Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

As soon as the three of them entered the central courtyard, they saw Nan Yi watching the excitement in the crowd.

"Brother Yi, here." Ding Qiunan shouted.

Nan Yi ran over when he heard the voice, "Qiu Nan, you came to watch the fun too. I just came back from get off work and happened to meet Teacher Feng from the school who came to visit the Jia family. He asked me for directions, so I brought him here."

"Then tell me what happened and why it's so lively."

"I'm telling you..."

It turned out that Banggeng had taken leave and hadn't been to school for several days, so his homeroom teacher, Mr. Feng, was worried and came to check on him, and also to collect Banggeng's tuition for this semester.

After Nan Yi brought the person over, he gave a brief introduction and then left. He also knew that the old woman in the Jia family loved to make trouble and throw tantrums, so he would avoid getting involved with her if possible.

Teacher Feng was politely welcomed into the room, and Qin Huairu asked, "Teacher Feng, what are you doing here this time?" Qin Huairu knew Teacher Feng. She had met Teacher Feng when Banggeng enrolled in school and when he visited his home before the New Year.

"I just came to see how Banggeng is doing. He took a sick leave some time ago. It's been a week now. The final exams are coming up soon. He can't miss so many classes." Teacher Feng is a middle-aged woman in her forties. She wears glasses and looks gentle, but she is also a capable person. It's just that when she first entered the room, she didn't have the courage to say that Banggeng often stole things in the class.

"Bang Geng is sick? Don't we know? Bang Geng! Bang Geng!" Qin Huairu grabbed the collar of Bang Geng who was trying to slip away and asked sternly, "You have been in school this week, so why did your head teacher say that you were sick and asked for leave? Tell me the truth, did you skip classes to go out and play?"

Bang Geng stiffened his neck and kept silent. Qin Huairu was so angry that she trembled. She reached out and picked up the broom to hit him. Bang Geng burst into tears and wanted to hit him again but was stopped by Jia Zhangshi who was standing beside him.

"What are you doing? This is the only child of our Jia family. What if he gets hurt? Don't be afraid, Banggeng. Grandma will take care of it for you. Tell grandma what's going on."

Bang Geng cried and said, "My classmates at school... they said I was a fatherless child, born by a mother but not raised by a father, and they kept making fun of me. I wanted to beat them but couldn't, so I didn't want to go to school anymore, so I asked Chen Erniu from the next door yard to ask for leave for me, saying I was sick, and then I went out to play with my schoolbag every day."

When Qin Huairu heard this, her eyes immediately turned red. She hugged Banggeng and cried bitterly. In her heart, she was blaming Jia Dongxu for leaving too early, leaving them, an orphan and a widow, to be bullied.

When Jia Zhang heard what her good grandson said, she was not happy. She walked to Teacher Feng with her cane in her right hand, spitting on Teacher Feng's face, "How do you educate people in your school? How are you as a class teacher? Whose damn kid said such a thing? I'll scratch their faces to vent my anger for my grandson!"

Teacher Feng was so frightened by Jia Zhang's move that she took two steps back and almost bumped into the table. The look of Jia Zhang opening her mouth wide as if she wanted to eat her was too scary. She had seen many parents who made mistakes during her years of teaching, but Jia Zhang's behavior was rare. Besides, it was obviously the school and she who were responsible this time, so she was also a little in the wrong.

Teacher Feng took out a handkerchief and wiped the spit on her face and glasses, and explained: "Grandma Banggeng, don't be angry first, the school and I don't know about this..."

Before Teacher Feng could finish, Jia Zhang interrupted him, "Don't you know? You are the class teacher and you don't know. We pay tuition every semester, what do you do? My child has suffered so much injustice that he doesn't want to go to school anymore. My grandson wants to go to college and have a bright future."

Teacher Feng was also irritated by Jia Zhang's scolding, and her voice unconsciously rose. "Banggeng Grandma, since we're talking about tuition, I want to talk to you. Your family is the only one that hasn't paid the tuition for this semester! This time I'm here not only for a home visit but also to collect tuition. If you don't pay, you won't be able to go to school in the second half of the year."

At this time, the noise from the Jia family attracted the attention of the people in the yard. Everyone came to the door of the Jia family to watch the fun. Sha Zhu and Yan Bugui also came.

When Qin Huairu heard that she had to pay the tuition, she wanted to cheat and quickly pulled Jia Zhang, "Mom, please stop talking. This is a great class teacher."

"Why should I just say a few words less and allow their school to do such a thing? They still don't allow me to speak out? I'm going to speak out, and I want the whole hospital and the whole street to know how their school teaches and educates!" Jia Zhang also didn't want to pay the tuition, so she simply tried to see if she could get away with it by acting like a spoiled brat.

"How can you be so rude? You interrupted me before I could finish my words. Since you have no shame, I won't hide it for your family anymore. Your boy Banggeng usually steals in the classroom. Last time, he stole his classmates' snacks and I criticized him a few words. Then he asked for leave. He never told me about his classmates laughing at him or fighting with him." Teacher Feng said angrily.

When Jia Zhang heard Teacher Feng say that his son Bang Geng was stealing, he was completely furious. This was a matter concerning his reputation, and even if he really did it, he could not admit it.

"What are you talking about, you little slut? I'm going to tear your mouth apart!" Jia Zhang was so angry that she didn't even bother to use her simple crutch. She hopped on one foot and came in front of Teacher Feng, swinging her left hand to hit Teacher Feng.

"Jia Zhang! Stop it!" Yan Bugui in the crowd was really anxious now. He could no longer watch the fun and shouted to stop. Then he rushed forward. Not to mention that he was the second uncle in the hospital, Teacher Feng was his colleague. If something happened under his nose, how could he go back to school to teach?

However, Yan Bugui was outside the door at a considerable distance after all. Fortunately, Jia Zhang also had a broken leg and was unable to move easily. Yan Bugui reached out in time to pull Teacher Feng, who was a little frightened, and allowed her face to avoid Jia Zhang's slap, but she was hit on the shoulder by Jia Zhang.

"Ms. Feng, are you okay?"

"Teacher Yan? Why are you here? I was so grateful to you just now." Teacher Feng said a little aggrievedly. Although she and Yan Bugui both taught at Hongxing Primary School, they did not teach the same grade, so they only knew each other but were not familiar with each other.

"To be honest with you, Teacher Feng, I live in the front yard of this courtyard and I'm also the manager of this courtyard," Yan Bugui explained.

Teacher Feng saw an acquaintance and was like a drowning man grabbing a life-saving straw. "Teacher Yan, why are the people in your hospital like this? They fight like shrews when they disagree with each other."

Jia Zhang held a long wooden stick as a cane in one hand and put her other hand on her waist, "Yan Bugui, you old man, why don't you stay away? This is none of your business!"

"You are about to beat up my colleague, so how can it be none of my business? Besides, I am the manager of the hospital. Do you believe that I will hold a meeting to deal with you?" Yan Bugui said angrily.

"You, Old Man Yan, stop standing there and talking without any hesitation. It's not your child who is emotionally wronged, right? All you know how to protect each other and bully us honest people!" Jia Zhang cried.

"Then you should speak nicely. It's wrong to hit others!" Someone in the crowd shouted.

"Ms. Jia Zhang, if you don't behave yourself, I will report you to the police to arrest you. If I can't deal with you, no one can deal with you, a shrew!" Yan Bugui also threatened.