Ruan Meng listened patiently to what the group had to say. It turned out that they were raising livestock and had no one to take care of their children.
If they were a bit older, it would be fine, but they were still small, so their daily routines and the times when they drove the livestock to the shore to eat small fish, shrimp, and insects were completely out of sync.
Children can't walk very far; before long, they'll be asking their mothers to carry them.
The villagers used to be unable to afford medical care, and the elderly didn't live long. The letter has already been sent, but the men are still at the mines and on the ships and haven't returned yet. There's no one to lend a hand for the time being.
Ruan Meng was confident; this was originally part of her plan, but she hadn't expected the demand to come so quickly.
She originally thought that once the village collective developed to a certain size and had surplus funds, they could repair school buildings, provide meals for the children, and since relying solely on her eldest brother wouldn't be enough, they could hire other teachers...
Plans never keep up with changes!
Ruan Meng responded that she would discuss it with the village chief, and the village women were very grateful.
Since they were going to find the village chief, Ruan Meng asked her second and third brothers to take Du Xiaocan, A Yuan, and Xiao Kai to dig up konjac on the mountain. Du Xiaocan recognized most of the herbs, so Ruan Meng wasn't worried. She just told them not to touch any unfamiliar wild plants.
The third brother first escorted Ruan Meng to the village chief's door. Compared to the children's schooling, Ruan Meng had something else on her mind.
But I was woken up early by Du Xiaocan, and I didn't go because I wanted to comfort her.
Ruan Meng planned to observe the village chief's attitude after their conversation.
Ruan Meng told the village chief what the villagers had said. The village chief sighed, looked at Ruan Meng with some expectation, and found it difficult to speak.
Ruan Meng took the initiative to say, "Uncle Feng, you should talk to my older brother about this. He'll have a solution. The location and arrangements are no problem for him."
Village Chief Feng stood up excitedly and paced back and forth in the house, overjoyed.
This is the biggest burden on his heart, besides medical consultations!
People from the northern county always looked down on people from the southern county because they had private schools, and wealthy merchants had even donated money to build a county school. Their children could read and write, and they held their heads high.
When children are young, they only worry about food, clothing, and daily necessities. But when they grow up and realize they can't read, they have to live with their heads down for the rest of their lives!
Ruan Meng had mentioned these things to the village chief before, so the village chief had no doubt about Ruan Meng's good intentions. However, the village chief felt that, being so poor now, opening a school would only increase the burden on the Ruan family...
Therefore, when he heard some villagers mention it, he was too embarrassed to open his mouth and talk to Ruan Meng and her brother.
"Regarding the venue, we had already discussed it with the Song and Fan families. They vacated a room on the side, originally intending it for the village to use, so that villagers could easily gather together..."
"Now, let's talk to both families and offer it as a school. It shouldn't be a big deal."
"As for teaching, my elder brother won't take a penny, and I believe he'll be happy to do it. Even if the family contributes some money, it will still be beneficial and worthwhile!"
Although the eldest brother and sister-in-law do not have children yet, the Song, Fan, and Feng families do, and their children should not be neglected.
Since she can't leave the South Island for the time being, Ruan Meng hopes to prepare the conditions for her brothers' children to grow up before they are born.
Village Chief Feng hesitated, "But the tuition..."
"Even if the eldest son and the youngest sister don't accept it, the villagers will feel embarrassed! Just like my two!"
"However, every family is different. Some have two children and the man is not at home. If they need to contribute something, they can only save from their food rations!"
Ruan Meng readily replied, "That's easy, just pay with seafood! Can't we go beachcombing every day? We can pay for some of the seafood at the cafeteria."
"Firstly, it can serve as a main meal for the children, reducing our burden; secondly, it can also make them feel less guilty, and they can use it for us as well."
Ruan Meng said earnestly, "Village chief, what children need to pay attention to is not just their studies, but also their health. If they don't get enough nutrition, they'll grow as thin as bean sprouts and won't grow tall or have a weak constitution."
"Even if someone becomes knowledgeable and literate in the future, poor health will affect their achievements, and this will continue to affect them generation after generation!"
The village chief looked serious and agreed wholeheartedly, then asked Ruan Meng:
What is a cafeteria?
Ruan Meng explained briefly, then said:
"Once the village's situation improves and everyone gets busy, they might not have time to prepare three meals a day. We could establish a village canteen..."
"The village collective subsidizes the expenses so that villagers can eat the most nutritious food with the least amount of money."
The village chief thought for a moment, filled with boundless hope.
Ruan Mengdao said, "I've also decided to have someone in charge of the school cafeteria."
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