October 21st, major media announced the exams’ return.

"The college entrance exams are back! The college entrance exams are back! Today's newspaper, front page headline, 'Major Reforms in College Admissions,' workers, farmers, educated youths who went up to the mountains and down to the countryside, those who returned to their hometowns, veterans, officials, and high school seniors can all take the exam!"

Zhao Danqiu rushed into the administrative building of the embroidery factory with the newspaper she had just picked up, yelling as she ran. Her voice was hoarse from the effort, but she still shouted with all her might. Gradually, her voice cracked with emotion.

Soon, the administrative building was filled with screams and cries.

Liu Yingshuang stumbled out of her office, snatched the newspaper from Zhao Danqiu's hands, and before she could even read it, she broke down crying: "I knew it, I always knew—"

Even though she had known this day would come, so many things in life had changed, she wasn't sure, or rather, only when she actually heard the news with her own ears could she believe that it wasn't just her imagination.

Upstairs, Xing Fangjie stood at the door of her office, staring blankly down the hallway: "Did I just hear someone shouting that the college entrance exams are back?"

Shen Moer also stood at the door of her office, hearing the commotion from downstairs, and smiled: "Yes, they're shouting that the college entrance exams are back."

Xing Fangjie cupped her hands over her eyes: "Really, they've really come back..."

In Yangliu Brigade, a scruffy male educated youth, holding the newspaper he had just snatched from Zhou ManCang, ran so fast that he lost one of his shoes, all the way to the Yangliu Brigade School, yelling as he ran: "Cheng Tao, the college entrance exams are back, Cheng Tao—"

Cheng Tao, who was holding his lesson plan and preparing to go to class, was stunned, frozen in place for what felt like an eternity, until the person stood in front of him, then asked softly, with a trembling voice: "What did you say?"

The man wiped his face and handed over the newspaper: "Old Cheng, the college entrance exams are back, educated youths can take them, all educated youths can take them!"

Cheng Tao took the newspaper, stared at the front page headline for a long time, quietly removed his glasses and wiped his face.