Chapter 1215 Looking Back at Childhood in the South 2 (13)

During the break that day, all the children went out to play, and only Tuotuo sat in his seat. He looked at the beef jerky of Junjun at the next table, and his mouth was watering with greed. He wanted to grab it and eat it several times, but he resisted and put his eager hands under the table. He was still worried, so he put them behind his back, so that he would not want to grab Junjun's beef jerky.

But Dahuang from Teacher Yi's family came over and ate Junjun's beef jerky in one bite. Tuotuo tried hard to grab it, but couldn't hold it back.

Junjun came back and found that the beef jerky was gone. He thought that Tuotuo had stolen it, so he told Li Xiang, and Li Xiang criticized Tuotuo.

Tuotuo felt wronged and sad. When lunch was served at noon, he disappeared. People passing by the door said that they saw Tuotuo go to the pond. Li Xiang and Yi's wife ran to the pond like crazy to look for him, but there was no one there.

Mrs. Yi asked Li Xiang to go to the school to call Teacher Yi. When Teacher Yi heard the news, he didn't care about the class and rushed back on his bicycle. He almost fell into the field several times on the way. The villagers were fishing in the pond. Teacher Yi was soaked in sweat and panting. He didn't care about resting and plunged into the pond, but he didn't catch anything after fishing for a long time.

Suddenly a villager ran over and shouted that a child was found under the river.

When Teacher Yi heard it, he was so scared that he ran like crazy. It was not a child in the river, but a dead pig entangled in weeds. It was just a false alarm.

At this time, Teacher Yi had a flash of inspiration. He remembered what Yuan Gen had told him before, that Tuotuo often sat under the big tree at the entrance of the village, because that was where his parents separated from him. At that time, his parents said that they would go out for a while and come back in a few days, but they didn't come back after several years.

Tuotuo liked to sit under the big tree and stare blankly at the way he came, looking forward to his parents coming home.

Teacher Yi rode his bicycle to the entrance of the village. A voice came from behind the big tree, and Tuotuo came out from behind the tree.

Teacher Yi felt relieved. He sat under the big tree with Tuotuo in his arms for a long time without saying a word. At this moment, he was sweating and exhausted.

After returning home, the usually gentle Teacher Yi was furious and asked Mrs. Yi why she didn't take good care of the child. Li Xiang stood aside, feeling guilty and self-blaming, but she didn't have the courage to admit it. After all, she was only 16 years old.

In the evening, when it was late at night, Li Xiang came to Teacher Yi with a flashlight and a big bag of snacks. The snacks were for Tuotuo. She told Teacher Yi what happened during the day and started crying. She found that being a teacher was not such a simple thing. She couldn't do it now. She had already discussed with her father that she would go back to school and take the normal school exam next year to study the major of kindergarten teacher.

Teacher Yi was very happy for her. She had read books and had culture, so she could do anything.

He took out two hundred yuan and stuffed it into Li Xiang's pocket, asking her to buy some stationery, and watched her leave.

The children had classes on Mondays and Fridays, and on weekends, Teacher Yi took the children outdoors. Shougen pulled a flatbed cart with happy children sitting on it. They sang nursery rhymes and walked through the golden rice fields. Teacher Yi followed behind the cart and pushed the cart.

They played games and told stories on the grass. As the weather got cooler in autumn, Teacher Yi still insisted on taking the children out to play.

The yellow flatbed trailer was filled with the joy of the children's childhood.

A few days later, Liu Bin and Huang Jiyong came to the kindergarten to see their daughter Xiuxiu.

Liu Bin worked in Dicheng to earn money, and had not been home for two years. She missed her daughter so much that she went straight to the kindergarten after getting off the car, and had not even returned home.

However, Xiuxiu no longer recognized her mother and hid behind the pillar and did not dare to come out. Liu Bin went forward and held her in his arms. Xiuxiu didn't want to let her hold her and kept struggling. Liu Bin had to put her down and took out snacks and toys from his luggage bag, but Xiuxiu didn't dare to take them. She looked at her as if she was looking at a stranger, with a hint of confusion.

Seeing Xiuxiu's family reunited, Teacher Yi was happy for them. However, a few days later, on a rainy night, Liu Bin found Teacher Yi with a luggage bag and gave him a big bag of things, asking him to give it to Xiuxiu.

But Teacher Yi said that Xiuxiu hadn't come to the kindergarten for a few days and asked them what happened.

Liu Bin kept silent and was secretly sad.

It was pouring outside the house. Teacher Yi and his wife sat with Liu Bin in the night. After a long time, Liu Bin said that she and Huang Jiyong had divorced. During the two years when she went out to work, Huang Jiyong had other women, and Xiuxiu was also sentenced to Huang Jiyong.

Teacher Yi decided to take care of this matter. He went to Huang Jiyong's house to find him, but Huang Jiyong was firm.

Years of separation have deteriorated their relationship.

Liu Bin decided to leave this sad place and return to Dicheng to continue working. She didn't dare to mention the divorce to her family, and Huang Jiyong didn't let her see Xiuxiu.

She could only go on the road alone, without anyone to see her off.

Just as she was getting on the bus, Teacher Yi hurried over on a bicycle, and Xiuxiu sat on the crossbar of the bicycle.

Liu Bin was very surprised, hugged Xiuxiu and kissed her again and again. After this departure, she didn't know when she would be able to come back. Would Xiuxiu still recognize her by then?

Seeing Xiuxiu's still unfamiliar attitude towards her, Liu Bin's heart was broken and tears welled up in her eyes.

She knew that her absence made Xiuxiu's childhood without a mother, but on one side was life and on the other side was the child. She had no power to choose. If she took care of life, she couldn't take care of the child, and if she took care of the child, she couldn't take care of life.

Teacher Yi took Xiuxiu and watched Liu Bin go away by bus. He pointed to the bus going away and told Xiuxiu that that was your mother, you must remember, never forget it.

Xiuxiu looked confused.

On the way back to the village, Teacher Yi saw his former student Yi Wencai. At this moment, Yi Wencai was no longer as high-spirited as before. He was arguing with his young wife and squatting on the roadside crying.

It turned out that after the young wife gave birth to a child, once the novelty of rural life wore off, she insisted on returning to the city, even if she had to abandon her husband and daughter.

Teacher Yi didn't know how to persuade her, so he could only leave silently with Xiuxiu.

When he returned home, Teacher Yi's old classmate was waiting at home. After a few greetings, the old classmate stated his purpose. It turned out that there were two hard conditions for opening a kindergarten now. One was that you must have a certificate to work, and the other was that you must have a school bus to pick up and drop off children.

Teacher Yi smiled bitterly. A school bus cost 40,000 to 50,000 yuan. Even if he sold his house, he would not have so much money.

The old classmate said that the regulations were like this and there was no way, but Teacher Yi was doing good things for the village, and he would report it to the higher authorities and fight for it.

In this way, the Qimingxing Kindergarten was forced to close after less than two months of operation.

Mrs. Yi told Mr. Yi to refund the children's tuition fees and collect the fees that should be collected.

Mrs. Yi touched the children's heads, full of reluctance.

The last trip to send the children home, Mr. Yi pulled the flatbed cart himself.

It was still the same mountain road, the same stone bridge, the beautiful scenery, but the mood was completely different, and the children did not laugh and talk as before.

Mr. Yi sent the children home one by one and gave an explanation to the parents. He refunded all the money that should be refunded, but he could not say the money that should be collected.

The number of children on the flatbed cart decreased one by one, and finally only Xiuxiu and Tuotuo were left.

When sending Xiuxiu home, her door was closed. Xiuxiu's aunt said that Huang Jiyong went to work in Dicheng a few days ago and left Xiuxiu to her.

She could accept the kindergarten taking care of her, but now the kindergarten is closed, she has to do farm work during the day, and has no time at all, and is unwilling to accept this burden.

At this time, Xiuxiu's uncle came back and took Xiuxiu in.

Teacher Yi took Tuotuo away, but before he had gone far, he heard the sound of Xiuxiu's aunt and uncle arguing behind him. The two were arguing over Xiuxiu's affairs.

Xiuxiu stood in the corner, her eyes full of horror.

Tuotuo's home was nearby. Teacher Yi sent Tuotuo home, but there was only grandma at home. Grandma was blind and had difficulty taking care of herself, let alone taking care of Tuotuo.

Left-behind children lack love, and left-behind elderly people are also lonely and helpless, both struggling on the edge of life and survival.

Looking at the poor old man and child in front of him, Teacher Yi felt sad, and finally he carried Tuotuo onto the flatbed again. Since no one takes care of Tuotuo, he will take care of it.

Passing by Xiuxiu's home, Xiuxiu curled up in a corner in a daze. Teacher Yi called Xiuxiu, Xiuxiu looked up, saw that it was him, smiled, and called uncle.

Teacher Yi also took Xiuxiu away. On the way back, Xiuxiu asked Teacher Yi, where did her father go? Why did no one want her.

Teacher Yi said that it was not that he didn't want her, but that he went to work in Dicheng.

Xiuxiu asked, where is Dicheng.

Teacher Yi said that Dicheng is in the south.

Xiuxiu asked, where is the south?

This time Teacher Yi was speechless.

He and Shougen each carried a child and came to the top of the mountain. Teacher Yi pointed to the other side of the mountain and said, Dicheng is over there, that is the south. Go south from here, go south all the way, and at the edge of the sky is Dicheng, where your parents work.

Xiuxiu asked again, what do you work for?

Teacher Yi replied, work to make money.

Xiuxiu asked again, what do you make money for.

Teacher Yi replied, buy you delicious food, buy you new clothes, and let you study and have culture.

Xiuxiu and Tuotuo asked in unison, when will your parents come back.

Teacher Yi said that he would be back during the Chinese New Year.

The two children smiled.

They held hands and looked to the south, with endless mountains in front of them...

The south far away in the horizon became their childhood memories.

Back home, Mrs. Yi looked at the two children who could not be sent away, helpless and distressed, and finally accepted them. She asked her son to buy some meat and make some delicious food for Xiuxiu and Tuotuo in the evening.

After dinner, Yi Wencai found Teacher Yi with a baby in his arms, and said hesitantly that he wanted to ask Mrs. Yi to take care of the child, because his wife ran away and he was going to Dicheng to find his wife.

Mrs. Yi wanted to refuse, but looking at the baby in the cradle whose eyes had not even opened, her heart softened and she finally took the child.

Yi Wencai wanted to give Teacher Yi money, but Teacher Yi did not take it, and told him that he would need money a lot when he was away from home, so he should keep it for himself.

Yi Wencai wiped his tears and disappeared into the night...

Mrs. Yi held the crying baby and watched silently, while Mr. Yi shouted into the empty night: Come back soon.

Come back soon~

This is not only for Yi Wencai, but also a heartfelt call to countless strangers who left their hometowns and went out to work hard.

PS: I recommend this movie "Looking Back at Childhood in the South" to everyone

I don't know if this mode of narrating a movie in two chapters is suitable, so I'll try it first.