Chapter 4: Dropping out

Having made up his mind to drop out, Lu Fan and Du Wenlong had completely different mentalities. When they arrived at the head teacher's office, they were also fearless.

However, the old class Zhao Peiwai was very kind and still wanted to suppress this matter, digesting it within the class. Seeing the two enter, he asked sharply, "Du Wenlong, why did you hit someone? I think your skin is itching!"

Du Wenlong was the opposite of usual, saying indignantly, "Teacher Zhao, Lu Fan's mother just passed away. Wang Haibin publicly insulted Lu Fan in class, saying he cursed his father and mother, and told classmates to stay away from Lu Fan. I really couldn't stand it, so I beat him. You can kill or cut me as you please, I won't study anymore!"

Lu Fan said with grief and indignation, "Teacher Zhao, I'm dropping out too!"

Hearing this, Wang Haibin, who had toilet paper stuffed in his nose, immediately wilted, looking unbelievable. Wang Haibin's parents, who were originally aggressive, were also a little unbearable. They couldn't let two teenagers' futures be ruined just because of a fight.

Wang Haibin's father took the initiative to say, "Haibin was wrong in this matter first, but no matter what the reason, you are classmates, you can't hit people! Fortunately, no major mistake was made. You two just recognize your mistakes, dropping out is unnecessary!"

Although Wang Haibin's mother felt sorry for her son, she didn't add fuel to the fire at this time and didn't say a word.

The head teacher severely criticized Du Wenlong and then told him to get out. This matter was left unsettled like this.

An hour later, after Teacher Zhao comforted Wang Haibin's parents and sent them away, Lu Fan and Du Wenlong returned to the head teacher's office and expressed their idea of dropping out.

Zhao Peiwai said impatiently, "The fighting matter has been handled, and they don't pursue your responsibility. Get back to the classroom!"

Lu Fan said gratefully, "Teacher Zhao, thank you! I have a reason for dropping out. My family found me a job, please fulfill it, teacher."

Zhao Peiwai said, "What job? Moving bricks? Carrying stones? Being a laborer? Learning a craft? Lu Fan, your foundation is good. If you work hard, you have hope of getting into university. Don't be confused for a moment and delay your future!"

Lu Fan didn't want others to know his embarrassment and said, "Teacher Zhao, an uncle found me a job in a unit in the city, I really want to go."

Zhao Peiwai nodded. He knew something about Lu Fan and knew that this was not a child who would lie. He asked again, "Du Wenlong, what are you going to do if you drop out?"

"Teacher, I can't study. Instead of wasting time, I might as well learn a trade early."

"Forget it. You aren't cut out for studying, so learning a trade is fine too. Since you insist on dropping out, I won't stop you. I hope that once you leave the school gates, you can conduct yourselves well and become people useful to society. Whatever you do, don't walk down crooked paths. Your teacher wishes you great success!"

The two said in unison, "Thank you, teacher!"

Out of the head teacher's office, Lu Fan felt like a fish in the sea and a bird in the sky. Du Wenlong was also very excited, shouting that he was finally free!

"Lu Fan, wait a minute!" The head teacher Zhao Peiwai chased from behind, gasped and said, "If you really find a job, give me your inch photos and a copy of your ID card. You passed the exam, the teacher will think of a way to see if you can keep up with the third year of high school this year and get you a graduation certificate. Maybe it will be useful in the future."

Such a teacher is worthy of respect. Lu Fan bowed deeply to Teacher Zhao!

Unexpectedly, Du Wenlong asked, "Teacher, can you get me one too?"

"What do you want a graduation certificate for? Does it affect your moving bricks?"

"Teacher, you can't say that. At least I went to high school. Having a graduation certificate can be a souvenir. In the future, every time I see the graduation certificate, I can remember how good you were to me!"

"Du Wenlong, if you put your heart into studying, you wouldn't be at the bottom so often! Forget it, I'll look for the director to see if I can accommodate you. You didn't pass the exam, it's very likely you won't get it."

Du Wenlong hurriedly said, "Teacher, please, I really want a graduation certificate. How about we give the director some gifts?"

"You kid, you just love to engage in these crooked ways! I'll think of a way. If you have contact information, tell the teacher."

With deep gratitude, Lu Fan and Du Wenlong returned to the classroom to say goodbye to their classmates. At this time, the fight on the first day of school in Class 3, Grade 2, and the two students dropping out had already spread throughout the second grade.

Wang Haibin didn't return to the classroom, and the classmates were all denouncing him.

His deskmate Chen Liqiong kept persuading Lu Fan not to drop out, but Lu Fan had been very determined since he was a child, and nine cows couldn't pull him back once he decided.

Looking at Chen Liqiong's lost soul, Lu Fan could feel the strange feelings of his deskmate and couldn't help but whisper to her, "I'll give you the number when I have a mobile phone. You try to get into a good university, so I can rely on you in the future!"

Chen Liqiong turned sorrow into joy, "A real man must keep his word! Lu Fan, you must come back to see your classmates often, and see me."

Seeing Lu Fan nod, Chen Liqiong's dimples rippled with light. No wonder Wang Haibin was so jealous.

Zhu Jianglin, Wang Mengen, Huang Xiaoyu, and Deng Junchi were Lu Fan's roommates. They had lived together for more than a year and had good feelings. At the time of parting, it seemed like there were thousands of words, and they were reluctant to part.

Just before the evening self-study, Lu Fan and Du Wenlong officially said goodbye to their classmates and left the classroom.

Just as they went downstairs, they ran into Zhou Tianhui. The two looked at each other, Zhou Tianhui wanted to speak but stopped, stuffed a letter to Lu Fan, and turned back to the classroom.

Du Wenlong grabbed it and read, "I will always be the daughter-in-law of the Lu family!

Brother Fan, Old Zhou is heartless, your little wife is not lazy, don't be cold to others in the future!"

"Chouchou, let's support ourselves first! Without money, there is no dignity, it's all bullshit!"

Goodbye, Ningyang High School! Goodbye, youth!

Out of the school gate, the two were lost and didn't know where the road ahead was.

"Brother Fan, what should we do?"

"What I can think of now is either go back to the village and steal oil with Xiaoyi, or find Xia Li to take on work. He is at the construction site in the county. Chouchou, what do you think?"

"Don't ask me about this, you've been making decisions since we were kids."

This is an unspeakable trust. Lu Fan secretly swore that he must find a good way out for his brothers in this life.

Now that mobile phones are fully popularized, the brothers first went to a mobile phone repair shop, spent 300 yuan to buy a second-hand phone, which could receive and make calls, and sent the number to family and friends, at least to let others contact them and communicate with each other.

In the evening, Lu Fan contacted Xia Li who was working in the county. It happened that Yang Minghao was also there. The four brothers drank happily to celebrate Lu Fan and Du Wenlong's "escape from the sea of misery" and got drunk.

At seven in the morning, Xia Li and Yang Minghao climbed out of the workshop and started a day of hard work.

After Du Wenlong inquired about the salary, he muttered, "Brother Fan, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, they can make 200 yuan a night. If we do well, we will also get a 'two-egg' car, and then we will be awesome!"

"Chouchou, stealing oil is against the law, it's not a long-term solution after all. If you get caught once, you're finished!"

"Brother Fan, I think it's fine. Those who live on the mountain live off the mountain, and those who live by the water live off the water. Everyone does this. If they dare to cut off the financial path of the villagers, the oil mine won't be peaceful either. They can only turn a blind eye. If the wind is tight, we will stop. Even if we work ten days a month, it's better than being a laborer here."

Lu Fan agreed with this. Making money is the hard truth, so he said, "Wealth is sought in danger, to hell with it, let's go back to the village and be 'oil rats', work hard for two years, and then see what's good to do when we have capital."

"Okay, no time to lose, let's go back to the village today."

Lu Fan greeted Xia Li and went back to the village, and went to steal oil with Su Xiaoyi that night.

In the dead of night, it was snowing, and the north wind was blowing.

Lu Fan, Du Wenlong, Su Xiaoyi, and Ceng Ming, the four brothers, changed into ragged clothes, took snake-skin bags, dived into the night, and headed to the oil well outside the village.

With the cooperation of the "well-watcher" old bachelor, the four of them each carried "snake-skin bags" weighing dozens of jin and ran on the mountain road.

Suddenly, a piercing alarm broke the silence of the mountain village, and a scream came from somewhere: "The stick team is here!"

Lu Fan and the others were shocked and threw away the "snake-skin bags" and ran. No matter what, they couldn't be caught, otherwise they would face huge fines, and if they had no people or connections, they would have to leave a criminal record, and then they would be finished!

Before they ran a few steps, the "stick team" chased up with flashlights and electric batons, shouting: "Stop for me, you can't run!"

Lu Fan and the others were so scared that they ran into the woods nearby and ran wildly towards the village.

In the dark and windy night, plus the slippery snow, even if they grew up in the village, it was inevitable that they would be in danger.

Only heard a scream of "Ah", Su Xiaoyi slipped under his feet and rolled down from the ten-meter-high hillside.

Lu Fan and the others hurriedly slid down to save people, but Su Xiaoyi's legs were injured and he couldn't move, making a wailing sound.

Lu Fan didn't say a word, carried Su Xiaoyi on his back and ran back to the village. ===== CHAPTER 5 =====