Reborn in 1977

Leaving the embankment and arriving at the educated youth compound, the two didn't go inside. Instead, they followed a small path outside the compound wall towards their new home in the back.

Anquan, carrying the fish bucket, strode forward, occasionally patting the snowflakes off his body. "This first snow of the year is so heavy; it looks like next year will be another bumper harvest."

Chen Fan, with his hands in his pockets, wearing a straw raincoat and hat, resembled an old man, except he was a bit too tall. He lacked some rustic charm but gained a bit of a heroic demeanor.

Reaching the slope, he didn't even hold onto the specially installed bamboo railing. He stepped on the accumulated snow as if walking on flat ground, saying, "This year's hybrid rice crop was a great success. Next year, the team will expand the planting area. Plus, with so much agricultural machinery and money to buy more fertilizer, it would be strange if we didn't have a good harvest."

Turning to look at Anquan, who was pulling himself up the railing, he took the fish bucket from him and chuckled. "But you won't see it. By then, you and your wife will be looking at skyscrapers and bustling streets in the city, associating with the elite and hidden talents. Don't forget about our poor rural backwater then."

Anquan rolled his eyes and huffed, "Poor rural backwater? I've been here for ten years and never gone hungry. If this place is a poor rural backwater, then there's no good place in the whole country."

Chen Fan immediately retorted, "Who said that? Haven't you heard the saying, 'Knock a roe deer with a stick, scoop fish with a dipper, and pheasants fly into the rice pot'? At least the Sanjiang Plain in Northeast China is better than here."

Anquan grunted twice. "Give it a rest. That place can freeze people to death in winter. Would you want to go? If you ask me, the Jiangnan region, the land of fish and rice, is far superior."

Chen Fan smiled. "Then how about the great Shanghai? Ask anyone: would they rather be a cadre in a big city or stay in the countryside and farm?"

Anquan curled his lip. "You're being unreasonable. You're comparing a city to a village. How can you compare them? You might as well compare the Sanjiang Plain to Jiangnan; at least that's fairer."

Chen Fan stepped onto level ground, exhaled a white breath, and turned back to smile at him. "If one day, the countryside not only eats well and lives well but is also as convenient as the city, with schools, hospitals, movie theaters, shopping malls, post offices, cultural centers, water and electricity supply, and wide roads…"

Before he could finish, Anquan rolled his eyes. "Then would that still be the countryside?"

Chen Fan laughed heartily. "Why not? It's a new countryside!"

Anquan said, "Heh, if that day ever comes, I'd give up my job in Shanghai and move to your new countryside to be a farmer."

Chen Fan waved his hand dismissively, feigning disdain. "By then, I'm afraid you'll be too good for us."

Anquan nodded thoughtlessly. "Right, right, too good for you, too good for you, just like we couldn't afford to live in the big city before, right?"

The two walked in, talking and laughing. As soon as they reached the covered corridor, the door was pulled open, and Huang Ying, Yang Ju, and Liu Dan came out to greet them, wearing thick cotton-padded coats.

Liu Dan took the fish bucket from Chen Fan's hand, and Yang Ju helped him take off his straw hat and raincoat, turning around to hang them on the wall.

Huang Ying, who didn't get a chance to help, said from the side, "Team Leader Yang, Accountant Liu, and my uncle have already arrived and are sitting inside."

Before she finished speaking, Team Leader Yang and the other two arrived at the door.

Chen Fan waved at them, greeting them with a smile, then said to Liu Dan, "Put a few carp in the fish tank, cook the yellow croaker in a pot, and prepare a few side dishes."

After saying that, he smiled at Team Leader Yang and the others. "Don't go back today; eat here."

Team Leader Yang smiled so wide that he couldn't close his mouth. "Of course, we won't pass up a free meal. I also want to taste the wine you brewed yourself."

Chen Fan walked inside as he spoke. "No problem. I'll even bring back a jar for you to drink slowly later. This batch of wine was brewed with the distiller's yeast I bought from the supply and marketing cooperative. I made a batch of distiller's yeast myself during the Dragon Boat Festival. The next batch can be brewed with my own yeast, which will definitely taste better."

The group didn't go to sit on the sofa but walked to the tea table at the very back.

On the tea table were tea sets made by Chen Fan himself. Next to it was a huge black iron stove. Dry firewood was burning in the stove, and a teapot was placed on top to heat.

Anquan looked at the large stove. "If I weren't leaving soon, I would definitely have you make me a stove like this. It looks so comfortable!"

He sat down on a chair, picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup of tea, and smiled at Team Leader Yang and the others. "There are many old villas in Shanghai, all from the Republican era. Some villas have this kind of stove inside, but the appearance is different. That one is embedded in the wall, and the outside is decorated very beautifully.

After the weather gets cold, burning firewood in the stove, people sit in front of the stove, warm and comfortable."

Saying that, he turned to look at Chen Fan's stove. "Although this one is very warm, it doesn't look very good. It's just like a dark, black stove, very crude."

Chen Fan didn't care and curled his lips, saying, "What's the use of being so good-looking? We rural people focus on practicality."

He turned to look at Team Leader Yang and smiled. "I asked Director Cui of the repair shop at the waterway transportation company to weld this for me. It's much warmer than the original ceramic stove, but it consumes too much firewood."

(Similar to this)

Team Leader Yang clicked his tongue. "I was just about to say, how many pounds of firewood do you burn in a day?"

Chen Fan grinned. "Actually, it doesn't take much. I only burn it when people are here. If you guys don't come, I'll just huddle in my room and heat the kang. When people lie on the kang, it not only saves firewood but is also warmer."

The warehouse manager Huang next to him shook his head repeatedly, "Your kang is like a clay stove, with a fire pit underneath, roasting people on top. It just doesn't seem right."

Accountant Liu took a sip of hot tea and gave him a contemptuous look, "That's all the good fortune you have. You can't enjoy good things at all."

Warehouse manager Huang glanced at him, "Then why don't you build a kang in your house and roast yourself on the fire?"

Accountant Liu immediately coughed dryly, turned to look at An Quan, and asked, "How many days until the college entrance examination results come out?"

An Quan casually said, "It should be soon. Just wait a few more days. The county will notify twice the number of people as the admission score line for physical examinations. After the physical examination and the application for volunteers, the next step will be to announce the college entrance examination scores."

Chen Fan turned to look at Accountant Liu and asked curiously, "Why are you asking this? Those who took the college entrance examination are not as anxious as you."

Accountant Liu shook his head, "Hey, isn't it because I can't wait to announce the good news?"

His face was flushed, and he grinned, "After the exam, everyone estimated their scores. The total score is 500 points, and none of us in Lujiawan scored below 450 points. Adding the 30 points for the extra test, it's even more incredible.

But I heard that the students in the town, including those in the high school review class, estimated the highest score to be only three hundred fifty or sixty.

The difference is too big. I'm embarrassed to say it outside, for fear of making mistakes and people saying we are not modest."

A long speech made Chen Fan understand, and he immediately said with a smile, "So, you can't wait to show off outside?"

Accountant Liu immediately glared, "How can you say show off? It's just letting more people share the joy."

An Quan put down his teacup, pointed at Accountant Liu and laughed, "Old Liu, just be bolder. What's wrong with showing off? When the college entrance examination scores are announced, we will have a big feast to celebrate!"

He was also really happy. Although the preparation time for this college entrance examination was not long, only less than two months, there were ample review materials available for study, and Chen Fan, a good teacher, was nearby to consult. Therefore, the scores he and his wife estimated were both above 420 points.

At that time, when he saw the scores of those young classmates in Lujiawan, he was still a little uneasy, but after hearing that the highest score of the candidates in the town was only three hundred fifty or sixty, and more people were around 300 points, and some even less than 200 points, his heart was mostly settled.

You should know that these people also studied in the review class and used the materials provided by the Lujiawan Library. Even they were like this, so what about others who lacked the conditions?

Even so, he was not at ease, and successively sent telegrams to classmates all over the country, especially those in Shanghai, to inquire about the examination situation there.

When the replies came one after another, he also understood the situation of this year's college entrance examination.

Although the total scores of each province are different, the examination results can be known by referring to the score ratio.

A score that can reach 80% of the total score can be called "particularly excellent", and an average score of around 70 points is considered relatively good.

No matter when, those who can be called excellent are always a small group.

Therefore, those who can hover on the passing line almost all have the possibility of being admitted to a university.

Of course, it is just a possibility. The specific situation depends on whether there are too many competitors for the schools and majors applied for.

But that is relative. For An Quan, who is "particularly excellent", as long as he doesn't lose his mind and apply for schools and majors with very few admissions, and "forgets" to tick the box to agree to transfer, there is no possibility of failing.

They were happy, and Chen Fan sat and drank tea, even more confident.

Later data showed that the admission score lines of various provinces in the country this year can be called the lowest in history, without exception!

For example, in Hubei, Fujian, and Sichuan, the liberal arts admission line was 210 points. Although the total score was only 400, even less than the 60th percentile, it can be seen how outrageous it is.

Especially in Yunnan, Qinghai and other places, the admission score line is even lower than them, only a mere 200 points!

The science score is even lower than the liberal arts score. The lowest admission line is 160 points in Yunnan... With a total score of 400, being able to go to university with 160 points, I am afraid that only those junior colleges and vocational high schools that expand enrollment every year after later generations can have this opportunity.

However, the gold content of the two is completely at different levels!

In this case, is there still any doubt that An Quan and Huang Ying will be admitted to university?

Unfortunately, such a big thing is only circulating within Lujiawan. Almost everyone remembers Secretary Yang's instructions. Before the score is announced, no one is allowed to talk nonsense outside, so as not to cause trouble for Lujiawan.

After the score is announced, there is no such problem.

At that time, it will not be able to be hidden, and the people of Lujiawan can also show off everywhere with their heads held high. Even if they are jealous, they can only endure it!

However, looking at Accountant Liu, you know that everyone is enduring it very hard.

Just as Chen Fan was distracted, Captain Yang, who hadn't spoken for a long time, suddenly coughed dryly, looked at him and said softly, "Xiao Chen, if everything goes smoothly, Yang Ju, Huang Ying, and Liu Dan will all go to study outside, and you even arranged for them to go to the capital so far away. I guess it will be rare to come back once a year.

After they leave, you won't even have anyone to say hello to here. Have you ever thought about what to do in the future?"

Chen Fan blinked at him, what does he mean?