A foreign city, dear you

Ye Lian didn't dare to look at the dog, fearing that the dog would misunderstand her as provocative. She only used her peripheral vision to pay attention to its movements.

She just stayed there, not daring to move.

Teacher Xie also seemed to be frozen, motionless.

With this stalemate and confrontation, Ye Lian felt more and more frightened. Thinking of the sharp teeth in the big black dog's mouth, she shuddered all over.

After a while, the big black dog still didn't attack, but Ye Lian couldn't think of any way to break the stalemate, and she didn't dare to move forward or retreat.

Teacher Xie probably didn't want to waste time like this, so he slowly lowered his waist and stretched out his hand to pick up something.

Ye Lian's heart was in her throat, fearing that the big black dog would pounce madly because of Teacher Xie's "restlessness".

But surprisingly, the big black dog just stepped back vigilantly, and then stood still.

Ye Lian saw that Teacher Xie was just bluffing, and he had not found anything that could threaten the big black dog.

It is estimated that the big black dog also noticed this, so it became emboldened again, and simply sat down and looked at Ye Lian and the others condescendingly, with an air of "what can you do to me?"

Just when Ye Lian and the others didn't know what to do, two stern shouts suddenly came from nowhere: "Dahei, go back! Good dogs don't block the way!"

With just such a sound, the big black dog, which had put Ye Lian and the others in a dilemma, stood up obediently and ran into the alley!

Ye Lian breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense heartstrings finally relaxed.

Fortunately, the big man helped them get out of trouble, but they could only hear his voice but not see him. Ye Lian could only thank her in her heart.

"Are you okay?" Teacher Xie asked with concern.

"It's okay, I was so scared just now." Ye Lian said mockingly.

"If I had known there were dogs here, I would have brought a dog-beating stick." Teacher Xie said.

"If I had known there were dogs here, I wouldn't have come." Ye Lian said very honestly, she was still scared.

Teacher Xie laughed when he heard it. Ye Lian's honest and scared look made him find it cute and interesting.

"Really. Fortunately you are here, otherwise I would have been scared out of my mind just now." Ye Lian said without thinking.

"Really? Will I make you feel safe when I'm around you?" Teacher Xie asked, grabbing the topic.

"Absolutely, it's definitely better to have company than to be alone." Ye Lian said bluntly.

"Okay. Then when you need company in the future, just call me, I will be happy to accompany you." Teacher Xie gave Ye Lian a meaningful look.

Ye Lian looked at the road in front of her and smiled.

This is Teacher Xie. Even if she doesn't call him, he will always help her with anything. Moreover, the two of them are partners in teaching and work, and cooperation and companionship are indispensable.

The two people were talking and had already walked across the slope. Because they were frightened by the big black dog, they looked back as they walked.

It was dark now and lights were on in most of the windows.

Ye Lian checked the house number based on the address in her hand, looking for where Yang Li's family lived.

"Teacher Ye!" a clear voice called.

Ye Lian followed the sound and saw that it was Yang Li.

Yang Li was seen holding a large bag of heavy things in her hand. Ye Lian thought it was garbage at first, but when she got closer, it was not ordinary garbage at all, but a bag full of colorful beads.

"Yang Li! Great, I just met you."

Yang Li knew that today was the teachers' home visit day, but she didn't expect that Teacher Ye would come to her home for a home visit. Her eyes were filled with joy and panic.

Ye Lian wanted to help Yang Li carry the bag, but Yang Li refused and hurriedly walked to the front to lead the way.

Yang Li is twelve years old, but compared with her classmates, she looks thin and small.

After a while, they arrived in front of a building, and Yang Li said this was it.

It's not bad here. There is an empty cement floor in front of the building, which makes it feel more open.

In the middle of the cement floor, there was a pressurized water well. This pressurized water well reminded Ye Lian of the pressurized water well in front of her home in her hometown, and she suddenly felt a sense of intimacy.

But Yang Li did not take them into any room, but continued walking along the corridor of the building.

It turns out that this building is very long, and the other end stretches behind another building.

After walking to the innermost door, Yang Li stopped.

It turns out that Yang Li lives on the edge of this building.

It can't be said to be open here. There are houses in front and on the sides, and there is only a cramped space. There must not be much light in the room.

The door is hidden.

Yang Li opened the door and said in a loud voice: "Mom, my head teacher, Teacher Ye, is here!"

Ye Lian and Teacher Xie also followed in.

This is a small room, slightly larger than the house Ye Lian rented before. In addition to a small bed placed against the wall, there is a small rectangular table placed against the other wall.

There are some sundries and a few strings of beads piled on the table.

Yang Li's schoolbag is also placed on the table.

There is also a small door inside, which is probably the bathroom and kitchen. Ye Lian is not too sure.

A woman about forty years old who looked a little weathered under the light heard Yang Li's words and immediately put down the beads in her hand, stood up, and looked at Ye Lian and Teacher Xie, looking at a loss.

Yang Li put the bag of things on the table and said, "Teacher Ye, sit down."

But where to sit?

"We don't need to sit down. Let's chat and leave." Ye Lian said hurriedly.

Yang Li found a small plastic stool from under the bed. Ye Lian handed it to Teacher Xie while she sat on the edge of the bed.

Teacher Xie took the stool and went outside the door, sitting at the door and waiting for Ye Lian.

"Pour water for the two teachers." Yang Li's mother spoke to Yang Li, her voice seemed a bit loud.

"No, we're not thirsty. We can just chat casually." Ye Lian quickly grabbed Yang Li.

"Yang Li's mother, I am Teacher Ye, Yang Li's class teacher. I have taken the liberty to disturb you today. How is Yang Li doing at home recently? Is there anything you need to communicate with me or need my help?" Ye Lian tried her best to appear as though she were in trouble. Friendly and casual.

But Yang Li’s mother looked confused.

"My mother can't hear very well, so she needs to be loud." Yang Li explained.

Ye Lian was a little surprised, but didn't show it.

But she was not used to speaking very loudly at a very close distance, so she could only ask Yang Li to find out the situation.

When Yang Li saw the teachers coming home, she told Ye Lian everything Ye Lian wanted to know.

Yang Li and her mother came to Yancheng with one of their relatives.

Dad is in poor health and is taken care of by his grandparents at home.

My mother is hard of hearing and worked as a cleaner in a factory through a relative.

Usually her mother doesn't let her do any work and lets her concentrate on her studies. But recently, a relative gave my mother an order for beading that could be processed at home. Time was tight, and my mother had to stay up late every day.

Yang Li felt sorry for her mother, so she helped string beads together at night. She often went to bed very late, so she always felt very sleepy.

Oh, I see.

Ye Lian understood the reason why Yang Li was always tired and in a daze during this time.

But it’s not okay to always be like this. It’s the final year of elementary school and it’s a critical period for entering junior high school, so it can’t affect your studies.

Yang Li noticed Ye Lian's worry and said, "This batch of orders will be completed in two days. Mom said there are no more orders."

What a tough family this is! What a sensible child this is!

Ye Lian sighed in her heart.

Ye Lian looked at Yang Li and couldn't help but feel a little distressed, and couldn't help but think of herself when she was a child.

At that time, I couldn't bear to see my parents suffering and tired, and I always wanted to use my young shoulders to help my parents share a little bit of the burden.

It was getting late. After Ye Lian understood the situation, gave some encouragement and explanations, she was ready to leave.

She quietly took out two hundred-dollar bills from a thin compartment in her backpack, stood up, came to the table, pretended to admire the beads, and put them quietly in the bag.

After bidding farewell to Yang Li and her daughter, Ye Lian and Teacher Xie walked back to school under the light of the roadside windows.