Colorful years

Slowly waking from those dreamlike memories of the past, Congcong blinked, and his vision gradually cleared.

When he saw the scene around him, he was surprised: most of his classmates had already finished their lunch and were sitting quietly waiting for the teacher to give the order to set off again.

Realizing he had fallen behind, Congcong quickly took out two corn cakes from his schoolbag and wolfed them down. As the food slid down his throat and into his stomach, the intense hunger vanished instantly.

At this moment, Mr. Hu and Ms. Chen, who had been watching the students' meal, saw that everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, so they stood up and shouted, "Children, get ready! We're going to continue our journey to the county town!" Hearing this command, the students stood up one after another, tidied their belongings with high spirits, and lined up in neat rows.

The group descended Maoxi Slope in a grand procession, where a wide and flat highway appeared before them, with few bends and excellent road conditions. According to the teachers, this road leading to the county town was only about thirty li long, as if victory was just around the corner, beckoning them from afar.

Teacher Chen took the lead and sang the stirring and heroic song "Our Team Marches Towards the Sun".

Her singing voice is clear, loud, and powerful, like a clear spring flowing into everyone's heart.

Inspired by their teacher, the students also joined in singing loudly.

One familiar song after another echoed in the air: there was the cheerful and lively "Going to School with a Schoolbag," the solemn and sacred "The Internationale," and the inspiring "March of the Volunteers"...

Along the way, laughter and melodious singing rose and fell. These beautiful tunes, like magic, dispelled the fatigue from the long journey and ignited everyone's deepest longing and hope for the future.

Before we knew it, time had slipped away, and the sun was gradually setting in the west, like a child who had played until he was tired, slowly hiding in the deep sky and falling into a sweet sleep.

As the crescent moon hung high in the sky, casting a cool, clear light, these elementary school students, full of dreams, finally stepped into the county town they had longed for.

Despite feeling a bit tired after a long day's journey, the light in his eyes remained bright.

The wide, clean roads, the rows of buildings, and the constant flow of pedestrians—everything felt both strange and familiar.

Finally, they checked into the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers Hostel, ending this unforgettable journey.

At that time, there were only three hotels and inns in this small county town that could barely be considered decent. They were the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers Hotel, the Dayong Hotel, and the Dayong Guesthouse, all of which were state-run.

The first place to mention is the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers Hostel. Primarily catering to the general public of workers, peasants and soldiers, it was arguably the most down-to-earth and ordinary hostel. Its prices were very reasonable and affordable, making it undoubtedly one of the best choices for those with limited funds.

Especially the dormitory-style rooms, which cost only one yuan per night, and the owner even provides a free breakfast. Although the accommodations may be a bit basic, they are full of simplicity and warmth.

In contrast, the Dayong Hotel focuses more on serving rural workers who come to the county town for business or on business trips. The accommodations here are slightly better than those at the Workers, Peasants, and Soldiers Hostel. The rooms are cleaner and tidier, and the beds are more comfortable and softer.

Of course, the corresponding price is slightly higher than that of the Workers', Peasants', and Soldiers' Hostel. However, overall, it is still within the range that most people can accept.

Finally, the Dayong Guesthouse is somewhat special. It is a department-level public institution directly under the county party committee and county government. It is not open to the public, but is used specifically to receive leading cadres sent by higher-level departments for research and inspection, as well as cadres from neighboring counties for exchange work.

Furthermore, when large-scale meetings need to be held in the county, this place is often the first choice. Therefore, it can be said that Dayong Guesthouse, to a certain extent, represents the image and status of this county.

Teacher Hu and Teacher Chen each live in a single room, enjoying a relatively independent and quiet space.

The other students, however, did not receive such treatment; they all lived on the spacious dormitory-style beds.

The male and female students are clearly distinguished! Congcong lives in a large dormitory room that can accommodate twenty people at the same time.

Each person had a thick quilt, and they huddled close together on that enormous bed.

When it's time to sleep at night, the scene is truly spectacular. One after another, tender little faces are faintly visible in the dim light. Some students have already drifted off into sweet dreams and are even snoring softly; others are tossing and turning, seemingly still immersed in the joyful moments of the day and unable to fall asleep.