Courir partout et jouer des rôles mineurs

Chapitre 76

But he had no choice but to get involved. In the first year of junior high, he was practically the leader of the city's students; everyone respected him, and he couldn't ignore anything that happened to the city's students—that was his responsibility… If Qiu Shanglin were to say it, it was purely a case of meddling in other people's business when he had nothing better to do! It was all because of his vanity!

Chang Sheng was about the same height as him, and if the two faced off, he would be no less formidable. His tone was unfriendly: "Lin Hao, mind your own business."

Ouyang Linhao and he have a good relationship; they often play ball together.

Ouyang Linhao said in a gentler tone, "Give me some face, let's settle this privately."

Chang Sheng snorted coldly, ignoring everything and trying to push Ouyang Linhao aside to arrest Gao Jiaqiang, when an angry voice came from the doorway: "You've all rebelled! You've all gone too far!"

Chen Zhaodi had been on tenterhooks for a long time when she suddenly heard an angry voice, which sounded like heavenly music. She breathed a sigh of relief, and tears streamed down her face. Looking at the person entering the door with utter sympathy, she whispered in a voice barely above a whisper, "The teacher is here..."

winter

The head of the first-year junior high school's academic affairs department has been having a bit of a headache lately. It's not because someone from his hometown came to borrow money, nor because his pampered wife from a working-class family is arguing with him, nor because that damned principal is finding fault with his work again. Instead, it's because he personally caught several students who were disrupting class and fighting during self-study.

This matter can be big or small.

If I'm in a good mood, I can just give them a good scolding and be done with it; if I'm in a bad mood, I can escalate it to the level of their character and personality, using the argument that one bad apple spoils the whole bunch to give them a major demerit or even fire them—it's not difficult at all.

What troubled him was that both masterminds were good students.

Qiu Shanglin entered school with the highest score, and her top ranking has been consistently maintained through midterm exams and numerous quizzes. She is expected to continue doing so. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, she will smoothly enter high school, maintain her position there, and ultimately become a promising candidate for a top university.

Gao Jiaqiang ranked in the top 50 in entrance exams, within the top 5 of his class, and within the top 10 of his grade. Moreover, he came from Huaiqiao City, and his father was a minor official in a unit under the city's central district government. When he enrolled, a government car drove him directly to his dormitory—along with gifts meant to bribe the teachers.

You can't just take someone's money and then do whatever you want.

They wanted to pin the blame on Qiu Shanglin... Everyone in town knew her family was rich. The food vouchers the school gave to each teacher last month were actually a form of bribery from her family.

The first-year students had only been in school for a short time, and incidents big and small were already occurring frequently. Zhang Xuebing was planning to make an example of them to deter others. If any other student were caught by him, they would certainly be punished severely, but these two...

And then there's Li Changsheng—chasing and beating classmates in class is a serious offense and should be dealt with severely! He didn't have any entrance exam scores, got into No. 5 Middle School through connections, doesn't study properly, forms cliques, and disregards school rules... You could easily come up with a hundred reasons to punish him.

But... thinking of the black leather jacket my wife wore yesterday, it looked so good, the material was soft and warm, it was real leather... The Qiu couple made it clear that Li Changsheng was no different from their own child, and they couldn't leave a stain on his file no matter what.

Sigh, they're still just kids.

Children are meant to make mistakes. We can't condemn them all for their mistakes. If they never make mistakes, what's the point of having us teachers? Our task is to educate and nurture them—at the weekly teacher debriefing meeting, Zhang Xuebing sternly summarized the school's decision regarding the fight in Class 1 of Grade 7.

Of course, we can't let this slide. Everyone must submit a self-criticism, and it has to be profound! They'll read it aloud in front of the class! Qiu Shanglin and Gao Jiaqiang can no longer be deskmates; they'll be placed far apart, one on the far left and the other on the far right. I refuse to believe that the left and right hemispheres can fight!

The homeroom teacher of Class 3, Grade 7, twirled a ballpoint pen, hiding his disdain as he looked down: "Both families gave him gifts, didn't they? Why didn't he think about teacher ethics when he dealt with our students last time?"

Pan Linhai, the homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 7, who was on good terms with him, whispered: "I don't know about anything else, but I saw Gao Jiaqiang's parents go into his house yesterday. They were carrying big bags and small bags, including a box of Chinese turtle essence!"

"It's definitely not as generous as Qiu's gift. Didn't you see that Gao Jiaqiang's seat is in the first row?" The teachers at No. 5 Middle School knew this in tacit agreement. On the surface, the first row is a good seat, but in reality, you always get chalk dust, it's cold in winter and hot in summer, and you're disturbed by people coming and going. It's not exactly the best seat.

Pan Linhai remained silent. As a homeroom teacher, he couldn't even make decisions about seating arrangements and had to rely on the grade-level director to interfere; it was understandable that he felt unhappy.

The matter was thus concluded. A dozen days later, the exams were held, students packed their bags, and the holiday began. On the first day of the holiday, the students were taken to the playground. In the sub-zero temperatures, Zhang Xuebing kept nagging and repeating safety and holiday study issues until the teachers were impatiently rubbing their hands and stamping their feet. Only then did he announce the start of the winter holiday.

Boarding students' luggage cannot be left at school for fear of theft. A line of parents waited outside the Fifth Middle School to pick them up. Shanglin didn't tell her parents when the holiday would start; she figured Li Changsheng could easily carry all the luggage back on his bicycle. The two bicycles were laden with bags and quilts, which were rolled up and placed on the back of Changsheng's bicycle. Shanglin carefully supported them from the side as they walked.

Suddenly, a car honked behind him. Changsheng pushed his bike to the side of the road, but the other driver kept honking without any intention of overtaking. Changsheng was annoyed. "The road is wide enough for you to walk sideways! What's with this piece of junk honking?"

Shang Lin also turned around to look, and a head popped out of the car window. It was indeed his classmate, Ji Yunwen.

His father was the director of the town's power bureau. A government car came to pick up his son and stopped by the roadside. Ji Yunwen jogged over and said, "Put your luggage in the car and I'll take you back."

He didn't even glance at Qiu Shanglin, and went straight to Li Changsheng to speak.

Shanglin was very polite: "No need to trouble yourself, we live very close to home."

At this moment, Ji Yunwen's father also came over and patted Shanglin's head: "Qiu Shanglin, right? I know your parents very well. Get in the car, I'll give you a ride!"

Khan of Shanglin. Director, why do you speak in the same tone as a child abductor?

Since the other party meant well, it wasn't appropriate to refuse too much. Ji Yunwen picked up the bedding and carried it to the car. Changsheng was busy setting up the bicycle, and Shanglin, feeling embarrassed to stand by, quickly stepped forward to lend a hand. Just as he helped the bedding onto the bike, Ji Yunwen coldly said, "No need."

He dodged aside and strode away with his luggage in hand.

Shang Lin stared blankly down at his hands. "Am I annoying?"

Li Changsheng and Xia Lin rode bicycles, while only Shang Lin rode in a small car to escort the luggage—yes, I didn't misuse the word. It was escorting!

Ji Yunwen's pale face darkened, looking extremely unwilling and reluctant. A ten-minute walk felt like an ordeal to him. Shang Lin, filled with unease, kept thinking, "Have I offended him?"

When the car arrived at Hongxing Compound, Changsheng and Xia Lin were already waiting downstairs. She couldn't wait to jump out of the car and say thank you and goodbye to them. Ji Yunwen didn't even bother to hum, completely ignoring her and turning around to be affectionate with Li Changsheng and Qiu Xia Lin, which made Qiu Shanglin extremely depressed.

When the topic came up occasionally during winter break, Xia Lin burst into laughter.

Ji Yunwen had a good relationship with Changsheng and Ouyang Linhao. However, since the Gao Jiaqiang incident, a rift developed between Li Changsheng and Ouyang Linhao, and they were no longer as casual and intimate as before. Ji Yunwen was caught in the middle and found it difficult to put on a good show. After thinking about it, he blamed her.

Upon hearing this, Shang Lin exclaimed that the other party was being unreasonable. "There's a cause for every grievance, and a debtor for every debt. I never said I wouldn't allow Chang Sheng and Ouyang Linhao to be friends. Besides, my conflict with Gao Jiaqiang and Li Changsheng wanting to beat him up has nothing to do with Ouyang Linhao. Why does Ji Yunwen dislike me?"

Xia Lin pouted, "You don't understand, you don't understand things between boys!"

Shang Lin was annoyed and casually picked up a piece of wood and threw it into the stove: "I don't care to understand! You guys are so fussy even though you're not fully grown yet. Look at Gu Zhiyuan, he doesn't have so many problems like you guys, right, Zhiyuan?"

He turned to seek Gu Zhiyuan's support.

Gu Zhiyuan held the roasted sweet potato in both hands, blowing on it as it was hot. The sweet potato, with its charred skin and tender yellow interior, was tossed back and forth between his hands. Hearing this, he asked blankly, "Huh?"

Li Changsheng and Qiu Xialin stared at each other, then burst into laughter, doubled over with mirth. Qiu Shanglin rolled his eyes in exasperation—"You glutton!"

With winter vacation approaching, Gu Zhiyuan packed his bags and, under the pretext of going to the countryside to experience rural life, stayed at the Qiu family's house, refusing to return to the city. Secretary Gu thought his eldest grandson was a good choice; going to the countryside to experience rural life, living and eating with farmers, would allow him to better understand the hardships of ordinary people. Qian Xin, for some unspeakable reasons, wholeheartedly agreed to Gu Zhiyuan staying at the Qiu family's house and traveling with Qiu Shanglin. Only Gu Junjie in the family thought it inappropriate and repeatedly told his son not to cause trouble for Qiu Shanglin.

While everyone else is on winter break, having fun and busy, Qiu Shanglin has serious business to attend to. But that's good, though; her son is with her, learning more, observing more, and becoming more ambitious!

If they saw Gu Zhiyuan in his current state, they would not only abandon any ambition, but would also desperately try to drag him home.

Thinking back to the first time he met Gu Zhiyuan, and then looking at the Gu Zhiyuan in front of him, Shang Lin sighed deeply, lamenting the cruel twist of fate, how the world had changed, and how a refined person had become a glutton.

He casually threw on a yellow military uniform, revealing a warm red wool sweater underneath, wore a pair of black oversized cotton shoes, and tossed a cotton hat over his ears. Holding a roasted sweet potato, he blew on it and popped it into his mouth. He was a completely different person from Gu Zhiyuan, the energetic young man in a black suit, white shirt, and tie with slicked-back hair, who hosted programs in the elementary school auditorium. Anyone who didn't know him would think he was some mischievous kid from Qiujia Village!

The group is currently living and eating in Qiujia Village. Fortunately, the old Qiujia house has been renovated and has many rooms and a large space, so it doesn't feel crowded.

When asked, Lin said that she didn't actually want to live in the old house. Although her eldest and youngest uncles had separated and moved out to live independently, leaving only her grandparents in the old house, the village was still full of people, and Zhang Chunhua, who didn't have a job, would come over and bother them from time to time, leaving her children in the care of the elderly couple while she went to visit neighbors and play mahjong.

My cousin Qiu Ya'er and my cousin Qiu Wenlong are six years old and just one year old, respectively. The old couple are so busy with them that they don't have a moment to spare, and Shanglin doesn't want to bother them.

However, the vegetable greenhouses were built in Qiujia Village, and winter was the time when the greenhouses needed to produce vegetables. She was concerned about the greenhouse flowers, and some families wanted to build new greenhouses, but the weather was cold and it was inconvenient to travel back and forth, so they simply stayed in the old house. Fortunately, they didn't usually eat at home, which saved the old couple some trouble.

Winter is the off-season for farmers. Wives and children are warmly comforted on the kang (heated brick bed), having worked hard all year, hoping for a break. In previous years, the fields would be deserted; after the last cabbage harvest, only cabbage stalks and the frozen ground remained, accompanied by the bleak winter wind. This year is different. Even into the twelfth lunar month, in Qiujia Village, elderly farmers, bundled up tightly, are still working in the fields.

The sparrows chirped curiously and landed on a small branch not far away, tilting their heads in confusion. In previous winters, the fields were their domain. Why were humans coming to compete for territory this year?

The ground was covered with a layer of plastic sheeting, which was lifted during the day and covered with thick straw mats at night. Overnight, the ground was covered with dew and frost, and by morning, it was a vast expanse of white. Unsuspecting people would think that it had snowed heavily.

When relatives and friends come to visit, they inevitably follow along to see the unusual sights.

I'd heard of using plastic film to cover vegetables, but nobody in the entire C province had ever done it. The reason? Ordinary people don't have the money. How would they buy plastic film? Who would provide technical guidance?

Things are different now. Huaiqiao Bougainvillea Vegetable Company provides funding to pilot the planting of autumn and winter vegetables in Qiujia Village. There's no need to worry about selling the vegetables; the vegetable company handles everything, and I heard they're all being shipped to Beijing.

Bougainvillea Vegetable Company, naturally, belongs to Mocha Cat and is invested by Qiushanglin. Its office is located in Zifang Town. It is not large at present, but its development prospects are very promising. The company's boss is surnamed Cheng, named Cheng Chong, nicknamed Cheng Jiu, and the deputy manager is Xu Lishui—does that sound familiar?

Just a heads up, this is the Cafe de Coral arcade.

Cheng Chong was a distant relative of the Qiu family. After graduating from middle school, he was sent to a business college by Qiu Shanglin and his parents. He studied for two years, interned at the school for a year, and was then sent to Mocha Company for a period of training. When Qiu Shanglin decided to enter the vegetable and flower industry, he was appointed to the task and hastily established Huaiqiao Bougainvillea Vegetable Company.

Such a meaningless name certainly didn't come from Qiu Shanglin. Before going to the business bureau to register, Cheng Chong asked her, "What should we name the company?" Qiu Shanglin was having a headache, so she waved her hand and said, "Whatever you want."

Cheng Chong spent the whole night reading books when he suddenly came across the name "bougainvillea." The book said that bougainvillea is a kind of flower that can bloom up to the ninth heaven. He thought the name was good, as it meant that the company would soar to the sky and have a prosperous business. He immediately made the decision.