I Got Rich in Period Fiction-Chapter 539 - 533 Two - s Combined_3

Zhou Zijiao, clutching a vest bag, pushed open Rongrong’s room door, where Qiao Qingyu was waiting for her at a distance. Seeing her come out, Qiao Qingyu glanced at the bag in her hand and knew the child had changed clothes.

Zhou Zijiao walked over without saying anything but suddenly embraced Qiao Qingyu, resting her head affectionately on her shoulder.

Qiao Qingyu saw the child’s eyes were red.

She pretended as if she saw nothing and told her, "Wear it like this for now. If it doesn’t fit, tell Aunt Qiao, and I’ll make you a couple more."

At that moment, Wu Qianyun emerged from the bedroom. She had made a small washable cushion for the child.

After all, girls always need to pay a bit more attention to certain things.

Zhou Zijiao didn’t stand on ceremony; she took the cushion and thanked Wu Qianyun, saying, "Thank you, Grandma."

She, along with Rongrong, referred to Wu Qianyun as Grandma.

Speaking of which, Wu Qianyun had already spent nearly two years at the base.

Time truly flies, seeming to pass in the blink of an eye, and suddenly, the spring of 1987 arrived.

The sky was still a brilliant blue, the grass still a vivid green, and large stretches of poplar trees stretched their tender green waists in the wind.

Many places in West City, even in Xichuan, had poplars forming picturesque and anti-desertification forests.

Recently, the cement road leading to Gelle State had been bustling with big trucks going back and forth, carrying bundles of poplar saplings; others carried seeds of barley grass. Still, the demand this year was huge as always.

Because the area allocated for afforestation had increased again this year.

However, some regions saved their seeds and, with the help of Tenghai Research Base, had established seed breeding centers.

These departments were essential.

In a few years, Gelle State would be able to sustain itself.

...

This year, the senior class at Tenghai Comprehensive School was the first to graduate since its establishment. Therefore, this year’s college entrance exam was very important for the students, but even more so for the teachers. They had always been at the top in the joint exams, but the college entrance exam was the ultimate test, no matter the past performance; it all comes down to how many university spots you can secure.

During the second mock exam, Zhou Zijiao scored first place in the entire school. Upon hearing the news, she immediately told Qiao Qingyu.

Zhou Hai didn’t make much of a comment on this; he knew that ever since her first day with the He family, whenever Jiao Jiao had questions, the couple never refused to help.

His own performance was average, and his journey to where he was today depended as much on his abilities as on his family background. Therefore, he was not capable of tutoring Jiao Jiao. Liu Ying couldn’t even tutor a third-grader, let alone Jiao Jiao.

Zhou Hai was relieved that both of his daughters did well in their studies.

Moreover, times had changed. In the past, one could be recommended to university despite poor grades; now, it was a genuine battle in the college entrance exams.

Furthermore, academic qualifications were becoming increasingly important.

Zhou Hai felt the sense of urgency.

Qiao Qingyu was a liberal arts student and had scored such outstanding results; Zhou Zijiao greatly admired her, often seeking her out for questions.

Whenever Qiao Qingyu had time, she helped the kid with supplementary lessons, focusing on key points and questions. It had to be admitted that Jiao Jiao had a solid foundation, having studied from primary to junior high in Beijing, where the schools’ teaching quality and faculty were naturally excellent.

Especially since the child had started school at a time when education was being comprehensively emphasized.

Thus, the child’s foundation was strong. As long as she did not slack, there was little suspense about this year’s college entrance exam for Zhou Zijiao, with Qing University and Beijing University at her disposal.

Zhou Zijiao used to be somewhat nervous, worried she wouldn’t do well enough to get into the university of her choice.

But now her confidence had grown significantly.

However, Zhou Zijiao didn’t want to attend university in Beijing at all; she secretly told Qiao Qingyu that she wanted to study far away from Xichuan and Beijing when she went to college.

Where could that be?

It mustn’t be far south.

Jiao Jiao was unwilling to elaborate on the specific reasons, and Qiao Qingyu didn’t feel it was right to ask.

But that would have to wait until after the exams were over. In fact, there were several good universities in Yun City.

Her brother, Qiao Mubao, was also about to graduate from university.

His university was well-ranked nationwide.

Qiao Qingyu handed Zhou Zijiao a set of practice papers, saying, "It’s good to have goals, but doing a few more practice sets won’t hurt."

Zhou Zijiao took the papers and sat obediently at the He’s family study desk to begin working through them. Now that the room was warmer, it could no longer contain Chaoxuan. Today being Sunday, Xiao Hu and Rongrong had taken Chaoxuan out to play.

Although Zhou Pengcheng, Li Mingguang, and He Xuerong were in the same grade, they were not in the same class, and because he was older than those two, he didn’t want to play with Li Mingguang in this area. Therefore, he always looked for peers around his age.

When Qiao Qingyu went out, she saw Zhou Pengcheng leading a few youths running towards the wall, while Li Mingguang, carrying Little Chaoxuan and hoisting his chubby bottom, strode ahead energetically. With Li Mingguang running, Little Chaoxuan excitedly screamed, and He Xuerong followed at their side, even carrying a wooden stick. Before, another boy named Dashun used to play with them.

But ever since Dashun graduated from junior high, he had refused to work at all.

Now he was with his father in the factory.

An old master was guiding him as he was an apprentice there, and he worked very diligently. Thus, he was rarely seen, and Da Mai, always by Li Mingguang’s side, was also running forward, chatting while looking around.

They were heading towards the poplar forest to the east.

Qiao Qingyu called out, "Rongrong, Xiao Hu."

The children stopped in their tracks.

"Don’t go into the woods; it’s almost time to eat."

Qiao Qingyu cautioned them like this.

From a distance, Xiao Hu’s crisp voice replied, "Got it, Aunt Qiao. We won’t go into the woods; we’ll just play around here for a bit."

What were they going to play?

Qiao Qingyu saw He Xuerong’s stick in her hand and didn’t know what they intended to play, but she trusted Li Mingguang—a twelve-year-old boy standing there like a young bamboo, handsome and sunny, yet extremely dependable.

So after giving a few instructions, Qiao Qingyu turned around, reassured, intending to head home, but she suddenly spotted a young girl standing at the neighboring gate, biting her lip with eyes full of resentment.

The child was Zhou Ruoruo.

Over half a year, Zhou Ruoruo had grown taller, resembling her beautiful mother, like a budding flower.

But her temper, Qiao Qingyu was at a loss.