The time spent hunkering down for winter and studying passed very quickly, and soon it was the beginning of March, the day school started.
Bai Dad took Bai Shuhua and her three sisters to sign up.
By rights, Bai Dad was so lazy, how could he be willing to do this? But Second Uncle and Second Aunt could not shoulder the responsibility, so Grandmother Bai simply dumped the job on Bai Dad’s head, and he had no way to resist.
Luckily, the primary school was nearby, and they reached it in just over ten minutes, even against the wind and snow.
Bai Dad acted very neatly, signing the three sisters up and paying for one set of books.
This set of books was for Bai Shuhui and her sisters to use, while Bai Shuhua naturally still used Bai Dajun’s broken set.
Then the teacher told them that this winter had been cold, and if school started too early, the students might freeze, so they were simply given a holiday first, ten days off.
That’s right, the production team primary school in this era was just that casual, the school could take a holiday whenever it wanted.
Bai Dad did not waste any words and took the three sisters home.
Bai Shuhua was quite happy, not because she was happy about going to school, but because she was happy about the holiday.
Over the past ten days or so, she had worked hard to maintain her persona and had already shown part of her “intelligence and talent,” but because she had only just started and did not dare to go too far, she had only “learned” a little over half of the first-grade textbook.
Now was the perfect time to use the holiday to finish first grade.
“What? You already know all of first grade, and when school starts you want to go to second grade.” Bai Dad’s eyes went wide, and because he could not believe it, he even repeated himself.
Bai Shuhua was not nervous at all, because she really did know it. “If you don’t believe me, test me.”
The facts spoke for themselves.
Bai Dad glanced at Bai Mother, took the textbook, and pointed to the pinyin to test her on two questions.
“She really got them right!”
Bai Mother also leaned over. “I’ll test her.”
“I want to test her too.” This was Bai Xiaojun, who loved to join the excitement.
Bai Dad shoved his son aside and squeezed in with his wife to make up questions. He tested her on a few characters, then started testing addition and subtraction within five.
Bai Shuhua deliberately hid some of her ability, even counting on her fingers, but the answers were all correct.
Bai Mother could no longer sit still and immediately pulled Bai Shuhua along with her.
Bai Dad hurried to follow behind.
“Dad, Mom, look at our Third Ni, no, Shuhua, how clever she is. She hasn’t even started school yet, and she’s already learned all of first grade.”
Bai Mother was beaming with pride and had absolutely no intention of hiding it.
“What are you making such a fuss for, what’s all this racket about.” Grandmother Bai snapped.
Bai Dad quickly explained what he had just tested. “She really got everything right, this child takes after me.”
Bai Shuhua: she rolled her eyes in her heart.
Grandfather Bai was very happy. “Looks like Third Ni is a real study seed. Once you start school, you have to study hard. Your mother, give her one yuan.”
Grandmother Bai was unwilling. “No way! What’s so hard about first grade? We’ll talk when she gets to middle school and can still be this amazing.”
Bai Mother almost could not hold back, and Bai Dad tugged her once. “Dad doesn’t need to give money. Shuhua just has a bit of cleverness, she can’t compare with Zhenzhen.”
Grandfather Bai’s face darkened. “Hurry up and give the money.”
“Give what money?”
Eldest Aunt Bai lifted the grass curtain and came in, with Bai Dajun following behind her.
Bai Mother immediately said, “It’s just that Shuhua finished learning the first-grade textbook, and her grandfather is rewarding her with one yuan.”
In the end, Grandmother Bai did not dare to go head-to-head with Grandfather Bai, and took out the money roll.
Eldest Aunt Bai was nowhere near willing to give money to the third branch. “Maybe the little girl is just talking nonsense. If she can learn on her own, then what do they need a teacher for?”
Bai Shuhua had no choice but to explain. “It doesn’t really count as self-study. Father, Mother, and Youngest Aunt all taught me.”
Youngest Aunt Bai’s middle school had not been given a holiday, and classes were still normal, so she was not at home right now, which meant there was one less person to vouch for her.
Grandmother Bai handed the one yuan to Bai Dad. “It was your youngest aunt who taught her well.”
Eldest Aunt Bai shoved Bai Dajun toward Grandmother Bai, and her meaning was obvious.
Grandmother Bai quickly stuffed the money back into her pocket.
Grandfather Bai still had high hopes for his eldest grandson. “Don’t go running wild all day. Study properly, or by the time you turn around, your younger sister will have caught up to you.”
Bai Shuhua rolled her eyes in her heart. She had never used Bai Dajun as her benchmark.
Besides, wasn’t Grandfather Bai saying this just making Eldest Aunt Bai and her eldest cousin dissatisfied with her?
Bai Dad hurried to smooth things over. “My eldest nephew is also smart, he just hasn’t applied himself to studying. The day he figures it out, high school won’t be a problem.”
Eldest Aunt Bai’s expression improved quite a bit.
Bai Shuhua thought to herself, it really was her dad, he knew how to talk!
Bai Shuhua took the chance to borrow the second-grade book. “Eldest Aunt, can you still find Big Brother’s second-grade book?”
But Eldest Aunt Bai said, “Third Ni, your big brother isn’t studying properly and hasn’t even properly learned his books. The books have to be left for him. You’ve finished your first-grade book, haven’t you?”
This was clearly not wanting to lend out the second-grade book, and wanting to take back the first-grade book too.
Bai Shuhua was very straightforward. “I’ve finished the first-grade book. Dad, Mom, give it back to Eldest Aunt Bai.” Then she asked with some concern, “Dad, if I go to second grade when school starts and don’t have a textbook, what am I supposed to do?”
Bai Dad and Bai Shuhua were still very much in sync, and he immediately reached out. “Mother, then give the textbook fee. The child is going to school, she can’t not have a textbook.”
Grandmother Bai had just given one yuan and was already heartbroken, so naturally she could not possibly give money again. She shouted to Eldest Aunt Bai, “Hurry up and find the second-grade book. After Third Ni finishes using it, she’ll return it to Dajun. It won’t get lost.”
Although Eldest Aunt Bai was unwilling, she still went back into the house to look for it.
Bai Shuhua brought the second-grade textbook back to the third branch.
Bai Dad and Mom’s excitement still had not faded, and the two of them were already discussing how Bai Shuhua would get into high school, and then become a worker in the city.
“My eldest daughter, if you become a worker, your dad can follow along and go into the city to enjoy life.” Bai Dad started daydreaming, as if the happy, idle life was about to arrive.
Bai Shuhua could not help pouring cold water on him. “Dad, I’m only seven. By the time I graduate from high school, won’t it be ten years or so? Just think, having to live another ten years drinking porridge with no meat and no money, how terrifying that would be.”
So she had to rely on herself.
Bai Mother patted her daughter’s little head. “It’s already pretty good to have porridge to drink. Our family has few children and many adults, and the work points we earn are more as a result. Otherwise, we wouldn’t even be able to drink porridge this thick.”
Bai Shuhua discovered a big problem, which was that if she wanted her parents to work hard on their own, then her painting-a-pretty-picture or motivational tactics would not have much effect. She had to make them truly taste the benefits.
If they had lived a life of eating meat every day, and then were made to drink thin porridge, they definitely would not be able to stand it.
But the problem was, where could she let her parents experience the good life?
Sure enough, wanting to become a rich second generation was not that easy.
She began listing her parents’ strengths in her head. Her dad… knew how to talk, had high emotional intelligence, and was good sales material.
It was just that they were living in the countryside now, where would they need salespeople?
Her dad did not have a stage on which to show his ability. What a pity, what a pity.
If their production team had a factory, that would be great.
Huh? It was not impossible.
What strengths did her mother have? Can eat? Can sleep? A big mouth?
That was even more troubling.
This era could not do mukbang, and sleep streaming was even more impossible.
Then she could only start with the big mouth.
She vaguely remembered, “Mom, I remember you once said what my great-grandmother used to do?”
Bai Mother answered casually, “Learned pingshu and dagu.”
Bai Shuhua’s eyes lit up. Heaven does not starve a blind sparrow to death, wasn’t this opening a window for her? “Mom, did you learn it too?”
“I learned for a few years, but later your grandma wouldn’t let me learn anymore. It couldn’t earn food or drink.” Bai Mother waved her hand. “I’ve mostly forgotten it already.”
Bai Shuhua wanted Bai Mother to pick that skill back up, but she did not know whether the current policies allowed performances, and even if performances were allowed, whether it could earn a little money, so she did not persuade her.
However, she still planned to dig a little deeper into her dad and mom. Maybe there were even deeper hidden skills.