Chapter 30 Teacher
Liu Zhixia frowned slightly: "Sister-in-law, Xuejun at least has a high school diploma. Even in our village primary school, there are teachers with only junior high school diplomas. Teaching children basic literacy, what's so difficult about that?"
Shen Hongmei was taken aback. She picked up her child and stood up, saying in a self-pitying tone, "I'm too lazy to argue with you. Otherwise, Xiangyang will come back and say I'm causing trouble. Do whatever you want. It's just that our Dabao is pitiful, born when the family was poor."
“You…” Zhang Xiuying was so angry that she pointed at Shen Hongmei but couldn’t speak.
Liu Zhixia pulled her mother back and shook her head: "Mom, don't be angry, it's not worth it. That's her own son. If she's really anxious, how could she not have money in her own pocket?"
“That’s true,” Zhang Xiuying said, her anger subsiding a bit. “If she, as the mother, were really in a hurry, she would definitely pay for it herself. She’s made quite a bit of money pocketed while shopping for the family before. Well, I won’t interfere then.”
When Liu Shouren returned, Zhang Xiuying brought up the matter of repaying the money, and he agreed without hesitation.
The two went straight out and paid off part of the debt.
That evening, the family gathered around the table to drink fish soup. Shen Hongmei winked at Liu Xiangyang, who coughed lightly and said, "Dad, Mom, we heard that the nearby primary school has started enrolling students, and we want to send Dabao to school."
“Sure,” Zhang Xiuying replied casually, “It’s not like I said you couldn’t go.”
"Thank you, Father and Mother!" Shen Hongmei was overjoyed.
“However,” Zhang Xiuying interrupted her, “you’ll have to pay for it yourselves.”
Shen Hongmei's smile froze on her face: "What? Xiangyang and I are just farming to earn work points, and those work points are counted on the whole family's payroll. Where would I get the money?"
Zhang Xiuying shrugged: "You'll have to figure that out yourselves. Even Dazhuang next door knows to go find a master to learn a trade, and his wife even goes to the city to sew clothes for people. You're on good terms with her, you could try asking her about it."
“My skills are hardly presentable…” Shen Hongmei blushed.
"Then figure it out yourself," Zhang Xiuying said, cutting off his words with each syllable.
Liu Shouren frowned and looked at his eldest son: "Xiangyang, you know we still owe five yuan. The second son earns money outside, but the amount he gives is only enough for expenses. We were able to pay this money back today because your sister exchanged the money from the Lu family as compensation. As the eldest brother, you can't just think about your own little family and forget about our big family."
Liu Xiangyang said with shame, "Father, Mother, I understand. We'll figure out how to get Da Bao into school ourselves."
Shen Hongmei found it hard to believe: "We hand over all the money we earn outside to our parents, and now that we need money, we're being told to find our own way. Parents, aren't you being too biased?"
"Shut up!" Liu Xiangyang snapped at her impatiently. "It was my oversight. Tomorrow I'll go ask Dazhuang if I can learn something from him."
Seeing that Liu Xiangyang's attitude was good, Liu Zhixia suggested, "Isn't the brigade recruiting squad leaders? You wanted to go before, I heard it's fifty yuan a month!"
Liu Xiangyang gave an awkward smile: "That's a lucrative position. I'm uneducated, how could I compete with them? Besides... with such a strained relationship with the Lu family, I don't even dare to think about it."
Liu Zhixia said, "Nonsense! This job is about ability, not connections. Big brother, you're popular, efficient, and more familiar with the work of the brigade than anyone else. Why don't you give it a try?"
Shen Hongmei's eyes lit up: "That's right! You should try it! Even if it's just for the child!"
Under the expectant gazes of his family, Liu Xiangyang finally nodded: "Okay, I'll give it a try! But Mom and Dad, I'll need your help to find out a way for me to learn a trade, just in case I don't get selected..."
"It's good that you think that way." Zhang Xiuying finally showed a satisfied smile.
At this moment, Liu Xuejun, who had been silent until now, spoke up quietly: "Now that you mention it, does that mean primary schools are still hiring teachers? Maybe I should give it a try?"
Liu Zhixia immediately nodded: "Sure! After we finish eating, I'll go to the educated youth settlement and ask for you. The primary school hasn't been open for a long time, they definitely need teachers!"
"Then I'll go with you!" Liu Xuejun happily shoveled rice into his mouth.
After finishing their meal, the siblings immediately went to the educated youth settlement.
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I heard a burst of mocking voices coming from inside.
"Young lady, you burned a bundle of firewood just to boil those two eggs of yours? I heard those eggs were stolen from the brigade leader's house?" a female educated youth said sarcastically.
Gu Mansheng retorted, unconvinced, "That was a gift from someone else! Are you jealous? Well, who wants to see you looking all grimy all the time?"
"Do you think we're stupid? Everyone knows you and Lu Huaiyuan are having an affair. No wonder you deliberately provoked Niu and pushed Comrade Liu away back then. You probably wanted to kill his fiancée and steal his place!"
Another voice coldly advised, "Xu Zhihong, forget it. You know how this capitalist's daughter behaves. Going against her might just lead to her using some dirty tricks."
Xu Zhihong's voice became even sharper: "That's right. Last time you tried to harm Comrade Liu, but you were exposed in public. I heard that the brigade leader is going to drive you away, you vixen. Then all the time you gave yourself to Lu Huaiyuan will have been for nothing, won't it?"
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
As soon as Liu Zhixia stepped into the courtyard, she saw Gu Mansheng angrily pick up a basin of water and throw it at Xu Zhihong. The water was still steaming.
Xu Zhihong screamed, "Gu Mansheng is going to kill someone! This capitalist's daughter wants to kill someone!"
After saying that, she grabbed the eggs that Gu Mansheng had placed on the table and threw them at him.
Gu Mansheng was covered in egg yolk from being hit, and cried out in distress, "My eggs! You bitch, you owe me my eggs!"
Seeing that the two were about to fight, the female educated youths around them quickly stepped in to break them up. One of the educated youths, who usually had a say, shouted, "Gu Mansheng, if you cause any more trouble, you'd better get out and live in the cowshed!"
Gu Mansheng looked aggrieved: "She insulted me first! And she even threw my eggs!"
"Is that egg something to be proud of? Go back to your room!" The female educated youth glared at her.
Gu Mansheng ran out, wiping away her tears in grievance. As soon as she stepped outside, she bumped into Liu Zhixia. She glared at her fiercely and shouted, "You're here to watch my show too? Fine, Liu Zhixia, you just wait!"
Watching Gu Mansheng run away crying, Liu Zhixia felt a surge of satisfaction.
In her past life, Gu Mansheng was also ostracized by these educated youths because of her identity as a "capitalist's daughter." Back then, she was naive and even spoke up for Gu Mansheng, which offended everyone and ended up being disliked by both sides.
In this life, Gu Mansheng has no one left behind.
Liu Zhixia watched her retreating figure and deliberately shouted, "Fine, I'll be waiting! But next time you try anything funny, remember to be more discreet, or I'll find out!"
With a loud bang, Gu Mansheng's door slammed shut. Liu Zhixia laughed triumphantly.
Liu Xuejun was a little worried: "Sister, if you provoke her like this, I'm afraid she might do something to you again."
“Don’t worry,” Liu Zhixia shook her head, “Even if I didn’t say these things, she didn’t intend to let me go.”
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