Section Five Discussion on Methodology

  When Mali Xin fell to the ground, the principal realized that things had gotten out of hand. He immediately scolded the two parents loudly. The principal was considered a cultured person in the village, and when he really lost his temper, they also stopped and left, still fuming and saying: "Next time I'll kill him if I run into him again."

  "Bastard, doesn't even look at who we are, dare to lay hands on our kids. Really doesn't know the rules."

  The principal immediately helped Ma Lixin up and gently sat him down on the stool. It wasn't until after a while that Ma Lixin came to, thinking about how he had just been beaten and was still seething with anger in his heart. He slowly rubbed his chest with his hand, but it took a long time for him to calm down. His head was still very painful, and when he touched the two big bumps on the front and back of his head, it hurt even more.

  The principal said, "Teacher Ma, I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, there are many difficult parents here. The two parents today are still considered good ones. You haven't met those few fierce parents yet."

  "Did other teachers have such situations too?"

  "How can there not be? It's just that the teachers here don't really care about the students anymore, letting them talk and arrive late. The teacher says it's up to the students themselves whether they listen or not. So life is very peaceful."

  "Do parents no longer have hope for their children's education?"

  "People in the mountains only hope that their children can recognize a few characters, so they can work well in the future. It's rare for anyone to expect them to go to college, and even if they do get in, there aren't enough tuition fees to make it worthwhile. Well, we have no choice but to accept this reality."

  Ma Lixin thought: "I just can't let them get away with it, besides I didn't even hit their kid that hard. I'm going to go ask for an explanation." With this in mind, Ma Lixin asked the principal for leave saying he was going to the hospital for a check-up.

  The principal frowned and said, "Then what about your two classes? That's a problem." Ma Lixin knew that once he left, the principal would have to take over himself, which was naturally not desirable. Ma Lixin put his mind at ease and stopped thinking about it, anyway, he had made up his mind.

  Ma Lixin thought of finding a regular hospital, and the only one was the Municipal People's Hospital. He was afraid that other hospitals would not be recognized. So he went to the forensic outpatient department of the Municipal People's Hospital for identification: minor head injury. Ear damage caused hearing loss in one ear by more than 26dB. Other changes in auditory organs after trauma. Scalp contusion; subcutaneous hematoma of scalp.

  He held this heavy bill in his hand and thought: "I have every reason."

  He first went to the Education Station. As soon as he entered the Education Station, he saw that bald staff member again. Later, he found out that person was the accountant of the Education Station, named Li Chumiao.

  When Li Chumo heard that he was looking for the stationmaster, he pointed to the back office without moving his body: "Inside." After finishing, he buried his head in a pile of numbers.

  The stationmaster in his forties heard that the teacher was looking for him and sat on the sofa, asking faintly: "Which school is it?"

  When he heard that it was Mali Xin from Shuiliu Primary School, he thought for half a day before suddenly realizing: "Oh, is it the new division?" He didn't invite him to sit down either, so Mali Xin had no choice but to stand. Just as he was about to explain the situation to Station Master Hou Xingjun, the station master spoke up first: "Why aren't you in class? What's going on that you're looking for me? I'm very busy, and I have a meeting to attend in the city soon. If there's something, speak quickly."

  When he heard that Mali Xīn was beaten by his parents, he took a deep drag on the cigarette in his hand. The smoke didn't emerge from his nostrils until half a day later. His previously narrowed eyes opened and he said: "Sit!"

  Ma Lixin immediately handed the hospital's appraisal form to the station chief, who glanced at it with his eyes and casually took it in his hand: "We need to reflect this matter to our superiors, we don't have the right to handle the parents, you first reflect on the police station and government, we will also supervise. However, you should still attend classes as usual, can't be emotional."

  Seeing Ma Lixin remain silent, Hou Zhan Chang continued: "However, we must strive for a result in handling such matters. If not, I won't be at ease. Alright, that's settled then. I still have things to attend to."

  Ma Lixin knew he had to leave, and there was no point in saying more.

  Ma Lixin was nervous when he first entered the police station, with a inexplicable fear lingering in his heart. He casually found someone wearing a police uniform and asked them, then followed their pointing hand into an office.

  A tall police officer was about to come out, he briefly stated his affairs, and the other person took a notebook and seriously recorded it. Finally, Ma Lixin had to sign. Then said: "We need to deal with this matter, but such things belong to civil disputes, and we also need the cooperation of the village to complete it. You can go to the village and talk to the village cadres, see if they recognize their mistakes, give you some money, it's not a big deal, okay, Teacher Ma."