Chapter 120 : Visiting Homes Together

Time passed quickly. It had been five days since the guests arrived in the mountainous area for their teaching support, and three days had passed since the sports event.

Due to some of the boarding students living far away, the mountain roads were difficult to traverse, requiring one to two hours of walking. Therefore, they were usually dismissed from school early.

Coincidentally, after 1 p.m. on Friday, the school was preparing for a holiday.

After some discussion, Qiao Sisi, Fang Zhou, and Han Xi decided to visit the students’ homes.

This time, the focus of the home visits was on the two girls in the class whom Qiao Sisi wanted to provide special assistance to.

To offer further support, they needed to thoroughly understand the girls’ original families to plan the next steps.

Initially, Han Xi wasn’t planning to go; she wanted to implement her farm planning project.

But as she turned around, she saw that Fang Zhou had already followed Qiao Sisi out of the school gate.

Without hesitation, Han Xi joined them.

Several staff members from the program team also accompanied them, responsible for live broadcasting the entire process.

There was no choice. Since switching the setting to the mountainous area for teaching support, the program’s viewership had dropped significantly. Sometimes, the director wondered if this decision was a mistake.

Their positioning seemed to be off, but it had already been a week since the second episode started. Changing course now would be as difficult as reaching the sky and might even draw criticism.

So, they continued broadcasting under pressure.

Fortunately, Qiao Sisi had enough influence and popularity. Additionally, the supplies she donated had arrived at the school yesterday and were reported by the local news.

Many philanthropists also began to pay attention to the program.

These people weren’t originally the target audience of the romance show, but they came for the teaching support and aid activities. As they watched, they found it quite interesting.

They eventually became loyal viewers.

Local residents also began watching the program after the local TV station reported it.

In the live broadcast chat room, many comments expressed their thoughts:

“This place is the last area in our city to escape poverty. Many roads are still not accessible. The children have to take shortcuts and small paths to get to school on time.”

“Yes, when the poverty alleviation officials came, they faced many hardships. Fortunately, they eventually overcame this tough challenge.”

“Oh my, the mountain road they’re walking on looks just like the one I used to walk on as a child. On rainy days, it was wet and slippery, and the branches on the side could easily fall and hit your head. It was really tough.”

The mountain road the audience was discussing was right under Fang Zhou and the others’ feet.

They were lucky not to encounter a rainy day, but after walking on the yellow mud road, their shoes were still covered in dust.

No one minded. They chatted as they walked, making the journey less boring.

The two little girls were from the neighboring village and always went to school together, returning home together on weekends.

The mountain road that Fang Zhou and the others found curious was a difficult path for the two girls to pursue their education.

“How long does it take for you to get home?” Qiao Sisi glanced at her watch. It had already been an hour, and the winding mountain road ahead seemed endless.

She couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been if she had to endure this to attend school as a child.

The two little girls smiled simultaneously. One of them tilted her head and said, “About two hours.”

“Teacher Qiao, are you tired? Shall we rest for a bit?”

The children were very considerate and suggested taking a break.

Fang Zhou looked at Han Xi. Her expression wasn’t as cold anymore; instead, she showed a hint of fatigue.

“Let’s take a break. We’ll continue in a few minutes.”

Qiao Sisi and Han Xi leaned against a tree trunk to rest.

Fang Zhou took out water from his backpack and handed a bottle to each of them.

Qiao Sisi didn’t drink it herself but gave it to the two little girls.

“Teacher Qiao, we’re not thirsty. You should drink.”

Han Xi’s gaze shifted, and she took out two candies from her clothes, giving one to each girl.

“Eat.”

The usually silent female CEO softened for once.

The two little girls beamed with joy, somewhat overwhelmed by the actions of the two beautiful teachers.

“Thank you, Teacher Han.”

They couldn’t drink the water since Teacher Qiao only had one bottle, but they could accept the candies because the teachers were adults and might not like sweets.

Fang Zhou was also surprised. It turned out that these two were quite thoughtful and considerate.

Qiao Sisi was always the one being served, only thinking of herself first.

Han Xi, even more so, was a high-ranking CEO who only needed to make decisions without considering others’ feelings.

But today, they actually started caring about the two children!

It’s said that these volunteers had an impact on many students after coming to teach, but in reality, the students were also influencing them.

After resting for a while, they continued their journey.

About an hour later, they finally reached one of the little girl’s homes.

The other girl went back to the village first to inform her family.

“Teachers, my home might be a bit messy. Please don’t mind.”

They followed the little girl to a one-story house with many farming tools in front of the door.

There was also a fenced area with many chickens and ducks clucking loudly.

“It’s okay.”

Qiao Sisi smiled gently, not minding at all.

But when she stepped into the little girl’s home, she couldn’t smile anymore.

Not only was it messy, but it was also dirty. The air was filled with a strong smell of alcohol, making it very uncomfortable.

Many wine bottles were scattered in the center of the room, and used dishes and leftover food were left on the table, not cleaned up.

Clothes were piled up everywhere, on the sofa and chairs, leaving no place to step.

“Dad! The teachers are here!”

As the little girl shouted, they noticed a man lying on the sofa, his face covered with clothes, blending in with the sofa.

The little girl called out, but the man didn’t move.

“Dad! Wake up! My teachers are here!”

Feeling embarrassed, the little girl called out again, this time removing the clothes from his head.

In the next moment, something unexpected happened!

The man slapped the little girl across the face, cursing, “Get lost! You worthless wretch! Call me again, and I’ll beat you to death!”

Qiao Sisi’s smile vanished instantly. Her eyes darkened, brewing an unknown storm.