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

Before dawn, the Red Flag Commune was already bustling with activity.

People were constantly moving back and forth in the direction of the threshing ground, moving tables, setting out bowls and chopsticks, and setting up large pots, with wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys.

From a distance, it looks like Chinese New Year.

Today is Lin Xiuhe's college entrance celebration banquet, and also the most glorious day in the history of Hongqi Commune.

By nine o'clock in the morning, the threshing ground was already full of people.

Not only our commune, but also several neighboring production teams sent a lot of people.

Some people came to watch the spectacle, some came to offer their congratulations, and quite a few children came specifically to see Tsinghua University's admission notice.

The notice was placed in a glass frame at the front, surrounded by a group of people.

"It really is Tsinghua University."

"I've watched it three times already."

"Number one in the whole county!"

"Now our commune can brag too."

Laughter filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.

Captain Wang, dressed in his usual Zhongshan suit which he rarely wore, hadn't stopped talking since morning, pulling everyone aside to chat: "This is the pride of our commune; it will be written into the commune's history."

Everyone burst into laughter, but no one refuted it, because that was what everyone thought.

The banquet officially began at 11:00 AM.

Captain Wang was the first to stand up, holding his wine bowl: "I'd like to say a few words!"

The scene gradually quieted down, and everyone looked over.

Captain Wang was visibly excited, his voice even louder than usual: "In the first year after the resumption of the college entrance examination, our Hongqi Commune produced the top student in the entire county, who was admitted to Tsinghua University. This isn't just Lin Xiuhe's glory, it's the glory of our entire commune!"

Applause erupted instantly.

Captain Wang's eyes reddened slightly as he continued, "I hope that in the future, our commune can produce a second, a third, and a fourth college student! Let the children know that as long as they are willing to study, even a phoenix can soar from a remote mountain village!"

The applause rang out again, even more enthusiastic than before.

Many young people's eyes lit up because in the past, college students were too far removed from them, as far away as a legend.

But now, Lin Xiuhe is sitting there, as real as could be.

The banquet officially began, with chicken, duck, fish, and meat being served one after another. Laughter filled the air, and the lively atmosphere continued until the afternoon.

Lin Xiuhe, however, seemed somewhat dazed.

In her past life, she never imagined that she would one day sit here, receiving blessings and expectations from so many people.

Just then, someone sat down next to them.

Zhou Zhiyuan.

What are you thinking about?

"It's nothing," Lin Xiuhe smiled, "It just feels a little unreal."

Looking at the bustling crowd in the distance, Zhou Zhiyuan said softly, "It will become more and more real in the future. Beijing, universities, the future—all will come."

Lin Xiuhe turned to look at him. Sunlight fell on his profile, and for a moment, she suddenly had a strange feeling, as if this wasn't the first time he had said these words, nor the first time she had experienced them.

Just then, a child suddenly ran over: "Sister Xiuhe!"

"What's wrong?"

Someone is looking for you!

"who?"

"From the county!"

The two were both taken aback. Following the direction the child pointed, they saw a strange middle-aged man standing at the entrance of the threshing ground. He was dressed in a cadre's uniform and carrying a briefcase. He didn't seem to be there for the banquet; he looked more like he was there specifically to find someone.

Captain Wang had already gone to greet them.

After saying a few words, her expression clearly changed, and she quickly walked over: "Xiuhe, from the Education Bureau, they said there's news from Beijing."

Lin Xiuhe stood up, and Zhou Zhiyuan also looked up.

Beijing, Beijing again, and on the very day of the college entrance celebration banquet.

The next second, the official had already walked up to him and taken a letter out of his briefcase.

The envelope bears the familiar school emblem—Tsinghua University—in the upper right corner.

******

"Tsinghua University?" Captain Wang was the first to react. "Quick, open it and take a look!"

On the threshing ground, the people who were about to leave gathered back, dozens of eyes staring at the letter, making it even more lively than when they were looking at the notice.

The education bureau official smiled and waved his hand: "This is a private letter; it should be read by the person in question."

He said that, but even he himself was curious—a professor from Beijing writing a letter to a freshman who hadn't even enrolled yet was a rare occurrence, not just in Hongqi Commune, but throughout the entire county.

Lin Xiuhe took the envelope and gently opened it.

Inside was a letter and a note with Tsinghua University's letterhead.

At the top it read: "Hello, Lin Xiuhe."

The threshing ground fell silent, and even Zhao Xiaomei held her breath.

Lin Xiuhe continued reading. The letter was short, only two pages long.

The first part congratulated her on being admitted to Tsinghua University, but the second part surprised her slightly—because Professor Chen mentioned in the letter that he had carefully reviewed Lin Xiuhe's college entrance examination papers, especially the mathematics and physics sections, and many of the problem-solving approaches impressed him.

Finally, there's one more thing: "After you register for enrollment, please come to my office in the Department of Automation. I look forward to seeing you."

Upon seeing this, the threshing ground fell silent at first, then erupted in chaos.

"The professor wants to see her!"

"A professor from Beijing!"

"They're taking attendance before school even starts?"

"That's incredibly impressive!"

Captain Wang was so excited his face turned red, and he kept slapping his thigh: "Great! Great! Our commune has produced a talent!"

Applause erupted again, and even the education bureau officials couldn't help but smile. Such an event was indeed rare in the first year after the resumption of the college entrance examination.

Lin Xiuhe looked down at the letter, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

In her past life, she was just one of countless ordinary people. Beijing was far away from her, university was far away from her, and professors were even further away. But in this life, these people have taken the initiative to come to her.

As evening fell, the banquet finally came to an end. The threshing ground quieted down again, the borrowed tables and chairs were returned one by one, and the children were taken away by their parents.

The commune, which had been bustling all day, gradually returned to calm.

In the backyard of the supply and marketing cooperative, Zhao Xiaomei squatted on the steps to help Lin Xiuhe pack her luggage.

Does this one come with a belt?

"bring."

What about this one?

"Bring it too."

As they were putting things away, Zhao Xiaomei suddenly fell silent. Lin Xiuhe looked up and noticed that her eyes were a little red.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Zhao Xiaomei quickly lowered her head, but her voice had changed. "It's just that I suddenly felt like you were really leaving."

The courtyard suddenly fell silent.

Li Hongmei was folding the quilt, and her movements slowed down.

I used to think I had plenty of time, but now that the admission notice has arrived, the graduation banquet has been held, and the train tickets are about to be bought, leaving has suddenly become a concrete thing.

"Beijing is so far away," Zhao Xiaomei said softly. "Will we still be able to meet in the future?"

Lin Xiuhe was silent for a moment, then reached out and ruffled her hair: "Of course you can."

"That's a lie." Zhao Xiaomei sniffed. "I heard college students are incredibly busy."

Li Hongmei laughed and scolded her, "Why are you crying? She's going to study." But after saying that, her own eyes also reddened.

A gentle evening breeze swept through the courtyard, causing the leaves to sway softly. For the first time, the true scent of parting truly appeared.

Just then, the sound of a bicycle bell came from outside the courtyard gate. Zhou Zhiyuan had arrived; he had just returned from the county machinery factory, carrying a brown paper bag.

"What is it?" Li Hongmei asked.

"Ticket information." Zhou Zhiyuan handed over the paper bag. "The county transportation station helped us find it."

Lin Xiuhe took it. Inside, besides the train information, there was also a handwritten route map, clearly marking every transfer from the county town to the provincial capital, and from the provincial capital to Beijing.

Zhao Xiaomei stared wide-eyed: "So detailed?"

Zhou Zhiyuan smiled and said, "So I don't go to the wrong place."

After he finished speaking, he casually picked up Professor Chen's letter from the table and began to read it. No one spoke in the courtyard; only the sound of turning pages filled the air.

Suddenly, Zhou Zhiyuan's gaze paused.

Because the letter contained the statement: "Automation will become an important direction for future industrial development."

He suddenly remembered something Lin Xiuhe had casually said when he finished reading the letter that afternoon.

Everyone was happy at the time, and no one noticed. But he remembered it.

She said, "In the future, the biggest impact may not just be on industry."

At that time, everyone thought she was just expressing her feelings.

But Zhou Zhiyuan knew that this statement was not simple.

Even in Beijing, even many experts dare not make such a assertion now.

But she said it so naturally, as if she were stating a fact.

As night deepened, Li Hongmei and Zhao Xiaomei packed up their things and returned to their dormitory, leaving only the two of them in the courtyard.

The wind rustled through the locust tree, making a soft sound.

Zhou Zhiyuan suddenly asked, "Xiuhe."

"Um?"

Do you believe that some things can happen again?

Lin Xiuhe stopped what she was doing, and her heart skipped a beat.

She looked up and met Zhou Zhiyuan's gaze.

At that moment, no one spoke. The evening breeze blew through the courtyard, rustling the leaves.

A few seconds later, Zhou Zhiyuan looked away as if nothing had happened and began organizing the train ticket information.

But Lin Xiuhe knew that the question she had just asked was not something she had asked casually.

Meanwhile, Zhou Zhiyuan was also certain for the first time that his probing was about to reach the answer.