The tuition fee of one yuan a year, plus the cost of books, is not a small burden for a farmer's family. What's more, how many work points can a child get for killing hogweed at home every day? In this way, it's not just a matter of a few dollars.
For the Victory Team, which is struggling to make ends meet, this is an unnecessary expense.
Cao Manfu clasped his hands behind his back and looked at the farmland of the Shili Brigade from a distance, his eyes full of longing.
"What's the use of studying," he shook his head and murmured to himself. "It's useless to study all the time. It's useless to study in the city... In the end, you don't have to go to the countryside to earn food."
Principal Wu listened, frowning.
She had only heard Wang Hong say that the Victory Team was very poor, but she never had an accurate understanding.
For her, reading is the most important thing and cannot be left behind under any circumstances.
But for most people, eating is the most important thing.
Books cannot feed them, they will only starve them to death.
Principal Wu has made many assumptions before and prepared countless drafts to deal with many problems that will be encountered during the call.
Now, she listened to Cao Manfu's words and looked at his thin and withered face, but she didn't want to say a word.
it's useless.
she knows.
"Oh... Principal Wu, look at this."
After seeing off the people from the Shengli Brigade, Wang Hong handed a roster to Principal Wu and continued: "I want the list of children who went to Huashu Brigade Primary School before."
This roster was found by Wang Hong in the commune. It was the list of people who paid tuition when school started last year.
The primary school of Huashu Brigade mainly recruits children from six production teams in the south of Lan County.
But none of the kids were on the victory team.
Principal Wu searched several times, trying to find a student name related to the Victory Brigade between the words.
No.
Not found.
Wang Hong advised a little dryly: "Actually, there is nothing we can do about this. How can we let our children study if we can't even eat?"
Principal Wu was silent, not knowing what to say.
She once worked at Lan County High School, and there were students with very good grades whose parents were no longer allowed to study because their families were poor or for other reasons. At that time, she took teachers and visited and lobbied every house.
Most of the time, it can be successful. After all, working families in cities and towns can still squeeze out their children's tuition fees.
But here, Principal Wu has a lot of passion, but nowhere to express it.
Wang Hong continued: "The commune only gave such a division, but did not impose any mandatory requirements, so Principal Wu... Even if the children of the Victory Brigade do not come to school, our school can continue to operate."
After a long time, Principal Wu laughed weakly, weakly.
"Yes, even if there is only one student, this school must continue to operate."
she said softly.
Wang Hong looked at her and stopped talking.
Li Dahe was squatting outside the door, smoking. Suddenly, he sighed.
Before Wang Hong had time to ask him what was wrong, she heard Lin Nianhe's voice: "Uncle Captain, you are here too."
Li Dahe wiped his face and smoothed his hair: "Why are you here?"
"I heard that the folks from the Victory Brigade left, so I came to take a look."
Lin Nianhe stopped in front of the brigade department and asked, "Uncle Captain, can I come in?"
She originally wanted to come and take a look today, but Li Dahe refused to let her come over at all costs, as if he was afraid that she would cause something bad.
Li Dahe waved his hand and motioned for her to come in.
Lin Nianhe walked through the door waving his little hands. As soon as he saw Principal Wu's lonely expression, he immediately understood what had happened.
She also saw several people from the Victory Brigade from a distance today. From their clothes and figures, it was not difficult to see the dilemma of the Victory Brigade.
Lin Nianhe looked at Wang Hong and asked her how she was doing.
Wang Hong shook her head gently.
Lin Nianhe clicked his tongue.
It's a bit difficult to handle.
She stood opposite Principal Wu, bent down on the table, and asked her: "Principal, are you shocked?"
Principal Wu looked up at her, that bright smiling face always seemed to bring hope to people.
She suddenly felt a sense of expectation, and told her dilemma calmly, and then asked her, "Nianhe, do you have any ideas?"
Not only her, but Wang Hong and Li Dahe also looked at Lin Nianhe, wanting to ask her what bad idea she had.
Lin Nianhe looked at Principal Wu's expectant eyes, licked his lips, and slowly shook his head.
Of course there are ways, such as asking factories or individuals to make donations, or simply reducing tuition fees and subsidizing meals.
But these are of no use.
Teaching is about teaching people how to fish, rather than raising them unconditionally so that they only know how to ask for something.
Principal Wu looked at Lin Nianhe and hesitated: "Nianhe, are you really helpless?"
Will Lin Nianhe shake his head and say no?
Principal Wu didn't believe it.
Wang Hong didn't believe it either. She tugged on Lin Nianhe's sleeves and lowered her voice and said, "You're too immoral to say it? It's okay. Just tell me in a low voice and I'll take care of it."
Lin Nianhe: "...?"
Does her idea have to be evil?
Lin Nianhe didn't want to delve into what image he had in their eyes, but just said: "It's useless. For the Victory Brigade, studying is not a necessity of life. If they can't get rich, they will never be able to let their children study."
After a while, she continued: "Even if each family gives them a hundred yuan now, they still won't use any of it to send their children to school. They will use the money to repair their houses, buy grain, chickens, cloth, or Just go get some meat and come back to make a tooth sacrifice, and then... continue to wait for the next hundred yuan."
"They don't send their children to school because they are poor. In the future, they will continue to be poor because their children have not gone to school...and so on until good luck comes or they are eliminated."
Lin Nianhe had no way of telling them that in just a few years, this country would undergo earth-shaking changes. When these children grow up ten years later, going to college will be the easiest way to change their destiny in their lives.
She knows the future, and it is not difficult to foresee the future of the Victory Team.
Principal Wu looked at Lin Nianhe, and the last light in his eyes went out.
Seeing her like this, Lin Nianhe felt distressed.
After a while, she sighed softly and reached out to hold Principal Wu's finger.
Principal Wu's hands were cold, like ice cubes.
Lin Nianhe coaxed softly: "Principal, don't be like this, that's what I said... In this way, tomorrow I will go to the Victory Brigade for a walk to see what is going on there. If the children really want to study , I’ll think of a way, okay?”
For Principal Wu, Lin Nianhe inexplicably wanted to support her and support her unconditionally.
Before Principal Wu could speak, Li Dahe suddenly said: "No, you can't go!"
Lin Nianhe was stunned and looked at him blankly: "Uncle Captain, I won't cause trouble, I just went to take a look."
Li Dahe frowned tightly and shook his head involuntarily: "No, no one is allowed to go there, especially lesbians, absolutely not allowed to go!"
Lin Nianhe was a little confused.
She had never seen Li Dahe look so serious.
Subconsciously looking at Wang Hong, Lin Nianhe asked her why with his eyes.
Wang Hong also frowned, aware of Lin Nianhe's gaze, she just shook her head gently.
It seems like he knows something, but he also seems to know nothing.
(End of chapter)
