Chapter 412: Love and Resentment (Subscribe for monthly tickets)
This was May, the beginning of summer in 95.

The sun is shining all over the earth and the grass is turning deep green.

On the campus of Jiangchuan No. 1 Middle School, the youthful vigor of the young people is warmer than the sun. The beauty, purity and sincerity of the world can always be found here.

However, in those corners where the sun cannot be seen, at the corners of the walls, deep in the corridors of the office buildings, and in some tightly closed offices, one always feels a damp and cold breath, as if the return of the south wind has not yet gone away, as if the warm and humid air currents sweeping northward from the South Pacific and the cold air marching southward from Siberia are, at this moment, meeting above Jiangchuan City, above Jiangchuan No. 1 Middle School.

At this moment, in one of the closed offices in the office building of Jiangchuan No. 1 Middle School, two elderly people were talking.

Of the two old men, one is Wang Daozhong, the most powerful head of the school, and the other is Wang Mingzhen, the most respected and oldest teacher in the school. Of course, most of the time, virtue is for people to provide, and power is for people to use.

After Wang Mingzhen sat down, Wang Daozhong personally brewed a cup of premium Maojian, which moistened the lungs and cleared phlegm, and asked, "Your student's name is Wang Xiaokai, right?"

Wang Mingzhen nodded: "Yes."

Wang Daozhong brought the tea to Wang Mingzhen and said, "Director Zhou Hailian told me about his situation yesterday. He has been studying for three years and has violated school rules many times, such as being late for classes, falling in love early, and fighting. Each of these is a taboo in the school, and he has violated them all."

"Yes." Wang Mingzhen did not deny it.

"Of course this is not your fault, senior. Don't blame yourself. I know how you treat students. It's no exaggeration to say that you treat them with all your heart. It's just that a teacher is powerless to help a problem student like this. The only thing we can do to teach him how to behave is the cruel reality of society." Wang Daozhong leaned on his hand and said, "So there is no point for him to stay in No. 1 Middle School. He is just wasting his time. The school's decision to expel him may not be a bad thing for his personal growth."

What Wang Daozhong said made sense, and Wang Mingzhen did not refute it. He just coughed and said, "What you said also makes sense. If this student had violated school discipline and was expelled from school, I would have no objection."

At this point, he suddenly started coughing violently, his face turning red. Wang Daozhong looked at his frail appearance and couldn't help but sigh: "You are in such a bad condition, and you still worry about others."

"It's okay, bronchitis, an old problem, just rest and it will be fine." Wang Mingzhen waved his hands, took a few deep breaths, and brought the topic back to the topic: "The problem is that the last time he violated discipline was a long time ago. Now he is about to take the college entrance examination. He has studied for three years. At this critical moment, without any reason, Director Zhou Hailian suddenly brought out all the old problems of this student and expelled him for this reason. I think this is really unacceptable and it is not easy to explain in front of his parents. I think it can be regarded as a request, asking you to take back your decision. At least let him get a high school diploma, so that he can find a better job in the future."

Wang Daozhong sighed: "If it was a first-time offender, I would understand why you came to me, but this is a student with a lot of problems, why bother?"

"Problem students are also students. Shouldn't their basic rights be respected?" Wang Mingzhen said, "I still say the same thing. I beg you, I beg the principal to take back your decision."

Wang Daozhong was silent for a moment, then sighed, "We have known each other for almost forty years, old senior. You have never asked anyone for anything in your life, let alone me. To be honest, if you have other requests, I will definitely satisfy them. In two months, after teaching this class of students, you will retire. You should think more about yourself."

Wang Mingzhen waved his hand: "I don't have any requests. Tell me about that student."

Wang Daozhong sat down on his office chair: "This matter, this student, is impossible." Hearing this, Wang Mingzhen sighed.

His expression suddenly looked very tired.

Having stood on the podium for nearly forty years, his body and spirit seemed to be on the verge of exhaustion. Various illnesses often came to torture him. Perhaps it was those illusory things that supported him to stand his last shift. It could also be said that in this world, there was probably nothing that made this old man feel worse than going against the beliefs he had held all his life.

The old man took out a cigarette and lit it.

His pharyngitis was already very serious. He coughed non-stop from morning to night and could not touch cigarettes at all. Otherwise, it would be like pouring lead water into his lungs and his whole lungs would explode.

But he lit it up anyway, smoking it, and seemed to mutter to himself: "Why not?"

Wang Daozhong was stunned for a moment: "What?"

Wang Mingzhen said calmly: "Because this problematic student has exposed your scars."

Wang Daozhong narrowed his eyes: "What are you talking about?"

Wang Mingzhen smiled, cheered up and said: "Principal Wang, I have lowered my face to beg you today, but you refused and said some false words for my sake. You said we have known each other for forty years, don't you think I don't know you well enough? Let's be frank."

At this point, Wang Mingzhen puffed on half of his cigarette in one breath. At this moment, his heart and lungs were refreshed: "I am already old, and I can't take care of other things in school, but I have to take care of my own little piece of land and take good care of my students! Now, you want to expel my student and find a lot of high-sounding reasons. Even if he is a problem student, you dare not put forward the real reason. You are trying to cover up your own mistakes! Do you think the teachers and students in the school can't understand? You have worn the emperor's new clothes again and again. You are such a hypocritical person. It has been forty years, and you have not changed! Never changed!"

Wang Daozhong slapped his hand on the desk and stood up: "Senior, I respect you and call you senior again, but please don't be disrespectful! Now, get out."

Wang Mingzhen put out his cigarette and slowly stood up.

He stood in front of the tall and upright Wang Daozhong, and his short and hunched body looked even shorter and more hunched. The gray hair close to his scalp was extremely sparse, and his face was haggard, like old tree bark, but his eyes, staring at Wang Daozhong, were sharp and intimidating.

The eyes of this wise old man were always peaceful, but at this moment they revealed a strange hatred. This hatred, like a sharp knife, pierced through the long river of history and stabbed into the grudges and hatreds of the old times that often made him feel suffocated in the middle of the night.

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(End of this chapter)