Colorful years

In that impoverished and isolated village, every household maintained their livelihood through a simple and arduous lifestyle.

However, among these many farmhouses, Li Hua's family stands out like a breathtaking stream, possessing a collection of thousands of books. What a remarkable sight this is! Now, please allow me to tell you the story.

When it comes to Li Hua, she is no ordinary peasant woman. Her family background is renowned throughout the history of Dayong County.

Her father, Li Peiqing, had already taken on the important role of deputy secretary of the county party committee in the early 1960s; in the mid-1970s, he was entrusted with an even more important task and transferred to the prefectural education bureau as director; and in the early 1980s, he also served as secretary of the county party committee, and his career can be described as smooth sailing.

However, Li Hua's mother was a typical peasant woman, practically illiterate. Her marriage to Li Peiqing was a traditional one arranged by their elders in the early 1950s. Li Peiqing himself also came from a peasant family that had endured many hardships.

After liberation, Li Sheng, then the county party secretary, came to Baiheping to conduct work research. At that time, Li Peiqing, though only twenty years old, had already shown extraordinary intelligence and understanding.

Therefore, Li Sheng recognized his talent and recruited him to his team as a communications officer, assigning him tasks such as receiving and sending newspapers, magazines, and letters, as well as cleaning, boiling water, and making tea.

Although Li Peiqing initially did seemingly insignificant and trivial jobs, he was naturally intelligent and diligent in his studies. After several rounds of intensive literacy classes, his literacy level reached at least junior high school level.

It was this unremitting effort and persistent pursuit of knowledge that laid a solid foundation for the Li family's astonishing collection of thousands of books in the future.

Secretary Li Sheng, with his keen eyes, observed all of this and was secretly pleased. He believed that Li Peiqing was a young man with great potential, destined for great things, and a promising talent worthy of careful cultivation.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Li Sheng decided to assign him to the commune as deputy secretary and to continuously monitor and train him.

And this young man on whom high hopes were placed—Li Peiqing—did not disappoint. He worked diligently and conscientiously, and with his outstanding abilities and remarkable achievements, he thrived in his political career. Before he turned thirty, he had already successfully ascended to the position of deputy secretary of the county party committee.

Time flies, and Li Sheng was promoted to secretary of the prefectural party committee due to a job transfer. Remembering his past appreciation and cultivation of Li Peiqing, as well as the outstanding talents he had shown, Li Sheng once again stepped in to help him, transferring him to the position of director of the prefectural education bureau.

Despite his rising position and increasing power, Li Peiqing remained true to his original aspirations and never swayed by personal gain. He was keenly aware of the heavy responsibilities he bore and never forgot his duty as an official.

Considering that his wife was illiterate and had limited education, having his wife and children go through the process of changing their agricultural household registration to urban household registration would undoubtedly add an unnecessary burden to the country.

Therefore, he resolutely decided that he would not allow his wife and children to enjoy such special treatment.

And so, Li Hua's mother could only continue to live a simple and ordinary life with her children in the countryside.

However, Li Peiqing attached great importance to his children's education. He deeply understood the power of knowledge and the importance of education, and therefore always spared no effort to create a good learning environment and conditions for his children.

To allow children to fully immerse themselves in the ocean of knowledge, Li Peiqing often goes to bookstores tirelessly to carefully select various books suitable for primary and secondary school students.

Whether it's an imaginative fairy tale or a literary masterpiece containing profound philosophy; whether it's a popular science book exploring scientific mysteries or an educational book stimulating thinking skills, he will buy it without hesitation and bring it home as long as he believes it will help children grow and learn.

These carefully selected books have become the best companions for children during their free time, accompanying them through peaceful and fulfilling afternoons.

Every time the children open a new book, the curious and eager looks in their eyes fill Li Peiqing with immense joy and satisfaction. He knows that these books not only broaden children's knowledge and horizons, but also cultivate their ability to think independently and learn autonomously.

Li Peiqing probably never imagined that the extracurricular books he bought for his children would not only nourish his own children, but also open the door to a wider world for another poor farmer's son, Congcong.

When Congcong received Mr. Feng Deying's novel "Bitter Herbs" from San San, which Li Hua had lent him, his ecstatic joy seemed to be the best testament to this transmission of knowledge.