Chapter 39
Lu Yuanzheng’s handwriting was just like his person, calm and collected
The suicide note was just a few lines of simple, business-like words
Leave the house to Xu Man
His allowance for the past few months was to be given to Xu Man
If Xu asks to remarry, Dongsheng can be given to his uncles to raise
Xu Man was sitting on the patio when he read the letter
The weather was very nice and the sun was especially high, a rare warm day in winter
Dongsheng, who had been temporarily fooled by her, was playing hide-and-seek in the yard, peeking out from the shadows and hiding back again
From time to time, he even called out to Xu Wen, “Ma Ma, look! My shadow has gotten bigger!”
“Hmm, very impressive” Xu Man barely pulled up the corners of his lips and ticked them off, looking up at the blinding sunlight, very confused
The last time he was this confused was when he had just crossed over
Xu Man didn’t know what she was feeling now
She and Lu Yuanzheng had been together for less than a week from the time they met to the time they got married to the time they were separated, and the number of times they had seen each other had also been few and far between
But why is she so sad right now?
Her chest was like a stone, and she was suffocating as she breathed heavily
Xu Wen raised her arm and covered her eyes with the back of her hand, whimpering, “What should I do?”
If it were the past, Xu Man would have bit her tongue and sent Dongsheng to her uncle, and continued to go to college herself
Of course, she will also leave the house and the money given by Lu Yuanzheng to Dongsheng
But Dongsheng in the uncle’s home during that time, see more and more dull nature, from see people generous, small mouth little cute to see people first bowed his head and shrunk his neck do not call
And almost got killed
Until she brought her own, Dongsheng slowly returned to his former self
Xu Wen knows that for Lu Yuanzheng, Dongsheng is not only the child of his comrades, but also his and theirs
This them included the Xue Jue she had seen at the wedding and the comrades of Lu Yuanzheng she had never met
Dongsheng was a legacy to them
Yesterday, Lu Yuanzheng’s old comrade told Xu Man on his way out that Lu Yuanzheng’s company had been wiped out
Xu Man took a deep breath and made a decision, she will not give Dongsheng to her uncle, she will bring her own
In fact, she really does not want to go to college, just want to spend more time with Dongsheng
With the child living in the courtyard, planting flowers and grass
The money in hand can survive to the self-employed legal, and then do a small business, with Dongsheng mother and son days can also live very nourishing
The only significance for her is that she can be assigned a job and eat public food after graduating from college
Then again, in her past life, she even got a double diploma! What’s the point?
Isn’t she still a human being with her tail between her legs?
If she dared to speak finance fluently in a foreign language, she could report to Team He tomorrow
It’s just that if Xu Man can think about it, the Xu family won’t be able to
They must have suggested that Xu ask her to leave her child at home with them, or that the family send another person to accompany her
Xu Man does not like to trouble people, including his own relatives
But how can you go to college if you bring your own?
What if she can’t pick up Dongsheng from school on time for her classes?
Dongsheng flat cold fever how to do?
There are also expenses, two people living in the metropolis, but also rent a house, hand this money can live?
Thinking of this, Xu asked the summoning magic mirror: “Magic mirror magic mirror, is it expensive to go to college in the seventies?”
According to her recent experience in dealing with the magic mirror, she found that the magic mirror is actually equivalent to an encyclopedia or a virtual lady of the hour
The Magic Mirror replied, “I’m sorry, I’m only a system that serves stepmothers, I can’t solve other problems”
Xu asked a different question: “Magic Mirror, please ask the stepmother wants to take the child to college with no money in hand how to do?”
This time, the magic mirror answered Xu “During the period from 1977 to 1986, you didn’t have to pay tuition and accommodation fees to go to university, and those who had difficulties in their family life would also be given a part of the cost of living subsidy According to the state regulations, the monthly living expense subsidy is not less than thirteen yuan”
Xu Man thought that not having to pay tuition fees was quite good
Xu Man still has four hundred dollars in her hand, and Lu Yuanzheng’s suicide note also contains a remittance slip for one hundred dollars
Six hundred dollars should be enough for the two of them to live frugally for four years, right?
However, the Xu family building house Xu asked before also promised to borrow three hundred dollars
Although, if she really go to college, the Xu family will certainly not be willing to use her money again
Always have to plan according to the least amount of money first
So there are still three hundred dollars left, three hundred dollars and then save can not pass four years
No, not four years, wait until next year to study in the big city should be able to do a little business, right?
After all, the individual economy didn’t spring up in a day, it just became legal one day
At the very least, Xu Wen remembers that when he was studying history in his past life, his teacher told them that when a large number of young people returned to the city, many places simply couldn’t accommodate so many people’s jobs
But the fact that so many people were idle at home was also a nuisance, and added a lot of pressure on law and order
Many people were not well off, so they simply went out and set up stalls, such as under the flyovers
At that time, the local economic authorities also turned a blind eye
They do small business that can support their families and occupy the time and energy do not have time to get together and fight, one move is a win-win situation
As long as they don’t go overboard, they don’t care
In that case, rent a house near the school, live with Dongsheng two people, should be able to, right?
Only be able to
Since the city those who came to sympathy Xuqian left, the county, the commune are one after another to come to sympathy again
Gave some of the necessities of life
The production team production team does not use people, the captain is Lu Yuanzheng uncle
Uncle first came in the morning, together with other cadres in the team
Said Lu Yuanzheng is a hero, will give Xu Man and their mother and son free of charge to share a year of rations, even if Xu Man a work does not earn, if the university production team to give her out of the road
In the evening another trip, this time it is the uncle and two people came together
The hall is too cold to sit
Xu Wen let people into the room, moved the coffee table to the room, moved a few stools
This is very normal in the countryside, no one feels sudden
Auntie took out ten dollars and put it on the coffee table, “Ask, this is a small token of appreciation from auntie and uncle, keep it”
Dabe’s mother saw the aunt take ten dollars, frowned and looked at Dabe
The elder brother’s eyes were a bit cold, and he nodded his head
Dabe’s mother took out thirty dollars and put it on the coffee table, “You are bringing up a child by yourself, you need to spend money on a lot of things! You need to have money in your hand Speaking of which, it is also our Lu family that has wronged you Expedition him ”
Dabo glared at Dabo Niang, “What are you sorry for? It’s not like Lu Yuanzheng did anything wrong! He’s a hero! He’s the pride of our Lu family”
The eldest aunt didn’t dare to talk back, but the youngest aunt retorted, “Big brother! That’s the way it is, and that’s the way it is Xu Man, a big girl, followed our Zheng Zi and left without even finishing the wedding, and this departure also separated us forever, making Xu Man widowed at such a young age and having to raise a winter child, which is sorry for her!”
The eldest uncle unexpectedly did not admonish the aunt, just asked: “ask ah, what do you think?”
Xu Wen looked at the four faces of apprehension, smiled understandingly: “Thank you, uncle and aunt You guys take this money back, I can support myself and Dongsheng”
She understood that these four people came together to probe her
To put it bluntly, they were just afraid that she would throw her hands up and leave Dongsheng to them
After all, like Auntie said, she and Lu Yuanzheng hadn’t even finished their wedding
As for the aunt’s unprecedented help her speak, but is singing a white face for fear that the eldest uncle annoyed her to shake hands and leave
The four of them sighed in relief after listening to what Xu asked
If Xu asked really do not care about Dongsheng, they as uncles certainly have to manage
But in their hearts, no one wants to add another person to the family
Looking after him for a few days and months is not the same as raising him all the time
After sending away the great uncles and aunts, there is still a difficult time for the Xu family
After the news of Lu Yuanzheng’s heroic death reached the Xu family, all the Xu family members except the grandmother arrived on that day
As soon as Zhu Meizhen saw Xu Man, she hugged her and cried, “My poor daughter ”
The Xu family’s face is not good, everyone sighs, all feel ask life is bitter
Xu Man let Xu Che take Dongsheng out to play
There were some words that were not suitable for him to hear
“Mom and dad, big sister and brother-in-law, brother and sister-in-law, I’m fine! Really” Xu Man comforted them in turn
Zhu Meizhen said with a sad face, “Silly daughter, how can this be fine? You were widowed at such a young age, and you have a child that isn’t your own, what do you think you’ll do in the future?”
Xu Wang also let out a long sigh, “Ask, you haven’t lived a proper life yet If it’s just you, then it’s fine! If it were up to you, we’d find someone to remarry But you’re a stepmother with a stepchild, so you won’t even be able to find an in-law in the future”
Xu Wen was even more direct: “Ask, why don’t you give Dongsheng to me to raise? That way you can find another good husband in the future”
Xu Wen couldn’t help but laugh and cry, and could only reiterate, “I’m really fine I don’t want to marry again either, at least not for a short while I plan to bring up Dongsheng by myself”
“Then what are you going to do when you get into college?” Xu Qiushi said, “You can’t take the child to college, can you? Going to college is not like being at home, you’re all alone out there and you don’t know your way around and it’s hard, and you’re bringing Dongsheng with you?”
If it were an ordinary girl, it would be difficult indeed
But Xu asked is not an ordinary girl, not to mention far away from home, she even went abroad, and does not fear
However, she couldn’t say these words, Xu Wen only said, “That doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll be able to pass the exam What if I don’t get in?”
These days, being a military wife, especially one whose man has died heroically, is really a special honor
The people’s sense of supporting the military and their families was also very strong So strong that Xu Man was somewhat flattered
In the morning, when she opened her eyes and pushed open the door, there were either a few eggs hanging on the door, or rice and noodles or even pickles
A few days in a row are like this, Xu asked thank you do not know with whom
In the blink of an eye to the time of the release of the list
Xu Wen unsurprisingly took first place again
This year’s exam paper was issued by the provinces, and Xu Man was rightfully the provincial champion
Within a few days, the acceptance notice was also sent to Xu Man by expedited telegram
Xu Man had applied to Beijing University
For a while, Xu Man became a busy person again
The school invited her to give a speech at the school, and radio stations and newspapers competed to interview her
Xu went to the school’s lecture, but she put off the interview
It was not appropriate for her, whose husband had just died, to be so high-profile
The Xu family and the Lu family wanted to hold a banquet to celebrate, but Xu refused for the same reason
In the commune, Xu Man was in the limelight for a while
Most people envied and sympathized with her
“A good female scholar and prospective college student became a new widow, and it’s rare to see her in the same family for a wedding or a funeral The funeral was not organized because the official document of Lu Yuanzheng’s sacrifice has not yet arrived Sooner or later”
“Who says it isn’t? Maybe it’s a good thing for her She might find a better family when she goes to college”
“You’ve got to be kidding me! She has a child with her Even if people in the city were to marry for the first time, they wouldn’t want a child, would they?”
“What’s wrong with a first marriage? We all know she didn’t even get married The child isn’t even her own, so why not take the opportunity of going to college to dump the child on the Lu family? Lu Yuanzheng is gone, but Lu Yuanzheng’s uncles are still around!”
“That’s true There’s really no reason for the Lu family not to release him After all, Xu Wen is not Dongsheng’s real mother Can that stepmother still kiss over grandparents with the same surname?”
“You can’t say that I’ve heard that Xu Man’s stepmother is really good She’s especially good to her children! Just because Lu Yuanzheng’s aunt made her child sick, she got angry and took her child to school to take the college entrance exam”
“Usually it’s nothing Isn’t Lu Yuanzheng gone and she’s in college now? How can a good stepmother take her stepson to college?”
The gossip not only reached Xu Man’s ears, but also the ears of his uncles
Xu Wen didn’t care what others said, as long as she had a clear conscience
Only the eldest uncle and aunt and uncle heard into the heart of the inevitable apprehension