Feng Yiping also knew that this could definitely not be kept a secret. Although the postman delivering the letter had been instructed, what about the other employees at the post office, especially the female staff? Although this was not a big deal, it could still be used as a novelty, and it was hoped that they could keep it a secret.
But he didn't expect it to be revealed so quickly.
Just as he had expected, these things really spread through the post office. During the Chinese New Year, the son-in-law of a family in the town, an employee of the county civil affairs bureau, took his son to his mother-in-law's house to pay New Year's visits. A native of the county, naturally, he flaunted his wealth and superiority in front of the townspeople.
However, although he was on the public payroll, he was only an ordinary clerk. He could only brag about how his unit was so powerful and could manage this and that, and how the benefits distributed at the end of the year were so generous.
In the end, it was inevitable that they would compare their children. He emphasised that his son had won third prize in the 'Sprouting' Cup composition competition organised by the city.
In saying these things, he was actually fighting a battle, a battle without smoke that would take place every Spring Festival and at every gathering.
It is also the custom in the town. He took his son with him and had to visit several families for a meal. Later, when they arrived at the cousin of his brother-in-law's house, he bragged about it again. Of course, everyone praised it, saying, 'This child is good and will definitely have a bright future.'
The woman of the house works at the post office. She can't compete with her in terms of work, as she is in the town while the other woman is in the county. She also can't compete with her in terms of children, as her child's grades are just average in the class, while the other woman's son has at least won third prize in the city.
But at the moment, seeing the way he is, making everyone there turn around to him, and his husband, as the host, unable to say anything, she felt a little resentful and interjected, 'It's true, kids these days are amazing. In our village, a child who has just started junior high school has published two short stories in Harvest magazine in less than half a year, and earned more in royalties than I do in two years' salary.'
The clerk from the Civil Affairs Bureau nearly choked on a mouthful of wine when he heard this, and the guests' attention was diverted.
He was the only one who felt good when he praised his child in front of a group of parents, and when others agreed with him. Who else really felt good?
The guests were also people from the town. This is the psychology of people. When someone from the county, glowing with health and a little self-deprecating, talks about how wonderful their child is, and everyone else's child really isn't as good, it seems like flattery, but deep down, people are a little unhappy. They feel that if their child isn't very good, they have to find a child who is to make them look good.
Now, we have a child here who is even better than your son. He has published two articles in national magazines. He must be better than the third prize winner of your city's composition competition. Although he is not our family's child, he is after all from our town.
So they asked one after the other, really, what magazine? How old is that child? Where is he from? Next, the matter spread from family to family.
That day, Tang Shaokang, who lived in the town, heard the rumour, but he only paid it a passing ear and didn't take it seriously. Is this for real? It's just a lie to fool children.
Yesterday, Ye Meng went to her aunt's house, which was also the home of the postmaster, to watch the Lantern Festival night's drum and bell opera in the town. She heard her aunt mention this incident and said that it was their school, also a junior high school student, and her grandfather was in Meijiayuan.
When she was riding in Tang Shaokang's car today, she told him about it, and Tang Shaokang took it seriously. After thinking about it, he thought it might be Feng Yiping, and that's why he just tried it out.
They are no longer children, and although Feng Yiping repeatedly denied it, it was no longer very convincing.
Ye Meng smiled and told him, 'It's not a bad thing, so why hide it?'
Feng Yiping could not say, 'I don't want people to know, I don't want to be famous,' because this argument seemed absolutely unreasonable and pretentious to his peers. So, he could only change the subject.
He had also thought about whether he could say that he had copied it. He immediately rejected this idea, as it would have a huge impact on his personal reputation. The countryside is actually a place that values integrity, and as the old saying goes, 'Good deeds don't leave the house, but bad deeds travel a thousand li.' This has been repeatedly proven in the countryside. If he said today that he had copied it, tomorrow relatives and friends from all over the countryside would know.
He didn't want to start from now on with the title of being dishonest and a thief.
At the same time, as a veteran, he knows very well that in order to cover up a lie, one has to make up more lies – just to make things worse.
So he might as well admit it, and at most it will just cause a little trouble.
Wang Changning has figured out what's going on, and sincerely feels happy for Feng Yiping. 'Good, so you hid this from us too. Tell me, is there anything else you're hiding?'
Feng Yiping smiled bitterly, 'Big brother, you didn't ask either. Besides, this is no big deal, do you want to advertise it?'
Wang Changning said, 'This is in your character, but I can see why your parents agreed to find you a house in the countryside.'
Rumours spread fast. That night, all the students knew, and the next morning, even the chef in the canteen heard about it. When Feng Yiping went to the canteen, he was on his guard against the attention he received from all sides, but at the same time, he received preferential treatment from the chef. The congee he ordered was so good that you could definitely stand chopsticks upright in it.
When the headmaster heard this, he remembered something else. A few days ago, when he was drinking with Lao Zhu from the town middle school, Lao Zhu asked him if he knew a student named Feng Yiping. Although he didn't teach first-year classes, he knew that Feng Yiping was first in his year and second in the whole county in the final exam last semester.
As the principal of the town's middle school, Lao Zhu must have known about this. Now, what was the point of asking this out of the blue? When Lao Zhu was asked why, he just laughed and didn't answer. Now I think it was because of this.
Competition between schools is fierce. The results of the town's middle school are better than those of Liangjiahe Middle School. Of course, they also have good results. But now what makes the school look good is various competitions, such as the mathematics and physics Olympiad, and various composition competitions. No school can have too many of these specialised talents.
When homeroom teacher Wang Yumin heard the news, he was silent for a long time, stopped preparing his lesson, and wanted to go find the two magazines. Teacher Zhu stopped him, 'There's no need to go. Only Lao Peng subscribes to that magazine at school, and it's definitely been borrowed by someone by now.'
Wang Yumin thought about it and said, 'You really think Feng Yiping wrote that?'
Teacher Zhu was looking at the chess record book. 'If it's not him, then who else could it be? He would have to find someone to copy from. Think about it, among the people he comes into contact with, who could write? And only two articles in six months?'
Wang Yumin just subconsciously didn't want to believe it. How should I put it? It's a bit like the waves of the Yangtze River, with the later waves pushing the earlier ones, and the earlier ones dying on the beach. 'Well, look, he must have written the first article during the summer holidays, when he had just finished primary school!'
Teacher Zhu said, 'I told you that Feng Yiping was different. He is far more mature than his peers. Do you believe me now?'
The first lesson of the morning was English. The teacher was a middle-aged woman. Perhaps because she taught English, she paid a lot of attention to her appearance and made a point of wearing makeup. However, due to her skills and the makeup she used, the effect of her careful grooming was often negative.
For example, today, she missed the point again, not addressing the swollen eyes, but painting her lips too red and too thick. And the face powder... Oops, Feng Yiping glanced at her and immediately decided that it was better not to look at her next.
But the teacher singled him out, 'Great writer, come, recite the first subsection of this lesson.'
His classmates all laughed at him, and Feng Yiping stood up and said, 'Teacher, please don't embarrass me. I was just really lucky.'
Anyway, Feng Yiping was given the nickname "great writer".
After lunch, he was extorted by Wang Changning and Xiao Zhijie, and spent six yuan in the canteen on a tin of biscuits. Six yuan! If Mei Qiuping knew, she would be heartbroken and lecture him.
Feng Yiping reckons that at least two yuan was spent on the tin box the biscuits came in, but Xiao Zhijie refused to let him buy them in any other packaging.
And that wasn't all. Xiao Zhijie said, 'That's not all. You've made a lot of money, so don't think you can get rid of us so easily.'
Wang Changning added, 'That's right. Come on, eat up. Give me the box when you're done.'
Xiao Zhijie immediately snatched the box away from him. 'What's wrong with this? I said I wanted to buy this kind because I like the box. I've wanted to buy it for a long time, but I've never been able to afford it.'
Seeing Feng Yiping looking at him teasingly, he quickly added, 'Of course, I don't have any money either, I can't afford it.'
The sun was shining, so they went to their usual spot and leaned against the water tower, basking lazily in the sun.
Feng Yiping told him about renting a room in the countryside for the summer vacation. Xiao Zhijie was very excited, 'Really?'
After getting a positive reply, "That's great!'
Wang Changning hit him, "Will your parents agree?'
'Pfft, if I want to, they'll have to agree.'