Reborn in 1940 and survived until the new century

But we are not afraid of difficulties. For the sake of learning to read, we must overcome even the biggest difficulties. "

"That's right, but how can we overcome it?"

"Yes?

We also want to learn to read, but how can we do it? "

"I have already thought of this idea for you. After the meeting today, we will do nothing but make a sand table with Comrade Chen Dali. He knows a little bit about carpentry, so making a sand table is not difficult.

Since there is no paper, we use a sandbox and put soil on the sandbox and use it as a notebook. This way, even if you write the words incorrectly when you are just starting to learn, you don’t have to worry.

Since we didn’t have a pen, we used tree branches to practice stroke by stroke.

Once you have practiced, we will find a way to buy paper and pens, and then we won’t have to worry about wasting paper.”

"Okay!"

"This is a really good idea."

"After talking about the first thing, let's talk about the second thing."

"What's the second thing?"

"Yes?

What is it? "

"Don't you know not to interrupt when the leader is talking?"

"Oh!"

"The second thing is to make use of your strengths!"

"Our specialty is that we are just beggars, what special skills do we have?"

"that is!"

"How come it's gone? What else did you do before besides begging?

Don't tell me you can't do anything except being a thief?"

“Does it count if I know how to fish?”

"all right!

How can it not be counted?

As you can all see, although the food in our orphanage is enough to fill you up, it is not easy to eat meat.

If you can fish, and you are pretty good at it, I wouldn't say I'll let you drink fish soup every day, but it's okay for us to have fish soup every now and then."

“What if we catch too much?”

“More?

Isn’t that hard to say?

Pick out the big fish and sell them in the market. We can save the money and buy you some paper and pens. If there is any leftover, we can also buy some meat and bring it back so that we can have a good meal together, okay?"

“Yeah, but what if I could weave baskets?

Although it's not very well written, it will definitely work. Will this work?"

"Why not? As long as it works, we can use it ourselves even if we can't sell it."

"Is this okay?"

"Why not?

It's summer now, so we should prepare for winter!"

"Prepare?

What are you preparing for?

"what to prepare?

Do you really want to eat only cabbage or radish every day, or just pickles?"

"this?"

"When you have finished weaving the baskets, we can go out together that day and dig up some wild vegetables and dry them in the sun. We can eat them during the winter.

Or maybe these wild vegetables can save lives when there is no food to eat?"

"this?"

"Don't disbelieve me, when we were fighting, we had nothing to eat, so we ate anything edible, even tree bark or grass roots.

Since you took your first step into the orphanage, you are no longer beggars on the street. Since you are no longer beggars, you must learn everything you need to learn.

Our orphanage may not be able to help you solve other problems, but at least we can teach you how to live.

When you leave the orphanage, you won't end up begging on the street again?"

"this?"

"But, leader, what should I do if I don't know anything?"

“If you don’t know anything, then follow the comrades who know and learn well.

In addition, I can also help you find other jobs!

Can't we learn together then?"

"What kind of work?"

"At present, there is only one, and that is Hu Huochaihe. We cannot rely on organizations for help in everything. We have to learn to solve problems by ourselves.

Although Hu Huochaihe can't make much money, no matter how much he can make, at least we don't have to worry about salt, don't you think?"

“No one has ever taught us this before?

We don’t understand at all!”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. You can learn slowly. With so many of us, there must be a way, right?

You are still young now, so you can learn slowly. When you are older, even if you want to learn, you will have less choice. "

“Like those big brothers?”

“That’s right. Why are the children who come here between 8 and 15 years old? Isn’t it because you are young and have more room for choice?

It's better than following them to work in the fields or dig coal in a coal mine after you turn 15, right?

I'm not saying that farming is bad, nor am I saying that coal mining is not a good idea?

But with your small bodies, you can't do farming or coal mining, right?

You might as well study hard while you are young, and then find a job in the city.

It's better than begging on the streets all day long like before when you didn't know anything.

Think about it, is this the truth? "

"Besides these, can we learn anything else?"

"Of course!

But we have to take it step by step. We can't become a fat man in one bite, right?"

"That's right, then we'll go make a sand table with Brother Chen later!"

"Don't worry about this, just listen to me and I will explain it slowly."

"You say?"

"Children under ten years old should stay at home with Comrade Chen Dali, and children over ten years old should go with Comrades Wang Erniu and Liu Daqiang to drink and cut rattan sticks.

Since some of you know how to weave baskets, we should hurry up and weave some too.

Regardless of whether we can sell it or not, at least we have to use it ourselves first.

Otherwise, when you go fishing or digging wild vegetables next time, do you really plan to hold them in your hands?

Aren't you afraid that it might be snatched away by someone?"

"They dare?"

"That's right, don't you see who we are?"

“Okay, you all know what kind of team we are without me having to tell you.

Now that you have come to the orphanage, you must follow the rules of the orphanage!

As for whether they dare to do so, that is not a problem that can be solved by force. We should try our best not to conflict with others.

Aren't you guys the same cliques as before?

This isn't where you were before!

You can’t solve the problem with the old ways.”

"Yes."

"Now that you've heard it all, just do as I say!"

"Yes."

From that day on, I spent two hours every day learning to read with Director Zhang. The rest of the time, I was either making matchboxes or weaving baskets.

After everyone had a basket, Director Zhang specially invited someone to come and teach everyone how to weave other things with rattan.

Like backpacks, rattan baskets and so on, as long as it is something that can be used in life, even if no one is taught in the end, everyone will brainstorm and try it out. Not to mention those who are dexterous, those with quick brains can really succeed.

Some people, based on this, even learned carpentry from Comrade Chen Dali, and gradually made their own cars based on what they saw.