Chapter 15
Wang Chunhua looked left and right at the door, but did not see Li Mingwei bringing the child back. Seeing that the sky was almost dark, she had no choice but to carry little Yan'er to find them.
In fact, Li Mingwei rarely met someone she could talk to, and her chat with Mr. Jin was quite friendly, so they talked for a while longer and forgot about the time.
Dong Lei didn't really understand what they were talking about. He propped up his head and waited there. He hadn't done his homework yet and didn't know if the teacher would let him off tomorrow for making him wait.
"Xiao Lei! Mingwei!"
Wang Chunhua's voice came, and Li Mingwei's hand paused. She went to the window, and Dong Lei leaned on the window sill, waving at his mother excitedly.
"Mother, I'm here!"
Hearing her son's voice, Wang Chunhua looked up at the second floor. Seeing both of them there, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had walked all the way without seeing anyone and really thought the two of them were lost.
"Hey, why haven't you come home yet?"
"Coming now!" Dong Lei answered while running downstairs.
Li Mingwei couldn't stop him and could only bid Mr. Jin farewell herself, "Mr. Jin, it's getting late today. Let's talk another day."
Mr. Jin waved his hand, "Alright, alright, it's not early. You go back first. It's decided about that matter."
"Yes."
Li Mingwei walked slowly downstairs. Wang Chunhua was holding Dong Lei's hand in the yard waiting for her. When she came down, Wang Chunhua took her hand too, "You didn't even check what time it was. What were you talking about with Mr. Jin for so long?"
"Nothing much. Mr. Jin asked me to look at some of the children's handwriting exercises. I'll probably come to the schoolhouse for a while every afternoon from now on."
Handwriting exercises were usually the last class in the afternoon. It would fit right in after she picked up Dong Lei.
"You, teaching classes?"
Wang Chunhua's mouth fell open. She had never heard of a female teacher before. Was this girl's learning already good enough to teach?
Good heavens! How could this be real!
"Not teaching classes, just watching them write for a while, same as when I watch Lei'er."
"Oh." That made more sense, Wang Chunhua closed her mouth again. Fine, it was still an income. But...
"If you've taught them all and they can all write well, our Lei'er won't be able to get the teacher's praise anymore."
There was still some regret in Wang Chunhua's tone. Li Mingwei almost laughed when she heard it. Handwriting had nothing to do with the teaching master, there was no direct correlation. Aptitude and practice writing were also very important. As long as Dong Lei was willing to work hard and spend more paper and ink, he would not fall behind.
Li Mingwei went to the schoolhouse to teach on time every day. The people in town soon found out, especially those with children who had learned to read and write. They were the first to know on the first day.
Of course there were doubters: "She's just a girl, can she do it? Who's ever heard of a girl teaching?"
"That's right. And she was fired too. What if she has poor moral conduct and corrupts the children?"
"Yeah, why don't we tell Mr. Jin and have her dismissed?"
"Let's go, the more of us the better. Mr Jin can't ignore us all. It's for the children after all."
There were also those who had asked Mr. Jin directly: "I'm not going. I already asked him. She just watches them write, not teaching anything. What's there to corrupt? I hope my son can write better. You guys go yourselves if you want. I don't mind if she helps my boy's writing improve."
"That's true. Compared to the book, my son's writing looks like chicken scratch. His dad couldn't even recognize it after staring for ages. He said it was a waste of brush and ink."
"Then let's wait and see. If the children's writing really improves, we'll let her stay."
"Alright."
The parents discussed and decided to wait and see for a period of time. But some could not wait and didn't dare go to Mr. Jin alone for fear of annoying him. So they said some idle words in front of the children.
Li Mingwei walked back and forth in the classroom. Seeing a child write not too well, she wanted to go over to teach him how to hold the brush. But he shook her off directly.
"What's the matter?"
Things had been fine these past days. What was with this child?
"I don't want you to teach me. My mother said you have poor moral conduct. I'm afraid you'll corrupt me!"
"I..."
Li Mingwei was stunned. When had she displayed poor moral conduct?
She looked into the child's earnest little face, truly at a loss for what to say.
Dong Lei immediately stood up and glared at him angrily, "Chen Fangyuan, what nonsense are you spewing? How is my auntie no good?"
Chen Fangyuan also stood up to confront him. His voice was not one bit weak, "How would I know? It's what my mother said."
"Humph!"
Dong Lei huffed out two breaths from his nose and let out a loud snort. He pulled Li Mingwei to his side, "If you don't want to learn then don't learn. Auntie, just teach me. I'll study and have the best writing in school. Anyone who doesn't study will have the worst writing in school!"
Chen Fangyuan was still just a child in the end. He was easily frightened by those words. He really didn't want to be dead last. Dong Lei's writing had indeed been praised by the teacher recently. But mother said... What if Teacher Mingwei really did corrupt him? Mother would beat him to death.
The child's face was filled with distress. With one look, Li Mingwei understood the issue stemmed from the parents. They must have said something to him.
The two children were not exactly quiet. The parents waiting outside had already crowded over. Li Mingwei walked right out and asked, "Who is Chen Fangyuan's mother?"
A woman hurriedly squeezed forward, looking rather flustered, "Me, I am, I am. What's happened to him?"
"Nothing much." Li Mingwei shook her head and stared into the woman's eyes, "Chen Fangyuan just said he doesn't need me to teach him anymore. In the future, if his writing is worse than the other students, I'll let you know. Don't blame me then."
"What is this child saying!"
"Shouldn't you ask why he doesn't want me to teach him? How do you usually teach him at home?"
Chen Fangyuan's mother suddenly recalled something. She stiffened up, but her tone was still unyielding, "Who knows."
Seeing her attitude, a spark of anger rose in Li Mingwei's heart, "You!"
"I didn't say anything wrong. With so many people here, who knows anything about you."
Li Mingwei could not refute this point. Mr. Jin walked over from behind and shielded Li Mingwei. He looked coldly at Chen Fangyuan's mother.
"Wu Shi, are you saying this old man is a poor judge of character?"
Wu Shi had just been gloating over Li Mingwei's speechlessness. Now she also had to restrain herself. Mr. Jin had taught in Qingshi Town for over ten years. He had even taught her husband. She did not dare offend him.
"Mr. Jin, I did not mean that. Just..."
"No need to say more. This old man will tender his resignation to the county office tomorrow for them to find a better teacher."
Everyone was shocked and hurried to stop him. The scene suddenly grew loud and chaotic.
Some even grabbed Mr. Jin's hand directly, "Mr. Jin, what are you saying!"
"Teacher, what will the children do if you leave? "
"You've taught here for so many years. How can you just up and leave like that?"
Mr. Jin shook his head in disappointment. He had just wanted to do more for the children.