Chapter 16: Xixi's Ideal

Host Xiao Fang, at the end of the interview, asked me, "Chairman Zhao, I want to ask you, have you really worked as a construction worker?"

I stretched out my hand and showed it to Xiao Fang,

"Host, look at my hand; although I haven't handled a trowel for years, look at this rough hand—no boss's hand has calluses like mine. And look at these nail plates; they were smashed when I was working as a rebar worker, and they're still black inside."

Xiao Fang examined my hand carefully and stayed silent for a long while.

"Alright, thank you Chairman Zhao for the interview; I hope Chairman Zhao will keep his word and resolve the wage arrears within three days. Otherwise, I'll come to the ward every day to interview you."

I said, "Host, it's almost noon; let's have a patient meal together before we go."

Xiao Fang smiled,

"Thank you for Chairman Zhao's kindness; if you really resolve the wage issue, I'll treat you to a meal."

"Alright, that's it. Thank you for the interview, Host." I shook Xiao Fang's hand, marking the end of the interview.

Xiao Fang, before leaving, gave me her phone number, saying it was to monitor my movements.

I didn't refuse.

After Xiao Fang left, I quickly had Shi Yong arrange for Xiao Hua and accountant Xiao Feng to come to the ward; I wanted to hold a meeting with them on the spot.

Shi Yong went to the company.

I was pondering how to hold the meeting with Xiao Hua and Xiao Feng when,

a girl's voice came from outside,

"Uncle, how are you?"

It turned out my beloved niece Xixi had arrived. She was once the apple of my eye.

When I was young, I often quarreled with my brother‑in‑law Wang Changguang because of her.

Now she has grown up, is a senior at Zaocheng University, and will graduate soon.

I replied from inside, "Xixi, come in quickly."

A plainly dressed girl pushed the door open; she wore thick glasses just like Wang Changguang.

Although Xixi is my niece, her personality is very independent.

Since she entered university, she has insisted on financial independence, never accepting any of my monetary support.

She would never even ask me for a single cent.

Among all these kids, Xixi is the one I feel most gratified by; in her I seem to see my own reflection.

Having economic autonomy allows one's mind to be independent.

Xixi entered the ward, leaned onto me, and tearfully said, "Uncle, I've been worried about you these days. Fortunately, it's only a leg injury."

I patted Xixi's shoulder,

I said, "Uncle made you worry. It's fine now; I'm recovered, and in a few days I can get back on my feet."

Xixi wiped her tears and stood up,

"How is my aunt?"

When Xixi mentioned Zhou Wei, my heart ached.

I said, "She's in the intensive care unit, hasn't woken up yet."

Xixi said, "My aunt is a good woman; sigh, I don't know why she got tangled in this."

I said, "These are unavoidable. Let's not talk about this. Xixi, you're a senior; what are your plans after graduation, what major did you study, and would you like to intern at Uncle's company?"

Xixi replied, "Uncle, I want to be a teacher; I want to teach in Beishan."

"Returning to Beishan to teach. Why?" I asked, puzzled.

Xixi said earnestly, "Although Zaocheng Xin Cheng has moved near Beishan, the spirit of North Mountain Village hasn't really changed.

Many people in the past were uneducated, so their next generation also received little education. Some got rich from demolition and land grabs, but after they got money, I found they more easily turned bad.

Because the money came too easily and they lacked education, their spiritual world became empty; they didn't know what to do, and besides eating, drinking, and gambling, they found no other joy in life.

My father is deeply grieved by this situation; he feels that although some villages have become wealthy, people's minds haven't changed, mainly because education hasn't kept up.

Some aspects are even out of sync.

His ideal is for me to become a teacher,

If we want great development in the future, education must keep pace.

So my ideal is to return to Beishan and be a teacher."

After hearing Xixi finish speaking, I was somewhat amazed.

Nowadays, who among the youth still talks about ideals? Reality has shattered all young people's dreams. Everyone lives for profit, measuring everything with money. A young person's success is not judged by what they do, think, or believe, but by how much money they earn and how many houses they own.

I gave Xixi a hearty round of applause.

Xixi has so many good resources; with a single word from her, any unit or enterprise in Zaocheng can be entered at will.

Yet her ideal is to be a teacher.

A humble yet great educator.

I said, "Xixi, your thinking is good, and your view of society is correct. Many places lack education, especially when poor areas suddenly become rich, you find education can't keep up, leading to more problems. Beishan used to be a bandit stronghold; the people there would rather starve than let their children go to school, because once educated, a person loses the bandit nature."

Even now, urban education is riddled with problems; all education serves profit and exam preparation.

I recall your father telling me that the purpose of education is to cultivate people, to give them a spiritual life, to stop merely scraping by, and to foster integrity and conscience in conduct.

However, your cousins, who studied in the city, turned out to be poor in both character and conduct.

Uncle never went to university, nor received any good education,

and has always taken some detours in life,

Uncle is already old; if I were younger, I would definitely return to school. I hope I can receive more education.

Xixi, Uncle is proud of you. You are a thoughtful girl; tell me, how can Uncle support you."

Xixi, after hearing what I said,

They smiled,

"Uncle, you just need to persuade my mom; stop nagging me all day and let me work at Da Heng Company to earn money. Everything depends on oneself, this is, I love hearing you say that. I also want to rely on myself."

"Everything depends on oneself, although it's empty talk, but these words indeed gave me strength back then, when your uncle was at his most helpless, he constantly kept this sentence in mind—that a person must rely on oneself."

"Xixi, your mother has never received any education; she always stays within her own cognition and never tries to change. You also shouldn't argue with your mother all day; her cognitive world is just like that—find a job that makes money, then find a good man to marry. How is your father's health these days? I haven't seen him for a while; what is he busy with?"

"Whenever I chat with Xixi, I again think of my brother-in-law Wang Changguang; although he does things rather ridiculously, overall he is not bad, always maintaining a kind and optimistic heart."

"These days I've been just busy with company affairs; why haven't I seen Wang Changguang come to visit me?"

"This conceited brother-in-law, he and Xiao Hua have never seen eye to eye."

"Since Xiao Hua became the General Manager, he has completely withdrawn from the company, no longer serving as any logistics department head; instead, he went to the Zaocheng Museum, voluntarily becoming a docent, proactively explaining to people the origins of those few bronze artifacts in the Zaocheng Museum—how he discovered them, how they were lost and then recovered. This might be his most glorious history."

"In order to support his livelihood, I donate to the Zaocheng Museum every year, and then have the museum give Wang Changguang a salary."

"That way, his livelihood will be no problem."