AYLS – Chapter 79

Although there weren’t many students left, in another way, that was actually good. At least the space was sufficient.

Lin Qiao arranged with Li Ermei to set up the activity room, which would now serve as a learning space.

Li Ermei was extremely busy these days, rushing to do all the dirty and tiring tasks. She valued this opportunity greatly. Especially since Lin Qiao had become a teacher—once more people came for lessons, she felt a sense of urgency.

Seeing that Lin Qiao was serious about teaching, she frowned, “So you really are planning to teach properly?”

“Of course. Once we’ve agreed on something, I can’t just go through the motions.”

“Aren’t you afraid that if more people come, they’ll take over our work?”

Lin Qiao shook her head. “No. Only those who underestimate themselves are afraid of being replaced. Look at you—you’re working too, but you haven’t replaced me.”

Li Ermei: “……”

Lin Qiao encouraged her, “Ermei, we have to have confidence in ourselves. Even while they’re learning, we’re learning too. As long as we keep learning, there’s nothing to fear about being replaced.”

The more enthusiastic people there were, the easier it would become for her in the future.

She didn’t tell Ermei this part—this wasn’t exactly a good mindset, and she couldn’t let the hardworking Ermei pick up bad habits.

Hearing Lin Qiao’s encouragement, Li Ermei could only reluctantly agree, “So… how do we set it up?”

“I’m planning to copy all the learning materials and put them up in the classroom. Those who need them can make their own copy. We’ll keep the originals ourselves.”

Li Ermei was surprised. “So many… and we have to copy them all?”

Lin Qiao nodded, “Yes, we’ll copy them together. Oh, and Zhenzhen too—her handwriting is good.”

Li Ermei quickly replied, “Then you two should copy them. I’ll just handle the chores.”

“This won’t do, you have to participate. This is a great opportunity for our chicken farm to rise,” Lin Qiao said, her face full of excitement.

“……”

That evening, Su Weizhen returned, and the three of them split up pens and paper and went home to copy the notes.

Su Weizhen was well-educated, so this wasn’t a problem for her.

Xu Yuanzheng was happy to come and help. “Wow, your relationship with Old Gu’s wife is really good—you even do work together now?”

Su Weizhen smiled. “I’m just trying to contribute a little to the army.”

“That’s true. Comrade Weizhen, your level of ideological awareness is commendable.”

“Don’t flatter me,” Su Weizhen joked with him.

While writing, Su Weizhen couldn’t help but ask Xu Yuanzheng, “Yuanzheng, what if I quit my job and work here with the army?”

Xu Yuanzheng was surprised. “Your job is fine, why quit? Besides, the army doesn’t have suitable positions for you right now, and you wouldn’t be able to do other tasks either. It might just become a burden.”

After saying that, he asked, “Or is it because the county job is far and you don’t want to go?”

If that were the reason, it would need consideration. The county was indeed a bit far.

Su Weizhen said, “I want to learn some technical work, like Lin Qiao and the others. My current job at the coal factory is just clerical work. The pay is good, but I feel it isn’t very useful.”

That job was originally taken just to earn a living, and as an excuse to frequently go to the county. Back then, the army didn’t offer anything worth staying for, and she didn’t want to farm. Getting a county job was the best arrangement.

But now… she had many aspirations. She wanted to do something meaningful, like Lin Qiao, making good use of her return to this era and her “golden hand.”

Xu Yuanzheng seriously considered his wife’s suggestion.

“You’ll have to study again. What do you plan to learn?”

“I’m still thinking… maybe I even have a talent for something?” Su Weizhen teased.

Xu Yuanzheng smiled. “If you’ve made up your mind, then go for it.”

Su Weizhen smiled happily. “Mm.”

The best decision she had ever made in her life was marrying Xu Yuanzheng.

In a few days, she would discuss with Lin Qiao about returning to work for the army.

Lin Qiao was buried in work, writing diligently.

Beside her, Gu Huayuan was also holding a pen, helping her.

He even suggested, “Should I help you make another copy?”

Lin Qiao said, “Why trouble others for something we can do ourselves? Besides, I think doing it ourselves is meaningful.”

Gu Huayuan had no choice. When Lady Lin Qiao got stubborn, there was nothing he could do.

Thinking back, it seemed like ever since they met, they had been compromising constantly.

He could only write alongside her.

After a while, Lin Qiao began to doze off, eventually resting her head on the table and falling asleep.

“…” Gu Huayuan looked at her for a moment, helpless, then picked her up and laid her on the bed.

Lin Qiao, still half-asleep, muttered, “I haven’t finished writing yet.”

“Finish tomorrow. It’s not due immediately.”

Lin Qiao yawned. “What if Ermei and Zhenzhen are working hard too?”

“That’s impossible. No one’s as silly as you. Go to sleep. I’ll help you write tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Lin Qiao finally agreed to sleep. Her biological clock was too strong; when it said sleep, she slept.

She could continue her efforts tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the “little fool” Li Ermei was still wide-eyed, working hard.

There was no other choice; she had only just completed the basic literacy stage. She wrote slowly, and some characters were still unfamiliar.

Instructor Chen quietly finished his meal, gloomily cleaned up the pots and pans, then went to wash up. When he returned, he still saw Li Ermei carefully writing every stroke.

He couldn’t bear it. “You’re not writing it right; your strokes are all wrong.”

Li Ermei said, “As long as I can write it, isn’t that enough?”

“It’s not the same. Look at how ugly it is! You’re tiring yourself,” Instructor Chen corrected her by holding her hand.

This was the first time the couple had done something like this… Of course, they had always been intimate as a real married couple. But this felt different. At least to Li Ermei, it was quite sweet.

“Hey, Old Chen, what are you doing?”

Instructor Chen blushed. “I’m helping you, aren’t I?”

Li Ermei yawned. “That’s fine, you write. I’ll rest. Tomorrow will be busy.”

She handed the pen to Instructor Chen and lay down on the bed.

Instructor Chen: “…”

After a few days, the study materials were finally completed.

The three of them compiled the materials, and Lin Qiao checked them. She noticed that Li Ermei’s handwriting was actually quite nice.

“Ermei, you didn’t write this yourself, did you?”

“My Old Chen wrote it,” Li Ermei said proudly, touched that he was treating her well.

Lin Qiao said, “Oh, I had Old Gu write mine. Zhenzhen’s notes were also helped by Xu Lianzhang.”

Li Ermei: “…”

No need to be moved; for others, this was normal.

…

The two of them pasted the materials on the walls with rice paste. When everyone came for class in the evening, Lin Qiao pointed to the walls and told them to copy the materials themselves.

She emphasized that it took several days to complete, and everyone should cherish it.

“I and Ermei have already learned this material.”

The wall full of notes immediately intimidated everyone.

Previously, when Lin Qiao taught, they thought it was easy. Now, looking at the notes, there were many things they didn’t understand. Some couldn’t even recognize many characters, realizing they had been overconfident before.

Someone suggested that Lin Qiao should hold another literacy class, so everyone could brush up on basics.

Lin Qiao was willing, but she simply couldn’t manage it all.

Her hens had already been fertilized, some of the eggs needed to be stored, and she was preparing for incubation. She really couldn’t afford to neglect that work.

Some of the army wives could read a little, but it wasn’t enough to teach others from scratch—they themselves had barely managed to learn.

Sister Wang was at a loss too and thought perhaps they could ask a school teacher to help.

Hearing Lin Qiao talk about it, Su Weizhen had an idea and discussed it with her. “What do you think if I do it?”

Lin Qiao was surprised. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

“I still have time after work. Your classes are at night, right? It works out perfectly since our schedules don’t overlap. You do one day, I do the next—no conflict at all.”

Lin Qiao said, “But won’t that be really hard for you? Coming home from work and then taking classes too…”

Su Weizhen immediately laughed. “Comrade Lin Qiao, aren’t you doing the same thing? If you can manage, why can’t I?”

“Of course not.” Lin Qiao waved her hands repeatedly. “You can definitely handle hardships better than me. I just feel… you’re giving a lot. Zhenzhen, you’re really amazing. Everyone will definitely be grateful to you.”

“That’s secondary. I just want to learn and be involved.” Su Weizhen was frank and didn’t care about anything else.

Lin Qiao hurried to tell Sister Zhang and Sister Wang about it.

Soon, their team would have even more people.