Free Web NovelChapter 101: Chapter 101: Be a Teacher?
The villagers held a deep reverence for literacy. This was precisely why Qin Shanshan had been so popular in the village before.
Intellectuals, after all, were loved and respected. Anything they said was to be considered carefully.
It was in this frame of mind that the illiterate and semi-literate parents of several children suddenly discovered that their son or daughter could actually read!
Even if it was just a few words, that was a real skill!
After their initial shock, the parents were filled with amazement. It was only then that they learned their children had been going to the Tang family’s house to play, where Su Li not only gave them snacks but also taught them to read!
This earned her their sincere gratitude.
Even if they hadn’t participated when Su Li was wrongly accused before, they had been bystanders. Afterward, they all felt she had been treated unjustly.
For Su Li to still treat their children so well under these circumstances—how could they possibly remain indifferent?
Because Xinghua Village was located deep in the mountains with inconvenient transportation, news traveled slowly. Some of the elderly had never even left the village in their entire lives.
Because of this, the people of Xinghua Village could sometimes be particularly ignorant, insular, and xenophobic, clinging to many old-fashioned feudal ideas, which was quite detestable.
But beyond this unpleasant side, they also possessed the unique innocence and kindness of farmers.
To show their gratitude to Su Li, they not only continued to let their children come over to play but also did their best not to let them arrive empty-handed, sending them with whatever thank-you gifts they could muster.
These might be some wild vegetables, some homemade fermented tofu or pickled greens, or other such foods. Whatever they had, they brought as a token of their appreciation.
If they couldn’t bring anything, they would come over for a visit, help Su Li with some chores, or bring things like leaves for pig feed.
At first, Su Li was a bit taken aback and hesitant to accept their gifts, but they just assumed she was being polite, which in turn made them even more insistent.
The parents told everyone they met what Su Li was doing, gushing about how wonderful she was and how smart their own children were—learning to read before even starting school, or in some cases, finally learning words they hadn’t picked up in class.
There were basically no secrets in a village; the slightest whisper could be heard in every household, especially when they were deliberately spreading the word.
Within two days, the entire village knew about it, and some people even went to playfully quiz the children.
The children didn’t disappoint; most of them managed to show off their ’extraordinary intelligence.’
Over time, unbeknownst to Su Li, her name once again became a hot topic in Xinghua Village, following the hushed rumors of ’retribution.’
This time, however, it was all good things, and eventually, the talk reached the principal’s ears.
The villagers heard the news and just gossiped about it, but when the principal heard, an idea struck him.
He even made a special trip to see the child who had supposedly spent half a semester in school without learning to read, only to finally learn from Su Li. After meeting the child, he sought out Su Li himself. freewёbnoνel.com
He wanted to ask Su Li to be a substitute teacher.
"...The previous substitute teacher is pregnant and about to give birth. I’ve been trying to figure out how to solve this problem, and I was at a loss for what to do when I heard about you."
The principal wasn’t from Xinghua Village; he had been assigned here from the town. He was a chubby man with a kind, gentle face.
In the past, most rural people didn’t pursue education, especially girls. Even the boys who did attend would study for a day and then be absent for two. Whether they came to school or not basically depended on the busy farming season.
The principal’s initial ambition had been slowly worn away, but now that people were gradually starting to value education again, he was renewing his efforts.
"You have a middle school education, which is rare in this village, and you clearly have a knack for teaching. That’s why I thought of asking you to fill in as a substitute."
The principal sat across from Su Li, explaining the situation with a smile.
"Educating people is a good deed. The salary is the same as the previous teacher’s, eighteen yuan a month. It’s not as much as a full-time teacher’s official salary, but it’s not low either. It’s certainly better than toiling in the fields."
"So, what do you think? Su Li, would you like to consider it?"
Su Li didn’t answer right away.
She had never really considered becoming a teacher before the principal mentioned it.
Now that he had suddenly proposed something she’d never thought about, she naturally needed time to consider.
’The principal has a good point, though,’ she thought. ’Because of Little Tang Mo, I can’t go to the county seat for now, so becoming a teacher seems like a pretty good option.’
’No matter the time or place, a school is usually the quietest, most peaceful place around.’
’Children don’t have the devious complexities of adults. Being around them is relaxing, and it would be conducive to my own studies.’
’A quiet environment for studying, plus a salary... it really is a great choice.’
’And don’t look down on just eighteen yuan. It may not seem like much, but it’s worth a lot these days.’
’Eighteen yuan now would stretch further than eighteen hundred in the future.’
Having thought it through, Su Li said to the principal, "I will consider it seriously. I will give you an answer by tomorrow at the latest."
"Ah... good, good." The principal was actually a little surprised.
A substitute teacher position like this was actually highly sought after. Who in the village wouldn’t want it? It was just that they lacked the ability and didn’t dare to dream of it, and the principal had no intention of hiring them anyway.
The principal had originally thought Su Li would agree immediately.
’But... this is good too,’ he mused. ’It shows that Su Li is rational and careful.’
The principal wanted all the teachers at his school to be top-notch, and Su Li’s cautious approach made him respect her even more.
"Alright, then. I’ll wait for your answer."
The principal left with a smile.
Although Su Li hadn’t yet agreed, the news quickly spread throughout Xinghua Village.
Everyone discussed it enthusiastically. Some thought it was a great idea, some remained neutral, and of course, some disapproved.
However, even those who held opposing opinions were very restrained in voicing them.
After all, Su Li was now someone who might become a teacher.
In their minds, a teacher’s status was special and transcendent; they couldn’t possibly speak ill of a teacher.
The word ’teacher’ carried a lot of weight in those days, and teachers themselves paid close attention to being proper role models.
Su Li was unaware of the discussions in Xinghua Village, and wouldn’t have cared anyway, but she did value Little Tang Mo’s opinion.
As for Su Li becoming a teacher, Little Tang Mo was all for it, raising both hands and feet in approval.
"Mama, be a teacher! Be a teacher! I want to go to school with you!"
Little Tang Mo was ecstatic, and his friend, Brother Gou Dan, got excited too. They both wanted Su Li to become a teacher so they could go to school with her.
"We wanna go too! We wanna go too!"
Su Li didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she watched them. However, the thought of Little Tang Mo going to school with her was tempting.
If Su Li was merely tempted by the idea, then for Mrs. Tang, the news was a delightful surprise.
Just like Little Tang Mo, she was completely in favor of Su Li taking the teaching job.
"Oh, Su Li, you absolutely have to say yes! This is the kind of opportunity others couldn’t get even if they begged for it! Look how capable you are. If you can teach those kids, then teaching others will be no problem at all!"
Mrs. Tang’s face was flushed with excitement as she did her utmost to convince Su Li to agree.
"Just go! Being a teacher is such a good, respected position! And you’re still thinking about it? If it were me, I would’ve agreed in a heartbeat. I’d do it even if they didn’t pay me!"
Mrs. Tang was exaggerating, but her words expressed the feelings of most people in Xinghua Village.
To them, being a doctor or a teacher was the best profession imaginable—one they admired and envied from the bottom of their hearts.
