Yang PeiMin spoke earnestly about her review material.
Principal Li nodded, handed her a slip of paper, and wrote the names of a few review resources, "Take a look at these, your foundation is still solid. Do you have any majors in mind?"
Yang PeiMin took it with both hands, grateful.
She had already decided on her major.
She wanted to study in the Department of Biology, focusing on plant biology, which was also a regret from her previous life. At that time, she had chosen English, and now, with her goals clearly defined, she regretted it again.
Principal Li was somewhat surprised; this subject was quite specialized.
Still, he nodded, admiring her clear and steadfast goal. He pondered for a while and when he looked up again, he said to her, "The county high school has specifically set up a review class for the gaokao. I’ll see if I can arrange for you to be placed in it."
Yang PeiMin didn’t know how to thank Principal Li enough—he had helped her time and again.
Principal Li didn’t mind at all, smiling, "I can’t stand seeing talent go to waste. If you really want to thank me, then work hard and get into the university you wish to attend, and become someone who contributes to society."
Yang PeiMin promised solemnly.
After she left, Principal Li also stood up, hands clasped behind his back, and strolled outside to the communal area to make a phone call.
In a few days, Mr. Li, who had taken leave for childbirth, returned.
Yang PeiMin started to hand over her work to him.
But she was very reluctant to leave her two classes of students.
They were a group of very lovable kids, usually well-behaved, diligent, and hard-working. They took her assignments seriously and meticulously and came to school early every day, regardless of the weather, even volunteering to clean her desk and sweep the floor.
At the end of each month, when the full attendance award was given, honest students often received more than just a stick of firewood; some even brought a large bundle picked by their parents, filling up the Shen family’s woodpile by the courtyard wall, ensuring they wouldn’t need to chop wood for the whole next year.
Faced with such a small token of effort, Yang PeiMin felt embarrassed.
Now that she announced her departure, the students all hated to see her go, collectively shouting for her not to leave, with some even starting to cry.
She was sentimental; without saying much, her eyes also reddened.
She promised her students that the full attendance agreement would continue, supervised by the head teacher, until their graduation from primary school. She hoped that they would persist, study hard, and grow up to be useful individuals.
Before coming, she had made over thirty pounds of caramel, which she distributed among the children.
She left some for her colleagues, about a pound each.
However, they protested, "We should be the ones giving you gifts, how can we accept yours?"
Yang PeiMin smiled, "After more than two months of working here, I’m grateful for all the care and tolerance from my colleagues. It’s just a small gesture, nothing rare, all homemade, so please don’t refuse it."
Then everyone accepted.
All were smiling and warmly inquired about her situation, "Mr. Yang, I heard you’re preparing for the gaokao?"
Seeing Yang PeiMin nod,
They expressed admiration and a complex set of thoughts, "Yang PeiMin, you have great aspirations; we wish you every success."
Yang PeiMin also responded with a smile to each.
During this time, her relationship with her colleagues was quite good. There were no conflicts of interest, and even with those of odd temperament or disagreements on the surface, they remained amicable. If they didn’t get on, they just kept their distance privately.
Thus, everyone gave their blessings for her departure, especially since she had been a sociable member of the team.
At Principal Li’s, because he had helped her a lot, she not only gave him candy and other items but also knitted him a sweater. He didn’t want to accept it, but she was nimble enough to leave the sweater at the door and escape quickly, using a tactic she learned from Zhang Minghua and Chen Guizhi, who also would push a few times and then leave after giving gifts during holidays.
Hao Qinghui escorted her to the door, presenting her with a new harmonica, "Please accept this as a token of thanks."
Yang PeiMin questioned, "What thanks is this for?"
Hao Qinghui’s brows were clear, his smile warm, "Thank you for persuading Mr. Liu. She hasn’t come over recently but has started writing letters instead. Although her intentions are the same, she seems to be softening. I believe with more gentle persuasion, she will give up." In fact, it was Liu Aihong’s letters, filled with misspellings that made up a good portion of them. As a teacher, Hao Qinghui couldn’t help but point out every spelling mistake in his replies and corrected misused words and references she had made.
Their correspondence had evolved from talking about love to discussing their studies.
Knowing this, Yang PeiMin was overjoyed.
Hao Qinghui stubbornly held out the harmonica, maintaining the gesture of giving.
Yang PeiMin, however, stepped back and waved her hands at him, "This is too precious; I can’t accept it. If it were some other small trinket, I would gladly take it. We always say it’s the thought that counts." With that, she winked at him.
But Hao Qinghui insisted, "I heard you can play the harmonica. A gift should be something the recipient likes and needs, right? Take it. It’s not really worth much; think of it as a little trinket. I already have one, so this extra one is just spare."
As they argued, it was time for class again. Hao Qinghui quickly stuffed the harmonica into her hands, announced he had to teach, and turned to leave. Only when he was far away did he turn back and shout, "When you pass the exam, send me a message."
Yang PeiMin felt somewhat helpless; she didn’t expect him to employ this tactic. She just nodded in response to his words.
Holding the harmonica, she returned home.
The news had spread, and the high school had also received the information from above.
So the Shen sisters, Yiyue and Yixiang, began to prepare anxiously.
As soon as school ended, they immersed themselves in their room for revision.
Yang PeiMin put down her things and voluntarily took up all the household chores.
But she was not happy about the clothes that Shen Yidong and Shen Yixiang threw her way; no matter how busy she was, it wasn’t an excuse not to do one’s own work.
"Sister, Yixiang, you’ll need to wash your own clothes," she said firmly, allowing no room for negotiation.
Shen Yidong hugged her eight-months-pregnant belly with one hand and supported her back with the other, "Sister-in-law, it’s not that I don’t want to wash them myself. But as you can see, my body is getting heavier, and it’s becoming harder to move. Please be understanding."
Shen Yixiang added, "My exams are approaching, and there’s not enough time for revision, let alone for laundry. It would really help if you could do it for us, sister-in-law. You’re not working now, and you have nothing else to do."