Volume 1: The Happy Life in the Ivory Tower Chapter 31: Returning Home with a Heavy Heart

  Clang...... Clang...... Clang...... Clang......

  A few clear and long bell sounds broke the tranquility of the countryside, also startling an old cow grazing in the fields not far from the school, which raised its head and responded with a long "moo" sound. The green hills and waters surrounded the Queshan Primary School, as if releasing sheep, swarms of students rushed out, cheering and rushing towards the dusty playground.

  The third class was over, and Shanyong walked out of the classroom with his 7th grade Chinese textbook. He had been a people's teacher in Zhuoma Township for two glorious days. As a normal university, graduates' first choice of occupation is to be a teacher. The role change from student to teacher did not make him feel honored, but rather a clear and alternative feeling.

  What's wrong? Toothache.

  When I was a student, looking at the teacher's toothache, when I became a temporary teacher, looking at the students again made me very toothache. But here it's not just the students who make you toothache, the entire school's level of nonsense is simply beyond your imagination.

  The first day I came, I found that the wall on the south side was tilted and almost collapsed. When I asked about it, they said it was hit by a tractor from the village, but no one took care of it, so it just stayed tilted. There were also fitness equipment on the north side of the playground, which was donated by an enterprise in the city. However, one of the parallel bars had been pulled out, the swing had been cut off, and the ladder had been dug up. When I asked the students where they went, they said that someone from the village took them back to tie up livestock.

  In class, there weren't even enough desks. They used bricks to prop up a wooden board instead. When I asked the students about it, they said that the village borrowed things for weddings and funerals but never returned them all, and the more they borrowed, the less they returned.

  The conditions were tough, but still acceptable. However, during this class, I discovered another new problem - many students had torn out several pages from their textbooks. When I asked about it, they said that they used those pages to wipe their buttocks. It made me so angry that I wanted to hit someone.

  "Hey, Director Shan..." Shan Yong looked at the director who was ringing the bell and waving his hand, shouting as he ran up.

  Actually, we should call Director Shan "Uncle". In the past, when I passed by Donkey Garden, I would occasionally come to take a look. The school's nominal principal lives in the city and rarely comes here, so Uncle Shan is in charge of the work. He serves as both director and teaches history to 8th and 9th graders, and also takes care of ringing the bell. He has been working in Shouma Township for over 20 years, I didn't know that people have always considered Director Shan as the principal.

  "What's up, Yong?" asked Uncle Shan, with his white hair and a face full of wrinkles that seemed to be relaxing, looking like a laid-back old man. With such a big nephew coming to help out, Director Shan was more than happy to welcome him with open arms.

  "Uncle, I'm really puzzled, how are they taught here?" asked Shuang Yong.

  "What's been taught for twenty or thirty years is still being taught this way?" said Shan Changgen.

  Two people walked towards the teaching building, occasionally shouting loudly to scare away mischievous students who were climbing a dangerous wall. But Single Yong was talking about his own frustrations: the three-track teaching system, nine classes, and 27 teachers on staff, but in reality, not even half of them were enough. Some had been taking long-term sick leave without coming to work, while others occasionally came just to punch in, having their own businesses outside. Only seven or eight teachers were hastily assembled to teach classes, the English class was a joke, and the entire school was like a private school turned public, with no one knowing how to teach English properly, speaking only dialects, and not even managing to produce a single student who met the standards.

  After talking for a long time, Uncle Shan seemed unmoved, and Shan Yong continued to talk about the students' problems. In just two days, he had already encountered two dropouts, which made Shan Yong most worried, saying: "Uncle, this is compulsory education, at least let them finish junior high school?"

  "You don't understand this, do you? Earning money early on is better than just knowing how to spend it. Teachers can't even get paid enough, who will work for free? It's not like just opening your eyes and pretending to see is enough." Single Changgen retorted, deflecting Single Yong's words.

  "What about those still in school? Must be managed strictly, right? This is just junior high, six skipped class yesterday and eight today... I didn't start skipping class until high school, and they're already this old, even more arrogant than city people?" Dan Yong added, blocking the teacher's way.

  "The peasants are busy, either weeding in the fields or herding cattle and donkeys on the mountains. More than half of them work outside, not enough labor force." Zhāng Gēn emphasized repeatedly, with a look that city people didn't understand rural customs, pointing out: "This is already good, during the wheat harvest, you don't even need to attend classes, no one comes, do you think rural children are like yours? At 12 or 13 years old, they have to be a labor force for their families."

  Ba La walked into the office with a nonchalant air. The office was located on the side of the teaching building, adjacent to the students' outdoor toilet, which always had a foul smell. The room was old and shabby, with broken tables and chairs missing legs. There was only one decent chair, which Ba La pulled over to sit down, leaving Shanyong standing. Ba La didn't take his nephew's opinions seriously, and with a serious tone, he lectured him:

  "You're just here to play for a few days, right? Do you really think you can change the backward face of rural education? Let me make one thing clear: this is an old district, with three types of poor areas - old, young, and border regions. Don't even compare us to the city, or even other wealthy towns just a dozen kilometers away. If the kids can grow up safely, that's already good enough. Besides, don't think Uncle doesn't understand city things - you're almost graduating from college, aren't you going to go out and work? I talked to your parents about this last time I saw them. Now, even though there's a shortage of teachers in the countryside, it's not like you can just become one if you want to. What's the point? Go on, clean up the kitchen, that's what you're good at."

  Shan Yong wanted to make another suggestion, but Uncle Shan was already sending the guests off and was holding a hammer ready to ring the bell for the fourth class. Shan Yong had no choice but to leave the teaching office with a sullen face. As he glanced sideways, he saw that half of the playground was filled with kids chasing and rolling around, some riding on each other's backs like donkeys, and fighting as they played. Even in the group of boys, there were some rougher girls who were playing "Butting Rams" with their legs wrapped around each other, occasionally getting knocked to the ground, covered in dirt and dust, only to get up again, wiping their noses and continuing to play.

  The bell rang, and this half-person-sized bell was probably quite old. The sound was crisp and loud. As the bell rang, Acting Principal Shan Changgen waved his hands like he was driving away a flock of chickens, shouting: "Stop playing around, go back to class... Baldy, you're still fighting, your dad will beat you until you're light-headed."

  He was a little bald boy, who made a face and ran back to the classroom, that look could make Dan Yong think of Lei Da Peng's silly look, smiled, in this primitive environment, except for poverty and backwardness that are unacceptable, others are still good.

  Some classes went to class, some didn't have teachers, Shancheng gave homework, but Shanyong went to the door house and kitchen on the west side of the teaching building. As soon as he entered the door, he was shocked by a guy, this is the kitchen, the toilet is almost the same, it is estimated that someone in the village temporarily tied up livestock, there are still several piles of dry cow dung and donkey dung eggs on the ground. The furnace had collapsed, the flue was also leaking, after looking at it for two eyes, he found three or four mouse holes, Shanyong who loves cleanliness slanted his mouth.

  The cleanup has started, and the most unbearable thing is that the kitchen is in this state.

  Sweep, and then dump the trash from two push carts. Plastering the wall was relatively simple; in the countryside, there were villagers who raised lime pools, so they brought back half a cart of lime mud, unloaded it, pulled out half a cart of sand, mixed it together, and applied it to all the places inside the house that needed attention. The most crucial part was building the stove; among all the stoves, Danyong liked the traditional wood-burning stove the best. This kind of stove had a large belly and a rounded body, with a hidden passage for smoke to escape, and when heated evenly, it didn't give off any coal smoke flavor in the cooked food. After building the stove halfway, they went to their uncle's house for lunch, attended one class in the afternoon, and then continued working on the unfinished project.

  After being busy for almost half a day, when he saw the newly renovated kitchen, Dan Yong's face showed a faint smile, with a sense of accomplishment. After the windows were installed, looking at the slanted wall again, he couldn't help but feel dissatisfied. So, he called over his children who had just finished school and together they pushed it down with all their might, instantly filling the air with dust.

  This rascal, Single Long Root can't sit still anymore, rushed out shouting: "Hey hey, what are you doing causing trouble?"

  The deputy principal shouted once and a group of village kids scattered in all directions.

  "Uncle, this wall is going to collapse sooner or later. What if it crushes someone's kid one day? What will you use to compensate them? It's better to fix it early." said Shan Yong, rolling up his sleeves and clearing away the old bricks.

  "Anyway, you're just interning, so we don't have to pay you a salary." Upon hearing this, Dan Changgen shrugged and walked back a few steps, pushing out his old bicycle as he prepared to head home. He yelled out to Dan Yong, "Yong, the town education committee called this afternoon and said there are still a few more interns coming. Make sure to clear out a room on the third floor of the teaching building."

  "Uncle, you really treat me like a laborer, don't you?" Dan Yong asked with a mixture of tears and laughter.

  "Not only did they come as workers, but also as masters. I think being a master is even better than being a teacher." Uncle Sun said with a smile, and then he pushed and pulled to get on the car, leaving Single Yong stunned behind, while walking away, Uncle Sun still shouted: "Come back early and cook, your aunt's cooking is not as good as yours."

  Uncle really didn't take me as an outsider, from the first day I came and taught him some skills to make a bowl of noodles. Uncle's family has been training his wife since then. Those old ladies have been flattering me all my life. You see, your cooking is compared to Yongwa's, it's simply pig food... Even Auntie didn't get angry about this, but instead praised her nephew for doing a good job, no wonder he came from a restaurant background.

  Watching his uncle's thin and hunched figure disappear on the village road with his bicycle, Shanyong felt depressed for a while, then inexplicably smiled. This school, these students, this teacher, everything makes you want to cry and laugh at the same time. This uncle, who graduated from normal school, has been here for over 20 years and has completely merged with this place. As soon as he walks out of the door, you might mistake him for a shepherd or a donkey driver, it's hard to believe that he is actually a people's teacher.

  Some places can be rich beyond your imagination, while others are poor to the point of unimaginability. Here, as Shanyong gazed out at the vast mountains, terraced fields, and villages nestled in the hills, he couldn't help but feel that he was making a fuss over nothing. This was originally a harmonious and carefree environment; why did he need to view it through the eyes of a city dweller and try to change it?

  Maybe it doesn't need to be changed, just a slight change in perspective.

  Shan Yong sat down and started cleaning the old bricks, but he didn't make much progress, only clearing about a third of them. He then mixed water, mud, and lime to prepare for building two or three layers before nightfall. If he could do that, he would be able to finish the job in two days and avoid having those mischievous kids from school messing it up tomorrow.

  As for Shan Yong, his nephew actually respected him deeply, not just because of his skills, but also because of his good character. A few years ago, when their family business was struggling, before they even asked for help, Shan Yong had already come to the city with his salary to lend a hand. Among all their relatives, it was this uncle who wasn't very close to them but always showed up and helped out the most.

  Sometimes, kindness can't be repaid with money alone. Thinking about this, Shan Yong's apprentice felt more inclined to help him get some work done.

  First floor, second floor, all rose up neatly. When the Renjia Village was building a house, Shanyong added three months of small work, and this kind of work was not bad. When it was piled to half of the third floor, Shanlonggen rode that broken bicycle again, shouting from afar to Shanyong: "Yong ah, it's too late, hurry up and stop your hands, tidy up the room, people are coming."

  "Who is it? An intern, a teacher or from Luan Institute?" asked Shuang Yong.

  "I don't know... who are you to care? Hurry up and take it, or there won't be anywhere to put it. The head of the town education committee personally came to deliver it, this year they've all gone mad, running to this godforsaken place. For many years, I've only seen people leaving, not arriving."

  Single Longgen leaned against his bicycle, ignoring him, and went back to the office to change into that solemn teacher attire, which was similar to a Sun Yat-sen suit. When he left, he carefully adjusted his collar, tucked a steel pen into his pocket, this was the only way to show off one's identity in terms of clothing and grooming here.

  Dan Yong looked at Ben Jia Shu's old-fashioned demeanor, feeling both heartache and amusement, and teased his uncle: "Uncle, we're all interns, you're being too biased, why do I always end up doing the work?"

  "Who made you my nephew? Besides, if you don't do it, I'll have to." The uncle gave an irrefutable reason.

  Dan Yong smiled and quickly finished the third layer, then went to clean up the room. In Lushan City, there were two normal universities and one Lushan Institute, with many student interns every year, but in this remote mountainous area, most of them were students from the normal university, if there were a few more companions, it wouldn't be bad.

  When he finished the last layer, the car came, and Shanyong stopped working. He watched as two cars drove along the village road towards the school. One was an old Wuling bread van, while the other made Shanyong's eyes widen - it was a Buick business car, very familiar, seemingly seen before at the school. Shanlonggen smiled and went to greet them. The middle-aged man in his 40s who got out of the Wuling van looked like the director of the Education Committee, shaking hands and offering cigarettes, while the person who came out of the Buick business car made Shanyong's eyes widen.

  First, Department Head Wang Hengbin, second, Class Teacher Ren Qun... In the car, Zhang Yong's eyes were both complicated and ridiculous.

  The surprise was yet to come, next up was Si Mu Xian, followed by his ambiguous girlfriend Liu Cui Yun. Si Mu Xian smiled and waved at Shan Yong, the bigger surprise was yet to come, next up was Wang Hua Ting, who got out of the car and handed something over, the one handing things over was class monitor Ding Yi Zhi. When Wang Hua Ting got out of the car, it seemed like she hadn't seen Shan Yong standing in the courtyard with Ren Qun teacher. Finally, without needing to say, Shan Yong also knew who it was... The thunder arrived, getting off the bus, Lei Da Peng looked at Shan Yong with a sly smile, pointing and gesturing while saying something to the crowd, laughed for a bit then shouted loudly: "Egg brother, how come you're working as a laborer here?"

  "Oh, you know each other? This is my nephew, and I've asked him to come intern and help out." said Shan Changgen.

  "Recognize, can't recognize anymore, haha..." Lei Dapeng said with a smile, ignoring the department head, class teacher and education committee director's cold hums, and walked straight into the schoolyard. He looked around, east and west, until he came face to face with Shan Yong. With great interest, he watched him, as Shan Yong bowed his head, he also bowed his head, as Shan Yong turned around, he also turned around, sticking together like glue. After washing his hands, Shan Yong intentionally said: "Second Lei, brother wants some peace and quiet but can't escape you... Let me tell you in advance, this place is all about eating and playing, don't even think about finding fun here."

  "Alas, is my intellectual realm so low? I have already prepared myself to devote to the education of old districts. This year, our department has sent interns to Wuxiang, Pingxian, Xingxian and Taiyue, several old districts, this is called Red Education, and I am honored to be one of them." Lei Dapeng boasted.

  No need to consider, Shan Yong knew that this guy was rushing towards Wang Huating, smiled and didn't expose him. Si Mu Xian and Liu Cuiyun came up, shouting at Shan Yong, with a few more sympathetic and admiring glances in their eyes, as if Egg Brother's downfall to such a state made people want to clench their fists and sigh. Class leader Ding Yi Zhi was standing with the department head and several others, saying something, Wang Huating tried to come up several times but felt embarrassed to come up, it wasn't until Lei Da Peng shouted that she walked into this crowd, looking at Shan Yong's muddy clothes and newly built wall, but didn't know how to start the conversation.

  "Branch Secretary, is this... aren't you here to supervise me on behalf of the department?" Dan Yong blurted out.

  Wang Hua-ting was slightly stunned, and the supervisor didn't go that far, but when it came to Zhuo Ma Township, she strongly recommended it. She didn't explain, but someone else explained for her: "Hey, it's just supervision. You love to stir up trouble, don't make a scene in someone else's village again. The school can't even handle you. We'll come together to supervise your labor reform."

  "Hey, Er Lei, and everyone else, I'm just here to help my uncle out. I'll be leaving tonight, so you all can do as you please." Yan Yong said with a deliberate tone, washed his hands, turned around, and walked away carrying the broom.

  Everyone looked at each other in dismay, feeling embarrassed. Wang Huating was about to explain when she saw Shan Yong's cold expression and hesitated. In her anxiety, she shot a glance at Lei Dapeng, who quickly caught on and chased after Shan Yong's footsteps with a smile, blocking his way: "Hey, Egg Brother, we're not here for anyone else... If you weren't here, who would we come to see? We were originally going to go to Wu Xiang, but I asked my aunt and found out you were here, so we changed our plans at the last minute. It was only because of our team leader's strong recommendation to the department head that we were able to get in touch with you... You say you're leaving, what are we supposed to do? We'd be lost without you. What would we come to this poor place for?"

  The truth was forced out, and Shanyou turned around to look at Wang Huating in surprise. Wang Huating didn't say much, but a few hints of a relieved smile appeared on her face, perhaps letting him know that it was better this way. Shanyou didn't understand the deeper meaning behind her gaze, and he handed the broom to Lei Dapeng, urging him: "What are you standing there for? Go get some work done."

  "What's going on? Just got off the car and you're making me work?" Lei Dapeng was displeased.

  "Everyone, let's clean up the room. This place requires everyone to lend a hand, or you'll have to sleep in the wilderness tonight." Shanyong shouted, and several people went to the school office to fetch brooms, dustpans, and mops, and headed straight to the third floor of the teaching building. The building was actually quite well-maintained, reportedly built with donations from a wealthy businessman during the "Universal Nine-Year Education" period. The third floor was empty, but as soon as they opened the door to that long-abandoned room, oh my! Cobwebs filled the air, dust covered every surface, and broken chairs and tables were piled up haphazardly. The few people who had just arrived were stunned, no one had expected the conditions to be so harsh.

  This time, Lei Dapeng was shocked, speechless, with his eyes bulging and tongue sticking out, shouting: "Damn it, no need to travel through time, directly back to the old society, can people live in this? The cowshed is still somewhat better."

  "You've always thought of yourself as a beast, now it's really true...... Huating, Cuiyun, you two live in the small room at the top, I've already cleaned up, after I move my things out, you can rest. Dan Yong took care of the two girls and turned to Lei Dapeng and Si Muxian without being polite, pointing and saying: "You two, including class monitor Ding Yizhi, live with me in this room, clean it up yourselves, those who are lazy and don't work, disobeying leadership, be careful I'll really send him to accompany the beasts."

  Even if he's not in school, Dan Ge still has a deterrent force and appeal, even Lei Da Peng doesn't dare to disobey him. With a sullen expression, he reluctantly picks up the broom and starts sweeping the wall in a lackadaisical manner. The two female students snicker and also come over to help. The class monitor from downstairs brings a bucket of water and joins in as well.

  As soon as they got off the bus, they started working. Regardless of organization and discipline, or overall demeanor, it was a bit astonishing to the teaching committee members and Shan Changgen. Shan Changgen exclaimed: "Wow! These city kids aren't bad at all, getting to work right after getting off the bus, much stronger than what I've seen before!"

  "Yes, it seems that the students trained by Luan Institute are of high quality. Now even the small normal school students are picky and don't want to come to this place... Director Wang, Teacher Ren, I have to thank you. This year, as long as the town has reserve indicators, I will choose Luan Institute first." The Education Commission Director also said with excitement.

  Among them, Wang Hengbin and Ren Qun teacher smiled wryly, but this timely remark was not spoken.

  They finished half of the work, and then accompanied the teaching committee and the township government to have dinner. Director Wang Hengbin and Teacher Ren Qun returned to Lanzhou, and before leaving, they took Danyong aside and repeatedly warned him not to cause any more trouble. They also called over the class monitor and the treasurer, emphasizing that they must take good care of everyone. Every year during the internship period, the department head and the class advisor would visit each designated internship site in turn, their concerned and affectionate attitude giving everyone a deeper impression than the four years they spent together.

  Two girls settled in, but the four boys didn't get to rest until around 11 or 12. Unexpectedly, on the first day, Wang Huating, the team leader responsible for taking care of others, made a fool of herself. Just as the boys were about to fall asleep, they heard Wang Huating's shrill cry and saw her rush out of the room. They thought she had encountered a hooligan from the village who was known for jumping over walls. Shan Yong and Lei Dapeng grabbed their things and came out to rescue her heroically, protecting Wang Huating, who was standing in the corridor, too afraid to go back. After asking her for a while, they finally found out that there were no thugs, but rather a mouse had crawled into her bed.

  The two brothers burst out laughing, and Lei Dapeng asked with a smile, "Egg brother, the mice in this place are still good at playing hooligans?" Dan Yong chimed in, "Not only that, but they're also good at finding places to drill into, like the quilt cover." The two brothers took turns speaking, making Wang Huating blush bright red. Then they discovered something even more despicable than mice - Dan Yong and Lei Dapeng kept staring at her thin clothes, revealing her curves, which made her slam the door shut and throw out a sentence:

  "Mice don't have your kind of thievery."

  Collective internship life began in this absurd atmosphere, and tranquility was bound to be broken. But Dan Yong didn't mind at all. The brothers had arrived, and the fun would surely multiply. At least the previous night's discussion on this topic had lasted for a long time among the three of them...