It’s really hard to earn some money.
With a monthly salary of just over 2,000 from the kindergarten, when will I ever afford a decent bag?
After lying low for nearly a year, Brother Qu was finally out.
The first thing he did after getting out was find me and demand I treat him to a meal.
Though I didn’t want to spend the money, I was afraid he’d beat me up, so after some hesitation, I went anyway.
At a roadside eatery, we ordered a few simple dishes and some beers.
“Why didn’t you visit me?” he asked without looking up.
“Hey… Brother Qu, it’s not that I didn’t want to, but the prison’s so far, and I don’t have a car or money—”
“Enough.” He took a big swig of beer and finally met my eyes. “Xiao Ran, you wanna make money?”
His gaze was even more terrifying than it had been six years ago.
“Make… money?”
“I’ve got a way for you to earn a decent sum. Just depends if you’re willing to do it.” Brother Qu’s voice was low. “Inside, I made a lot of friends and learned some ways to get cash fast…”
I studied him carefully for a long moment before asking, “What would I need to do?”
“Heard you’re in charge of a bunch of kids now, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Pick a suitable one and bring ‘em to me in a couple days.” He shrugged. “After that, you don’t have to worry about anything else. I’ll give you 30,000.”
“That’s it?” It sounded too easy—just bringing a kid out? Why would he pay so much for that?
“That’s it. Contact me when you’ve got one.” He finished eating, picked his teeth clean, then added under my doubtful stare, “Oh, and I’ve got nowhere to stay tonight. Take me to your place.”
“Huh? M-my place? That’s… not really appropriate…”
His eyes hardened, and he suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Xiao Ran, don’t tell me you’re trying to break up with me. You know how long it’s been since I’ve touched a woman?”
“O-of course not!” I forced a nervous laugh. “I’ve already cleaned up the place, just waiting for you to come back…”
That night, Brother Qu was rough, and I didn’t dare resist.
His eyes were full of murderous intent. I was terrified.
I could yell at cops, but not at someone with eyes like that.
He really seemed like he’d kill me.
The next day, Brother Qu left, and I had no idea where he went.
Back at the kindergarten, I felt stuck. Sure, I worked with kids all day, but how was I supposed to take one out without raising suspicion?
“Teacher Xiao…” A child’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, only irritating me further.
“What?”
I turned to see a little girl named Shan Shan holding out a cheap piece of hard candy, trembling as she offered it.
“Teacher Xiao… can I… give you this candy? Please stop hitting me…”
That really set me off.
I shoved her to the ground, thinking she had some nerve.
If she hadn’t bothered me, I wouldn’t have hit her in the first place!
I was just sitting here minding my own business, and she had to come over with her stupid, worthless candy—wasn’t she just asking for it?
If the other kids hadn’t been watching, I might’ve beaten her to death right then.
Shan Shan looked terrified, but she didn’t cry. She just sat there shaking.
Just then, another teacher—whose name I didn’t even remember—walked in.
“Huh?” She immediately noticed Shan Shan on the floor and rushed over to help her up. “Sweetie, how’d you fall?”
“Teacher Song… I’m scared…” Shan Shan buried herself in the woman’s arms.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Tell me what happened?” The woman picked up the candy. “Why aren’t you eating the candy I gave you?”
“I don’t want it… I don’t want to eat it…” Shan Shan clung to her tightly.
Disgusting. This “Teacher Song” wasn’t even assigned to our class, yet she was handing out candy here.
Was she trying to take my place?
Then Chen Ting came in and, seeing the scene, immediately knelt to check on Shan Shan.
“Shan Shan, what’s wrong?”
Shan Shan didn’t answer.
“Teacher Chen…” Teacher Song looked worried. “Shan Shan seems really shaken…”
Before she could finish, Chen Ting’s expression darkened, and she turned on me.
“Xiao Ran, what did you do this time?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I snapped. “Are you blind? I was just sitting here.”
Chen Ting looked furious. Ignoring me, she turned to the other kids.
“Did anyone see what Teacher Xiao just did?”
The children stared wide-eyed, too scared to speak.
Finally, after a long silence, a boy named Chen Moran raised his hand.
“I saw Teacher Xiao push Shan Shan down…”
“Yeah, yeah…” Other kids chimed in.
Chen Ting whipped around and shoved me off my chair.
“Ah!” I yelped. “What the hell?!”
“Listen up, Xiao Ran. I don’t care what relationship you have with the principal, but from now on, if any kid cries near you, it’s your fault.” She glared. “If you don’t want to take care of them, fine—but stay the hell away from them.”
Teacher Song sighed beside her, comforting Chen Ting instead of me.
“Come on, Teacher Chen… don’t waste your breath on someone like her.” She patted Chen Ting’s back. “You’ll scare the kids.”
Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.
Shan Shan was the one who came to me, and now I’m supposed to stay away from her?
What a joke.
But this whole mess gave me an idea.
Shan Shan only had an old grandma at home—her parents worked far away.
She was the perfect target.
If I handed her over to Brother Qu, I’d get 30,000.
Thirty. Thousand. That’s a whole year’s salary for me!
Shan Shan should be proud—with her family’s situation, she’d never be worth that much otherwise.
I texted Brother Qu, telling him I had a target.
Now for my plan.
First, I went to Chen Ting and apologized. I said I’d been stressed and hadn’t meant to push Shan Shan. I begged for forgiveness.
Stupid bitch actually bought it.
“Xiao Ran, I’m not trying to pick on you. I just want you to treat the kids better.” Chen Ting frowned. “Even though we deal with many kids, to each of them, we’re their whole world. Understand?”
“Yes, yes.” I nodded, feigning remorse. “I’ll never treat them badly again.”
Teacher Song, though, watched me with suspicion in the office. She wasn’t as easy to fool.
“Teacher Xiao, was it really an accident?” she asked. “If you saw her fall, why didn’t you help her up?”
“I was too flustered to think straight.” I sighed. “I know words don’t mean much, so let me make it up to her—tonight, I’ll personally take Shan Shan home.”
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