What's wrong with me, a school principal, listening to students' suggestions?

"It's because of your special status that you need someone to accompany you..."

Liu Jianguo's Adam's apple bobbed.

"It's because your job is relatively easy," the old man interrupted him.

Liu Jianguo's back was instantly soaked with sweat, and cold sweat dripped down his hairline.

He opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, wanting to defend himself, but his mind went blank.

All the carefully prepared words failed him; not a single one could be uttered in front of this old man.

The car slowed down, and the brand-new school gate of No. 13 Middle School could be seen ahead.

"Little Liu."

The old man patted off non-existent dust from his trousers and turned to face Liu Jianguo.

"You didn't take anything you shouldn't have, and the higher-ups have noticed that."

His tone even carried a hint of elder's kindness.

Liu Jianguo's heart was in his throat.

"But you shouldn't interfere." The old man's smile faded. "An educator who doesn't help schools solve their problems but instead makes things difficult for them, that's not what you should be doing."

The car came to a smooth stop in front of the No. 13 Middle School.

The driver got out of the car and opened the back door. The old man slowly stood up, supporting himself against the door.

Liu Jianguo sat frozen in his seat, wondering what his fate would be.

"Since you like being on the move so much, the higher-ups have decided to send you to a more distant place, to gain some experience at the grassroots level."

The old man bent down and glanced into the car, a peaceful smile returning to his face.

"Get down to business and stop worrying about trivial things all the time."

Snapped.

The car door closed.

Liu Jianguo sat alone in the back row, his face completely drained of color.

Outside the window, the old man was already walking towards the gate of No. 13 Middle School.

Sunlight shone on his gray hair, and his steps were steady and powerful.

In the distance, Su Qingyan was jogging out of the guardhouse to greet them.

Inside the car, Liu Jianguo stared at his trembling hands, unable to recover for a long time.

It’s over.

It's completely over.

……

When Su Qingyan ran to the school gate, the black official car had already driven away.

The old man stood alone under the shade of the sycamore tree at the entrance, his hands behind his back, looking up at the brand-new school gate of No. 13 Middle School and the newly painted plaque above the gate.

"Teacher Bi!"

Su Qingyan quickly went to greet her, a rare smile on her face.

"Girl, you've become even more beautiful in the years I haven't seen you."

Teacher Bi turned around and saw Su Qingyan smiling.

"Teacher Bi, why did you come in person?"

Su Qingyan walked to his side and reached out to help him.

Teacher Bi waved her hand, indicating that she could walk.

"Your grandfather is such a stubborn old man. He says he's cut ties with you, but he misses you terribly."

Su Qingyan's smile froze for a moment.

"I visited him last month, and there was your college graduation photo on his desk in his study."

Teacher Bi strolled leisurely into the campus, casually mentioning it in his tone.

"I saw it, but the old man is still stubborn, saying he forgot to put it away."

Su Qingyan didn't reply, but slowed her pace by half a beat.

"Go back and visit him when you have time." Teacher Bi paused for a moment, "He's in his seventies or eighties, how many more years can he remain so stubborn?"

Su Qingyan lowered her eyes, her lips moved, and in the end she just gave a soft "hmm".

The atmosphere quieted down.

"Teacher Bi, what brings you to our small town?"

"Back then, so many schools in various cities invited you, but you didn't accept any of them."

Su Qingyan was the first to adjust her mood and change the subject.

"I'd like to ask you that," Teacher Bi glanced at her, a teasing smile playing on her lips, "Why did you choose to stay in this small city when there were so many other options back then?"

Su Qingyan was stumped by the question. "Back then, I just wanted to get away from home, the farther the better."

"Then look at the map, Tomato Province, Tomato City..."

She paused for a moment, her expression somewhat subtle.

"It sounds like it should be the provincial capital, right? Who would have thought it's the third-worst prefecture-level city in the entire province?"

Teacher Bi burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

"After an eighteen-hour train ride, I arrived at my destination, and when I got off, I saw..."

"Goodness, the train station is even smaller than the bus station in my hometown."

Su Qingyan pushed up her glasses, her tone full of helplessness at being tricked back then.

"We're already here, we can't just sit back down now."

"So you've settled down here?" Teacher Bi shook his head. "When your grandfather found out about this, he was so angry that he didn't eat for three days."

"Let him be angry." Su Qingyan's voice softened. "It's fine here. Everyone is very welcoming, and there's not much backstabbing."

The two walked along the main road of the campus.

The roadside trees were newly planted during the summer vacation. The trunks are still wrapped in white protective cloth, but the branches and leaves have already spread out, casting mottled shadows.

Teacher Bi walked slowly, her eyes constantly observing her surroundings.

The clean floor tiles, the newly painted fence, and the glass curtain wall of the library under construction in the distance gleamed in the sunlight.

"The old No. 4 Middle School used to be a junior high school, but it has been changed to a senior high school. That's quite a change," he commented softly.

"It was all done after Principal Lin came."

Su Qingyan's tone unconsciously carried a hint of pride.

Teacher Bi nodded, but instead of responding immediately, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at Su Qingyan.

"Girl, there's something I need to tell you."

Su Qingyan stopped and looked at him.

"Liu Jianguo is too impetuous."

"The higher-ups have sent him to the frontier to gain some experience, so you don't need to worry about him in the short term."

Su Qingyan's heart suddenly relaxed.

The stone that had been weighing on No. 13 Middle School for more than half a year has been removed just like that?

But she quickly realized that Teacher Bi's words had a hidden meaning.

"Teacher Bi, besides Liu Jianguo..." Su Qingyan carefully chose her words, "who else doesn't want our school to do well?"

Instead of answering directly, Teacher Bi took another step and continued walking forward.

"Girl, the reforms at No. 13 Middle School over the past six months have been successfully implemented thanks to online traffic."

He took several steps before slowly speaking.

"This is a good thing in itself, but it's also a double-edged sword."

Su Qingyan listened quietly.

"Your school's video went viral. What did the students see?"

"I saw that No. 13 Middle School has a five-star canteen, an e-sports arena, air-conditioned dormitories, and a principal who can take students' suggestions into account."

Teacher Bi speaks very slowly, and every word carries weight.

"But how many high schools are there in the whole country? In our province alone, there are more than 400."

"What are the kids from those schools thinking when they see videos of No. 13 Middle School?"

Su Qingyan stopped in her tracks, a look of sudden realization appearing on her face.

"What they're thinking is... why are other people's schools so good, and mine is so bad?"

Teacher Bi stopped and turned to face Su Qingyan.

The person's eyes were gentle, but there was a worry hidden within them.

"Not every school has a Lin Yucai. Most principals don't have that kind of courage or the resources."

Su Qingyan remained silent for a moment.

She understood what Teacher Bi meant.

The rise in popularity of No. 13 Middle School has inadvertently raised the expectations of students across the country for schools.

When expectations are raised but reality fails to meet them, resentment accumulates.

Who will the school principals and education bureaus hold accountable for this?

"There are already voices online now." Teacher Bi sighed, "Some people are saying that No. 13 Middle School is just creating a gimmick and using public education resources to make a living as an internet celebrity."

"Several principals from other provinces have privately stated that the model of No. 13 Middle School is not replicable and will set a bad example."