When Gu Jiaojiao got up and stepped outside, she saw Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun.
"If you’re bored, you can go into the village and find other kids to play with."
She encouraged Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang to go out and find friends.
With so friends, they could gradually fit in with everyone else.
Sweet Girl shook her head. "Sister Jiaojiao, we’re fine at ho."
She didn’t really have any friends. Before, Chen Erniu had been the one to take her to find other kids to play with, but most of them only asked about her new clothes instead of actually playing with her.
Gu Jiaojiao smiled and said, "Sweet Girl, if you want sothing, you have to actively go for it, not passively wait for others to co to you."
After saying that, Gu Jiaojiao went to the kitchen to eat.
’Sweet Girl’s personality can’t be changed in a day. It will take ti.’
She brought out the food that had been kept warm and started eating by herself.
She was used to it by now.
She was the laziest one in the family, always the last to wake up and always the last to eat breakfast.
It happened so often that she’d grown a thick skin about it.
’I used to think about setting a good example for the two kids, but I just couldn’t drag myself out of bed, so I eventually gave up on the idea.’
Back in the courtyard, Sweet Girl fell silent for a mont as she mulled over Gu Jiaojiao’s words, beginning to grasp what she ant.
’Sister Jiaojiao ant that if I want friends, I have to go find them myself. I can’t just wait for them to co to .’ She thought about it for a mont. ’Sister Jiaojiao is right.’
But she preferred being with Sister Jiaojiao.
After Gu Jiaojiao finished eating, she washed the pot and bowls and ca back out.
The sunlight outside was pleasant, so she grabbed a stool and sat down as well, a high school textbook in her hands.
She knew that policies would improve in the future and the college entrance exams would be reinstated, so she was preparing to take them and go to university.
When Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang saw Gu Jiaojiao co out with a book, they couldn’t help but inch closer out of curiosity.
At this ti, few children in the countryside went to school.
After all, even getting enough to eat was a problem, so who would be willing to spend spare money on schooling?
This was even more true for Sweet Girl, who had lost her parents.
Sweet Girl was already thirteen, but she was illiterate.
Xiao Yang’s dark eyes were fixed on the textbook. Even though he couldn’t read, he was so curious that he stared without even blinking.
Gu Jiaojiao had the two of them move their stools to sit on her left and right. She was holding a language arts textbook, and she started reading so of the passages aloud, treating them like stories for the two children.
This was their first ti hearing stories like this, and the two children were completely captivated. Their little faces were a whirlwind of expressions, making them the perfect, attentive audience.
Sweet Girl stared at the book, a hint of longing in her eyes.
Xiao Yang couldn’t speak, but his longing was even greater.
Gu Jiaojiao ruffled both of their heads.
"How about I send you both to school next year?"
Xiao Yang’s eyes lit up. His dark, pure eyes shone as if they had been filled with light.
Sweet Girl was overjoyed for a second, but then she shook her head. "I... I won’t go. It’s enough for Xiao Yang to go."
Most people in the countryside valued boys over girls. The only children in the village who got to attend school were boys; it was very rare for a girl to go.
Plus, she was older now. It would be too embarrassing for her to start first grade with her own little brother.
Most importantly, it cost money.
’Sister Jiaojiao and her brother were already spending so much just to raise them. How could she let them spend even more money on her?’
’Right now, school costs five yuan for tuition and books. That’s too much.’
"I’m old enough to work now. I can help Sister Jiaojiao."
At her age, she was already a decent laborer for the family. She could earn six work points a day, which would exchange for a lot of grain at the end of the year.
The light in Xiao Yang’s eyes dimd, and he also shook his head.
Gu Jiaojiao put her foot down. "You’re both going."
"Sweet Girl, Xiao Yang, I know you’re worried about the cost. Don’t you worry. I have money. My brother gave all of his to , so I have plenty. Besides, I can earn money too."
Sweet Girl was silent for a mont, then lowered her head and explained, "Sister Jiaojiao, all the aunties in the village say school is useless."
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