Teacher Li couldn't hold back any longer and quickly said, "Mayor Li, I can do it myself."
"Hey, let me light it for you." Li Xiuyuan shook his head, but insisted on lighting the lighter himself and bringing it over. Teacher Li had no choice but to light the cigarette.
"Teacher Li, Teacher Zhang, have you been wronged lately?" Li Xiuyuan asked.
This one sentence stirred up the emotions of the two men, and they both cried out that they were wronged. Li Xiuyuan never intended to resolve this matter forcefully, because this matter could not be resolved by force.
Moreover, both of them were indeed wronged in this matter. Putting himself in their shoes, Li Xiuyuan felt that if he were the teacher who was dismissed, he would definitely feel uncomfortable as well.
When the pay was low, we stuck to our posts and no one thought we were uneducated. Now that the pay is going to be increased, people think we are uneducated and they might kick us out. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in that situation.
The two of them need to release their pent-up emotions.
"Mayor Li, I believe you know what the school was like before. Although we are teachers at the school, neither of us lives on a salary. During the busy farming season, we still have to farm. We can't make a living without farming. But even so, to be honest, it has delayed a lot of work."
My family members all advised me to quit being a teacher and go out to work during the off-season, just like everyone else. They said that no matter what, I could earn more money and the family would be better off. I thought about it, but when I looked at the children in the classroom, I couldn't bear to leave.
I felt that if I left, I would be letting these children down. Although my family has had a difficult time all these years, I have managed to persevere..."
As Teacher Li spoke, Teacher Zhang, a female teacher standing next to her, chimed in, "Yes, I'm a teacher at school, which takes up a lot of my time. I don't have much time to take care of my children at home. When my second child was little, he was like a child without a mother all the time."
Since there was no one to look after him, I had to bring him to school. While I taught in the classroom, I let him play in the yard by himself. One time, I wasn't paying attention, and he ran outside the village committee compound and almost got hit by a car.
You have no idea, I was almost scared to death. When I got home, my husband and I had a huge fight. He wouldn't let me do it anymore and even threatened to divorce me. In the end, I had to beg and plead to get my family's consent..."
As the female teacher spoke, her voice trembled with tears. Li Xiuyuan could tell that there was indeed some truth in what the two of them were saying.
It's not entirely fabricated; the two did indeed contribute a lot to the village primary school.
Li Xiuyuan did not interrupt their complaints, but listened attentively, nodding occasionally, letting them vent their grievances.
After the two had talked until their throats were dry and their emotions had been vented, Li Xiuyuan slowly spoke up, "Teacher Li, Teacher Zhang, I understand what you two are saying. You have indeed been wronged in this matter..."
As soon as Li Xiuyuan opened his mouth, Teacher Li and Teacher Zhang wanted to interrupt again, but this time Li Xiuyuan waved his hand to stop them: "Let me finish speaking first."
This kind of communication isn't about you saying one thing and me saying another; if you do that, it turns into an argument.
Communication skills are still very important. After Teacher Li and Teacher Zhang finished venting their emotions, it was Li Xiuyuan's turn to represent the government and make a statement. When Li Xiuyuan spoke, he wanted to make a final decision on this matter. He needed to persuade the two of them and not let them interrupt his train of thought. Instead, he wanted to guide their thoughts.
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