Chapter 168: The Birth of the First College Student in the Village!
The next day, Deng Shirong and his son took the bus back home. Along with the handful of water spinach they carried, Deng Shirong had stored more than 300 kilograms of it in his system space. Whenever they wanted to eat it, he could simply make up an excuse, saying he had asked someone to send it back by bus.
Upon returning home, Deng Shirong was immediately surrounded by his sister-in-law, siblings, and children, all eager to hear about Deng Yunheng's college entrance examination results.
Deng Yunheng, without keeping anyone in suspense, smiled and announced directly, "Peking University—it's settled!"
"Very good!"
"Yunheng, you're amazing!"
"Second brother, you're so awesome!"
"…"
Seeing the excitement on the faces of his children and daughter-in-law, Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Although Yunheng's college entrance examination score guarantees his admission to Peking University, we should wait until we receive the official admission letter before announcing it publicly. We'll celebrate once the school sends the letter."
Deng Yunzhen, knowing her father's cautious nature, nodded and said, "I understand, Dad!"
Zhang Xiuping also agreed, then glanced at the bunch of Bobai water spinach Deng Shirong was holding and remarked, "This water spinach looks so strange—it's so long and has so few leaves."
Deng Shirong smiled and explained, "This is Bobai water spinach, the most famous agricultural product from Bobai. It tastes much better than the water spinach we grow here. I'll cook it for you tonight."
Hearing that there was something delicious to try, the children immediately focused their attention on the water spinach. Seeing how different it looked, they couldn't help but ask more questions.
Deng Shirong then took the opportunity to educate his children and daughter-in-law, sharing everything he knew about Bobai water spinach. They were all amazed, never expecting that a simple vegetable could have such a prestigious reputation. The fact that it was a favorite of the country's top leaders only added to their anticipation.
In the afternoon, after his eldest son returned home, Deng Shirong began preparing the water spinach.
Most green vegetables taste best when stir-fried over high heat, and Bobai water spinach is no exception. The dish must be cooked quickly. If the heat isn't strong enough and the stir-frying turns into boiling, the flavor will be significantly diminished.
Using an iron pot and an earthen stove, Deng Shirong ensured the fire was strong enough. He heated the oil, added the water spinach, and stir-fried it rapidly. When it was almost done, he tossed in crushed garlic, added the right amount of salt and soy sauce, and finished by stir-frying everything evenly before serving.
When the dish was placed on the table, the vibrant green color of the water spinach made everyone's mouths water.
Deng Shirong picked up a piece with his chopsticks and said, "Stop staring and try it!"
The children and daughter-in-law didn't need further encouragement. They eagerly tasted the dish.
The result, as expected, was unanimous praise. The quality of the vegetables that were deemed worthy of being airlifted to Beijing in this era was unquestionable, and everyone who tasted it was thoroughly impressed.
In this era, the eight most enviable professions were ticket seller, driver, postman, childcare worker, barber, waiter, salesperson, and cook. These were known as the "Eight Major Professions."
Deng Changzhong from Dragon Well Village was one of these postmen. Working in a public institution, postmen enjoyed good benefits and held a relatively high social status, making it a highly respected profession.
His daily job involved riding a bicycle to deliver newspapers and letters to groups and individuals.
On this particular day, Deng Changzhong was sorting through the newspapers and letters as usual, organizing them by address to deliver along his route from nearest to farthest.
As he sorted through the pile, one letter immediately caught his attention.
With years of experience, Deng Changzhong recognized it at a glance—it was a college admission letter. Over the past few years, he had delivered more than a dozen such letters. In this era, every student admitted to university was considered a child of destiny, destined for a bright future, and naturally worthy of his attention.
When Deng Changzhong saw the name of the school on the envelope, he nearly jumped out of his seat.
Three minutes later, Deng Changzhong was pedaling his bicycle like a man possessed, racing toward Thatchfield Village at breakneck speed.
In less than ten minutes, he arrived at the entrance of the village and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Uncle Jiu! Uncle Yunheng has been admitted to Peking University! Uncle Yunheng has been admitted to Peking University!"
The effect of his announcement was immediate. The villagers of Thatchfield Village who heard the news were stunned, and then the entire village erupted in excitement.
"Oh my god, Uncle Yunheng got into Peking University?"
"Did I hear that right? Yunheng was admitted to Peking University?"
"Uncle Yunheng was admitted to Peking University? Is this true?"
"…"
If it had been any other university, the villagers might not have understood its significance. But Tsinghua University and Peking University were household names, even among rural villagers. Everyone knew these were the two best universities in the country. Being admitted to either one was a surefire path to success.
The villagers, shocked and thrilled, quickly made their way to Deng Shirong's home.
Under the longan tree in front of Deng Shirong's house, Deng Changzhong stopped his bicycle and waved the envelope in his hand excitedly. "Uncle Jiu, great news! Uncle Yunheng has been admitted to Peking University!"
If Deng Yunheng had been admitted to an ordinary university, Deng Changzhong might not have been so excited. But this was Peking University, the top university in the country. As a public institution employee, Deng Changzhong understood the value of this achievement better than most. Graduating from this school almost guaranteed a bright future, and he was thrilled that someone from their Deng family had such a promising future.
The mindset of this era was different from later generations. In the future, if someone from the village got into Tsinghua or Peking University, other villagers might feel envy but not necessarily pride. But now, if a village produced a college student, the entire village would celebrate and even help raise travel expenses for the student.
The reason was simple: they hoped that a great figure would emerge from their village, someone who could help them in times of need.
"Let me see!"
Deng Shirong reached out and took the envelope from Deng Changzhong. Seeing the words "Peking University" written boldly on the mailing address, the weight that had been hanging over his heart finally lifted.
By this time, the faster villagers had already arrived, and more were coming from behind. In moments, Deng Shirong was surrounded by three layers of people.
Then, surrounded by his relatives and fellow villagers, Deng Shirong carefully opened the light envelope and took out the admission letter, which, though simple compared to later generations, held immense significance.
At that moment, everyone present witnessed history. The first college student of Thatchfield Village had been born!
(End of this chapter)