Chapter 82

Ye Qingshui’s hands trembled a little.

She touched the box, and it really felt as if what lay inside were books. This box, not too big nor too small—what else could it hold?

Grandma Xie wasn’t the kind of elder with nimble hands, who would, like Grandma Ye, sew thousand-layer soles, stitch quilts, or brew honey from time to time. The thing Grandma Xie was most likely to do was—when the weather turned cold, send some money to her grandson so he wouldn’t suffer in the countryside.

Ye Qingshui slowly opened the box.

A few strands of golden-mercury-like sunlight fell across the brand-new covers, on which the bold words “Math, Physics, and Chemistry Series” were printed. The freshly printed books gave off a faint smell of ink.

At that moment, Ye Qingshui’s lips curved upward uncontrollably.

Her heart finally settled.

“Didn’t expect Grandma to be so fast!”

She said with delight.

Xie Tingyu had already guessed what was in the box, because along with the parcel earlier, he had also received a remittance slip—the payee being Zhou CUNREN.

This was a royalty payment sent from a publishing house in the capital.

Ye Qingshui also pulled out a letter written by Grandma Xie. In it, she said:

“I hope this letter finds you well. Tingyu, Qingshui—the manuscript you two submitted has finally, after half a year, been printed. The publishing house has already remitted the royalties, please inform Teacher Zhou to go and collect them.

These books are of great significance and have come at a good time.

In August, the capital held a symposium on science and education, where the proposal to restore the college entrance examination system was put forward. Grandma attended and was deeply moved. This is a precious opportunity for the vast number of young people—you must grasp it well.”

When Ye Qingshui saw this news, her eyes lit up.

It was like having a pillow handed to her just as she was about to fall asleep. She had just been worrying that Xie Tingyu might neglect his studies because of his research into biogas. With Grandma’s reminder, he would have to keep an eye on his revision.

She never imagined that Grandma Xie could know the news two months in advance. The restoration of the college entrance exam wasn’t officially announced until October.

Although Ye Qingshui herself already knew about it, she had no official channel to notify those around her to hurry and study. Getting this news more than a month early meant starting ahead of the race!

Clutching that thin piece of paper, she said excitedly: “Yu-ge, Grandma says the college entrance exam will be restored!”

Xie Tingyu, after reading the letter, was stunned too.

The country… was restoring the college entrance exam?

To say he wasn’t excited would be a lie. All those years of studying had been for the day he could openly, properly enter university, without relying on recommendations. Back then, he also had a chance to be recommended for university, but that chance had been ruined by Xie Jun.

He soon smiled faintly: “Mm. Let’s study hard. We’ll go to university together!”

“Let’s go to the hospital and tell Teacher Zhou the news!”

City People’s Hospital.

Zhou Ke had just fetched hot water in a kettle and returned, wearily taking a pile of money and ration tickets from his pocket, locking them into the cabinet.

A one-cent coin clinked inside, sounding like a lot.

But it still wasn’t enough to cover one day of Zhou Cunren’s medical expenses.

Although when Ye Qingshui had left, she prepaid two hundred yuan of medical fees, and they still had about a hundred left, plans couldn’t keep up with changes. The doctor recommended surgery to remove the stomach tumor, followed by chemotherapy, medication…

This illness was like a bottomless pit—money was needed everywhere. Three hundred yuan might last only two or three months.

Zhou Ke no longer wanted to ask Ye Qingshui for money. Elder Sister Ye helped them out of kindness, but they couldn’t cling to her forever. Even though they had handed over their family antiques, Zhou Ke knew clearly they were still taking advantage of her.

Those things, given to others, could never really exchange for this much money.

But Zhou Ke couldn’t bear to see his grandfather give up treatment because of lack of money.

Setting down the kettle, he left the room. Passing by another ward, he heard his grandfather’s voice:

“Comrade, I have eggs here, do you need them? And milk powder too…”

His grandfather’s voice was low, his tone carrying a humility he had never shown before.

Eggs, milk powder… those were what Sister Ye had given him to build up his health. Through the crack in the door, Zhou Ke saw his grandfather’s hunched back, and his eyes stung with tears.

If only his parents were still alive, how wonderful it would be.

After selling off his eggs and milk powder, Zhou Cunren came out of the ward.

He saw his grandson and said a little awkwardly: “Grand… Grandpa can’t finish it. No need to eat such good things…”

“I know,” Zhou Ke said. “Grandpa, don’t say it anymore. I heard soy milk is very nutritious too. Tomorrow I’ll buy a few jin of soybeans to grind. You still have to take care of your health.”

What else could Zhou Cunren say? He only reached out to pat his grandson’s head, then slowly returned to the ward.

He too wanted to live a few more years, but without money for treatment, every bit saved counted. Seeing his little grandson work so hard every day, how could he bring himself to consume those things?

When Ye Qingshui and her husband arrived at the hospital, this was the scene they saw:

Grandfather and grandson looking at each other, the old man wiping his grandson’s tears.

Ye Qingshui was startled. “Oh my, what’s this—Ke’er dropping golden beans?”

Embarrassed, Zhou Ke turned his head away and wiped his tears.

Ye Qingshui pinched his cheek with a smile. “Don’t cry, what’s there to cry about? You’re about to become rich people!”

She teased.

She handed him the remittance slip Grandma Xie had sent. Zhou Ke took a closer look and froze.

Zhou Cunren glanced at it too and was likewise transfixed, as if spellbound.

What did it mean to publish a book? At the founding of the People’s Republic, there was once a famous case of a novel selling enough to buy five or six courtyard houses in the capital. At that time, royalties were calculated per thousand characters—four, eight, ten yuan, etc.—while a worker’s monthly salary was only twenty or thirty yuan. Because royalties paid so well, they became a target of envy, until in the late 1950s the state redefined the calculation system.

By then, royalties were paid as 8% of the price of every thousand copies sold. Although the benefits had been reduced, it was still enough to support a family.

Now, with the momentum of the restored college entrance exam, Zhou Cunren’s book had caught the wind. Originally estimated to print at most thirty thousand copies, the run had expanded to one hundred thousand. And over the years, Zhou Cunren had written more than ten books.

When Ye Qingshui saw that remittance slip, her eyes nearly glued themselves to it, unable to look away.

What is the concept of being rich in the 1970s?

It’s exactly the concept of what Zhou Cunren was now holding!

Looking at the bold characters at the head of the royalty statement, Zhou Cunren felt dizzy, almost on the verge of a heart attack.

A full four thousand three hundred yuan.

Having dealt with numbers for so many years, Zhou Cunren almost couldn’t recognize the unit “thousand.”

“This… this much?”

More than four thousand yuan—was that a lot?

It really was a lot, so much that even Ye Qingshui was surprised.

But these books together contained millions of words. Zhou Cunren had written for nearly ten years, producing sixteen books in total, with millions of words flowing onto the page. Spread out over each book, over each month, it was not that much.

If Zhou Cunren had still been a formal teacher entitled to grain rations, a monthly salary of forty or fifty yuan would not have been a problem.

Zhou Ke’s face went stiff, his mouth wide open.

In his eyes, even a ten-yuan “big unity” note was already a huge sum, and anything over a hundred was astronomical. Having stayed in the hospital for so long, he had come to understand very clearly what money meant.

This much money, all used for Grandpa’s treatment, was more than enough. If Grandpa could live another fifty years, this money would still be enough for his care!

At this time, Xie Tingyu handed over the small box, giving it to Zhou Cunren.

The freshly printed books seemed to carry warmth, so hot in Zhou Cunren’s hands that he almost couldn’t touch them.

On the brand-new covers, each bore Zhou Cunren’s name. Opening them, the neat lines of lead type, each symbol, stirred endless memories. Every page, every sentence, he had revised countless times, engraved deeply in his heart, as familiar as his own organs, blood, and muscles.

When he first began writing them, he was still a vigorous middle-aged man. Back then, Zhou Ke had not even been born.

Later he lost his job, swept toilets, was so poor he couldn’t afford food, couldn’t even buy manuscript paper… countless times he had put down the pen, only to pick it up again.

When he wrote the very last sentence, it was one week after being admitted to the hospital. He had never imagined it would be published.

Yet… half a year later, it had been printed in full, the scent of fresh ink clinging to it as it lay in his hands—not rough, yellowed kraft paper anymore, nor blurred, damp manuscripts.

Hugging the books he had spent sixteen years writing, Zhou Cunren broke down in sorrowful tears.

Zhou Ke was still immersed in the immense joy of “Grandpa has money for treatment,” unable to pull himself free.

Ye Qingshui couldn’t bear to watch and turned her head aside.

Only Xie Tingyu comfortingly patted Zhou Cunren’s back. “Don’t forget to take the remittance slip and your identification, and go to the bank to withdraw the money.”

Looking at this sick old man, and the boy still so young, holding such a large sum of money—it might not be safe.

Xie Tingyu made the decision: “We’ll collect it today.”

Zhou Cunren nodded.

At noon, the couple accompanied Zhou Cunren to cash the remittance slip, then deposited it back into the bank.

With the thick passbook tucked into his chest, Zhou Cunren’s heart felt warm, his whole demeanor transformed—spirited, radiant.

Zhou Ke tugged his grandfather’s hand: “Come on, let’s go to the supply and marketing co-op and buy two jin of eggs. Grandpa, you eat one every day.”

Zhou Cunren added: “And Ke’er eats one too.”

Looking at the bright, smiling faces of this grandfather and grandson, Ye Qingshui finally let out a long breath of relief.

…

When Ye Qingshui and Xie Tingyu returned to the countryside, they ran into Zhou Tingting. Ye Qingshui greeted her:

“Tingting, Tingyu’s grandma wrote in a letter that there’s news from the capital. The state may restore the college entrance exam. You’d better start preparing!”

Zhou Tingting was just finishing work with the ox. At the sudden words, the rope slipped from her hands, and the ox clattered off to graze along the riverbank.

She yanked hard to rein it back, then came to her senses.

What did Ye Qingshui just say?

Restore the college entrance exam!

Ye Qingshui didn’t state it as absolute, but tactfully said: “It’s only a possibility right now, the news hasn’t been officially announced. But from what’s being said, it’ll be within these next two months. Go back and prepare!”

Possibly restoring the college entrance exam!

Even if it was just a “possibility,” it was enough to shock Zhou Tingting.

A surge of wild joy rose in her heart—she had a chance to go to college!

Zhou Tingting knew about Xie Tingyu’s family background. His grandmother worked at the Ministry of Education—could she speak recklessly?

Xie Tingyu also said with restraint: “Go back and prepare well.”

This news was extraordinary. When Zhou Tingting carefully confirmed how exactly his grandmother had said it, she bolted back toward the educated youth settlement like a whirlwind.

She didn’t even care about the ox still grazing by the river.

Ye Qingshui could only shake her head helplessly. She understood all too well how important this kind of news was to people who studied. She picked up the rope stuck in the ground and, with her husband, brought the ox back.

Meanwhile, Zhou Tingting was sprinting all the way, shouting at the top of her lungs:

“Comrades, the college entrance exam is being restored! The state is restoring the college entrance exam! We can go to university!”

Her clear voice echoed through the mountains again and again, as joyful as the bright springtime.

“Restoring—the—college—entrance—exam!”

“Going—to—university!”

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