Financial freedom starts with smiling at life

Chapter 369 A Primary School Deep in the Mountains

"You've never seen such a harsh place before, have you?"

On the way to the mountainous area where his mistress did charity work, Jiang Beicheng introduced the situation of the western mountainous area to Haitangxi.

If I hadn't come here for hiking often before, I would have only seen this scene in documentaries or short videos of Jiangbei City.

The road is very bumpy.

Haitangxi rested one hand on the car window, gazing at the living environment deep in the mountains, and fell silent.

"It's already very good now. China has achieved absolute poverty alleviation in 20 years. People living in these areas have a minimum living allowance, and their basic needs for food and clothing can be met."

However, due to geographical and transportation limitations, economic development in many areas remains stagnant, and residents still rely on farming to make ends meet. This results in some families facing economic hardship, particularly evident in these six types of remote areas.

Jiang Beicheng said, "Poverty alleviation is the greatest project of this century. It would be impossible for any other country, especially the Western society you lived in before, to achieve it."

They have no regard for the lives of ordinary people.

The overall situation of social development in China is positive, and the general direction remains unchanged. While there may be many shortcomings, it is not as the Western media deliberately portrays it to be.

Jiang Beicheng turned back to Haitangxi and smiled, "Besides, there are people like us who are willing to stand up and hold an umbrella for them."

Upon hearing this, Haitangxi smiled and nodded.

Suddenly I realized that compared to Jiang Beicheng, I still have a strong sense of selfishness.

They've become overly focused on personal value and honor.

It lacks the sense of social responsibility that Jiang Beicheng possesses.

It's worth learning from.

The car bumped along for four or five hours, traversing the winding mountain roads of two mountains, then descending into the ravine area, passing through several scattered villages, and finally arriving at the mountain village primary school.

The girl was leading the school children in activities on the playground.

After only a few days out, her clothes and appearance have changed to resemble those of a country girl.

"elder brother!"

Wu Keqing greeted her with a smile.

The children chased after them.

The children who remain at school are mostly left-behind children or come from more distant villages, and they also stay at school on Saturdays and weekends.

"Handsome guy, beautiful girl."

A little girl followed, smiling brightly, and called out to Jiang Beicheng and Haitangxi.

Jiang Beichen smiled and picked her up, taking two tissues from Haitangxi's bag to wipe her nose.

She exhaled forcefully.

After saying thank you with a smile, she said, "Thank you, handsome."

"Who taught you to address me like that?" Jiang Beichen teased her.

The little girl looked at Wu Keqing beside her.

Wu Keqing said with a smile, "Brother, her name is Xiao Juan. Her personality is a bit like mine; she's quirky and clever."

"I can tell," Jiang Beichen said with a smile.

Haitangxi didn't see Li Xingying and asked, "Girl, where's your sister Xingying?"

“I cooked for the children in the cafeteria with Principal Wu,” Wu Keqing replied.

Jiang Beicheng put Xiao Juan down. "Handsome, go cook dinner for you first. How about we let these two beautiful ladies keep you company?"

Xiao Juan blew her nose again, smiled and nodded.

"Beautiful lady, do you know how to play shuttlecock?"

A dozen or so children headed towards Haitang Creek.

Haitangxi stood there, stunned.

I didn't know how to deal with these children for a while.

She had never experienced anything like this.

But the children's enthusiasm made it hard for her to refuse.

I was forcibly dragged there.

“Sister Xi, they are very innocent and cute. Why don’t you try to communicate with them?” Wu Keqing encouraged.

Haitangxi's reaction to the meal wasn't one of dislike or rejection, but rather a sign of unfamiliarity.

I don't know how to approach these kids in a way that allows me to blend in and makes both of us feel comfortable.

People raised in Western education systems and social environments are highly creative and confident, but they lack a sense of universal love and don't know how to express it.

Simply put, it's a cold and indifferent society.

On the way here, Haitangxi listened to so many stories from Jiangbeicheng, which deeply moved her.

"Care" and "great love" are lessons she needs to learn.

Haitangxi took off her low-heeled shoes and, like Yatou, went barefoot on the artificial turf to play with the children.

She then realized that these children were much "better" than her; she couldn't even play the games the children were playing.

The contorted and comical movements made the children laugh.

Some children even fell to the ground laughing heartily.

Haitangxi wasn't angry; she laughed along and said to Wu Keqing, "I suddenly realized I'm pretty useless."

Xiao Juan came over and took Haitangxi's hand, patiently saying like a little teacher, "Beautiful sister, let me teach you. Like this, like this, it's very easy. You'll get it after kicking it a few more times."

"Thank you, Teacher Xiaojuan." Haitangxi smiled and pinched her cheek.

"Teacher Xiaojuan."

"Teacher Xiaojuan, hahaha."

A few mischievous little boys ran over and joined in the commotion.

Xiao Juan immediately ran to tidy them up.

You chase me, I chase you.

"Beautiful ladies, please help me stop them," Xiao Juan pleaded.

"Too naughty."

The girl joined the fight, and Haitangxi was also pulled into the chase and playful fighting.

She naturally integrated into the group. Haitangxi discovered that integrating into this simple group required no skill whatsoever.

Jiang Beicheng went to the school cafeteria, which was a simple shed built with steel frames and contained a dozen or so stainless steel tables.

It's alright this season, but in winter you'd be freezing while eating.

"Do you need my help?" Jiang Beicheng asked Li Xingying, putting on his gloves.

Li Xingying smiled and shook her head: "It will be ready soon, Principal Wu. This is my boss, President Jiang."

Introduce Jiangbei City to Principal Wu.

"Hello, Mr. Jiang," Principal Wu greeted him respectfully. "Mr. Jiang, please have a seat. I'll be done here soon."

Including another aunt, the three women were in charge of preparing dinner for more than a dozen children.

Cooperate tacitly.

Jiangbei City did not forcefully join in and break this tacit understanding.

I wandered around the school classrooms by myself.

The basic conditions are quite good.

A moment later, Principal Wu came out and called out, "Dinner's ready."

A group of children swarmed over.

Haitangxi was stunned.

They were just playing around with her, but when she said it was time to eat, they all ran away, leaving her standing there alone.

Jiang Beicheng smiled at her and said, "This is the happiest thing for them all day. The food is good today, with chicken legs, shrimp, and cola."

The story of Haitangxi is quite heartbreaking.

He put on his shoes and sat down next to Jiang Beicheng.

Principal Wu brought over two bowls of rice and handed them to Haitangxi and Jiangbeicheng. "This week's meals were all bought from the county town by Teacher Li and Teacher Wu, and the children really like them."

Jiang Beicheng took it and ate heartily.

Haitangxi politely accepted the bowl of food, staring at the dishes inside. She felt a mix of emotions; for those children, this week's meals were more plentiful than New Year's Eve dinner.

He picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

It tastes of oil and salt!
Principal Wu smiled at her and said, "Usually it's just me and the auntie who cook. We're not professional chefs, so the food might not taste that good."

Haitangxi smiled and said, "It's delicious, and the children enjoyed it very much."

Principal Wu is about the same age as her, but her face and skin look worse than her mother's.

One can imagine how much she worried about these children.

"Is Principal Wu a local?" Haitangxi asked.

“No, I’m from Ganzhou, Jiangxi. I came here to teach after graduating from university, and then I stayed.” Principal Wu noticed the way Haitangxi was looking at her and joked, “Do I look very old?”
Actually, I used to be very pretty.

I'll show you my picture.

He put down his chopsticks, took out his phone, and showed Haitangxi photos from his university days.

Haitangxi looked shocked.

The young girl in the photo and the woman in front of me with her rosy complexion from the high altitude are completely different people.

"When I first came here, I took care of my skin and dressed up, but I found that no one would look at me when I dressed up in these mountains. Sometimes the children would even laugh at me."

After becoming the principal, I had even less energy to do these things. The school only had a few people, so I had to do everything myself. Over time, I lost all sense of the importance of makeup and grooming.

Jiang Beicheng added, "The beauty of the heart surpasses all outward appearances."

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Jiang. That's what I was thinking too." Principal Wu put away his phone, picked up the stainless steel bowl, and began to eat heartily again.

He smiled and shook his head.

The smile had a hint of helplessness in it.

How could she not want to live a beautiful and glamorous life every day, just like Li Xingying and other women from Haitangxi?

But she has children.

Looking back at the children enjoying their food, I felt comforted.

It's worth it to be a little rough around the edges so that the children can be more beautiful.

Haitangxi asked, "Principal Wu, does the school currently have any urgently needed supplies?"

She wanted to do her part, however small.

Principal Wu said, "The school is actually not lacking anything. The teaching building is newly built, and many kind-hearted people and companies often send supplies over."

Even internet celebrities like Teacher Li came to help, donating supplies such as sports equipment on the playground, refrigerators in the cafeteria, and beds and blankets in the dormitories.

I've also reported the situation at the canteen to the town government, hoping that they can do a good job of preventing wind and cold before winter arrives.

The country's policies are very good now, and areas like ours receive a lot of support.

The basic conditions are not as bad as I imagined.

My only worry is that these children won't be able to get into good schools after they leave here.

Many of these students dropped out of school before finishing high school.

If people in these areas don't keep up with the development of their knowledge and culture, they will never be able to leave.

Haitangxi: "Is it because you're too poor to afford school?"

“Some of them are, but most are due to the influence of their family environment and a lack of attention to their children’s education,” Principal Wu said. “This school now has more than 50 students, of whom 30 or 40 are left-behind children, and the rest come from more remote mountain villages, where they have to walk for six or seven hours to get to school.”

Their grandparents can provide very little guidance on their children's education, and some of them even hinder their progress.

For children in this age group, good study habits and physical and mental health are extremely important.

Jiang Beicheng asked, "What are your thoughts, Teacher Wu?"

Her analysis is correct.

The biggest problem for left-behind children in terms of education is not money. The government has invested a lot of money in the construction of rural primary schools, and their parents working away from home can ensure that they can attend school normally.

What this group lacks is proper guidance and counseling for their mental and physical well-being.

Principal Wu said, "I want to bring all the children to the school and submit a report to the Education Bureau to request two more teachers to come and be responsible for their daily life and psychological counseling."

Cultivate good study and living habits.

(End of this chapter)