B5SB -Chapter 24 Getting Into the Technical School

After returning to school, Gu Yihan continued to submit articles to the newspaper every month. The rest of her time was devoted entirely to studying.

Time slipped through her fingers like fine sand.

By now, it was 1965, and Gu Yihan was 13 years old. There was only a month left until the high school entrance exam, and she knew that the college entrance exam would be suspended in July 1966.

She had started school at a very young age, and due to her age, she would not be able to graduate from university in time, no matter what.

After thinking for a long time, Gu Yihan decided to aim for a technical school. She didn’t know whether graduating during this unusual period would be affected, but high schools were chaotic during this time as well. Even graduating from high school was uncertain, and she would still have to find work herself.

Gu Yihan decided to ask her teacher about applying to a technical school. She had to take this gamble.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

“Come in,” the homeroom teacher said, looking up from the desk when she saw the hardworking student enter. “Gu Yihan, is there something you need?”

Gu Yihan stepped into the office and said, “Teacher, I want to apply to a technical school.”

This startled the homeroom teacher. “Gu Yihan, with your grades, you can get into high school and then university. It would be such a pity to give that up.”

Gu Yihan could only explain, “Teacher, my family is from the countryside. I have a younger brother, and it’s not easy for my family to support me in school.

“I want to attend a technical school because they provide allowances to students. That way, I won’t have to spend my family’s money and can graduate early to start working.”

Seeing the determined expression on her face, the teacher could only sigh. “Gu Yihan, university graduation and technical school graduation lead to very different job assignments and salaries.”

Gu Yihan quietly pinched her thigh, her eyes immediately reddening. “Teacher, my family’s situation isn’t good. I want to start helping them as soon as possible.”

After failing to persuade Gu Yihan otherwise, the teacher reluctantly said, “Alright then. Fill out this application form and study hard when you go back.”

Gu Yihan immediately took the form, filled it out, and handed it to her teacher.

After leaving the office, the weight on her heart finally lifted.

Every day, Gu Yihan immersed herself in her studies. She never allowed herself to slack off and never grew arrogant just because she knew the direction her future would take.

Finally, her hard work paid off. Gu Yihan achieved the top score in the county and was accepted into the city technical school.

Holding the acceptance letter in her hands, she felt that half of her gamble had succeeded; the other half—whether she could graduate—remained uncertain, because the technical school entrance exam was earlier than the high school exam.

After the results were out, Gu Yihan returned to the dormitory, closed the door, and while packing her luggage, looked around at the place she had lived in for over three years.

Over the past few years, she had earned about 25 yuan in manuscript fees each month. Her abilities were limited, so not every submission was published.

Even so, she was satisfied. After buying some items for her grandmother at home and covering her own expenses, she still had 612 yuan saved.

In the current economy, having that much money already put her ahead of many others.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

“Why are you back so early? Didn’t you eat in the cafeteria?” Gu Yihan asked, puzzled, looking at Liu Huanhuan.

Liu Huanhuan, noticing Gu Yihan packing her things, didn’t answer but asked in surprise, “Gu Yihan, why are you packing up your bed? Aren’t you staying in the dorm anymore?”

Gu Yihan replied as she packed, “I’m not going to high school. I got into a technical school.”

Those years of living together had shown Liu Huanhuan that Gu Yihan wasn’t one to meddle in unnecessary matters.

“Huanhuan, you know my family is also from the countryside, just like yours. Everything depends on me.”

“Ah… well, a technical school graduate can get a job right away, so that’s not bad. But it’s a pity—you’re so good at studying. Not going to university is such a waste,” Liu Huanhuan said regretfully.

Gu Yihan pretended to be helpless: “There’s nothing wasted. My goal is to work in the city. After graduating from technical school, if I get a stable job, I’ll be satisfied.”

In her heart, however, she knew she was lying. She knew the college entrance exam would soon be suspended. In the future, many high school graduates would have to become sent-down youth in the countryside because there were no jobs.

If you couldn’t find a job in the city, forget about the countryside. With no connections, and being a girl, she needed to find her own path.

Otherwise, she would end up back in the village, finding a suitable husband. Reform and opening up were still more than a decade away.

If she didn’t take a risk, she couldn’t guarantee what hardships life would inflict on her over the next ten-plus years.

Liu Huanhuan sighed: “I technically wasn’t eligible to study either, but I was the only one in my family who could. My family hopes I can get into university and secure a job to help support my brother and younger siblings.”

Gu Yihan said insincerely, “Then you keep working hard.”

She couldn’t tell her the truth—that in the next eleven years, no one would have a chance to go to university.

With all her strength, Gu Yihan carried her heavy luggage to the place where students took the ox cart back to the village. She saw the ox cart driver resting under a tree.

Panting, she asked, “Grandpa, when will you be leaving?”

“You’ve got so many things? It’s holiday time. Quickly put them on the cart. Once a few more people get on, we’ll leave,” the driver said, helping her with the luggage.

After placing the bags on the cart, Gu Yihan took four White Rabbit candies from her pocket. “Grandpa, give these to your little grandson as a treat.”

Seeing the White Rabbit candies—considered a prized item—he didn’t refuse.

Soon, everyone had arrived, though Gu Yihan didn’t know most of them. After long periods of studying, she barely recognized anyone from her village.

The driver sat up on the cart and shouted, “Everyone, sit tight. Let’s go.”

Not long after the cart started moving, someone came running after it. “Wait, wait!”

The driver stopped when he heard the voice.

Laidi, panting heavily, ran to the side of the cart and squeezed herself into a small gap between the passengers.

Sitting down, she said, “Grandpa, you can go now.”

The driver was helpless. They were all from the same village, so he couldn’t just kick her off.

Gu Yihan glanced at Laidi. She had been married off to a twice-married man who already had a son and a daughter. The son was in ninth grade at the same school as Gu Yihan.

Seeing the luggage on the cart, Laidi shouted sharply, “Whose bags are taking up so much space? I almost couldn’t get on the cart!”

Gu Yihan didn’t even look up; she ignored her.

Laidi got more excited when no one responded: “Mute now? Not satisfied with taking advantage, now you’re acting like a spoiled grandchild!” she rattled on.

The driver, annoyed, said, “These are Yihan’s bags. She’s on summer vacation.”

Only then did Laidi notice Gu Yihan sitting quietly in the corner.

“Oh, what shameful thing did you do? Got expelled from school?” Laidi said triumphantly, knowing that summer vacation for ninth graders hadn’t started yet.

This remark stirred the other women on the cart.