Wanting to earn some money was really difficult.

Relying on the kindergarten’s monthly salary of just over two thousand yuan, when would I ever be able to afford bags?

After being quiet for about another year, Brother Qu got out.

The first thing he did after getting out was find me and make me treat him to a meal.

Although I didn’t really want to spend money, I was afraid he’d hit me. After thinking it over for a long time, I still went.

He and I ordered a few small dishes and several bottles of beer at a street-side restaurant.

“Why didn’t you come visit me?” he asked without looking up.

“Hey… Brother Qu, it’s not that I didn’t want to go, it’s just that the prison is so far away, and I have neither a car nor money…”

“Enough.” He took a big gulp of alcohol, looked up and said to me, “Xiao Ran, do you want to make money?”

I noticed his eyes were even more terrifying than they had been six years ago.

“Make money…?”

“I have a way to let you earn quite a bit of money. Now it just depends on whether you’re willing to do it.” Brother Qu said in a low voice. “I met quite a few friends inside, and I also learned about quite a few ways to make money…”

I carefully stared at Brother Qu for a long time before asking, “What do I need to do?”

“I heard you’re in charge of a group of kids now, right?” Brother Qu asked.

“Yes…”

“Pick a suitable kid and bring them out to me in a couple days.” He said. “After you give them to me, you don’t need to worry about anything else. I’ll give you thirty thousand yuan.”

“That’s it?” I felt this matter was a bit too easy. Just bringing out one child—why would he give so much money?

“That’s right, that’s it. Contact me when you have news.” He finished eating, picked his teeth clean, and under my dubious gaze said to me, “Oh right, I don’t have anywhere to stay tonight. Take me to your place.”

“Ah…? My, my place? That’s not, not very convenient…”

He glared at me with both eyes and suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“Xiao Ran, you wouldn’t be trying to break up with me, would you? Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve touched a woman?”

“How, how could that be?” I laughed in panic. “My place is all cleaned up, just waiting for you to come back…”

Brother Qu was very rough that night, but I didn’t dare resist at all.

His eyes were full of murderous intent. I was very afraid.

I could yell at police officers, but I didn’t dare provoke someone with eyes like that.

It seemed like he really would kill me.

The next day, Brother Qu left, going somewhere unknown.

I returned to the kindergarten feeling somewhat troubled. Although I dealt with children all day now, how could I legitimately bring a child out?

“Teacher Xiao…” A child’s voice rang out beside me, making my already irritated mind even more agitated.

“Speak!”

I turned my head to see that little girl named Shanshan holding up a very cheap hard candy, trembling as she held it before my eyes.

“Teacher Xiao… can I… give you this candy, and then you won’t hit me anymore…”

After hearing this, I was really furious.

I pushed her to the ground in one motion, feeling that she really didn’t know when to quit.

If she didn’t come provoke me, how would I hit her?

I was sitting here perfectly fine, yet she insisted on giving me such cheap candy—wasn’t she asking to be hit?

If there weren’t so many children sitting there watching me, I would have beaten her to death!

Shanshan looked very afraid, but she didn’t cry. She just sat on the ground trembling.

At that moment another teacher opened the door and came in. I couldn’t even remember her name.

“Oh?” She immediately saw Shanshan lying on the ground and hurried to help her up. “Little friend, how did you fall down?”

“Teacher Song… I’m scared…” Shanshan burrowed into that woman’s arms.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Tell teacher what happened, okay?” She picked up that hard candy from the ground and asked, “Why aren’t you eating the candy teacher gave you?”

“I won’t eat it… I don’t want to eat it…” Shanshan hugged that woman called Teacher Song tightly.

I found it truly disgusting. This woman surnamed Song clearly wasn’t in charge of our class, yet she came to our class to give children candy.

Was she trying to replace my position?

At this moment Chen Ting also came in. After seeing this scene, she quickly bent down to check on Shanshan’s condition.

“Shanshan, what’s wrong?”

Shanshan didn’t speak.

“Teacher Chen…” Teacher Song also looked worried when she saw Chen Ting enter. “Shanshan looks terrified…”

Before she could finish, Chen Ting’s expression darkened. She stood up and aggressively questioned me: “Xiao Ran, what did you do now?”

“I didn’t do anything.” I said irritably. “Are you blind? Can’t you see I’m sitting here?”

Chen Ting looked extremely angry. She stopped paying attention to me and instead turned to ask the other children: “Did anyone see what Teacher Xiao Ran just did?”

That group of children stared wide-eyed. None of them dared speak.

After a long time, a little boy named Chen Moran finally raised his hand: “I saw Teacher Xiao push Shanshan down…”

“Yes, yes…” Many children chimed in one after another.

Hearing this, Chen Ting turned around and pushed me off my chair.

“Ah!” I was startled. “What the fuck are you doing?!”

“Xiao Ran, listen carefully. I don’t care what relationship you have with the principal. From now on, as long as a child cries in front of you, it will definitely be your fault.” Chen Ting said viciously. “I have no problem with you not wanting to care for them, but I hope you stay away from them from now on.”

Teacher Song was also sighing while holding Shanshan. She didn’t show concern for weak little me, but instead went to comfort Chen Ting.

“Alright, Teacher Chen… don’t get angry over this kind of person.” She patted Chen Ting’s back. “Be careful not to scare the children.”

Ridiculous. Too ridiculous.

It was clearly Shanshan who came to provoke me, yet they wanted me to stay away from her?

This was really too demanding.

However, because of this friction, I got an idea.

Shanshan’s family only had an elderly grandmother. Her parents were both working outside.

She was my best target.

As long as I brought her to Brother Qu, I could have thirty thousand yuan.

That was a whole thirty thousand yuan! It would take me a fucking year of work to earn thirty thousand yuan!

Shanshan should be proud, because given her family situation, she would never be worth this much money otherwise.

I sent a message to Brother Qu, telling him I had a target.

Next came my plan.

I first went to Chen Ting and apologized to her. I said I had been a bit anxious at the time, and pushing Shanshan down was purely unintentional. I hoped she could forgive me.

Naive bitches were so easy to fool.

She actually believed me.

“Xiao Ran, I’m not trying to target you. I really hope you’ll be better to the children.” Chen Ting said with furrowed brows. “Although we face many children at once, to each individual child, we are their everything. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes.” I nodded remorsefully. “I’ll never treat them so poorly again.”

Teacher Song was also watching me meaningfully in the office. This woman didn’t seem so easy to fool.

“Teacher Xiao, did you really push Shanshan down unintentionally?” Teacher Song asked. “You saw her fall to the ground—why didn’t you help her up?”

“I was too anxious at the time and didn’t think of it.” I sighed and said. “You probably won’t believe me. I can only make amends through my actions. Let me personally take Shanshan home tonight.”