Episode 12 recap: Luo Zheng Supports Yuan Shan Qing
In Episode 12, during the winter of 1987, Cheng Miao Miao took her sister Cheng Ya Ya out to play, and they accidentally fell into an ice hole. When Cheng Ya Ya rushed home to tell Jia Dai Yu about the incident, Jia Dai Yu immediately gave Cheng Miao Miao a "little lesson."Meanwhile, Yuan Shan Qing received her monthly allowance but couldn’t escape the gossip surrounding her, especially since her daughter Xiao Zi’s household registration issue was still unresolved, leaving her anxious about how it might impact her child's future education.
Things escalated when a group of people owed money by Yuan Yong barged into the school looking for Yuan Shan Qing. Leading the charge was Luo Zheng's mother, who was quite aggressive. Director Xiao of the school tried to intervene but couldn’t stop them. Upon hearing the commotion, Cheng Miao Miao rushed in and pulled Yuan Shan Qing away, attempting to help her hide. However, the crowd was too agitated and insisted on finding Yuan Shan Qing, even the security couldn't hold them back.
Eventually, Cheng Ya Ya and Cheng Miao Miao had no choice but to take Yuan Shan Qing to the school's observatory. The classroom was in chaos, almost torn apart. Director Xiao, along with Teachers Gao and Han, was frantic, trying every possible way to calm the angry crowd.
Feeling guilty, Yuan Shan Qing didn’t want to cause trouble for the school or anyone else. However, Li Si and Cheng Ya Ya reassured her, standing firmly by her side. Fortunately, Teacher Gao soon found them and informed them that the crowd had been dispersed, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
However, Director Xiao wasn’t as lucky. She returned to the classroom looking disheveled, with bruises on her face, but firmly stated, "This isn’t Yuan Shan Qing’s fault; those people went too far! We will never expel any student. The teachers at our school are educated and adhere to the rules, but we are not easy to bully!" She even arranged for Yuan Shan Qing to stay in a teacher's apartment, challenging anyone who dared to harass her.
After school, Luo Zheng approached Yuan Shan Qing to clarify that his mother’s actions did not reflect his feelings. Yuan Shan Qing was grateful, and Cheng Ya Ya had always believed that Luo Zheng wasn't a bad person. On the other hand, Li Si accidentally discovered Qiang Xiao Wa’s impressive grades, realizing he was a top student.
With the parent-teacher meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Li Si felt anxious. Qiang Xiao Wa’s academic success made everyone envious, while Yuan Shan Qing remained distracted by Yuan Yong’s issues, leading to her own poor performance. When Li Da Hai and Niu Ling Ling returned home to find Li Si cleaning, they quickly understood what was going on.
Li Da Hai was quite accustomed to his son's last-place grades. Although Qiang Xiao Wa was from out of town and his Mandarin was not standard, he managed to outshine Hu Qiu Min, which led to a fair bit of nagging from Hu Yue. Jia Dai Yu was also aware of Cheng Miao Miao's academic situation and was dead set against attending the parent-teacher meeting.
Yuan Shan Qing insisted on staying home to care for Xiao Zi while wanting to clear her name. Cheng Ya Ya worried but still supported Yuan Shan Qing's decision.
The parent-teacher meeting concluded quickly, lasting only half an hour. Jia Dai Yu and Li Da Hai both left smiling, and the atmosphere was surprisingly pleasant.
Cheng Ya Ya accompanied Yuan Shan Qing as they went from house to house to explain and apologize, even though no one was particularly kind to them. Luo Zheng's mother even chased after them with a knife, but Yuan Shan Qing didn’t feel discouraged; she believed that at least she faced everything head-on.
Qiang Xiao Wa’s grandfather, who couldn’t read, later approached Teacher Gao after the meeting to inquire about his grandson's performance. Upon learning that Qiang Xiao Wa ranked first in the class, he finally felt relieved. Teacher Gao didn’t post the ranking list because he believed grades weren’t the most important thing; he wanted parents to see their children’s other strengths. He even gave his meal ticket to the grandfather, inviting him to enjoy school meals, for which the grandfather was very grateful and offered some seafood he caught himself as a gift for Teacher Gao.
In his own way, Teacher Gao protected Qiang Xiao Wa's self-esteem by saying that his younger brother needed seafood for his health and that he would buy seafood from their family every month.
After the meeting, Li Si shivered at the dining table, fearing a scolding, but Li Da Hai and Niu Ling Ling were unexpectedly kind. Cheng Miao Miao was also on edge, but Jia Dai Yu suddenly hugged her, admitting she had been too strict in the past. Although they didn’t tell their parents the full truth, the kids still faced consequences—everyone had to rewrite their mistakes. Li Si was caught cheating and was punished with ten copies.
Curious about what Teacher Gao said during the meeting, Li Si and Cheng Miao Miao asked him later. Teacher Gao explained that he discussed the differences between growth and success, as well as his responsibilities as a teacher, along with parents' expectations. He hoped that parents and teachers could trust each other and support one another to promote the children’s growth together.
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