The aftermath of the earthquake has passed, and everyone has returned to their former peace.

It didn't take long for the school to organize the mid-term exams of all grades of the school, this mid-term exam was different from usual, it used to be concentrated in the classroom exams, different grades were mixed, that is, two people on a desk, respectively, assigned students of different grades, to avoid plagiarism from each other, it is said that the results of such exams, there is a phenomenon that students in the upper grades do questions for the students in the lower grades. For this reason, the mid-term exam has become the whole school concentrated in the playground, the exam is like a "battlefield autumn soldier", the whole school students are all pulled to the playground, each student is separated by more than one meter, not only difficult to copy each other, but also peek at the invigilator at a glance, the three days of the exam, the weather is fine, the sun is shining, a little breeze, does not affect the students' exam mood at all.

The whole school, from teachers to students, believes that this achievement is a big review of the teachers and students of the whole school, and it is also the most real review. The results came down quickly, and the results of the whole school were still posted on the corridor wall under the main hall of the school's Confucian Temple, and the results were written according to the total score from high to low, and the results of each subject were also announced. Mu Zhen's overall score ranked twenty-first in the class, and Mu Zhen knew very well that the time for him to leave this school was not far off.

The reason for leaving here is not how much the total score ranks, the most important thing is the English subject that Lao Mu values, he only scored a seventy-five points, and ranked more than forty in the class, Lao Mu mentioned at the beginning of the new school year, if English can no longer enter the top ten in the class, let Mu Zhen go back to the commune middle school to repeat the grade, in Lao Mu's view, repeating the grade is the best means to solve the student's bias.

Mu Zhen understands in his heart that the key to learning English is to memorize words and grammar, as long as he does it, there is no problem in improving his grades, but against his wishes, he occasionally has headaches that will harass him from time to time, and with a little pressure, he will find that the back of his head will be faintly painful, and sometimes he must not put down his books to rest, or use the extracurricular activity time to go around the field in a big circle to relieve the pain. Although Mu Zhen's English score did not enter the top ten in the class, it was not very bad, if he was in the commune middle school, he might be able to rank in the top ten, but here he faced the elite of the county, the county's top students, many of these students did show their own unique skills, including himself, for the study of mathematics and Chinese, he also had to admit that his understanding was no worse than any student. However, there is still a little gap with Lao Mu's requirements after all, and it is this gap that has changed the trajectory of his studies.

Lao Mu, who is teaching at the school, naturally knows the time when the school's midterm exam results will come down, so he made a special trip to Gucheng No. 1 Middle School to see Mu Zhen's midterm exam results. It was a sunny but slightly chilly afternoon, when Lao Mu came to school, the students were in class, he did not alarm anyone in the school, but came directly to the front of the school in front of the school Confucian Temple Hall, the rest did not care about him, the only thing he cared about was the results of the second class of junior high school, that was Mu Zhen's class, from the first place in the total score of "671", all the way down, his eyes stayed on the "506" on, that is Mu Zhen's total score, he doesn't care about the 165-point gap, what he values is Mu Zhen's single subject score of three homework, mathematics "99" points, Lao Mu carefully looked at the mathematics results of the class, this is only one point short of a full score of mathematics scores in the class, in addition to a full score of students, there is also a tie with Mu Zhen for second, Chinese "92" points, only "8" points are not full scores, there are only four more than one score in the class, and the first place is "95" Points, this can also be recognized in Lao Mu's heart, as for geography and botany, both subjects failed, Lao Mu didn't mind much, only the English score of "75" points, so that Lao Mu frowned, Lao Mu looked at the above results, there is no shortage of people who have passed the "90" points, not to mention there are also one or twenty people, this rank is ranked outside the thirty in the class, this score can not be accepted by Lao Mu, he feels that Mu Zhen's English learning has reached the point where he has to repeat a grade to solve the problem.

"Repeat the grade, go to the lower middle school as soon as possible to repeat the grade, otherwise this grade will be further and further!" Lao Mu thought of this, and didn't wait for the end of class to take a look at Mu Zhen, so he rode his bicycle and walked home without looking back.

Lao Mu's commune station is far away from Xiaowangzhuang, but it is adjacent to the Hubin Commune Middle School because it is not in the commune government station, but it is close to Xiaowangzhuang, Lao Mu prefers this middle school close to his village, he thinks that Mu Zhen left his field of vision in the time, did not spend all his energy on studying, but indulged himself, along the way, he thought in his heart how to transfer to this Lakeside Commune Middle School that is not separated from Xiaowangzhuang.

Since they are not in a commune, although they are close, they are not familiar with anyone, and even if there are individual teachers who know each other, the matter of transferring schools in the middle is not something that an ordinary teacher can decide. He pondered all the way, but still had no eyebrows, and he had to open his mind to find the social connections of relatives and friends. Lao Mu, who returned home, told Xiuhua about Mu Zhen's idea of transferring to the middle school of Hubin Commune after the village, and Xiuhua listened to it and thought for a while: "It seems that I heard my father say that an uncle and brother of my brother's daughter-in-law is the director of teaching in this middle school, and I can go to him tomorrow to discuss and see if I can help with this?"

"Well, tomorrow you go and ask if there is such a relative who is really the head teacher. The director of education is the second-in-command in the school, as long as he can help with this, there should be no problem in transferring a student. Lao Mu replied with a very positive tone.

The next day, Xiuhua went back to her parents' house, she knew that Lao Mu hit his head on the south wall, and ten old cows couldn't pull back his temper, and he had to think about what he decided to do, and there was no room for maneuver. When she saw her brother-in-law, she said it directly, and her brother-in-law was very happy: "Sister, you see that Mu Zhen is doing well there, how can you say that you will transfer to another school!"

"Hey! It's not your brother-in-law who is like a bull, he doesn't know which tendon to move, he has to transfer the child to the door to study, he tried his best to let the child go to the county seat to study, and now it's his idea to come back, he has an idea, we can't resist him. Since it's not a commune, we don't have a few people to know, so I can only ask you to help me this time!" Xiuhua said, with a little embarrassment on her face.

"Look at what my sister said, we have this relationship, you don't ask me, I should help too! Who called us such top relatives!" The younger brother and daughter-in-law looked at Xiuhua's embarrassed expression, and this attitude was enough to reassure Xiuhua.

"Then without further ado, let's go to school now!" said Xiuhua.

"Wait a minute, I'll clean up and leave!" With that, the younger sister-in-law stood up, took a comb, carefully combed her hair, took a holster and put her long hair in a bun on the back of her head, and pushed her bicycle to ride with Xiuhua to Lakeside Commune Middle School.

When the two sisters came to the gate of the middle school, there was already a class in the school, and it was recess, and Xiuhua's brother and daughter-in-law had sharp eyes, and as soon as they arrived outside the gate, they saw their uncle and brother standing on the side of the road facing the gate.

"Big brother, big brother. Xiuhua's brother and daughter-in-law waved her hand at the medium-sized man standing there and took two steps to greet him.

The middle-aged man seemed to hear the shout, turned around and saw his sister coming, and asked with a smile, "Is there something wrong with you?"

"I really let you guess, is there something to ask you for?" Xiuhua's sister-in-law's straightforward personality is also the person who knows best when he is an elder brother, who speaks openly, and is a straight person when he is a daughter at home.

"Say it, my nephew is now in junior high school in the county No. 1 Middle School, and now he wants to transfer to your school, do you think it's okay?" said Xiuhua's sister-in-law and made a grimace.

"It's not easy to transfer to another school now, but it's convenient to get into school, but it's a little hard to explain now!" said the middle-aged man, holding one hand on his waist and waving the other.

"Look, look, it's really hard for you! This is my sister, and her house is in the village in front of the school. As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed to Xiao Wangzhuang in the south of the school. "Count it up, my sister is older than you!

"Sister, is that your child?" the middle-aged man asked as he faced Xiuhua.

"Look brother, we don't know anyone, this matter can only trouble you! Go back and let my old Mu come to tell you the specific situation!" Xiuhua didn't know what to call her, but when she heard someone call her sister, she naturally became a big brother and seemed a lot closer.

"You see, my sister said a little bit outside, it's all my own business, I can't make my own decisions, and I have to ask the head teacher's opinion, this matter, I have to discuss it with the head teacher, this year, because there are more students from the lake district of the neighboring county, the desks are tight, and the students in the class are much more obvious, you listen to my letter when you look back, okay?" The middle-aged man did not reject the girl who found his help for the first time.

"Then thank you first! I'll bring our Lao Mu to you when I go back!" Xiuhua hurriedly responded.

When the class bell rang, the two of them knew that there were many things in the school, so they briefly said goodbye, then turned around and walked outside the school, and the two went home without mentioning it.

At lunchtime, Xiuhua said to Lao Mu: "Xiuhua's brother-in-law's surname is Liu, and the director of this middle school is naturally Director Liu!"

As soon as school was out in the afternoon, Lao Mu discussed with Xiuhua: "Let's buy something in the evening and go to Director Liu's place to ask!"

"What should I buy?" Xiuhua understood that if it wasn't implemented well, Lao Mu wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully, but he really didn't know what to buy. "It's not a festival, and there's nothing to take, just buy some peanuts and snacks!" Xiuhua looked at Lao Mu, as if she could get an answer from Lao Mu's face.

"Let's go and have a look first, and let's buy some dim sum as you say!" Lao Mu affirmed Xiuhua's opinion.

"Do you still have money at home?" Lao Mu suddenly thought of the dilemma of not being able to get out the cigarette money a few days ago, and where did the money come from to buy dim sum? Lao Mu's salary of 15 yuan a month was meager, but it was basically enough for him to exchange cigarette money and gifts. The pocket money at home basically depends on Xiuhua and Mu weaving straw bales plus the dozen chicken butts in the chicken coop to survive, and it is always tight all year round.

A sentence reminded Xiuhua, and hurriedly took out the twenty egg money that had just been sold yesterday from the pile of clothes in the fruit basket at the bedside, clicked it, and smiled helplessly at Lao Mu and said: "I bought some household goods at that time, and there is still one yuan and two cents left." ”

"That's all, if it's not enough, let's keep an account in the consignment department first!" Lao Mu went out after pushing the bicycle, and the two calculated that they bought a pound of ripe peanuts in the consignment department, two packets of fried sugar snacks, put them in a hand-sewn handbag made by Xiuhua, and rode directly to the middle school of Hubin Commune.

When I arrived at middle school, it was already the time of the lamp, Lao Mu and Xiuhua heard that Director Liu lived in the easternmost one of the last row of bungalows on the campus, and there were ten rooms in the last row of the campus, all of which were brick houses, it is said that this house was still a temporary office building built by the drilling team in the fifties, and then the drilling team left, leaving the entire courtyard and transforming it into a school staff dormitory. The lights were on in the house, Lao Mu asked Xiuhua to go up and knock on the door to see if it was Director Liu who he saw in the morning, Xiuhua went up and knocked on the door, Lao Mu waited two or three meters away from the door, it was Director Liu who opened the door, Xiuhua hurriedly greeted: "Big brother, I came to you in the morning to ask about the child's transfer, I don't know how to ask?"

"Sister, come in and talk!" Director Liu beckoned.

"We're here too!" Xiuhua said, turning back and giving Lao Mu a look, Lao Mu understood, hurriedly greeted him, and held Director Liu's hand: "I'm really causing you trouble!"

"There's nothing troublesome or troublesome, it's all your own children's business!" he said as he let the two into the house.

Lao Mu noticed that Director Liu's room was very clean, there was a double bed against the north wall, and a large flower curtain was hung at the south end of the bed to separate it from the outside, probably because he didn't expect a guest to come, so he didn't pull down the curtain, the quilt on the bed was stacked with square tofu blocks, and a desk was placed at the head of the bed, with a few books and an old-style lamp piled up on the table, and there was a three-person sofa outside the curtain, and a dining table was placed in front of the sofa. Judging from the children's clothes on the steel wire hanging the curtains, Director Liu's children are not big, and they also follow Director Liu here.

"I've already asked the head teacher about the child!" As soon as the two of them got on the sofa, Director Liu got to the point. "There are really no desks in the class, and after coming, I may be temporarily squeezed into a desk with the two new Lake District students who have just transferred, and the desks are brought by these two students, I have already seen it, so let's work harder first. ”

"Then I really thank Director Liu!" Lao Mu was really moved, he didn't expect that on the way back from the county seat, he had been thinking about how to transfer to another school, and it would be solved so quickly when he came to Director Liu.

"It's nothing, the key is how well the child is doing in school and if he ......," Director Liu said here, thinking for a moment, obviously not knowing how to express it and stopped.

Lao Mu immediately understood: "Don't worry, the child is now in the second year of junior high school, and his English is not very good, so he came here to repeat the grade, make up for English, there is no big problem in learning, it is close to my home, if there is any bad performance, I will discipline it, I will teach in Xiaowangzhuang School, please rest assured!"

"Okay, let's go together, then I won't say much, I have a meeting in the evening, so it's decided, you bring the students to find me again!" Director Liu obviously did have something to do at night, so he ordered the eviction.

Lao Mu glanced at Xiuhua, waved his hand and said, "Quick, leave the things you brought to Director Liu!"

Xiuhua opened the handbag, took out three packs of snacks that had not been heated, and put them on the dining table. ”

Xiuhua covered the mouth of the cloth bag, and even said: "Look, it's not much, buy some food for the child!" As he spoke, he walked out of the room backwards, and Lao Mu also took Director Liu's hand with peanuts, and said with twelve points of sincerity: "Look, there is no word of thanks, a little caution!" Director Liu was also inconvenient to push back, put the flower production on the table, and went out of the room to send the two out without mentioning it.

The moment to go through the transfer procedures for Mu Zhen finally came, it was the first weekend when the midterm exam results were announced, Lao Mu rode to the school, found the head teacher Teacher Li, and proposed to go through the transfer procedures for his son, Teacher Li felt very stunned, and stared at Lao Mu with a dull expression for a full minute. Then slowly ask, "Are we not managing well enough, or are you not satisfied with our teaching?"

"Actually, it's really not, I see that he is still young, far away from home, and he can't take care of himself! There really is no other meaning!" Lao Mu rubbed his hands together, feeling a little embarrassed.

Teacher Li is still very optimistic about Mu Zhen, in the mathematics class he taught, he can see that Mu Zhen is a student who knows everything thoroughly, and he is also very serious about doing things, as long as the guidance is correct, I believe that he is still very promising. But how could he stop his parents from transferring to another school?

Teacher Li waved his hand and said, "Okay, I'll report this matter to the principal!" Obviously, Teacher Li found it difficult to refuse Lao Mu's request to transfer to another school, but wanted the principal to say something to retain this student with development potential.

When Mr. Li took Lao Mu to knock on the principal's office, Principal Wang was reading the newspaper, and after listening to Mr. Li's statement, Principal Wang stared at Lao Mu with an eye asking for advice: "Look, the student's performance in school is still quite good!" After a pause, as if from Lao Mu's expression, he could see that he was still extremely reluctant to let the child stay, and turned around and said: "If you are very resolute in transferring to another school, and we are inconvenient to force us to stay, then ask Teacher Li to assist you in the transfer procedures!"

After Lao Mu completed the transfer procedures, it was already the end of the third class at noon, he saw Mu Zhen walk out of the classroom after class, waved his hand to him, and Mu Zhen also saw Lao Mu standing under the plane tree outside the classroom for the first time, and ran over quickly.

"Great!" he didn't say anything, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"What are you crying about!" Lao Mu stretched out his hand to help him wipe it.

"I've already completed the transfer procedures, and I can pack my things and go home to school after class. Lao Mu said earnestly.

Mu Zhen already knew the outcome after the midterm exam, if he couldn't meet the condition proposed by Lao Mu and transferred to leave the campus where he had lived and studied for a year and three months, this day would come sooner or later. Lao Mu didn't leave himself a little chance, that is, he had thought about working harder to raise his English scores, and during this period of time, he did work hard, if it wasn't for the days delayed by the earthquake, it is estimated that his English scores would be better than now, no matter what homework he did, Mu Zhen was confident that he could learn well, but his own conditions were limited, and only he knew this in his heart, although he couldn't understand the truth, but he had a clear sense of powerlessness.

The class bell rang again, Mu Zhen rubbed his eyes with his hands, and ran back to the classroom without looking back, he didn't want to go back, he was nostalgic for the environment here, nostalgic for the teachers here, and nostalgic for the classmates here, but all this can only become a memory.

The last session was the self-study class, everyone had just sat down, the head teacher Mr. Li walked up to the podium, glanced at the whole class, all the students focused on the podium, thinking that Mr. Li self-study class, there must be something important to talk about.

"Our classmate Mu Zhen has completed the transfer procedures today and left our collective!" Teacher Li paused when he said this, because he saw that the tears on Mu Zhen's face sitting in the front row had rolled down, and he didn't want to continue, so as not to hurt a child's childish heart again.

"Please continue to study on your own!" Teacher Li understands that it is inconvenient to say anything more about this matter, from Mu Zhen's tears, you can read the child's heart, you can understand the intentions of parents, he also showed a little helplessness as a teacher, after saying these words, Teacher Li walked out of the classroom by himself.

As the sound of the classroom door shutting landed, the originally quiet classroom immediately became uncalm, everyone whispered, whispering something? The sound of the discussion was immediately replaced by Mu Zhen's sobbing, everyone quieted down, Mu Zhen lay on the desk, and stopped sobbing. For him, this was his last lesson in the class, and he remembered Dude's "The Last Lesson," which he remembered, "Poor man, why don't you be sad if you want him to break up with all this?" A line of hot tears rolled down again.

The bell rang for the end of class, this was the shortest class he felt since he went to school, how he wished that time could stand still in this class, how much he hoped that everything would be reversed, he could stay and continue to study here with everyone. But this is a luxury, after class, he can't take care of eating, even if there are big fish and meat, it is difficult for him to swallow at this time. He silently began to tidy up the table, his tablemate looking at him with a blank expression, and then reached out to help him fill his bag with the book. When it was almost packed, Ma Facheng, who was good friends with him, and another classmate named Li Mingbo, sent a brand new diary, which was a softcover diary that he wanted to buy more than once, the cover of the book was the blue he liked, and the cover was inlaid with the head of Jiang Dawei who sang "The Song of Peony", because of the lack of money, he had not been willing to buy it, and now his friend parted to him, Mu Zhen turned the title page and wrote: Ma Huacheng Li Mingbo gifted. His tears gushed out again, a trace of emotion, strong feelings, he really couldn't think of what he should give back to his two friends. He only meditated in his heart, hoping to see each other again.

The scene in the classroom was seen by Lao Mu standing outside the window, Lao Mu at this time, his heart was also a little sour, he was afraid that Mu Zhen would not be able to pass the exam, but he was admitted, and he made such an ending, it was resentment, hatred, it was not clear, but at this time Lao Mu really became a little confused.