Chapter 201: Happiness?

I have to say, Chen Ting acts incredibly dedicated; she seems to treat every child very well.

That day, the little boy named Chen Mo Ran had an accident in his pants, and I was utterly disgusted. I made him stand in the classroom wearing his soiled pants and arranged for all the other children to take turns looking at him and mocking him. He dared to upset me, so that was what he deserved.

But after Chen Ting arrived, without a word, she picked up the child and took him to the bathroom. Not only did she wash his body with warm water, but she also cleaned the pants that were covered in filth. I often wonder, does she really need to go to such extremes? Even if she wins over these children, what's the point? Will they give her money to spend?

A few days later, I realized I was wrong. Winning over these children really does have its benefits. Suddenly, a child's father came to the kindergarten and gave both Chen Ting and me a beautiful gold necklace each.

He said, "Teachers work so hard; this is just a small token of appreciation."

Before either of us could respond, that father hurried away. Is there really such a good thing? I can get a gold necklace without even lifting a finger? No wonder my parents mortgaged our house to make me become a kindergarten teacher—they must have thought of this all along. What a foolproof way to make money!

Chen Ting refused to accept it no matter what, and she even looked up the child's registered address from enrollment records and mailed the necklace back. How foolish—she's turning away something we deserve. I don't care if she takes hers; I'm perfectly happy with mine.

After she sent the necklace back, that father seemed to understand the situation and from then on, he only gave gifts to me, completely ignoring Chen Ting. This is all her own fault.

From that point on, I got even smarter. Every day, I would escort the children to the kindergarten gate and make a note of the cars their parents drove. The kids from families with Benz or BMW should naturally be treated well, while those brought on bicycles have no business being in my sight. If parents are good to me, I'll be good to their children—it's all mutual, isn't it? Otherwise, as a stranger, why should I put my whole heart into caring for their kids?

Soon, some parents caught on to my intentions. For a whole year, I felt like I was back in the happiest time of my life. I could get whatever I wanted, and I'd sell the things I didn't need online. Before long, I moved out of my family's home and rented my own place. It felt absolutely wonderful—I'd ditched those two burdens and was living a more refined life.

But one day, the principal called me into her office. This middle-aged woman's expression was extremely serious, and just looking at her made me want to vomit.

"Are you accepting gifts from parents?" she asked.

"No..." I smiled and replied.

The middle-aged woman sighed. "You know, it wasn't easy for you to get here—your mother even knelt before me. I hope you can settle down and do your job properly. This is your first offense, so I won't dig deeper. Just return the items, and we'll consider this matter closed."

"Hmm?" I pretended not to understand. "I really don't know what you're talking about, Principal. What do you want me to return?"

"Someone has already reported you, so think carefully about your actions," she continued. "If I hear about anything like this again, you can prepare to go home."

Although I was shaking with anger, I forced a smile and said, "Okay, Principal, I understand."

Who could have reported me? The parents? Impossible—they should know the serious consequences of crossing me; I'd take it out on their children. Thinking it through, there's only one person: Chen Ting. How dare she ruin my good thing?

I really don't understand why heaven is so unfair to me. Every time I start to feel happy, someone comes along to disrupt my life. Can't you all stand to see me happy?

All the teachers in this kindergarten make me sick—they pretend to put all their effort into the children, making me the odd one out. What are you all pretending for? How can anyone in this world fully dedicate themselves to caring for other people's children?

I decided to teach Chen Ting a lesson. If she won't let me be happy, I won't let her be happy either. I took a utility knife and called Chen Ting to the restroom. I was ready to question her properly, and if she admitted to reporting me, I'd slash her face.

"What's wrong, Xiao Ran?" Chen Ting looked tired; she had just finished putting several children to sleep.

"Why did you report me?" I asked.

"Report you?" Chen Ting clearly looked puzzled. "Report you for what?"

"Don't play dumb!" I said angrily. "I accepted gifts from parents—how did the principal find out?"

"Hmm?" Chen Ting slowly furrowed her brow. "Xiao Ran, the fact that you accepted gifts is known to the parents of over thirty children in our class. Anyone could be the one who reported it."

"That's not possible." I shook my head. "They wouldn't dare cross me, or I'd make sure their children regret it."

The more Chen Ting heard, the angrier she got, and she couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Ran, I really want to ask you—what do you see these little ones as? 'Hostages'?"

"Hostages?"

"You're using threats against these children to get payoffs from their parents—is that what a teacher does?" Chen Ting's voice grew louder, making me feel irritated. "If you hate these children so much, why did you choose this profession? They see you as someone they can rely on, yet what have you given them in return?"

"I..." I hadn't expected Chen Ting to have such a temper and was momentarily at a loss for words. "What I choose for a career is none of your business."

"You're right, what you choose is none of my business, but you have no right to abuse those children anymore." Chen Ting pulled out her phone from her pocket and angrily flipped to a photo—it was a bruise on a child's leg. "Shan Shan's leg was pinched and bruised—who do you know about this?"

"I don't know."

I turned my head away, finding it ridiculous—what if I did it? Do you have proof? That little brat named Shan Shan comes from a dirt-poor family—how could she harm me?

"I warn you, Xiao Ran, if I catch you in the act, I'll absolutely call the police." Chen Ting said fiercely. "If you hate this job, quit right now. What you're doing will ruin these children's lives. We're their first guides in life and should give them full love and care, not abuse."

"You..." I gritted my teeth, not knowing how to retort for a moment.

"If you keep this up, the number of people reporting you will only increase. Just wait to be fired."

What the heck? She's just an intern—how dare she talk to a full-time employee like me? I do hate this profession, but why should I listen to her?

As I watched her storm off in anger, I nearly crushed the utility knife in my hand.