Year: I planted trees in Saihanba

Summer stood at the doorway, watching Meng's father bend down to check the stability of the table and chairs.

He deliberately shook the table furthest to the side, and only nodded in satisfaction when it didn't budge.

Sunlight streamed through the window covered with hemp paper, casting diamond-shaped patches of light on the floor.

The scent falling on the white hair of Mencius' parents brought an indescribable sense of peace.

Yu Zhenglai rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with anticipation, like a student waiting for a teacher to grade him.

"The conditions are a bit basic, but it's still a place to study."

Yu Zheng looked at the classroom furnishings, his tone carrying a mix of pride and embarrassment.

"As you both know, our forest farm is just starting out, and we have to be careful with everything."

“Previously, the children from our forest farm had to be sent to school in the county town.”

"It's dozens of miles round trip. In winter, we have to run to the station with cornbread in our hands before dawn."

"When heavy snow blocks the roads, we have to stay at a relative's house in the county town."

He paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Now it's great, with our own school, the children can go straight to school without leaving home."

“Not only children from the forest farm, but also children from several nearby villages can come.”

"However, the school doesn't have any teachers yet."

Yu Zheng sighed, his brows furrowing again.

"I have already submitted a report to my superiors, hoping to receive some support for our teachers."

"But schools in the county town are also short of staff, so this matter has been dragging on."

He looked at Mencius' father and mother, and his eyes lit up again.

"But now it's all right, with you two here, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief!"

These words were spoken with heartfelt sincerity, and Meng's father nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"Don't worry, Director Yu, we will cooperate fully."

"With your words of reassurance, I can finally rest assured!"

Yu Zhenglai smiled so hard that wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden.

Mencius' mother walked to the row of new tables and chairs, gently pulled out a chair and sat down.

The coolness of the wood seeped in through the thin fabric of the trousers, but it wasn't biting.

She swayed slightly, feeling the stability of the chair, and turned to smile at Meng's father.

"The tables and chairs are all newly made and polished smooth, so the children won't bump their hands or feet while sitting on them, which is great."

Her gaze swept across the blackboard, then landed on a stack of yellow paper and several boxes of chalk piled in the corner.

The yellow paper was rough-edged paper bought from the supply and marketing cooperative, and it was cut neatly.

The chalk was the cheapest kind, mostly white with little color, yet it was laid out meticulously.

She asked Yu Zhenglai in a soft voice.

"Are these paper and pens prepared?"

"Yes."

Yu Zhenglai quickly responded, his tone tinged with pride.

"Knowing that we were going to start a school, the staff pooled their money and asked the purchasing team to order more from the county supply and marketing cooperative."

"I thought that the children would need paper and pens to use in class, and I couldn't let them draw on the ground with twigs."

He pointed to the boxes of chalk and added.

"The textbooks haven't all arrived yet, but I've already asked someone to urge them on. They should be delivered in the next couple of days."

"Don't worry about these things for now, there's still some time before school starts, right?"

Mencius' mother stood up and dusted off the corner of her clothes.

"Let's go outside and take a look. We should check out the playground and all that."

“Okay!” Yu Zhenglai immediately replied and took the lead in walking towards the door.

The group then strolled along the dirt road in the school and looked around at the surroundings.

"Director Yu, I'd like to know what stage our forest farm's children's education is at?"

"Ah, I'm not too sure about that either. I'll have someone do a count right away."

"it is good!"

……