Chapter 201 Happiness?
I have to give props to Chen Ting for her acting skills. She looked like she genuinely cared for every child.
That day, the little boy named Chen Muran soiled his pants, and I was disgusted to the core. I made him stand in the classroom with his dirty pants on as punishment and had all the other kids take turns laughing at him. He dared to mess with me—he got what he deserved.
But then Chen Ting came in, and without a word, she picked the boy up and carried him to the bathroom. She not only washed his body with warm water but also cleaned those shit-stained pants.
I often wondered, did she really need to go that far?
What’s the point of trying to please these kids?
Will they give her money to spend?
A few days later, I realized I was wrong. Pleasing these kids really does work.
One day, a child’s father suddenly showed up at the kindergarten and handed both Chen Ting and me a beautiful gold necklace each. He said, {Teachers work hard; this is just a small token of appreciation.}
Seriously? Such an amazing thing?
I don’t even have to sleep (with another) to receive a gold necklace?
No wonder my parents were willing to mortgage the house to make me a kindergarten teacher—had they already thought of this?
This was a surefire, no-brainer bargain!
Chen Ting refused to accept the necklace, rummaging through the child’s registration address to send it back.
She’s really naive. This is what we deserve. I didn’t care whether she took it or not—I was perfectly happy with it.
After she sent the necklace back, that father seemed to have figured something out. From then on, he only sent me gifts, completely ignoring Chen Ting.
Chen Ting only has herself to blame for this.
After that, I became smarter. Every day, I made sure to escort the children to the entrance of the kindergarten, memorizing the cars their parents drove. The children who arrived in Mercedes or BMWs deserved to be treated well, while those who came on bicycles didn’t even deserve to be in my presence.
If the parents treated me well, I’d treat their children well—that’s only fair, am I wrong?
Otherwise, as a stranger, why should I care for their kids with all my heart?
Soon, some of the parents caught on to my intentions. After a whole year, I felt like I had returned to the happiest time of my life. I could get whatever I wanted. The things I didn’t need, I sold online. Before long, I moved out of my parents’ place and rented my own apartment.
The feeling was absolutely wonderful. I’d gotten rid of two burdens and was working hard to make my life more refined.
But one day the principal called me into her office.
This middle-aged woman had a very serious expression, and just looking at her made me want to vomit.
"Did you accept gifts from the parents?" she asked.
"No, I didn’t..." I gave a slight smile and replied.
The middle-aged woman sighed, "You need to understand, getting here wasn’t easy for you. Your mother even kneeled to me. I hope you can settle down and work properly. This is your first offense, so I won’t dig deeper. Just return the items, and we’ll consider the matter closed."
"Huh?" I pretended not to understand. "I really don’t know, Principal, what is it you want me to return?"
"Someone has already reported you," she continued, "so you better be careful. If I hear anything again, you’ll be packing your bags and going home."
Although I was shaking with anger, I forced out a smile and said, "Alright, Principal, I understand."
Who could have reported me?
Impossible. They should know the consequences of crossing me. I’d take all my frustration out on their children.
Thinking it over, there’s only one person—it must be Chen Ting.
How dare she ruin what’s mine?
I really don’t understand why God was so unfair to me. Every time I start to feel happy, someone always shows up to ruin it.
Can’t you all just let me be happy?
All the teachers in this kindergarten disgust me. They pretend to care only about the children, and yet they make me out to be the odd one.
What exactly are they pretending?
How could anyone truly care for someone else’s child with all their heart?
I decided it was time to teach Chen Ting a lesson. If she wasn’t going to let me have peace, then I wasn’t going to let her have it either.
I brought a utility knife and called Chen Ting to the restroom. I prepared to confront her, and if she had the nerve to confess that she reported me, I would ruin her face.
"What's up, Xiao Ran?" Chen Ting looked tired; she had just finished putting a few children to sleep.
"Why did you report me?" I asked.
"Report you?" Chen Ting looked clearly confused. "What do you mean, report you?"
"Don't play dumb!" I snapped back. "How did the principal find out I accepted gifts from the parents?"
"Huh?" Chen Ting slowly furrowed her brows. "Xiao Ran, the fact that you accepted gifts is known by the parents of over thirty children in the class. Anyone could have reported you."
"That’s not possible," I shook my head. "They wouldn’t dare mess with me, or I'll make sure their brats pay the price."
The more Chen Ting listened, the angrier she got. She couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Ran, I really want to know—what do you see these little children as? {Hostages}?"
"How can you call yourself a teacher when you're using these children to threaten their parents into giving you gifts?" Chen Ting's voice grew louder, irritating me. "If you hate children so much, why did you choose this profession? They see you as a dependable figure, but what do you offer them in return?"
"What—" I was taken aback by Chen Ting's strong reaction, leaving me at a loss for words. "What does it matter to you what profession I choose?"
"You’re right, your choice of profession is none of my business, but you’re not allowed to mistreat those children anymore." Chen Ting swiped the screen of her phone, visibly upset, and found a photo that revealed a bruise on a child's leg. "Did you know that Shan Shan’s leg has been bruised from someone pinching her?"
I turned my head away, finding the situation ridiculous. So what if I pinched her?
Is there any evidence?
That little slut Shan Shan comes from a flat-broke family; how could she possibly be a threat to me?
"I'm warning you, Xiao Ran," Chen Ting said, glaring at me. "If I catch you in the act, I will call the police. If you hate this job so much, then quit immediately. What you're doing now will ruin these children's lives. We are their first mentors; we have a duty to provide them with a safe and nurturing environment, not one of neglect and abuse."
"You..." I gritted my teeth, unable to find the words to retort.
"If you keep going down this path, the number of people who report you will only increase. Just wait to be fired."
How dare she, an intern, talk to a permanent employee in such a manner?
I do hate this job, but why should I listen to her?
As I watched her storm off, the utility knife in my hand almost snapped from my grip.