Dreaming of Lion Rock: Recipe in Hand

Chunni was in the second grade of junior high school in the commune. She was still in class when the accident happened. After hearing the bad news, Chunni asked her teacher for a few days off.

Now that she has finished her housework, she is going to school to apply for leave of absence.

"What? Student Yang, why do you want to drop out of school?" Chunni's homeroom teacher is named Cao, a middle-aged female teacher who is particularly responsible. When she heard that Chunni wanted to drop out of school, her face was full of surprise.

Chunni had to briefly explain the situation at home. "My parents had an accident. Only my brother and sister and I were left at home. As the eldest sister, I should have shouldered the burden of the family."

Chunni looked very calm, but Teacher Cao saw something. She was very sad and sympathized with Chunni. However, she could refuse for a thousand other reasons. But Chunni had to support her family, so she couldn't say anything to persuade her.

"Your grades are very good. If you keep up the good performance, you should be able to go to a technical secondary school. As long as you go to a technical secondary school, you can work in a unit and get a salary from the government! That's your only chance to escape from farming." Teacher Cao said.

Chunni looked at Teacher Cao helplessly.

Teacher Cao's eyes turned red and he almost cried.

Yes! No matter how much she persuaded, it was useless. The little girl in front of her had no choice.

If only she could help her?

Help her? Teacher Cao's eyes lit up and he said to Chunni, "Wait for me, I'll be back soon."

Teacher Cao left in a hurry, leaving Chunni confused.

Without letting Chunni wait for long, Teacher Cao returned to the office. Compared to the worried look on her face when she left, she now had a smile on her face.

"Chun Ni, I just discussed it with the principal. In view of your special situation, the school has approved you to study at home."

"Teacher Cao, you don't understand what I mean..."

Teacher Cao interrupted Chunni and patted her shoulder soothingly.

"Don't be so quick to object. Your grades have always been among the best in the class, and the semester is halfway through. The teacher believes in you, so you can pick up your books and keep up with your classmates after work. If you don't understand something, you can come to the school to find a teacher, or ask the educated youth in the village. They are at least junior high school graduates. You just need to come to the school to take the unified exam at the end of the semester. The focus of the third year of junior high school is to review the knowledge of the first and second years of junior high school. As long as you pass the graduation exam, you can get a junior high school diploma."

Chunni was thoughtful.

Teacher Cao continued, saying earnestly: "Student Yang, there is a saying that goes, 'If a child does not learn, it is not right; if a child does not learn when young, what will he do when he is old? If you do not learn when you are young, what will you do when you are old? As for whether you want to continue studying after graduation, it is up to you! The teacher cannot control it!"

Chunni was moved by Teacher Cao's earnest expectations. She nodded and agreed to study at home.

Another thing is, if Chunni drops out of school now, she will only have the title of an elementary school graduate in the future, which is a bit embarrassing just thinking about it!

Seeing that Chunni agreed readily, Teacher Cao hurriedly went to find the teacher to assign homework to Chunni, as if he was afraid that Chunni would go back on her word.

Chunni didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Teacher Cao is such a lovely person!

Now that school matters are done, Chunni is going to start working and earning work points!

There's no way, she has younger brothers and sisters to support!

"Xiazhi, Qiuguo, I will start working tomorrow! As for you, just continue to go to school. Study hard and make your parents and sister proud." Chunni would hold a mobilization meeting the night before going to work.

As for Dong Lin, we can only let him go.

During the busy farming season, the older children who had not been educated were mostly left to roam freely. As for the children under three years old, they either followed the adults to play in the fields or were tied up at home with a rope.

Xia Zhi knew that his sister had dropped out of school for his younger siblings and had made a lot of sacrifices, so he cherished the current learning opportunity and nodded firmly.

"Sister, don't worry, I will study hard, make a lot of money in the future, and try my best to let you and your brothers and sisters live a good life!" As the only male in the family, Xia Zhi is very conscious of protecting his sisters and brothers from wind and rain!

Chunni was satisfied and looked at Qiuguo again.

Qiu Guo also said that he would study hard and strive to eat commercial grain in the future.

The tone has been set, and Chunni arranges daily affairs.

"The weather is getting hotter, and the working hours will be earlier and earlier. I have to get up early every day to go to work. You two, don't be idle during your free time at school. Wash your own clothes. Remember to collect firewood for the family. Go to the bamboo forest where I used to go, and get some dry bamboo leaves to start the fire."

The two children nodded repeatedly. Children from poor families have to take care of themselves early, washing clothes, cooking, collecting firewood and picking mushrooms are all no problem.

With both parents dead, their only support is their older sister who is a few years older than them. Naturally, whatever their sister says is the truth.

"I don't keep idle people. I will send anyone who disobeys me to my house." Chunni felt that she was too gentle and not very intimidating, so she threatened quickly.

Xia Zhi shook his head repeatedly, saying that his own doghouse was better than any other. He would not move!

Chunni was satisfied.

"Okay, we still have things to do tomorrow, so go to bed early! Xia Zhi, go to the main room and sleep!"

Xia Zhi raised the corners of his mouth and muttered: "I've been wanting to sleep alone for a long time!"

Before Chunni came, the original owner's mother Chu Ying slept on the big bed in the bedroom with her four children.

Chunni sorted out her belongings and finally understood why. The family was not wealthy, and the only two quilts left were not very spacious and were not easy to distribute. It was warmer for the whole family to sleep together.

This is very common in Lion Rock. It’s all because of poverty!

Chunni couldn't accept it.

Xia Zhi was already a 14-year-old boy. She and Xia Zhi had no blood relationship at all, so Chunni would feel awkward if they slept together.

"I want to sleep with my sister." Dong Lin opened his big eyes and looked at Chun Ni without blinking, his eyes full of reluctance.

Little Dong Lin knew that since his parents were gone, his eldest sister was the person who gave him the greatest sense of security, and he didn't want to be separated from her for a moment.

"Okay." Chunni couldn't stand Donglin's pitiful puppy-like expression, so she nodded in agreement.

Such a small bean doesn't take up much space.

Fortunately, there was an old bed at home. According to the old man, it was made by Chunni’s grandfather when he got married.

Chunni gritted her teeth and made the bed for Xiazhi, letting him sleep alone.

In her previous life, Chunni could not fall asleep before 11 or 12 p.m. But when she arrived at Lion Mountain, she naturally fell asleep at 8 or 9 p.m.

But just as she fell asleep, she heard a "bang", as if something heavy had fallen to the ground.

Then came a cry of “Ah!”

"What's wrong, what's wrong?" Chunni shouted towards Xiazhi's room next door.

Xia Zhi took a while to calm down before making a sound. "I fell down!"

Chunni held the kerosene lamp and walked into the main room, where she saw the young boy lying in the middle of the bed. The bed had probably fallen into disrepair after years of neglect, with the entire wooden board in the middle falling to the ground.

The summer solstice is of course also on earth.

Chunni was a little confused. She had really never seen such a situation before.

"Ask me to help fix it tomorrow, and you can sleep with us tonight!"

What else can Chunni do besides this?