Step by step, a gentle breeze leads to a smooth path

“Song Tingnan, you’ve only been in school for one year and you’ve already skipped to fourth grade. Now you’re going to skip to sixth grade again? You’ll finish elementary school in two years? Can you keep up? A solid foundation is very important.” Principal Dai is a truly good teacher. He is very patient with his students, very conscientious and responsible in his work, and often helps impoverished students.

"Thank you! Teacher Dai, I'd like to try. Can I take the fourth-grade final exams and then go to your class to take them the next day?" Ting Nan asked. Every year, due to a shortage of exam rooms, the fourth and sixth grade exams are not held on the same day.

“Sure, as long as you get over 90 in every subject, I’ll agree to let you skip to the sixth grade I teach next semester.” Teacher Dai also wanted a student in his class to have excellent grades and make a name for himself during his time as principal.

With a good reputation, it's much easier to secure good teachers, books, materials, and educational funding for the primary school from the education bureau. The current teaching staff is truly a mixed bag.

Song Tingnan was very happy; she was confident! But her master told her to be "humble," so she could only be secretly pleased and would only know the truth after the exam.

"Song Tingnan, do you have an uncle named Song Wanxing?" Teacher Dai asked.

Uncle? Song Wanxing? Yes, my maternal uncle. Ting Nan nodded: "Yes, is there something you need, Teacher Dai?"

"Oh, so you're very familiar with Teacher Wan at the school?"

"Teacher Wan? I don't know, I'll have to ask my family." Ting Nan knew that Teacher Wan was transferred here after Teacher Zuo left. She was in her thirties and dressed very nicely, though of course she couldn't compare to Zuo Jinyue's temperament.

"Oh, that's all. You should study hard. You can ask me if you don't understand anything." Teacher Dai didn't say anything more and left.

Teacher Wan? Song Wanxing? What does that mean? My uncle is almost forty, isn't he?

He was the village accountant, but he hadn't done much farm work and rarely worked in the sun. He didn't worry about anything at home and spent most of his time reading a book.

In addition, she has a slender figure, delicate features, and a rather gentle and refined demeanor.

Aunt Zhao Xiaojuan looked much older. She managed everything inside and outside the house, and the children were all in the fields by herself. The two of them looked like two different generations when they stood together.

Although Song Tingnan had never really liked this younger brother-in-law, she didn't think much of it. She mentioned it to Qian Shuzhen when she got home and then went about her business.

Zuo Jinyue had already reviewed the fifth-grade material for her. Now it was time to focus on reviewing and doing practice questions. The test covered both fourth and fifth-grade material, so she couldn't afford to be careless.

Qian Shuzhen took it to heart after hearing this. She had always known that her youngest son was aloof and didn't think much of the illiterate Zhao Xiaojuan.

But Zhao Xiaojuan is a good woman, hardworking and capable, managing everything inside and outside the home. She has given birth to two sons and a daughter, and tolerates her husband's bad temper. The couple gets along well! Could she be overthinking things? She decided to call Song Wanxing over to ask him.

"Wanxing, has the village been busy lately?" Qian Shuzhen asked.

"Not busy, it will be busier during the double harvest season in a while," Song Wanxing replied.

"Oh, Wanxing, now that the land has been distributed to individual households, you've never been busy in the village. Have you thought about doing something else?" Qian Shuzhen knew that among the whole family, she was the youngest son and the most idle.

"Mom, what do you think I'm suited to do? I can't carry anything, I can't lift anything." The tone is off, tinged with resentment. But who's to blame? It's your own fault for not being adaptable and not striving for improvement. Society is constantly evolving, and no one can stop its forward march.

"Wanxing, are you still thinking about taking the imperial examination? Your grandfather and great-grandfather took it again and again, but they failed. Do you think you are more knowledgeable than them? If I let you take the imperial examination today, can you guarantee that you will pass?" Qian Shuzhen was getting a little angry at her stubborn son.