"Cen Xinrui!"

Just then, a greeting came from the front. Cen Xinrui took a closer look and found that he had unconsciously walked to the edge of the cotton field not far from the collective household, and he was greeted by Wen Lijuan, who was hoeing grass with the girls and sisters-in-law in the production team in the field.

"Is there something wrong?" Cen Xinrui stopped.

"I went back to drink water just now, and I came to you when I met Wen Yiqing," Wen Lijuan pulled the handkerchief around her neck and wiped the fine sweat on her forehead, "I want him to wait for you at home, he said to go to the small store of the brigade headquarters first, and come back later." ”

Hearing Wen Lijuan say this, Cen Xinrui immediately thought that this person must have something important, otherwise he would not have come to him when he went out to work. In his impression, Wen Yiqing is the most unpredictable person among the educated youth.

He lives in the production team next door, but he has nothing to do to go around the collective household: he is a prisoner released from labor reform, but not only the production team, but also the cadres of the brigade are very polite to him; he is not a barefoot doctor, but the members of the society come to him when they are sick, and he can actually help most people heal; he said that he has never been to the county seat, but he can be Que Rendong. When Ma Ping talked about Yahou Street, he listened very carefully and always thoughtfully; after getting acquainted with him, there were several times when everyone shouted to go to his house to have fun, but he politely refused, on the grounds that his house was like a dog kennel and that he could not neglect everyone.

Of course, what makes everyone feel even more strange is that for the educated youth in the collective indoors, Wen Yiqing is most willing to talk to Cen Xinrui, even if Ma Ping takes the initiative to post it, he doesn't care much. What's more, although he is helpful, he is very cautious in his words and deeds, and almost never talks about his life experience with others, so that most people do not know what his origin is, and what they are thinking.

In this regard, Cen Xinrui is also a little strange. He thought about it, but he couldn't think of anything different from other educated youths that could make Wen Yiqing willing to deal with him. The only thing he remembered was that once in a while, when he heard him say that his father was Cen Huanian, the other party's eyes lit up, although the eyes quickly dimmed. In his correspondence with Wen Yiqing, Cen Xinrui felt that they were very close to each other. In addition to Wen Yiqing's concern for him and his work and life, he often mentioned the importance of persisting in study.

However, since he came to find himself when he went out of work, there must be something. Thinking of this, Cen Xinrui pulled out his legs and ran to the collective household. It's just that when he ran to the flat in front of the house, he found that it was not Wen Yiqing sitting on the stone wheel, but the Fa Xiao Hao Zhijia who had not been seen for several years, who was lowering his head and looking at an object in his hand.

"Zhijia, why are you?" Cen Xinrui was very surprised.

"What, didn't expect it, right?" Hearing the shout, Hao Zhijia turned his head and put the object into the satchel he was carrying cross-body while smiling proudly.

"I really didn't expect that. Cen Xinrui nodded in acknowledgement. He looked up and down at his partner, who had grown up together, and felt a little strange. Think about it, since the decentralization, the two have also met in Yahou Street during the Spring Festival the year before last, and they can no longer be invited as in the past, or play chess in the courtyard where the two families live, or wander around the granite laneway.

"You kid, you look good. Hao Zhijia patted his buttocks, walked over and looked Cen Xinrui up and down.

"You're also spiritual. Cen Xinrui held the other party's outstretched hand and shook it vigorously.

"Each other, each other. Hao Zhijia smiled, watched Cen Xinrui take out the key to open the door, and asked, "I heard that you are going to teach in the commune middle school?"

"You know?" Cen Xinrui thought it was really interesting: he had just learned the news, and it immediately spread to Fa Xiao's ears, which shows how the companions of the collective household care about this matter, even Wen Lijuan is no exception.

"It's good to be a private teacher," Hao Zhijia followed Cen Xinrui into the room, looked around, and said, "Don't do manual work, you can still learn something justifiably - oh, at least you can get a good night's sleep." ”

Cen Xinrui knew what he meant. Following his eyes, what jumped into his eyes was the bed where he and Que Rendong were sleeping. Although the commune arranged a room for two people when building a house for the educated youth, due to the small area, dark light and damp ground, it was very uncomfortable to live in at a glance.

"This is the book you read," Hao Zhijia looked at the table, "Oh, you're still doing exercises?"

"It's okay when I'm done, and it's a pastime to draw and write. Cen Xinrui followed his friend's gaze and looked over: what jumped into his eyes was a bunch of mathematics, physics and chemistry textbooks, and the "Engineering Mechanics" he had read last night was still spread out on the table.

"It's better for you," looking at the paper basket under the table stuffed with calculation drafts, and the pillow on the bed with books piled up, Hao Zhijia said with great admiration, "Like me, if you don't have patience like you, even if you have it, you can't learn it." ”

"Why?" Cen Xinrui was puzzled.

"The foundation is not good," Hao Zhijia said bluntly, "I didn't learn well before, and I have returned it to the teacher in the past few years." ”

Hearing his friend say this, Cen Xinrui was speechless.

"Learning is learning, but you also have to pay attention to your eyes. Hao Zhijia picked up the kerosene lamp on the table and took a look.

"Definitely. Cen Xinrui was very grateful for his friend's concern, and turned around and asked, "Tell me, why did you remember to come to us?" Seeing him pull a chair and sit down, he poured him a glass of boiled water.

"You're not an outsider, I'll tell you the truth, this time I'm here for it. Hao Zhijia took a sip of water and took out the object he was still playing with just now from his satchel, a porcelain vase that looked very ordinary.

"For it?" Cen Xinrui looked at it, and couldn't see what was special, at least it was much worse than the plate of the Longquan kiln that he had seen in the other party's home.

"Do you think it's worth it?" Hao Zhijia withdrew his gaze from the porcelain vase and looked at Cen Xinrui.

"Ah, don't get me wrong, you have your own reasons for doing this," Cen Xinrui saw this, and hurriedly explained, "I really don't understand the doorway here, I just think that the place where you are delegated is more than a hundred miles away from here, and according to ordinary people, they will never spend so much effort for a bottle." ”

"It depends on whether he likes such objects or not, and whether he tastes the joy of collecting them. Hao Zhijia once again set his eyes on the porcelain vase in his hand, "Do you know, this is a genuine Qianlong official kiln." ”

Looking at Fa Xiao's preoccupied appearance, Cen Xinrui was speechless. He knew that the other party was interested in collecting since he was a child. What sparks, cigarette labels, have been collected. What is particularly admirable is that this guy is very business-minded, in the past, as long as it was the summer vacation, he would take out the villain books at home every day and arrange them on the door panels placed on the street for people who had leisure to read, but they had to pay a fee and read a copy for two cents.

Thinking of this, Cen Xinrui couldn't help laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Seeing him like this, it was Hao Zhijia's turn to be strange this time.

"It's nothing, I think you were born to be a businessman, and you will inevitably have a fortune in the future. ”

"Do you really think so?" Hao Zhijia looked at Cen Xinrui, as if he didn't believe it, but when he saw him looking at him seriously, he didn't feel a little proud, "I don't dare to say if I will have any wealth in the future, but I still know a little bit about how to do it." ”

"I know that. Cen Xinrui responded. As soon as the other party took out the porcelain vase in the satchel, he thought of the plate from the Longquan kiln that he saw in Hao's house last time, according to Hao Zhiguo, in the era of social and economic development and people's attention to collection, that utensil can be said to be very valuable. He thought that the boss of the Hao family had learned enough professionally, not only did he become an expert in cultural relics, but he also entered the industry with his brother, and he did a good job. But he immediately remembered the question: "How do you know you can receive something here?"

"I can't tell you," Hao Zhijia blinked, "I can only say that shrimp have shrimp roads, and turtles have turtle roads." ”

Hearing him say this, Cen Xinrui immediately realized that he had asked a stupid question, and he was a little dumbfounded. But he immediately thought of another question: "You run outside like this, the production team has no opinion, and the team doesn't care?"

"You don't know. Hearing him say this, Hao Zhijia was a little proud again, "The resident I cut into the team is the deputy secretary of the brigade branch, in charge of the work of educated youth, and I have a good relationship with him, who will take care of me." ”

"How?"

"It's not easy, material stimulation," Hao Zhijia said very easily: "Every time I visit my family, I have to bring him something when I return to the team, never empty-handed, of course, the things that the production team gave me, in addition to grain and oil, others, what radishes, cotton stalks, etc., I don't want, all of them are given to his family, including his own land, all given to him." ”

"I can't see that you really have two hits. Cen Xinrui praised.

"What's this, it's just what it likes, you know, people love cheap. Regarding Cen Xinrui's statement, Hao Zhijia didn't think so. But he immediately said, "What am I? I can't even count as a carving insect skill, but you, you will definitely be better than us in the future." ”

"Don't compliment me, don't you know who I am. Hearing him say this, Cen Xinrui laughed.

"Don't be modest. Hao Zhijia Zhengse said: "Among our group of people, you have the best reading, otherwise, this teacher's errand will not only fall on your head." ”

"In the end, it's just a commune middle school, and it's private. Cen Xinrui felt that it was nothing.

"What about middle schools, what about private schools? Today it is a middle school, tomorrow it may be a university, today it is a private school, tomorrow it may be a public office. ”

"What's wrong with you today?" Cen Xinrui heard this, walked over and touched his forehead with the back of his hand, "Daydream, and help me dream." ”

"Don't interrupt," Hao Zhijia blocked Cen Xinrui's hand and said, "Tell you, when I say this, I didn't just think of it, but my brother said it to me." ”

"What did he say again?" Hearing that it was Hao Zhiguo who said it, Cen Xinrui hurriedly asked.

He said, don't look at the nonsense in society. If a person does not study and has no education in the world, he will eventually suffer. Think about it, which country does not want to develop, which society does not want to progress, can it be done without culture?"

And indeed. Cen Xinrui agreed in his heart.

"It's a pity that I'm too lazy, and I don't have perseverance, and I can't store things in my head," Hao Zhijia sighed, "Unlike you, who have always insisted on self-study, and have more knowledge than everyone else." ”

"It's not exactly like that," Listening to Hao Zhijia's annoyed words, Cen Xinrui hurriedly comforted him, but before he finished speaking, he heard a voice from the lawn outside the house.

"Que Rendong, they're back. Cen Xinrui followed the sound and looked out of the house. Sure enough, the companions of the collective household were walking towards the house, and it seemed that they had already made a run. When they found Hao Zhi's family sitting in the house, they shouted one by one-

"Hao Zhijia, how did you find us here?"

"How long have you been here?"

"You're a rarity!"

Seeing this, Hao Zhijia hurriedly got up from the chair and arched his hand to everyone.

"Lao Hao, you are from the county, is there any news?" and when the voice gradually subsided, Ma Ping spoke.

"News, it doesn't seem to be anything?" Hao Zhijia scratched his head.

But no, Cen Xinrui thought that he had just come back from the county seat, and he had said everything he had to say, including the behavior of the new residents on Yahou Street who built indiscriminately.

"Isn't there any new news at all? Otherwise, you can tell us about the social darlings who have not been decentralized, who have stayed in the county town, and what is going on with them now. Ma Ping didn't know what the motive was, and persevered.

"Ah, if you want to talk about this, I've heard a few things. Hao Zhijia thought about it, as if he remembered something.

"Tell me about it. "The crowd was interested.

"Jia Ling recruited workers to Qingjiang Machine Tool Factory to engage in publicity. ”

"We already know that, but what else?"

Lin Hongying is in the county food bureau and is also sitting in the office. ”

"That's old news, too. ”

"Then I don't know anything," Hao Zhijia was a little embarrassed when he saw this. But at this moment, he suddenly remembered something, "Ah, yes, I heard that Chu Lan is getting married." ”

"Get married, with whom?" Hearing this, everyone turned their eyes to Hao Zhi's family.

"Who else, Qu Jinbai. ”

Hearing Hao Zhijia say this, everyone shook their heads, sighed, and sighed, one by one. Among them, especially Ma Ping, he didn't squeak for a long time with his mouth wide open.

"Okay, okay," the clerk walked in, "there's still one round, everyone hurry up, and finish the work early." ”

"Let's go. Seeing this, everyone put down the teapot in their hands and walked out. Before leaving, Que Rendong repeatedly told Hao Zhi's family to spend one night in the collective household.

"Okay, you're busy. "Hao Zhi's family, like the master, sent everyone out of the house. Seeing everyone's backs gradually moving away, he turned back to Cen Xinrui and said, "Have you found out?" When I said that Chu Lan was going to marry Qu Jinbai, Ma Ping's face was a little wrong. ”

"You just know?" Cen Xinrui wondered how Hao Zhi's family had always been very well-informed, so why was he so insensitive in this matter, "He has always had a crush on her. ”

"Really?" Hao Zhijia heard this, and his face showed a look of disapproval. In his opinion, Chu Lan is arrogant and beautiful, how can he afford to look at Ma Ping, who is screwed with everyone, not to mention his mother, who is the most disgusting.

"Forget it, don't talk about it, let's cook," Cen Xinrui picked up the rice washing pot, "You're just afraid that you'll be hungry." ”

"Don't bother, I'm not eating here. Hao Zhijia stopped him.

"Why, you don't eat when you come?" Cen Xinrui felt incomprehensible.

"The seller of this thing has already agreed to invite me to the commune hotel," Hao Zhijia patted his satchel, "Besides, I have already bought a shuttle bus ticket back to the county seat at two o'clock in the afternoon, and it will definitely be too late to eat at your place." ”

"I'm sorry about that. Cen Xinrui apologized for not being able to fulfill the friendship of the landlord.

"What are you talking about, who are you and I talking to?" Hearing him say this, Hao Zhijia couldn't agree. He stretched out his hand and shook Cen Xinrui vigorously, "Okay, let's go." ”

"In that case, I'll send you. Cen Xinrui followed him out of the house.

"Don't," Hao Zhijia stopped him, "You still have a lot of things to do, just remember to greet Que Rendong and them for me." When he walked up the path leading to the commune in front of the pingchang, he suddenly said: "Xinrui, the old man said well, there is no endless road, I don't believe that we will live like this for the rest of our lives, what about you, continue to do your mathematical, physical and chemical exercises, and I, as usual, take my bottles and cans." I want to see if we will definitely be worse than Jia Ling, Lin Hongying, or even Qu Jinbai. They all grew up in Yahou Street, who doesn't know who!"

Seeing his friend gradually drift away, Cen Xinrui responded in his heart. Originally, today was a happy day for him. This is not only to temporarily change the environment as a private teacher in the commune, but also to test the effect of self-study. It's just that the news mentioned by Hao Zhijia, especially Chu Lan's marriage, still caused him a trace of melancholy.

Although for Chu Lan, marrying Qu Jinbai is not a thing worth celebrating, and it can even be said that marrying someone else, but after all, she has a family, as for Jia Ling and Lin Hongying, the girls who grew up with her, not only have jobs, but also have their own other half, but what about themselves? In the long run, what should I do? No matter how bad Chu Lan is, she is better than herself.

Thinking of these, Cen Xinrui's heart was gloomy again. He really can't figure it out, no matter how poor his qualifications and performance are, he will not be worse than Qu Jinbai, he can stay in the city, have a job, and marry a beautiful and capable girl like Chu Lan, why can he only work hard in the countryside, I don't know where the future is, is it because of his background, he is born to be inferior to them? What is this now?

Standing on the side of the road, looking at the nearby fields and the river outside the embankment, Cen Xinrui felt very dazed, so that when Wen Lijuan came back from work in the cotton field and started cooking, he was still standing there in a daze, and he didn't come back to his senses for a long time.