Bai Shuhua finally enrolled in mid-March.
She entered second grade.
Her grade-skipping matter went very smoothly. The school principal, who was also the teacher, tested her with a few questions, and she answered every one correctly, so it was approved on the spot.
She still did not know that because she had skipped a grade, Bai Shuhui and the two sisters had studied even harder, and even Bai Dajun had been forced by Great-uncle Bai’s wife to study books.
Sure enough, “being competitive” had a driving effect.
After that, through the teacher’s spreading, it would also “infect” students throughout the production team.
Studying at school was no difficulty at all for Bai Shuhua. She began preparing for a second grade skip, asking the teacher every day about the knowledge from the second half of second grade.
She planned to go straight into third grade next term.
Time quickly came to May, and spring in the Northeast arrived late.
The ground had completely thawed, wild greens and weeds had begun to sprout, and preparations for spring plowing had also begun.
School started only half a day, and Bai Shuhua, when she was off in the afternoon, went digging wild greens with her eldest cousin sisters.
After eating sour cabbage, potatoes, and radishes all winter, she wanted to eat some leafy greens.
When it came to digging wild greens, the two cousin sisters had plenty of experience, and she did not want to make herself stand out, so she just followed along.
Unexpectedly, they were stopped halfway there.
Bai Shuhui was very much like the eldest sister. Although she was also afraid, her voice was even a little shaky, yet she still blocked the two younger sisters in front of her, “What do you want?”
Bai Shuhua glanced around. They were all half-grown boys and girls from the production team, so she was not afraid anymore.
The boy in the lead very smugly reached out a hand, “I’m looking for her.”
Bai Shuhua, who had been watching the show, was a little baffled. How had she ended up in the middle of the excitement she had been watching, “I don’t know you.”
Although they were from the same production team, they might not be from the same small team. They were only familiar faces, not really acquainted.
“Isn’t your studying really good? I’m telling you, from now on you’re not allowed to skip grades, or I’ll beat you.” As he spoke, he even shook his fist.
What the hell! Bai Shuhua could not help but curse, “What does it have to do with you, a dog meddling in a mouse’s business!”
“What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? You skipped a grade, and my mother made me skip a grade too. The school wouldn’t allow it, and when I got home, my father used a fire poker to beat me!” By the end, he was even a little indignant.
So that was it. Then it did have a little to do with her, but she was still going to keep skipping grades. She could only hope that the little brother’s skin was a bit thicker and his flesh a bit tougher.
Ha! Had she already become someone else’s child? That feeling was actually pretty nice.
But a hero does not suffer a present loss, “Whose family are you from?”
She should ask first. If he dared to make a move, the monk could run, but the temple could not.
The little guy was quite quick-witted and did not stupidly blurt it out. He warned her again, “You’re not allowed to skip grades again!”
Then he led the group and ran off.
Big sister Bai snorted, “Third sister, don’t listen to him scaring you. When you get home, just tell Third Uncle and have him go to his family.”
Second sister Bai asked, “Third sister, are you still skipping grades?”
Bai Shuhua had no intention of hiding it, “Yes, I’ve already finished all the second grade textbooks, and I’m going to study third grade material.”
That was already her speed after holding herself back, then holding herself back again.
Second sister Bai was still a child after all, and could not help asking, “You’re still skipping grades?”
Bai Shuhua felt there was something going on there, so she wanted to get to the bottom of it, “Second sister, what’s wrong?”
Big sister Bai answered first, “Nothing, it’s just that my mother also asked whether we could skip grades. Those pinyin and arithmetic problems are pretty hard.”
Bai Shuhua guessed that Second Aunt Bai had not said anything nice, “Big sister, second sister, if there’s anything you don’t know, you can ask me.”
What she could do was truly not much.
Second sister Bai was a little unwilling to give up, “Third sister, do you have any tricks?”
Bai Shuhua thought to herself, how could I not, does living one more lifetime not count?
Out loud, she started talking nonsense to bluff them, “Everyone has things they’re good at and things they’re not good at. I just happened to get the hang of studying a bit earlier. Ah, don’t talk about studying. We finally got a day off. Big sister, where is the shepherd’s purse? Fresh shepherd’s purse is the best.”
Bai Shuhua ran off in a hurry.
That night the Bai family ate fresh wild greens with dipping sauce. Grandma Bai was unusually generous and made egg sauce.
One plus one was greater than two, and the deliciousness doubled.
Fortunately, the three sisters had dug enough wild greens, or there would almost not have been enough to eat.
After they finished, Father Bai finally said, “Father, Mother, Shuhua has already finished second grade at school and is preparing to study third grade. She still needs to buy a set of books. Haha… I told her not to rush, but she just wouldn’t listen, and she even said it was too simple, not challenging at all.”
Bai Shuhua: My own father really knew how to do Versailles.
Bai Dajun was horrified, “Third sister is also going to third grade!”
Then wouldn’t that make her the same grade as him.
He did not want that!
Bai Shuhua explained, “Not for now. I still need to finish the first half of third grade this term. Then when school starts next term, I can go straight into third grade.”
Bai Dajun hurriedly waved his hands frantically, “No, no, don’t be in the same grade as me.”
Bai Zhenzhen was also a little sour, “Third girl, why are you in such a hurry? No matter how tired you are, at least take it easy.”
Bai Shuhua did not indulge them, “It’s fine. Studying is very interesting, and it’s not tiring at all. If big brother doesn’t want to be in the same grade as me, that’s fine too. Later I’ll just go straight to fourth grade.”
She would just skip third grade, no big deal.
Grandfather Bai spoke up, “Don’t mind Dajun, third grade isn’t his. Don’t tire yourself out either, you’re still young, there’s no need to rush.”
Bai Shuhua could hear the concern, so she nodded.
Grandfather Bai then had Grandmother Bai give her the textbook money and the reward. After that, Great-aunt Bai inevitably started grumbling, but Father Bai and Mother Bai were not softies either, and they pushed everything back at her. In the end, everyone went back to their own homes.
It still did not quiet down, though.
Who knew whether they were putting on an act or really wanted Bai Dajun to work hard, but anyway he got beaten until he was screaming. Later, Grandma Bai could not bear it and felt sorry for him, and scolded Great-aunt Bai again.
The four people from the third branch had been hiding by the doorway watching the excitement the whole time, and it felt incredibly interesting.
Father Bai was generous for once, directly giving the textbook money to his eldest daughter, and additionally giving her a one-mao reward.
Bai Shuhua did not think it was little. Under her little brother’s yearning gaze, she directly rolled the money up and hid it in her pocket, “Father, Mother, this Sunday I want to go to town, buy two notebooks, and buy two pencils and an eraser.”
Father and Mother Bai naturally agreed without a word.
Father Bai even immediately ran to the main room to ask for money, not delaying even a minute.
With Grandfather Bai there, the money for paper and pens was still obtained, though not without Grandma Bai scolding him a couple of times. Father Bai, as always, heard it in one ear and let it out the other.
The next morning, Bai Shuhua honestly went to school with Big sister Bai and the others. Bai Dajun did not go with their three sisters, he had his own little group.
Bai Shuhua noticed that Big sister Bai and the others were even more subdued, so she started making conversation, “Big sister, in a little while we’ll be able to pick mushrooms, right? I want to eat stir-fried mushrooms.”
Big sister Bai was a little listless, “Third sister, do you think the two of us are not suited for school? Are we too stupid?”
Bai Shuhua did not know what had happened to Big sister in the second branch. After all, they were a bit far apart, but from that tone she could tell she had been dealt a blow and had already started doubting herself.
She was not going to take all the responsibility onto herself, but she also felt that little girls as sensible as the eldest cousin sister and second cousin sister being mentally manipulated by their own mother was too much.
“Big sister, second sister, you’ve misunderstood one thing. I am the exception. What is an exception? It means the only one out of hundreds or thousands. Those who look down on you, let them come themselves. Let’s see whether they can be like me. They can’t even do it themselves, so what right do they have to scold other people?”