Chen Jianguo wasn't home; he had gone to the team.
The old village chief said that Chen Xichun and Wu Wanyi were being held by the police. Apparently, Wu Wanyi's nonsense actually saved them. They thought she was mentally ill and said they'd detain them for another seven days to teach them a lesson before releasing them. However, everything they owned was confiscated.
Xu Keke showed the floor plan she had drawn yesterday to the old village chief and asked a few questions she didn't quite understand, such as widening the windows and moving the shrine.
"Alright, I think we'll do it your way." The old village chief wasn't good at teaching, but he understood things like houses and roof tiles. He could tell at a glance that Xu Keke had put her mind to it, and her considerations were quite thorough. He felt even more at ease.
Xu Keke then mentioned having Xiuhong teach with the two of them.
“Great, this is a good thing. Once our school opens, the children from the surrounding villages will come too. Didn’t you say yesterday that it would be best to have two classes? Now that’s perfect. It saves us from having to ask the commune for teachers.”
The old village chief then said to Xiuhong, "You've been to school and received an education. You know the benefits of learning better than other children. Just follow Bai Zhiqing and teach at the school diligently. As for the other matters, go back and talk to your mother, and tell her not to worry. I'll talk to the commune."
With the old village chief's assurance, Xiuhong's eyes shone even brighter.
After chatting with the old village chief for a while, Xu Keke originally wanted Xiumei and Xiaodouzi to play at the old village chief's house for a bit. Unexpectedly, when the two children heard that they were going to the dilapidated temple and that it would become their school in the future, they were both excited and wanted to go with them.
Since they're kids who're used to running around in the village anyway, I might as well take them with me instead of having them follow me around for a while.
When they arrived at the dilapidated temple, Xu Keke treated Xiuhong as an ordinary colleague and shared her thoughts with her, saying, "You're also studying at school, so think about it carefully. If there's anything I haven't thought of, just tell me."
Thinking that she might not want to communicate with him, he added, "You can also talk to the old village chief directly. As you've seen, he will support anything that is good for the school."
Everyone around her still treated her like a child, and Xiuhong never expected Xu Keke to ask for her opinion with such a serious and sincere attitude. Xiuhong's eyes widened in surprise.
"No, what you just said is even more thoughtful than what we have at our school. You even provided them with a place to exercise and a place to drink water. We... our school doesn't even have that."
Xu Keke laughed, "I advocate that students should do labor, but as long as we have the means, I think we shouldn't make them suffer unnecessarily. Especially not when they're thirsty or hungry. What do you think?"
Xiuhong looked directly at Xu Keke, her face slightly flushed, and said earnestly, "Well, I... I don't quite understand. But I think you're right."
"Okay, think about it again. If you have any good ideas, tell me."
Xu Keke turned around and glanced behind her. The two little ones were rummaging through the withered yellow grass on the ground, looking for something. Then Xiaodouzi, carrying something, followed by Xiumei, ran to the other side of the temple.
"You're not a bad person, so why can't you get along with the other educated youth?"
Xu Keke turned around and looked at the little girl beside her, "So the problem is they're not good."
"What's wrong with them? They are knowledgeable, cultured, and know a lot."
Xiuhong seemed a little excited, and Xu Keke guessed that she might be thinking of Gao Zhe. Since they would be working together in the future, Xu Keke decided to share her thoughts with her.
"I know you have feelings for Gao Zhe, so in your eyes, who is better, Gao Zhe or the captain?"
"The captain?" Xiuhong looked at Xu Keke in confusion, then thought for a long time, "Of course it's Gao Zhe, he knows..."
“You mean to say he knows a lot, right?” Xu Keke chuckled.
"Isn't that right? He just knows more than the brigade leader. The brigade leader said he went to high school, but he didn't finish high school because the school was closed back then. I've never seen him read a book."
Xu Keke laughed. This girl seemed to have forgotten that she herself hadn't finished high school.
"Learning knowledge is very important for a person. It includes broadening one's horizons, allowing one to see further and stand higher."
Hearing her say that, Xiuhong nodded in agreement, indicating that that was exactly what she thought.
"But when judging whether a person is good or bad, their character should come before their wealth and knowledge. The brigade leader is responsible. He is dedicated to the work in the village. He doesn't just pass on the requirements from above. Instead, he thinks about how to do it better, to make the villagers' lives better, and to let the children go to school. He applies all the knowledge he has learned, which you might not think much, to his daily work."
"Gao Zhe, he went to high school and comes from the city. What he does most often is complain and grumble. How does he deal with things he's unhappy about? He incites everyone to cause trouble, trying to make things go away. But in reality, if it weren't for the brigade leader and the old village chief, as far as we know from the neighboring village, at best there would be a protest, at worst a prison sentence. A person may not have great achievements, may be ordinary, but don't you think a person should be like the brigade leader, responsible and loving towards their work, their family, and the people around them?"
"Think it over carefully. If I had to choose a lover, I would choose the battalion commander..."
Xu Keke turned around, her whole body seemingly frozen in place.
After Xu Keke remained silent for a while, Xiu Hong looked over and exclaimed, "B-Brigade Leader!"
Chen Jianguo, Hu Zi, and several villagers stood behind them. Xu Keke didn't know how much they heard, but he definitely heard her last sentence.
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