Chapter 522: Gratitude to the Country

Not only Wang Zhanggen, but everyone present, who had been making a racket, spontaneously stopped all conversation the moment the national anthem began, turning to look toward where the flag was rising—some saluting, some standing at attention, some solemn, some singing along with the national anthem.

At that time, the economy was in an upward phase, the people's standard of living was rising rapidly, and their sense of happiness was far stronger than after 2019, making it also a period of the strongest national pride.

Wang Xiaohua also saluted with the crowd and sang the national anthem.

He also felt proud of the motherland's strength and prosperity.

Unlike those who have knowledge but are refined and selfish, he deeply understood that without the country's prosperity and strength, there definitely would not be the him of today.

Five thousand years of Chinese history is nothing but a history of continuous war, a history of emperors and gentry clans discussing together how to devour the lower-class people; only in modern times did it improve, and only today has the concept of "the people being masters of the country" appeared.

To be honest, given his family situation, only this country and this era could give him the opportunity to attend Tsinghua University.

If it were another country, or another era, he would have not a single chance.

Take ancient times, for example: recommending filial and incorrupt officials was done through connections, and the imperial examination was something only the small landlord class could play with; ordinary farmers couldn't even afford books, let alone study.

As for modern times, only the domestic college entrance examination is truly fair.

Foreign universities, such as famous schools in Europe and America, claim on the surface to select talent without restriction, but the recommendation-based admission mechanism leads to the children of the powerful occupying most quotas through various manipulations, leaving almost no cake for the lower-middle class.

So he sincerely thanked the country; the compulsory education implemented by the country allowed him, this poorest child at the very bottom, to still successfully finish primary school and junior high school even when he was so poor he could barely afford meals.

If he hadn't even been able to afford primary school back then, even if he had a brain smarter than Einstein's, he definitely would not have had a chance to turn his life around.

After the flag-raising ceremony ended, many tourists at the scene were still standing in place, their excited moods taking a long time to calm down, especially some elderly people.

Some were even moved to tears.

They had walked through from the old era, experienced too much hardship, and knew well that today's prosperity was hard-won.

Wang Zhanggen was also full of emotion:

"I never thought that I, Wang Zhanggen, would actually have a day to come to Tiananmen to watch the flag-raising ceremony; my life has been worth it."

People of Wang Zhanggen's generation had also experienced much hardship.

When he was a child, he was so poor he couldn't even eat his fill; although many years had passed since liberation, the times were still turbulent. When he was in primary school, he actually didn't attend classes much, but was involved in all sorts of messy things. After finishing primary school, he went out to help with work at home.

When he grew a bit older, he became a carpenter, and then when Reform and Opening Up arrived, he went out to work as a migrant laborer.

Back then they were truly poor. After his old man passed away, when he and his elder brother separated the family, not exaggerating at all, even a single cassava had to be broken in half and divided clearly. It was precisely because of the family separation that the two brothers developed some estrangement; many years later, although they no longer quarreled on the surface, they were as polite and distant as strangers.

Who would have thought that after being poor his whole life, at the age of fifty knowing his destiny, he still had the chance to come to Beijing, to Tiananmen, to pay homage to the great man he most admired in his youth.

"Dad, later we'll go around nearby to see if we can enter the Forbidden City for a visit, and this afternoon we'll go to the Great Wall."

Wang Xiaohua said thus.

Wang Zhanggen nodded:

"Good, good!"

Several people walked together along the foot of the tall city wall.

Some places could be visited, so they visited them, and took some photos along the way.

Some places required an appointment to enter; they hadn't made an appointment, so they could only look from outside the gate.

Security checks here were very strict, with a post every five steps and a sentry every ten steps.

After circling around, it was soon noon.

At noon, they ate a simple bowl of Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodles nearby.

Du Xiaojuan gave Wang Xiaohua a look, and Wang Xiaohua immediately understood.

When Li Xiulan asked how much it cost, Wang Xiaohua said eight yuan a bowl.

Actually it was forty-eight yuan a bowl.

"This price is okay, just a bit more expensive than in the County Town."

Li Xiulan said thus.

But immediately she raised her head to ask:

"Xiao Hua, you wouldn't be deceiving me, would you? Is stuff here really this cheap? This is a scenic area!"

Wang Xiaohua could only laugh and say:

"Mom, just eat, why would I deceive you?"

Du Xiaojuan hurriedly chimed in:

"Auntie, when you're out having fun, don't care too much about spending that little bit of money; the most important thing is to have fun!"

Li Xiulan said:

"I'm afraid you'll spend money recklessly and not understand that wealth is hard-won! Remember, no matter when, you must not spend money recklessly!"

While eating noodles, Wang Xiaohua and Du Xiaojuan looked up a guide to the Great Wall and found that going to the Great Wall from here still required nearly two hours of travel time.

Plus today was the first day of National Day, so the roads would definitely be blocked. If they got stuck halfway and couldn't move, by the time they reached the Great Wall it would be evening, and it would all be for nothing.

So the two replanned their itinerary, deciding to go to the Great Wall tomorrow instead, not going this afternoon, but going to Wangfujing to stroll around, and after they were done, returning to Tsinghua Campus to stroll around the campus.

Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen had no objections to this; they both followed the arrangement.

Wangfujing was just some food, drink, and entertainment things. Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen were unwilling to spend money, so after strolling around and taking some photos, the four of them returned together to Tsinghua.

Originally Du Xiaojuan wanted to eat some Beijing specialty food here, but Li Xiulan thought it was expensive and said it would be better to eat at the University Cafeteria, so in the end they could only return to Tsinghua to eat.

Returning to Xijiao Hotel, they rested for a while, planning to go to Tsinghua at six in the afternoon.

And at this time, Zhao Xinyi happened to return.

Zhao Xinyi had gone out happily, but when she returned she was downcast.

"Xinyi, what's wrong?"

Du Xiaojuan saw Zhao Xinyi's expression and knew she had suffered a setback in her feelings.

"Sigh, I don't know how to tell you." Zhao Xinyi sighed.

"Could it be that Wen Lingyun gave you the good person card?" Du Xiaojuan asked with concern.

Zhao Xinyi shook her head.

"What exactly happened?"

Du Xiaojuan was puzzled, then hurried to comfort her:

"Haste makes waste; feelings take time to grow, and good things are hard-won."

Zhao Xinyi shook her head with a wry smile:

"It's not hard-won at all, not at all, Sister Juan. You know what? I went to Wen Lingyun's home today and found his house is actually a super huge luxury villa, with many servants inside—it's far more exaggerated than the CEO's home in idol dramas."

"Isn't that good? If you really win Wen Lingyun's good impression, you'll become the happiest woman in this world."

Zhao Xinyi smiled even more wryly:

"It's absolutely impossible for me to be with him, and it's absolutely impossible for him to take a liking to me."

Du Xiaojuan was very puzzled. Wen Lingyun hadn't even given Zhao Xinyi the good person card yet, so why was Zhao Xinyi now so depressed, so defeated?

This didn't fit her confident and strong-willed personality at all.

What exactly did Zhao Xinyi experience at Wen Lingyun's home?

……