提前开学的代价

Li Weidong became famous. Not because he was admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University, but because he reported the school for starting classes early.

Li Weidong is the parent of a senior high school student at Dingyuan Middle School. With the college entrance examination just around the corner, the school, in order to seize time, insisted on starting classes half a month early, engaging in "devil training." Students got up at five in the morning and went to bed at eleven at night. Aside from eating and sleeping, they spent the rest of their time doing practice problems.

Li Weidong felt sorry for his son. He felt that his child was already tired enough, and if he continued like this, his body would collapse. He found the school leaders, hoping they would consider the students' feelings and let the children rest for a few more days.

However, the school leaders didn't listen to him at all. They said that now was the critical moment for the college entrance examination, time was life, and one more day of study meant one more point of hope. They also said that other schools had already started classes early, and Dingyuan Middle School couldn't fall behind.

Li Weidong was very disappointed. He felt that the school leaders didn't care about the students' lives at all, only thinking about improving the admission rate and putting gold on their faces.

In a fit of anger, Li Weidong called the education department's reporting hotline.

The education department was very efficient and quickly sent people down to investigate. The investigation results showed that Dingyuan Middle School did indeed have a situation of starting classes early. The education department issued a notice of criticism to the school, ordering it to immediately stop starting classes early, and punished the relevant responsible persons.

Li Weidong won. He won time to rest for his son, and also won fairness for other students.

However, Li Weidong didn't feel happy. Because he found that he had become an "oddity" in the school.

The teachers treated him coldly, and the students pointed and gossiped about him. Everyone said he was a "troublemaker," a "saboteur," saying he had delayed everyone's studies.

Some parents even ran to his house, pointed at his nose, and cursed: "If your son can't get into college, don't drag everyone down with you!"

Li Weidong felt very wronged. He felt that he was doing the right thing, so why was he being rejected by everyone?

He found his son, wanting to comfort him a few words. But, his son said coldly to him: "Dad, can you please stop interfering in my affairs? Do you know that because of you, I can't even hold my head up in school now?"

Li Weidong was stunned. He didn't expect his son to say that to him.

He silently left his son's room, and sat alone in the living room, smoking.

He began to doubt himself, whether he had really done something wrong? Whether he had really delayed the future of his son and other students?

He remembered when he was a child, he was also forced to study by the teacher, every day besides doing practice problems was exams. He was also very painful at the time, and wanted to resist.

But, he didn't have the courage. He was afraid of the teacher's criticism, afraid of the parents' scolding, afraid that he wouldn't be able to get into college and find a good job.

He always thought that he was fighting for freedom and happiness for his son. But, he forgot that his son, like himself, also lived in a world dominated by exams.

In this world, grades are everything, and the admission rate is life.

Li Weidong sighed, turned off the TV, and walked into his room.

He lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He felt like a clown, being laughed at by the whole world.

The next morning, Li Weidong received a phone call. It was from the education department.

"Mr. Li, hello. We received a report saying that you accepted bribes, deliberately reported the school for starting classes early, and the purpose was to extort money."

Li Weidong was stunned. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Don't worry, we will definitely investigate clearly." The person on the other end of the phone said, "If you are innocent, we will definitely give you justice."

Li Weidong hung up the phone and collapsed in his chair. He knew he was finished.

He reported the school for starting classes early, offending the school leaders. Now, the school leaders have turned around and framed him, wanting to ruin him completely.

Li Weidong felt desperate. He felt like a trapped beast, locked in an invisible cage, no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't escape.

A few days later, the investigation results came out. The education department announced that Li Weidong accepted bribes, reported the school for starting classes early, the evidence was conclusive, and decided to deal with him seriously.

Li Weidong was expelled from public office and fined a large sum of money.

He completely lost his job, lost his dignity, and lost hope.

He took his son and left Dingyuan Middle School, leaving the city that broke his heart.

As he left, he looked back at the school gate, his heart filled with sadness.

He thought, maybe he really shouldn't have reported the school for starting classes early. Maybe, in this crazy world, obedience is the way to survive.

But, he could never forget that he once stood up bravely for his son, for fairness, and fought against the whole world.

Even if he failed, even if he was ridiculed, even if he was framed, he still felt that he hadn't done anything wrong.

Because, he always believed that in this world, there are always some things that are more important than grades, more important than the admission rate, more important than everything.

For example, conscience, for example, courage, for example, hope.

It's just that these things, in this crazy world, seem so fragile, so small, so vulnerable.