17: Chapter 17 The Unpaid Wage Dispute

Early the next morning, Zheng Shijun walked into the office of the Township Head with a middle-aged man of average height and a slightly balding head.

Sunlight streamed through the window, hitting the man's shiny, oily forehead and reflecting a glaring light.

"Township Head, this is Director Yu Changping from the Finance Office." Zheng Shijun introduced him from the side.

Finance Director Yu Changping hurried over in a few quick steps, the smile on his face forming layers of wrinkles: "Greetings, Township Head! I am Yu Changping from the Finance Office."

He wiped his hands on the seams of his trousers before daring to reach out.

Li Dakang stood up to shake his hand, feeling that the other man's palm was damp and hot: "Please sit down, Director Yu."

He pointed to the chair opposite his desk.

"Township Head, you want to understand the financial situation, right?"

Finance Director Yu Changping only dared to perch on the edge of the chair, his back straight as a board.

"To be honest, the Township Government doesn't even have a thousand yuan in the account right now. Even if you hadn't come to me, I was just planning to come and report it."

"Is it that tight?" Li Dakang's brows knitted together.

Finance Director Yu Changping smiled bitterly and touched his sparse hairline: "Guantian doesn't even have a decent business, and the tax revenue is pitifully low. This year, the township cadres haven't received a single cent of their subsidies. Look at my hair..."

He tugged self-deprecatingly at the few remaining strands of hair on his forehead: "It's almost all fallen out from worrying."

"What is the total external debt of the township?"

"About seventy or eighty thousand." Finance Director Yu Changping's eyes darted around.

"It's mainly..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a loud commotion suddenly erupted in the courtyard.

Zheng Shijun trotted in, beads of sweat forming on his forehead: "Township Head, it's bad! Dozens of private teachers have come looking for Party Secretary Sun, saying they want their unpaid wages!"

"Unpaid wages?" Li Dakang's sharp gaze swept toward Finance Director Yu Changping.

Finance Director Yu Changping shrank his neck: "It's true... they haven't been paid for half a year..."

"Does Party Secretary Sun know about this?"

Zheng Shijun quickly interjected: "Party Secretary Sun went to the county for a meeting early this morning."

Li Dakang stood up abruptly, the legs of the chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound: "Let's go, let's go out and take a look."

At this moment, in the courtyard of the Township Government, forty or fifty plainly dressed middle-aged people had formed a semicircle.

Some held crumpled pay slips in their hands, while others held up slogans written on notebook paper.

Teacher Gu, standing at the very front, was shouting at the top of his lungs: "We want to see Party Secretary Sun! We aren't leaving today until we get our money!"

Deputy Township Head Zhang Xiaoyan was surrounded in the middle of the crowd, her hair bun disheveled, and a large patch of her white shirt was soaked through at the back.

She waved her hands in vain: "Teachers, please calm down, the township is trying to find a way..."

A hand with prominent knuckles suddenly rested on her shoulder. Deputy Township Head Zhang Xiaoyan turned around and saw the calm face of Li Dakang.

"Deputy Township Head Xiao Yan, leave it to me."

His voice was not loud, but it strangely cut through the noisy crowd.

The crowd gradually quieted down, and all eyes were focused on this unfamiliar young man.

"I am the newly appointed Township Head, Li Dakang."

Li Dakang stood on the steps: "This matter is our dereliction of duty, and I apologize to everyone on behalf of the township."

After speaking, he bent down and bowed deeply.

This action was unexpected to everyone, and the restless crowd instantly fell silent.

A few veteran teachers looked at each other; they had seen many cadres who would pass the buck, but they had never seen a leader who would bow and admit their mistakes in public.

"Everyone, please select a few representatives first, and we will talk in detail in the conference room."

Li Dakang straightened up, his voice steady and powerful: "The rest of the teachers, please return to school first; the children cannot be left without classes."

Seeing that everyone was hesitating, he held up three fingers: "Give me two days. If you still haven't received your wages by then, even if you want to go to the county to petition, I will never stop you."

"Fine! We'll trust Township Head Li once!" Teacher Gu responded first.

"Old Zhou, Old Chen, you stay with me. Everyone else, go back to class!"

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only the three representatives.

Li Dakang turned to Zheng Shijun: "Take the teachers to the conference room and serve good tea."

After Zheng Shijun led the teachers away, Li Dakang immediately asked Finance Director Yu Changping: "What is the total amount of arrears?"

"This... I need to call the accountant to calculate it..."

"Do it immediately!"

Li Dakang's tone was unquestionable, and he turned to Deputy Township Head Zhang Xiaoyan: "Deputy Township Head Xiao Yan, let's go to the conference room."

In the conference room, Teacher Gu held his teacup, the steam blurring his glasses.

He quietly sized up this ridiculously young Township Head, whose white shirt collar was crisp and stiff, with sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing sturdy wrists.

The most surprising thing was his eyes, which were steady in a way that someone in their twenties shouldn't have.

"Teachers."

Li Dakang took out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes and passed them around one by one: "You should have some understanding of the township's financial situation..."

"That excuse again!"

Teacher Zhou stood up abruptly, knocking his chair over with a clatter.

"Every time you say there's no money! We can afford to wait, but can the person in the hospital bed afford to wait? Teacher Wu's spouse is still lying in the hospital!"

Li Dakang's eyes narrowed: "Which Teacher Wu? What happened?"

Teacher Gu sighed and told the whole story of Teacher Wu's wife's injury.

When it came to the medical expenses, Teacher Gu's voice choked up: "Over a hundred yuan... we pooled it together all night before we could..."