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

There was no sound in the square.

Just moments ago it was as bustling as a market, but now it's so quiet you can hear the wind rustling through the pages.

The list on the bulletin board swayed gently.

The first place column clearly displays three words: Lin Xiuhe.

379 points.

First in the county.

Thousands of people stood in front of the Education Bureau, but no one spoke first.

Because everyone is trying to confirm one thing: whether they misread it, whether they mispronounced it, or whether there are other lists.

But the notice board was right in front of us, and the name was on it.

Three hundred and seventy-nine, a full thirty-six points higher than the second place.

It wasn't a narrow victory; it was a major setback.

A few seconds later, someone shouted, "First place!"

Boom—the square exploded instantly.

"Number one in the entire county!"

"Lin Xiuhe is number one!"

"Oh My God!"

"A top scholar has emerged from the Red Flag Commune!"

"Not second! It's first!"

The sound rose higher and higher, spreading like a tide.

The people who were just surrounding Lin Weidong all turned to look at the top of the bulletin board.

First place. Lin Xiuhe. 379.

At this moment, all the discussion and speculation came to an end.

At the supply and marketing cooperative, Zhao Xiaomei stood there for a moment, then suddenly turned around: "Sister Xiuhe!"

As he uttered that cry, tears welled up in his eyes.

She even forgot that she was still in the crowd, rushed over and hugged Lin Xiuhe tightly.

"Three hundred and seventy-nine! Number one! Number one!"

As she spoke, her voice began to tremble.

All those discussions, those disastrous remarks, and those gloating glances were shattered by this list.

Li Hongmei's eyes also reddened.

She stood to the side, wanting to say something, but in the end only managed to utter, "I knew it, I knew it."

But after she finished speaking, she laughed first.

Because just now, she had felt a little uneasy. But now, those feelings of insecurity were gone, leaving only joy.

On the other side, Captain Wang stood at the back of the crowd, first looking at the list, then at Lin Xiuhe, and finally taking his pipe from his waist and slamming it heavily against a tree stump: "Good!"

The shout was so loud that many people around turned their heads.

Captain Wang's face flushed red: "Great! Great! Our Red Flag Commune has produced the best in the whole county!"

Several production team cadres nearby also laughed: "This time we've made them proud."

"It's not just that it's made us look good, it's made us look extremely bad!"

"Number one in the whole county! I haven't seen this in so many years."

People kept pushing forward in the crowd, all wanting to see that name.

Some people even made a special trip back to double-check—reading it again and again. It was still number one.

Meanwhile, Wang Xiulan stood there, her smile still lingering on her face.

Just now, she was still basking in the joy of being second in the county, still thinking about the banquet, and still thinking about how to tell her relatives.

But now, the first place column doesn't say Lin Weidong, it says Lin Xiuhe.

She stood in the middle of the crowd, as if she suddenly couldn't find where to look.

People kept talking around me, but the sounds disappeared as soon as they reached my ears.

She looked up again at the list.

First place: Lin Xiuhe. Second place: Lin Weidong.

The two names, one above the other, brought up all the old sayings—that girls are useless in their studies, lack staying power, and that mock exams don't count.

Each word turned into a slap in the face.

Some people around had already started to recall: "Didn't Xiulan say she wanted to cut down the locust tree?"

"I remember, we talked about it right there in the yard."

"Haha, I heard that too."

Laughter slowly spread.

Wang Xiulan's face flushed red and then turned pale. She wanted to explain, but didn't know what to explain.

Because the list is right in front of us, there's no way to explain it.

On the other side, Lin Weidong was still standing in the same spot.

Second place is actually very good. Really very good. Second in the whole county is a top achievement in any commune.

But the name at the very top of the list is Lin Xiuhe.

He looked at those three words, then at the score—three hundred and seventy-nine. Thirty-six copies.

A distance that is simply impossible to catch up with.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered the day the mock exam results were released; it was the same. Everyone was looking at the first-place winner.

And now, history is repeating itself.

This time, however, it's on a larger scale and has a greater impact.

Just then, the director of the Education Bureau's admissions office suddenly turned around and asked the staff, "Has Lin Xiuhe arrived yet?"

The staff immediately began searching: "Red Flag Commune. Is Comrade Lin Xiuhe there? Comrade Lin Xiuhe!"

The sound echoed throughout the square.

Countless people turned around at the same time.

All eyes were on the supply and marketing cooperative.

Zhao Xiaomei still had tears in her eyes, Li Hongmei was still smiling, and Captain Wang was already walking this way.

Lin Xiuhe stood in the center of the crowd, sunlight falling on her shoulders.

She looked at the notice board, at the name at the very top.

Finally, I slowly exhaled.

She had been waiting for this list for two lifetimes.