Chapter 179: University Subsidies
At Peking University.
In a dormitory.
While no one else was around, Deng Yunheng opened his suitcase and tucked a substantial sum of 550 yuan into the pocket of a piece of clothing at the bottom.
Of the 550 yuan, 500 was the living expenses his father had given him for the entire year.
In this era, university tuition was entirely free, and students also received generous meal tickets and cash subsidies each month. For example, after completing his registration, Deng Yunheng received this month's meal tickets from the department office: 9 kilograms of miscellaneous grains, 7 kilograms of rice, and 20 kilograms of noodles, totaling 36 kilograms.
Although the cash subsidy hadn't been issued yet, he had already learned that it would be 21.5 yuan per month.
These benefits highlighted how valuable college students were at the time. Even in cities, let alone rural areas, how many young workers could earn more than 20 yuan a month? And that was without factoring in the additional 36 kilograms of meal tickets.
Over the past few days, Deng Yunheng had heard that some senior students from struggling families would send their entire cash subsidy back home. As long as they had meal tickets, they wouldn't starve. As for actual food, it was left to fate—some managed to pick up leftovers, while others went hungry.
With the school's subsidy, he could have a fairly decent life, yet his father still provided him with a generous living allowance.
On one hand, this was to fulfill a promise. His father had once assured him that if he got into college, regardless of which one, he would receive 50 yuan in monthly living expenses.
On the other hand, before he left, his father advised him to build strong relationships with like-minded classmates during his university years. He also encouraged him to offer small favors to classmates from financially struggling families whenever necessary. These small investments, his father said, would bring unimaginable returns in the future.
Hearing his father's words, Deng Yunheng felt as if a fog had lifted, revealing a clear sky. He admired his father's foresight and already had a plan for the future—he was determined not to disappoint him.
The additional 50 yuan came from a red envelope his sister-in-law had given him before he left home, which contained a total of 88 yuan. She had been very generous. He placed the 50 yuan alongside the 500 from his father in his suitcase, locking it securely. The remaining amount he kept for daily expenses.
Now, standing on the grand stage of Peking University, with the confidence his father had instilled in him, it was up to him to prove himself!
…
Compared to his exhausting journey to Beijing, Deng Shirong felt much more at ease on the way back alone.
Even though he still had to endure several days and nights on the train and the stifling carriage smell remained unchanged, there was one advantage—he could now freely use his system space. He could eat what he wanted without having to explain to anyone where the food came from.
Of course, he still avoided eating at his seat whenever possible, preferring to eat at the train station platforms.
Four days later, Deng Shirong arrived in Nanning and stayed overnight. The next day, he took a bus to the Temple Lotus intersection and got off. By the time he walked back to Thatchfield Village, it was already past three in the afternoon.
This trip to the capital had taken over ten days, with several days spent in Beijing itself. In total, he had been away for more than half a month.
"Uncle Jiu, you're back! Is Beijing big? Are the buildings tall?"
"Uncle Jiu, did you go to Tiananmen Square?"
"Uncle Jiu, have you seen the Great Wall?"
…
As soon as the villagers saw Deng Shirong return, they eagerly surrounded him with questions.
For the Chinese people, the capital held a special significance unmatched by any other place. Even in later generations, if an elderly man or woman from the village visited Beijing, they would proudly talk about it for at least ten days to half a month—if not for a year or two.
In this era, visiting the capital was even more prestigious. Anyone who had the opportunity to go was undoubtedly the most talked-about figure in the village.
It was no surprise that his return drew such curiosity.
Although Deng Shirong wasn't one to show off, he couldn't ignore the enthusiasm of his younger relatives and neighbors. He patiently answered their questions one by one, leaving the villagers in awe and deep admiration for the grandeur of the capital.
"Oh, if I ever get a chance to visit Beijing and see the world, I'd have no regrets in life!"
"Yes! I really want to see the capital's prosperity, but unfortunately, I don't have the means."
"I envy Uncle Jiu so much! And now that Uncle Yunheng is studying in Beijing, he'll probably stay there after graduation. That means Uncle Jiu will get to spend plenty of time in the capital too!"
…
Hearing their envious words, Deng Shirong smiled and said, "There's no need to envy me. Focus on your children's education. If they get into a university in Beijing, you'll have a reason to visit the capital yourselves!"
At this, the villagers sighed bitterly. Every parent hoped their children would make it to university, but most of them struggled with their studies. Nine out of ten failed their exams. It seemed more realistic to wish for a pie to fall from the sky than to hope their children would make it to university.
After chatting for a while, Deng Shirong made his way home.
At home, the younger children were still at school. Liu Huakang, the "tutor," was explaining homework to the eldest daughter, while the eldest son was helping his wife study. Everyone was focused on learning.
Hearing footsteps, they looked up and saw Deng Shirong enter.
"Dad!"
"Dad!"
"Uncle Jiu!"
Deng Shirong nodded at his son, daughter, and daughter-in-law before turning to Liu Huakang. "Teacher Liu, thank you for your hard work. How has Zhen been doing in school lately?"
Liu Huakang waved his hand dismissively. "It's not hard at all. Little Zhen is a great student. She's already mastered the first semester's coursework. Once she reinforces what she's learned, she can move on to the second semester's material."
Deng Shirong nodded approvingly before turning to his eldest daughter-in-law. "Ah Ping, don't push yourself too hard with studying. Make sure to rest. You'll have plenty of time to learn in the future."
Zhang Xiuping smiled. "I know, Dad. I study when I'm in the mood. I won't overwork myself."
Deng Yuntai asked excitedly, "Dad, is the capital really that amazing? Where did you go? Tell us about it!"
Deng Shirong chuckled. "The capital is indeed impressive, but I didn't visit many places. Even though I was there for several days, most of my time was spent traveling. The train ride alone took four days and three nights, and it took even more time to get to Nanning from here. Altogether, the trip took over ten days."
Deng Yunzhen gasped. "Oh my god, more than ten days just for travel? That's way too far!"
Deng Yuntai and the others were equally stunned. They all knew Beijing was far, but none of them had ever considered exactly how far. Now, hearing that the journey took more than ten days, they couldn't help but be astonished.
(End of this chapter)