Chapter 53: Skipping Class
“`
“How can this be considered reckless?” Li Qiangguo hurriedly said, “In international competitions, we have never achieved good results in sprinting, and now, Liu Xiang has retired, our country needs excellent talent in this field even more.”
Li Hengzhong looked at Liu Jini and asked, “Teacher Liu, how is Xiao Han’s academic performance?”
“Let put it this way,” Liu Jini said with a light smile, “In the recent city-wide joint exam, he scored seven hundred and twenty points. First in his class, second in the entire grade. Xiao Han is absolutely Tsinghua University and Peking University material. There’s no doubt about it.”
“My God!” Li Hengzhong was stunned once again by Xiao Han’s academic performance.
Whether it’s sports or academics, any one of these achievents would be astonishing. This is only for a high school senior. He has already caught up with major international events. Having such results, he is indeed very impressive, truly remarkable.
“So, Principal, it’s up to you to decide!” Li Qiangguo hurriedly said.
“Yes, you decide,” Liu Jini added.
This imdiately put Li Hengzhong in a difficult position. If he had Xiao Han focus on sports, it would clearly be a waste of such outstanding academic performance. However, if he didn’t let Xiao Han practice sports, then he would be failing to utilize the incredible speed gifted by the heavens. Indeed, a dilemma.
“How about this, teachers,” Li Hengzhong glanced at them and then said, “Give so ti to think it over, and I’ll see what can be done.”
“This…” Both were sowhat distressed.
If Li Hengzhong didn’t make a choice, they obviously wouldn’t be able to rest easy. But after all, Li Hengzhong was the principal.
“After all, we need to ask Xiao Han himself about this,” Li Hengzhong said.
“But Xiao Han didn’t co to class today!” Li Qiangguo said.
“Teacher Liu, where is Xiao Han?” Li Hengzhong asked.
“I don’t know,” Liu Jini shook her head, “He didn’t ask for leave from .”
“This is skipping class!” Li Hengzhong looked at Liu Jini in surprise. Having achieved second place in the city-wide exam surely indicates a student who loves learning, so why would he skip class?
“That’s not like him, he’s never skipped class before,” Liu Jini shook her head, then said, “The last ti he had sothing to do, he even asked for leave.”
“Could sothing have happened?” Li Hengzhong asked, concerned.
“That can’t be,” Liu Jini turned pale upon hearing this, and quickly said, “Xiao Han is already nineteen, he’s an adult. How could sothing have happened to him.”
“Then… why did he suddenly not co to class?” Li Hengzhong, a seasoned teacher, furrowed his brow and said, “Logically, a student who has never skipped class wouldn’t have a reason or justify being absent. Unless sothing happened.”
“That makes sense!” Li Qiangguo said urgently, “The principal’s analysis makes sense. Based on my many years of teaching experience, it’s impossible for a student to just not show up without a reason. Unless sothing happened.”
At this, Liu Jini beca anxious.
“No, that won’t do!” Liu Jini said in a panic, “I’m going to check his ho!”
After speaking, Liu Jini quickly walked outside.
“Wait,” Li Hengzhong said urgently.
“What is it?” Liu Jini asked quickly, “Is there sothing wrong?”
“No, I will go with you!” Li Hengzhong said quickly, “In case there is sothing, we can discuss what to do.”
“I’ll go too!” Li Qiangguo said urgently.
Afterwards, the three of them hurriedly left.
Li Hengzhong’s official car was a Volkswagen Passat, and he drove to Xiao Han’s house himself. Although Li Hengzhong didn’t know where Xiao Han’s ho was, Liu Jini, as Xiao Han’s horoom teacher, had a clear mory of his address. Not only of Xiao Han, but also for all forty-five students in the class. Where they live, what their parents do.
On the way, Liu Jini briefly reported Xiao Han’s situation to Li Hengzhong.
“So, Xiao Han is a child who hasn’t had it easy,” Li Hengzhong asked.
“Exactly!” Liu Jini nodded, “He was the top scorer in Wangjiang District’s middle school examination. Later, his father died in a car accident, leaving mother and son to rely on each other. After that, his grades plumted…”
Li Hengzhong felt it strange; a student’s performance could be very poor for two years, and then suddenly, in the third year, he rises and becos the second in the entire grade. It was almost like a miracle.
“Could it be… for those two years, he has been studying hard all along, but deliberately hiding it?” Li Hengzhong asked curiously.
“Impossible!” Liu Jini shook her head, “A person’s academic performance is reflected in their spirit and deanor. Before, Xiao Han always looked listless. But ever since that one exam, there was an incredible change in his spirit.”
Liu Jini is a gold dal teacher, and this was not just for show. She had rich teaching experience and her own set of beliefs regarding student understanding.
“`
“Indeed!” Li Hengzhong nodded.
At that mont, Li Hengzhong drove to the Fuxing Community. It was a community with a very pleasant environnt. Huge trees had already grown on both sides of the shade-covered roads. In sumr, many elderly people would gather here to enjoy the cool, play Chinese chess, smoke, drink tea, and talk about life…
In short, although Fuxing Community’s economy had declined, its spirit never had. All the elderly here were employees of the Fuxing Factory, and they all had pensions after retirent. That’s why they could afford to spend their old age in such a lovely setting.
Upon entering the community, the weather was chilly. There were quite a few people on the streets. Many old people, wearing thick cotton-padded jackets, gathered on the roadsides to enjoy the sun and sip tea while engaging in leisurely chats about life.
When they saw a nice car coming in, many curiously looked over.
“All I know is that Xiao Han’s family lives here,” Liu Jini said. “But I don’t know which row of houses exactly!”
“No problem, we can go down and ask around!” Li Hengzhong said with a smile.
The car stopped in front of a crowd. A bunch of people curiously stared at them, these faces were unfamiliar. What kind of people were they? The old n and won had nothing much to do, so they looked on with interest.
“Elderly folks!” Li Hengzhong said with a smile. “I am the principal of Linjiang No.1 Middle School.”
“Oh…” Upon hearing this, everyone beca eager. “Are you the well-known principal of the prestigious No.1 Middle School?”
The crowd beca lively. Upon learning he was the principal of No.1 Middle School, they naturally showed their utmost enthusiasm, for after all, he was an intellectual. These old people had lived through the fifties and sixties, and their admiration for intellectuals was sincere. Moreover, being the principal of the most famous No.1 Middle School in LJ city, their veneration was even greater.
“Principal, what brings you to our Fuxing Factory?” an old man asked curiously.
“It’s nothing serious, just here to find a student!” Li Hengzhong replied.
“A student?” Upon hearing this, they were all taken aback. The principal coming to their doorstep, which child had been so mischievous? The old man quickly asked, “Principal, what’s the na of the student you’re looking for?”
“The na is… Xiao Han!” Li Hengzhong hurriedly responded.
“Xiao Han?” Upon hearing this, everyone widened their eyes in surprise.
“The Xiao family’s kid?” the old man blinked and asked, “Did he… did he do sothing wrong? That child’s family is poor, but very sensible. It’s just him and his mother, scraping by with a low inco, yet they still manage to send the kid to school. Principal, you should show so leniency.”
“Yeah, Xiao Han is a sensible child!” the old n and won of the community pleaded on his behalf.
“No, no, no!” Li Hengzhong quickly waved his hands, saying, “I think everyone has misunderstood. Xiao Han hasn’t caused any trouble. On the contrary, I’ve co to find him because there are so matters.”
“What matters?” The old people were very intrigued.
“Er…” Li Hengzhong thought for a mont and then said with a wry smile, “This child has exceptional academic talent, ranking second in the entire school on the latest tests. But he also shows phenonal athletic talent, especially in the 100 ters sprint, where he has incredible burst power. In the future, he is undoubtedly a child who can bring honor to our country. So… ”
“I understand, I understand,” the old man quickly interjected. “So, you want him to learn sports?”
“That’s for him to decide,” Li Hengzhong said with a smile. “I ca to find him precisely because of this matter.”
“Isn’t today Thursday?” an old person suddenly spoke up. “Shouldn’t Xiao Han be in school?”
“Right!” Li Hengzhong nodded. “I don’t know what happened, but the kid didn’t co to school today.”
“Where could he have gone?” the old man asked in bewildernt. “Has sothing happened?”
The group of old people imdiately beca anxious.
“That’s why we want to go to his house to see what’s going on,” Li Hengzhong explained with a smile. “Only… we don’t know where his house is!”
“Quick, let’s go check his house!” the group of old people said one after another.
Soon after, a group of people swiftly sprang into action.
The elderly folks of the community mobilized en masse, leading Li Hengzhong and his companions in a mighty procession toward Xiao Han’s house.
Mother Xiao was at ho preparing lunch, a dish of pickled vegetables and another of fernted tofu. This was her midday al, along with a plate of leftover rice from last night, which she stead in a pot. It was her lunch for the day.
“Little Xiao!” The old man walked quickly, and Li Hengzhong found it hard to keep up.
Mother Xiao, hearing soone calling her from outside, ca out curiously. At that mont, a crowd walked towards her house. With such a large group approaching, Mother Xiao was a bit puzzled. She quickly asked, “Old Master Liu, what’s… what’s all this about?”
“This is…”
“Hello, Mother Xiao. I am the principal of Linjiang No.1 Middle School. We’ve co to find Xiao Han!” Li Hengzhong hurried to say.
“Ah?!” Mother Xiao was suddenly taken aback, looking confused, “Xiao Han? What’s happened to Xiao Han…”
Reviews
All reviews (0)