Chapter 541: Going to See Xixi

After leaving my sister's place, I felt terrible.

My sister's change is something I cannot accept.

People are fickle.

But one shouldn't change without principle. I liked the past, simple sister,

the sister who often complained,

the sister who loved us extra.

She was like a mother, always worrying about us.

But now my sister has become worldly, her eyes full of money.

It's all about profit.

I feel very sad.

If my sister hadn't changed, not to mention owing this little money, even if it were several million or tens of millions, I would not hesitate to take out the money to pay her debt.

To me, this amount is small change, and I'm not that stingy.

I just don't want to help my sister,

I want her to suffer the pain of her own greed, so she may wake up.

I was driving,

I originally wanted to go back to Niushiling, but hearing from my brother-in-law that Xixi was teaching at a rural elementary school,

I decided to go see Xixi.

I hadn't seen Xixi for over a year.

I want to see how she has grown over the past year or more.

Xixi teaches at the Xi Nan Lian Xiao elementary school in the countryside,

I didn't know where Xi Nan Lian Xiao was, so I decided to call Zhao Xiaohua to ask.

The call was quickly connected,

Zhao Xiaohua's voice came from the line,

"Brother, what's up?"

"I just left my sister's place; I want to ask, Xixi teaches at Xi Nan Lian Xiao—where is that school?" I asked.

"It's the most remote township of Zaocheng,

to the southwest; after passing Beishan, keep going southwest for about twenty-plus li. It belongs to Xue County of Zao Chengshi. I've never actually been to the exact location of her school.

I also don't know what Xixi is thinking,

to go teach in such a remote place,

I've talked to her several times, hoping she'd return to Zaocheng to teach, or at least go to a modern school—anything would do—but she just wouldn't agree." Zhao Xiaohua chattered on the phone.

"Xixi is grown up and has her own ideas. Also, do you know about my sister's external debt?" I deliberately asked Zhao Xiaohua.

"Brother, I know about this. Actually, it's not a debt. My sister helped people try to get into Da Heng Group, but they didn't make it in. These people then asked her for kickbacks. How could that be considered a debt?" Zhao Xiaohua said.

Hearing Zhao Xiaohua say that, I got a little angry,

How is it not a debt? Kickbacks—if you didn't get the job done, you should return the money. What would it be if you didn't return it?

On this point, my understanding differs from Zhao Xiaohua's.

"Zhao Xiaohua, I want to tell you, that is a debt that must be repaid. My sister took people's kickbacks but didn't deliver, so she must return the money. Our Zhao family can't just make money any which way.

Money earned like that will earn a lifetime of curses.

Has my sister ever borrowed money from you?" I asked Zhao Xiaohua.

"I, I, brother, you know, I'm not the head of the household. After discussing with Hua Yan, she refused to lend, and I couldn't do anything—the money is all in Hua Yan's hands.

"I secretly gave my sister ten thousand yuan; that's all I can do for her." Zhao Xiaohua said helplessly.

"Zhao Xiaohua, can't you act like a man? You don't even run the household, yet you have no right to move this bit of money—what can I say? You should know how much my sister used to dote on you." I said angrily.

"Brother, don't be angry, I've already thought of a way to help my sister.

I guarantee to help her get through this crisis." Zhao Xiaohua said.

"You've thought of a method—what is it?" I asked.

"It's just that—helping those people get into Da Heng Group. Anyway, I still have this authority for now, to recruit a batch of people to work at the group; they won't have anything to say.

This not only helps my sister but also solves the employment problem for urban youth." Zhao Xiaohua said proudly.

"Does Da Heng Group have that many vacant positions?" I asked.

"That's even simpler—I can have the HR department create dozens more idle positions." Zhao Xiaohua said.

I originally wanted to stop Zhao Xiaohua, but then I thought, I've already quit Da Heng Group and completely washed my hands of its affairs.

However Zhao Xiaohua handles it, it's none of my business.

So I said, "Fine, as long as you help my sister. Handle this yourself."

I said that and hung up.

However Zhao Xiaohua does it is up to him; I can't ask about it.

I drove toward Xue County.

Xue County is the farthest county seat from Zaocheng.

It lies near Shanghu, with Beishan between it and Zaocheng; previously going to Xue County required a detour, but the newly built road now leads straight there.

After arriving in Xue County, I again asked locals about the location of Xi Nan Lian Xiao.

Xi Nan Lian Xiao is the elementary school farthest from the county seat.

I don't know why Xixi chose to teach here; I recall she once said she wanted to teach at Beishan.

Leaving Xue County seat and heading further southwest, there are no mountain roads here—just plains.

Even the rural lanes have been paved with cement roads.

This shows that our economy is truly thriving.

In the past, such rural lanes were all dirt roads, not hardened at all. On rainy days, your feet would be muddy; on sunny days, you'd be covered in dust.

When I used to live in Chengnan Town, I was like that.

Only the town's main roads had some cement pavement; the rest were all dirt roads.

I never expected that in just twenty years, our country would develop so quickly.

I soon arrived at Xi Nan Lian Xiao.

Since it was not yet September 1,

the school had not yet started classes.

I parked my car at the gate,

and saw that the school's main gate was locked tightly.

I didn't know whether I could meet Xixi here.

It was summer vacation, and Xixi didn't go back home to stay.

I walked to the gate and knocked on the door,

and an old gatekeeper came out from inside.

I quickly took out a cigarette and handed it to the old gatekeeper.

"Who are you looking for?" the old man said as he took the cigarette.

I then gave Xixi's name.

The old man opened the gate and told me, "Go inside, near the east wall—that's the teachers' dormitory."

I thanked the old man and then walked into the school.

The school isn't very big,

there is a two-story small building, which is the teaching building.

In front of the building is a large playground, with basketball hoops on it.

Past the two-story building, you see a row of single-story houses.

That should be the teachers' dormitory.

I went to the dormitory area, not knowing which room Xixi lived in.

I could only shout Xixi's name loudly here.

Soon after, I heard Xixi's voice answering from inside a room.

Then Xixi ran out of the room.

She still wore a pair of thick glasses. Xixi's eyesight, inherited from Wang Changguang, is severely myopic.

When Xixi saw me, she happily called out, "Uncle, how did you come?"

Seeing Xixi's happy expression,

I said, "Xixi, I came to see you; it's been over a year—are you still okay?"

"I'm fine, Uncle, and you—how are you now?" Xixi said as she came over and took my hand.

"Xixi, Uncle is fine now, everything's safe. I've finally made it through." I sighed.

"Uncle, do you know? After your accident, you scared me to death. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't help you, I worried about you every day, but I couldn't contact you." Xixi said, tears streaming down her face.

I then laughed and said, "All right, Xixi, don't cry—I'm fine now."