Transmigration: Flirted with My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 146 - 145 Useless

Chapter 146: Chapter 145 Useless

One yuan per year for tuition fees, plus the miscellaneous costs of textbooks, was a significant burden for a peasant family. Moreover, children could earn a few points by cutting grass for pigs at home each day, making it more than just a few yuan in cost.

For the Victory Team, which struggled even to feed themselves, this expense was unnecessary.

Cao Manfu, hands clasped behind his back, gazed longingly at the farmlands of the Ten Miles Team.

"What’s the use of studying?" he shook his head and muttered to himself, "Studying to the end is useless, studying in the city is also useless... in the end, you still have to come to the countryside to scratch out a living."

Principal Wu stood beside him, her brow furrowed.

She had only heard from Wang Hong that the Victory Team was very poor, but she never had an accurate understanding.

To her, education was of utmost importance, something that should never be neglected no matter what.

But for most people, eating was the most important.

Books cannot fill the stomach; they would only starve them to death.

Principal Wu had made many assumptions before and prepared countless drafts to address the numerous issues that might arise during her recruitment efforts.

Now, hearing Cao Manfu’s words and seeing his thin and withered face, she didn’t want to say a word.

It was futile.

She knew.

"Ah... Principal Wu, please look at this."

After the people from the Victory Team left, Wang Hong handed her a roster and continued, "I got the list of children who previously attended elementary school at Birch Team."

This roster was found by Wang Hong at the commune office; it was the list of students who paid their tuition fees last year.

The elementary school at Birch Team mainly enrolled children from six production teams south of Lan County.

But not a single child was from the Victory Team.

Principal Wu searched the list multiple times, trying to find a student’s name associated with the Victory Team.

None.

Not found.

Wang Hong spoke somewhat dryly, "Actually, there’s nothing that can be done, they can’t even eat properly, how can they send children to school."

Principal Wu remained silent, not knowing what to say.

She had once worked at Lan County High School, where she had students with good grades whose parents, due to poverty or other reasons, forbade them from continuing their studies. At that time, she would visit homes one by one with her teachers, trying to persuade them.

Most of the time, she was successful, as the families of workers in towns could still manage to squeeze out the tuition fees for their children.

But here, Principal Wu was full of passion, with nowhere to exert it.

Wang Hong continued, "The commune only gave such a classification but didn’t enforce any strict requirements, so Principal Wu... even if the children from Victory Team don’t come to school, our school can still operate."

After a while, Principal Wu let out a weak laugh.

"Yes, even if there’s only one student, this school will still have to continue."

She said softly.

Wang Hong looked at her and said no more.

Li Dahe was squatting outside the door, smoking, and suddenly, he sighed.

Before Wang Hong could ask what was wrong, she heard Lin Nianhe’s voice: "Uncle Team Leader, you’re here too."

Li Dahe wiped his face and casually smoothed his hair again: "Why are you here?"

"I heard that the folks from the Victory Team left, so I came to have a look."

Lin Nianhe stopped in front of the team office and asked, "Uncle Team Leader, may I come in?"

She originally wanted to come by today as well, but Li Dahe wouldn’t let her, as if afraid she might spoil something.

Li Dahe waved his hand, indicating for her to go in.

Nianhe swung her little hands as she entered, and upon seeing Principal Wu’s despondent expression, she instantly understood what had happened.

Today, she had also spotted from afar several people from the Victory Team, and from their clothing and physique, it was easy to discern the dire straits of the Victory Team.

Nianhe glanced at Wang Hong, seeking an update with her eyes.

Wang Hong simply shook her head slightly.

Nianhe clicked her tongue.

This was somewhat troubling.

She stood opposite Principal Wu, leaned forward on the desk, and asked him, "Principal, have you been struck down?"

Principal Wu looked up at her, his face beaming with a smile that seemed to always bring hope.

She suddenly felt a bit of anticipation and frankly mentioned the predicament, then asked her, "Nianhe, do you have any solutions?"

Not just her, but Wang Hong and Li Dahe also turned their eyes towards Nianhe, curious if she had any clever plans.

Nianhe, feeling the hopeful gaze of Principal Wu, licked her lips and slowly shook her head.

Of course, there were possibilities, like seeking donations from factories or individuals, or simply reducing tuition fees and subsidizing meals.

But those were futile.

Teaching is about empowering others to fish, not about unconditionally nurturing them, allowing them only to reach out and beg.

Principal Wu looked at Nianhe, hesitating slightly: "Nianhe, do you really have no solution?"

Would Nianhe shake her head and say it’s impossible?

Principal Wu didn’t believe it.

Wang Hong didn’t believe it either; she tugged at Nianhe’s sleeve and whispered, "Too disgraceful to mention? It’s okay, just tell me quietly, and I’ll handle it."

Nianhe: "...?"

So her ideas had to be disgraceful?

Nianhe didn’t want to delve deeper into what kind of image she had in their eyes, she just said, "It’s useless, for the Victory Team, education is not a necessity of life, if they can’t become wealthy, they will never send their children to school."

After a pause, she continued, "Even if we give each family one hundred yuan now, they still wouldn’t spare a bit for their children’s education. They would use the money to repair their houses, buy grain, chickens, cloth, or simply get some meat to enjoy, and then... continue waiting for the next hundred yuan."

"They skip school due to poverty, and in the future, they will continue to be poor because their children haven’t been educated... this cycle goes on and on until fortune arrives, or they are eliminated."

Nianhe couldn’t tell them that, in just a few years, this country will undergo dramatic changes. By the time ten years have passed and the current generation of children have grown up, attending college would be the simplest way for them to change their fate.

She knew the future, and it was not difficult to foresee the future of the Victory Team.

Principal Wu looked at Nianhe, and the last bit of light in his eyes extinguished.

Seeing her like this, Nianhe’s heart ached briefly.

After a long moment, she sighed softly and reached out to hold Principal Wu’s fingers.

Principal Wu’s hand was cold, like ice.

Nianhe gently comforted, "Principal, don’t be like this, I was just saying... How about this, I’ll take a walk to the Victory Team tomorrow to see what the situation really is there. If the children truly wish to study, I will think of something, okay?"

For some inexplicable reason, Nianhe felt compelled to support Principal Wu unconditionally.

Before Principal Wu could respond, Li Dahe suddenly spoke up, "No, you can’t go!"

Nianhe looked at him in confusion, bewildered, "Uncle Team Leader, I’m not going to cause trouble, I’m just going to look."

Li Dahe furrowed his brows tightly and shook his head categorically, "No, no one is allowed to go over there, especially female comrades, absolutely not!"

Nianhe was a bit stunned.

She had never seen Li Dahe so serious.

Instinctively looking at Wang Hong, Nianhe asked with her eyes for the reason.

Wang Hong also frowned, sensing Nianhe’s gaze, she just lightly shook her head.

As if she knew something, yet as if she knew nothing.