A restless rabbit was jumping wildly in Xia Xiaolan’s heart!

She wasn’t familiar with every policy initiative, only knowing that the “College Graduate Village Official” program was frequently discussed in the future. She didn’t know the exact year, but news reports about it seemed to increase after the millennium.

However you looked at it, this couldn’t happen in the mid-1980s!

If nothing else, before university enrollment expansion, college graduates were extremely valuable—especially before the 1990s. Those assigned to government positions would never become mere village officials!

Looking at current rural areas, you might find high school graduates serving as village cadres, but never college graduates.

High school graduates had other options too. Rural primary schools needed numerous substitute teachers, and high school graduates could teach. In more remote areas, even junior high graduates taught classes… So Elder Song’s suggestion was far too early, so early that Xia Xiaolan dared not speak further.

She feared her words might have inspired Elder Song somehow.

Speaking before others was fine, but before Elder Song, ideas could become policies.

The rabbit in Xia Xiaolan’s heart kept jumping, her thoughts in chaos.

Tang Hongen was pondering this issue too.

However, Elder Song didn’t discuss it deeply in front of Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen. The Elder cut off the conversation, turned to the brush and paper on his desk, and wrote four large characters: “佳偶天成” (Perfect Match Made in Heaven), presenting it to Liu Fen and Tang Hongen:

“This is my wedding gift to you both.”

Liu Fen didn’t realize its significance, but Elder Song’s gift meant he approved of her marriage to Tang Hongen. She gratefully accepted.

Tang Hongen handed her the calligraphy, “Wait for me with Xiaolan a moment, I’ll be right out.”

Tang Hongen had matters to discuss with Elder Song, perhaps about the college graduates’ grassroots program, or something else.

Importantly, Tang Hongen’s purpose in bringing Liu Fen and Xia Xiaolan to meet Elder Song had been achieved.

The paper Liu Fen now held, though seemingly light, carried tremendous weight.

Outside the study, Xia Xiaolan hesitated:

“Mom, when we get home, let’s frame and hang up this gift!”

Liu Fen nodded, “Of course, we can’t let the paper yellow or wrinkle.”

Well, mother and daughter weren’t quite on the same wavelength, but they reached the same conclusion—Liu Fen agreed to protect this “gift” well.

Since the ink wasn’t dry, Liu Fen had to keep holding the paper.

She carried it this way back to the main hall where the Song family waited.

Song Nanzhen stood from her chair, “You were gone quite a while.”

It had been long—a full half hour.

They’d expected to be dismissed after a few minutes of formalities.

Song Nanzhen was startled to see the “gift” in Liu Fen’s hands.

Elder Song wasn’t one to casually give out calligraphy; he only wrote for specific occasions.

The four characters “Perfect Match Made in Heaven,” with Elder Song’s signature.

What was this?

It was the Emperor’s Sword!

Who would dare say Liu Fen and Tang Hongen weren’t suited?

Even the Elder declared it a perfect match!

Song Nanzhen, who had changed her attitude early, hadn’t conflicted with Liu Fen and Xia Xiaolan, but now she momentarily lost composure: The Elder truly favored Tang Hongen.

If even she reacted this way, imagine the other Song family members.

For a moment, no one spoke.

They didn’t know what to say or had nothing to say.

Tang Hongen didn’t care whether the Song family accepted them.

Liu Fen didn’t need their approval.

Since the Elder approved the marriage, no one could undo it… Even someone as obtuse as Liu Fen was affected by the atmosphere, causing her to reexamine this casually written “gift.”

Xia Xiaolan was about to burst.

She couldn’t help it—she wanted to laugh.

The expressions of Madam Song Two and the others were truly priceless!

At this point, Xia Xiaolan didn’t know that Elder Song’s calligraphy was partly related to her.

…

In the study, Elder Song and Tang Hongen discussed the “college graduates to grassroots” initiative that evolved from Xia Xiaolan’s educational aid plan.

Tang Hongen didn’t blindly agree with Elder Song.

He spoke his mind: “It’s too early for this now. College entrance exams only resumed less than ten years ago. The first batch after the 1977 restoration graduated in 1980, and until now, there have only been six graduating classes.”

The numbers were still too small.

Tang Hongen worried they might be too proud to work at grassroots levels, making unrealistic demands.

Elder Song wasn’t one to immediately implement every idea. He didn’t dictate alone but listened to others’ opinions, especially valuing Tang Hongen’s input.

“Then let young Xia proceed with her educational aid program. Let her follow her approach, and see if our new generation of college students can endure hardship, and whether they can patiently assist education in poor areas. If this succeeds, we’ll consider giving them greater responsibilities.”

Hardship?

According to Xia Xiaolan’s plan, she wasn’t sending college students to rural areas to suffer.

The aid environment would be harder than working directly in cities.

But Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t shortchange the students’ wages. Idealism was passionate, and slogans could inspire mission completion… but to make students more engaged and proactive, spiritual fulfillment alone wasn’t enough.

These were just details though, and Tang Hongen didn’t argue with Elder Song.

He knew that with Elder Song’s support, Xia Xiaolan’s plan would succeed!

Elder Song surely saw Xia Xiaolan’s self-interest, but who besides saints truly lacked self-interest?

Rather than expecting everyone to be saints, someone like Xia Xiaolan with honest self-interest was more realistic. While seeking her prosperity, she didn’t forget to give back to society. Among those who became wealthy first, barely one in ten would do what Xia Xiaolan did.

Elder Song had new matters to handle. As Tang Hongen left the study, the Elder said in his thick accent:

“You chose your wife well, and your adopted daughter shows promise too. But young people shouldn’t focus too much on immediate gains and losses. Nurture her carefully, and she can go far.”

Girls often received compliments like clever, beautiful, or kind.

But rarely were they praised for “showing promise,” especially from Elder Song.

Tang Hongen didn’t care whether Xia Xiaolan was his biological daughter and someone like Elder Song cared even less. What importance did blood ties have?

Like Elder Song himself—he influenced Tang Hongen with his words and actions and shaped his thinking. Tang Hongen wasn’t his puppet but a successor who inherited most of his thoughts while maintaining his own judgment.

When Elder Song was gone, Tang Hongen would remain.

He would continue executing some of Elder Song’s plans.

This was true “nurturing,” unrestricted by narrow blood relationships.