Chapter 568 A Very Confused Decision
"Today is a new beginning," he whispered to himself.
After breakfast, Qi Tongwei tidied himself up, put on his washed shirt, and walked towards the village school. Along the way, the villagers greeted him warmly, and he responded with a smile. This simple emotional exchange made him feel warm.
When he arrived at the school, the children were already laughing and playing in the classroom. When Qi Tongwei walked into the classroom, the children immediately quieted down and looked at him with respect. He walked up to the podium, cleared his throat and said, "Students, let's continue to learn new knowledge today."
He picked up the chalk and wrote down the topic he was going to talk about today on the blackboard - "The Beautiful Mountains and Rivers of the Motherland". "Students, the country we live in has vast land and countless magnificent mountains and rivers. For example, the majestic Great Wall, which winds like a giant dragon between the mountains, has witnessed the long history and perseverance of our Chinese nation; and the surging Yellow River, which is our mother river and has nurtured the splendid Chinese civilization." Qi Tongwei explained with vivid gestures, and the children listened attentively, with curiosity and yearning in their eyes.
During the explanation, Qi Tongwei also interspersed some historical stories and geographical knowledge to help the children better understand the cultural heritage behind the mountains and rivers of the motherland. "Just like in ancient times, many literati and poets have written famous lines for these mountains and rivers. Li Bai's 'Have you not seen the Yellow River water coming from the sky, rushing to the sea and never returning' depicts the majestic momentum of the Yellow River; and Du Fu's 'I will climb to the top and look down on all the mountains' makes us feel the magnificence of Mount Tai."
In order to let the children have a more intuitive experience, Qi Tongwei also took out some pictures of the mountains and rivers of the motherland that he had collected before and distributed them to the children. "Look at these pictures, these are the beautiful mountains and rivers of our motherland, aren't they beautiful?" The children nodded one after another, and exclaimed in amazement.
During the break, Qi Tongwei was not idle. He went to the playground and played with the children. He taught the children some simple sports skills, such as skipping rope and kicking shuttlecock, and the playground was full of laughter. Seeing the energetic appearance of the children, Qi Tongwei's face was also filled with a happy smile.
Qi Tongwei arranged a moral education class in the afternoon. He knows that it is equally important for these rural children to cultivate good morals and values. "Students, we must learn to be honest and trustworthy, respect the elderly and love the young, and be united and friendly in life. Just like everyone in our village, we help each other and care about each other." He explained the importance of morality to the children in a simple and easy-to-understand way through some small stories in life.
After a day of classes, Qi Tongwei did not feel tired, but full of a sense of accomplishment. He watched the children leave the school one after another, and silently vowed in his heart that he must persist in teaching and educating people. He believed that as long as he worked hard, these children would thrive under the influence of knowledge, walk out of the mountains, and see the wider world outside.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in Qi Tongwei's former home, the atmosphere seemed a bit depressing. Liang Lu sat on the sofa, her eyes revealing a trace of fatigue and longing. Qi Tongwei's eldest son Qi Dawei was already a sensible teenager. He sat quietly in front of the window, looking at the bustling streets outside, but his heart was full of longing for his father.
"Mom, I really miss Dad." Qi Dawei turned his head and looked at Liang Lu, tears flashing in his eyes. He still remembered the scene when his father took him to play when he was a child, his strong arms lifted him up high, and his hearty laughter seemed to still echo in his ears. But now, his father is far away in the countryside, and they haven't seen each other for a long time.
Qi Xiaowei, who was standing by, couldn't help crying when he heard his brother's words. He was still young, and his longing for his father was more direct and pure. "I want my dad, I want my dad to come back." Qi Xiaowei cried and threw himself into Liang Lu's arms.
Liang Lu gently stroked Qi Xiaowei's head, tears welling up in her eyes. Although she and Qi Tongwei had many conflicts and disputes, she knew that the children's love for their father was inseparable.
At this time, Liang Qunfeng, who was sitting next to him, frowned and said sternly: "Don't cry! Your father is now in the countryside. He gave up a bright political future to teach and educate people. It's really foolish. Don't learn from him. You should focus on your studies and have a promising future."
Qi Dawei raised his head with a hint of stubbornness in his eyes: "Grandpa, Dad is also doing meaningful things in the countryside. He is teaching those rural children knowledge and giving them the opportunity to change their fate."
Liang Qunfeng snorted coldly: "What do you know! He could have made a difference in the officialdom and brought honor to the family, but he chose the wrong path. Don't be influenced by him, focus on your own future."
Although Qi Dawei was dissatisfied with his grandfather's words, he did not dare to say anything more. He quietly returned to his room and took out an album with all the family's past photos. He looked at his father's smile in the photo and secretly vowed in his heart that he must study hard and have the ability to find his father in the future, understand his life in the countryside, and make his father proud of him.
Qi Xiaowei gradually stopped crying under Liang Lu's comfort. But his eyes were still full of longing and expectation for his father. He didn't understand why his grandfather didn't let them see his father. In his young heart, his father was one of the people closest to him.
Liang Lu looked at the two children with mixed feelings. She knew that Qi Tongwei's choice to live in the countryside had put the whole family in a complicated situation. But she also began to wonder if Qi Tongwei's life in the countryside was really as meaningless as Liang Qunfeng said. She thought of the various changes that Qi Tongwei had experienced in the officialdom, and his gradually lost self. Now in the countryside, he might really be looking for a kind of inner peace and redemption.
Qi Dawei was in the vortex of endless yearning and family conflicts, and his heart was gradually filled with a complex emotion. Every night, he lay in bed, looking at the ceiling, and the past family scenes played in his mind like a movie. The happy times he spent with his father formed a sharp and cruel contrast with the separation today, which was unbearable to look back on.
He knew that his father's life in the countryside was a thorny road to redemption. In his memory, his father, who was once high-spirited and full of hope for the future, gradually lost his way in the dye vat of officialdom and fell into the quagmire of power and desire.