From the outside, the warehouse appeared very dilapidated, with the roof tiles falling off in disarray. Inside the warehouse, ca the sound of children reading aloud. Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing walked to the broken-down window and looked inside.
Inside the warehouse, there were about twenty desks, making it look very cramped. The oldest children looked about twelve or thirteen, and the youngest about six or seven. It seed that children from several grades were mixed together for class.
The teacher giving the lesson was a very young lady, and based on her attire, she didn't seem to be from the countryside.
"What's this teacher's na?" Xiao Xue turned her head to ask Zheng Dayong.
Zheng Dayong said, "Her na is Su Bingyan. She's a university student from Beijing and has been volunteering to teach the children in our village for almost a year."
"What age is it now, and there are still schools where students from several grades attend class together?" Luo Guoqing remarked with emotion.
As they entered the so-called school, there was a flagpole outside the warehouse with a slightly faded but still bright red five-starred flag fluttering in the wind.
Below the flagpole were so outdated and extrely simple sports equipnt.
The entire courtyard was kept very clean, suggesting that the teacher was a ticulous person.
Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing stood at the warehouse entrance watching Su Bingyan teach. Just as Zheng Dayong was about to call out, Xiao Xue signaled him not to disturb her.
After watching for about half an hour, Su Bingyan announced the end of class and the students stood up to say goodbye to the teacher before running out of the warehouse.
The three of them walked in, and Su Bingyan looked up to see Zheng Dayong and greeted him with a smile, "Village Chief, you're here."
Zheng Dayong pointed to Luo Guoqing and Xiao Xue and introduced, "Teacher Su, these two are leaders from the city, here for a visit to the school."
"Hello, leaders," Su Bingyan said with a smile on her face.
When Luo Guoqing and Xiao Xue heard Zheng Dayong say that Su Bingyan volunteered to teach here, they had already begun to admire her in their hearts. Xiao Xue, who was about the sa age as Su Bingyan, affectionately held her hand and said, "Teacher Su, please don't call that. It feels awkward to . Just call Xiao Xue."
Su Bingyan shyly smiled.
"Teacher Su, I hear from the Village Chief that you're a university student from Beijing and volunteer to teach the children, right?" Luo Guoqing said to Su Bingyan with a smile on his face.
Su Bingyan's face turned slightly red as she said, "Yes, I'm a volunteer. These are things I ought to do."
"Teacher Su, you're too modest," Luo Guoqing said, with an approving look in his eyes, "Nowadays, young won as conscientious as you are truly hard to find. On behalf of the governnt of Jiangbei City, I thank you. Thank you." He extended his hand to shake Su Yanbing's hand.
"Teacher Su, where do you live? Can you show us?" Xiao Xue asked.
Su Yanbing said, "Of course, I live just next door."
With that, she turned and led Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing out of the classroom, with Zheng Dayong quickly following.
Upon entering Su Bingyan's residence, Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing imdiately felt a pang of heartache. It was just a simple little room with a bed, a worn-out table, and a chair, with almost nothing else inside.
"Village Chief Zheng, you let Teacher Su live in this kind of place?" Luo Guoqing's nose tingled, almost making him cry, as he turned and glared at Zheng Dayong.
Cold sweat imdiately broke out on Zheng Dayong's face, and just as he was about to explain, Su Bingyan quickly said, "Leader, you can't bla Village Chief Zheng. I volunteered to live here. Besides, there's nothing wrong with this place; I think it's quite good."
At this mont, what more could Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing say? Su Bingyan's image had already grown tall in their hearts. This is what society should be like. If everyone were like Su Bingyan, our country, our society would undoubtedly be a harmonious one.
Leaving the school, Luo Guoqing and Xiao Xue didn't say a word. Following behind them, Zheng Dayong didn't dare to speak either.
The two decided to find Mr. Tong Huaiyu imdiately. The school's issue must be resolved at once; we cannot let kind-hearted people like Su Bingyan be treated so unjustly.
The township governnt was about five or six li away from the village, along a bumpy dirt road.
After more than twenty minutes of bumping along the road, the two arrived at the gate of the township governnt.
The township governnt was much more impressive: a three-story building, with two black cars parked at the entrance.
After getting out of the car, Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing approached the entrance, only to be stopped by a young man in his twenties wearing a security uniform. With a cigarette in his mouth and his cap askew, he shouted at them, "You two, stop."
Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing stopped walking; the security guard ca over to them and said, "Who are you looking for?"
Temporarily not wanting to reveal their identities, Luo Guoqing looked at the security guard and said, "We have sothing to talk to Mr. Tong."
"Mr. Tong isn't here. You can wait a while and co back later." The security guard pushed Luo Guoqing and Xiao Xue out of the gate, didn't look back at them again, and turned to head back into the security box.
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Luo Guoqing was furious, unable to believe that even a small town governnt security guard could be so arrogant. He was about to lose his temper when Xiao Xue quickly stopped him, smiling as she called out to the guard, "Sir, we have sothing urgent to discuss with Mr. Tong. Do you know where he is right now?"
The guard turned and glanced sideways at the two, replying, "I don't know."
Xiao Xue took a pack of Furongwang cigarettes from Luo Guoqing's pocket, opened it to find more than half left, and handed it to the guard, saying, "Sir, we really have sothing urgent to discuss with Mr. Tong. Could you please help us out?"
The guard glanced at the cigarettes in Xiao Xue's hand, his expression changing as he smiled, took the cigarettes, and pocketed them, saying, "Mr. Tong and Secretary Zhao are dining with guests at Julaixiang Restaurant."
"Thank you, sir," Xiao Xue said, pulling an angry Luo Guoqing away.
They stopped by the car, and Xiao Xue suggested, "Old Luo, maybe we should call Secretary Tang to explain the situation and see what instructions he has."
Luo Guoqing angrily replied, "This is just ridiculous. Even a security guard is so cocky. Fine, go ahead and tell Secretary Tang what's happening."
Xiao Xue imdiately called Tang Yung, relaying everything she had seen and heard to her. Tang Yung, after listening, instructed Xiao Xue not to seek out Tong Huaiyu on her own and told them to wait at the town governnt entrance; she would be there shortly.
The reason Tang Yung didn't want Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing to directly approach Tong Huaiyu was that their rank was not high enough, and even if they found Tong Huaiyu, as a town mayor, he likely wouldn't take them seriously.
The town where Tong Huaiyu worked was under West River County in Jiangbei City. When Tang Yung set out from Jiangbei City, she inford Li Huaishan, the West River County Party Secretary, to head to the town governnt imdiately.
Xiao Xue and Luo Guoqing waited for Tang Yung at the town governnt entrance for about an hour before an Audi arrived. Two people stepped out, and Luo Guoqing recognized them as Li Huaishan, the West River County Party Secretary, and his secretary, Xiang Yang.
Li Huaishan knew Luo Guoqing and was surprised to see him and Secretary Tang's secretary, Xiao Xue, at the town governnt entrance. He promptly greeted them with a smile, "Old Luo, Secretary Xiao Xue, what brings you here?"
Luo Guoqing chuckled, "We're waiting here for Secretary Tang. What brings you here, Secretary Li?"
Li Huaishan was unaware of what had happened. Tang Yung only instructed him to rush to the town governnt, without explaining any details.
"I ca because I received a call from Secretary Tang. Old Luo, what happened?" Li Huaishan asked Luo Guoqing.
Luo Guoqing chuckled again and said, "I'm not completely sure either. We'll know once Secretary Tang arrives."
After a brief conversation, Tang Yung arrived. As soon as she got out of the car, Xiao Xue, Luo Guoqing, Li Huaishan, and his secretary approached her.
Though Tang Yung had paused her current work, she was still the Party Secretary of Jiangbei City, and Li Huaishan couldn't afford not to treat her with respect.
Tang Yung shook hands with Li Huaishan before turning to Luo Guoqing and asking, "What's the situation?"
Luo Guoqing replied, "They haven't returned to the town governnt yet and are probably still eating at Julaixiang Restaurant."
Tang Yung said, "Let's go and take a look together."
Li Huaishan was bewildered, like a monk puzzled over a scripture. Not knowing what had happened, he leaned over to Xiao Xue and asked, "Secretary Xiao Xue, what exactly is going on?"
Xiao Xue smiled and said, "Secretary Li, just follow us, and you'll understand when we get there."
Julaixiang Restaurant was located across the street from the town governnt. It was a small establishnt. After entering, there was no sign of Tong Huaiyu or Secretary Zhao, but the sound of mahjong tiles clattering ca from the second floor.
As they entered, a woman in her thirties sitting behind the counter stood up with a welcoming smile, saying, "Please, co in. What would you like to eat?"
Luo Guoqing, with a grim face, asked, "Where is Mr. Tong?"
As soon as the na Mr. Tong was ntioned, Li Huaishan's face changed. He realized why Tang Yung had called him there and began cursing Tong Huaiyu inwardly, thinking, "You bastard, causing trouble!"
The woman realized these weren't patrons but people looking for Mr. Tong and pointed upstairs, saying, "Mr. Tong is on the second floor. I'll go call him for you."
"No need, we'll go up ourselves," Tang Yung said with a sharp glance at Li Huaishan as she led the way up the stairs.
On the second floor, the loud sound of mahjong tiles was coming from a room near the stairs.
Tang Yung signaled to Luo Guoqing to knock on the door.
Luo Guoqing walked over and knocked a few tis. A furious voice from inside asked, "Who is it?"
Luo Guoqing paused for a few seconds, and when no one opened the door, he knocked again. This ti, the voice inside began to curse, "Damn it, who is it? Are you mute?"
Li Huaishan seed to recognize the voice, and with a sour expression, he shouted into the room, "Tong Huaiyu, co out!"
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