Chapter 37

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

This time, Mu Jingzhe’s designs were completely different than before. A lot of them were butterfly designs, yet they were completely different. Lace fabric was used, and the color combinations were bold, making them quite an enchanting sight.

Among the new samples was also a butterfly hair clip. This time, it was no longer made of cloth but of other materials and small beads. When the wings moved, it seemed as if the butterflies were about to take flight.

Little Bei’s eyes lit up. “Auntie, I like it so much. I want one too.”

“I kept one for you, but you can’t bring it out yet. You’ll have to wait until we launch it.”

Little Bei nodded obediently despite her reluctance. “Okay.”

“I’ll make a dragonfly one for you later. Only for you, okay?” Mu Jingzhe felt her heart ache when she saw how sensible the little girl was.

The children were obedient and sensible because no one had indulged them into becoming brats.

After skipping a grade, Shao Dong and Shao Xi performed very well. Although they were the youngest, they were the most knowledgeable. Even the teachers praised them.

That day, Shao Xi said that the new language form teacher had asked to meet Mu Jingzhe at school.

In the past, they used to always look for Zhao Lan whenever something came up. Ever since Mu Jingzhe had come last time, everyone had started looking for her instead and regarding her as their parent.

“What’s the matter?”

Mu Jingzhe’s first reaction wasn’t to ask whether Shao Xi had gotten into trouble again.

His performance in the new class was pretty good.

“I don’t know.” Shao Xi shook his head. He was quite curious but also a little nervous.

After lunch, Mu Jingzhe went to school.

“The city is publishing a book of full-mark essays written by primary school students. There are essays by students from all levels in it. We were notified that every school teacher can recommend a full-mark essay. Last time, when we submitted Shao Xi’s re-examination essay, they said that it was very novel. I want to submit it again and give it a try. Do you consent?”

Mu Jingzhe’s eyes lit up. “Of course.”

The form teacher was happy to see her being so supportive. “I didn’t tell Shao Xi for the time being because I was afraid that he would get his hopes up only to be disappointed. He might not be chosen.”

“Let’s give it a try. Who knows, there’s a chance his essay might get chosen.”

It didn’t matter if it didn’t get chosen the first or second time, for he would definitely be chosen eventually.

Mu Jingzhe was elated to see that this form teacher wasn’t like Zhang Fei.

“Alright, let’s send it over then. I’ve already prepared it and pasted a stamp on it. You can go back and send it over.”

“Okay.”

“Oh right, I have to tell you something. If his essay gets chosen, there will be no royalties, but a few sample books will be sent over.”

“I know.” Mu Jingzhe understood.

She felt that she could buy some children’s weekly newspapers in the future and read more. If there were suitable competitions, she could get Shao Xi to enter them.

This was encouraging for Shao Xi, as it proved his excellence. Besides, he could earn money, so why not?

Mu Jingzhe was about to leave the school happily when she met the principal at the door. The principal was asking someone to carry some things with a broad beam.

He said that the school would have a broadcast in the future. From now on, they could hold the flag-raising ceremony every Monday and do radio calisthenics1 every day.

While Shao Xi’s submission had to wait, Little Bei asked Mu Jingzhe something awkwardly before sleeping.

“Auntie, the principal says our school will have radio broadcasts now. All the schools out there have students as radio announcers, so he wants us to sign up too. I—I—”

“Do you want to give it a try?” Mu Jingzhe asked.

Little Bei nudged Mu Jingzhe and whispered, “Can I? My Mandarin… I’ve only learned it from my teacher and you, Auntie, as well as the tape recorder.”

Little Bei had a classmate who had a tape recorder at home. Her classmates loved it, and Little Bei had gone to that classmate’s home to listen to it before.

A tape recorder was a rare and expensive item that was only purchased when a couple got married. Playing tapes and listening to music was considered rare entertainment.

Apart from song tapes, there were also some movie tapes.

People living in the countryside didn’t have the means to watch a movie, so they just listened to tapes. Everyone listened to movie tapes with relish, playing them so many times that they could even remember the lines sometimes.

This was rare entertainment in the village, and Little Bei loved listening to those tapes. She’d even learned how to speak like the people in the tapes and could do an excellent impression of it.

Little Bei wasn’t confident, but Mu Jingzhe encouraged her to try.

Although she wasn’t sure if Little Bei would walk down the path of acting in the future, it was always good to give it a try. It would make her more versatile if she really walked down the path of acting in the future.

In the book, Little Bei had excellent acting skills, and her only weakness was that the way she read her lines was lackluster. This was because she had been deaf for a significant period of time and she had not had a Mandarin foundation from a young age. She only managed to overcome those weaknesses after a lot of hard work.

This time, she hoped that Little Bei wouldn’t have to suffer so much.

With Mu Jingzhe’s encouragement, Little Bei bravely signed up.

Five students signed up in total. The other four were all fifth-grade and sixth-grade students, so Little Bei was the youngest.

However, the one who performed the best was Little Bei. She was still a tad shy, but she was also the most daring and least nervous child.

Just like that, Little Bei became a little radio announcer.

Her voice echoed throughout the school and over the sky of the Great Eastern Village. It was only a simple notice at first, but it was enough to make anyone proud.

Mu Jingzhe gifted her a radio during her first broadcast.

With a radio, she could listen to programs and news broadcasts. Also, it would help her learn Mandarin.

At the time, radio programs were very popular. There were all sorts of programs, including children’s programs, so this was quite suitable for Little Bei.

Because she was poor and could not afford a new radio, she could only think of ways to buy a pre-loved one.

1

“Little Bei, you can use this for now. Auntie will replace it with a new one in the future.”

Mu Jingzhe was afraid that Little Bei would be unhappy, but Little Bei treasured it dearly.

“No need for that. Thank you, Auntie. I like it. You don’t have to buy me a new one.”

The addition of the radio made the house even livelier. Every day, Little Bei would listen to the radio and do impressions of the voices she heard.

In the past, they used to basically sleep after dark. Now, after dinner, they had a new form of entertainment and would gather together to listen to the radio.

It was always good to hear more and broaden one’s horizons. Also, through the radio, one could hear a lot of news from the outside world. Mu Jingzhe really needed it.

She missed modern phones and the internet too much.

When Shao Qiyang was at home, he would also join them. Inevitably, he had to face Little Bei’s countless questions.

There were many things on the radio that children found unfamiliar. Initially, Little Bei was the only one who asked Mu Jingzhe when there was something she didn’t understand. If Mu Jingzhe didn’t understand something, she would just say that she didn’t really know, which was true. If she knew the answer, she would explain it to her.

As she explained more, the children became more and more fascinated by the stories and anecdotes. Later on, Shao Xi and Shao Nan started asking questions as well, and even Shao Dong would occasionally pose questions.

While tuning in to the children’s channel, they heard that a few stories had been submitted by the audience. Later on, it was announced over the radio that everyone was welcome to submit their manuscript. Mu Jingzhe and Shao Xi discussed it for a while before deciding to submit an article that they felt was suitable to the address mentioned.

In the midst of this busy time, an old man in the village passed away. He was over 80 years old and had enjoyed both good fortune and longevity, as well as a prosperous family life.

Since a person from the village had passed away, his relatives would all go to his funeral. Even Shao Qiyang did not go to work. He was preparing to carry the coffin on the day of the funeral.

When Mu Jingzhe and Shao Qiyang brought a bunch of radishes over, they bumped into Mu Xue and Tang Moling.

Upon seeing them, Mu Jingzhe quickly asked Li Zhaodi, “Mom, did the Tang Family come to propose marriage? When are they getting engaged?”

According to the storyline in the novel, the Tang Family was supposed to propose marriage very soon.

Unexpectedly, Li Zhaodi shook her head. “I haven’t heard anything.”

Huh?

He had yet to propose marriage? Strange.