Chapter 197
The dean was scolded severely by the principal when he reported the outcome back at school.
“Do you not have a brain? They are still upset at us right now. Of course, they wouldn’t want to return. You go and tell them that as long as they are willing to return, we will waive all of her brothers’ tuition and cost for textbooks from now on. The school will cover them all!”
With the principal’s words, the dean returned to the Tong’s.
He felt certain that Tong Xuelu would accept this time. Lo and behold, Tong Xuelu had turned him down again.
He had said everything that he could, but she still insisted that she would be returning to their hometown.
He was about to drop down onto his knees and grovel!
The dean recalled a history story of how a general had visited the person he wanted to recruit three times before the person promised he would help. Given his experience with the Tong’s eldest sister, however, the dean felt that three times would not be sufficient for him to complete his mission.
The dean failed his mission again and was scolded thoroughly by the principal once more.
The principal decided that the dean was useless, and there was no point in sending him anymore. Instead, he sent two female teachers the third time.
Tong Xuelu’s attitude was much milder toward the two female teachers, but her answer was still no.
Nevertheless, their trip was not entirely fruitless. At least Tong Xuelu’s tune started to soften.
She subtly mentioned the fact that they lived quite far from the school and that it would be great if they could have a bicycle.
The two female teachers relayed the message back to the principal. When he heard the message, the principal slammed his fists onto his desk angrily. “The audacity!”
They have conditions now? That was simply infuriating!
As mad as he was, he would still have to arrange for a bicycle for them. As of late, the rumors regarding their school were getting worse.
He even heard one that said the principal himself might have had an affair with Ma Mei, too. Why else would he allow her to do what she did at school?
The principal almost vomited blood when he heard that.
To quell the rumors, the principal had no choice but to gather up funding for a brand new Phoenix brand bicycle and ordered someone to deliver it to the Tong’s as soon as possible.
After the bicycle was offered, Tong Xuelu pretended to decline it a couple of times before accepting it.
She promised that she would have Tong Jiaming and Tong Jiaxin return to school the coming Monday, which was two days from now.
As soon as the two female teachers had taken off, Tong Jiaxin came rushing over. Circling the bicycle with his eyes bright like stars in the night sky, Tong Jiaxin said, “Big Sister, is this bicycle really ours now?”
Big Sister?
That was the first time Tong Jiaxin had called her Big Sister.
Tong Xuelu lifted her brows quietly and nodded. “That’s right. You and Jiaming can ride this to school from now on.”
Tong Jiaming, standing next to them, glanced over at Tong Jiaxin and didn’t say anything.
Tong Jiaxin cheered and ran around the yard like a little lunatic. “Oh my gosh! We have a bicycle now!”
Tong Mianmian had no idea what had happened, but she was happy seeing that her big sister and brothers were happy.
She pitter-pattered behind Tong Jiaxin, spread her two chubby arms, and said in her milky voice, “Yay…… we have by-kle now!”
Tong Xuelu said, “Don’t be happy so soon yet. Do you two know how to ride a bicycle?”
Tong Jiaxin’s celebration halted abruptly. “Not I.”
Tong Jiaming replied, “I don’t either.”
Tong Xuelu shrugged. “Well, in that case, I guess we won’t be putting this bicycle to use any time soon.”
Nevertheless, as far as Tong Jiaming and Tong Jiaxin were concerned, this was not a matter of whether they knew how to or not. They could always learn.
A bicycle was a luxurious item in this day and age. Only very few people could afford to have one.
Now that the Tong family had one, Tong Jiaxin treated it like his precious baby.
In order to better protect their bicycle, Tong Jiaxin made a trip over to the Wei’s just to get some tips.
Wei Zhiguo found it incredulous that the school had gone as far as to offer up a bicycle just to get the two brothers back to school.
However, he did not say anything in front of the child.