Daily Life in the 70s
Chapter 218: Tutoring Class (40+ Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Tutoring Class (40+ Monthly Tickets)

Shen Yiyue felt a bit deflated when she heard her urgency, "Are you in such a hurry?" In two days, Shen Erniu and the others definitely wouldn’t let her come because her studies were important, and her mother’s back wasn’t in good shape either, so she couldn’t let her toil. Thinking of this, she sighed regretfully and looked at Yang Peimin, hoping she would think of a way to take on a work order.

Yang Peimin shook her head at her and said to the girl, "I’m afraid it’s not possible, we don’t have a sewing machine."

The girl frowned and glanced at Dahua, "Are you from the textile factory?"

Dahua replied, "They’re not, but my mother is."

"Do you live in the workers’ housing complex up ahead?"

Dahua nodded.

The girl turned back to Yang Peimin, "Since you live there, there must be someone with a sewing machine, why don’t you just borrow one?"

Dahua quickly interjected, "We have one at home. All our clothes are made by my mother."

Yang Peimin looked at their eager faces, this kid was too honest, not a hint of wariness, and this was a stranger.

"Well, that settles it then, kid. Tell me which family you are from in the compound, and I’ll come find you later."

"We are the Ans, my dad is called An Cheng."

"All right, that’s settled then."

"Hey, young lady, I haven’t agreed yet."

"Enough, my last name is Hu, I have things to attend to in my factory and can’t talk much now, we’ll chat later." She hurried off, looking genuinely in a rush.

An Dahua scratched his head, "Aunt, you are so capable, helping these people make clothes and earning money too."

Yang Peimin couldn’t help but laugh and patted his head, "All right, you clever little rascal, the way you were afraid your aunt would refuse, hastily offering up your own sewing machine. How could I say no?"

An Dahua laughed sheepishly, "Aunt, two yuan is quite a bit. My little aunt wants to save for her dowry, and every day after work, she takes home cardboard boxes to fold. In a whole month, she doesn’t even make two yuan."

Everyone laughed.

Yang Peimin nodded, indeed two yuan could buy three catties of meat. She could just pull an all-nighter to make the clothes, improve the meals for Dahua and the others—that might be a good thing, and maybe she would rely on this to make money in the future.

The four of them worked together to load the items onto a flatbed cart and pushed it back to the compound.

Then, having tidied everything up, Yang Peimin was supposed to rush to her cram school, but she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the two little girls behind, so she took them out for a stroll and had a bowl of small wontons at a restaurant before hustling them on their way, finally leaving her with time for her own business.

Originally, Dahua was taking leave to care for his incapacitated grandmother at home, but seeing him like this, Yang Peimin took it upon herself to cook him a meal, urging him to go to school, while she herself had to go to cram school.

There were a lot of people in the cram school, over a hundred, Yang Peimin was a bit startled when she entered, crowded as it was with people. There were no seats available at the front, so she had to choose one of the few remaining seats in the back.

Her deskmate was a girl who sized up Yang Peimin, then offered her a smile and urged her to sit down quickly, "Today’s math class is really hard; you have to listen carefully."

Yang Peimin also nodded solemnly because the classroom was already silent, you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was especially focused and diligent; such a mood was quite infectious. Yang Peimin quickly got into the zone, carefully opened her textbook, and took out her notebook.

Although there were many students, they were disciplined. Since the teacher didn’t have a loudspeaker, they managed to hear the teacher’s voice clearly. Yang Peimin’s hands moved swiftly to take notes, not stopping. Since she had joined the class late, she hadn’t heard the previous lessons, so for now she wasn’t concerned with comprehending everything; she just wanted to record what the teacher was saying, to study in depth later.

Her fast writing was honed by years of doing and listening to test questions in the future. Her deskmate, Gao Qiayu, gave a glance and was impressed.

After one class, they had only just learned each other’s names when the second class began. Many people didn’t dare go to the restroom, their eagerness for knowledge was particularly astonishing. Despite having been a substitute teacher for a while, and even though she had taught in remote areas in her past life, the desire for knowledge she saw then wasn’t as intense as now. But thinking about it, it made sense. Last year’s college entrance examination had ignited so many people’s hopes. After years of darkness and oppression, they finally saw a ray of sunlight. If they could cross this dragon gate, they would be turning their lives around, changing their fates.

All the classes ended, and Yang Peimin quickly gathered her things. Now that the intense concentration was over, she felt both tired and hungry. Gao Qiayu called to her, "Peimin, where do you live? I’m on Southwest Street, wondering if we could walk together if it’s the same direction."

Yang Peimin smiled and shook her head, "It’s not on the way; I live near the factory area to the south." It was about a twenty-minute walk to her place, and that was if she walked briskly. It was already past five in the evening, and she still had to help with cooking once she got home.

Gao Qiayu walked out of the classroom with her, inquiring about her situation, "Peimin, are you a factory worker’s relative?"

Yang Peimin smiled, "Sort of."

Gao Qiayu wasn’t sure what she meant by ’sort of,’ but it didn’t impede their budding friendship. Noting the watch on Yang Peimin’s wrist, Gao Qiayu’s smile showed surprise as she shared her own situation, "Actually, I’m also from the factory area, but later we moved here. Now my older brother works there, and I previously attended high school nearby, but my foundations aren’t very solid... Are you bringing your own lunch tomorrow, or eating in the cafeteria? The food there isn’t expensive, but it’s not very tasty—no meat, no eggs... I bring my own lunch... "

"I don’t know yet, I’ll decide after seeing tomorrow."

They chatted on their way out of the school gates, walking in the same direction. Next to the school were some shabby, mismatched huts, and Yang Peimin saw a few of her classmates who looked familiar entering them.

Gao Qiayu said, "These are people from the countryside. About ten of them rent a room together. They can’t afford the cafeteria food, so they just boil cabbage in water back in their shacks..." Her tone mirrored that of city folks who look down on country people.

Yang Peimin shook her head as she listened; she was a country person too, and she wondered if their opinion of her would change once they knew her background.

Soon, they reached Fenfen Road.

Gao Qiayu cautioned her, "Be careful on your own way back."

Yang Peimin nodded and bid her farewell.

She hadn’t gone far when she saw Dahua coming towards her, calling out to her aunt loudly.