Chapter 118: Returning to School

Zhang Guoqing sped along the road, driving toward the county seat. When he arrived at the entrance of the county-run restaurant, he got out of the car, carrying two bottles of liquor, and walked straight inside. It was already past mealtime, so there were no customers dining. The waitress, Sister Wang, had already snuck off home, leaving only the head chef resting in the back, just in case any customers showed up unexpectedly.

“Chef, are you here? It’s me, Xiao Wu. I came to see you.”

“Coming, coming, I’m in the back,” the chef replied as he hurried out. Seeing Zhang Guoqing holding a bottle of liquor, he chuckled, “This is for me, right? At least you haven’t forgotten about me.”

“How could I forget you? I’ve been thinking about you. See, the first thing I did when I got to the county was come here.” Zhang Guoqing handed him the liquor, stopping him as he spoke. “Chef, I’ve got something to do today, so I’ll be off. Next time, I’ll come and chat with you.”

Chef Huang had already heard that this kid’s in-laws had come to visit. The general and his mother-in-law had come together for the baby’s three-day celebration. He didn’t know how things had gone, and had been thinking about it. Now, seeing Zhang Guoqing, he felt relieved.

“All right, go ahead. Take care of your business. If you need anything, just call me.”

After saying goodbye, Zhang Guoqing checked the time—it was already afternoon, probably time for the principal to be at school. He drove to the county high school, got out at the gate, and before he could enter, the security guard at the entrance called out loudly, “Hey, aren’t you Zhang Guoqing? What are you doing driving a car here? Where’s your wife? Come in and chat with your uncle for a bit.”

Zhang Guoqing sighed inwardly. He’d planned to sneak upstairs without alerting anyone and go straight to the principal. Now, with the old man’s booming voice, his friends would definitely skip class to come out.

“Uncle, you look great—full of energy! Is the principal in today?”

The security guard grinned and pointed, “He’s inside, hasn’t gone out all day. So, you’re not in school—where are you working now? Driving a car already, tell me about it.”

Faced with the old man’s curiosity, Zhang Guoqing kept it brief. “I’m still at home. The car’s borrowed, I’ll return it soon. We’ll chat another time when you’re free, Uncle. I need to find the principal first.”

With that, Zhang Guoqing slipped away. The old man was too talkative—if he got caught, he’d spend the whole afternoon there and get nothing done. He avoided the classrooms, walked along the edge, and went upstairs to knock on the principal’s office. When he heard “Come in” from inside, he pushed open the door and saw the old principal waiting for him with a big smile.

“What brings you here? I thought you and your wife were so busy with the baby that you’d forgotten where the school gate is. Sit down, what are you standing there for? Don’t just grin at me.”

Zhang Guoqing sat down respectfully and said, “Principal, no matter what, I could never forget my alma mater. My teachers and friends are all here.”

The principal glanced at him, noticing how he sat half-turned, a smile in his eyes. “All right, you wouldn’t be here for nothing. Out with it—if you wait too long, I’ll be in a bad mood and won’t bother answering.”

“Principal, I wanted to ask you: if Zhou Jiao and I want to take the college entrance exam again, apart from not attending regular classes, are there any other restrictions?”

The principal immediately stood up and said loudly, “You’ve made up your minds? Really want to go to university? That’s great, truly great! I always said you two were made for studying—especially Zhou Jiao, it was such a pity for her to give up her studies. Good, you’ve come to your senses and are thinking about college. Hold on, let me think about your situation.”

Zhang Guoqing watched as he paced back and forth, then after a while, the principal sat back down and started rummaging through his drawer.

The principal recalled the university registration process over the past few years, and how even young adults from society could sign up. He let out a long sigh of relief—thankfully, he hadn’t remembered wrong.

“Zhang Guoqing, you and your wife have a child now, so regular classes aren’t practical. Even if you lived on campus, you’d miss your child. Let me explain the general admissions situation, then give you two options to choose from.

Since 1952, university students have been exempt from tuition and accommodation fees, and are provided free meals at set times and amounts. In other words, apart from not having a salary or social expenses, students can complete their studies without any personal financial burden. After graduation, university graduates get higher salary grades than others, and even during internships, there’s a salary. Those in real hardship can apply for financial aid—but you two don’t need that, and it’s best not to apply, as it could affect your file for job assignments after graduation.

Every year, there are college entrance exam registration points in all major cities nationwide. Our county students go to the provincial capital to register. Zhou Jiao’s household registration is in Beijing, but she can register in the provincial capital too. There’s no restriction that you have to register in your place of household registration. As long as you have a high school diploma or a certificate of equivalent education from your work unit, plus your household registration certificate, you can register in any major city.

Now, let’s talk about how you can get your high school diplomas.

First, your junior high school exam records are still at the school—I remember you two were first and second in the county. I can process the paperwork, add a note explaining you reported to the high school but then took a year off. That way, you’ll be considered as having enrolled normally. This semester isn’t over yet, so you can still take a year off. You two can study at home, then come back for the final exams. When you come to complete the paperwork, just write a leave statement saying you’re self-studying at home. At the start of each semester, come pay your fees, then take extended leave. At the end of each semester, you’ll need to come back for exams. This is the simplest way.

Second, you can self-study at home, and when it’s time for the college entrance exam, get a certificate from your work unit stating you have the equivalent of a high school or technical secondary school education. This is different from ordinary workers, and the salary grade is higher. You two shouldn’t have any problem getting that, especially if you have connections.

That’s the situation—go home and think it over.”

After listening, Zhang Guoqing made up his mind immediately. “Principal, there’s no need to think it over. I’d rather get my diploma from the school—it’ll just trouble you a bit. Is there still time to handle it today, or should we pick another time?”

The old principal laughed heartily, opened a drawer, and took out an envelope. “Take a look—I guessed long ago you’d want to continue your studies. If you hadn’t come, I was going to deliver this to you myself. In all my years as an educator, I’ve rarely seen students as outstanding as you two, especially Zhou Jiao—she’s a born scholar. Now that you have a child, it’s time to plan for the future. With all that’s happened, and you two not planning to leave with them, I’ve already prepared the paperwork. All that’s left is for you to sign and pay the tuition and book fees—three yuan and twenty cents each.”

Zhang Guoqing took the envelope, feeling its weight—not just in his hands, but in his heart. Inside was the deep care and high hopes this old man had for him and his wife.

He bowed respectfully to the principal. “Thank you, Principal. We won’t let you down. Give us two years—when we succeed, we’ll come back and share the good news with you in person.”

The principal glared at him. “That’s not up to you! If you don’t get in after two years, just wait and see how I deal with you. And don’t let your wife beat you to it and leave you stuck here in the county.”

Seeing Zhang Guoqing’s cheeky grin return, the principal laughed and scolded, “Well, what are you waiting for? Go next door and pay your fees! Bring the receipt back here, and don’t forget to write two leave notes—copy Zhou Jiao’s handwriting for hers. I’ll go get your new textbooks ready.”"