Gu Yu looked at the stunned brigade officials and sighed softly. "I have been thinking about this for a long time. You all know my prospects are bleak and that returning to the city is a pipe dream, but given our family's background..." He muttered vaguely, "Fortunately, the Party and the country have given us a chance to reform."
He looked up and took a deep breath, his eyes reddening. The sight tugged at the heartstrings of Zhao Gang and the others. In truth, over the years, they had received many "elements" sent down for reform, but how many of them were truly deserving of death? When Gu Yu was first sent down, how much of the list of crimes in his file was actually true? But they couldn’t speak of it, didn't dare to speak of it, and furthermore, it wasn't their place to manage, nor were they capable of doing so. They looked at Gu Yu as if they had a thousand words to say, but in the end, it only condensed into, "Child, there will always be hope."
"Yes!" Gu Yu offered a faint smile and wiped the corner of his eye, maintaining an air of stubborn strength. "In these few years in the countryside, I’ve seen the brigade’s children forced to stop school every few days. Others, due to various family reasons, are already in their teens and don't know a single character. To be honest, it pains me. If children aren't educated, they won't even be considered for factory recruitment when they grow up. They’ll be stuck toiling in the fields with their parents day and night, struggling…
Chapter 56