The final exam for the cram school was over, and I won the first place in total for the first time. When the results were announced, Teacher Yu praised me in front of everyone in class. The school will be closed tomorrow. After the Spring Festival and the first half of the semester, we will complete high school studies. When Sister Hong signed up for me, I was a little reluctant to save money. Now, if I really don’t go to class anymore, I seem to be a little unwilling to do so. Today, Sister Hong is in middle class and I want to pick her up. Seeing that it’s still early, I slowly packed the table and went to the reading room in the factory. When I was about to get up, Xiao Qi, the red face of the same person, grabbed me with a smile.

"Wu Ping, you can't just leave like this, right?" Xiao Qi said with a fat face.

"If you don't leave like this, how can you leave? It's getting late." I didn't understand what he meant for a moment.

"You are too unrighteous. You did so well in the exam. Don't you mean that you can say that, please come and ask us." A little guy working in the logistics department of the county government interrupted.

"We have not paid any salary in our yarn mill for several months, and I don't have money." I told the truth, patted my pockets on both sides with my hands.

"Wu Ping, you either asked you to invite us to the Hongwei Hotel or to the bus station to have some snacks. What are you afraid of?" Xiao Qi was a little reluctant and continued to encourage everyone.

"That's right, that's..." Someone around echoed.

"I really have something to do today. Even if I want to treat you, I have to go to another day." I carried my schoolbag, pulled Xiao Qi away, and walked towards the door.

"Wu Ping, you kid is such a rooster. Why was he so generous last time? He spent fifty yuan on a guest?" Xiao Qi was a little unhappy and shouted behind me.

"That's my biological brother, the situation is different." I didn't argue anymore and turned around and walked out of the classroom.

Because I last invited my third brother to dinner, I borrowed 50 yuan from Xiao Qi, and then asked Mr. Huang to find some private work for an electrician. I just paid it back to me so hard that I didn't tell Sister Hong about this. Now, for Xiao Qi and the others, I really don't want to spend money to treat you.

In the yard, a few fallen leaves swaying in the cold wind, like crying children, making whimpering sounds. The sky above the cultural center next door was pitch black. I don’t know when, the lively open-air dance party every night was gone. According to the red-faced Xiao Qi, since Modern Xiao Guo married into the city, the director You buck-toothed director has no intention of holding the dance party again.

"Xiao Wu, are you free today? Can you please come to my office?" Teacher Yu walked over gently in the lights in the corridor.

"Hello, Teacher Yu." I shouted gratefully.

Behind Teacher Yu, we moved from the yard in front to the office behind the classroom. As soon as we entered the door, Teacher Yu pulled over a chair. After arranging me to sit down, I turned around and walked to the center of the office. From a loose carbon stove with a chimney, I took a pot of hot water, poured me a cup of tea, and walked to me.

"Thank you." I quickly got up and took the teacup, looking at the teacher who was extremely respectful and kind as kind as my mother, and felt warm in my heart.

"Don't say thank you, I'm a teacher. It's the duty to teach you students well, especially the union has charged everyone's tuition fees, so I should teach you better." Teacher Yu raised his eyebrows with a delicate eyebrow and shook his head with a smile, "I have always wanted to talk to you, but I'm afraid it will be delayed. It's not easy for you to keep studying every night, and it's about to take up some of your time, so I want to take up some of your time."

"Teacher, don't say that. It's something I can't ask for when I hear your teachings." I blushed a little and quickly stood up from the chair.

"Don't stand up, sit down quickly. We just chat casually, not the teacher's teachings." Teacher Yu took my hand and asked me to sit down again in the chair. "You did a good job in the exam this time and made great progress. I'm very happy. I see that you have a good understanding and are very hardworking."

"It's better for the teacher to teach me, I just put in some hard work." I scratched the back of my head a little embarrassedly.

The lights on the winter night were warm, and the carbon-scattered stove scattered a little warmth in the small space. After hearing Teacher Yu’s praise, my heart also burned like a red flame in the furnace.

"Xiao Wu, what are your plans in the future? Have you ever thought about your future and want to change your current life situation?" Teacher Yu continued to ask tactfully.

"Plan..." Teacher Yu's question suddenly stopped me.

What are my plans? I think the spinning mill can get better, but now I can't even get my salary. I think it's obvious that a bastard like the Southern Barbarian Lao Hou can be punished. Lao Hou ruined a good factory and now lives a good life in the south. I heard that it has been built in my hometown. I want to marry Sister Hong and live a stable life, but can this happen in front of the spinning mill be realized? Of course, what I want most is to take Xiaozhuang to see a doctor as soon as possible, hoping that he can overcome the difficulties...

"Have you ever thought about taking the college entrance exam next year?" Teacher Yu saw that I was thinking about it and didn't answer, and smiled for a moment and spoke again.

"What did you say? Take the college entrance exam... next year..." I thought I didn't hear it clearly, so I was fooled for a moment and stood there.

"Yes - next year, I will take the college entrance exam, do you have such confidence?" Teacher Yu said softly, and still said softly.

"Take an exam? Next year... Can I do it..." My heart thumped, my head was a little confused, and I felt like I couldn't get angry for a moment.

"Yes, next year, I'll take the college entrance exam." Teacher Yu nodded affirmatively, with a kind of hope in his gentle tone, "You will finish your high school courses next semester and you will have half a year of review time. Although it's a bit tight, as long as you seize the time and have confidence, you will have the possibility of success."

I suddenly felt hot all over and my eyes turned out to the window. The howling cold wind blew away the smoke removed from the chimney, and the sound of the branches of the sycamore tree became even more chaotic.

"To be honest, I... have had such an idea, and some people have encouraged me, but I was still feeling guilty when I really asked me to take the college entrance examination. This matter is a bit out of reach for me, after all..." I withdrew my gaze, lowered my head uneasy, and looked at the yellow schoolbag on my knees.

"Xiao Wu, I think you can do it. As a teacher who has taught students for most of my life, I think I am quite good at it. I can see whether it is a material for reading at a glance. Of course, external factors must be effective through internal factors. You must first have your own ideals and confidence. Secondly, you must work hard, otherwise nothing else will be useful." Teacher Yu further encouraged me.

"You have such confidence in me, I... decided to fight." I raised my head again, my voice trembling slightly.

Teacher Yu showed a comforting smile: "This evening, when I came to our cram school, your second master Yu asked me, how did you do this exam? I told him that you got the first place in the class this time. The old man was very happy and shouted that I would advise you to take the college entrance examination. He said that no matter which dynasty or generation, studying is the only way out for our poor children. With knowledge and ability, you can control your own destiny."

My heart surged, and I was so excited that I didn't know what to do: "Thank you, teacher, thank you, Mr. Yu, thank you..."

"Although it's holiday, if you have any questions, you can go to my place to ask. The old man has been thinking about you and hopes you can go to the house to chat with him." Teacher Yu patted my arm lovingly.
Chapter completed!