Chapter 561 Unwarranted Suspicion

Chapter 561 Unwarranted Suspicion

Gao Yuliang looked at Qi Tongwei's cold and distant appearance, and felt a sharp pain in his heart. He paced slowly, thought for a moment, and then said: "Tongwei, do you still remember the many people in history who misled the country and the people because of their paranoia? They often thought that they were upholding justice and truth, but in fact they were trapped in their own obsessions and ended up in disgrace. You are so obsessed with this food issue now, regardless of other people's feelings and practical considerations. How are you different from those people?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Tongwei's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief and grievance: "Teacher, how can you compare me with those historical criminals? I just want you to respect the fruits of my labor, is that wrong? You keep saying that I am paranoid, but isn't your attitude towards me also a kind of prejudice? I respect you as a teacher, but you belittle me like this, is this the so-called respect for teachers?"

Gao Yuliang stopped and looked at Qi Tongwei firmly: "Tongwei, I am not belittling you, but I want to make you sober. You have made mistakes in the officialdom, and now coming to the countryside is a rare opportunity for rebirth. But if you are still so impulsive and cannot learn to control your emotions and obsessions, then the mistakes you made before are meaningless, and you will never be able to truly get rid of the shadow of the past."

Qi Tongwei's lips trembled slightly. He tried to suppress his anger and grievance: "Teacher, I admit that I have made mistakes, but I have been reflecting on them every day and trying to make amends during my time in the village. I have shared the joys and sorrows with the villagers, taught the children knowledge and skills, and tried to atone for my sins with my actions. But you came here and negated all my efforts, just because of this bag of food."

Gao Yuliang shook his head gently: "Tongwei, you are wrong. I am not denying your efforts, but I hope you can go further on this basis. Your starting point is good, but your methods are questionable. You can't be hostile and suspicious of the whole world just because you have suffered setbacks and injustice. You must learn to trust others and learn to accept their opinions, so that you can truly grow."

Qi Tongwei remained silent, his heart in a fierce ideological struggle. On the one hand, he was angry and resistant to Gao Yuliang's words, thinking that the teacher was deliberately making things difficult for him; on the other hand, he also knew that the teacher's experience and knowledge far surpassed his own, and perhaps the teacher's words really made some sense.

Seeing that Qi Tongwei was silent, Gao Yuliang continued, "Tongwei, think about those great people. When faced with difficulties and doubts, how did they resolve conflicts and achieve great things with their broad minds and profound wisdom? If you want to make a truly meaningful career in this village, you must abandon this narrow-minded thinking and treat everything with a more tolerant and humble attitude."

Qi Tongwei slowly raised his head, with a look of confusion and bewilderment in his eyes: "Teacher, how can I get rid of this idea? I don't want to make mistakes again, but I don't want to go against my own heart."

Gao Yuliang sighed slightly, and his tone slowed down a bit: "Tongwei, first of all, you have to learn to think from other people's perspective. When you ask others to understand you, you should also try to understand other people's worries and concerns. Take the grain for example, I am not questioning your integrity and efforts, but a kind of caution based on social reality. If you can think from my perspective, maybe you can understand my approach. Secondly, you have to learn to control your emotions. Once your emotions are out of control, it will affect your judgment and decision-making, and make you make wrong choices. Finally, you have to maintain a humble heart, and don't be proud and complacent just because you have achieved a little success. You must know that there are people better than you, and there are heavens beyond heavens."

Qi Tongwei nodded silently. He knew that the teacher's words hit the nail on the head, but it was not easy to do it. "Teacher, I will try my best, but it will take time."

Gao Yuliang patted Qi Tongwei on the shoulder and said, "Tongwei, I believe you have the ability. I will give you time to think and change, but you must also remember that time waits for no one. You cannot lose yourself again in this process."

Gao Yuliang looked at Qi Tongwei's slightly tired but still stubborn face, and his heart was full of helplessness and worry. He knew Qi Tongwei's character very well. Once he got into a dead end, it would not be easy to make him change quickly. But time was running out, and he really couldn't bear to watch this student who had high hopes for him wandering on the wrong path again.

"Tongwei, do you know that many troubles in life are caused by obsession. Throughout the ages, how many heroes could have accomplished great things, but because they could not let go of the entanglement in their hearts, they ultimately failed or even became disgraced. Just like Xiang Yu, who was strong enough to move mountains and had unparalleled courage, but he could not let go of his pride and refused to cross the Yangtze River, and eventually ended up committing suicide at the Wujiang River. You are so obsessed with the issue of food now, aren't you just like Xiang Yu who could not let go of his so-called face?" Gao Yuliang's voice was low and powerful, with a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

Qi Tongwei frowned slightly and retorted: "Teacher, how can I be compared with Xiang Yu? He was a hero who fought for supremacy in the world, and I just want to find some peace in this village and let you recognize the purity of the food I planted with my own hands. Is this too much?"

Gao Yuliang shook his head gently and said earnestly: "Tongwei, you are wrong. There is no difference in essence. Xiang Yu lost the world because of his obsession, and you fell into a meaningless dispute with me because of your obsession. This will hinder you from moving towards a better future. Look at the moral Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. They governed the world with virtue, followed the trend of the times, and did not stick to trivial matters. And now you are deadlocked with me for this bag of food. Is this a wise move?"

Qi Tongwei was silent for a while, then slowly said: "Teacher, when you say to follow the trend of the times, do you mean that I should give up my own persistence and cater to your ideas? In this village, I see the simple lifestyle of the villagers. They have followed the laws of nature for generations, and the food they grow has fed generations. I just want you to feel this purity, why don't you understand?"

Gao Yuliang sighed, "Tongwei, you only see the traditional side of the villagers, but ignore the development of the times. In today's society, food safety issues are of great concern, and this is not my groundless suspicion. Although I do not support your practice of disregarding reality, I do not want to deny your efforts. I just hope you can understand that only by letting go of this entanglement and looking at the problem with a broader perspective can you truly play a greater role in this village."