Axolotl Translations

Qiao Haoxuan and his family had returned to the capital three years ago. Unlike his younger brother, Qiao Haoyu, who had been promoted, Haoxuan’s return was a professional reassignment.

He’d been injured, so he could no longer continue his preferred line of work. After much deliberation, he chose a new specialization. He was discharged from the military with the rank of lieutenant colonel and became the director of a branch bureau within the Beijing Public Security Bureau. His wife and children moved back with him.

Now, his wife was working as a high school teacher. Their eldest child, Qiao Youzu, was sixteen and had just started high school. The second child, Qiao You’an, was nine, and the youngest, a daughter, was five. Following her brothers’ naming pattern, she was named Qiao Younan.

The family lived in housing assigned by Qiao Haoxuan’s workplace. Both parents were busy with work, so they rarely visited the family compound. This time, they were only staying the night because Qiao Haoyu’s family had returned.

Early the next morning, feeling refreshed after a good night’s rest, Wei Jiajia came downstairs. The first-floor living room had already been taken over by the children, who were huddled together, talking excitedly about something that sparked bursts of awe and laughter.

In the kitchen, Mother Qiao and the eldest sister-in-law were preparing breakfast. As for the three Qiao men—father and sons—they were nowhere to be seen. Looking at the warm and lively scene before her, Wei Jiajia couldn’t help but smile. She felt deeply content to have married into the Qiao family, surrounded by so many loved ones.

Once the entire family had finished breakfast, everyone left for work—except the eldest sister-in-law, who was on school holiday. Even Qiao Haoyu hurried off to report to his new post; after all, they were still waiting for the keys to their new home.

Only Wei Jiajia and her sister-in-law were left at home with the six children. The kids couldn’t sit still indoors for long, so Youzu took his younger siblings out to play. It wasn’t until then that the two women finally had a quiet moment to catch up.

“Have you decided where Youhui and the others will go to school? There isn’t one inside the compound,” the eldest sister-in-law asked.

“Not yet. Do you have any suggestions?” Wei Jiajia admitted she was a bit worried about it. This compound was different from the one they used to live in. Their old place had been remote but densely populated, like a small, self-contained community, complete with full facilities from daycare to high school. But here, that wasn’t the case.

In Beijing, there were shuttle buses running into the city every day, and most kids attended school there. They stayed for lunch and came home in the afternoon. There were many schools in the city, and plenty of options to choose from.

Now that the children were older, she wasn’t worried about them commuting. Plus, the three would be together. What concerned her was the quality of education. These past few years, political movements had made teachers feel constantly on edge.

Even though things had calmed down, the lingering effects remained. Unlike in the military districts, where discipline was strict, schools here might be lax—she feared the kids might just be coasting along. And with the college entrance exam resuming next year, that was a serious concern.

She knew the college entrance examination would be reinstated—but others didn’t. For now, college admissions were still based on worker-peasant-soldier recommendations, and so many promising students were being wasted because of this unfair system.

Looking at Wei Jiajia’s furrowed brows and worried expression, eldest sister-in-law couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. A woman in her thirties, already a mother of three, yet her figure remained perfectly curvy, her skin still fair and smooth like a young girl’s, not a wrinkle in sight. She was stunningly beautiful—if she were a man, she would’ve probably handed over her heart the moment Wei Jiajia frowned. No wonder her younger brother-in-law doted on her so much. Honestly, if she were a man, she probably would too.

Eldest sister-in-law quickly composed herself, trying not to be too distracted by Wei Jiajia’s beauty. She admired her, but there was no jealousy. After all, she had a loving husband, and so did she.

She’d always been clear-headed about this—she might not be as beautiful as Wei Jiajia, but she wasn’t lacking either. Out in public, people still looked at her with admiration. Women as stunning as Wei Jiajia were rare; it was just chance that they’d ended up as family.

Smiling, she said, “Why don’t you let the kids attend our school? Yuzu is there too—he can look after them.”

Hearing that, Wei Jiajia was a bit tempted. With eldest sister-in-law around to keep an eye on things, she’d feel more at ease. But after thinking it through, she hesitated. “But Yuzu is in high school already, right? The triplets are just starting middle school.”

“Don’t worry,” eldest sister-in-law replied with a smile. “Our school has both middle and high school on the same campus.”

“There’s even a shuttle stop right by the school—it’s convenient. Plus, they wouldn’t have to eat at the school cafeteria. They can come home with Yuzu for lunch. The food at school just can’t compare—hardly any oil or flavor. The kids are still growing; we can’t let them go without proper meals. If they don’t eat well now, it’ll affect their height later.”

She was thinking long-term. She already cooked lunch every day for her three, so adding a few more wouldn’t make much difference. Her husband only had one brother, and judging by how things were going, her brother-in-law had a bright future ahead. It made sense to maintain a good relationship between the two families.

Wei Jiajia thought she had a point. The kids were growing fast, and nutrition mattered. They’d gotten used to eating her food, and probably wouldn’t adjust quickly to the bland cafeteria meals.

“All right,” she said. “How about I take them over to the school tomorrow morning, after you leave for work? Sorry for the trouble, Sister-in-law.”

“Sure,” Sister-in-law Qiao said. “Come by in the morning. After I clock in, I’ll talk to the principal about transferring them.”

Now that the school issue was settled, Wei Jiajia, always quick to return a favor, turned the conversation around.

“Now that the movement is over,” she said, “a lot of places are trying to set things right again. Do you think the college entrance exam might come back?”

Eldest sister-in-law’s body stiffened. She looked at Wei Jiajia in disbelief—she hadn’t expected her to say that. But thinking it over quietly, it didn’t seem so far-fetched. So many others had been rehabilitated—why couldn’t the college entrance exams be reinstated?

Pretending not to notice the reaction, Wei Jiajia continued, “In the past few years, our country has suffered from a severe knowledge gap—so many industries have stagnated. Now that there’s finally some light at the end of the tunnel, of course, we need to push forward with everything we’ve got. If the college entrance exam isn’t reinstated, who will lead the development? Those so-called ‘worker-peasant-soldier’ students who just muddled through?”

She curled her lip in disdain. She knew it wasn’t fair to lump everyone together, but how many of those so-called students were truly eager to learn? Most of them had gotten in through connections, simply to get a diploma and a cushy job.

Just a few years ago, wasn’t there even a so-called “hero who challenged the tide” by handing in a blank exam? Just thinking about it made Wei Jiajia angry. If he was a hero, then what were all the students who rose early, studied hard, and tried to change their fate through diligence?

“When do you think it’ll come back?” Sister-in-law Qiao turned her head slightly and asked in a hushed, eager voice. She thought Wei Jiajia was absolutely right. How had she never considered this before? If the country wanted to move forward, the college entrance exam had to return. Her eldest son had just entered high school this year. No matter when the exam resumed, she would make sure he took it. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—she couldn’t afford to let it slip away.

And then there were the students she taught. Sure, some of them just coasted through, but that was because they didn’t see a future. They figured they’d get a diploma and head to the countryside or take a job after graduation. They had no hope, so they didn’t try. But if the college exam came back and there was a clear path forward, who wouldn’t be willing to give it their all? The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. She couldn’t wait to go home and organize her teaching materials, ready to throw herself back into her calling.

Wei Jiajia made a show of thinking it over, then replied uncertainly, “I don’t think it’ll take more than three years. It has to come back—our country can’t afford to wait.”

“Yes, yes, it won’t be long,” Eldest sister-in-law nodded vigorously, her smile stretching from ear to ear. If she could endure ten years of this, what were two or three more? As long as she taught well, the kids would learn. And with the political movement finally over, she no longer feared trouble. Besides, it’s not like her husband was someone to be messed with anyway.

That evening, when everyone got home from work, they were greeted by a sight they weren’t used to: Eldest sister-in-law humming cheerfully as she bustled around the kitchen. It was so unusual it made everyone feel slightly uncomfortable. Had she found money or something?

Qiao Haoxuan leaned over and whispered to his son, “What’s with your mom? Why is she so happy today?”

The others, overhearing him, turned to look as well. Everyone was curious.

Qiao Yuzu looked just as baffled. She’d already been like this when they came home at lunch. He shook his head—he had no idea.

Seeing that there were no answers, Qiao Haoxuan didn’t press it. He figured once they were alone, his wife wouldn’t be able to hold it in.

At dinner, seeing his eldest daughter-in-law enthusiastically serving food to everyone, Mother Qiao couldn’t hold back any longer. “Yuzhu,” she asked, “what happened today? Something good?”

Eldest sister-in-law heard Qiao Mother’s question and looked a bit puzzled. She thought for a moment and replied, “Nothing really happened. Jiajia and I just stayed home tidying up today, didn’t go out at all. Why? Did something happen in the compound?”

She thought Mother Qiao was asking about something that happened in the neighborhood and curiously asked in return.

Seeing that she hadn’t grasped her meaning, Mother Qiao asked more directly, “Why are you so happy today?”

“Ah? Me?” She touched her face and turned to the others. “Is it that obvious?”

When everyone nodded, she finally realized it. She hadn’t expected her emotions to show so plainly today.

She turned to her mother-in-law and said, “Nothing really happened. I was just thinking about something that made me happy.”

Hearing that, everyone set aside their curiosity and lowered their heads to eat.

But she couldn’t hold it in and added, “Today, Jiajia and I were speculating that the college entrance exam might be reinstated.”

As soon as she said that, the table fell silent. Everyone looked up at her, no one speaking for a moment.

“Wh-what’s wrong?” Eldest sister-in-law asked nervously.

Family patriarch Qiao Mingli was the first to speak. “Why do you think that?”

Although some people in higher positions had suggested it before, the idea had quickly been dismissed. Not many people knew about it—how had his daughters-in-law caught wind of it?

Eldest sister-in-law quickly repeated the reasoning she and Jiajia had gone over, then looked expectantly at everyone.

“Dad!” Qiao Haoxuan looked at his father. If there was even a chance it was true, his father might’ve heard something. His own son was already in high school—he couldn’t afford not to care.

“What’s the rush? Even if it does get reinstated, just like Jiajia said, the earliest would be next year. There’s still time,” Qiao Mingli replied, then added a warning: “No one is to spread this around. If someone else hears about it, it won’t end well for us. The higher-ups just rejected the proposal—it’s unclear when it’ll be brought up again. Let’s just wait and see. There’ll be news eventually.” With that, he lowered his head and continued eating, ignoring what the others might think.

When Father Qiao said that, eldest sister-in-law broke out in a cold sweat. She had actually been thinking of telling her own relatives about it—but now, she wouldn’t dare breathe a word. If someone caught wind and used it against them, it could bring trouble to the whole family.

Qiao Haoxuan patted his wife lightly. He understood how she felt. After all, she was a teacher, responsible for educating high school students—of course she hoped those kids could have a bright future. But for now, with things still uncertain, it was best for her to stay cautious.

Qiao Youzu and the triplets had also understood what the adults were talking about. Realizing the seriousness of the matter, they didn’t say anything further. Still, deep inside, Qiao Youzu had already set a goal for himself: to study hard and go to college.

Qiao Haoyu glanced at his wife and smiled. He knew for sure: the college entrance exam would be reinstated. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have brought it up. She was saying it now because she wanted her eldest sister-in-law’s family to start preparing early. It likely wouldn’t be long.

Wei Jiajia gave her husband a puzzled look—why was he smiling like that? But she still responded with a gentle smile of her own, then lowered her head and resumed eating. She’d already given the heads-up; the rest was up to them. As for herself, she had to start thinking about what to prepare for her own three little ones to begin school.

The next morning, a little after nine, Wei Jiajia took the kids and rode the bus to her sister-in-law’s school. It was about an hour’s ride. After finishing the enrollment paperwork, they arrived just in time to have lunch at eldest sister-in-law’s place.

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