Call Me Daddy

Each grade had two subjects, so there were a total of ten first places.

The principal, being of an older age, Wu Zhiyong initially thought to have him wait aside while he squeezed in to take a look. However, the Principal refused. He wanted to personally take a look at the red placards.

For safety, they stood to the side, planning to wait until most people had finished looking before approaching. After all, the contents on the red placards wouldn’t change.

“First place in fifth-grade Chinese, County Elementary School; second place, Textile Factory Children’s School… fourth place, Hongqi Elementary School. Wait, isn’t Hongqi Elementary School that commune school?! It’s ranked ahead of the government elementary school!”

A burst of astonished exclamations erupted from the crowd!

Fengyang County was large. Apart from the rural commune schools, there were seven schools in the urban areas. The County Central Elementary School and the Textile Factory Children’s School often outshone the rest, vying for the first and second positions, often leaving a significant gap between them and the subsequent schools.

Other schools had grown accustomed to this ranking system. However, it was difficult for them to accept the sudden emergence of an overlooked commune school that had jumped ahead of some of them in the rankings.

“Principal, did you hear that!? Did you hear that?” Wu Zhiyong excitedly grasped the Principal’s hand. Fifth grade was the class he taught, and ranking fourth in the county-wide exam filled him with immense pride.

“Hurry, hurry, let’s go see. What about the ranking in fifth-grade math? And the other grades?”

The Principal, disregarding safety precautions, rushed over, eager to see the rankings on the red placard. The teachers from other schools who were there to collect the results also understood the Principal’s excitement and moved aside, making room for him to view the rankings on the red placard.

[Fifth grade: Fourth in Chinese, sixth in math.]

[Fourth grade: Eighth in Chinese, fourth in math.]

[Third grade: Third in Chinese, seventh in math.]

[Second grade: Second in Chinese, first in math.]

[First grade: First in Chinese, second in math.]

The Principal’s trembling hand reached out to touch the black characters on the red placard. In that moment, tears welled up in his eyes.

Our children, their future, was bright!

Wu Zhiyong also felt like crying, but he only wiped the corners of his eyes with his hand. No tears fell; only his reddened eyes betrayed his excitement.

It was already remarkable for the higher grade levels to achieve such results, considering their poor foundations. These teachers had shamelessly borrowed notes from Su Aobai for the lower grades to reinforce their basics. This time, with eight schools taking the exam together, only the fourth grade’s Chinese score was at the bottom. The first and second grades had achieved first and second place respectively in both subjects. Such overall results were undoubtedly a success, especially when the school achieving them was a commune elementary school with weak teaching resources, making it even more remarkable.

Teachers from other schools were also shocked by these rankings. Some even doubted their authenticity. Leaving aside the other grades, weren’t the results for first and second grades a bit too incredible? They had actually surpassed the County Elementary School and the Textile Factory Children’s School.

Next to the school rankings on the red placard were individual rankings, where Hongqi Elementary School also shone brightly.

In the third grade, Su Mingcheng ranked first with a score of 99.5 in Chinese and 100+20 in math.

In the second grade, Chu Ni tied for first place with a student from the Textile Factory Children’s School with perfect scores of 100 in Chinese and 100+18 in math.

Additionally, there were seven students in the top ten of their respective grade levels.

The rewards provided by the Education Bureau this time were very generous. The first-place winner received 10 yuan, a leather notebook, and a pen. The second-place winner received 5 yuan and a notebook. The third-place winner received a notebook and three pencils. The students ranked fourth to tenth each received a pencil and an eraser.

When the Principal and Wu Zhiyong left, they had to collect the students’ rewards as well.

So they arrived empty-handed and left with full hands.

***

Around 10 in the morning, the members of the Hongqi Commune were drawn by a series of firecrackers.

“Who’s setting off firecrackers in broad daylight? We haven’t heard of anyone getting married these days, have we?”

In the dead of winter, many commune members wore thick cotton coats, poking their heads out from their houses, hands tucked into their sleeves to avoid the cold.

“Listen, it sounds like the school is setting off firecrackers?”

The few households near Hongqi Elementary School pondered; Goodness, these firecrackers have been going off for quite a while. Are they setting off a hundred rounds of firecrackers? That must have cost a lot of money. What kind of joyous occasion is this? So extravagant!

With this curiosity, everyone braved the cold, bundling up tightly, and walked in groups toward the source of the firecrackers.

They saw the cheerful Principal and Teacher Wu at the entrance of Hongqi Elementary School, one cutting red paper, the other writing on the cut red paper. After the ink dried, they pasted it on the school’s fence.

Isn’t it too early to hang couplets before the New Year?

But this didn’t look like couplets, did it?

They had to wait for the Principal to distribute candy before they knew that this time, the commune school had achieved such good results in the comprehensive exams.

They couldn’t read the characters on the red placard, so they had to listen to the Principal’s recount.

What?! First and second place in math and Chinese for first and second grades, even surpassing the County Central Elementary School!

What?! Fourth in fifth-grade Chinese, sixth in math, and two students in the class ranked ninth and tenth overall in the county. Maintaining these scores, there’s a good chance they could get into a vocational school and choose a good major!

What?!

What?!

…

…

People doubted whether they were still dreaming or if the Principal was dreaming. They couldn’t pay much attention even to the rare candies they received in their hands; they just wanted to know if what the Principal said was true.

The Principal patiently affirmed repeatedly.

Repeating such good news, even if it took three days and three nights, he wasn’t tired of it.

During the idle farming season, such gossip was the only way to pass the time, and soon, the glorious achievements of Hongqi Elementary School spread throughout the commune.

*****

As soon as the weather turned cold, Su Aobai wanted to stay in bed all winter; getting up every day was a struggle.

Today seemed colder than the previous days. He reached out his hand from under the covers and then recoiled with a hiss, shivering, and closed his eyes, thinking he could sleep a little longer.

But before he could rest for long, a pair of cold little hands pressed against his neck, making him, who was already cold, feel even colder.

“You naughty girl,” Su Aobai said helplessly, opening his eyes to the mischievous little girl.

“Hehehe,” Su Mingmei giggled, covering her mouth.

“Daddy, wake up. Help me wash my face and put on perfume. Mom said we’re going to Grandma and Grandpa’s for lunch later.”

Because her given name was Mingmei, her family gave her a homophonous nickname, and everyone called her Mei Mei.

Su Mingmei, who would soon turn another year older, could already speak fluently. Unaffected by setbacks and cherished by her parents and older brother, she was so innocent and lovely that even her occasional mischief didn’t make people feel annoyed.

Su Aobai remembered what his wife had said yesterday. He looked at the faint light coming through the window paper. It should be almost 11 o’clock now. In the winter, during the idle farming season, every household had lunch relatively late. But if they waited any longer, they would keep the hosts waiting.

So he didn’t delay any further. He pulled the warm clothes from the bed into the covers and skillfully dressed himself and his daughter one by one. Then he uncovered the bed.

The first thing he did when he came out was grab the little girl who was trying to run away and tickle her armpits a few times until the little mischief-maker promised never to touch daddy’s neck with her cold hands again.

But Su Aobai felt she would dare next time.

Oh well, she is my little daughter after all, so I’ll let her off this time.

Su Aobai came out of the bedroom carrying his child and washed their faces with the hot water still warm on the stove.

Jiang Lianmei had just returned from outside and was about to wake up her lazy husband to tidy up and go to her parents’ home for a meal just a few steps away.

“Where’s Mingcheng?” Su Aobai asked unclearly, spitting out toothpaste foam.

“He went to play with his cousins early in the morning. Unlike you, he doesn’t hibernate,” Jiang Lianmei said teasingly, her eyes twinkling.

“Well, I finally know who our daughter takes after. Both of you teaming up to bully me,” Su Aobai replied with a smile.

Hearing that, Jiang Lianmei knew that their daughter had probably warmed her cold hands on her father’s neck again and couldn’t help but laugh.

“Mei Mei, you can’t do that anymore, okay? Daddy is very sensitive to the cold. If you touch daddy’s neck with your cold hands, daddy might catch a cold and get sick. You don’t want daddy to feel uncomfortable or have to drink bitter medicine, right?” Jiang Lianmei squatted down, explaining earnestly to her daughter.

Her husband felt sorry for his daughter and didn’t want to scold her, but she felt sorry for her husband, so she had to make sure their daughter corrected the little habit.

Su Aobai looked at his wife admonishing their daughter with a smile, feeling warm inside.

***

When the three of them arrived at Jiang’s house, the food was almost ready. Jiang Lianmei took her daughter to the kitchen to help, while the boys went out to play, no one knowing when they would return.

Su Aobai sat in the living room chatting with his father-in-law and cousins, while several of his older nephews of marriageable age listened nearby.

“Oh, this New Year, I don’t know what goodies my second son’s job will distribute. I think we won’t need to buy anything this year!” a voice from the neighboring courtyard exclaimed.

“Yup, you’re really lucky, Sister Yu.”

“Who wouldn’t be? Let me tell you, it’s all about having a good son!”

“Indeed, no one’s son is as successful as Zhicheng from your family!”

A conversation drifted over from the next yard. Since Yu Zhicheng returned to the local area after transferring, Old Lady Yu had developed the skill of shouting loudly, fearing that the Jiang family next door might not hear her boasting.

Actually, everyone had noticed that Yu Zhicheng had truly grown distant from his hometown folks. After returning this time, he arranged accommodation with his job and moved in with his wife and children, never coming back again for a long time.

Old Lady Yu wanted to save face, claiming her son was too busy with work for him to visit, but who believed that?

Some elderly people whispered behind her back that, if Yu Zhicheng hadn’t been worried about starting work in a new place, he probably wouldn’t have been willing to transfer back to his hometown, Fengyang.

So apart from a very few, other villagers no longer treated the Yu family as they once did.

“When it comes to raising children, I always say, it’s not about achieving too much. Just don’t bring shame to the family or cause trouble. But some people just don’t understand this. When they mess up, not only do they embarrass themselves, but they also bring shame to those around them.”

As they heard that, several young men in the room exchanged glances.

This was a veiled jab at their younger uncle-in-law.

Jiang Dajun understood too. He lit his roll-up cigarette and smoked it slowly.

“Don’t take those old women’s words to heart. Participating in the standardized exams is a good thing. Even if you don’t do well, at least you’ll know where you stand and can work to improve in the future,” Jiang Dajun finally offered some comforting words after a while.

***

Next door, Old Lady Yu stood against the wall, tiptoeing to listen closely, but despite her efforts, there was no response from next door.

They must be feeling upset inside! Old Lady Yu tried to reassure herself. Just as she was about to say something else, there was suddenly a commotion next door.

“Old Jiang! Old Jiang! You’ve got a great son-in-law!”

“Captain Jiang, I have good news to report to you! Our commune’s primary school has achieved great success in this standardized exam. Your son-in-law’s class in the first and second grades outperformed the county central school, the textile factory school, and the government school. And your grandson, he’s first in the county, first among so many older children. None of them scored as high as him! You should ask your son-in-law to teach us his ways of raising children!”

The group that arrived was so loud that Old Lady Yu’s previous eavesdropping attempt seemed feeble in comparison.

Their voices thundered as if they had built-in loudspeakers, and all the households nearby could hear them.

“What?!” Jiang Dajun stood up abruptly, looking at his son-in-law, who remained calm as if he had anticipated that outcome, and then suddenly felt a surge of pride.

What an exceptional son-in-law!

Truth be told, I had seen it long ago. When my daughter was dating him, even though her mother-in-law opposed it, I’ve always admired this son-in-law!