A month later, the kindergarten was completed. All the baby mermaids in the mermaid hatching cave had hatched. Two at a time, Shen Mingsu loaded them into strollers and took them to the school.
Little Chu Xi couldn't be separated from Yan Chi, and Yan Chi was worried that sending him back would affect the other children. Anyway, after Yan Chi and Shen Chang Le went to work and school, Shen Mingsu would take care of him. In the afternoons, when they returned, Shen Chang Le would take care of the little one himself.
The thirty-one baby mermaids were all settled in Xi Chang's home. During this time, Lin Heng and Xi Chang visibly became much more haggard. Whenever they closed their eyes, they could hear the baby mermaids crying. Mermaid voices are naturally powerful and penetrating; even earplugs were useless.
Every time Yan Chi passed by his house, he could hear the little ones' cries. Xi Chang would bring him a large bag of pearls every few days. He slumped on the sofa, weakly saying, "These are from the little mermaids' tears. I remember you liked them, so take them all."
His house was already full of these things.
Taking care of children is exhausting, both physically and mentally. Yan Chi poured him a cup of hot cocoa, noticing the dark circles under Xi Chang's eyes. "You can send them to kindergarten tomorrow, and you'll be free soon."
Xi Chang sipped the sweet, rich hot cocoa, feeling much less tired. He watched Yan Chi smilingly playing with toys with little Chu Xi in the cradle, then tucked a cushion into his arms. "Little Chi, you're amazing. I've realized I'm not suited to playing with kids."
Yan Chi smiled. "You have too many kids there. Actually, raising one alone isn't so bad."
Little Chu Xi had grown a lot these past few days. Under Shen Mingsu's training, he could skillfully transform his fishtail into legs. Now, lying obediently in the cradle, blinking his light blue eyes, he looked no different from an ordinary human baby.
Seeing how well-behaved he was, Xi Chang asked Yan Chi, "Are you going to send him to kindergarten too?"
"Yes, go ahead." Yan Chi nodded, waving his finger in front of little Chu Xi. Little Chu Xi happily grabbed his finger and opened his mouth to put it in.
Yan Chi gently patted his little fist. "He needs to spend more time with other little mermaids his age."
Little Chu Xi loosened Yan Chi's grip on his hand, calling out indistinctly, "Chi...Chi Chi..."
Xi Chang exclaimed in surprise, "He's calling your name!"
Yan Chi's eyes were full of laughter as he touched Little Chu Xi's chubby little face. "Yes, he probably heard Shen Mingsu and the others calling me that."
The little mermaids grow faster than ordinary babies, both in learning ability and physical fitness. At just one month old, the little one could already walk slowly while holding onto the wall.
They are even more agile in the water; if thrown into a wild lake, they can catch a few fish to eat. There's no need to worry about them lacking survival skills.
Therefore, there's no need to worry about them being too young to be cared for in kindergarten. Yan Chi's crash course for early childhood educators has also selected several qualified "early childhood teachers" to take care of the little ones.
Six temporary teachers were chosen from among the students. Three were from Yan Chi's class: Lian Deng, Shen Chang Le, and Ahui.
The other three students came from different classes.
Each and every one of them was carefully selected, having passed an exam to earn this opportunity.
There were three people who regularly cared for the children at the kindergarten: Lu Yuanming, the old man, and a girl named Tan Yanxin. All three were academically excellent and had little to do on weekdays.
The director thought about it and decided to hire them as full-time kindergarten teachers, paying them a monthly salary and waiving their rent for a year.
After discussing the salary and benefits with the director, Lu Yuanming excitedly ran back to share the good news with Song Qian, bursting through the door and shouting, "Brother Song! We don't have to worry about being kicked out anymore!"
Song Qian was leisurely watching TV on the sofa. Since he and Lu Yuanming settled in Yunzhou, their lives had undergone a complete transformation. They no longer had to wake up thinking about which dungeon to go to or worrying about whether they would die.
Hearing Lu Yuanming's excited voice, Song Qian looked over in surprise, "Really?"
He and Lu Yuanming had originally planned to start a small business on the commercial street, but lacking both skills and business acumen, they simply gave up and decided to enjoy life.
However, each resident on the commercial street had to pay rent to Yunzhou every month. The rent came from students' spending in their shops, and since the students' money was provided by the school, it had become Yunzhou's exclusive currency.
Song Qian and Lu Yuanming handed over all their system points to the director, who, to their astonishment, swiped a large amount of items from the system space and then gave them Yunzhou money according to their value, allowing them to pay their rent.
But even a life of leisure eventually runs out of money.
But now, Lu Yuanming had found a job. Sitting next to Song Qian, he chattered on and on, "I'm a kindergarten teacher. I'm still on probation, earning five thousand yuan a month. After I'm officially hired, it'll be eight thousand. Our rent is only two thousand a month..."
Lu Yuanming calculated every penny, finally concluding, "Brother Song, you don't need to look for a job anymore, I'll support you!"
Back in the various small worlds, Lu Yuanming was weak and relied entirely on Song Qian to carry him. Now it was time for him to repay the debt.
"That's great." Upon hearing this, Song Qian lay back down, as if making up for the years of carefree fun he hadn't had in the past.
The kindergarten officially started on Saturday morning. Yan Chi, still asleep, heard noises coming from the next room. He opened his eyes and saw Shen Mingsu's abs. Shen Mingsu noticed Yan Chi was awake and pulled him closer.
"It's Saturday, sleep a little longer," Shen Mingsu mumbled with his eyes closed. "Let Chang Le take that good-for-nothing to kindergarten."
Shen Mingsu had many nicknames for Chu Xi: Little Good-for-Nothing, Big Good-for-Nothing…
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes dangerously upon hearing this and pinched his waist. "I told you not to use that nickname."
Shen Mingsu hissed. "I didn't say it to his face."
"That's still not okay. Also, today is Chu Xi's first day of kindergarten. We need to go see him."
Shen Mingsu lowered his head and kissed Yan Chi's lips. "Okay, but it's still early, no rush."
While the two were cuddling in the bedroom, Shen Chang Le had already taken Chu Xi out of the bathtub, cleaned his tail, and dressed him in his little clothes. Chu Xi was very well-behaved in his arms, raising his hand when asked.
"Brother... Brother!" Little Chu Xi, drinking milk from his bottle, suddenly called out to Shen Chang Le. Shen Chang Le hummed in response and patted his little tail.
Little Chu Xi transformed his fishtail into legs. Shen Chang Le lifted him onto his lap, put pants and shoes on him, and finally placed him in his walker to wander around on his own.
Chu Xi ran towards the stairs with a clear goal in mind. He knew Yan Chi was on the second floor, but the walker was blocked by the stairs, so he had no choice but to muster all his strength and rush up them.
Shen Chang Le moved the pink mushrooms and white rabbits on the windowsill to a dark corner, then turned to see Chu Xi struggling against the stairs. Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu also happened to be coming down from upstairs.
Yan Chi lifted Chu Xi out of his walker, touched noses with him, and said with a smile, "You're going to kindergarten today, okay? Be good and don't cause trouble for the teacher."
Chu Xi stared intently at Yan Chi, mimicking his lip movements, babbling, "Mmm... good boy!"
Yan Chi chuckled, "Good boy."
After breakfast, Shen Chang Le went out first to help deliver the thirty-odd little mermaids to kindergarten. Yan Chi and Shen Ming Su lagged behind, bringing Chu Xi's favorite turtle plush toy, just in case he cried.
Yan Chi carried Chu Xi out the door, while Shen Ming Su took the little mermaid's bottle and toy.
The kindergarten entrance was crowded, with many faces Yan Chi didn't recognize. The director stood at the entrance, and Yan Chi overheard their conversation as he approached.
“My child is two years old. Can he attend school?” a parent with a human head and an eagle's body asked eagerly. “I can offer you expensive herbs as tuition.”
The director looked troubled. “I’m sorry, this kindergarten currently only accepts children without parental care.”
"What if I die any second?" the parent persisted. "There are players around my house, nobody knows if I'll die. Could you please write down my address? If I die, you can bring my child here."
The director: "...Okay."
The director took out a piece of paper and wrote down the parent's name and address. Other parents swarmed forward, all asking the director to write down their addresses as well.
The director wiped the sweat from his brow. "Okay...slow down, one at a time, line up, everyone line up!"
In the midst of the busyness, the director glanced at Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu. "Teacher Chi, a teacher will be coming for an interview later, could you go check on them?"
Yan Chi, seeing the director almost overwhelmed by parents, agreed, "Sure."
Small-class teaching has always been a tradition in Yunzhou. The Little Mermaids were divided into two classes, and Chu Xi was assigned to Class 2. Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu heard the children crying even before they reached the classroom.
Yan Chi glanced at Chu Xi with concern. Chu Xi seemed unaffected by his friend's crying; he looked up at Yan Chi with his little face, "Chi Chi?"
"It's okay." Yan Chi patted his little head, "Our Chu Xi is so good."
Chu Xi smiled, his eyes crinkling at the praise.
But after entering the classroom, when Yan Chi placed Chu Xi in the baby chair, he looked at Yan Chi blankly, reaching out for a hug.
Yan Chi restrained himself from reaching out and stood behind Shen Mingsu. Chu Xi craned his neck to look at him, as if realizing something, his eyes gradually reddening.
Shen Mingsu placed a small turtle plush toy in his arms, "Don't cry, I'll pick you up this afternoon."
Chu Xi hugged his little turtle tightly, his gaze fixed on the two of them.
The teacher in charge of Class 2 was Lu Yuanming. Seeing Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu bring the child over, he walked over to them with a surprised expression. "Teacher Chi, is this your child?"
"No..." Yan Chi's voice faltered after seeing Chu Xi's suddenly reddened eyes. "Yes, he's our child."
Lu Yuanming was shocked that they even had a child. He patted his chest and assured Yan Chi, "Don't worry, I'll definitely take good care of the young master."
"?" Yan Chi was stunned. "What young master?"
Lu Yuanming hesitated, "Your child, isn't he my young master? Father, if I take good care of him, can you give me a raise?"
He looked expectantly at Shen Mingsu.
Yan Chi: "..."
Shen Mingsu, on the other hand, was pleased by being called "the child's father" and happily fulfilled Lu Yuanming's request, "Okay, how about I add another three thousand?"
Lu Yuanming: "Yay!"
He happily escorted Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu to the classroom door. Soon, a student came to call Yan Chi, and the two of them left with the student.
After seeing them off, Lu Yuanming turned around and saw his beloved young master pouting, his eyes filled with tears. Lu Yuanming's heart sank.
No way.
"Waaaaah—"
Chu Xi let out a deafening cry. His crying triggered the other little mermaids, whom Lu Yuanming had soothed, to cry as well, and the entire classroom descended into chaos.
Xi Chang, who was comforting the little mermaids in the next classroom, heard the commotion and came to check. Seeing Chu Xi, he paused, remembering the days when his crying had dominated him.
Lu Yuanming was on the verge of tears. "Teacher Xi Chang, please help!"
"I can't help, but I'll go get some backup." Xi Chang turned and ran back to Class 1. He went to call Shen Chang Le, who was comforting a child, and hurriedly said, "Go check on your little brother next door, he's having another fit."
Shen Chang Le was taken aback. He quickly got up and went next door. When Chu Xi saw him, he reached out for a hug, looking pitiful. Shen Chang Le bent down, picked him up, and wiped the tears from his face. "Why are you crying again?"
"Mommy, waaaah... Chichi, go away..." Chu Xi sobbed, insisting that Yan Chi come back.
"Mom... no, Teacher Chi will be back soon." Shen Chang Le quickly corrected himself after his slip of the tongue, his dark green eyes full of helplessness. "Be good, or your uncle will nag you about being useless."
Chu Xi's tear-streaked face rested on Shen Chang Le's shoulder, hiccuping, but eventually calmed down. Lu Yuanming clasped his hands together and bowed deeply to Shen Chang Le, "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for saving my life."
Meanwhile, Yan Chi, having heard from a student sent by the director that the person interviewing for the kindergarten teacher position had arrived, headed towards the office. Shen Mingsu followed. The two saw the young man sitting awkwardly on the sofa.
Judging by his appearance alone, the young man had a very pleasing, obedient face that elders would find attractive. He was carrying a backpack and muttering to himself.
Upon seeing Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu, he jumped up and bowed solemnly to them, "Good morning, leaders. I am Qiu Yunshu, a recent graduate here for the kindergarten teacher interview. I majored in preschool education in university and interned at Sunshine Kindergarten for three months. I can draw, play the piano, dance..."
He finished reciting all of this in one breath, then tentatively observed Shen Mingsu and Yan Chi's expressions.
Because Shen Mingsu didn't seem as approachable as Yan Chi, Qiu Yunshu subconsciously looked at Yan Chi, "Leader..."
"Don't be nervous, I'm not a leader." Yan Chi smiled, "Can I ask you a few questions?"
Qiu Yunshu nodded repeatedly.
Yan Chi chose a few questions related to interacting with children, and Qiu Yunshu answered fluently. It was clear he was gentle, a very reassuring person, and extremely empathetic.
Yan Chi thought of something else, "Are you... are you human?"
"No." Qiu Yunshu smiled shyly, "I'm a mountain spirit. There are many small animals on the mountain where I was born, and I help animal mothers take care of their babies..."
A mountain spirit?
Yan Chi looked at Shen Mingsu, who leaned close to his ear and explained, "A kind of mountain spirit, gentle and harmless, who can learn from the humans around them and easily integrate into human groups."
Yan Chi nodded, looking at the anxious Qiu Yunshu, and then asked about his expected salary and other details.
Half an hour later, Yan Chi was very satisfied with Qiu Yunshu. Just then, the director came in, and Yan Chi explained his opinion of Qiu Yunshu to him. The director signed a contract with him and told him to start work that day.
Qiu Yunshu had no objections, but he hesitated, glancing at Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu. He had clearly heard the director call Shen Mingsu "Principal" in a soft voice. "I... my brother told me not to go to a husband-and-wife workshop... are you sure you won't deduct my salary?"
The three of them fell silent.
The director directly paid Qiu Yunshu a month's salary. Qiu Yunshu was immediately overjoyed, bowing repeatedly to them.
The director, exhausted, said, "Go to work."
Qiu Yunshu, full of energy, wished he could mop the floor too. "Okay! I'm going right now!"
After the new teacher left, Shen Mingsu pulled Yan Chi to go home. Yan Chi looked at the director, his eyes asking if there was anything else he could do.
"Nothing," the director said, waving them off without trying to stop them. "Go on, go on, don't forget to pick up the kids this afternoon."
Since Shen Chang Le wasn't home, Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu found nothing to do when they got home. They first tended to the flowers and plants in the yard, then snuggled up on the sofa to watch a movie.
The house was quiet. Yan Chi leaned on Shen Mingsu's shoulder, suddenly feeling the man's intense gaze. He looked up, and Shen Mingsu leaned down slightly. Yan Chi closed his eyes, and a warm kiss covered his lips.
Shen Mingsu picked him up, carried him upstairs, and closed the door.
...
Around four o'clock in the afternoon, Shen Chang Le still hadn't seen Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu come to pick up Chu Xi. Qiu Yunshu already knew Shen Chang Le's identity, and he said, "Then you should take your brother home first. I'll help you take the other children to their dormitories."
Shen Chang Le: "Thank you."
He picked up Chu Xi, and hadn't walked far from the kindergarten when he saw Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu hurrying towards him.
"Chichi..." Chu Xi reached out for Yan Chi to hold him.
Shen Mingsu took him without explanation, "Chichi isn't feeling well, I'll hold you."
Chu Xi frowned unhappily.
Shen Chang Le looked at Yan Chi in surprise, "Not feeling well? Are you sick?"
Yan Chi's face flushed slightly, and he avoided eye contact guiltily, "Um... I'm just a little dizzy, nothing serious."
Hearing this, Shen Chang Le nodded in relief, without suspecting anything.
As evening fell, Xing Zhinan led the newly awakened Yan Qingyuan to find Yan Chi. Yan Qingyuan's face was still pale, his long black hair cascading over his shoulders, and the mole at the corner of his eye stood out starkly against his porcelain-white skin.
"Are you sure you can hold on?" Xing Zhinan asked irritably. "Don't faint as soon as you see little Chi; it'll be a huge embarrassment."
Yan Qingyuan gave him a cold glance but didn't speak. Xing Zhinan, however, felt an invisible force push him. Understanding his gaze, he raised his hands in surrender, "Fine, fine, I won't say anything more."
Upon reaching Yan Chi's doorstep, Yan Qingyuan stopped. Having absorbed Xie Tao's memories, his mind was much clearer now, but he felt incredibly exhausted, as if he had been working continuously for a month.
Yan Qingyuan's long eyelashes drooped. "Is he...doing well?"
"Of course he's doing well." Xing Zhinan deliberately stabbed him in the heart. "Your son has a happy family, a successful career, and is living a blissful life. How can that not be good?"
"He's dating?"
"Yes, with Shen Mingsu. Remember? You beat him up before."
"I forgot." Yan Qingyuan had slept for too long and had long forgotten many things from before. He only cared about one thing: "Is he good to little Chi?"
"Yes, he treats him like a treasure." Xing Zhinan had nothing to say about this. "Luckily, little Chi met Shen Mingsu. If he had met some shady thug, someone who would deceive and manipulate him, and little Chi has no family to help him, he would definitely have been bullied to death."
Yan Qingyuan's gaze darkened at the thought. "No, Xie Tao is there. He'll protect little Chi."
Xing Zhinan shrugged. "That's true."
However, Yan Qingyuan's expression remained grim. His deepest memory of Yan Chi was of him nestled in his arms, looking at him obediently. Back then, Yan Chi was still a baby who couldn't speak.
But now… Yan Chi had grown up and even had a boyfriend.
Yan Qingyuan frowned, but if Yan Chi liked him, he wouldn't say anything.
Xing Zhinan: "Go knock on the door."
Yan Qingyuan knocked on Yan Chi's door, and Shen Mingsu's voice quickly came through.
"Who is it?"
Shen Mingsu opened the door and was clearly stunned when he saw Yan Qingyuan.
Yan Chi was playing with Chu Xi when he saw Shen Mingsu standing at the door, lost in thought. He walked over, carrying the child, and asked, "What's wrong? Who's here?"
Then he saw Yan Qingyuan at the door and, too, paused for a moment, but almost instantly, Yan Chi recognized him.
Yan Qingyuan stared blankly at the child in Yan Chi's arms, unable to react for a long time.
Although he had prepared before coming, it was clear he hadn't prepared enough.
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