Chapter 43

It only takes 10 minute walk to the Military District’s Primary School.

Except for the first day of school, when Grandma Zhang sent Xiao Zhuzi to school, every day after that, he walked to school on his own. 

Han Cheng wanted to take Zhuzi to school as he went to work, but, Zhuzi refused.

This was the first time Su Xiaoxiao came to the Military District’s Primary School. The infrastructure of each school in this era is basically the same as that in the 21st century. There are basic configurations such as playgrounds, basketball courts, and football fields. It is probably the only elementary school in the entire military region, and the infrastructure has been done well in all aspects.

Su Xiaoxiao explained her intention to the guard and went straight to the Teacher’s office.

The school is fairly big, so Su Xiaoxiao found the office after passing by almost half of the school and asking for directions from the students.

Su Xiaoxiao knocked at the door and went in. Cheng Lifang and several parents, who were talking about this and that, paused when they saw Su Xiaoxiao enter the room. 

Several children were standing by the wall. Su Xiaoxiao recognized one kid, it turns out it was Cheng Lifang’s son, Dashu. 

Xiao Zhuzi was also there, he was standing there, he didn’t look well, and it seems like there were bruises on his face.

If Xiao Fantuan came with his mother, without any doubt, he would recognize these kids, they were the ones who blocked him and Xiao Zhuzi on their way home that very day, but in the end, Xiao Zhuzi scared the bad children with big stones.

When Xiao Zhuzi saw Su Xiaoxiao, his eyes started to turn red, and he felt a little uneasy. He wondered whether his Aunt Su would think he is a bad kid for fighting with other children and not liking him anymore.

The corner of Zhuzi’s mouth twitched, and before he could speak, Cheng Lifang’s sharp voice rang out first: “Oh, here she is. What kind of children can this person raise? In the past, Zhang Zhu was obedient, however, as soon as he lived in your house, he learned to talk back and fight. Those who handle cinnabar are stained red; those who work with ink are stained black.^[1]you are the product of your environment Director Liu, don’t you think so?”

Director Liu is a middle-aged man with thick glasses who looks very gentle. He was stunned when he saw Su Xiaoxiao. It seems that he didn’t expect Su Xiaoxiao to be so young, He lifted his glasses: “You’re Zhang Zhu’s parent now, aren’t you? Zhang Zhu had a fight with several students for no apparent reason, and without being persuaded, he directly pushed someone down to the ground to fight. The situation is relatively serious. The parents of the students who were beaten demanded an apology and compensation for the medical expenses. I am also aware of student Zhang Zhu’s situation, he was indeed, a very obedient and clever child before, and I also know that he recently moved to your home. Is there any deviation in his education that would lead to a significant change in his temperament? Now that the child has come into your life, you should pay more attention to the child’s problem.”

Director Liu was impartial and spoke straight to the point, but he did not make Su Xiaoxiao feel uncomfortable.

However, she never thought or imagined that Xiao Zhuzi could fight. Xiao Zhuzi was indeed very obedient and had a very peaceful temperament. He had been worried that he would be bullied at school, but he didn’t expect him to push people to the ground and fight.

Xiao Zhuzi straightened his back and looked at Director Liu with a stubborn face: “Aunt Su’s family is very kind to me. Fighting with people was my own decision, and not caused by Aunt Su. You are not allowed to say bad things to Aunt Su!”

Su Xiaoxiao turned around and gave Zhuzi a comforting look and said softly, “Zhuzi, don’t worry. Tell me what happened. Did they fight you first?”

Zhuzi looked at her with red eyes and lowered his head, refusing to speak.

Cheng Lifang snatched up the words and said, “Why won’t he start the fight first? It’s already clear that Zhang Zhu beat up our child for no reason, and he still refuses to admit it. You should teach the child properly and not just covet the child’s subsidies. With these subsidies, many people here are willing to adopt Zhang Zhu. If he keeps this attitude, we will consider persuading him to leave your family. Don’t delay other people’s children. Am I right, Director Liu?”

“Auntie Su is not greedy for my subsidies, and I won’t go anywhere except Auntie Su’s house!”  Zhuzi suddenly shouted at Cheng Lifang, “You are a bad teacher, you can’t teach well. All you know is curse at people and make them stand all day outside the room. Aunt Su’s lecture is much better than yours! She taught Fantuan what I learned for a semester in just a week! Your son, Dashu, only knows how to curse, beat people, and rob things! Why can’t I fight back?! Why?! They are bad children, they bully me all day, saying I don’t have a father or mother and no one cares about me. Wuwu… wuwu… I now have my Aunt Su and Uncle Han in charge of me, and no one will be able to bully me anymore! Aunt Su I…. hic…I’m not a bad kid, it’s them. They robbed the candy Fantuan gave, they beat me, cursed at me, cursed at you, and cursed at Fantuan, so I fought back. I remember everything you and Uncle Han taught me. Our children should be reasonable and not take the initiative to cause trouble or fight, and I remembered it all. Wuwu Wuwu… “
The children of the poor had long been the masters of the family. Xiao Zhuzi had been dependent on his grandmother since childhood and had grown used to being bullied. He would not tell his grandma about the bullying when he returned home. He had always been obedient to adversity and was relatively weak in character. This was the first time he experienced such an emotional outburst.

Perhaps it’s also because, after arriving at Su Xiaoxiao’s house, everyone treated him very well. Su Xiaoxiao and Han Cheng corrected his three views,^[2] The “three views” refers to views on the world, life, and values especially after spending a long time with Xiao Fantuan. He became much more confident in himself and was no longer submissive. Especially when they poked their reverse scale, such as by cursing at Su Xiaoxiao and Fantuan, he couldn’t contain his emotions and exploded, voicing out all the words he had repressed in his heart.

Su Xiaoxiao felt heartbroken and pulled the child over to protect him. She rubbed Zhuzi’s head and said, “Don’t cry. Aunt Su believes in Zhuzi. Our child is a strong young man. You only need to explain what happened clearly, and Director Liu will give us justice. “

This feeling of being trusted and protected is too good. Instead of stopping his tears from falling, Xiao Zhuzi cried even harder, holding Su Xiaoxiao’s leg. He is not a neglected child, he has parents.

Su Xiaoxiao lightly glanced around the people in the room and said, “For a long time, you left your children unsupervised, and they even oppressed a poor child who has no father or mother. This child is still a martyr’s orphan in our military region, and you people usually ignore him, but let’s just forget your indifference, Do all of you still have the face to stand here and ask this pitiful child to apologize and pay for medical expenses? Don’t you feel any shame? Are you not afraid that this child’s father will come to you in your dreams at night to seek justice from you?”

The other children lowered their heads in silence; however, Dashu, who was used to being stubborn and was taught to be lawless by Cheng Lifang, interrupted: “He brought milk candy today, and we asked him if he would give it to us, and he didn’t! He even dared to fight back, and when beaten, it was his fault!”

“Shut up, Dashu!” Cheng Lifang stopped her son.

Zhang Zhu is usually a child who won’t fight back and keeps silent. At first, she thought he was mute. He wouldn’t answer any questions in class. When he was punished, he just stood obediently at the door. Just now, when Director Liu asked him, he was still stubborn and didn’t say a word. Cheng Lifang thought it would be over when she taunted Su Xiaoxiao and made her apologize and compensate for the medical expenses. How could she expect this child to speak?

After arguing for a long time, they were still the ones who beat other people’s sons first, so they were very depressed.

In these years, people are simple and honest, and the majority of them are good people. At first, several other parents thought it was Zhuzi who beat their son for no reason. After all, no one has ever reported to them that their children bullied Zhuzi. After listening to what Zhuzi and Su Xiaoxiao said, combined with Dashu’s words, and looking at such a poor Zhuzi, who finally got the toffee and was robbed by them. No wonder such a poor child resisted and beat them all by himself.

Several parents finished their introspection and have immediately taken their children to apologize to Su Xiaoxiao and Zhuzi, saying that they will go home and educate their children well. Some parents also slap their children’s buttocks in front of them, saying that if they dare to bully Zhuzi in the future, even if Zhuzi beats them, they will straight up face the stick; several bear children cried loudly.

The kind parents also said that if Zhuzi needed to go to a hospital, they would also be willing to pay for the medical expenses.

Su Xiaoxiao bent down and looked at Zhuzi’s injury. It wasn’t serious, but there was a small bruise under the corner of his eye. Zhuzi was also a young tiger cub, his fist was quite heavy, and he beat the children badly; they also had several blood marks on their faces. 

They moved their hands first, and Su Xiaoxiao naturally wouldn’t pay for their medical expenses. In short, let the child shake hands and make peace, so that they won’t fight again in the future. It’s over.

Director Liu himself felt embarrassed and didn’t expect things to develop like this in the end.

Let other parents take their children back first, leaving only Director Liu, Cheng Lifang, Dashu, Su Xiaoxiao, and Xiao Zhuzi in the office.

Cheng Lifang suffered a great loss for her son’s disappointment, but at this time she could only admit it through gritted teeth: “I’m sorry Director Liu, Zhang Zhu has been silent, I thought it was him who hit people first, and I didn’t expect that to happen.”

“Apologize!” Su Xiaoxiao spoke before Director Liu spoke.

“What?” Cheng Lifang didn’t understand her meaning.

Su Xiaoxiao had a hard time looking good towards Cheng Lifang: “Your son stole and robbed things, and he also beat and cursed at people. Which one should he not apologize for? “

It’s absolutely impossible for her to apologize to the country girl, Cheng Lifang, and say, “This is one size fits all. The fight is a mistake for both sides…'”

Before she could finish speaking, Su Xiaoxiao gently interrupted her and said, “Director Liu, are you still planning to keep this kind of teacher who misleads and misjudges others for the New Year?”

Director Liu’s face turned pale, and he said, “Teacher Cheng, apologize to Comrade Su’s child quickly.”

Cheng Lifang: “This is not…”

Su Xiaoxiao was too lazy to listen to her, and her voice was really noisy: “Director Liu, next year our family, Fantuan, will also come to join the class for the first grade. I really can’t feel at ease about entrusting my two children to a teacher who misleads children. How about, I apply to take her place and take over the classes she handles in the future? Either we let her do the odd jobs or we fire her. In short, we can’t let such people spoil the future pillars of our motherland.”

Cheng Lifang smiled angrily and said, “Can a country girl like you recognize characters? Do you even dare to teach?”

Director Liu saw Su Xiaoxiao has good communication skills and is generous, but she only wears ordinary clothes. It’s only autumn, and she wears a scarf around her neck. I don’t know if this is a popular way of dressing in her village. He doesn’t know Su Xiaoxiao’s depth of knowledge, so it’s naturally not a good idea to make a rash decision.

Su Xiaoxiao originally didn’t plan to be a teacher. She likes children, but she only likes her own children. She is not willing to teach other people’s bear children, but now there is no other way. If she continues to let Zhuzi and Fantuan Cheng Lifang teach them, not to mention whether she will direct her hatred for Su Xiaoxiao toward the children, she might subtly instill her three views in Zhuzi and Fantuan. Su Xiaoxiao can already feel discomfort at the thought of it.

The best time to instill proper guidance is when they are young. Cheng Lifang taught them badly, she will have no tears left to cry in the future, so she can only bite the bullet by herself. In fact, the cubs in her family are so smart, that she can’t feel at ease letting other people teach them. Well, she doesn’t have that much time to teach all the subjects, but at least she can replace Cheng Lifang’s class.

“Director Liu, I will take over all the classes she attends in my son’s class, and I will follow my son to higher grades. Whatever classes they attend, I will also follow along and teach them. There’s no need to occupy the school’s teaching quota or receive salaries. I will go to work in the propaganda team of the military region after the next year. There is not much time to attend classes.

By the way, let me briefly introduce myself. Six years ago, I graduated from the No. 1 High School in my city with the highest score in my city, and I haven’t fallen behind in my studies these years. Teaching primary school should be no problem. I can pass whatever tests you give me. In addition, I have already passed the political review, and the school can also ask them to give you a copy of my information.

Teacher Cheng may not be convinced. I have another suggestion, we can have an open class, attended by students, school teachers, and parents. Between me and Teacher Cheng, the people can judge who is a more suitable candidate to be the student’s teacher. After all, I have never taught before, and given the experience of Teacher Cheng, she might be better than me when it comes to teaching. What do you think of my idea, Teacher Cheng?”

Graduated First in the No. 1 High School in the city? Director Liu and Cheng Lifang can no longer be described as shocked.

Especially Cheng Lifang, how could it be? Isn’t Su Xiaoxiao a country girl? How can a country girl go to high school in the city? Graduated first place?

How could this be possible?

……

T/N: My poor little baby Zhuzi (┬┬﹏┬┬)