You have to understand, the elementary schools in many counties were still far from being able to get a landline installed, yet Wen Yaozu's hometown was the Beijing Capital.
But it was in the deep countryside, part of an impoverished county.
A few years ago, it had been a designated location for the Sent-down Youth program.
"We do! Our principal has a landline in his office. When the workers came to the school to install it, all the teachers and students gathered to watch the excitement."
This morning, he had used the landline in the living room to call the female soldier operating the military district switchboard, asking her to help connect him to his school in the county.
Once the call went through, he openly gave his name and asked the principal to find Teacher Li, the one who knew how to use a computer.
He wanted to ask Teacher Li how to operate the computer.
He also chatted with his friends at school.
