The Principal was quite grateful for the reply regarding etiquette; as for who contacted him, he mostly didn't care, as it was better than awkwardly extending an empty hand.

"You stay here, I'll go out and tidy up, then cook," Yang Zhi said, hurrying away.

The old woman followed Yang Zhi out. She feared that if Chi Yong introduced her, she wouldn't know to extend a hand, forgiving her for being a simple, conservative rural woman.

"So, this must be Cheng Ying. Your grades are truly excellent; you're famous throughout the township," the Principal observed.

Cheng Ying replied with false modesty, "Just passable, passable." She genuinely had no idea how to handle this situation.

Chi Yong felt his daughter was being too coy. "Children can't handle too much praise, sir, please don't mind her."

The Principal looked at Cheng Ying, then at Chi Wu beside her, nodding in satisfaction. This child possessed good manners, a clear sign of good parenting, and naturally, this good guidance came from the father.

"Comrade Chi Yong, your success in raising your children is evident. Our school needs talent like yours. You must contribute more to the nation; you can't just focus on your own family," the Principal declared.

What a heavy hat to place upon him.

"As long as the nation requires my service, I, Chi Yong, will give my utmost; I await the Principal's arrangements," Chi Yong responded instantly.

Cheng Ying thought to herself, It’s just hiring a teacher, why the grand speeches? All for the nation, all for the people. She felt like she was becoming the village's resident bachelor, her mouth kept twitching; she couldn't adapt to this style of conversation.

The Principal nodded with satisfaction. "The nation needs people with your talent, and even more so, your spirit of selfless dedication. Of course, if you have any difficulties, feel free to mention them. We will take them seriously." The most pressing need right now was for teachers, especially those with genuine scholarship. The Principal was desperately thirsty for talent.

Chi Yong stood up. "Originally, I shouldn't mention it. For the sake of the nation and the people, no difficulty is a difficulty. However, the elderly and the young are both at home, and you know how far this place is from the township. We might struggle to manage things at home."

"If there are difficulties, bring them up. It's all for the nation and the people; this issue is solvable," the Principal assured him.

Cheng Ying thought, If it’s truly necessary, why the excessive formality upfront? It feels too disingenuous. Is patriotism useful if it's only on the lips and not in the heart?

"Thank you, Principal," Chi Yong said.

The Principal paused in thought. "Your wife is the village health worker?"

"Yes, Yang Zhi studied in the city and achieved good results," Chi Yong confirmed.

Cheng Ying listened from the side, thinking her stepfather was trying to cozy up to her biological mother.

"Comrade Chi Yong, let me be frank. I am the Principal of the township's central school. I haven't come to ask you to be an elementary school teacher. I am inviting you to teach at the middle school. For now, it's a non-government-funded position, but it has potential. The state will not overlook talent," the Principal laid out.

"I appreciate the Principal's trust. I will speak through my achievements," Chi Yong replied.

The Principal was even more pleased; this man understood things immediately.

"I can arrange for your wife to work in the school infirmary, though you know that isn't a formal position yet either."

"That would be excellent. The two children will certainly attend school in the township with me. With their mother caring for the three of us, there will be no worries back home," Chi Yong stated.

Cheng Ying felt a pang of discontent in her heart—what about Grandma? Why wasn't she mentioned?

"Indeed, Chi Yong. Children are the future of the nation. For the sake of that future, you might have to endure some hardship. Arrange things at home, and I will try my best to arrange dormitory space for you."

"I dare not trouble the Principal further. This is already very generous. We will find housing in the township ourselves," Chi Yong responded. He knew he wasn't some great scholar, and pushing too hard was courting disaster. Therefore, keeping a low profile now was absolutely necessary.

The Principal was genuinely happier; dormitory space wasn't something easily acquired these days. "Good, Chi Yong. Report to the school with your children and wife at the start of the semester in July."

"I certainly won't delay the Principal's arrangements," Chi Yong promised.

Grandma pushed the door open. "You’ve been talking for a while. Have some water quickly, we'll eat soon. Our village is so remote; you must have suffered quite a bit on your journey." See? My own grandmother is quite warm-hearted, Cheng Ying thought.

"Elderly lady, for the future of the nation, for these children, it is no suffering at all," the Principal responded with his official tone.

The old woman looked slightly bewildered by the official response. The village had always been remote; even during the Red Guards era, they hadn't been bothered much because of the distance. She was slightly unaccustomed to this. Chi Yong, coming from the outside, knew that from now on, he needed his wife and children to adapt to this larger environment, as things would be different once they entered the township.

The Principal, whose character wasn't entirely rigid, continued, "Elderly lady, it’s my fault for disturbing you. How could I dare burden you with labor? Please come rest on the kang."

The old woman understood this courtesy. "You’ve run all this way for our family's sake; how is that a disturbance? For the children to attend school in the township—what great fortune! For you to find use for our Yongzi is an even greater blessing for him. For him to do more for the nation, we are all happy."

Cheng Ying watched her grandmother, nearly dropping her jaw. The old woman had taken the official language and made it even plainer, and her praise for their family’s patriotism rang out loud and clear.

"Chi Yong, your family is so open-minded. You must take good care of the elderly lady," the Principal said, helping Grandma sit down on the kang.

"Of course. Honoring our elders is not only the duty of the younger generation but also a blessing," Chi Yong affirmed.

Grandma and the Principal chatted casually on the kang, sounding much like the village head speaking—not a single unreliable word. That, too, was Grandma's skill.

Cheng Ying and Chi Wu kept Grandma company nearby. Chi Yong went out to call the Village Head to act as a host for the Principal, achieving the highest level of hospitality.

While drinking, Village Head Cheng Shan said, "I always knew Chi Yong would amount to something; the village couldn't hold him."

"As long as the village needs my help, Village Head, please don't hesitate to ask," Chi Yong replied.

"Does Chi Yong still have a post in the village?" the Principal asked.

"He does. Chi Yong's mind is sharp. The land distribution and registration in our village—Chi Yong managed it all single-handedly. His calculation skills are faster than someone using an abacus, and he has never made a mistake. He is our village's newly appointed accountant, and you're poaching him!" Cheng Shan said gleefully, boosting Chi Yong, as his future fortune was now limitless.

"It's all thanks to the opportunity you gave me, Village Head," Chi Yong responded humbly.

The Principal was even more satisfied by the side; this man seemed to be talented in multiple areas. Of course, being able to raise his children so exceptionally well was proof enough of his talent.

Chi Yong and the Village Head drank enough to become slightly tipsy. Only the Principal, having arrived by bicycle, maintained a degree of sobriety. However, when it was time to leave, the Village Head wouldn't allow the Principal to cycle back alone. Instead, he called his eldest son to escort the Principal back to the township—a thoughtful arrangement, but one with a selfish motive: interacting more with the Principal was good for networking.

Chi Yong said nothing. This arrangement was proper; besides, Cheng Shan had truly treated him well.

Grandma's eyes held a complicated shadow. If her two sons weren't so distant, surely the task of seeing the Principal off wouldn't have fallen to someone else. Chi Yong had asked the two boys to invite people before dinner; the eldest son refused to come, and the second son claimed he couldn't handle such a formal occasion. Who was to blame?

Yang Zhi helped the slightly inebriated Chi Yong into the west room to rest. Cheng Ying and Chi Wu cleared the table in the west room. Cheng Ying could hear Chi Yong singing "Green Island Serenade" from the west room—the man was quite sentimental, and he had a good voice. He must be very happy. Cheng Ying could also hear Yang Zhi telling Chi Yong to shut up.

Grandma said nothing and went into her room. Chi Wu looked quite happy, but seeing Grandma’s expression, he also remained silent and went out carrying his basket. Cheng Ying thought, This kid has learned to hide his emotions. He’s probably out scattering flowers now.

Cheng Ying sat down next to Grandma on the kang, listening to the endless serenade from Chi Yong in the west room. She hugged Grandma’s arm. "Grandma, wherever you are, I am."

Grandma patted her granddaughter's head. "Silly girl, how important school is."

Cheng Ying thought that if she insisted her studies were taught by Chi Yong, Grandma would likely swat her away. She pouted. "Do you really think my grades were taught by Wu Zi’s father?"

Grandma's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"Have you ever seen Wu Zi’s father teach me anything? At home, I was always with you, or else gathering firewood with Wu Zi," Cheng Ying argued, choosing to speak with facts.

Grandma knew the gravity of the situation and covered Cheng Ying's mouth. "My ancestor, you must never say things like that again, understand? Especially not in front of outsiders." Cheng Ying nodded, and only then did Grandma release her mouth. "Girl, what do you mean?"

"Grandma, even if you didn't say it, I know you won't go to the township. And I won't go either. I’ll stay with you. Forget about studying—my good grades are because I have a good brain, I studied the books myself, it has nothing to do with any teacher. If you don't believe me, ask Wu Zi’s father to test me later, and I'll just sign up for the exam. Learning how to be a good person with you at home is more important than anything," Cheng Ying stated. This last part, Grandma readily agreed with: character was more important than achievement.

But whether she could trust her granddaughter's words remained to be seen. "Everyone else is eager to go to school; why aren't you?"

"A bunch of ignorant children, why bother? Besides, I already know everything they could teach me," Cheng Ying replied dismissively.

Grandma lightly tapped her granddaughter's back. "Why so arrogant? Afraid the wind will blow you away? Yingzi, tell Grandma the truth, when did you learn all this?"

Cheng Ying felt she had to betray someone this time. "Grandma, I usually look at Wu Zi’s father’s books in the west room. You know I can read. I memorized everything after reading his books once, and when it came time for the exam, I wrote down almost everything I knew. Who knew the test results would be so good?"

"Really? Are all the books in Wu Zi's father's room like that?"

Cheng Ying nodded. "Yes, all those kinds of books." Grandma's face grew even more haggard.

"Grandma, I’ll stay with you," Cheng Ying offered.

"Your matters aren't decided by you alone, nor by me. We'll have to see. As for Wu Zi’s father, don't say anything about what you know; pretend you know nothing, understand?"

"Grandma, Wu Zi’s father knows so much; even the township Principal treats him so respectfully. Will he look down on us?"