Chapter 345

Gu Hangbao crouched down to help.

After finding them, the two children ran over with a "da-da-da" sound and presented the cotton shoes bought with the competition bonus to their grandpa and grandma.

"Grandpa, these are the leather cotton shoes I bought for you; I didn't spend Mom and Dad's money, I used the competition bonus."

"Grandma, these are the ones I bought for you!"

The old couple looked at the new shoes in front of them, their eye sockets burning, and their hearts feeling incredibly warm.

Gu Fu's rough, large palm landed on Xiang Yubao's shoulder, patting it a few times, his eyes slightly moist.

Gu Hangbao put the shoes into his hands with both hands, his eyes brighter than the stars of a summer night. "Grandpa, try them on. The salesperson said that if they don't fit, you can take them back and return them."

Xiang Yubao also urged his grandma.

"Oh my, you can return them after trying them on?" Gu Mu suppressed the heat in her eyes, a smile blooming on her face; she touched the shoes her grandson had bought for her with both hands, cherishing them, her heart so warm she didn't know how to describe it.

"Grandma, I also bought you a gift." Gu Lan took out the vanishing cream and handed it to Gu Mu with a smile. "I bought vanishing cream; does Grandma like it?"

"I like it. I like it. Even if you brought me a rock, Grandma would like it." Gu Mu's heart bloomed with flowers; she hugged her eldest granddaughter, her eyes full of love.

"You spent too much money; you didn't spend all your bonus, did you? If you spent it all, Grandma will make it up to you." Gu Mu looked at Gu Lan lovingly.

Gu Fu grew mushrooms well and became the mushroom-planting "expert" for the entire commune; the commune paid him a salary, and although it couldn't compare to city workers, he had an income of twelve yuan a month. For country people, this wasn't a small amount! It was a stable income, enough for country people to spend, and many people envied him.

With money in hand, Gu Mu was even more generous to her grandchildren.

Gu Lan shook her head. "No need to make it up, there's still some left."

After she finished speaking, she took a box of cigarettes out of her little bag and gave it to Gu Fu. "Grandpa, I bought these cigarettes for you; I used the cigarette coupons my third aunt gave me, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to buy them."

Gu Fu only had the hobby of smoking and was so happy he beamed. "Why did you buy me cigarettes! How much could your bonus be? It would be better to save it to buy stationery."

In his heart, he was already thinking of an excuse to go find his second son and his old buddies to chat.

"My bonus was thirty yuan, and there's still a lot left, enough for me to buy stationery," Gu Lan said.

Gu Fu: "!!!"

"What?! Thirty yuan?! So much?! Is the competition you participated in an abacus competition?!" Gu Fu asked in shock.

"Yes," Gu Lan answered.

"It has to be the big city; they really have money." Gu Fu was dazed. "This money is too easy to earn; it's almost catching up to three months of my wages."

Seeing his granddaughter earn a bonus, he was very happy and praised her: "Well done, better than your dad."

Seeing Grandpa praise A-Lan, Gu Hangbao couldn't stand being left out and jumped out, his little face spirited and his tone joyful. "My brother and I also have bonuses. We got first place, and first place is fifty yuan."

He opened his right hand wide, gesturing a big five. "Fifty, oh, so much little money."

Gu Fu's smile instantly climbed to the corners of his eyes. "You are all well done; you are the good children of our old Gu family."

"You got first, what about Xiang Yubao?" Gu Mu asked.

Xiang Yubao lifted his cute little face. "Also first. Gu Hangbao and I tied for first."

Gu Mu held her grandson's round little face, rubbed it, her brows and eyes dancing, full of pride. "You two even defeated the children in the provincial capital?! Too amazing, the old Gu family's ancestral grave is smoking with blue smoke; this is the posture of producing several university students!"

"The teacher said we can't take the university entrance exam anymore," Xiang Yubao reminded her.

"Isn't there that recommended school?" Gu Mu said. "You two study hard and keep ranking at the top. When you get to high school, the family will find a way to get you two a spot."

Zhao Liuniang was sour; the look she cast toward her two sons was unkind. Such a fragrant pancake, yet her two stinky boys were disappointing; their studies were barely enough to compare with those above but more than those below. How good it would be to go to university; it's guaranteed assignment, you know.

Why did she give birth to two pig brains? They must have taken after their father!

Gu Yucheng: "??"

He at least graduated from junior high; his mother didn't even finish elementary school, right...

Zhao Liuniang didn't care about that; she felt she hadn't had the opportunity, otherwise she would have at least graduated from junior high.

Regarding Gu Mu's words, Xiang Yubao understood only half of it.

He thought of what Lin Zhao had once said; Mom said that the exams she took had high gold content, while the recommended ones were all through connections.

The young but precocious child knew that "connections" wasn't a good word, and he didn't want to be a "connection" person.

The ambitious Xiang Yubao straightened his little face. "When I grow up, I'll take the exam myself."

Gu Hangbao followed his brother in everything and followed suit: "I'll take the exam myself too."

Gu Lan was thirteen this year and understood everything she should; she knew how hard it was to get a university spot, and if there really were any, everyone would fight to the death for them.

She hadn't thought about the good thing of pie falling from the sky. "I'll take the exam myself too."

If there's no chance to go, it's fine; after graduating from high school, I'll keep an eye on whether those factories are recruiting workers, regardless of the job type, even a temporary job is fine, as long as there is one.

Gu Fu looked at his grandchildren with satisfaction. "Great ambition."

Xiang Yubao thought of his little uncle who was in high school and about to graduate, and said: "If there are any, Grandpa and Grandma, get them for Little Uncle. Little Uncle is about to graduate; he can't just come home to farm, he doesn't even have as much strength as my mom, how can he farm?"

The collateral damage, Gu Qingzhou: "..."

The teenager had an innocent look; his third sister-in-law's great strength was innate, no one could compare to it, right?

Gu Mu thought of her youngest son about to graduate, unable to attend university, and with no news of a job, her heart was worried.

"Isn't there no news yet? If there were news, could we not find a way for him? It's rare that you're thinking of your little uncle; your little uncle didn't love you in vain."

Xiang Yubao furrowed his little brows. "Then what will Little Uncle do?"

"Come back to farm?" Gu Hangbao followed up.

Gu Qingzhou showed helplessness; having his six-year-old nephew worry for him was truly a sin.

"When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a road," he said.

Gu Hangbao said quickly: "When the cart reaches the mountain, there's a big pit."

Gu Qingzhou: "..."

Zhao Liuniang laughed out loud. "Gu Hangbao's little mouth is getting more and more nimble. Even a cultured person like Qingzhou is choked speechless."

"I'm also a cultured person," Gu Hangbao emphasized.

"Right, you're also a cultured person, a cultured person who will be a future university student," Zhao Liuniang echoed.

After showing off, Gu Hangbao worried for his little uncle again. "What will Little Uncle do?"

He looked bitter and deep, worried to death.

Lin Zhao ruffled the second cub's hair. "Stop worrying; these are adult matters, children shouldn't worry blindly. I'm having someone inquire about your little uncle's job."

Her brothers in her maiden family all had jobs, and her uncle's family had three official jobs; these were all connections, and inquiring about job news was much more convenient than for her parents-in-law.

Gu Qingzhou's eyes brightened, revealing surprise; he clearly hadn't expected his third sister-in-law to worry about his affairs.

"Thank you, Third Sister-in-law."

Lin Zhao waved her hand. "What's there to thank me for? It's just a matter of opening my mouth; there's no news about the job yet, so it won't be too late to thank me when there is news."

Her brother-in-law's physique wasn't as good as his brothers; he was quite tall but thin, and his face was handsome, scholarly, and looked like he didn't have much strength.

How could he farm to earn work points?!

Every year during the double-harvest season, he would get sunburned, and the serious time he fainted; after that, he was only arranged to do some easy work, like picking up wheat with Xiang Yubao and the others.

He couldn't support himself by farming.

Gu Qingzhou smiled and said sincerely: "Regardless of whether there is news or not, I should thank Third Sister-in-law."

The old couple also didn't expect Lin Zhao to entrust someone to find a job for their youngest son, and they also had looks of surprise.

Gu Fu moved his mouth. "Third daughter-in-law has a heart."

Gu Mu's gratitude was very simple; knowing her daughter-in-law liked the pickled vegetables she made, she said: "Third daughter-in-law, bring a jar of pickled vegetables back later; you love to eat them."

"Thank you, Mother," Lin Zhao responded with a smile.

She looked at Gu Qingzhou again. "What do you want to do after you graduate, Qingzhou?"

Gu Qingzhou was slightly stunned. "Can I choose?"

"Why can't you?" Lin Zhao asked amusedly.

"The first job is very important; if the direction is right, the future won't be bad. If you do something you don't like, you won't have any energy either."

She didn't have much experience, but she knew that people had to do what they liked to have the drive and not feel like every day was like a year.

If one engages in a job that doesn't bring even a little bit of joy to the heart just to support the family, isn't that a consumption of a person?

It's so tiring.

Most people in this world live such lives, but Lin Zhao thought that when she had the ability, she would help those around her walk on the paths they liked and could be called bright.

Gu Qingzhou had long considered the path he wanted to take. "I want to study mechanical maintenance."

Lin Zhao raised her eyebrows. "That's a good idea; if you learn it, you won't have to worry for the rest of your life. My uncle and eldest cousin are both technicians; if you really want to learn, I'll tell them when the time comes and have them bring you into the fold."

Gu Qingzhou's heart jumped heavily, and his handsome face revealed ecstasy. "Thank you, Third Sister-in-law, I will definitely study hard."

"No need to thank me." Lin Zhao rarely saw her brother-in-law so excited; he had always been quiet and indifferent, so seeing him show his emotions like this... was very rare.

"Technicians are precious; if you learn it, you can enter the agricultural technology station or the motor factory, and you won't have to worry about work at all. However, this requires time, persistence, and the ability to endure hardship; you should prepare yourself mentally first."

Gu Qingzhou's eyes were firm. "I've prepared myself mentally."

He looked a bit embarrassed and said: "Third Sister-in-law, among the books you brought back from the recycling station, there were books on mechanical maintenance; I finished reading them... and felt very interested, and later the idea of studying mechanics sprouted."

"You can understand them?" Lin Zhao was surprised.

Those books she had flipped through were all theory, extremely boring; most people wouldn't finish half a page before wanting to give up immediately. It was hard for Qingzhou to have the patience to flip through them.

"I can," Gu Qingzhou said.

It's just that in terms of mechanics, no matter how solid the theory is, it's useless; practical operation is the key.

Gu Mu said: "A few days ago, when Xiang Yubao and the others' cat-shaped radio had a problem, it was Qingzhou who fixed it!"

Hearing the pride in his mother's voice, Gu Qingzhou's face turned red, and he hurriedly explained: "It was just a small problem, it doesn't count as anything."

Just connecting a wire, he didn't think it was anything amazing.

Gu Mu thought to herself, how could it not count as anything? Before she could speak, she heard Qian Bao's milky voice ring out.

"Little Uncle is amazing."

Hearing this, Gu Qingzhou's face turned even redder, and he said to Qian Bao: "I only learned a little bit of fur, it doesn't count as anything."

Qian Bao looked up at Lin Zhao and emphasized: "It is amazing."

Lin Zhao's eyes were warm, and she pinched her son's little face.

"Yes, your little uncle is amazing."

Qian Bao was satisfied, swinging his little short legs, his eyes curved into crescents, his dark eyes looking like they were hiding ten thousand stars.

He and his little uncle actually had quite a lot in common.

"Since you're interested, then study it," Lin Zhao said to Gu Qingzhou. "My uncle is in the provincial capital and can't teach you for the time being, but Yuncheng has followed my uncle to learn since he was a child. I can have him teach you some basics first, like where a beginner should exert effort..."

Gu Qingzhou was self-taught, had no one to guide him, and was very messy and fragmented; his foundation wasn't solid, and what he lacked was a teacher who could bring him into the fold.

"Okay, thank you, Third Sister-in-law."

Gu Mu even held Lin Zhao's hand. "You've put in the effort."

Learning skills definitely requires paying tuition; they wouldn't take advantage of their third daughter-in-law's uncle.

"Qingzhou, learn your skills well. Opportunities are rare; you must cherish them, lay a solid foundation, don't have any burdens in your heart, and don't always worry about earning money. If you learn your skills well, there will be plenty of opportunities to earn money in the future," Gu Fu said seriously.

He didn't understand any big principles, but he knew that learning any skill wasn't a simple matter; one had to calm down, work hard, and lay a solid foundation to go further.

Gu Qingzhou's expression was solemn. "I will."

Technicians are precious; ordinary people don't even have the chance to stand in front of them. Having this opportunity, he would naturally cherish it.

Thinking of this, the teenager's heart surged, his chest thumping with excitement.

Just at this moment, Qian Bao grabbed Lin Zhao's hand, shook it gently twice, his little face serious. "I want to learn too."

Lin Zhao held her son's face with both hands and kissed his cheek lovingly.

"You're too young; learning this is too boring. Wait until you're ten to learn, okay?" She looked at her son's eyes with a smile, her words gentle.

Qian Bao covered his face with both hands, his black-and-white eyes moist, the tips of his ears dyed crimson; he was actually shy.

He had forgotten what he had just said to the back of his mind.

"Shy?" Lin Zhao said amusedly.

She knew how smart Qian Bao was and how well he could settle down, so she couldn't look at him with common sense, but she was a mother, and she hoped her child would have a carefree childhood; he could be ordinary, but it had to be wonderful enough.

Yao Bao climbed onto Lin Zhao's leg, crawled up, used her solid arms to reach her neck, presented her face, and kept saying: "Treasure isn't shy, kiss me, kiss me."

Lin Zhao followed her wishes and kissed her soft face.

Lively voices came from the gate; it was the family of four from the eldest branch arriving.

"I knew you were all here." Huang Xiulan's hearty voice rang out; as she spoke, she glanced at her daughter, and seeing that A-Lan was fine and even a bit fatter, the heart that had been hanging finally fell back into place.

"I heard you all won prizes?"

Gu Lan walked to her mother's side and gave her the vanishing cream she had bought. "Mom, I bought this vanishing cream for you with my bonus."

Huang Xiulan was stunned.

"This..." She wanted to say how expensive this was, but just before the words were about to slip out, she remembered what her third sister-in-law had said: adults should be adults who support children's decisions and shouldn't be party poopers; party-pooping adults would dampen children's enthusiasm, so she swallowed the words and a gratified smile appeared on her face.

"I gave birth to a good daughter! Even when you're out, you're thinking of your mother." Huang Xiulan praised her daughter and rolled her eyes at her own man. "You're even better than your dad."

Gu Yuanshan: "??"

What's the situation?

He handed over all the money he earned, not leaving a cent for himself, and she still wanted him to do what?! Could she stop comparing him to others?

Gu Yuanshan had thick skin and just acted as if he didn't see his wife's eye-roll, pulling Gu Lan to sit down. "Hurry and tell Dad about the provincial capital..."