Chapter 258 Is This a Family Portrait?
While the parent-teacher meeting was going on, Fang Wei and Zhao Yueting, who had nothing to do, watched outside the classroom.
Although he was a little late, Captain Zhao at least made it to his daughter's parent-teacher meeting. It was visibly that Zhao Yueting's depression was swept away. Looking at her father sitting in her seat in the classroom, her eyes were full of smiles.
"It seems that you have completed your work task? Didn't you say you were going home first?" Fang Wei elbowed her and said with a teasing smile.
"Hmph, what do you care about me..."
As if she had forgotten what she had just said, Zhao Yueting, who had just been making a fuss about leaving, now refused to leave.
"Is this your dad's first time attending your parent-teacher conference?"
"That's not the case, but most of the time it was my mom who came. She also came with me on the day of registration. I was afraid that he would agree to come to the parent-teacher conference but end up going to Qingxi Middle School!"
"That's not the case..."
"It's not like he hasn't done this before. When I was in the first grade of junior high school, he suddenly said he would pick me up from school. He foolishly ran to the gate of the elementary school and waited for a long time. I got home by myself, but he was still waiting. When I got home, my mother laughed to death!"
Fang Wei also found it funny. It's not that Captain Zhao didn't care about his daughter. It's just that for people who are too busy with work, they often forget to notice the passage of time. When they come to their senses, they realize that their daughter is in junior high school. When they come to their senses again, they realize that their daughter is in high school. Maybe Captain Zhao also feels guilty.
"If you become a father in the future, will you do this?" Zhao Yueting asked curiously.
"Well, I don't think so. I have relatively small ambitions, and I don't have too many feelings of worrying about the country and the people. For me, my family will probably always be the most important thing. So when you asked me why I didn't become a policeman, it's not that I didn't want to be one, but that I wasn't suitable." Fang Wei thought for a while and said.
"Well... then you might not be a good policeman, but you must be a good father!"
"Why, do you think your father is not a competent father?"
"That's not the case... He's actually a very nice person. It's just that the feeling he has when he's with me is different from the feeling many of my classmates and friends' fathers have when they're with them... It's more like... um..."
Zhao Yueting was speechless for a moment and couldn't find the right adjective.
"Role model?" Fang Wei said.
"Yes, to a certain extent! He has always been a role model. He has received many awards at work, and in life, his neighbors also respect him very much. It seems that they feel safe when he is around. But for me, the biggest feeling is that sometimes I feel that in his heart... I am not the most important."
Zhao Yueting finally expressed what she wanted to say: "You are the only one in your family, and I am the only one in my family, but you may not be able to feel the way I feel. I am also an only child, but I always feel that I am not the most important in his heart... He always has more important things to deal with than me, and I... sigh..."
She is not a child anymore, but when she was young and ignorant, she would often cry and make a fuss because she didn’t understand such things, hoping to attract the attention of her parents.
Looking back, she now feels that she was naive back then. She also understands her father's work and his responsibilities, but even though she can understand him rationally, she still has some concerns emotionally.
When interacting with Zhao Yueting on a daily basis, Fang Wei could tell from her words that she was actually very proud of her father's work, and even deliberately imitated her father in many of his ways. However, it was only when he heard her talk about this today that he realized the girl's inner struggle and distress.
"You know, when I was a kid I loved bragging to others that my dad was a policeman. As long as I said my dad was a policeman, everyone would envy me and wouldn't dare to bully me. And because my dad was a policeman, I would often stand up for justice and resolve conflicts. The teacher would also praise me and say that I was like a little policeman in the class..."
"But later, I didn't want him to be a policeman, because I couldn't see him all day, and it felt like he only lived in my mouth... I know being a criminal policeman is not easy. Sometimes you have to stay out all night long, and it's dangerous. The big scar on the back of his hand was caused by a knife when he was arresting a criminal. The knife was aimed at his neck. He refused to tell my mother and me, and said that he fell off his bike. We only found out after we asked his colleagues..."
On the balcony, Fang Wei and Zhao Yueting were standing with their backs against the balcony and facing the classroom, chatting. After they started talking, the girl muttered a lot to him.
"Since you don't want your father to be a policeman anymore, why do you want to be a policeman in the future?"
"I……"
Zhao Yueting wanted to say something, but she didn't say anything and just remained silent.
"Do you hope to get your father's attention, or... do you hope that the roles can be switched, and you can take over his duties and protect him as a police officer?"
"..."
Zhao Yueting turned her head and looked at Fang Wei. Perhaps he hit the point, and she nodded slightly in the end.
"Hmm... more or less."
"The relationship between me and my father is different from the relationship between you and your father. What you just said is right. I may not feel the same way as you, but..."
Fang Wei changed the subject and said with a smile, "Since your father can be so attentive to a stranger, as his biological daughter, who can compare to your position in his heart?"
"Even saints have selfish desires, not to mention that we are all ordinary people. I think that to your father, you are undoubtedly the most important person in his heart, but the way he loves and cares for you is different from other fathers. He may think that for your growth, it is more important to provide you with a stable environment and serve as a positive role model for you. Perhaps these two qualities are more rare. He should hope that you can become an independent person in the future."
Listening to Fang Wei's words, Zhao Yueting blinked her eyes. Indeed, she had always been trapped in her own dimension and had been fantasizing based on other people's standards. No one had ever explained these things to her from a father's perspective.
"Then, how do you and your father get along?" Zhao Yueting asked curiously.
"I hope my dad can become an independent person in the future," Fang Wei said.
"..."
Zhao Yueting was stunned for a moment, then she chuckled and said unhappily, "What are you talking about? Do you want your father to become a dragon?!"
"Hey, that's not the point. No wonder your Chinese is so bad and your reading comprehension is so poor? What I mean is that every family and every father-son relationship is different, so you don't have to use other families' models as the standard for your own family."
"Then, is the model between me and my dad also something to be envied?"
"Of course, when you envy others, others may also envy you. You just say "my father is a policeman, my father is the captain of the criminal police team, be careful, my father will shoot you, who dares to bully you, Miss Zhao?" Does this mean that your father has been protecting you?"
"Hmm...Haha, that's true! No one has dared to bully me since I was a child!"
After chatting with Fang Wei, the girl's knot about the father-daughter relationship was finally untied. Now looking at Captain Zhao sitting upright in her seat as if he was attending a meeting, she actually felt that her usually serious father had become a little cute.
"Don't be happy yet. You are so bad at this subject. Be careful or your dad will scold you after the meeting."
"...Shut up."
……
Parent-child relationship has always been a topic that cannot be avoided in parent-teacher meetings, but compared to the conversation between Fang Wei and Zhao Yueting, the speeches on this topic in the classroom seemed much more formulaic.
Today is only Saturday, and many students who live far away from home, like Zhao Yueting, have not returned home yet. They plan to wait until the parents' meeting is over before going back together.
Most students are afraid of their parents coming to the classroom for meetings and hide in their dormitories.
Of course, there were also many curious people who had nothing to do, so they took their luggage out of the dormitory, ran to the classroom, and stood in the corridor to watch the parent-teacher meeting in the classroom.
When school leaders come on patrol, they will yell and tell everyone not to block the classroom door.
Fang Wei was also listening to the parent-teacher meeting. The process was basically the same. Teacher Liang reported to the parents about the class's learning situation and everyone's daily performance, and then focused on the division of liberal arts and science in the next semester. Then, he commended outstanding students and student representatives gave speeches.
"...Fang Wei is the monitor of our class. He is excellent in both class management and academic performance. I would like to invite Fang Wei as a student representative to share his experience in studying and living in high school."
Fang Wei was already waiting at the classroom door. When Teacher Liang waved to him and made room for the podium, Fang Wei strode in, stood on the podium with ease, and began to introduce himself and share his experience in a confident and calm manner.
The parents in the class applauded enthusiastically. When they entered the classroom to sign in, they had already met Fang Weiqian and had a very good impression of this young man.
"Dear teachers, dear uncles and aunts, hello!"
"I am Fang Wei, the monitor of Class 1, Grade 1. I am honored to speak here as a representative of outstanding students. First of all, please allow me to express my sincerest respect to the teachers who have worked hard for our growth on behalf of the whole class, and to express my heartfelt thanks to the parents who have silently supported and cared for us behind the scenes!"
clap clap-
The applause was warm.
Fang Wei did not bring a script. Even though the classroom was full of parents, he was not nervous at all. He was polite and humble, spoke at a moderate speed and loudly, and expressed himself fluently and naturally. The content of his speech revolved around core topics such as learning experience and campus life. It was clear and not exaggerated, and was full of practical information.
Teacher Liang was quite satisfied with Fang Wei's performance. Seeing the parents listening attentively, even he felt proud.
Not to mention Fang Wei's father, Fang Xianfeng. He has a very straight back. Even if a hundred kilograms of mussels were placed on it, it wouldn't even bend. When Fang Wei was speaking at the podium, Fang Xianfeng looked around secretly observing the reactions of other parents, as if he was afraid that others would not know that this was his son.
Unfortunately, the parents didn’t know each other, and only the parents around Fang Xianfeng knew that Fang Wei was his son.
He was not stingy with his appreciation for Fang Wei. Even Captain Zhao turned around and praised this very down-to-earth and warm 'Boss Fang': "Your boy has a really good conversation and temperament! He has the potential to be a leader! Do you want to take the civil service exam in the future?"
"Well... let him choose for himself. As his father, I can't make the decision for him!"
There was no long speech. A few minutes later, as Fang Wei finished his speech, he bowed and walked down from the podium. The parents in the class burst into warm applause again.
"... Then, next, I would like to invite Mr. Fang Xianfeng, the parent of Mr. Fang Wei, to come to the stage and share your experience in family education, parent-child communication, and academic counseling. I believe that all the parents present are also looking forward to hearing your experience in this regard."
clap clap-
Teacher Liang was right. The parents were indeed very interested in how Fang Xianfeng educated such an outstanding son.
As Fang Xianfeng stood up from Fang Wei's seat, the class applauded warmly and all eyes fell on this rural man.
Outside the corridor window, Fang Wei, Zhao Yueting and some classmates who came to join in the fun were also watching.
Zhao Yueting seemed very interested. The parents only had a one-sided understanding of Fang Wei, but she had been with Fang Wei for half a semester and knew very well that Fang Wei was much better than his peers.
Fang Wei can sing, draw, write beautifully, is good at sports, studies, and is good at interpersonal communication. He is the most versatile person she knows.
Therefore, she has always been very curious about what kind of experience and education could make him, at the age of sixteen or seventeen, so outstanding in all aspects that surpass his peers?
"…What's with that expression on your face as if you were trying to get my file from my dad?"
"Don't make any noise, let me analyze you carefully!"
"Ha ha……"
Fang Wei sneered, it would be strange if you could analyze my growth trajectory from the manuscript I gave to my dad!
This was not the first time that Fang Xianfeng had spoken on stage as a parent representative. He was no longer nervous (unless the manuscript was lost). When he stood on the podium and looked at the parents of his age below the stage, he felt more excited, thrilled and proud. When he was in school, he never had such an opportunity to speak!
Imitating his son's calmness and composure when he took the stage, this country boy from the countryside inexplicably exuded the aura of a 'master hidden in the city'.
“Dear teachers, parents and friends, hello everyone!”
"I am honored to be here as a parent representative to share with you some of my thoughts and insights on education. I am Fang Wei's parent. Like everyone here, I am concerned about my children's growth and always pay attention to every detail of their school life."
"From the moment my child entered school, I knew that family education and school education complement each other like the two wings of a bird and the two wheels of a car."
"In terms of how to help children learn and grow, methods and patience are the key, and creating a learning environment is the foundation. To this end, I will..."
Fang Xianfeng was speaking at the podium, with Fang Wei's achievements as his endorsement, and the parents below were listening attentively. From family education, to comprehensive quality training, to communication with the school, to how students should handle the psychology of adolescence, etc., every aspect was covered without any loopholes, with clear ideas and in an orderly manner.
The parents were shocked!
You can't judge a person by his appearance! I thought to myself, this rough-looking country guy is actually a hidden education expert?!
As expected, like father, like son! The father is so outstanding and eloquent, no wonder the son has a calm temperament, mature and steady!
Listen to the format of this manuscript…it’s the same as the son’s…no, the son’s is exactly the same as the father’s!
After hearing this speech, many parents felt ashamed. It turns out that one should not always compare one's own children with those of other children. One should also compare oneself as a parent with those of other parents!
Outside the corridor, Zhao Yueting became more and more confused as she listened. She looked at Fang Wei, then at Uncle Fang on the podium. For a moment, she couldn't figure out whether she had made a wrong judgment about Fang Wei or Uncle Fang. Why was it different from what she had imagined?
"Did your father really teach you like this at home?" Zhao Yueting couldn't help but ask.
"Of course." Fang Wei said.
"…Isn't this the manuscript you wrote?"
"Hey, hey! What you said is not rigorous at all. If you have evidence, just tell me!"
"Don't keep imitating me!"
……
At exactly eleven o'clock, after a brief summary by Teacher Liang, the parent-teacher meeting came to an end.
After the meeting, many parents went to the podium to communicate with Teacher Liang, while other parents who had nothing to do left.
Captain Zhao acted very quickly. He was not in a hurry to leave, but was the first to run to the podium and talk to Teacher Liang about Zhao Yueting.
"...Mr. Liang, Yueting's weakness in one subject..."
"Captain Zhao..."
"Hey Mr. Liang, we don't call you that outside."
"Yueting's father, you don't have to worry too much about this issue for now. Although Yueting's liberal arts are a little weak, she is at least above the good line. She is just lagging behind in science. But she will be divided into different subjects next semester. As long as she maintains her advantage in science, she can do her best in liberal arts. Of course, I only say this to you. Yueting should not be too lax, but she can't lose the big picture for the sake of picking up sesame seeds..."
"Okay, okay, Teacher Liang, I understand what you mean. What about this girl in class on weekdays..."
Outside the corridor, Zhao Yueting saw her father talking to Teacher Liang. Her nerves tensed up, and she quickly recalled whether she had ever been caught by the teacher when she was absent from class...
Fang Xianfeng didn't have anything to ask Mr. Liang. However, there were several parents who came to ask him questions, so he quickly pretended to answer the phone and ran away...
It's fine to read the manuscript, but if you really ask me for some education tips, can I say that I don't usually take care of anything? Upstairs, Uncle Liu and Xu Zhiyuan had also finished the parents' meeting. Just like the two girls usually went downstairs together, they also came down from the stairs together and joined Fang Wei and Fang Xianfeng who were waiting here.
It can also be seen from the radiant expressions of Uncle Liu and Uncle Yuan that the teacher must have specifically praised Zhiyi and Cailing at the parents-teacher meeting.
Also met at the same time were Wang Yushan and her mother. Yushan has made great progress this time. Although she is still the third best, her competitiveness is different.
"Squad leader! Have you finished the meeting too?"
"Yes, Yushan, you came to help this morning too?...Auntie! Long time no see!"
"Yeah, I'm the squad leader like you now, hehe, shall we go first?"
"How about coming to my place for dinner?"
"Haha, maybe next time. My mom said she wants to try the food in our cafeteria. Bye~!"
"Bye~"
There was nothing else to do, so Fang Wei took the three elders back. The three elders looked uncomfortable and kept touching their pockets, probably because they wanted to smoke.
"Are you going back with your dad?" Fang Wei asked Zhao Yueting.
"Yeah, why does he have so much to say to Teacher Liang...!"
"I care about you, don't I?"
"You should scare me!"
"Then we'll go first, bye~"
"Well, bye~ Uncle Fang, bye~"
……
After leaving the school and standing outside the school gate, the three old smokers lit up a cigarette and started puffing away at it leisurely. While smoking, they talked about what happened at the parent-teacher meeting.
Fang Wei was amused, fanned away the smoke that drifted towards his face, and said speechlessly: "Smoke less! Can't you smoke while walking? Why are you blocking the school gate?"
"No hurry, let's finish this cigarette first."
"..."
Smokers' concept of time is probably "the time of a cigarette".
Finally, the smoking was finished and the four of them walked along the road.
He heard the sound of a motorcycle and turned around to see Zhao Yueting sitting on Captain Zhao's police motorcycle, waving at him.
"Why are you so slow! Let's go! Bye!"
"Bye~"
When passing by, Captain Zhao also slowed down the car, smiled and nodded to Fang Wei and Fang Xianfeng, then stepped on the accelerator and drove his daughter to the dock to take a boat home.
"Hey! This motorcycle is so cool! So Xiao Zhao's father is a policeman?" Fang Xianfeng said in surprise.
"Yes, didn't you see the police uniform he was holding when he entered the classroom earlier?"
"Oh! I was wondering, you have such a serious temperament. The parents of your classmates come from all walks of life! I talked to them and found that some of them run their own companies, some are university teachers, some run their own shops, and some are police officers. This place is big, unlike where we live, where everyone lives by the sea!"
"Then you are quite talkative!"
"Like you... No, you're like me! Aren't you as talkative as me?"
Fang Wei smiled. His father didn't disagree with this point. He did inherit his personality of being able to chat with anyone.
……
I got home at 11:30 and as soon as I opened the door I smelled the rich aroma of food.
In the kitchen, Tian Xilan was the chef, and two well-behaved girls were helping her. The food was basically ready. Liu Zhiyi brought plates of delicious dishes to the dining table, while Xu Cailing was responsible for serving the soup with bowls.
"Hmm! It smells good! It's New Year's Day! Alan, let's just eat something casually. You made so many dishes!" Xu Zhiyuan said with a smile.
"I haven't invited you guys to dinner since I moved into my new home. Now that everyone is here, I'll have a small dinner!"
"Then we have to prepare a red envelope for you!"
"Hey, hey! Please don't do this! Let's just eat something simple! Uncle Liu, please all take a seat! I won't be polite with you, I'll stir-fry some vegetables and it will be ready in no time!"
"How did your parent-teacher meeting go?" Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi asked curiously.
In fact, there is no need to ask more. Just by looking at the looks of the elders, I think the teacher has praised them a lot.
On normal days, Fang Wei, Cailing and Zhiyi would have lunch together with the other two. Today at noon, all three elders came, and the seven of them gathered together, making it particularly lively.
The table was filled with sumptuous dishes, including chickens, ducks, and geese brought from home, fish, shrimps, and crabs just bought from the market, and a big pot of soup. The configuration of eight dishes and one soup was really no different from the Chinese New Year.
The two girls blinked their eyes, inexplicably having an illusion, as if they were really seeing a New Year's Eve dinner scene many years later!
"Uncle, Uncle Yuan, you guys rarely take photos, right? It's a rare occasion for us to have a meal together, why don't we take a group photo together!"
"Awei, do you still have a camera?"
"I put it here to record our wonderful life! Come on, everyone, sit down!"
"How should we sit here? We can only take a few pictures in our lifetime. If you point the camera at me, I don't know how to put my face on it!"
"Shout Eggplant!"
“There’s no eggplant in this dish!”
"It's just eggplant~eggplant~laugh!"
Seeing their elders at a loss, Xu Cailing and Liu Zhiyi couldn't help but be amused. They were used to taking photos now, but for their elders, photos were usually only taken on the most important occasions.
Around the rectangular dining table, the elders sat to one side as instructed by photographer Fang Wei, and in front of them were the exquisite dishes.
When Fang Wei was ready, he adjusted the camera angle and then ran quickly among them.
In order from left to right, they are Liu Shugong, Liu Zhiyi, Fang Xianfeng (Fang Wei), Tian Xilan, Xu Cailing, and Xu Zhiyuan.
Everyone was sitting, their bodies slightly tilted towards the middle. Fang Wei was standing. He stood behind his parents, slightly bent over, with his arms on his parents' shoulders.
The two girls smiled and made a (＾－＾)V sign to the camera
"Eggplant~~"
As the flash came on, this meaningful photo of the "Parent-Teacher Meeting" was recorded.
"Alright! Let's eat~!"
……
This sumptuous lunch was eaten slowly and lively. After lunch, Fang Wei, Cai Ling and Zhiyi took the initiative to clean up and wash the dishes. The elders then relaxed and sat on the sofa in the living room drinking tea and chatting.
It was a rare occasion for so many people to come to the city together, and Fang Wei and the other two didn't want them to go back so early, so they took them for a walk in the city.
Just like when they came, Fang Xianfeng rode his bike with Tian Xilan, Xu Zhiyuan rode with Uncle Liu, and Fang Wei rode with Cailing and Zhiyi.
The elders were all present, and the girls were very reserved. When sitting on the motorcycle, they were too embarrassed to put their arms around Fang Wei's waist. Liu Zhiyi even gave the middle seat to Cai Ling, as she was afraid that she would not be able to help but hug Fang Wei when they were sandwiched in the middle.
The elders didn't like activities like shopping in malls and watching movies, so Fang Wei took them to the city park to take a walk, enjoy the breeze and chat.
Unlike the teenagers who are keen on playing, the elders would clamor to go back when the time is almost up.
"I haven't fed the chickens at home yet!"
"July didn't eat a single meal, I'm afraid he's become skinny due to hunger!"
It seems that all elders are like this, with a fixed clock in their body, knowing when to feed the chickens, when to let the cattle out, when to cook...
They always hope that their children can go out, but they themselves prefer to stay in their own little piece of land and are unwilling to go out.
Of course, I am happy to go out for a walk occasionally in my spare time, but after a long time I always feel that it is not as good as my hometown. If you ask me to move out, I will shake my head and refuse.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, after visiting the park, Fang Wei took the two girls and rode a motorcycle with the elders to Xuanzhu Wharf to take a boat.
"Do you three want to go back?"
"No, let's go back next weekend. I'll go back tonight and come back tomorrow night."
"Okay then, we're on the boat, you guys should go home early, so you don't have to cook dinner at night. There's a lot of leftovers from lunch, so you can just heat them up and eat."
"understood."
"Remember to wear more clothes when it's cold! Even though it's not cold during the day, it's chilly at night!"
"understood."
"gone."
"Bye~ Remember to send a message when you get home!"
"Okay."
Before leaving, the elders gave Fang Wei and the other two some money, as they were worried that they would not have enough living expenses.
The oars stirred the water, and the boat from Xuanzhu Wharf to Baitan Wharf started. It would probably be almost six in the evening when they got home.
The three people at the dock did not look away until the ship disappeared from view.
"Are we going back now?"
"Otherwise, where else do you want to go?"
"It's a rare opportunity for us to get out, why don't we go to the movies? It's past four o'clock now, so we can go home and have dinner just in time! And then do our homework at home in the evening!" Xu Cailing suggested with a snap of her fingers.
"I, I think it's okay!" Liu Zhiyi also agreed.
"..."
The elders just left! Where is your enthusiasm for studying this morning? !
Fang Wei got on the motorcycle, stepped hard on the accelerator, started the engine, turned the accelerator, and looked back at the two girls.
"Princess, please get in the car?"
"whee……"
Liu Zhiyi took the lead, raised her legs, held Fang Wei's shoulders and sat behind him, then opened her arms, hugged Fang Wei's waist, and pressed her chest and little face against his back.
"Cai Ling, you were sitting in the middle just now, should I sit in the middle now?"
"...???"
Cai Ling was stunned for a while before she realized what a cunning Zhi Yi was! No wonder she was asked to sit in the middle just now!
“┗|｀O′|┛Ah~~! What just happened doesn’t count!”
The two girls were pulling and tugging at each other and fighting.
Fang Wei looked up at the bright sky in early winter.
It seems that we won’t be able to watch this movie until they come to a conclusion...
(End of this chapter)
