Chapter 4

During the evening self-study, as Ye Zetao walked into the classroom, he saw the children quietly sitting at their desks, writing. The classroom was filled with a strong smell of kerosene, and the atmosphere was one of focused learning.

The collapse of the dormitory seemed to have little impact on the students.

Ye Zetao walked to the back of the classroom and looked at the wooden boards. He saw that some hard cardboard had been placed on them, and some very old bed sheets were spread out, but most of the boards had nothing on them.

Looking at the blankets, he saw that some thin blankets had been salvaged from the collapsed dormitory, and in one corner of the room, there were wet blankets that had been soaked by the rain.

"How do you sleep at night?" Ye Zetao asked a boy cautiously.

"Teacher Ye, we squeeze together. The school has already sent a message to our parents, and they will bring blankets tomorrow."

"How can this be!" Feeling the cold weather and the light rain outside, Ye Zetao was deeply saddened and quickly walked out of the classroom.

Ye Zetao found Principal Niu at his home.

Seeing Principal Niu deeply engrossed in smoking, Ye Zetao said loudly, "Principal Niu, the children will catch a cold if they sleep like this tonight!"

Looking up at Ye Zetao, Niu sighed, "Little Ye, I've already sent a message to the parents. They should bring blankets early tomorrow morning! What I'm worried about are a few students from very poor families. They probably can't even get blankets!"

"Very poor?" Ye Zetao asked.

Niu nodded, "Very poor!"

Hearing this from someone who was familiar with poverty, Ye Zetao believed that the situation was indeed dire.

Niu continued, "Some families can only afford one blanket for the whole family, and they have to take turns wearing clothes when they go out!"

Ye Zetao was truly shocked and asked, "I've read about this in the newspaper. Is it really like that?"

"Yang Yuxian, Cui Yulan, and He Yongfei's families are the worst. They live in the mountains, and if the school didn't help them, they might not even be able to attend school! There are about twenty of the most impoverished students in the school..."

Niu was very familiar with the students' situations and named them one by one for Ye Zetao.

Ye Zetao immediately thought of the two quiet and graceful second-year girls, and He Yongfei, who, though average in studies, was strong and athletic. He had a deep impression of these three students, and he was also very familiar with the other children Niu mentioned, their faces appearing in his mind.

Niu shook his head, "This time, their blankets and other items were buried in the mud and water. Even if they dry in the sun, they might not be usable anymore!"

Ye Zetao could tell that Niu was worried about their future.

"Have you notified their parents?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid their parents will make them go home when they see this."

Ye Zetao understood the difficulty Principal Niu was facing, with so many students to take care of.

Shaking his head, knowing that relying on Principal Niu alone wouldn't work, Ye Zetao went to the township supply and marketing cooperative.

After knocking for a long time, the cooperative's manager, Li Laoqi, came out in his pajamas.

Seeing Ye Zetao, Li Laoqi smiled, "It's Little Ye. What's up?"

"Do you have any blankets?" Ye Zetao asked.

Nodding, Li Laoqi asked, puzzled, "Do you want to buy them?"

"You know, the school's dormitory collapsed, and many families are very poor. I don't have much money, but I want to help the most needy students by providing them with blankets," Ye Zetao explained.

"I just received a batch, sixteen in total!"

Li Laoqi's face showed emotion as he invited Ye Zetao in.

Inside the cooperative, there were indeed some blankets and cotton quilts.

Patting a plastic-wrapped cotton quilt, Li Laoqi said, "This is twenty yuan per pound, and it weighs two and a half pounds. If you include the quilt cover..."

Before Li Laoqi could finish, Ye Zetao waved his hand, "I'll take them all. One hundred yuan per set, but I also want bed sheets and basins. You know, I haven't received my salary yet, so I'll pay when I get it."

Ye Zetao was a township civil servant, and Li Laoqi wasn't worried about him defaulting, so he readily agreed.

Ye Zetao also asked for some stationery.

Li Laoqi looked at Ye Zetao with a pained expression, "Alright, since it's for the children, I'll give you the cost price."

While Li Laoqi was preparing the items, Ye Zetao returned to the classroom.

Walking into the classroom, Ye Zetao felt a bit embarrassed, realizing that his current income could only help about ten people.

"Classmates, today I want to tell you a story called 'The Little Match Girl'!"

Ye Zetao's voice echoed in the classroom.

As he reached the end of the story, the kerosene lamps cast a warm glow on every child's face.

After a moment, Ye Zetao said, "Teacher Ye doesn't have much, but today I bought sixteen sets of blankets to give to those who need them the most!"

"Please come with me to collect your blankets, those whose names I call."

Ye Zetao had already gotten the names of the sixteen most impoverished students from Principal Niu and called them out class by class.

When they arrived at the cooperative with the sixteen students, Li Laoqi had already gathered a few people to pack the blankets.

"Teacher Ye..." Yang Yuxian suddenly threw herself into Ye Zetao's arms and cried.

"Teacher Ye..."

Many of the girls were in tears.

The boys' faces showed excitement, and they clenched their fists tightly, their eyes filled with gratitude.

These were students from extremely poor families, and they had never experienced such kindness. When they thought of how Ye Zetao had helped them in their time of need, they felt a deep sense of gratitude.

Patting Yang Yuxian's shoulder, Ye Zetao looked at the sixteen students and said, "Don't thank me. I only ask that you remember one thing: when others need help, you should also be willing to lend a hand."

Ye Zetao's words were simple, and he knew their feelings. He wanted to instill a sense of warmth and kindness in their hearts.

Looking at them again, Ye Zetao continued, "Your parents sent you here to study so that you can change your family's situation. By gaining knowledge, you can contribute to your family. Don't be ashamed of your family's poverty. If you have the will, you should face it bravely and become a person of integrity!"

After saying this, Ye Zetao waved his hand and led them to distribute the items.

Watching the students leave happily with their new blankets, Ye Zetao felt a complex mix of emotions. The township of Chunzhu was so backward, and if the situation didn't change soon, it would continue to lag behind.

Li Laoqi walked over and patted Ye Zetao's shoulder, "Little Ye, you're a good person!"

The people Li Laoqi had called over also praised Ye Zetao.

Sighing, Ye Zetao looked at Li Laoqi, "Thank you. I'll pay you as soon as I get my salary."

Although he said this, Ye Zetao was worried that his salary might not be enough.

If it wasn't enough, he would have to borrow some!

Back at the school, Ye Zetao didn't dare to check on the students. These sixteen were the most needy, but there were still many other students in need, and he could only help so much!

After sitting for a while, Principal Niu walked in.

Seeing Ye Zetao sitting there, Niu sighed, "It's not that the teachers don't want to help. Most of them are from farming families and send their money back home."

Ye Zetao understood the situation and nodded, "Did my actions make everyone uncomfortable?"

Niu patted Ye Zetao's shoulder, "No, they understand your intentions. Rebuilding the school is the priority."

Looking at the principal of this rural school, Ye Zetao realized for the first time that Niu was a man of responsibility.

He was a good principal!

This was Ye Zetao's impression of Niu.

"Many children would have caught a cold tonight, but with your sixteen blankets, there's no problem now!"

Seeing the relieved look on Niu's face, Ye Zetao looked at him in confusion.

Niu didn't say anything, just patted Ye Zetao's shoulder again and left.

The rain was getting heavier, and the wind was picking up.

Listening to the howling wind and looking outside, the classroom was now silent.

Unable to relax, Ye Zetao took an umbrella and a flashlight and went out.

Stepping on the muddy path, Ye Zetao entered a classroom where the boys were staying, gently pushing the door open.

Shining the flashlight on the beds, he was deeply moved by what he saw. Three or four students were squeezed onto each bed, covered by only one blanket.

Seeing the students sleeping soundly, Ye Zetao couldn't hold back his tears.

Feeling his throat dry, Ye Zetao calmed himself and went over to help the students cover themselves better.

As he came out, a female teacher was just leaving a classroom where the girls were staying. Seeing Ye Zetao, she whispered, "Thanks to your blankets!"

Ye Zetao nodded slightly, said nothing, and hurried back to his dormitory.