The children were also startled and ran out to surround Mr. Jin: “Sir, please don't leave.”
"Sir..."
Mr. Jin felt a little tired, leaning against the classroom door, patting each child's little head, shaking his head: “Sir, sir is old...”
He looked at the parents around him, his tone was a little low: “I have been teaching in Qingshi Town for more than ten years. If I really leave like this, I will be the first one who can't bear it. But I am old now, and my energy is not as good as before. You send your children here, I can't teach them well."
"You can go and see, Mingwei's handwriting is really good, compared to Yizhu's, it's not bad either. I hired her to share some of my burden, and also because Yizhu is busy with her studies now and has no time to copy books for the school. She can just fill in."
"If she leaves, will you go to the County Town to buy new textbooks by yourselves next year?"
It was quiet for a while. Everyone knew that buying books from Mr. Jin could save half the money, which could be tens or even hundreds of wen. It would be foolish not to take advantage of it.
Li Mingwei complained inwardly about Mr. Jin. He didn't tell her earlier that he wanted her to copy books. Now she was pushed into this position and couldn't refuse either. How reckless, she shouldn't have agreed so quickly.
What a schemer!
Aunt Cui stepped forward first and pushed Mrs. Wu: “Mr. Jin, I didn't say not to let this girl Mingwei teach. She is the only one. Don't do this just because of her.”
"That's right, that's right, we didn't say that, it was just her who said that, it has nothing to do with us."
"Her son doesn't study, our sons do!"
Aunt Cui nodded: “Mr. Jin has taught books here for so many years. I definitely trust your judgement. I feel assured to hand over my child to Sister Mingwei. Everyone, right?"
"Yes, yes."
"Rest assured, rest assured, definitely rest assured."
At this moment, no matter if they really had opinions about Li Mingwei teaching or not, they didn't dare to have opinions now. They had to appease Mr. Jin first, or else who knows what would happen if Mr. Jin left, even if the government office was willing to send another teacher.
Mrs. Wu was surrounded by all kinds of voices, and she cursed bitterly in her heart. These people really turn their faces quickly. It seemed like she was the only one dissatisfied with Mr. Jin and Mingwei, and was here to make trouble.
Li Mingwei was used to their speed of changing faces. She coldly sneered, and gently said, “Except for Chen Fangyuan’s mother, no one else doesn't want me to teach their children how to write, right?”
The group of people nodded together, like playing a drum, murmuring, “No, no.”
“Then let’s continue class. Rest assured that the children who want to learn from me, I will teach them well.”
“Okay, you teach, we won't disturb you.”
The children rushed into the classroom. Mr. Jin held Chen Fangyuan alone: “You don't want to study, so pack up and go back with your mother first.”
Seeing the child about to cry, Mrs. Wu couldn't hold it in and grabbed Mr. Jin’s arm, pleading, “Mr. Jin, you can't...”
“No need to say more, take him back first. If there is anything, let his father come to talk to me.”
Mrs. Wu really wanted to cry now. If her husband knew about this, he would beat her to death.
She walked away gloomily with the child. After sitting for less than a quarter hour, her husband came back with Chen Fangyuan jumping into his father's arms, complaining grievously, “The teacher doesn't let me go to class anymore.”
Chen Jie runs a snack shop in town. No news could escape him. As soon as Mrs. Wu offended the teacher, someone came to tell him.
He settled the child in the room before going to the front yard to deal with Mrs. Wu.
Before he could speak, his mother already opened her mouth. “What else to say, she offended the teacher. How good of a time will Fangyuan have in school afterwards? I say, take the divorce book, cut off her and Fangyuan’s relationship, then the teacher can’t blame the child anymore.”
Mrs. Wu slumped to the ground, weeping and blowing her nose. She cried badly, “Mother, how could you say that? I was just worried that the child would be led astray.”
“Yes, the child was led astray, led astray by you. Now you have offended the teacher and are simply lawless. Do you know how many people outside are laughing at my Chen family now!”
“Mother~”
Chen Jie was caught between the two women and felt a little helpless. He hadn't said anything yet.
He stopped his mother and said, “Although Mrs. Wu said some inappropriate things, there is no need to divorce her. I will buy some gifts later and take her to apologize to the teacher. I know the teacher. As long as she is sincere and has a good attitude, the teacher will not care about it.”
“Nonsense. Mr. Jin may be easy to speak to, but what about that Miss Li? She won't teach our Fangyuan anymore. Wouldn't Fangyuan be inferior to others? I say, divorce her. I'll find a matchmaker to bring Miss Li into our home. She can't conceive anyway, how much advantage will Fangyuan gain!”
Chen Jie and Mrs. Wu responded at the same time, one grieved and one speechless: “Mother!”
Mrs. Wu said heartbrokenly: “Mother, do you dislike me so much?”
When Chen Jie heard his wife's words, he held his forehead in distress and said, “Mother, stop talking about this. I will go to apologize to the Dong Family later.”
“Humph! You read too many books and have to make things complicated!"
Chen Fangyuan’s grandmother got up and slammed the table angrily, glared at her son and then at Mrs. Wu: “If you go to apologize and everything is fine, that's okay to say. But if they really make things difficult for our Fangyuan, see how I will deal with you!"
Mrs. Wu didn’t dare to disagree and kept nodding: “Yes, yes, Mother. I will definitely speak nicely so Fangyuan won't suffer at all.”
Chen Fangyuan’s grandmother walked away waving her hand. Mrs. Wu finally felt relieved. She could only crawl grievously to Chen Jie’s side.
Chen Jie pushed her away: “Get up and prepare gifts to go apologize properly. Think carefully about what to say to the teacher.”
Mrs. Wu hurriedly got up from the ground, wiped the tears from her face, and went to prepare.
Although she said those words in front of everyone this afternoon, it was an adult matter and should not affect such a young child. Li Mingwei still wanted to continue teaching Chen Fangyuan. She didn't expect Mr. Jin to directly send him back.
She felt uneasy. After sending the students away after class, she went upstairs to find Mr. Jin.
“I was just joking. How could Mr. Jin really make the child leave?”
“You girl!”
Mr. Jin pointed at her from afar and nodded. Seeing that she was still a little worried, he comforted, “Don't worry. His father was also taught by me in his early years. He is quite polite. He will definitely come today if he knows about this, or at the latest tomorrow, and will certainly bring the child.”
After Mr. Jin said this, Li Mingwei felt relieved. She leaned on the desk with both hands, deliberately putting on a stern face: “Mr. Jin, when you asked me to teach, you didn't say I had to copy books too.”
Copying books is so boring!
Having to copy more than ten copies of the same book, just thinking about it makes my hands go soft.
