Chapter 701: I've Come to Take You Back to School!

Tang Ye and the others walked the mountain path for about ten minutes and arrived at Fu Xiaoyun's home.

Hearing that Huang Sitian was a teacher from the school, they had even specifically invited a Reporter.

Fu Xiaoyun's mother was quite surprised.

"Teacher Huang, I am truly sorry. Our family conditions are poor, and we have nothing good to treat you with. Please, have some water!"

"We already had water at the village primary school; please don't go to any trouble." Huang Sitian hurriedly helped Fu Xiaoyun's mother sit down.

"I know you came this time to persuade Xiaoyun to return to school to study—actually, I have no objections. Although I haven't been to school, I understand that only by studying can a child change their fate. But this child, Xiaoyun, just can't get past this hurdle." As Mother Fu spoke, she wiped her moist eyes.

Tang Ye pondered to himself: Although Mother Fu had never been to school, she understood the principle that knowledge changes destiny.

Otherwise, Fu Xiaoyun would not have been able to persist in studying until high school.

At this moment, there was movement at the door, and a man in his fifties walked in.

Mother Fu hurriedly introduced him to Tang Ye and the others: "He is our village's Party Branch Secretary."

"Hello, Branch Secretary Yang!" Tang Ye took the initiative to stand up and greet the man.

Meng Haibo was stunned for a moment: How did Tang Ye know the Party Branch Secretary's surname was Yang? No one had mentioned the Branch Secretary's surname just now!

Tang Ye had naturally looked through the files beforehand.

Branch Secretary Yang was clutching a tobacco pipe in his hand, took two puffs, and asked, "Teacher Huang, you brought a Reporter to the village; why didn't you notify the town beforehand?"

Huang Sitian hurriedly explained: "Branch Secretary Yang, we wanted to come and understand Fu Xiaoyun's family situation on the ground, and incidentally ask our Reporter friend to write a report to see if we could use the power of society to help her family solve some difficulties."

Branch Secretary Yang tapped his pipe bowl and said unhurriedly: "Last night, the child Xiaoyun came to my house. What she said to me made me feel quite uneasy—she said she wanted to marry my foolish son."

Tang Ye was instantly stunned.

The few people present also looked at each other, and a bad premonition arose in everyone's heart.

Could it be that the kind of melodramatic plot often seen in TV dramas was about to happen?

A girl forced by family circumstances to helplessly give up her studies, marry the village Party Branch Secretary's foolish son, and live a bleak and lightless life from then on?

Branch Secretary Yang saw what everyone was thinking and laughed at himself: "I still have self-awareness; my son is not worthy of this girl Xiaoyun, so I rejected her on the spot."

Huang Sitian let out a long sigh of relief and hurriedly said: "Thank you, Branch Secretary Yang. Xiaoyun's grades at school are exceptionally good, and her sports results are also outstanding. We came here this time hoping to persuade her to return to campus and not delay her future."

Branch Secretary Yang nodded: "Teacher Wu has already told me the situation. You traveled all this way to Shanyang Village; this sincerity moves me very much. Shanyang Village hasn't produced a single university student yet, and since this child Xiaoyun has the hope of getting in, we must certainly support her."

Huang Sitian nodded slightly: "With your support and that of the fellow villagers, I feel confident."

While they were talking, a thin, weak figure appeared at the door.

Seeing many people gathered at her home, Fu Xiaoyun's face revealed a hint of astonishment.

"Xiaoyun, the school teachers have come to your house!"

"There's even a Reporter!"

"Hurry inside and see!"

"The Branch Secretary is at your house too!"

Huang Sitian stood up abruptly and looked Fu Xiaoyun over.

She had taken off her familiar school uniform; her face was stained with grime, and the clothes on her body were old, torn, and covered in mud;

The heavy load of pig feed on her back bent her thin body.

Huang Sitian found it truly hard to believe.

This was that well-behaved and pretty student!

Her eyes instantly grew hot.

"Teacher Huang, why are you here?"

Seeing Huang Sitian, Fu Xiaoyun was completely bewildered.

"I came to take you back to school," Huang Sitian said, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with a firm tone.

"No... I'm sorry, Teacher Huang, I'm not going back." Fu Xiaoyun's eyes were red as she bit her lip hard, "My younger siblings at home are still small, and Mom's health isn't good either; I have to stay behind to take care of them. I really don't want to go to school anymore—every time I see an English book or a math problem, I feel miserable. Being able to study for so many years is a luxury for me, and also a form of torment."

For a moment, Huang Sitian did not know how to persuade her.

Seeing this, Tang Ye broke the frozen atmosphere and softly urged:

"Student Fu, your father's passing was a huge blow to you, and your intention to support this family is very noble.

But have you ever thought that if you give up your studies now, you might also be failing your father's expectations of you?

The college entrance examination is in two months, and I think you should persist a little longer and endure these last two months.

Even if it's just to give your father an answer, you should try."

Hearing the word "father," a complex look flashed in Fu Xiaoyun's eyes; her hands gripped the corners of her clothes tightly, and her teeth bit down hard on her lip.

Branch Secretary Yang also urged softly from the side: "Good child, listen to Uncle Yang and go back to study well. Don't worry about things at home; the fellow villagers in the village will all lend a hand."

Fu Xiaoyun's mother was already streaming with tears, holding her daughter's hand and choking up: "Xiaoyun, just listen to everyone's advice..."

At this time, her younger brother Fu Xiaocong walked out from the crowd.

The boy was about thirteen years old, his face still showing childishness, yet he tried hard to put on a serious expression:

"Sister, I promised Dad that after he left, I would be the only man in the house. I will shoulder this family and take good care of Mom and our younger siblings. You can go to school without worry!"

Fu Xiaoyun could no longer control her emotions; she covered her face with her hands and began to sob in a low voice.

Seeing this touching scene, Han Jing's eyes also quietly moistened.

Out of journalistic sensitivity, Meng Haibo quickly raised his camera and pressed the shutter, permanently recording this moment.

Afterwards, Fu Xiaoyun packed a simple bag, preparing to leave the village with the group.

Before parting, Tang Ye quietly took out an envelope and stuffed it into Branch Secretary Yang's hand.

"Please pass this money on to Fu Xiaoyun's mother in the name of the Government."

Although Branch Secretary Yang did not know Tang Ye's true identity, he knew he was a staff member of the County Government and hurriedly gripped Tang Ye's hand gratefully: "Comrade Little Tang, thank you so much!"

Tang Ye said softly: "We took that 'shortcut' leading to the town when we came this time—I heard that many children in the village have to walk that road every day to attend middle school; it is truly too dangerous."

"You may need to make a trip to the county soon; prepare the materials in advance and clearly explain the difficulties the village is facing. We will think of a way together and strive to get this done."

Branch Secretary Yang was stunned for a moment, then nodded gently: "Little Tang, I also sincerely hope you can reflect this to those above. If the road can be repaired, it would truly be a huge help to Shanyang Village."

The road from Shanyang Village to the township had been applied for by the village for many years, but without success.

Nowadays, it has been even more firmly blocked by the township leaders using policy as an excuse.

Therefore, Branch Secretary Yang felt that Tang Ye's idea was not very realistic, and he did not have much expectation for it!