Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

In those days, it was normal for teachers to physically punish students. Even in later years, when Zhang Dabiao was in junior high school, there were math teachers who would hit students with set squares until the set squares were broken.

There was also a case of someone kicking a student off the podium and all the way to the classroom door.

I remember seeing a male teacher slap a female student in his class when I was in high school.

Of course, there are also many cases where students can't stand it and get into fights with teachers, some even involving knives.

Such things cannot be prevented in later generations, let alone in this era.

In this day and age, if a teacher hits you, it's almost always your fault.

Zhang Dabiao lives alone at home now, so there's no issue of his parents coming to the school to confront the teachers, making him even easier to bully.

But Zhang Dabiao couldn't figure out whether this was Yan Bugui's own idea or Yi Zhonghai's instruction.

Zhang Dabiao wanted to lose his temper, but this was a school, and Yan Bugui was his teacher and homeroom teacher.

If he beats up Yan Bugui at school, it won't just be a matter of skipping a grade; he'll be expelled before graduating from elementary school!

This guy Zhang Dabiao is completely under his thumb, it's so frustrating!

Row!

You fucking messed with me, I'll go back and beat up your son!

------------

At lunchtime, when the students went to eat, Yan Bugui called Zhang Dabiao to his office.

In front of other teachers, he scolded Zhang Dabiao, saying that he didn't study hard and was a disgrace to his father. His father had finally managed to cure Zhang Dabiao, but Zhang Dabiao didn't cherish the opportunity to study. If he continued like this, the school would have no choice but to expel him. It was Yan Bugui who had been protecting Zhang Dabiao.

Other teachers, especially the art, music, and math teachers, pleaded on Zhang Dabiao's behalf because, in their impression, the current Zhang Dabiao was a completely different person and had great talent.

Even if it was Zhang Dabiao in the past, he was always a bit dim-witted and never caused trouble in class, so why are you criticizing his child like this?

But Yan Bugui believed that jade cannot be made into a useful object without being polished, and he had taught Zhang Dabiao for ten years, including serving as his homeroom teacher several times. He was also Zhang Dabiao's neighbor, his second uncle, and had watched Zhang Dabiao grow up.

That means, who's more qualified than me to discipline Zhang Dabiao? I'm his second uncle!

Other teachers couldn't stand it anymore, so they took their lunchboxes and hid in the teachers' canteen.

But Yan Bugui then said indirectly that every year before school started, and during holidays, Zhang Banxian would give him something as a traditional gift for taking care of Zhang Dabiao at school, but this year's gift was not delivered.

You can't just say that your father has passed away and you're no longer responsible for this matter. It's been ten years, and that's a traditional custom!

Your father is gone, so you, Zhang Dabiao, must be reasonable. As your teacher and second uncle, I have an obligation to take care of you!

I think the Tieguanyin tea you gave to the principal is quite good. Let's also get some dried meat or something, and follow the rules of the six rites for gifting a gift.

I also heard you're going to skip a grade, which will require your homeroom teacher's permission, so...

Zhang Dabiao understood.

I understand completely.

This damn Yan Bugui is waiting for him here!

The "Six Gifts of Tuition" were gifts given to teachers in feudal society, and were only presented when one became a student of a teacher.

Zhang Banxian had pulled this stunt before, but not to become an apprentice.

Zhang Dabiao, with his foolish appearance, wouldn't be accepted as an apprentice anyway. The only reason they accepted him was because they were neighbors, and Yan Bugui happened to teach at Hongxing Elementary School, being Zhang Dabiao's Chinese teacher. They figured giving the teacher small gifts during holidays would be a good way to have someone look out for him at school, right?

As long as the child isn't bullied at school, that's fine.

This rule still exists in later generations.

Anyway, when Zhang Dabiao was in elementary school, every year on Teacher's Day, Spring Festival, New Year's Day...

The shopping cards given to the homeroom teacher ranged from 500 to 2000 yuan. If the amount was less, the teacher would righteously return them, saying that she hadn't touched a single penny of the 500 yuan in the card.

Think about it, savor it carefully.

To be honest, giving Yan Bugui a small "gift" wouldn't have been a big deal, it just made me a little unhappy.

We paid tuition, so these things are your teacher's responsibility.

Even if we take a step back and say that you've taken the money, you still have to do the job, right?

I've been extorted by Chen Ergou for almost a semester, and your second son has been doing my homework for 5 cents a time for almost two semesters, and you haven't cared about it at all?

If you're not going to do anything, why should I give you a gift?

And you even used my skipping a grade to "threaten" me?

Zhang Dabiao couldn't stand it anymore.

Zhang Dabiao hadn't originally planned to skip a grade so soon. He planned to give Yan Bugui some gifts after everything was ready, and have him sign a letter of recommendation, since he was the homeroom teacher.

Money is no object as long as you, Yan Bugui, can get things done.

But now—

I, Zhang Dabiao, will not accept any threats!

I was only going to mess with your son, but now I'm going to mess with you!

Write this down in your notebook!

I'm going to get my revenge! I'm going to unleash my fury!

Zhang Dabiao remained silent, letting Yan Bugui "earnestly and patiently" educate him for over an hour, until finally, with only 10 minutes left before class, he was allowed to leave the office.

Is this a timed practice to prevent yourself from eating?

Unfortunately, I didn't bring a lunchbox at all.

Zhang Dabiao found a corner and slipped into his small room. He quickly ate a couple of bites and then stuffed several sausages into his mouth when he came out.

The first period in the afternoon was science class, and Zhang Dabiao hid in the back row of the classroom, scribbling and drawing.

He was making a mind map. Since he was going to take down Yan Bugui, he had to do it properly and preferably slap him in the face in one go!

The second class was drawing. Zhang Dabiao had already become sworn brothers with the drawing teacher because he had shown off his skills in class yesterday, especially the still life and portrait drawing techniques he had learned in the pre-exam cram school, which amazed the drawing teacher! In his class, Zhang Dabiao could do whatever he wanted.

In the eyes of the art teacher, Zhang Dabiao was a genius who had suddenly had an epiphany; his hands represented art! Every now and then, the teacher would lift up Zhang Dabiao's hands and look at them affectionately, clicking his tongue in admiration, which gave Zhang Dabiao goosebumps.

It would be one thing if the art teacher were a woman, but the art teacher is a long-haired, young man who gives off a kind of refined scoundrel vibe...

[I'm not going to write this, I'm quitting!]

After school in the afternoon, Zhang Dabiao was kept after school by his homeroom teacher, Yan Bugui, to clean the classroom. It wasn't his turn to clean today, but Yan Bugui switched him, and made Zhang Dabiao clean the entire classroom by himself, and also wipe the desks clean, saying that the school leaders would be inspecting the classroom the next morning...

What opinions could you possibly have?

Is this a case of teachers bullying elementary school students in the 60s?

He was sweeping the floor with a dark expression when Yan Jiekuang ran into the classroom to find him.

"Da Biao, why haven't you left yet?"

"..."

Zhang Dabiao didn't speak to him.

Yan Jiekuang thought for a long time, then went out again.

Zhang Dabiao thought he had gone back, but he didn't expect him to bring Yan Jiefang with him.

"Da Biao, we'll help you sweep. Let's finish quickly so we can go home sooner."

"..."

"Aren't you going to ask me why I'm sweeping the floor alone?"

Zhang Dabiao felt torn apart; his father was punishing him, while his son was helping him…

Yan Jiekuang and Jiefang both shook their heads: "Is there even a question? It's definitely my dad who's messing with you."

"That's all the tricks he has up his sleeve."

The two of them didn't say anything, picked up their brooms and started sweeping, doing it very efficiently.

"Aren't you afraid your dad will beat you when he gets back if you help me?" Zhang Dabiao asked curiously.

"My dad wouldn't hit anyone over this; he usually doesn't hit people."

"Anyway, we've already reached our limit with the food we eat at home, so even if he punishes us, he can't reduce the amount any further."

"So it doesn't matter whether they punish me or not." Yan Jiekuang shook his head; he was already used to it.

"Even if things get really bad, we won't starve to death, will we?"