But clearly, Yan Chi relaxed too soon. While they were eating dinner, the crying of the little mermaid next door provided accompaniment. For some reason, the crying of Lin Heng and Xi Chang didn't subside; instead, it grew louder.
Yan Chi put down his chopsticks, frowning, and said worriedly, "Their voices are all hoarse from crying..."
Shen Chang Le felt a pang of pity. "Are Teacher Xi Chang and the others abusing the children?"
He had seen those three little mermaids before; they were so obediently nestled against Yan Chi and Xing Zhinan. How come they cried like this when they went to Xi Chang's side?
Shen Mingsu was also completely taken aback by their crying ability.
The meal tasted bland. Yan Chi frowned deeply, feeling as if he had forgotten something important. He looked up at Shen Mingsu and asked, "...Did we forget something?"
Shen Mingsu was surprised. "Did we?"
"Yes." Yan Chi nodded firmly. When his gaze swept across the windowsill, he suddenly stood up. "Shen Mingsu! We left the pink mushrooms and little white rabbits in the [Azure Sea]!"
Shen Mingsu's eyes widened slightly. "Oh ho..."
Yan Chi said anxiously, "Don't say 'oh ho,' go get them quickly."
"Sit down first." Shen Mingsu pointed to the half-full bowl of rice left in Yan Chi's bowl. "Continue eating, I'll go get them."
Shen Mingsu got up and left. Yan Chi sat down worriedly, picking at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks. Shen Chang Le put a piece of beef brisket on his plate and said, "He'll be back soon."
"Thank you, Chang Le." Yan Chi suddenly asked, "By the way, Teacher Lin substituted for you today, were you all good?"
Uh… Mingcai revealed that Lin Heng had a crush on Xi Chang for years without success, and Yan Chi had even taken it as a sign of brotherly affection. Then there was the incident where Lian Deng's little monsters accidentally ate all the snacks Lin Heng had prepared for Xi Chang, and Ahui was planting flowers and grass in front of Lin Heng…
Shen Chang Le froze, his gaze shifting slightly. "It was alright."
Anyway, no fight broke out.
A short while later, Shen Mingsu returned carrying flowerpots. Yan Chi hurriedly went to greet him, and the pink mushrooms and little white rabbits chattered excitedly upon seeing him.
"Teacher, teacher, why are you so late picking us up?"
"I don't like the sea, my roots are all swollen from being soaked..."
"Why is it him picking us up? Teacher, we wanted you to pick us up."
Shen Mingsu raised an eyebrow, "Then I'll take you back now and have your teacher, Teacher Chi, pick you up again."
This time, the little guys quieted down.
Yan Chi felt even more guilty under the little guys' sincere gazes. How could he have forgotten them?
As compensation, Yan Chi specially added the nutrient soil that Ahui had given him to their flowerpots, and then solemnly apologized to them for forgetting the little guys.
The pink mushrooms and the little white rabbits gladly accepted Yan Chi's apology.
Their flowerpots were also placed on the windowsill. Yan Chi instructed them, "I have to go to work during the day. If I don't have time to move you, remember to come out and move you yourselves."
The pink mushrooms and little white rabbits comfortably stretched their roots in the nutrient soil, "Okay, okay."
After dinner, it was already past seven in the evening. The crying next door was still going on. Yan Chi was really worried and decided to go check on them. Shen Mingsu and Shen Chang Le followed behind him.
As soon as he stepped outside, Yan Chi encountered the director in a formal suit in front of Xi Chang's yard.
The director, his face stern, listened to the children crying in the yard. Seeing them arrive, he nodded and greeted them, "Have you handed over the little mermaids you brought back to Xi Chang?"
The director's posture was always very serious and upright; Yan Chi would subconsciously straighten his back when speaking to him. "Yes, three have hatched, they're all in the yard."
"No, no..." The director shook his head repeatedly, listening to the little ones' cries. "The children can't be left with Xi Chang. He doesn't know how to take care of children at all; he needs someone to take care of him himself. Otherwise..."
The director looked at Shen Mingsu and offered a suggestion, "How about opening another kindergarten?"
Yan Chi's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he had planned to suggest to the director. He tugged at Shen Mingsu's hand, urging him to quickly give his opinion.
Shen Mingsu grasped his hand in return, still with that lazy, unwilling-to-move demeanor. "Fine, but first, don't bother me with kindergarten stuff. Everything else is up to you."
The director, having anticipated this, waved his hand dismissively. "I never expected anything from you anyway."
But the next second, he glanced lightly at Yan Chi, smiling but saying nothing.
Less than twenty minutes had passed since Yan Chi left the three little mermaids. The three little ones were nearly dehydrated from crying. When they entered the yard, Lin Heng was holding the blue-tailed mermaid, squatting by the pool, pouring water on his tail.
But the little mermaid wouldn't listen, still crying heartbrokenly, pushing his face with his little hands, murmuring, "Mama..."
Xi Chang's legs had transformed back into a fishtail. He stayed with the other two little mermaids in the pool, covering their ears whenever the blue-tailed mermaid cried too loudly.
But unfortunately, the two little mermaids, whom they had finally managed to soothe, started crying again along with their brother. They abandoned their toy balls and snuggled into Xi Chang's arms, and shed tiny pearls.
The nightmarish crying resumed, and Xi Chang almost burst into tears himself.
Yan Chi picked up a small pearl and walked behind Lin Heng. The little mermaid in Lin Heng's arms was the first to notice Yan Chi's approach. His red, tear-filled eyes instantly brightened, and he rubbed them, his short, chubby fishtail wagging happily.
Lin Heng turned and saw Yan Chi, standing up wearily. "I can't handle this at all."
"I'll hold him."
Yan Chi opened his arms, and the little mermaid happily rushed into his embrace, almost instantly stopping his crying. He stopped crying, and Xi Chang, on the other hand, also soothed his light pink little mermaid. The continuous crying finally ceased.
Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Yan Chi as if he were a benevolent Bodhisattva.
Shen Mingsu looked at the disheveled Lin Heng and said sarcastically, "Tsk tsk, you two are no good. Only my little teacher Chi can keep things in order."
Unable to refute this, Lin Heng and Xi Chang both fell silent.
Especially Xi Chang, whose beloved little mermaid didn't reciprocate his feelings, was quite sullen for a while. But when he looked down and his gaze met the little mermaid's dependent eyes in his arms, he instantly felt relieved.
Although not as popular as Yan Chi, he was still much more popular with the mermaid than Lin Heng and Shen Mingsu.
Xi Chang comforted himself, his mood brightening from gloomy to cheerful.
The director glanced at the mess. Water was splashed everywhere in the pool, and there were toy balls and rubber ducks at his feet. He hesitated, "Are you two really capable of taking care of these three children?"
Xi Chang blushed slightly. "I think we can. Look how well-behaved they are."
The only one who wasn't well-behaved was the little blue-tailed mermaid. He only wanted Yan Chi, and no one else could sway him. If the person holding him wasn't Yan Chi, he would flood the room.
Yan Chi clearly knew how troublesome this adorable little guy was. "Then let him stay with me for now. Maybe he'll adapt to this environment more easily when he's a bit older."
The little mermaid's first sight after hatching was Yan Chi, and he stubbornly took him for his mother. His little mind couldn't quite grasp it, and the adults were even more helpless.
"Now we can only rely on you," the director said wearily. Thankfully, Yan Chi was still there; otherwise, the director could imagine how frustrated the little mermaid would be with the other teachers.
As dusk fell, the streetlights on campus came on.
Yan Chi and the director were still carefully analyzing what they needed to do next. First, there was the kindergarten's location. With Shen Mingsu's suggestion, they chose an open space near the school's west gate.
There would be over thirty little mermaids. The mermaid elders hadn't awakened yet, so they would need to build a dozen more student dormitories to house the children. And most crucially, they needed teachers.
“Our school currently doesn’t have any available teachers to look after the children,” the director said gravely. “Based on past experience, it takes at least one or two months for a new teacher to arrive after the job postings are released.”
Yan Chi pondered for a moment. “Then let’s start recruiting. As for the teachers… perhaps we could ask the students. If they have time and like children, they can come and help.”
Yan Chi remembered when he was in elementary school and boarding, the school would specifically arrange for older students to teach them life skills like making their beds and doing laundry.
In Yunzhou, there are no morning or evening self-study sessions, and no pressure from the college entrance exam. Students have a lot of free time, so it would be best if they could help.
After careful consideration, the director also thought this suggestion was excellent. They wouldn’t force anyone; it was entirely up to the students to volunteer.
After talking with the director, Yan Chi took the little mermaid home.
To Yan Chi’s surprise, Shen Chang Le was very interested in the little creature and volunteered to feed it.
The little mermaid didn't seem to reject him as much as he did Shen Mingsu. While drinking milk, the little guy clung tightly to Yan Chi, so Shen Chang Le had to sit beside Yan Chi, holding the bottle for him.
Shen Mingsu sat on the other side, his hands supporting his chin, quietly watching the two of them care for the little fish, like an abandoned, lonely old man, letting out a melancholy sigh.
Would he still have a place in this family?
Yan Chi ignored Shen Mingsu. He was surprised that Shen Chang Le liked the little mermaid so much and suggested, "Chang Le, why don't you name the little mermaid?"
Shen Chang Le stared at the milk disappearing rapidly in the bottle, stunned for a moment, then pointed incredulously at himself, "Me? Name him?"
Originally, this was something that Xi Chang, the mermaid elder, should do, but Xi Chang said he was an uncultured fish and passed the responsibility of naming the child to Yan Chi.
Yan Chi then passed the naming rights to Shen Chang Le.
Shen Chang Le's jaw tightened. He looked into the little mermaid's large, bright eyes, pursed his lips, and pondered for a moment. "How about... how about Chu Xi?"
Shen Mingsu chuckled, nodding thoughtfully. "Chu Xi? You hope he'll have a great future? That's a good name, a lucky name."
Shen Chang Le: "..."
Yan Chi nudged Shen Mingsu with his elbow, threatening him to shut up with his eyes, and smiled at the sullen Shen Chang Le. "The first ray of sunshine after birth... a very nice name."
"Yes, that's the idea. Wasn't he supposed to be the first mermaid to hatch?" Shen Chang Le held the little mermaid's soft hand, looking expectantly at Yan Chi, "So... his name is Chu Xi?"
Yan Chi's eyes lit up with a smile, and he nodded, saying, "Yes, that's it. Chu Xi, little Chu Xi, remember, this is the name your older brother gave you."
Little Chu Xi blinked blankly a couple of times, glanced at Shen Chang Le, babbled once, and continued drinking his milk, it was unclear whether he understood.
Shen Mingsu, unable to resist, pinched little Chu Xi's cheek. "Why call him 'little Chu Xi'? He should be called 'big Chu Xi,' right?"
Chu Xi buried his face in Yan Chi's arms, covering his cheeks tightly, refusing to let Shen Mingsu touch him. "Eeya! Mama~"
Shen Mingsu chuckled and scolded, "Big Chu Xi is really pathetic, all he does is hide in his mother's arms?"
"Eeya?" Little Chu Xi imitated Shen Mingsu's pronunciation, "ma...ma...mama?"
"He can't tell the difference anyway, don't lead him astray." Yan Chi felt utterly helpless with Shen Mingsu. He lowered his head and taught little Chu Xi, "No, you should say 'Teacher,' 'Teacher~'"
"Mama!"
Yan Chi: "..."
Sigh, he'll be fine when he grows up.
Because little Chu Xi can't live without water, Yan Chi gently placed him in the bathtub after he fell asleep. Fortunately, the little guy only smacked his lips, rolled over, and remained sound asleep.
...
The news that a new kindergarten would be built next to the school spread. It was clearly stated on the notice board: students who signed up for the temporary kindergarten teacher training and successfully became temporary teachers would receive five extra credits.
This caused a huge stir among the students.
"I heard they're a group of very cute little mermaids. I want to go see them."
"It seems like there are a few training sessions beforehand. What if I don't pass?"
"But the teacher seems to be Mr. Xiao Chi. Even if I don't pass the exam, I still want to go see them."
"..."
Not only the students, but several former players living in the commercial district also heard about it. Some wanted to become temporary kindergarten teachers, while others had children and wondered if their children could also get into the kindergarten.
So, a week later, at the temporary teacher training class, Yan Chi glanced around and saw that most of the faces were familiar.
All the students in Class 1 were there. When his gaze fell on them, Mingcai and the others waved to him, and a smile unconsciously appeared in Yan Chi's eyes.
Besides them, there was also the little zombie from Class 2, who still had a cold face. He didn't seem to be there to learn how to be a kindergarten teacher; he looked more like he was there to study some ruthless methods.
Among the former players were Lu Yuanming, a gentle girl from the flower shop, and a very familiar old man.
This old man… Yan Chi stared at the old man with suspicion for a long time, but when he saw Xingluo and Sethia, his memory instantly returned.
—He was one of the players from the group Xin Xia and her friends entered Yunzhou, the old man who closely followed Xingluo in the 8,000-meter race and ultimately won second place.
Unexpectedly, he also chose to stay.
Yan Chi was surprised for a moment, but quickly composed himself, got into work mode, walked to the podium, and smiled at the students who had come to listen to the lecture. “First of all, welcome to all of you who have taken the time to attend my class. I would like to thank each and every one of you.”
To avoid disrupting the course, this temporary early childhood education course was scheduled for 6 PM, with a total of five classes. Attendance was required for each class, and students who passed the final exam would be able to go to the kindergarten to care for the little mermaids.
Yan Chi: "Today I will teach you how to control your emotions."
His voice clearly reached every student's ears. "The first step is to learn to treat these children as equals. Their current understanding is less than yours, and their actions may be laughable or absurd, but please don't get angry at them because of this. You can teach them, guide them, but please don't scold them."
"Because a thoughtless remark from you might remain in the children's hearts forever."
"I hope that insulting words like 'stupid,' 'foolish,' and 'stupid' will not come from your mouths or reach the children's ears..."
The students, who had initially laughed and joked, all listened attentively to Yan Chi's speech. Their eyes followed him, while they unconsciously reflected on their own previous behavior.
Lu Yuanming brought a notebook specifically for class. Listening to Yan Chi's lecture, he nodded repeatedly, exclaiming, "Master, I understand!"
The old man next door glanced at his notes and nodded. "Nice handwriting. Which university did you graduate from?"
Lu Yuanming scratched his head sheepishly. "Just a regular 211."
The old man: "Oh, then I'm better off. I went to a top-tier 985 university."
Lu Yuanming: "..."
Educational discrimination truly is everywhere.
The old man patted Lu Yuanming on the shoulder, his smugness blatantly displayed. "Young man, don't be discouraged. Perhaps you'll only ever reach my level when I was young, hahahahaha."
The arrogant laughter reached Yan Chi's ears. Yan Chi sighed, "Excuse me, old folks in the back row, please keep your voices down, and please don't discourage your deskmate."
The old man adopted a benevolent, easygoing demeanor. "Alright."
The class lasted forty-five minutes. When the bell rang, Yan Chi's lesson ended successfully. He began packing up his lesson plan, preparing to leave. Shen Chang Le walked to Yan Chi's side and waited silently for him.
Each student who passed by Yan Chi greeted him with a smile, "Goodbye, teacher."
"See you tomorrow," Yan Chi replied to each student in return.
"Teacher, teacher, someone's waiting for you outside!" Xingluo ran to the door but turned back, grinning at Yan Chi. "Teacher, want to guess who it is?"
Yan Chi obligingly guessed, "Your principal?"
Xingluo: "What a coincidence! But unfortunately, you only got half right."
Shen Chang Le's eyes lit up as if he'd just remembered something.
After Yan Chi and Shen Chang Le left the classroom, they saw Shen Mingsu holding little Chu Xi, who was waiting for them at the door. Little Chu Xi had a small bottle attached to him and was reluctantly staying in Shen Mingsu's arms, pouting, his face full of unhappiness.
Upon seeing Yan Chi, little Chu Xi instinctively tried to snuggle into his arms, but Shen Mingsu ruthlessly shoved him into Shen Chang Le's arms.
Shen Chang Le quickly picked up little Chu Xi, and seeing him pouting as if about to cry, he opened the bottle and stuffed it into his mouth.
Shen Mingsu, arm in arm with Yan Chi, strode forward, leaving the two younger children behind. "Chang Le, take good care of first child Chu Xi."
Shen Chang Le: "...Okay."
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