Kyoto General Hospital had borrowed the school cafeteria for the occasion, providing a free meal for each candidate. It included two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, a staple food, and soup. Many ate the hearty meal with tears in their eyes. 'This is the kind of life we've been longing for.'
After eating, no one strayed far. They stayed in the classroom hallways, holding their books and quietly studying.
They had grown accustomed to the August heat, and a sense of restlessness had become natural. But this was different. They had endured the hard labor of the countryside and the crushing disappointment of having their hopes of returning to the city dashed time and again.
They had never imagined they would one day be able to walk into a classroom again, to stand at a crossroads in their lives.
Chi Yun'er sat in her office, looking through each person's application materials.
