Call Me Daddy

“The teaching situation in the commune schools is very poor. Teachers find it hard to control the students, and some lack teaching ability. During class hours, they let the children do farm work…”

Wang Yuemin frowned briefly, but then relaxed because this was indeed the reality in many commune schools. Too much time was occupied by agricultural classes, and some teachers utilized the school’s communal land to increase their own harvest.

“In the commune, there aren’t many parents who value education. Many send their children to school just to ensure they can read a few words, so they don’t end up illiterate. Therefore, by the fourth or fifth grade, many drop out.”

“I once taught a very bright student who wasn’t only intelligent but also eager to learn. He once asked me with longing in his eyes what high school was like and what a vocational school was like. He wondered if he could become a teacher like me if he went to a vocational school or high school. But not long after, he dropped out. When I visited his home, I found him carrying a heavy load of fodder because his older brother was getting married, and the family needed an extra pair of hands to earn work points and save a few yuans in tuition.”

Su Aobai paused. This wasn’t a fabricated story but rather an experience from the original owner’s life.

“At that time, I advised his parents to send him back to school, but they countered, asking me if even after he graduated from a vocational school or high school, would he really get a job? If so, why were so many educated youths going to the countryside? That question left me speechless.”

Not everyone was as easily fooled as the Chu couple. Some people understood very well that the employment situation in the city was equally grim, with many urban children unable to find jobs after graduation. How many of those who struggled through their education ended up as workers, let alone entering government agencies?

The outcome was clear; Su Aobai couldn’t bring that eager student back to school.

Listening to Su Aobai’s narrative, Wang Yuemin suddenly felt like smoking.

Despite the seemingly mundane tone, why did it evoke an uncontrollable sadness? As the director of the Education Bureau, he couldn’t help but feel negligent. In his jurisdiction, ordinary people weren’t optimistic about the future of education. Wasn’t this also a form of dereliction of duty?

“During that time, I was also lost, just like when I first went to the countryside and couldn’t see the meaning behind it. While teaching, I couldn’t see where the future lay until mid this year, when I returned home to visit my sick mother.”

As he spoke, Su Aobai’s tone became more upbeat.

There were always a few cities at the forefront of reform, keenly sensing changes before many policies were even discussed. The downfall of the Gang of Four was an imminent fact, and the collapse of this group destined for a monumental change in the country’s political landscape.

With the decline of the Gang of Four, many previously suppressed scholars were gradually vindicated. In Su Aobai’s family alone, several relatives not only shed the label of being ‘Stinking Old Ninth’ but also reclaimed their previous positions and received compensation for all the wages they missed out on over the years.

(T/N: Stinking Old Ninth = There was a list for people that should be considered enemies of the Revolution; The ninth one on Mao’s list were ‘intellectuals’.)

What did the return of these people to schools signify? It meant that the country was beginning to rebuild its education system!

Realizing that point undoubtedly filled him with excitement.

Listening to Su Aobai’s speculation, Wang Yuemin was greatly astonished. It was very similar to the meticulous analysis he and his father had conducted on various policies over the past few years. The reason he chose the education system was because both he and his father believed there was great potential in it.

The fact that this young man in his twenties had also thought of this impressed Wang Yuemin. He couldn’t help but admire his political acumen.

***

“So, during this trip home to visit my mother, I declined her request for me to take over the family job. Firstly, I wanted to take responsibility for my wife and children in the countryside. Secondly, it was also for my students, for the sense of mission of being a teacher.”

Hearing that Su Aobai had even given up the opportunity to return to the city, Wang Yuemin’s admiration for him grew stronger.

His impression of Su Aobai deepened a bit more. In addition to being broad-minded and having vision, he now seemed to have a sense of loyalty and responsibility. Such a person was worthy of being a role model.

“Do you think your speculation is correct?” Wang Yuemin spoke up.

“For the rise of China, talent education is imperative!” Su Aobai’s response was equally decisive, and his confident expression exuded from his handsome face.

People in this era were very reserved in expressing their emotions, but when it came to expressing their ideals and expectations for the country, they were extremely passionate. His attitude didn’t seem hypocritical or awkward.

“Good! Good! Good! ‘For the rise of China’ is indeed a great phrase!”

Wang Yuemin couldn’t contain his excitement and stood up, applauding repeatedly!

While he had some utilitarian thoughts when he devoted himself to the education cause, he also harbored another purpose. He wanted to change the current state of education and cultivate truly useful talents for the country.

It was precisely this phrase, ‘For the rise of China’!

At this moment, the wisdom and sincerity of this young man had completely won him over. He remembered this young man.

“Teacher Su, will your school bring surprises to the teachers and students of Fengyang County in this exam?”

After calming down, Wang Yuemin spoke solemnly.

Implicit in his words was his willingness to issue an official invitation for Hongqi Elementary School to participate in the exam.

“The teachers and students of Hongqi Elementary School are waiting for the day to hand in satisfactory papers.”

Su Aobai’s response was equally confident.

Wang Yuemin retained some doubts about this confidence, but as long as Hongqi Elementary School’s average performance in this exam didn’t diverge too much from second to last place, he would be satisfied.

After all, they were just getting started. How much progress could they really make? But any improvement over previous results would be a breakthrough.

Yet Wang Yuemin still held a glimmer of hope. He hoped Hongqi Elementary School wouldn’t be last. If it wasn’t, perhaps it could inspire change in other commune schools.

He felt that this young man before him might just bring him a miracle.

His peripheral vision glanced at the recommendation letter.

Temporary teacher…

Such talent, only a temporary teacher, seemed like a waste…

Whatever happens, don’t let me down!

***

“How did it go?”

“How did it go? What did the Director say?”

Su Aobai had a long chat with Director Wang. By the time he left the county town and returned to the commune, school had already finished for the day. Today, Su Mingcheng and the other children from the brigade went back together, but Su Aobai took a detour to the school.

By this time, darkness had fallen, but the lights were still on in the school. The old Principal and most of the teachers hadn’t left yet. When they saw Su Aobai, they looked nervous and uneasy.

Su Aobai had a stern expression and remained silent.

“Is it not possible?”

“Is it not possible? Is it the Director?”

The old Principal furrowed his brow. “Blame me, blame me.”

Before blaming himself for not teaching the students well enough, resulting in such poor results, he had been holding back, hoping to participate in the exam only after the students’ grades improved, to prevent their confidence from being completely shattered.

But he never thought that other commune schools had the same idea. In the end, there were no commune schools participating in the exam, and everyone seemed to have tacitly accepted this setup.

Now, trying to participate in the exam with the town schools again was incredibly difficult.

The old Principal was filled with self-blame. It was wrong to work in isolation. Despite his confidence in changing the teaching methods, he wasn’t clear about the gap between his students and those of other schools, nor did he know the likelihood of his students getting into good secondary schools or where their motivation to learn lay.

The other teachers looked equally lost.

In this situation, Su Aobai took out a document stamped with an official seal from his bag.

“What’s this?” The old Principal took it tremblingly, his eyes lighting up more and more.

Other teachers also noticed something unusual and crowded around the old Principal to take a look.

“This is the consent document for our school to participate in the exam!”

Wu Zhiyong, a middle-aged man almost 40, jumped up directly, laughing like a child.

“You little rascal, you even know how to trick people. You almost scared me to death!”

He slapped Su Aobai’s back heavily, then hugged him excitedly, his large hands patting his shoulders incessantly. The force of these pats was lighter than the previous one, more like expressing his excitement.

In fact, the Education Bureau hadn’t explicitly stated that commune schools couldn’t participate in the exam. Having such a document confirmed their eligibility, calming everyone’s hearts and bringing an unprecedented sense of certainty about the future.

****

Because of the upcoming exam, the atmosphere in the school became much more tense than before. The first time in many years made some teachers feel a bit at a loss and nervous, worrying that the students’ performance wouldn’t be outstanding enough.

Fortunately, Su Aobai generously shared some sample questions, giving them a bit more confidence. As the old Principal said, their goal this time wasn’t to surpass other schools but to surpass their past selves, showing the changes in commune schools to the parents.

Soon, the news that Hongqi Elementary School would participate in the end-of-term exam spread out. Hongqi Commune and some surrounding communes all knew about it.

Regarding this matter, there were many who agreed, but the dissenters still made up the majority.

“We’ve participated before. Look at the results we got. What’s the point?”

Old Lady Yu was particularly vocal in the brigade these days. With the end-of-year farming downtime, she spent her days chatting with other idle wives in the team while holding sunflower seeds and peanuts.

“I heard it was that son-in-law of the old brigade leader who did this. Young people act impulsively. I’m afraid they’ll embarrass the old team leader.”

Old Lady Yu spat out sunflower seed shells, gloating.

“Who says it isn’t?”

Another gossiping old lady deliberately sided with Old Lady Yu and chimed in.

“My cousin from my mother’s side is also teaching at the elementary school. She said those kids’ grades are simply not good. This time, our commune will be notorious again, but not with a good reputation.”

“Your mother’s family is from Shanggou Brigade, right? Are you talking about Captain Wang’s daughter? I remember she also teaches at the elementary school. She’s not young anymore, is she still not engaged? Why, haven’t her family arranged any suitors for her?”

“That’s right, that’s right, it’s her. Ah, she’s a teacher, with high standards, wanting to choose someone she really likes.”

“She can’t just pick anyone, but she’s not young anymore.”

A few older women started chatting, and the topic suddenly turned to the Wang family’s daughter, who was not young but still unmarried. Many even mentioned their own unmarried young men, hoping that the older women could help make a match.

Old Lady Yu wasn’t happy that the topic had shifted like that.

“Just look at how that teacher said it. I think the son-in-law of the old brigade leader is just too vain, joking with the reputation of our entire commune. When the results come out, our commune will be embarrassed. Those of you who send your children to the elementary school will be embarrassed too. When relatives come to visit during the New Year and ask how your child did on the exam, what will you say?”

With these words, Old Lady Yu walked away, swaying her hips.

There were also several families present whose children attended the commune elementary school. Hearing Old Lady Yu’s words, it seemed to be true.

Parents who hadn’t taken the exam seriously before became anxious and hurried home to question their children about what grades they could expect from the exam.

In this atmosphere of skepticism, the end-of-term exam came as scheduled.