In the blink of an eye, the mid-term exams were over, and school let out for summer vacation.
Summer vacation was no easy time for children in the countryside. They all had to help with chores around the house. Those over twelve who were taller and stronger joined the production team as half-laborers to earn work points. The younger ones fed the pigs and chickens, cooked meals, chopped firewood, and cut grass. Every day was busy, but there was also time to play. For instance, when they went to the mountains to chop firewood or cut grass, they would go in groups of three or five. After finishing their work, they could roam the mountainsides picking wild fruit. After coming down the mountain, they would run to the fields to dig up sweet potatoes and bake them in makeshift kilns. It was fun and filled their stomachs, a joy no less than that of city kids going to an amusement park.
