Chapter 542: Talking with Xixi

Xixi, hearing me say that, gently wiped away her tears.

I said to Xixi, "Come, accompany me, uncle, let's walk around the school playground; how many of your teachers live on campus?"

Xixi accompanied me as we slowly walked toward the school playground.

"Uncle, I'm the only teacher who lives on campus."

"What? You live alone. How many teachers does this school have in total?" I asked.

"There are over ten, they all live in Xue Xian Cheng," Xixi said.

"Xixi, I ask you, why don't you go home for summer vacation and instead live at school?" I asked, looking at Xixi.

"Uncle, I don't want to live at home. Living alone at school is peaceful," Xixi said.

"Why?" I continued asking.

At this moment, Xixi's eyes welled up with tears again.

"Whenever I go home, my mom argues with me, and also argues with my dad; it's annoying every day. She complains that I don't find a partner, that I earn too little, that I don't give her money to spend, and even complains about my dad." Xixi complained.

"Your mom has changed, sigh, I just came from your house."

"Xixi, I'm also angry; how did your mom become so snobbish?"

"I remember, she wasn't like this before."

"She now moved to Xin Cheng to live."

"And she owes a lot of people money."

"I said a few words to her, and we also started arguing."

"I believe what you said." At that moment I took out a cigarette from my pocket.

"My mom isn't idle; when she has nothing to do, she goes to Lanling to dance in the square, making friends with a group of people,"

"She also spends all day listening to some lectures; actually I suspect it's just multi-level marketing."

"Then she buys all kinds of junk for the home,"

"and then she becomes snobbish, turning into someone who only cares about profit."

"Forget it, let's not talk about your mom. Xixi, why did you come to Xue County to teach? Weren't you planning to go back to Beishan?"

"Beishan no longer has an elementary school; their school has already been merged into Xin Cheng's education system. Besides, Beishan is very close to Xin Cheng, so if I worked in Xin Cheng, my mom could easily find me."

"As soon as she sees me, she nags endlessly; I've had enough. So I applied to teach at the most remote Xi Nan Lian Xiao in Zaocheng." Xixi said helplessly.

"An older sister can drive her precious little girl away with her nagging, showing just how bad her nagging has become."

"Xixi has ended up with a mother like this, plus a father like Wang Changguang."

"One can imagine her psychology; surely the farther she runs, the better."

"That way, out of sight, out of mind, right?" I said, taking a puff of cigarette.

"That's part of it. Also, uncle, I originally didn't have high demands regarding material things. I know myself; my appearance isn't outstanding, and my family background isn't great either."

"I'm quite ordinary; since I am ordinary, I choose to live the most ordinary life."

"Teaching in the countryside isn't that tiring." Xixi said.

"How about it, do you have a boyfriend now?" I asked.

Xixi looked at me, fell silent for a moment,

"Uncle, please don't tell my mom. I have a boyfriend."

"Don't worry, I won't tell your mom. How old is your boyfriend, and where is his family from?" I asked.

"He's one year older than me; his family is from the northwest. He's a painter, currently working as a street artist in a southern city." Xixi said proudly.

"How did you two meet?"

"We met online. His paintings are really beautiful; I really like them."

"How long have you known each other?"

"Almost two years."

I nodded,

"What are your plans going forward? Can't you just keep dating? Do you have any thoughts about marriage?"

"That? For now, no. He says he wants to earn a lot of money for me, then buy a house in the south, and then we'll get married." Xixi said.

"Does painting make money?"

"I don't know; I think he doesn't earn much. I often have to give him living expenses. My salary, I keep half for myself and give the other half to him, so I don't have much money left either." Xixi said.

Hearing Xixi say that, I felt that this man isn't much,

"and after two years together he's still spending his girlfriend's money, which shows his own earning ability is weak and he's dependent."

"Such a man is not worth associating with."

"I thought that in my heart, but I couldn't say it out loud, because from Xixi's gaze I could see she really likes this man."

I took a puff of cigarette,

"Can you show me a photo of your boyfriend?"

Xixi said: "Okay."

She then pulled out her phone and found his photo.

"The man in the photo is quite handsome, with long hair and a beard,"

"giving off an artist's vibe."

"Xixi has an ordinary appearance; knowing such a handsome boyfriend makes people suspicious."

"I can't directly speak my mind."

I said to Xixi: "Xixi, have you and your boyfriend met in person?"

Xixi nodded,

He comes to see me every year. Uncle, he has great aspirations. I feel he will surely become a great artist.

All right, tell me his name and where he lives, and I hope to meet him. I said.

Uncle, don't you support us being together? Xixi asked.

No, Xixi, I just want to talk to him, nothing else; as long as you like it, that's fine. I won't interfere in your relationship. I promised.

Only then did Xixi tell me her boyfriend's name and address.

I nodded and noted it down.

Xixi, how is your work now, are you tired?

Not tiring, Uncle, you don't know how easy teaching in the countryside is now.

A class has only a few students. Moreover, this school is a joint school of six villages.

Otherwise, our school couldn't recruit any students at all. Uncle, if this continues, the countryside will be finished. Xixi sighed.

I hadn't realized a class had only a few students. You should know that in the past, each village had its own elementary school, and each class had plenty of students.

What's going on?

I asked Xixi: "Xixi, why can't the countryside attract any children? Is it because there are no children?"

Uncle, those in the countryside with some ability all send their children to the county town to study. Moreover, many rural youths go elsewhere to work.

The remaining rural youths also can't find partners, can't get married, can't get married, so there are no children.

If you don't believe me, you can go and have a look in the villages,

there are hardly any households living in the villages. Xixi said.

I believe everything Xixi said is true,

In the past, I saw at Chuan Yun Bar photos taken by the bar owner Chuan Yun of Hulutao, dilapidated houses, aging villages, and elderly people waiting to die.

This is the current state of the countryside.

Now the county town generates a huge siphon effect, drawing in the countryside's young people, including children.

Going to the city to buy a house has become the ideal of young people.

In order to find a partner and marry.

The city is rapidly expanding, while the countryside is rapidly dying.

I think of the skyscrapers in Xin Cheng, the plots of land enclosed,

one after another of residential complexes under construction.

These skyscrapers suck the blood of the countryside, draining the entire countryside dry.

I used to be one of those developers,

I once thought it was something to be proud of, but suddenly I feel ashamed in my heart.

Perhaps one day they will become sinners of history.

Especially those who have grown rich by relying on property,

they think of moving their wealth elsewhere, and even more so, selling off-plan properties, using bank loans to reap huge price differences,

they don't even build houses, trying every way to swindle ordinary people's money, leaving only a barren wasteland and a row of abandoned buildings.

Such people bear deep guilt; they deserve to die.