Chapter 69: The Turning Point of Destiny

The next day, while everyone else was out working, Mrs. Fang did not immediately act on her own idea of being the early bird and seeking Tang Xin to learn how to read.

Because her daughter-in-law had urgent matters to attend to as well.

Tang Xin needed to take the three children to register for school. Unlike later times, when the school year reliably began on September first and new students were admitted, now one could bring the children to school for enrollment at any time as long as one wished.

Many families simply didn’t want their children to go to school. Studying seemed to lead nowhere, wasting time and, worse, costing money for tuition and supplies. Sending a child to school was, in truth, the most unprofitable venture imaginable.

The Harvest Brigade had no primary school of its own; they had to walk to the commune, which took about half an hour. That was one reason the youngsters were reluctant to go—summer was tolerable, but in winter, setting out at dawn into the biting cold was anything but pleasant.

The commune primary school was small, with only one class per grade, and the homeroom teacher doubled as subject teacher for all disciplines. The facilities were modest and looked rather shabby, but every corner was swept clean.

Tang Xin was straightforward; she brought Li Jiang, Li Hai, and Gu Nan to pay their tuition, making it clear:

“Once the money’s paid, it can’t be refunded. So at the very least, you must finish this year, understood?”

Upon learning that tuition was required every year and that primary school lasted five years in total, Gu Nan immediately suggested, “Shouldn’t I start from second grade?”

“Why?” Tang Xin recalled that Gu Nan was a year younger than the twin brothers.

Now the twins were preparing to start from first grade in earnest, while this rascal was causing trouble.

“I paid for half a semester before—though I only attended a few days—and now starting again from first grade feels like a waste,” Gu Nan argued solemnly.

Tang Xin was amused and exasperated, but refrained from directly criticizing him.

She couldn’t help but think that if this boy’s cleverness were put to proper use, he’d have enormous potential.

So she straightened up and negotiated seriously with him, “You know now that paying and not studying is a waste of money. So, from now on, will you study diligently and attend school every day without skipping class?”

Gu Nan scratched his head, a bit confused. Weren’t they discussing his advancement to second grade? Why was his sister-in-law now talking about not skipping classes in the future?

How did she know that, during those few days he attended after paying tuition, he’d often skipped class, rarely spending more than a few hours at school?

Tang Xin stopped wasting words with the little rascals and simply enrolled all three in first grade. In truth, only a few months remained in the semester.

The New Year wasn’t far off, but the teacher assured her that the school wouldn’t charge extra. Since they were late, they could simply register for the next semester without paying again.

With this arrangement, Tang Xin felt quite satisfied. She was confident she could correct the children’s study habits during this period.

She would also teach the family some basic knowledge, ensuring everyone was settled and comfortable. By then, her spatial farm might yield other changes and harvests.

It would be the perfect time to start considering ways to improve their lives, perhaps even ideas for future ventures.

Because her feelings for Li Sheng grew deeper, Tang Xin’s kindness extended to the whole Li family, and she was wholeheartedly committed to helping them escape the misfortunes described in the book.

Tang Xin knew Li Sheng was a responsible man. As the eldest son, he always regarded his parents, sisters, and brothers as his own responsibility.

Since that was so, Tang Xin would help him bear that burden; together, they could weather any difficulty more easily.

Moreover, the Li family had treated her well, genuinely accepting her from the moment she married in. That made Tang Xin all the more willing.

Isn’t that how people are—sincerity exchanged for sincerity?

When Tang Xin returned home, she found her mother-in-law had already cleaned and tidied both the inside and outside of the house.

Seeing the nearly spotless rooms, Tang Xin once again gave her mother-in-law a thumbs-up, “Mother, you’re truly capable.”

Then she took out two pieces of new fabric from her pocket. “Mother, I happened to have some fabric coupons about to expire, and there was stock at the supply cooperative, so I bought some. The kids are going to school, so it’s nice to make them new clothes.”

The children wore hand-me-downs from their older siblings, their clothes patched upon patched; while clean and tidy, they were undeniably worn out.

Tang Xin suspected this was another reason the children were unwilling to go to school.

Children have their pride, and while it’s not malicious, wealthier kids sometimes taunt those from less fortunate homes, hurting them deeply, perhaps even affecting their lives.

In truth, Tang Xin had no fabric coupons left. In these times, material goods were scarce; even with coupons, one might not find new fabric at the supply cooperative.

Moreover, the two pieces of cloth had excellent colors.

Mrs. Fang didn’t go out often, so she wasn’t familiar with the market, but she wasn’t naive. One glance told her that her daughter-in-law was bending the truth.

She understood, though, that Tang Xin’s actions were out of genuine care for the youngsters.

So Mrs. Fang simply smiled and accepted the fabric without a word.

She knew well enough: her daughter-in-law treated the family well, and they should treat her even better in return.

Tang Xin had indeed been busy lately—not only planning for the family, but teaching them literacy as well.

She thought that after a day’s hard work, she’d collapse onto the bed and sleep soundly, but things didn’t go as she’d hoped.

These days, she often tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep—or else, when she finally did, she awoke from nightmares.

If her calculations were correct, the day Li Sheng’s accident occurred as described in the book was drawing near, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly which day.

Originally, Tang Xin thought she could avoid disaster by steering clear of the month after her wedding.

She had deliberately clung to her husband, finally persuading the responsible man to take a month’s wedding leave and stay home with her.

But unexpected events intervened—even another driver in the transport team was injured—and Li Sheng had to reluctantly agree to end his leave early and return to work.

Before he departed, Tang Xin had cautioned him repeatedly: not to act impulsively, to always remember his family and not play the hero, to prioritize his own safety in the face of danger—money was but a worldly possession.

Such words she’d spoken time and again, though this time she wasn’t forcing Li Sheng to drive.

Yet her husband was striving for their family, and their affection was unquestionable. Until Li Sheng returned safely, Tang Xin couldn’t help but worry.

Brother Li Sheng, can you avoid the fate written in the book and live happily ever after with me?