Liu Fen was slow, but not stupid.

Tang Hong’en still had an IV needle in his arm – how could he hold the bowl himself?

Liu Fen helped hold the bowl as Tang Hong’en drank the porridge in one go. The warmth in his stomach gave him some strength. When he asked Liu Fen about the situation and learned that Wang and Xia Xiaolan had gone to borrow a phone in town, he understood. The doctor had diagnosed acute pneumonia – he certainly couldn’t stay in this small hospital.

Small hospitals couldn’t get good medicine; his quick fever reduction was already a miracle.

Sensing Liu Fen’s nervousness, Tang Hong’en made casual conversation. He didn’t know Xia Xiaolan’s family situation, but Liu Fen was honest and simple – a genuine rural woman. Like Grandmother Yu, Tang Hong’en wondered how such a woman could have raised a daughter like Xia Xiaolan.

Though nervous about other topics, Liu Fen spoke endlessly about her daughter.

Xia Xiaolan certainly deserved her mother’s pride – beautiful, sensible, and good at studies:

“…She just took the preliminary exams, but the shop can’t manage without her. I’d rather she spent more time studying.”

This was news to Tang Hong’en – he knew Xia Xiaolan ran a successful private business, but she was still a student. Even someone as worldly as Tang Hong’en was surprised. Not just any student, but a high-performing senior. Tang Hong’en had new questions. Since the national college entrance exam’s reinstatement, even remote villages knew its importance. The poorest families would sell everything to let promising children focus on their studies. Why was Xia Xiaolan running around doing business?

Liu Fen was mortified.

Such private matters were better kept secret.

But when “Mr. Tang” asked, Liu Fen treated it like a leader’s inquiry – she dared not refuse to answer.

“I’m not capable… I divorced Xiaolan’s father, so she worked so hard. Though she’s a girl, she acts like she must be the man…”

Given their respective intellects, a few questions let Tang Hong’en piece together the mother and daughter’s background. He gained a new perspective on Xia Xiaolan and took notice of Liu Fen too. When should a woman mention divorce? In rural areas, many endured silently until death. Liu Fen had done the same, but rebelling for her child’s sake showed great courage.

Tang Hong’en dealt with many important matters daily and rarely remembered ordinary people.

Liu Fen had appeared twice, always beside Xia Xiaolan. Her daughter’s brilliance overshadowed her – who would remember Liu Fen?

Tang Hong’en realized he couldn’t recall what this rural woman looked like, only that she was thin and short. Without his glasses everything was foggy.

“Leader, you’re awake?”

“Leader, I’m Peng. How are you? The car’s outside – we can arrange your transfer immediately.”

The driver and secretary entered together, with Xia Xiaolan and Li Dongliang behind. Liu Fen sighed in relief – she didn’t know what else to say. Fortunately, Xiaolan returned in time with help.

Li Dongliang had taken a circuitous route to bring Tang Hong’en’s secretary back, meeting Wang and Xia Xiaolan returning from borrowing the township government’s phone. The secretary, Li Dongliang, and the doctor were nearly there, so naturally hadn’t received any calls.

The groups met on the road. Arriving at the clinic to hear the pneumonia patient was conscious, Wang and Secretary Peng rushed to check on their leader, forgetting the others.

Xia Xiaolan, Liu Fen, and Li Dongliang were exhausted. Tang Hong’en was quickly transferred to better care, but conscientiously asked Wang to stay: “Wang, take them back to the city.”

…

Secretary Peng treated the acute pneumonia like a crisis – if Tang Hong’en hadn’t refused, Peng would have sent him to a Yangcheng hospital.

The Special Zone was all newly built; Peng trusted Yangcheng hospitals more.

Tang Hong’en expected Xia Xiaolan would visit – that clever girl usually wouldn’t miss a chance to make an impression. Surprisingly, only Driver Wang came, carrying a large box:

“Leader, these are local specialties from Yunan, from Xia Xiaolan.”

“Oh? Where are they?”

“She gave me this and left, saying she needed to rush back to Shangdu.”

Wang thought Xia Xiaolan was crazy – wasn’t she trying to curry favor? Just when she had the chance, she didn’t press her advantage.

Wang didn’t understand, but Tang Hong’en had some ideas.

She must be rushing back to study – with college entrance exams in less than two months, what senior should be wandering outside their hometown? The better the student, the more they’d want a good university. Tang Hong’en said nothing. His illness kept him hospitalized for three to four days. Though initially secret, many visitors came, filling an entire room with gifts.

Before discharge, Tang Hong’en had his secretary give the room’s “gifts” to the doctors and nurses. His special status meant extra care during his stay. If he refused the gifts, the visitors would lose face; if he accepted, he didn’t want them. Giving them to the medical staff was perfect.

He didn’t forget to remind Wang to bring home the box of local specialties from Xia Xiaolan.

Wang suddenly understood.

Was Xia Xiaolan foolish? Not at all.

Helping in times of need rather than plenty, seeing the leader at his worst but not mentioning it afterward – this made a better impression. The leader truly remembered.

Indeed, Wang guessed right. Two days after Tang Hong’en returned to work, he suddenly asked Wang to call Shangdu:

“Ask her if she can come in June. We’re competing with a Hong Kong company – we need proper qualifications.”

Competing with Hong Kong in June?

As just a driver, Wang didn’t understand Tang Hong’en’s work as Secretary Peng did.

But he knew – the leader was truly going to help now.

…

Xia Xiaolan hadn’t rushed to curry favor, partly from wisdom, partly from truly needing to return to Shangdu.

She calculated the timing – the preliminary exam results should be out. It wouldn’t look right to not collect them.

Then there was Zhao Gang – who knew how Director Liang would handle him.

After briefly touring the seaside in the Special Zone, weather delayed them a night. Rushing back to Shangdu, Xia Xiaolan went straight to school. By May 14th, five days after the preliminary exam, the provincial results were tallied.

At the school gate, a banner read: “Warmly Celebrating Anqing No.1 Middle School’s 75% Pass Rate in the 1984 Preliminary Exam!”

75% pass rate?

Xia Xiaolan had heard last year’s rate was 51% – half the students failed at the preliminary stage. Principal Sun must be delighted with this year’s 75%.

Not just Principal Sun – Old Zhao the gate guard was thrilled. Seeing Xia Xiaolan, his expression was exaggerated:

“Do you know how many points you scored?”