“By the way, I asked Mrs. Zhou to tell you to bring the kids over for dinner last night. How come you didn't come over? You can't still be standing on ceremony with Old Madam, can you?” Old Madam looked at her impatiently, her gaze full of resentment.
Knowing that this was what she had originally come to talk about, Xia slid over to sit next to Old Madam and hugged her arm coquettishly, “Granny, don’t you know me well? When have I ever stood on ceremony with you? I came over today to talk about this too. If you want me and the kids to come over and accompany you anytime, just say the word. As for eating together, I’d rather not if I can manage. If it ever gets to be too much for me, I’ll speak up myself without you having to tell me. Just don’t complain that I'm bothering you when the time comes.”
Old Madam's face darkened. "Are you afraid of upsetting your sisters-in-law?"
She was not like Zhou Nan. Old Madam had lived her whole life only seeing people try to get on her good side.
Even after all these years Zhou Nan had been married into the family, she only enjoyed Old Madam’s high opinion because of her years of hard work and service.
As for her daughters-in-law, who would dare upset her? She would make life difficult for anyone who tried.
She had told Zhou Nan long ago that grandchildren have their own fortune and not to get too involved with the young ones’ affairs.
Especially with many sons, helping everyone would be too much, and what seemed fine now might go awry in the end.
But Zhou Nan never listened, always saying that she was still able while the children had it hard, so she should help however she could.
Old Madam had no power over her, so she stopped interfering.
Seeing that Old Madam had misunderstood, Xia quickly shook her head. “It’s not because of others. I know Granny cares for me, but I’m a grown woman now.”
Old Master spoke up from the side. “If the child doesn’t want to, don’t force her. We live close by, so if she doesn’t want to cook she can just call out and come over anytime.”
Only then did Old Madam relent. Xia stayed and chatted for a while before heading home.
......
The news that the high school entrance exam was being reinstated had already spread through streets and alleys since October 21, 1977. Radios, loudspeakers, televisions; they were all broadcasting the joyous news.
The streets were filled with people cheering and celebrating, newspapers sold out everywhere.
Xia turned off the radio at home, a delighted smile on her face.
Guo Momo ran in holding Little PingAn, shouting as soon as she entered, “Auntie, did you hear? They’re bringing back the college entrance exam!”
Little PingAn was still the name Xia had jokingly suggested. Pei JianGuo had named the child Pei Yuhao, but Xia said it would be better to call him PingAn (peaceful and safe), hoping the child would have a smooth path ahead.
Guo Momo also liked it, so that’s what they called him.
In that other life, Old Pei had pressured Pei JianGuo to name his son, but this life no one was forcing him and he still chose Pei Yuhao.
It wasn’t that it was a bad name, just that in that other life they didn’t know about, the three characters Pei Yuhao bore too much pain. An unwelcome birth and a childhood amidst family conflicts became lifelong wounds he couldn’t heal.
And the original Pei Yuhao was now the doted on Pei Chenyou with both parents and siblings who loved him. The past tragedy would not be repeated.
“I heard it. I had just turned off the radio when you rushed in,” Xia clapped her hands at Little PingAn and took him into her arms before asking Guo Momo, “What is it? Are you planning to take the college entrance exam too?”
The smile on Guo Momo’s face turned bitter as she looked sadly at Little PingAn. “I do want to take it, but the child...”
Not only could Little PingAn not speak, the already two-and-a-half-year-old still couldn’t stand or walk on his own at all, completely dependent on others.
Guo Momo had never been someone to resign herself to her circumstances, but reality had forced her to lower her head.
Pei JianGuo was unreliable as well. His guilt had made him treat them well at first, but now he was growing increasingly intolerant of Little PingAn. Guo Momo could feel it even if he never said anything, but she didn’t dare poke holes lest he stop providing for them.
At least Old Pei’s words still made Pei JianGuo support them financially. Her son’s grandfather also helped out often. Even after Pei JianGuo’s salary was enough after Little PingAn was weaned, she didn’t refuse, thinking of their future.
Saving more money was never a bad idea.
Xia felt bad for Little PingAn as well, doing her best to give him better food and supplies these past two years, but the congenital condition was difficult to cure.
Fortunately the things weren’t completely useless either. Other than the inability to speak and walk, Little PingAn was a very clever child, able to express his emotions and needs through simple gestures.
She figured there shouldn’t be too big an issue with the boy’s legs. After all he could stand on his own and crawl slowly. He likely just started walking later than normal children.
Compared to Little PingAn, Pei Chenyou who was only one or two months older could run and jump and chatter up a storm, making Guo Momo envious every time she saw him while deepening her hatred for Wang Yue and Pei Shuangshuang.
Her own son should have been lively like other children if not for them harming him. Yet they still had the gall to look down on him!
Old Pei had only told Wang Yue to stop bothering Pei JianGuo in the future, but the bond between mother and child was one that couldn’t be severed. Other than the initial period of blame, Pei JianGuo still chose to forgive his mother and sister in the end.
Guo Momo had even overheard Wang Yue poisoning Pei JianGuo against her recently, saying Guo Momo was infertile while PingAn was a mute cripple, telling Pei JianGuo to divorce Guo Momo and marry someone else instead.
Guo Momo had chased Wang Yue out with a broom then and gone straight to the hospital Wang Yue worked at to kick up a row. It got Wang Yue a demerit but also gave Guo Momo a reputation as a harridan.
After thinking for a bit, Xia still gently advised her, “The college entrance exam is a rare opportunity. If you really have the ability and desire, it would be best not to give up. And if it works out this time, with workers and sent-down youth both eligible, there will definitely be people bringing children to class when admitted. Little PingAn is so obedient, it won’t be an issue for you to bring him along.”
Indeed, as Xia said, many of the students admitted in the first college entrance exam brought children to class. Children over two years old were reasonably well-behaved, and the mute Little PingAn certainly wouldn’t be disruptive.
Pei JianGuo was unreliable. Marrying him hadn’t improved Guo Momo’s life one bit, thoroughly demonstrating that living poorly wasn’t all the wife’s fault. He bore greater responsibility himself.
Guo Momo still needed to establish herself to ensure their future.
“Really? Can I... Can I really?” Guo Momo didn’t disbelieve her. She just didn’t dare believe.
Every time she thought her fortune had turned, reality always revealed she was on the way to another hell instead.
If she could turn back time now, she would probably rather have gone down to the countryside than married Pei JianGuo.
She didn’t regret it. She hurt for her child.
“If you really want to give it a try, wait until I can find a chance to ask my second brother. He understands more than us,” Xia said.
“Thanks for helping ask around for me then, Auntie.” Hope rekindled in Guo Momo’s heart. “Oh yes, if possible, could you also help ask if there are any spare high school textbooks and review materials? It’s been years since I graduated. No idea how much I still remember.”
Luckily she had been a good student back then, always seeking knowledge to change her fate. So while the other students were out and about, she was earnestly studying. She would even ask teachers privately when she didn’t understand something. All her teachers had liked her a lot.
Indeed, Guo Momo was an extremely hardworking student. Unfortunately, whether in the past or present, her progress was always shackled by her family circumstances.
Xia said, “Sure, there’s a set of high school textbooks on my desk that my second brother got for me to read a couple years ago. I finished them long ago. Go ahead and take a look if you need.”
“Auntie, are you planning to take the college entrance exam too?” she even wondered if Xia had known about it early on. Otherwise why start preparing years ago?
However, Pei JianGuo had also mentioned a few sentences, saying that little aunt had never been to school before, and had only gone to literacy classes for a few days.
But she didn't think so. She often came over and often saw ZhiXia reading and writing, so even if she hadn't been to school before, she must have studied hard later.
"Of course, this is a great opportunity, and I also want to take the opportunity to improve my education level, so that I won't always be laughed at for never having been to school." ZhiXia laughed at herself self-deprecatingly. In recent years, she had heard such words quite a lot, especially when she went out with Pei Jing, many people pointed at them from behind and said, "Look, that's Old Pei's third son. His wife was brought back by the An family. I heard that she hadn't even gone to school in the countryside and couldn't recognize a single character. Apart from having a pretty face and being able to give birth, I don't know what Pei's third son saw in her."
At this point, ZhiXia couldn't help feeling glad that at least she had a decent face and looked quite good, and could still be praised by others for being pretty.
As for being able to give birth, that really wasn't something within human control.
"That's great, then we can review together, and I can also..." She was about to say that her grades were good before, and she could teach her, but she remembered that little aunt had already finished high school textbooks, and probably already understood what she didn't know.
After all, the An family had two high school teachers, and she heard that little uncle was also an outstanding student. She was not lacking people to teach her.
