Chapter 165: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 165: Three Brothers Gather Again

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

After Wang Dashan returned from military service, he did not immediately go to the city to find work, but stayed in his hometown for over a week before leaving.

He was waiting for his two younger brothers to return from school, to see them once more before going to the city.

This weekend Wang Erhai and Wang Xiaohua both returned, the three brothers gathered again, and all were very happy.

The three agreed to go play ball at the Shanggou Village Primary School basketball court.

For this Wang Dashan specially went to town and bought a basketball to bring back.

The three walked together to Shanggou Village Primary School.

They discovered that at this time Shanggou Village Primary School was already overgrown with wild grass, no longer prosperous as before.

Those once lively classrooms were now mostly abandoned.

It turned out Shanggou Village Primary School's student source had been decreasing year by year, and this primary school was also gradually ceasing operations.

Before only the sixth grade merged into the town's primary school, later the fifth grade, fourth grade, and even the third grade also merged into the town's primary school.

And now, only the first and second grades remained.

Moreover the students were pitifully few.

The second grade had only about ten.

The first grade even had only six students.

And the preparatory class could no longer recruit any students.

The town government had already issued a notice that Shanggou Village Primary School would cease operations within the next two years; children in the vicinity of the primary school who wanted to attend school could only all go to the town's primary school.

Actually if one calculates carefully, not that much time has passed.

From when Wang Xiaohua was still in fifth grade at Shanggou Village Primary School to now, only five or six years have passed.

When Wang Xiaohua was still in fifth grade at Shanggou Village Primary School, the school still had over a hundred students total; who would have thought that now there are not even twenty students.

Who could have imagined that in such a short time, Shanggou Village Primary School would undergo such a huge change.

From the once incomparably lively scene, turning into the current scene overgrown with wild grass.

The three brothers came to Shanggou Village Primary School, and all could not help but feel moved in their hearts, sighing endlessly.

"A perfectly good Shanggou Village Primary School, abandoned just like that; time ah, can never return."

Wang Dashan could not help but sigh.

"This is also a helpless matter; now everyone goes to the city to buy houses, even if they can't afford a house they'll keep their children by their side; that batch of people who grew up as left-behind children, everyone doesn't want their own children to become left-behind children."

Wang Erhai said thus.

Wang Xiaohua, however, spoke of this issue from another angle:

"This is all trouble caused by policy; the urbanization policy's disintegration of rural culture is fatal, plus the unsolvable open scheme of real estate binding education and healthcare, all bottom-level people can only be driven into the city like flocks of sheep; in the countryside there is absolutely no way out."

Wang Dashan could not help but stare blankly, somewhat not understanding what Wang Xiaohua's words meant.

Wang Erhai also did not quite understand.

"Little brother, where did you get this information? Your thinking is a bit reactionary ah; the country vigorously pursues development, merely to raise the people's living standards, the original intention is also good."

Wang Dashan had served two years as a soldier, and held absolute loyalty to the upper levels.

Wang Xiaohua smiled and said:

"I also just read some news newspapers, and then based on the policy information published in the news newspapers, drew a conclusion; I also don't know if what I said is right, maybe I'm just a relatively pessimistic person."

Then he said further:

"Additionally, the current development of pulling up seedlings to help them grow is actually just to solve immediate problems after the 08 financial crisis by postponing contradictions to the future; to put it bluntly it's not much different from drinking poison to quench thirst; wait another ten or eight years, and us ordinary people may have to foot the bill for this."

Wang Erhai couldn't understand these words, and he didn't bother to care:

"Why are you saying these things, hurry up and play ball, come on one-on-one!"

Wang Erhai held the ball, full of enthusiasm.

"Big brother, did you practice basketball in the army? I feel my ball skills are terrifyingly strong now, I'll crush you!"

Wang Dashan also no longer discussed such profound issues, but smiled and said:

"Although I haven't played much basketball these two years, winning against you is still very easy! Little brother, you come be referee!"

Wang Xiaohua also no longer spoke of those illusory topics, and began refereeing.

Big brother and second brother started one-on-one.

Big brother's physical advantage was obvious, crushing his way under the basket, easily scoring.

But second brother wasn't bad either; dribbling technique was very good, all kinds of flashy crossovers shook big brother off balance, easy layup for points.

The two played evenly matched, hard to separate.

In the end big brother still won by one point relying on simple crude scoring methods.

Then it was Wang Xiaohua's turn to go up and play one-on-one with his big brother, Wang Erhai refereeing.

Wang Dashan smiled and said:

"Little brother, don't say I'm bullying you, I'll let you shoot three balls first!"

Wang Xiaohua laughed, "You better not underestimate me, my shooting is pretty decent!"

Immediately he swish-swish made three shots in a row.

"Yo, looks like you really have some skills!"

Wang Dashan laughed heartily.

Then he started exerting force, relying on his physical advantage, and directly gave Wang Xiaohua a big slap.

Wang Xiaohua was slapped, but didn't get angry, just gritted his teeth and laughed.

Because he knew deep down the gap between him and his elder brother.

Playing basketball requires too much physical aptitude.

Someone taller than their opponent has a natural advantage.

Now Wang Xiaohua was only 1.6 meters tall and hadn't grown anymore, while his elder brother was 1.8 meters.

In the end, without any suspense, his elder brother won steadily.

The three brothers took turns playing one-on-one, playing several rounds.

Wang Xiaohua relied on his second brother letting him win and won one game.

The match between the second brother and the elder brother could be considered evenly matched.

After several rounds, everyone was tired.

They sat under the basketball hoop to rest.

"Big Brother, I heard retired soldiers are generally assigned jobs. Were you assigned a job?"

Wang Xiaohua was still catching his breath as he asked this question.

"Yes, the County Government assigned me to be a bank armored guard, but without a formal position, I can only count as a temporary worker, earning over one thousand yuan a month, too little. When will this bit of money ever get me ahead? I don't want to do it."

Wang Dashan said so.

Wang Xiaohua said instead:

"Big Brother, that job should have a chance to get a formal position, right? I think you can try doing it. After all, it's stable. Strive for it, maybe you'll get a formal position after a few years?"

Wang Dashan shook his head instead:

"You can't strive for it. We have no connections or background. There are only a few formal positions each year. Why would they give the opportunity to you?"

Wang Erhai said instead:

"Big Brother makes sense. Doing this kind of work is simply a waste of time. Better to go to a big city and give it a shot."

Wang Dashan said again at this time:

"Most importantly, you can't earn money. Even if you find a girlfriend, she might not be willing to marry me. Bottom line, I still need to earn money quickly."

Wang Xiaohua couldn't help but sigh:

"Big Brother, what you said is a reality we have to face. Can only say, poor people really have few opportunities. If only you had stayed in the army back then……"

Wang Dashan's inner heart was somewhat complicated. Actually, he had also thought about staying in the army, but now he had already made a choice, so there was no Regret Medicine to take.

He laughed it off:

"Hey, why talk about this? Since I've retired and come back, I'll just do it. In two days I'll go to the City to find a job!"