Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

It was already dark when I left the county high school.

One by one, the lights in the teaching building came on.

Students were still running on the playground, their footsteps echoing around the track.

Lin Xiuhe pushed her bicycle to the school gate.

Zhou Zhiyuan was standing by the roadside, with two oil paper packages hanging on the handlebars.

"Are you out?"

"Um."

"How so?"

Lin Xiuhe handed over the file folder.

Zhou Zhiyuan flipped through two pages, but stopped when he saw the "Explanation of the Situation".

After a few seconds, he put the materials back in: "He's really persistent."

Lin Xiuhe pushed her bicycle onto the road: "He felt like he was saving his son."

The night wind blew across the highway, and the roar of tractors could be heard in the distance.

The two walked side by side toward the commune.

They hadn't walked far when Zhou Zhiyuan suddenly asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Let them make a big fuss about it themselves."

Zhou Zhiyuan turned his head to look at her, but did not ask any further questions.

……

The next day, things indeed escalated.

At 10 a.m., a new batch of goods had just arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, and Li Hongmei was counting the soaps. Suddenly, a group of people entered through the door.

Leading the way was Wang Xiulan. Behind her were several relatives of the Lin family, and quite a few villagers who had come to watch the spectacle.

The supply and marketing cooperative's hall suddenly became lively.

Director Zhao emerged from behind the counter: "What are you doing?"

Wang Xiulan placed the cloth bag she was carrying on the counter: "Looking for Lin Xiuhe."

"She's at work."

"I knew she was at work, so I came to see her."

After saying that, she called out towards the warehouse, "Lin Xiuhe!"

The sound echoed throughout the entire supply and marketing cooperative.

Many customers stopped what they were doing and looked over here.

The warehouse curtain was lifted, and Lin Xiuhe stepped out, her clothes still speckled with paper dust: "What is it?"

Wang Xiulan stepped forward: "Come home with me."

Why?

"Don't take the college entrance exam."

A murmur of discussion immediately broke out in the hall.

"What did you say?" Director Zhao was completely bewildered.

Wang Xiulan raised her voice: "For a young woman, having a job is enough. Why bother going to university? The family can't afford to support two university students. Weidong needs an opportunity more."

The supply and marketing cooperative was getting more and more lively. Everyone understood—they were there to compete for college entrance exam qualifications.

Lin Xiuhe stood there, looking at her mother, with whom she had lived for two lifetimes: "So, you want me to withdraw?"

"This is for the good of the whole family."

"Whose whole family?"

Wang Xiulan answered immediately, "Of course, the Lin family!"

"And what about me?"

Wang Xiulan was clearly unprepared for this question: "You're also a member of the Lin family."

"Since I'm a member of the Lin family, why should the job at the supply and marketing cooperative be given to Lin Weidong? Why should my salary be paid to Lin Weidong? Why should I give up my college entrance exam to Lin Weidong?"

Wang Xiulan's face flushed red: "Because he's a boy!"

The moment those words were uttered, the supply and marketing cooperative erupted in chaos. Some shook their heads, some sighed, and some even burst out laughing.

Director Zhao slammed his teacup down on the counter: "Nonsense! Resuming the college entrance examination is a national policy! Who told you we could allow it?"

"I don't understand those things!" Wang Xiulan retorted, her neck stiff. "All I know is that Wei Dong is more successful than her!"

"Then let him take the test himself."

A voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned around at the same time.

Zhou Zhiyuan walked in, holding a document: "A notice just sent by the county high school. No one may interfere with candidates' registration and examinations for any reason; violators will be reported and dealt with."

The document was slapped on the counter, its red stamp gleaming.

The lobby of the supply and marketing cooperative fell completely silent.

The only sound in the hall was the rustling of documents.

Several literate people gathered around to look, their expressions growing increasingly excited as they read.

Wang Xiulan also wanted to go over, but was blocked by the crowd.

"It's true, it has the county seal and the commune seal."

"This matter cannot be made a fuss about."

The discussion grew louder and louder.

Wang Xiulan stood there, her face flushing red and then turning pale.

Just then, two more people entered through the door. One wore glasses, and the other wore a blue cotton jacket.

Director Zhao immediately recognized them—the commune women's federation and the commune office staff.

The two entered the hall and went directly to Wang Xiulan.

"Comrade Wang Xiulan, the commune would like to know about your family's situation."

Everyone at the supply and marketing cooperative perked up. Customers stopped buying anything and stayed to watch the spectacle.

Wang Xiulan clutched the cloth bag tightly, her voice trembling: "Understand what?"

The Women's Federation director opened her notebook and her first question was, "Why have you repeatedly obstructed your daughter from taking the college entrance examination?"

In the hall, everyone's eyes were once again focused on Wang Xiulan.

********

More and more people gathered in the lobby of the supply and marketing cooperative.

People peeked out from outside the door, some stood on the threshold to look inside, and even people from the neighboring grain station came over.

The Women's Federation director opened her notebook, her pen stopping at the first page: "Comrade Wang Xiulan, answer the question from earlier. Why did you obstruct your daughter from taking the college entrance examination?"

Wang Xiulan, holding the cloth bag, was already sweating: "I didn't stop you."

"No?" The Women's Federation director took out another document. "The county middle school visitor registration form. It's an application to cancel your enrollment. Was that submitted by your family?"

A murmur arose in the hall.

Wang Xiulan opened her mouth, her gaze drifting towards the door as if searching for someone: "That was written by her father."

"So you knew?"

The Women's Federation director made a note: "Where's the explanation? The application for collecting the admission ticket on behalf of the candidate? The procedures for inquiring about the candidate's withdrawal from the exam?"

With each sentence spoken, the voice in the hall grew a little louder.

The people at the supply and marketing cooperative all understood—this was no longer as simple as "disagreeing with the college entrance examination," but a step-by-step attempt to drag people down.

Wang Xiulan clutched the cloth bag, the veins on the back of her hand bulging: "I'm doing this for her own good."

The Women's Federation director looked up: "How so?"

"She has a job, a stable job at the supply and marketing cooperative. She's a young woman, she can just get married in the future. We can let Weidong go to university, so the family can have another college graduate."

After he finished speaking, a laugh suddenly rang out, but no one knew who it came from.

Then came the second and third sounds, and more and more people couldn't help but cry out.

"The college entrance exam can be waived? This is the first time I've heard of such a thing."

"According to this logic, all the girls in the county should stop taking the exams and just give them to the sons."

Wang Xiulan's face grew increasingly pale.

Director Zhao stood behind the counter, pushing the abacus aside: "Wang Xiulan, you've given up your job, your salary, and now even your university education. What exactly do you take Xiuhe for?"

Wang Xiulan stood there, feeling as if someone had peeled off a layer of skin in public.

But she still gritted her teeth and said, "Weidong is a boy, he will be able to support the family in the future."

The Women's Federation director put down her pen and slammed her notebook shut: "The national college entrance examination has been reinstated. The notice clearly states that anyone who meets the requirements can register to take the exam. There is no distinction between men and women, no one can take the exam for someone else, and no one can give up their spot for someone else."

Someone started clapping. Soon, the applause joined in.

Wang Xiulan stood in the center of the crowd, her face growing paler and paler.

Just then, footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

Lin Jianguo arrived. He walked quickly, his forehead covered in sweat, clearly having just received the news.

Upon seeing the scene in the hall, he paused for a moment, then continued walking forward.

"Jianguo is here," someone whispered a reminder.

Everyone made way.

Lin Jianguo walked over to Wang Xiulan, first looking at the Women's Federation director, then at the commune cadres, and finally at Lin Xiuhe: "Is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?"

The abacus beads next to the counter wobbled slightly, making a soft clinking sound.

Lin Xiuhe stood at the warehouse door: "Was it me who caused this trouble?"

Lin Jianguo didn't respond to that. He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and then put it back.

"Xiuhe, let's go home and talk. There are too many people here."

Why are you going home?

"Let's resolve family matters at home."

Lin Xiuhe took two steps forward and stopped in the center of the hall: "You wrote the cancellation application. You submitted the explanation. You asked about collecting the admission ticket on behalf of someone else. Now you're talking about family matters?"

Lin Jianguo stood there, motionless for a long time.

The supply and marketing cooperative's hall was packed with people, all waiting for his answer.

The Women's Federation director reopened her notebook, pen hovering over the paper: "Comrade Lin Jianguo, do you admit that you submitted these materials?"

Lin Jianguo nodded slowly: "Yes."

The moment the word was uttered, the supply and marketing cooperative erupted in chaos.

"It really is him!"

"My dear father!"

"How could someone actually do that?"

The discussions grew louder and louder.

The Women's Federation director continued taking notes: "What's the reason?"

Lin Jianguo looked up. This time, he didn't look at the Women's Federation, but at Lin Xiuhe: "Because the family can only support one college student. Weidong is more suitable than you."

Lin Xiuhe stood there and suddenly smiled.

She finally got what she'd been waiting for—she got Lin Jianguo to say it himself.

The next second, she took a bankbook out of her cloth bag and placed it on the counter: "I earned my salary from the supply and marketing cooperative myself."

Then, he took out his book purchase ledger: "The money for buying materials, I earned it myself."

Finally, she placed the college entrance examination registration receipt on top: "I paid the registration fee myself."

The entire hall was completely silent.

Lin Xiuhe raised her head, her gaze passing over the crowd and landing on Lin Jianguo:

"Tell me, what have you provided for me?"