If word of this got out and the matter grew, both men would surely face criticism and punishment—hardly worth the loss. They exchanged a glance; their bluster crumbled instantly. Neither had expected this girl, young as she appeared, to be so impossible to fob off—and bold enough to demand to speak directly to their superiors.
Helpless, the older man sighed quietly and accepted his ill fortune. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out an application form and thrust it toward her.
“Very well—here is your form. But mark this: report to the printing house’s administration building at eight o’clock the day after tomorrow for the hiring examination. Be on time, or your place is forfeit. And do not come making trouble if you fail.”
“Thank you, Comrade,” Lu Jinxia said at once. She took the thin sheet of paper, and the weight that had hung over her heart finally lifted. She folded it carefully, tucked it away into her private store, and watched the two depart—their expressions heavy with resentment. She walked on toward school, her steps light and quick.
She told no one of this news. If she passed the exam, she would share it with Li Shuhe; to anyone else, she would say nothing at all.
Factory hiring examinations in the 1970s were not overly complex. They centered chiefly on basic literacy, simple arithmetic, and questions testing proper ideological awareness. To Lu Jinxia—whose academic record had always stood at the very top, and who had never once slackened in her studies—such questions posed no difficulty whatsoever.
On examination day, Lu Jinxia arrived early at the Red Flag Printing House. The hall was filled with candidates—most of whom were children of factory employees, their places secured through early inquiries and family connections. Few paid Lu Jinxia any mind, seeing a face unknown to them.
Throughout the entire test, Lu Jinxia remained calm and composed. She wrote steadily and with assurance. Her handwriting was neat and graceful; her paper spotless and unmarked. She answered every question with speed and precision, finishing well before the allotted time had elapsed.
Results were posted publicly soon after. Among all candidates, Lu Jinxia stood at the very top. She had passed decisively—and secured a permanent temporary-worker position at the Red Flag Printing House.
Staring up at her own name, written neatly upon the notice board, Lu Jinxia breathed a long, quiet sigh of relief. Those who had passed were instructed to report for duty the following morning, bringing their household registration documents.
She had already requested leave from her teacher for the examination. Graduation was still one month away. If she reported for work tomorrow, she could no longer attend classes. Yet she had no intention of walking away without her high school diploma—one month short of completion was too much to bear. A high school diploma was a distinct advantage in these times; she would not abandon it for nothing.
She would need to ask her teachers for consideration—permission to graduate early, or to sit for the final examinations at month’s end and receive her diploma as normal. Either path would serve. She had maintained good relations with her teachers over the past two years; given her record, she had every reason to hope they would be understanding.
Resolved, Lu Jinxia went first to the school administration office. Her work was secured—she would report tomorrow and could not return to class. But she would not leave empty-handed after two years of study.
Her homeroom teacher looked up as she entered. “I understood you were excused from classes today. Why have you come?”
Lu Jinxia spoke honestly. “Teacher—I have come to ask further leave. Private family matters mean I cannot continue attending classes for the remainder of this term.” She said nothing of her new position; until she had formally reported for duty, nothing was certain—and she meant to guard against every possible risk.
“I wished to ask whether I might be permitted to graduate early, or take leave for this final month and return only for the end-of-term examinations. If I pass, might I receive my diploma alongside my classmates?”
As she finished speaking, she placed a gift she had prepared beforehand into the teacher’s desk drawer. Startled, he moved to return it—but at that moment another teacher entered the room. Unwilling to make a scene, he accepted it silently, resolving to speak most favorably of Lu Jinxia to the principal later on.
He had known her for two years—knew her to be steady, respectful, consistently at the head of her class, and never one to cause trouble. She would not seek leave without grave reason. In these uncertain times, such departures were hardly uncommon; many students were obliged to leave school early to support their families.
He nodded at once. “Very well. Your conduct has always been exemplary, and your scholarship requires no oversight. Come—I shall speak to the principal on your behalf.”
He brought her directly to the principal’s office and spoke at length of her character and achievements, urging that she be granted her diploma without obstruction. When he had finished, Lu Jinxia stepped forward and placed her own gift upon the principal’s desk: a bottle of liquor, elegantly packaged and clearly of high quality.
She had obtained it—and a second bottle—using liquor ration coupons she had carefully set aside. Long ago, upon finding them, she had planned precisely this. Disguised for discretion, she had visited the department store, purchased the liquor and other suitable gifts, and used up coupons nearing expiry—along with no small amount of her savings. Thankfully she had the funds to match her coupons; otherwise, she would have been left with nothing but vouchers in hand. The second bottle, slightly less expensive, she had given to her homeroom teacher.
The principal looked from the teacher to the gift upon his desk—and understood perfectly. Every year, students left school early for all manner of reasons. A student of Lu Jinxia’s standing—one who had excelled throughout—deserved no obstacle placed in her path. And besides—she had been thoughtful enough to bring a gift.
He nodded readily, took a blank high school diploma, and filled in her name, the date, and a final assessment of her studies. Then he lifted the official seal and brought it down firmly—thwack—leaving a bold, bright red impression upon the document.
A valid, official high school diploma was placed into Lu Jinxia’s hands.
“Continue to apply yourself diligently, even after graduation,” the principal said warmly.
Lu Jinxia accepted the diploma with both hands. The last of her anxieties melted away. She bowed deeply to both. “Thank you, Teacher. Thank you, Principal.”
She took her leave, slipped the diploma into her cloth bag, and stored it safely away in her private space before returning quickly to her classroom. The gifts had been drawn from that very bag—one designed to carry books, and so plain and unremarkable that it drew no attention whatsoever. It was still the interval before morning classes; her classmates were laughing and chatting freely, unaware of all that had passed.