Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 317

"I'm just standing up for you. You work so hard every day, preparing lessons and giving lectures. You can't just be bossed around like this without paying anyone."

Xu Hesheng smiled; there were some things he couldn't say.

I've been a teacher at the school for several years now, and I'm at the point where I need to be promoted.

If my salary could be increased by one level, I would get a few more dollars each month, which would greatly improve my life.

My qualifications weren't particularly outstanding, so a salary increase was unnecessary.

However, after running this scanning class, I received countless praises, and I will likely be one of the candidates for this salary adjustment.

How could Fan Jinyou persuade me to quit with just a few words?

Seeing that he wasn't taking the bait, Fan Jinyou became a little anxious and offered some benefits.

"Fan Jinyou, what does this mean?"

Fan Jinyou chuckled and said, "I heard that the higher-ups want to come and inspect. What if you don't show up? The tavern won't be able to stay open without a suitable teacher. Wouldn't He Yuzhu be in trouble then?"

"this..."

Xu Hesheng said, "I'm at a crucial moment right now, so I won't be leaving the class for a while."

"Don't worry, the higher-ups won't be here to inspect so soon."

"Alright, we'll talk about it later."

Two days later, the primary school leaders informed him that the list of those to be included in this salary adjustment had been submitted.

Xu Hesheng was overjoyed, as this would make his life a little easier from now on.

Two days later, He Yuzhu received a notification from the neighborhood committee that district leaders would be coming to inspect the work the next day.

After seeing off the neighborhood committee lady, He Yuzhu came to ask Xu Hesheng, emphasizing that there would be an inspection the next day.

Xu Hesheng said, "Manager He, please rest assured, I will definitely attend class on time tomorrow."

"I'll buy you a drink after the checkup."

Chapter 233 Teacher

After seeing Xu Hesheng off, He Yuzhu turned around and went back to the backyard, where he knocked on the Xu family's door.

He said to Xu Xiaomei, "Today I'm giving you a task."

"Just tell me what it is."

"Xu Hesheng probably won't be coming tomorrow. Get ready to cover a class at the tavern tomorrow."

Xu Xiaomei was greatly surprised and asked in astonishment, "How do you know he won't come tomorrow?"

"Because tomorrow is the day when higher-level leaders will come to inspect."

"I don't understand what you're saying. Why would he be absent when his superiors come to inspect? And now you know that."

"You can start preparing now; he probably won't come."

"Okay, I need to prepare my lessons anyway."

With Xu Xiaomei's help, He Yuzhu went to find Cai Quanwu again.

"Mr. He, you were looking for me?"

"Nothing at all. I've noticed you've been studying simplified Chinese characters very diligently lately. How's it going?"

"I've remembered everything Teacher Xu said." Cai Quanwu always spoke concisely and didn't ask many questions.

He Yuzhu nodded and said, "Then do you think you can take on the role of the scanning class teacher if Teacher Xu isn't here?"

Asking Xu Xiaomei to come over is only a temporary substitute teaching job. After all, she is very busy every day and can only substitute teaching occasionally. She cannot teach here for a long time.

Therefore, He Yuzhu planned to have Cai Quanwu give lectures in the tavern on a regular basis, and only occasionally have Xu Xiaomei give a lecture.

In this way, the literacy class will have two teachers, and the two can take turns teaching.

"What? You want me to give a lecture? No way!"

He Yuzhu retorted, "Cai Quanwu, do you really want to continue making 'Wobo' (a type of noodle)?"

Although I usually take good care of him, Cai Quanwu is currently a temporary worker at the grain store.

Carrying a sack of grain earns two cents. Although the earnings are not small, it is a physically demanding job. As one gets older, various diseases will gradually appear, and life will become difficult.

"I can only make braised pork necks in this condition, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Now's an opportunity, isn't it? You know Xu Xiaomei, right?"

Cai Quanwu nodded. He had gotten to know Xu Zhaodi's sister during their interactions over the past few days.

He Yuzhu said, "He also only graduated from junior high school. He worked as a temporary worker at a canned tea shop for a while, and now he's only in charge of the literacy class on the street. He'll do this for a few years, and then he'll become a permanent employee."

It was the 50s, and it was relatively easy for temporary workers to become permanent employees, since not many people were literate.

Xu Xiaomei took the lead, and the street and neighborhood committee recognized and were very satisfied with her work, promising to make her a permanent employee if the opportunity arose in the future.

Although she only graduated from junior high school, she could still work as a substitute teacher in a primary school, or even work in a neighborhood committee.

But by the 60s, most ordinary people in society had learned 2000 characters through literacy classes, and such good opportunities would no longer exist. Many junior high and high school graduates could not find jobs and were assigned to remote areas to work in the countryside.

The "Down to the Countryside Movement" did not begin in 66; it had already been piloted on a small scale in the 60s.

The main difference between the two is that they were both sent to farms, which is equivalent to being formal employees, except that their workplaces were not in remote rural areas.

Upon hearing this, Cai Quanwu's eyes lit up.

He Yuzhu said, "You also went to junior high school. If you can become a teacher in a literacy class, the neighborhood committee will look at you more favorably. They will also arrange some other easy jobs for you. After a while, maybe I can help you solve the problem of a formal job."

He Yuzhu vaguely remembered that the grain store manager's cousin was widowed and had a child. She would help Cai Quanwu find a marriage partner so that he could have a home.

Although she was a rather obese widow, Cai Quanwu's wife was poor, so she was considered a good match.

Cai Quanwu asked, "Do you think I can be a substitute teacher?"

"I think you can do it."

"Thank you for taking care of me, Mr. He."

After speaking, Cai Quanwu straightened up and bowed.

"Why are you being so polite? We're all neighbors, we should help each other out."

He Yuzhu stole someone else's wife, and they usually take good care of him.

Compared to the scheming of all the neighbors in the No. 95 courtyard, He Yuzhu felt happier living in the Qianmen area.

Although there were scoundrels like Fan Jinyou around, there were also friends like Master Niu, Master Pian, and Cai Quanwu.

"It's nothing, I don't know how to thank you enough."

"Preparing lessons diligently and becoming a teacher is the greatest gratitude I can receive."

Having secured the support of teachers Xu Xiaomei and Cai Quanwu, He Yuzhu was no longer worried.

Xu Hesheng thought no one else knew simplified Chinese characters and wanted to take advantage of the situation, so he decided not to hold back.

Sure enough, the next day, when it was time for the afternoon literacy class, Xu Hesheng still hadn't arrived.

Zhao Yali became anxious: "Teacher Xu always arrives more than 10 minutes early, so why hasn't he arrived yet when class is about to start?"

He Yuzhu didn't respond to that question, but instead asked, "How many people are in the literacy class right now? Is it enough for 40?"

"That's enough, that's enough. The room is full. There are enough students for now, but what will we do without teachers?"

Zhao Yali said anxiously, "Should we send someone to invite him over? Is there a problem?"

"There's no need for that. Even if you send someone, you won't be able to find him."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean Xu Hesheng won't be coming today, understand?"

Zhao Yali was frantic, shouting, "Then...then what do we do? Leaders from both levels came for a joint inspection today, and there are no teachers, only students. What kind of situation is this? We're doomed, we're in deep trouble now."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I've even found you two teachers!"

Zhao Yali turned her head to look around, but there were no new people coming into the house, and no one was coming from the street either. Where were the teachers?

He Yuzhu raised his wrist to look at his watch. It was time for class, so he said, "Let's go in. I'll introduce you to two new teachers."

After speaking, he went inside first.

"Two new teachers?" Zhao Yali simply didn't believe that He Yuzhu could conjure up two teachers.

Everyone inside the room was whispering among themselves, wondering why Xu Hesheng hadn't arrived yet, even though it was almost time for class.

Pianye said, "Why isn't Teacher Xu coming today? How about we go for a drink, Niuye?"

"this..."

Just as Uncle Niu was about to suggest going for a drink, he looked up and saw He Yuzhu looking confident, so he asked loudly:

"Mr. He, if Teacher Xu doesn't come, I'm going to go for a drink?"

Before He Yuzhu could answer, the neighborhood committee auntie walked in, looking anxious.

"What happened? Where's the teacher?"