1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 34 My son Zhou Xu actually possesses the talent of a literary giant!
Yujiang Commune, Lichuan County, Enshi, Hubei Province!
Zhou Xu's deeds spread throughout the entire village.

It was actually the legendary third-class merit! Later, we gradually got tired of hearing about it, but the group's envy of Zhou Guoping intensified a little.

Two third-class merits lead to direct promotion to officer rank, roughly equivalent to one second-class merit, while one first-class merit offers the chance to become a division commander. Of course, this is the common practice in peacetime... ahem.

Of course, it's possible to stay in the army with a third-class merit.

In the future, they will definitely be assigned jobs in the county town. Even if they become a clerk, it will be a secure job, which is certainly enviable.

morning.

As always, the brigade leader walked around the village once and then went to the threshing ground.

What's special about celebrating the New Year in Lichuan? The only thing Zhou Xu remembers is that they eat tangyuan (sweet rice balls) on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Hmm... maybe every household eats them too.

Today is the first day of the lunar new year. After spending some time at the threshing ground, Zhou Guoping went home to eat glutinous rice balls.

As Zhou Xu had mentioned before, he had asked Zhou Guoping to apply for a subsidy for demobilized volunteer soldiers and veterans. Now, with a few yuan a month and work points, the two elderly people's quality of life has visibly improved a lot.

Zhou Guoping often says that times have changed, but his mindset has also gradually changed.

Sitting on the door frame.

He held a bowl of glutinous rice balls: "Why are they so sweet today?"

"I added a little extra rice wine to it, please continue eating."

Because it was sweet, Zhou Guoping took a few more sips of the soup, then gulped it down in one go.

"Hey! Captain!"

"big cow!"

Zhou Daniu is the postman in their village.

According to the description in "Postmen in the Mountains," a man and a dog walked a long way through the mountains to deliver a message.

"There's a letter and postage here for you to sign for!"

Nowadays, money sent by post requires the recipient's signature, so Zhou Guoping knew that the money was being sent by his son when he heard the postage.

A neighbor who was listening nearby at the same time was curious: "Wow, they've been gone for almost two or three months, right? This must be their salary. Tsk! Guoping, your son is so filial! He sent you money as soon as he got his salary."

As soon as I hear money.

These people no longer had back pain or hunger, so they came over to join in...

"I heard there's a bonus for a third-class merit award, right? Wow, I bet it's sent you several tens of yuan, isn't it?"

Given current prices, ten yuan is as important as a thousand yuan in the future.

The postman didn't know the exact amount either, so he opened the letters.

A group of people looked over.

Zhou Guoping was also curious.

All I saw was the capital letter: "One Hundred Yuan!"

"One hundred yuan?"

New recruits who joined the army in 79 generally received a monthly allowance of 6 yuan in their first year, which increased to 7 yuan in the second year, 8 yuan in the third year, 10 yuan in the fourth year, 15 yuan in the fifth year, 20 yuan in the sixth year, and so on. Their salaries would also increase as they were promoted.

"I remember that idiot from the next village joined the army, and he only sent back three or four yuan a month. You sent a hundred yuan all at once?"

"Does a third-class merit award come with such a large bonus? Secretary, are you aware of this?"

Although they didn't know when the secretary had gotten the position, the villagers still looked at the knowledgeable and experienced secretary.

"Who knows? I've never received a third-class merit award! Besides, third-class merit awards are usually awarded as bonuses by the local revolutionary committee!"

Zhou Guoping was also surprised.

Logically speaking, even if Zhou Xu sent back all the prize money from his third-class merit award, he wouldn't have that much money, right?

"Captain, could you open the letter and help us scrape together some money?"

"Yes, yes, yes! We also want to see what kind of life these great heroes lead in the army!"

Zhou Guoping rubbed his forehead.

The group of people were chattering so loudly that his ears hurt. He said, "Secretary, my eyesight is not good. You're educated, can you help me take a look?" Zhou Guoping handed over the letter.

The secretary was also very curious about where the huge sum of one hundred yuan came from. He wondered if it was a reward for fighting the Japanese.
The secretary opened the letter and read: "Dad, I sent you one hundred yuan, it's not my salary..."

"Hiss..." Upon seeing the following words, the secretary couldn't help but let out a cold snort.

A group of people watched him without a tail:
"Hey, Secretary, why are we stopping at such a crucial moment? What happened? Did Zhou Xu get into trouble?"

"If you only say half of what you mean, your baby will be born without an anus! Don't just leave it at that."

"Where did the money come from... Secretary, please tell us!"

Zhou Guoping was also curious about where the money came from, but he trusted his son quite a bit.

After all, with Zhou Xu's courage, going to the front line was like taking his life, yet he still dared to do bad things in the army.

"Ahem..." The secretary himself was also shocked, so he stopped halfway through his sentence. In fact, he knew what was going to happen next.

"I wrote a novel and made quite a bit of money. As for my workplace, don't worry, I just got promoted..."

"..."

Such a simple sentence struck like a thunderbolt.

Because the amount of information is overwhelming!!!

The first thing is, Zhou Xu can actually write?! He earned at least a hundred yuan from a single novel?!

Moreover, only writers who can make money are truly respected cultural figures! Zhou Xu actually joined the army and became a highly respected cultural figure!

Everyone was astonished!

The second thing is that Zhou Xu himself said he had been promoted to officer!
After being promoted to officer, he should be at least a platoon leader, right? He was promoted to platoon leader after only three months of enlistment?

So what about three years from now? Even if you get promoted one rank every three years, you should be a company commander or political instructor by now, right?

Even if he is discharged after three years, if he is lucky and the county is short of talent, he may be able to get a deputy section chief or section chief position. Even if he is not lucky, he will be assigned to a better unit in the county.

This is it! A bright future awaits!

So whether he became a writer or was promoted, it left everyone present stunned.

So... Secretary, you stopped halfway through your sentence to give yourself time to react?
“Writer…writer…writer?” A villager paused unexpectedly.

Only Zhou Guoping, who had served in the military, realized what was happening.

Joining the army doesn't guarantee a future, but in the military, mastering a skill that few others possess makes you a rare talent. Is my son promoted to officer because he's a rare talent? In that case, if he hadn't gone to the front lines, the chances of my son staying in the army would have been much higher.

"Wow, he sent back a hundred yuan! Writing really makes money! If Xiaoxu writes two or three articles like this a year, it'll be enough to support himself!"

"Can write? Then Zhou Xu will probably be assigned to the county's cultural center in the future, right?"

"Brother Guoping, your son has made something of himself!"

"So what if you can write? Zhou Xu got promoted!" The secretary patted the envelope, quite surprised.

He was promoted to officer in less than three years?

His own son was suddenly overshadowed, and now no one remembers that the Party Secretary had a son who was in the army.

Everyone was proud of Zhou Xu.

"Our brigade has also produced a writer; who knows, this place might become a land of glory in the future!"

"Hey! Guoping, your son has achieved such great results, aren't you happy?"

Zhou Guoping realized what was happening and smiled slightly: "Oh, I'm overjoyed! Not at all!"

"Your family is truly blessed to have such an outstanding son, receiving both a third-class merit award and financial rewards! I really envy you for having such a son!"

"Hey! Your Xiao Dong is quite good, and he has a bright future!" Zhou Guoping responded slightly.

Starting today.

The discussion in the brigade shifted from Zhou Xuyong's heroic deeds in winning the third-class merit award to how Zhou Xu became a writer and made a name for himself in the army... Wow, he brought glory to his ancestors for a little while.

(End of this chapter)