NOVPUB
Chapter 536: 526
In March, the Agricultural University began its new semester, and Shen Yunfang, after dropping her child off at kindergarten, cycled to school.
"Shen Yunfang, you’re here."
As Shen Yunfang was parking her bike in the shed, she heard someone calling her. She turned around and saw that it was Niu Changqing, a female classmate of hers. Yunfang got along quite well with her classmates because of the extra English lessons they attended together, but since she did not live in the dormitory, she wasn’t as close to them as others. In short, their relationship was neither distant nor particularly close; it was stuck awkwardly in the middle.
"Yes, I am. Why are you here and not in the classroom?" Yunfang greeted her with a smile.
"I don’t feel like staying in the classroom. I don’t like listening to what they’re discussing," Niu Changqing said with a sigh.
Yunfang wanted to laugh. Niu Changqing’s build was as her surname suggested, bullish and imposing. If she were a man, her robust frame would have been considered prime. However, such a broad and stout figure was not so favored in a woman.
Yunfang wondered if it was because of her figure that Niu Changqing had chosen to attend an agricultural school.
This semester was their senior year. Their class would be assigned to work at agricultural bureaus or Agricultural Science Institutes all over the country for internships, with assignments organized by the university.
The principle of the school’s assignment was to place students as close to home as possible. Wherever you lived, it was likely you’d be assigned an internship in that area, which also affected your job placement after graduation. Generally, where you interned would be where you’d end up working a year after graduating.
Many of their classmates had come from rural areas. If they were assigned back to small towns close to their homes after having experienced the grandeur of big cities, hardly anyone would be content to return to such modest places.
So, the more resourceful or well-connected students had already started hustling by the end of last semester. Although nobody had blatantly mentioned in front of their classmates which internship they had secured, by observing their demeanor - contented and cheerful as opposed to worried and bitter - the difference was obvious at a glance.
"There’s no helping it. At this time, everyone is most concerned about their assignments," said Yunfang, locking up her bike and picking up her bag to walk with Niu Changchun to the academic building.
"But for people like us, what’s the use of talking about it so much? It’s still the teachers who can decide our futures with a single word," remarked Niu Changchun pessimistically. Her family was from a northern rural area, and following the university’s assignment principle, she would likely be sent to work in a remote region, which had left her in a foul mood for some time, even ruining her New Year’s celebration. "You seem so calm and collected, have you already secured a good spot?" She had noticed there was something off about Yunfang – unlike others who were anxious or excited, Yunfang always appeared composed, even with graduation assignments looming.
Yunfang certainly had her plans settled internally, but this wasn’t something she could share. "Not at all. To me, any place is the same. Think about it, people like us, wherever we are assigned, will still be government officials. The state will pay us no matter where we are, and the salary will be the same everywhere."
"How can it be the same?" Niu Changchun looked at her as if she couldn’t be that naive. "My mom said that if I could be assigned to work in a big city, I’d be able to find a better partner. If I go back to my hometown, I might have to settle for a country bumpkin."
Alright, it seems this child isn’t quite sharp, she’s just casually shared what her mother said with others. n𝚘𝚟𝚙𝚞𝚋.𝚌o𝚖
"Haha, that’s not always the case," Shen Yunfang felt that this question was difficult to answer, so she could only respond with a chuckle.
"Shen Yunfang, I know you must have already found an internship placement, you’re always so kind. Since you have settled on one, could you please help me find a good place too? Just tell me how much it costs, my mom said even if we have to scrape the money together by hitting our heads on the ground, we will come up with it." Niu Changchun said somewhat sheepishly as the time to discuss class placement approached, revealing her intentions.
Of course, Shen Yunfang couldn’t agree to such a request. Let alone the fact that she didn’t have the capability, even if she did have the connections, she couldn’t agree to it. Was she someone desperate for money?
"Niu Changchun, I don’t know where you heard that I’ve already secured an internship, but I truly don’t know where I’ll be placed yet. Moreover, my spouse is serving in the military, so my placement will likely depend on the situation with the armed forces. I don’t have a say in it, so it might seem like I’m not concerned about this matter. It’s not that I’m not worried, it’s just that worrying is useless. I don’t have control over it. Wherever my spouse is stationed, that’s where I’ll take the children and follow."
Shen Yunfang was indeed not telling a falsehood; initially, she hadn’t cared much about this matter. She had thought to herself, let it be, even if she were assigned back to her hometown, it would be fine, and she felt that wasn’t so bad. However, Ma Liguo later made some suggestions, "If you go back to your hometown for your internship, what about your two children? Will they go back with you? Does your hometown have childcare facilities like the ones we have here, with a director like my eldest sister? Would you be comfortable leaving your little ones with strangers? And what about the two houses you own here? Are you just going to abandon them after living in them for only two years?"
Shen Yunfang wasn’t worried about the houses; if she wasn’t living in them, they could wait to be either redeveloped or gain value. However, Ma Liguo’s comments about the children were something she hadn’t considered. It didn’t matter where she was, she could live a comfortable life anywhere, but it was a different story for her kids. Pangpang was easier; at four years old, he could understand most things, and if he was bullied at the daycare by teachers or classmates, he could tell her about it when he got home. But Manman was only three and still spoke unclearly, so you couldn’t expect her to complain about her troubles herself. Besides, if they moved elsewhere, it wasn’t certain that the little tot Manman would be allowed to be in the same class as her brother, and that definitely wouldn’t do for her Manman.
After some thought, Shen Yunfang realized she really shouldn’t go back to her hometown just yet, not until Manman was a bit older and could speak more clearly. Naturally, as the children grew and it was time for school, there would be a significant difference between schooling in the Capital and in a small county town. So it seemed she should probably stay in the Capital no matter what.
But staying in the Capital wasn’t so easy, and Shen Yunfang didn’t have widespread connections. She did have money, but even wanting to use it to gain favor, she had no idea who to approach.
As a native of the Capital, Ma Liguo of course should help Shen Yunfang with this matter.
After several days of frantic searching without finding someone to handle the situation, a man in military uniform with several bars on his shoulders came to inform Shen Yunfang that the army had already arranged her placement and that she should just wait for her assignment.
Of course, the principle of her placement was to follow Li Hongjun. Wherever Li Hongjun served, she would be assigned there to work.
Afterward, she pondered and felt something wasn’t right. She had never heard of the military being involved in the placement of service members’ spouses. What about those couples who live apart? What’s their situation?
Shen Yunfang of course couldn’t guess that it was a special instruction from a senior official. Li Hongjun had fought in bloody battles on the battlefield to defend the country and the people. Therefore, the military also had the obligation to ensure his wife and children were well-placed. If she ended up somewhere far away, who knew what kind of trouble Shen Yunfang, with her propensity to stir things up, could get into? So, it was better to keep her where they could keep an eye on her.
