I, Yan Jiefang, will live to 2025 in this courtyard house.

As evening fell, the whistle blew to signal the start of dinner at the canteen, and Yan Jiefang experienced the collective meals of a vocational school for the first time.

The cafeteria has strict rules: eight people per table, fixed seating, and uniform portion sizes. All students are treated equally, with no exceptions.

We are currently going through a difficult period, and the meals mainly consist of coarse grains to fill our stomachs.

The staple foods were mainly cornbread and mixed grain and bean rice, with very little white flour steamed buns, which were considered a rare refined grain.

The dishes were simple and plain, consisting entirely of boiled radishes, cold green salads, and pickled vegetables, with hardly any oil in the bowls.

Before the meal, the teacher on duty reiterated the rules to everyone in a serious tone:

"With the country facing a shortage of supplies, all food and supplies at the school are centrally allocated and supplied according to demand."

The entire school practices diligence and thrift, eliminating any waste. Rice grains that fall from the table must be picked up and eaten. Any act of leaving leftovers or wasting food will be publicly criticized and recorded in the student's conduct file.

The teacher also explained that the school will try to adjust the meals, with one or two meat dishes scheduled each week to improve the students' diet, while the rest of the days will consist of vegetarian meals and whole grains.

Even though it looks simple, Yan Jiefang is perfectly clear about what's going on.

In the context of 1961, having three meals a day at fixed times and being able to eat enough coarse grains at every meal was already a significant achievement compared to the vast majority of ordinary people struggling to make ends meet.

What's most remarkable is that all the food, lodging, and supplies were provided free of charge, entirely at public expense.

This alone is enough to demonstrate the country's strong support for industrial technical personnel.

Aside from college students, this can be considered one of the most promising and reliable career paths in this era.

At 6:30 p.m., the evening self-study bell rang on time throughout the campus.

The spacious and brightly lit classroom was packed with students.

No student in the class slacked off; they all sat upright at their desks, engrossed in their studies. The entire classroom was completely silent; even the softest sound of turning pages was barely audible. No one dared to whisper, play, or cause any disturbance.

Everyone knows perfectly well that in this era where it is extremely difficult to get into higher education and there are few career options, being able to enter a vocational school affiliated with the Ministry of Education and enjoy the full benefits provided by the state is a precious opportunity that countless people yearn for but cannot obtain. Almost no one dares to squander this hard-won opportunity.

Yan Jiefang slowly opened the brand-new textbook and focused on his studies.

The cultural courses progress step by step, solidifying the foundation, while the professional courses introduce radio principles and basic electrical engineering for the first time, with new and old knowledge connected in an orderly and clear manner.

At this moment, he completely cast aside the restlessness, strife, and hostility of the courtyard, his mind was at peace and calm, and he immersed himself in the sea of ​​knowledge.

As he diligently studied the textbook, a clear stream of data quietly emerged in his mind, and the basic academic skills he had acquired in junior high school began to be updated and iterated.

The system panel has been refreshed, adding four higher-level subjects and skills for vocational school students: Politics, Chinese Language, Mathematics, and Physics, replacing the previous junior high school knowledge system.

As for professional skills such as mechanical drawing (engineering drawing) and basic electrical engineering (introduction), they are currently locked and may require further learning and accumulation of practical experience to unlock.

At exactly nine o'clock, the whistle signaled the end of get out of class, piercing the night and echoing through every classroom.

All students immediately packed up their belongings, quickly left the classroom, and headed towards their respective dormitories.

After returning to the dormitory from evening self-study, there was still a moment before lights out.

Everyone took a basin and a towel and went to the pool to fetch water to wash themselves.

Presumably to avoid disputes, teachers were assigned to duty here.

Everyone lined up in order of arrival.

After cleaning, the students returned to their dormitories.

The eight new roommates didn't know each other well, so during a break, someone suggested that they take turns introducing themselves so they could get to know each other and become acquainted.

The first to stand up was a student of medium height. He wore a neatly ironed old uniform, his hair was combed meticulously, and he spoke at a slow and steady pace, displaying a great sense of propriety.

"Hello everyone, my name is Li Jianjun, and I live in the Dongcheng government compound."

From now on, we'll share a dorm room. We'll be tolerant and supportive of each other, abide by school rules, study diligently, and work together to smoothly complete our three years of study.

After Li Jianjun finished introducing himself, a sturdy classmate stood up right after him.

He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and spoke in a loud voice:

"My name is Zhang Weiguo, and I come from a family of steelworkers!"

He's straightforward and doesn't like beating around the bush!

"If anyone needs help moving things or running errands, just call me! I may not be good at much else, but I'm strong enough!"

His voice echoed in the small dormitory room, giving people a slight sense of vibration.

After a pause, a tall and robust classmate stood up. Yan Jiefang estimated that this classmate was probably around 1.8 meters tall, a little taller than him.

This student's voice was surprisingly rough and hoarse, but it revealed a straightforwardness:

"My name is Sun Qiang. I live in Xicheng. I'm friends with whoever behaves themselves, but I'll be the first to object to anyone who dares to cause trouble or bully others."

The fourth student stood up. His eyes were bright and lively, and he kept observing everyone in the dormitory.

He slightly raised his chin, his tone light and cheerful, with a hint of barely perceptible pride:

"Hello classmates, my name is Zhao Lei, and I'm from Nancheng. My elders work in state-owned enterprises, so I have some information about the school's connections and the job assignments of previous graduates."

"If you have any questions about school or work in the future, feel free to ask me."

After Zhao Lei, a student with a fair and gentle face and a faint smile stood up:

"Hello, my name is Zhou Ming, from the north of the city."

It's fate that we were assigned to the same dorm room; from now on, we'll all be brothers.

In daily chores and dormitory matters, we accommodate each other and lend a hand; harmony is the most important thing.

The student wearing a pair of simple, old cloth-framed glasses also stood up:

"Hello everyone. I'm Wu Xuewen. I don't have any other hobbies, I just love reading. If you need to find me, please go to the school library."

Yan Jiefang noticed that another classmate besides himself had been keeping his head down, and when he occasionally looked up, he seemed to be avoiding eye contact. So he stood up first and spoke in a clear voice:

"Hello students, I am Yan Jiefang. I live in a courtyard house in Nanluoguxiang. My recent hobby is reading, and I probably spend most of my free time in the school library."

After he finished speaking, he sat down.

Now only one student remained silent, and everyone turned their attention to him.

Under everyone's gaze, the student's face visibly turned red.

After waiting a while, he stood up somewhat awkwardly and began to introduce himself, his voice barely audible and stammering:

"I... my name is Wang Hao, from an ordinary family. I'm not very good at talking, I usually like to read books and learn technical skills, please bear with me in the future."

After saying that, Wang Hao quickly sat down.

"Clap clap clap~"

After hearing his words, Yan Jiefang led the applause, and the other roommates followed suit.