Chapter 1: Jiang Le

Jiang Le's part-time work schedule is two hours each day. There is also an additional hour and a half.

However, something feels off today; it is evident that some porcelain has been broken inside. At this moment, Old Man Jin is not here. When he returns, will he think that I secretly went in and knocked it over?

Just thinking of his sick mother's yearning gaze made him feel an overwhelming sense of sorrow

It is such a class that causes suffering for the teachers

Moreover, after spending such a long time together, even those with whom one does not get along will inevitably develop some feelings

Behind is the back door of the antique shop

Jiang Le was taken aback

Avoidance is not an option; one's address was provided to Old Man Jin during the application process. One can escape the monk, but not the temple.

After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Le gritted her teeth and stood up

Jiang Le quietly closed the book and secretly let out a sigh of relief

In the next moment, a tranquil little courtyard appeared before my eyes

These tasks were completed in less than half an hour

For his mother, he will surely persevere until the end

Jiang Le couldn't help but feel a bit bitter.

Jiang Le's expression softened, and she smiled, saying: "This is correct. The college entrance examination is just around the corner, and we are in the final sprint phase. We must work hard. I advised you, but you didn't listen and insisted on coming to work with me. Now that your husband is saying this, I completely agree."

After packing the books into the backpack, Jiang Le left the desk and quickly walked out of the classroom

Jiang Le grasped Yang Fan's shoulder and said earnestly: "Yang Fan, as a brother, you must listen to me. Your current task is to study hard. I have no other choice; otherwise, I would also strive to study. Right now, as your brother, I ask for nothing else but for you to carry my dream with you to university."

Although it has been proven that this approach yields diminishing returns, he remains unwilling to give up

For students who are taught and provided with books, after a year, apart from their fixed salary, any bonuses for further education or teacher evaluations are merely illusions.

Jiang Le paused and asked in astonishment, "What happened?"

Working here as a temporary worker, his main tasks are to clean up stolen goods, wipe antiques and antique shelves, and his monthly salary is 300 yuan

Jiang Le works for a small antique shop, owned by a solitary elderly man in his seventies, commonly referred to as Old Man Jin

In every school, there exists a class where the teacher is more eager for the lesson to end than the students themselves

However, this courtyard does not seem to have anything worth concealing, does it? Why does Old Jin say it is a forbidden place

The antique shop is not large, but Jiang Le does not know what is behind the back door

Catch that mouse or some small animal, perhaps this behavior is quite childish, but believe it or not, it is indeed the old man Jin. As long as you are true to your own conscience, that is all that matters

Jiang Le also smiled and said: "That's fine, you can go back now and study well. As for work, you know that old man's place is simple; I can handle it all by myself."

How did such unfortunate events occur

Could it be that some precious porcelain was knocked over by a mouse or something? This would be a significant loss. Jiang Le felt a deep sense of sorrow; even though it wasn't his own, he still felt heartbroken. This is all money!

Behind the door of this dilapidated antique shop, there unexpectedly lies such an elegant little courtyard

Yang Fan said with a bitter smile: "This is the most critical time in my senior year. My family is very concerned about my studies. I have been coming home too late recently, and various excuses have raised their suspicions. They asked the teachers at school for information and exposed my lies, so I had no choice but to tell the truth. This has made the old man at the library unhappy, and he has demanded that I quit my job and focus on my studies"

This state causes Jiang Le great distress; he feels as if there exists a 360 automatic software deletion function in his mind, which begins to operate every time he falls asleep

This courtyard contains only one room, with blue bricks and small tiles. The green moss patches along the walls indicate that it has been built for quite some time

Jiang Le could not help but feel a tinge of curiosity. After pondering for a moment, he stepped into the small courtyard, walked along the gravel path, and arrived at the door of the house in the courtyard

Jiang Le quickly pushed open the door, and then he discovered a figure lying on the ground; it was none other than Old Jin.

As a member of a single-parent family, life is quite difficult. The household relies solely on the ailing mother, who does some handicraft work to make ends meet, while also supporting his education, which creates significant pressure. Therefore, during his school breaks, he also takes on a part-time job to contribute a portion of his earnings to the family.

For Jiang Le, not to mention three hundred, even three yuan is a substantial amount of money. Therefore, he has always cautioned himself to never touch the back door, even if it is unintentional.

As usual, Jiang Le consciously sought out a seat, preparing to take out a book to review.

The teacher on the podium turned a blind eye to this, directly halting the mechanical lecture, closing the lesson plan book, and turning to leave, as if they were from two different worlds, each attending to their own affairs

When he first applied for the job, Old Man Jin sternly warned him that his work area was the front door of the store, and the back door was off-limits. If he opened the back door, he would lose a month's salary and also have to pay an additional three hundred.

She put the books away, and Jiang Le quietly picked up a feather duster and pushed open the back door.

Cleaning, wiping, organizing

This is indeed the case. Since Jiang Le started working, he has not seen a single antique sold, which makes him, a person earning a meager salary, feel embarrassed about receiving his paycheck.

It is a pity that ... ...

The students here may either be uneducated and rebellious, or they may possess limited talent and struggle to engage in learning

Looking at Yang Fan, Jiang Le smiled slightly and said, "Let's go, if we delay any longer, we will be late, and Old Jin will deduct our wages"

It is a pity that after working here for two months, time has passed in a hurry; not to mention finding a bargain, there hasn't even been time to go out for a proper stroll.

On Antique Street, Mr. Jin's antique shop is quite small, and its facade is dilapidated, with a pitifully small selection of antiques on display. Generally, those looking to purchase antiques would not even glance in this direction, as the small size of the shop and lack of valuable items lead to a habitual mindset.

It is not easy for middle school students to find part-time jobs, especially when it comes to relatively easy positions. Jiang Le values the current job very much

However, he seems to lack a natural aptitude for this formulaic style of learning. Since elementary school, no matter how much he forced himself to study hard, the knowledge acquired today would be largely forgotten by the next day. Over time, his learning progress fell behind that of others.

The elderly person is so old, could it be that something has happened?

Jiang Le's workplace is the famous antique street in Qingyang. The initial choice of this place stemmed from the illusion of finding a hidden treasure that existed in his young heart; he believed that if he could find a treasure just once, it would bring about a tremendous change in his family.

Yang Fan smiled broadly, feeling relieved, and nodded emphatically, saying, "Alright, I will definitely get into a good university"

The door is half open at this moment, and there is a faint light flickering inside, seemingly the glow of a candle

Compared to other classmates who are completely disengaged from learning, he can be considered good; he listens attentively in class, takes excellent notes, and presents himself in a disciplined manner, resembling a model student.

If that is the case, then it would be disastrous. Breaking an antique porcelain piece cannot be settled with just three hundred yuan; even selling oneself would not cover the loss

Beneath the tree, an ancient stone table and stone bench create a scene of profound artistic ambiance

As she watched Yang Fan's departing figure, the smile on Jiang Le's face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of melancholy

In this world, the only family member and the sole expectation for oneself is to study diligently

Then there is no choice but to go in

The work shift begins in half an hour, and he must hurry; otherwise, his salary will be deducted

Just as Jiang Le was about to review, he heard the sound of porcelain shattering. He was momentarily stunned and turned to look behind him

Just as I stepped out of the campus, a familiar figure approached. It was a slightly chubby boy wearing glasses. He was Jiang Le's only friend at No. 3 Middle School, Yang Fan

However, you ... ... '' Yang Fan showed a look of difficulty

In my mother's mind, only through learning can one achieve success.

Hastily arriving at the store, she checked the time, which was perfectly aligned, causing Jiang Le to smile with joy.

Previously, he spoke a heartfelt truth

... ...

This temporary worker's salary is not substantial, yet it represents the greatest contribution he has been able to make for his family thus far. Therefore, Jiang Le values this hard-won job greatly

These underperforming students are specifically integrated into one class by the school, which not only prevents disruption to the learning of other good students but also facilitates management and enhances the school's popularity, achieving three objectives at once

The small courtyard is not large, with lush green grass and a path paved with gravel. In the center stands a stout, short willow tree, its emerald branches swaying in the wind

Fortunately, the school provides financial compensation for teachers of such classes, which allows these classes to continue to exist

Jiang Le could not help but be in a daze

Jiang Lexin became anxious

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Such a state made Jiang Le extremely eager to give up studying

Yang Fan is a student in the honors class. Before Jiang Le's slow learning progress was discovered, they were in the same class and became friends due to their shared interest in calligraphy. Later, Yang Fan noticed Jiang Le's academic situation and attempted to tutor him, but unfortunately, his efforts were in vain.

If one is late every day, it amounts to a month of wasted effort

However, looking at the back door, Jiang Le recalled a question

If possible, he indeed wants to study hard and strive to gain admission to a good university, bringing honor to his mother

The presence of light indicates that someone is inside. Could it be that Old Man Jin is in there

Although the store is cleaned daily by itself and appears very tidy with no customers, Jiang Le still works diligently.

Old Man Jin has a peculiar temper; he dislikes it when people are late. For each instance of tardiness, he deducts ten yuan.

Although Mr. Jin has a somewhat peculiar temperament, he employed Jiang Le at a time when others were unwilling to accept him, which made Jiang Le very grateful

He is a responsible person; since he receives someone else's salary, he should put in corresponding effort

Looking around, I did not see Old Jin; he was probably out for a stroll. Jiang Le did not delay, placed the backpack properly, and began the daily routine.

These are the underperforming students left after the elite class has selected the best and discarded the rest

With a heavy heart, he turned away, alone, and walked into a street

However, the friendship established between the two did not wane due to the class separation; instead, it grew even closer. When Yang Fan heard that Jiang Le had to go to work after school, he directly requested to accompany him to work, demonstrating a strong sense of loyalty.

Yang Fan hesitated for a moment and awkwardly said, "Jiang Le, I may not be able to work with you anymore"

With a sharp ringing of the class dismissal bell, the classroom of Class 37 at Qingyang City No. 3 Middle School suddenly came to life, erupting in a flurry of activity