Chapter 31 – Becoming a Teacher!

Shen Shaoyuan only understood the situation after Zhou Mancang explained it to him. Zhou Mancang wanted to add an art class to the brigade’s elementary school and hoped Shen Shaoyuan could serve as the art teacher.

It was said that the best elementary school in the county, Dongfanghong Elementary, offered music, art, and physical education as supplementary courses. Even Jiangbei County Workers and Peasants Elementary School, also located in the county seat, only offered physical education and music due to a lack of teachers, without an art class.

Physical education was simple—when there was no better option, students could just run and jump. Music class required a teacher who could understand and perform music. Fortunately, with model operas and revolutionary songs being popular, it was relatively easier to find someone who could play an instrument or sing. However, finding someone who could draw was extremely rare.

Since even the county’s elementary schools faced such challenges, the teacher shortage was even more severe in commune schools. At Liuqiao Commune Elementary School, they only had physical education—no music or art classes.

In fact, not just commune elementary schools, even the commune middle schools didn’t offer these two supplementary subjects.

So why did Zhou Mancang suddenly have the idea of offering an art class in their brigade’s elementary school?

To put it bluntly, it was because of Shen Shaoyuan.

Shen Shaoyuan had changed drastically in a short time—from being an average worker who even struggled to feed his family, to suddenly becoming a worker at the commune-run ceramics factory. Though technically a worker, his job was in the propaganda department. Strictly speaking, he was doing cadre work.

Not only were the other brigade members shocked, even Zhou Mancang was quite affected.

Take the brigade cadres as an example. Besides being able to record work points in the village, they also received a small subsidy from the commune, so their lives were significantly better than regular members. But compared to wage-earning workers, there was still no comparison.

Even as a temporary worker earning 18 yuan a month, one could earn over 200 yuan a year—an amount these old farmers could never have dreamed of.

Though he was shaken, Zhou Mancang never considered quitting his job as brigade leader to become a worker. Besides, even if he wanted to, there was no opportunity or pathway for him.

As a responsible and thoughtful brigade leader, Zhou Mancang started to think: since being able to write and draw was a skill that could land someone a job, what if the village children could learn it too? Not everyone would benefit from learning it, but if just a few of them could use it to make a living in the future, wouldn’t that be great?

At first, Zhou Mancang only had a vague idea. Later, he started investigating the situation in county elementary schools and even inquired about hiring practices at the county ceramics factory. When he learned that they were hiring painters—people who could draw—he became even more determined.

Previously, there were no resources. Now that he knew Shen Lao Qi (Old Seven Shen) had this skill, he wanted to figure out a way for the village kids to learn from him—perhaps it could open up more possibilities for their future.

Zhou Mancang had mulled over this for quite some time. The only issue was that Shen Shaoyuan was already working at the commune ceramics factory, so asking him to come back and teach at the brigade elementary school didn’t seem feasible.

Until recently, he heard that Shen Lao Qi’s job was somewhat unique. His work at the ceramics factory didn’t require him to clock in and out like the other workers. As long as he completed the tasks assigned by the leadership, the factory allowed him to manage his own time.

Thinking this through, Zhou Mancang felt that Shen Shaoyuan could absolutely arrange some time to come back and teach the village kids.

Shen Shaoyuan didn’t expect Zhou Mancang to think so far ahead. To want to start an art class in a small brigade elementary school when only one school in the entire county even offered such a course—that was bold.

Still, he had to admit, Zhou Mancang was indeed a responsible and pragmatic cadre who worked for the people.

But Shen Shaoyuan declined, saying, “My working hours are a bit more flexible than those of the workshop workers because I don’t work inside the workshop—I’m in places like the factory walls and the bulletin boards. And often, the tasks are clustered together. Sometimes I have to work overtime, while at other times, I might have more free time to rest.”

“But this time is not fixed, and I don’t have as much free time as you think. If you asked me to help out with something simple like writing a slogan, I could definitely make time. But teaching kids? That’s not just an hour or two—it’s a much bigger commitment. That’s not doable.”

Zhou Mancang looked disappointed. “So you’re saying it won’t work?”

Still, he made an effort to push for the children. “Well, what about this—when you do have time, could you teach them a little bit? I’ll clear out a room at the brigade headquarters and put up a blackboard. It’s right next door to your house anyway. Whenever you’re free, I’ll send someone to gather the kids. Especially during summer and winter break, they’re idle at home anyway. How about that?”

As he said this, Zhou Mancang started to regret not thinking of this two months ago—they had basically wasted an entire summer break.

Shen Shaoyuan smiled without answering directly. Instead, he asked, “If this art teacher position were a full-time job, would the treatment be the same as the other two teachers?”

Zhou Mancang sighed. He didn’t think Shen Shaoyuan was actually interested in becoming a teacher. The salary for a private teacher was only twelve yuan per month—six yuan less than a temporary worker at the ceramics factory—and without any of the factory benefits. Shen Shaoyuan obviously wouldn’t go for that.

He thought Shen Shaoyuan was just curious, so to show his sincerity, he said, “If you’re willing to come back and teach full-time, I’ll definitely go to the commune and fight to get you the same treatment as the others. Even if the commune doesn’t approve it, our brigade will compensate you with work points.”

Shen Shaoyuan nodded and said, “Alright, then let my daughter Mo’er go instead.”

Zhou Mancang was stunned. “Let Mo’er do what?”

Shen Shaoyuan replied as if it were only natural, “Didn’t you want to set up an art class at the elementary school? Compared to me, Mo’er is actually more suitable. She’s already in the village, so she can teach full-time without worrying about time. Plus, she’s not in great health—I’ve been worried that working in the fields would be too tiring for her. Letting her teach the kids would be easier, and they’d still get to learn something. It’s a win-win situation.”

He wasn’t hiding anything—he really did want his daughter to have a lighter job.

Zhou Mancang was surprised and, following Shen Shaoyuan’s logic, nodded. “That’s true… makes sense… it really is a win-win…”

Then he caught himself. “Wait, your daughter knows how to draw?”

Shen Shaoyuan gave a “do you even need to ask” kind of look. “My wife was the one who mainly taught Mo’er how to draw. I just picked things up by listening and watching. After my wife passed, Mo’er and I spent most of our time at home writing and drawing together. Her drawing skills are just as good as mine.”

Truthfully, she wasn’t quite as good. He had real passion and two decades of immersion in calligraphy and painting. Mo’er lacked consistency—when she learned, it was hit-or-miss. Her skills were decent but not outstanding. Still, teaching elementary school kids? She was more than qualified.

Of course, in front of Zhou Mancang, he had to play it up. It wasn’t like those slogans and posters gave him much of a chance to show his real skill anyway, so “just as good” was good enough.

When Zhou Mancang heard that Shen Mo’er’s skills were on par with Shen Shaoyuan’s, he immediately said, “Perfect! Don’t say ‘just as good’—if she’s even half as skilled as you, I’ll be thrilled. Alright, let’s have your Mo’er teach at the elementary school starting next term! Don’t worry—I’ll definitely go to the commune and get her registered as a private teacher!”

Zhou Mancang was overjoyed. Earlier, when Shen Shaoyuan had declined, he’d felt very disappointed. Who would’ve thought the road would twist and turn—and lead to an even better candidate!

This was excellent news!

Meanwhile, the others helped Shen Mo’er clean up the dining table and dishes. Then they all took their own dishes, chairs, and benches and said their goodbyes.

Before leaving, Aunt Chen patted Shen Mo’er’s hand reassuringly, telling her not to worry. She promised to rally the village women and spread the word about the awful behavior of the Tian sisters, Tian Fang and Tian Cui, making sure they had no chance to tarnish Shen Mo’er’s reputation.

Shen Mo’er thanked everyone and saw them out. Fu Mingze and Zheng Jiamin also left with the others, but Fu Mingze furrowed his brows slightly as he left, as if something was weighing on his mind.

Once Shen Shaoyuan finished his conversation with Zhou Mancang and walked him out, Shen Yinyin and her two sons also bid farewell to Shen Mo’er and her father.

“We’ve been out quite a while now. Beishan’ao is too remote—even sending a message is hard. If we don’t go back soon, your brother-in-law will start to worry,” Shen Yinyin said.

She was eager to return home, but she was clearly still uneasy about her younger brother and niece. That was understandable—after all, someone had just stormed in and caused a fight. And it was only the father and daughter living at the entrance of the village—how could she not worry?

Shen Yinyin said, “If those Tians come back to cause trouble, no matter what, do not open the door. Daytime is one thing, but I’m worried those wretches might sneak over in the night to do something wicked. Those two Tians are nothing good!”

Shen Mo’er reassured her, “The autumn harvest is coming. During the day, everyone will be busy gathering the crops, and at night the brigade will organize the militia to patrol the fields. Nothing will happen.”

Still, Shen Yinyin remained anxious. “Even if they don’t stir up trouble during the harvest, what about after? Once winter comes and it gets freezing cold, every household will shut their doors and huddle inside. If something were to happen then, who would know? Aiya, Shaoyuan, I’m telling you, once Mo’er turns eighteen in October, it really is time to consider finding her a match. Didn’t you say you were thinking about bringing in a live-in son-in-law? Then hurry up and start looking. Having three people at home is still better than just the two of you, right?”

Speaking of this, Shen Yinyin sighed again. “Things are better for your family now—you’ve got a house, and a job too—but these days, men willing to become live-in sons-in-law are really rare. And even if there are any, they might not be in great condition either. You’ll still have to watch out for those who come just to inherit everything—this kind of thing is tricky.”

Shen Shaoyuan chuckled. “Look at you, worrying so much. Isn’t this just borrowing trouble for no reason? My Mo’er is beautiful, has a good personality, and she’s capable too—what’s so hard about finding a man willing to live with us? No need to rush into marriage just because of a few scumbags, right? Mo’er’s going to be teaching at the village elementary school soon. Let’s wait until she’s settled in at work before we talk about anything else.”

When Shen Yinyin heard that Shen Mo’er was going to be a teacher at the village school, she was overjoyed. She figured her brother was right—once Mo’er had a stable job, finding a live-in son-in-law wouldn’t be difficult at all.

After repeatedly reminding them to stay cautious, Shen Yinyin finally left with her two sons.

She had arrived in a state of panic, fearing that her brother was starving to death, but she left in high spirits—after all, her brother’s life was clearly getting better and better.

After Shen Yinyin and her family left, Shen Mo’er turned to her father with curiosity. “So that’s what the brigade leader came to talk to you about?”

Shen Shaoyuan explained the whole situation, then said proudly, “This means you won’t have to go out to do manual labor anymore. Even during the autumn harvest, you’ll just be helping out a little. You can choose the lighter tasks.”

Shen Shaoyuan had been thinking for a while about finding his daughter a job that wasn’t so strenuous. But jobs were hard to come by in this day and age, and easy jobs were even harder. He’d spent two months in the commune and hadn’t found anything suitable. Who would’ve thought that just when things seemed bleak, the perfect job would come knocking on their door?

Yes, Zhou Mancang felt like it was a blessing in disguise—but so did Shen Shaoyuan.

Shen Mo’er was also very happy. Farm work really wasn’t her strong suit. She was a commandery princess who had grown up pampered—despite having the original host’s memories, it was still hard for her to adapt to the scorching sun and back-breaking labor. Being a teacher would be much easier—especially since she would be teaching painting. Hmm, all she had to do was teach the kids the same way her father had taught her. It would be simple.

“These painting techniques here are still quite different from the ones I used to teach you,” Shen Shaoyuan said. “But just recently I’ve been reflecting on it and have gained some new insights. I’ll teach them all to you soon.”

“Alright, I’ll try drafting a few simple and easy-to-learn teaching plans first.”

The father and daughter quickly got to discussing the matter.

The next day, Shen Shaoyuan returned to work at the kiln. First, because he had indeed been off for quite a while—although he had returned a few times and helped out with some urgent tasks, strictly speaking, it had been over ten days since he’d properly worked. So he needed to get back to his post quickly.

Secondly, it was more convenient to gather information at the commune. That big group of people who had been taken away by the Public Security Bureau the previous night still hadn’t returned, and Shen Shaoyuan wanted to find out what had happened next.

Lately, things had been relatively peaceful at the commune. With the autumn harvest approaching, all the teams were keeping to themselves. Even Liu Yunshuang from the Songshu team hadn’t stirred up trouble, which was why news of two groups from the Yangliu team getting into a brawl over marriage matters quickly spread throughout the commune that very day.

When Xu Weiguo heard that the incident somehow involved Shen Shaoyuan’s daughter, his eyes went wide, even bigger than a cow’s:
“So the fight was all over marrying your daughter?!”

Shen Shaoyuan was speechless. He briefly explained the situation and said,
“That whole ‘marriage’ thing was entirely made up. Even calling it a brawl between two Yangliu team groups isn’t accurate—one of the groups was actually from the Shashan team.”

Xu Weiguo replied,
“Sounds like the folks from Shashan team really aren’t all that bright.”

Running off to another team to pick a fight—weren’t they just asking to get beaten?

Xu Weiguo couldn’t help sighing:
“Your daughter really is starting to give off that femme fatale vibe… Hey, how about I get my wife to help find her a match?”

He had seen Shen Shaoyuan’s daughter before—back when they were pulling their hair out over designing propaganda woodblock prints, and Shen Shaoyuan had volunteered to help. He hadn’t paid much attention at the time, but thinking back on it now, that young girl really was quite pretty.

Xu Weiguo thought, with Shen Shaoyuan having only one daughter, it was entirely feasible for him to leverage some connections and marry her into the commune.

Shen Shaoyuan said bluntly,
“I plan to find her a husband who will marry into our family.”

Xu Weiguo: “……”

A rural girl marrying into a commune household was one thing. But recruiting a son-in-law from the commune? That was dreaming.

Xu Weiguo tried to persuade him:
“Don’t be so stubborn. You’ve only got one daughter—whether she marries out or brings in a husband, he’s still going to take care of you in your old age. And honestly, what kind of good match are you going to find as a live-in son-in-law? I’m telling you, I know a few young guys in the commune with decent conditions…”

Blah blah blah.

With the idea of “casting a wide net—if it doesn’t work out, just throw it back into the river,” Shen Shaoyuan finally agreed to let Xu Weiguo arrange a meeting.

So that day, Shen Shaoyuan not only returned to work, but also promised to arrange a blind date for his daughter. By the end of his shift, he had also successfully gotten information from Xu Weiguo about the follow-up to the group fight.

Those who were involved but less seriously would be detained at the Public Security Bureau for three days and then released. Tian Fang, Tian Cui, and Wang Jinbao were identified as the main culprits and would be held for half a month, to be released around the time of the autumn harvest. Additionally, Wang Jinbao was suspected of indecent behavior and would be required to issue a formal apology to Shen Lingling and provide twenty yuan in financial compensation.

Allegedly, because of this twenty-yuan compensation, Tian Cui and Tian Fang got into another fight while in detention.

Having gotten the information he wanted, Shen Shaoyuan happily headed home after work.

He believed that this twenty yuan wasn’t just going to lead to a fight in detention. It would make Tian Cui even more convinced that Tian Fang had bad intentions from the start. Even if she had paid up now under police pressure, that seed of resentment—and even hatred—was already planted in Tian Cui’s heart. Given her personality, she definitely wasn’t going to let it go. There was likely more trouble ahead for Tian Fang.

With the two sisters tearing each other apart, they’d probably be too busy to cause trouble for him and Momo for a while.

Those two sisters simply didn’t have a strong enough bond—just a bit of provocation had caused them to completely fall apart.

Shen Shaoyuan thought to himself, Not like me and my imperial brother. We went through so many schemes, betrayals, and manipulations together—if it weren’t for the rebel army breaching the city, we’d still be on good terms now.

So you really couldn’t blame him for stirring the pot. It was their own fault for being selfish and greedy.

In the days that followed, Shen Shaoyuan left early and returned late—working at the commune during the day and giving his daughter private tutoring sessions at night. The two of them worked together to plan what to teach the children and how to teach it.

Soon, the first day of school arrived. After breakfast, Shen Shaoyuan rushed to the commune, while Shen Mo’er put on a clean outfit with the fewest patches and headed to the brigade office. From there, the brigade leader Zhou Mancang took her to the village elementary school.

Yangliu Brigade’s elementary school was established in response to the call to “bring schools to the doorsteps of poor and lower-middle peasants.” Previously, it only had two classes. This autumn, with the enrollment of a new batch of students, it would still only have three classes. In theory, with two teachers—Cheng Tao and Shen Lingling—it should have been enough.

So when Zhou Mancang brought Shen Mo’er into the school office and announced that they had secured an additional teacher position for the school, meaning there would now be three teachers, Shen Lingling was completely stunned.

“What? Shen Mo’er is going to be a teacher at the village school?!”