Where I Came From (5)
If it weren’t for this, she wouldn’t have been such good friends with Yu Qingshi.
Of course, those first-year children would not admit that it was because Teacher Tang always praised Jiang Xiaoman for being smart, and it made them feel defeated.
Having been alone for a long time, Jiang Xiaoman was a bit lonely. It would be great to go to kindergarten, where many children like her love to learn and communicate.
Jiang Xiaoman hesitated for a long time, torn between her hometown and the kindergarten. She asked Jiang Xing in a small voice, “Then after we go to the city, can we come back again?”
“Of course, we will come back during the holidays.”
Jiang Xiaoman immediately said. “Okay, then let’s move! When will we go?”
“Well, it’s not time yet. Soon.”
“…” That’s the same as what he said last time!
Jiang Xiaoman felt cheated again and was so angry that she ignored him all night.
Jiang Xing assured her that this time it was true. He was already looking for a location for his company and asked someone to look for a house.
They would indeed move; it was just a matter of time.
Fine then, she would trust him just this once.
Jiang Xiaoman was resurrected, full of life again.
She felt that such a big matter should be told to Teacher Tang, so she begged Jiang Xing to take her to Teacher Tang’s house the next day.
Teacher Tang’s home was also in a village near this one, and it was relatively remote.
Twenty days after the New Year was the winter vacation. He was not in school right now, and she hadn’t seen Teacher Tang for almost a month. She missed him a little bit.
They had not sent this year’s new year gift to Teacher Tang yet. Jiang Xing and Jiang Xiumei talked, and they decided to have Jiang Xing take Xiaoman and deliver it.
Jiang Xiumei prepared five strips of bacon for Teacher Tang, various eggs, dried noodles, and many other things, and had Jiang Xing carry them on his back.
They were not expensive things, but they conveyed their intent.
Jiang Xiaoman had no memory of last year’s new year gift. This was the first time she was going to Teacher Tang’s house.
She asked confusedly, “Uncle, why did grandma say that she would give Teacher Tang a gift every new year?”
“Because…” Jiang Xing paused for a long time, seemingly lost in memory. “Because Teacher Tang is our family’s benefactor. People have to repay the favors they were given.”
“Why is Teacher Tang our family’s benefactor?”
It was so complicated. Jiang Xiaoman’s little brain almost could not turn anymore.
“Because… Teacher Tang is my sister’s -that is, your mother’s- mentor.”
“What is a mentor? Is it not a teacher? Is there any difference between a teacher and a mentor5?”
“…” Jiang Xing sighed heavily. “A mentor is a very, very important teacher. Teacher Tang was like that; he enlightened your mother and helped her studies.”
So it was like that.
Jiang Xiaoman scratched her head and started inferring. “Why didn’t my mother go to school? Was it because she was as young as me?”
Back then, even eating was difficult. The school was a luxury. How could their family had the spare money to send their children to school?
But his elder sister would not resign herself to that. Their family said they could not afford to send her to school and asked her to help her family and earn money obediently.
But Jiang Yue wouldn’t. Every day after she finished her work, she would take the time to go to school and hide under the window to listen in secretly.
She picked up the pencil stumps that others didn’t want any more from the ground and wrote on a brick. This lasted for a year.
If it were not for Teacher Tang, maybe Jiang Yue wouldn’t have been able to go to school.
This matter was so complicated, Jiang Xing always sighed whenever he thought of it.
He glanced at Jiang Xiaoman and sighed. “If you want to know, ask Teacher Tang later when you go to his house.”
5. teacher and mentor are one word different; the teacher is laoshi, mentor here is enshi
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