The train driver in the courtyard

Chinese is a two-dimensional language, a graphic writing system based on strokes and glyphs, a visual language.

English is a one-dimensional combination, a phonetic writing based on letters and an auditory language.

There is an essential difference between the two in the nature of thinking.

It is indeed difficult for Xiaomei's family to learn Chinese.

However, the situation changed dramatically with the advent of the Red Star computer.

In the past, learning Chinese might have been just a choice for some people out of cultural interest, but now it has transformed into a necessity in life and work for many young Americans.

After all, in that era, those who could purchase Red Star computers were all elites from all walks of life in Xiaomei's family.

They were the first to use Red Star computers, which in turn led to a social trend from top to bottom.

If you don't have a Red Star computer in your office, you'd be embarrassed to say that you're in the oil industry.

Hollywood superstars have collectively become the kings of promoting products using Chinese characters.

When Marilyn Monroe took out an embroidered keyboard and demonstrated her typing ability on "The Tonight Show", housewives across America immediately prioritized Chinese classes over bridge clubs.

The latest Versailles in the New York socialite circle is: "Oh, my Chinese is so poor that I can only understand the first eighty chapters of the original version of "Dream of Red Mansions"."

Driven by the Chinese and Red Star computer craze that swept across the United States, even those who originally did not need a Red Star computer followed suit and bought one to demonstrate that they were keeping up with the trend and not falling behind.

But the problem remains the same.

Chinese is too difficult to learn!

In this context, Hextech Technologies announced that it would provide professional Chinese training services.

The fee is not expensive, only ten dollars per class, which is similar to the price of Chinese teachers on the market.

Hextech also provides Chinese teaching materials specifically for foreigners, which can help students master Chinese more quickly.

Hextech Technology is currently the most well-known brand in Xiaomei's family.

This news appeared in the news, and the Hex Chinese Training Center enrolled two thousand students that day.

This is not the upper limit of market demand, but the physical limit of physical teaching points.

In order to meet the needs of the majority of Chinese enthusiasts, Hextech Technology Company reached an agreement with Wang Laboratories to establish 352 Chinese training centers using Wang Laboratories' sales centers across Xiaomeijia.

In just half a year, the Hex Chinese Training Center has trained more than 20,000 foreigners who are proficient in using Red Star computers.

Under such circumstances, Li Aiguo took out the Chinese proficiency test of later generations and, with the joint efforts of relevant departments, developed a set of standardized tests.

The test is divided into 6 levels. Candidates who pass the Level 6 test can easily understand the Chinese information they hear or read, and express their opinions fluently in Chinese in oral or written form.

Each time you pass a level of exam, you will get the corresponding level certificate.

Those who have already mastered basic Chinese skills have turned their attention to the Level 6 Chinese Proficiency Certificate.

At this point, Chinese has the ability to develop sustainably in Xiaomei's home.

Red Star Computer provides the learning needs, Hex Chinese Training Center provides the learning opportunities, and the Chinese proficiency test is responsible for testing the learning outcomes.

Xiao Meijia is the strongest in this big family.

Those little brothers all took him as their role model, so the Chinese learning trend in Xiaomei's family soon spread to Xiaoou's family.

When Hextech released its latest Red Star 83 computer decades later, countries around the world had already included Chinese as a compulsory subject in basic education.

Those European teenagers who were crazy about intonation might never have thought that the language revolution planned by Li Aiguo of the University of Tokyo half a century ago had already laid the groundwork for the cultural landscape of the intelligent era.

The sounds of tongue twister practice in the classroom at this moment are the most subtle historical echoes of the memories of learning English back then.

Those blond and blue-eyed little guys also enjoyed the pain we went through when we were learning English.

"Oh, why are these Chinese characters so difficult to learn?"

Don't ask, the answer is that his teacher came from Henan Province.

Of course, these are all things for later.

The road must be walked step by step, and the meal must be eaten one bite at a time.

After handing over the Chinese training work to the relevant departments and Hextech, Li Aiguo put his energy back into the work at hand.

****
Time passes day by day.

In the blink of an eye, it was the next day.

Inside the weather station.

The silent radio waves ticked again.

Li Aiguo fell into silence after reading the telegram.

"Sure enough, the most down-to-earth business war is robbery."

The farmer seemed to be in a good mood. He smoked his third cigarette of the day and said with a smile, "The more fearful the enemy is, the more correct we are doing. Aiguo, don't worry about Langley's affairs. Focus on your own affairs and try to blow Xiaomei's dog head off."

"Blow up Xiaomei's dog's head" was a phrase that Li Aiguo often said in the past, and now it has become the most popular slogan in the Meteorological Bureau.

"Teacher, don't worry, the next step of work at the Red Star Computing Institute has already started. The tunnel will be completed in a few days." Li Aiguo handed over the telegram and asked about the source of the news.

"I have to thank you for this. Because of the hide-and-seek operation you organized a while ago, Comrade Helmsman completely gained the trust of Langley and was able to work at the Langley headquarters. Based on the information about Langley's internal personnel provided by Comrade Helmsman, we found an insider. His code name is Cleaner."

In order to guard against Langley's attack, it is necessary to fully grasp the enemy's situation. The farmer did not hide it from Li Aiguo and roughly explained the layout of the Meteorological Bureau in Xiaomei's house.

Cleaner. Hearing this code name, Li Aiguo vaguely understood the source of this information.

After chatting for a while, Li Aiguo rode his bicycle back home.

Today is Sunday. Engineer Dong is in charge of the work at the tunnel, and Staff Officer Xiao is in charge of the research and development work at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot. Li Aiguo can finally take a day off and play with Miss Chen to his heart's content.

The children were sent to Chen Fangxuan's home and taken care of by her eldest sister-in-law. The two of them slept until noon before getting up.

Li Aiguo changed into clean clothes and took out the comic book royalties he had received a while ago from the post office, a total of two hundred yuan.

"Brother Aiguo, what are you going to do with these royalties? Are we going to save them?" Miss Chen instantly turned into a money-grubber, looking at the stack of bills with anticipation.

"Donate it." Li Aiguo put the money into his pocket.

Hearing this, Miss Chen was stunned for a moment, then she understood Li Aiguo's intention.

This money is the royalties from "Kung Fu Panda". It has a different meaning from previous money, so donating it is the best option.

"Brother Aiguo, I support you."

Looking at the cute little face, Li Aiguo couldn't help but bite her lips. He rode his bicycle to Qianmen Locomotive Depot and donated the 200 yuan royalties to the Education Department.

"Patriotic comrade, what do you think of this money?" This was the largest donation the Education Office had ever received, and Director She seemed particularly excited.

More than two hundred yuan is actually nothing for a department, but it has a different meaning.

Li Aiguo pondered for a moment and said, "There are still many employees in our Qianmen Locomotive Depot whose economic conditions are not very good. Although the children of railway employees go to school for free, the extra expenses are also a huge expense for them.

I suggest that the money be distributed to the poor students of Red Star High School in Qianmen Locomotive Depot.”

"That's a good idea. Let me report to the section chief right away."

Director She also thought that Li Aiguo’s method was good, and then reported it to Director Xing.

"Donating 200 yuan of royalties at once shows that Li Aiguo's ideological awareness is really extraordinary, but it's not appropriate for him to pay this money alone."

"Director She, why don't we set up an education foundation in our locomotive section to provide financial support for those poor students."

"After all, they are the future of our country."

Upon hearing Director Xing's idea, Director She immediately nodded in agreement.

"Duanzhang, in fact, our education department has had this idea for a long time, but we didn't bring it up because we thought life in the section was not easy."

"That was in the past. Now our locomotive depot is extremely wealthy."

Section Chief Xing called the section chief of the finance department into his office and asked, "Old Yu, does our locomotive section have any surplus funds this quarter?"

The chief financial officer nodded: "In addition to the funding from the higher authorities, the foreign exchange from the instant noodle factory, umbrella factory and heat pads has also been returned. Our locomotive section currently has a financial surplus of more than 300,000 yuan."

"Well, you can allocate 10,000 yuan from the surplus and give it to the Education Department."

Subsequently, the Qianmen Locomotive Depot Education Fund was formally established. Director She personally went to the trade union to retrieve detailed information from the employees and screened out a list of poor families.

In the early morning, it was just dawn.

Lights began to light up one after another in the staff compound of Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

I got up on Monday, quickly unplugged the coal stove, put the stainless steel pot on the stove, added water into it, and cooked a pot of cornmeal porridge.

She poured some more pickled vegetables into the enamel bowl and carefully added two drops of sesame oil.

After all this busy work, a little sweat appeared on Zhou Yi's forehead, but she didn't feel tired or bitter.

Now Father Zhou still works in the locomotive depot, and Aunt Zhou works in an instant noodle factory, so the family no longer has to worry about not having enough food to eat.

However, both of them work the night shift and don't come back until after six in the morning. As the oldest child in the family, Zhou Yi has to take on the responsibility of taking care of his younger siblings.

When the meal was cooked, Father Zhou and Aunt Zhou came back, and the younger brothers and sisters all got up.

Drinking hot cornmeal porridge, the simple house was filled with laughter.

Father Zhou suddenly remembered something: "Zhou Yi, didn't you want to buy some comic books a while ago? I'll give you the money when the month ends."

"What are you doing, Lao Zhou? A comic book costs more than one dollar. Are we going to skip meals?"

Aunt Zhou is used to living a frugal life. Although she can have enough food to eat now, she is always worried about going back to the old days. She wants to save every penny, so of course she can't indulge Zhou Yi now.

In Aunt Zhou's opinion, charging more than one yuan for a comic book meant for entertaining children is simply a robbery.

"We don't buy every issue on Monday, we just buy one book. Besides, our maintenance depot will give out bonuses soon." Father Zhou felt a little sorry for Monday. The couple were busy with work every day, and Monday had to go to school and take care of his younger siblings. It was really too hard.

"No, I don't agree anyway." Aunt Zhou frowned.

Seeing that his father and mother were about to quarrel, Zhou Yi quickly said, "Dad, Su Xiaohong has already bought it. I can just borrow her copy and read it. It doesn't cost any money."

Seeing this situation, Old Man Zhou had no choice but to give up.

After breakfast, the family left the house one after another.

Zhou Yi put on his schoolbag, went next door and knocked on Su Xiaohong's door.

Last year, Zhou Yi and Su Xiaohong graduated from junior high school. Zhou Yi was admitted to Red Star High School, while Su Xiaohong became a worker in the thermos bottle factory affiliated with Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

Although their identities were somewhat different, they were still good sisters. "It's Monday." Su Xiaohong had already gotten up, yawned, opened the door, and saw that it was Monday. She smiled and said, "Wait a minute."

Su Xiaohong came into the room, came out with a magazine and handed it to Zhou Yi.

"Hey, how did you know I wanted you to buy this issue of the comic book?" Zhou Yi looked at the familiar cover, a little surprised.

"Who am I? I'm your good sister, how can I not know what you're thinking, especially..." Su Xiaohong stretched out her finger, turned over the cover of the comic book magazine, and pointed at a name with her finger: "There's also your idol's masterpiece on it."

Zhou Yi was a shy girl. When she heard this, her face turned red. "Su Xiaohong, don't talk nonsense. I just like comic books."

"You are really still a student. I tell you, you will know when you start working. If you like someone, you like him. There is nothing you can't say. Those older sisters in the workshop often talk about things between men and women, for example." Su Xiaohong said this and whispered a few words into Zhou Yi's ear.

Zhou Yi's face turned red, and she quickly took a few steps back: "Xiao Hong, you are an unmarried girl, how can you say such things? Aren't you a female hooligan?"

"I was just listening. I dare not get involved. Look how scared you are." Su Xiaohong particularly appreciated Zhou Yi's current ignorant look.

"I don't want to chat with you anymore. It's time to go to class." Zhou Yi ran away holding the comic book.

Su's mother had already prepared dinner and called Su Xiaohong into the house.

"It was Zhou Yi just now. This girl is good in every way, but she is too ambitious." Mother Su said while busying herself, "Based on the situation of the Zhou family, Zhou Yi should be like our Xiao Hong, and start working early instead of going to high school."

Father Su nodded: "If he wants to go to high school, he should go on weekends. He is a boy."

Although Su Xiaohong also felt that it was inappropriate for Zhou Yi to go to high school, she did not want to hear this: "Zhou Yi is a good student and has ideals. Besides, men and women are equal now, so why can't he go to high school?"

Su Xiaohong did not go to high school. On the one hand, it was because she didn't want to go, and on the other hand, it was because she had two younger brothers.

Su's father and mother looked at each other and quickly changed the subject.

"Xiaohong, Aunt Wang from the compound next door has introduced you to a guy. The boy is a signalman in the locomotive section. His parents are both leaders in the section and his family is well-off. Wait until the weekend and go meet him?"

"Mom, I'm still young and don't want to get married." Su Xiaohong was a little unhappy.

Ever since she started working, her family has been introducing her to potential partners every few days.

Every time they introduced kids to her, they were either the leaders of the section or the children of leaders of other units, but Su Xiaohong didn't like any of them.

"You are already fifteen years old and you are still young! The girl from the Liu family next door became a mother at the age of fifteen." Su's mother tried to persuade him.

"Mom, I'm full." Su Xiaohong put down her bowl and chopsticks, slung over her canvas bag, and quickly walked out of the house.

It was a sunny day outside, and Su Xiaohong felt a little envious of Monday.

At this time, Monday had already arrived at Red Star High School.

Before class started, Zhou Yi took out the comic book and spread it on the desk.

Several classmates were surprised to see Zhou Yi holding a new comic book magazine.

"Monday, do you have money to buy the journal?"

"This was bought by a friend of mine." When Zhou Yi saw people gathering around her, she was so timid and shy that she wanted to put the comic book away.

"Hey, what is this? A panda. Hey, hey, hey, everyone come and take a look. Someone has drawn a comic strip with a panda." A sharp-eyed classmate instantly spotted the comic strip.

Nowadays, domestic comic strips, whether ancient or modern, mainly tell stories about characters, and animals have never appeared.

Especially the giant panda was so cute that it immediately attracted dozens of students.

I felt too embarrassed to put away the comic books on Monday.

"Be careful not to break it."

"I see. How stingy."

The story of "Kung Fu Panda" may seem a bit old-fashioned in later generations, but it is definitely a dimensionality reduction strike in this era.

The students were quickly attracted by Kung Fu Panda.

"Oh my god, our traditional martial arts are so powerful."

"This jackal is so despicable, just like the landlord bully before."

"Good, this comic strip is really good. It also says that where there is oppression, there is resistance! Good."

These students all lived through the period before liberation, experienced those terrible times, and had a deep hatred for the landlords and bullies.

Now, seeing the brave young panda Po, who has learned martial arts and is beating up the jackals, everyone is cheering.

I was very happy to see that my classmates were all attracted by "Kung Fu Panda" on Monday.

I don't know when, the head teacher had entered the classroom.

When he found the head teacher, Zhou Yi was so scared that his face turned pale.

According to school regulations, it is not allowed to bring books such as comic books into the classroom.

really.

The head teacher strode over and saw a group of people gathered around the comic book, and immediately became angry.

"Hand over the comic strip!"

On Monday, I was shocked when I saw that my homeroom teacher was going to confiscate the comic book. I wanted to take it back, but I didn't dare to.

The head teacher took the comic book and wanted to tear it up on the spot.

Her eyes fell on the name of the author of Kung Fu Panda.

"Li Aiguo? Isn't this the train driver from our Qianmen Locomotive Depot?"

Zhou Yi quickly mustered up his courage and said, "Teacher, it was indeed the comic strip drawn by Driver Li."

"Is this right, Zhou Yi? This is your comic book, right? Don't bring it to school again." The head teacher unexpectedly returned the comic book to Zhou Yi.

It was at this time that the students noticed the author of "Kung Fu Panda".

“So it was drawn by the train driver?”

"My dad is also a train driver, so doesn't that mean he can also draw?"

"Hahaha, Li Aiguo's family is a nationally advanced train driver."

"Everyone, be quiet. Study on your own first. The Chinese teacher will be here soon." The head teacher picked up a stick, beat up a few of the loudest guys, and pointed at Zhou Yi.

"Come to my office on Monday."

At this time, Zhou Yi was full of anxiety.

"Teacher, please don't confiscate this comic book."

"You misunderstood. In fact, I have good news to tell you." The head teacher poured Zhou Yi a cup of tea and said with a smile: "Comrade Li Aiguo, the train driver in the locomotive depot in front of us, donated his royalties. The depot has set up an education fund to specifically support students like you who have difficult families."

"From now on, you will get a living allowance of five dollars per month."

As he spoke, the head teacher handed over the money.

Looking at the five dollars, Zhou Yi was stunned.

With the five dollars, she no longer had to pick up coal slag after class every day, and could concentrate on doing her homework.

"teacher"

"Take it. Don't let down Comrade Duan Lili and Comrade Li Aiguo. On Monday, you must study hard, get admitted to university, and become a pillar of the motherland in the future."

"Teacher, please rest assured!"

Monday nodded heavily.

A voice flowed in her heart: "Brother Aiguo, please rest assured!"

Inside the comic book editorial office.

"All 25,000 copies have been sold out. Xinhua Bookstore asked us to send another batch over quickly."

"Hurry, hurry, Lao Wang, tell the printing factory to print more copies as soon as possible."

After the editor-in-chief hung up the phone, he patted the table excitedly.

As an amateur book, "Comic Book" was able to sell 5,000 copies in just one day, which has set a record since its founding.

No. It even broke the record of similar domestic journals.

The editor-in-chief raised his head and looked at the editor He Yunshan: "Xiao He, what is the highest single-day sales volume of domestic pictorial magazines at present?"

He Yunshan flipped through the information: "It is the 35th issue of Workers and Peasants Pictorial published by East China People's Publishing House. The daily sales volume is 23,000 copies."

"I remember that issue. The cover was a gathering of model agricultural workers. Because of its special nature, the Ministry of Agriculture made large purchases and distributed them to the communes below. This record cannot be taken seriously." An old editor raised his hand.

"I didn't expect that this issue of our Comic Book would be so successful thanks to readers." The editor-in-chief was so excited that he suddenly thought of something and called He Yunshan: "Xiao He, contact the train driver immediately and ask him to send the next issue of the drawings over."

The editor-in-chief paused and changed his tone, "No, you go there in person and tell him that the fee is increased to 20 yuan per copy."

Twenty yuan for a drawing. This set a national record for drawing fees.

But none of the editors in the editorial office raised any objections.

"I'll go right away." He Yunshan was also very excited.

He predicted that Kung Fu Panda would be a hit, but he didn't expect it to be this popular.

He Yunshan rode his bicycle to the Qianmen locomotive depot and knocked directly on the door of the studio.

"Comrade, are you here to see my master?" A girl came out from the shed next to him and greeted him.

He Yunshan asked: "I am from the journal publisher. Where is Comrade Li Aiguo?"

"Xiaoxishan construction site." The girl pointed to the distance.

Thirty minutes later.

He Yunshan stood outside the construction site, looking at the fully armed soldiers opposite, and he fell into silence.

The last time he looked for Li Aiguo, it took him a lot of effort.

Is it still like this today?

Why is this train driver so busy?
In fact, He Yunshan wrongly blamed our Li Aiguo this time.

Today is the day when Xiaoxishan Tunnel is completed. All Li Aiguo needs to do is to stand leisurely by the side and wait for the shield machine to complete the tunnel.

(End of this chapter)