Seeing Zheng Yu's face, usually cold and aloof, now burst into tears, Yan Chi felt sorry for him but was helpless. "Don't be too sad," he said. "The school has its own rules for allocating housing. By the way, even Teacher Lin hasn't been allocated housing yet and is living with a colleague."
Yan Chi suddenly remembered that Lin Heng didn't have a house either, and wanted to use Lin Heng's example to comfort Zheng Yu.
Zheng Yu knew Lin Heng was here, but he hadn't expected him to be in such a miserable state. The school hadn't even given him a house. Wait… how come Song Qian, who joined halfway through, had a house?
Zheng Yu's mind raced, and he realized something was wrong. But Yan Chi spoke with such certainty, so he wondered if he had overlooked something.
Mingcai and Teacher Youyou both looked at Yan Chi, their eyes filled with surprise and astonishment.
Mingcai tried her best to keep her smile hidden from Yan Chi, nodding earnestly, "So Teacher Lin Heng is really that pitiful. He's been at the school for so many years and hasn't even been allocated a house. He has to live with Teacher Xi Chang."
Yan Chi nodded in agreement, his gentle amber eyes filled with incomprehension, "Yeah, I don't know why the school doesn't allocate a house to him."
It seems he still needs to go back and ask Shen Mingsu. Although Lin Heng was a player before, he has worked diligently for the school and shouldn't be treated differently.
Watching Yan Chi earnestly defend Lin Heng, Mingcai almost burst out laughing, pinching her arm hard to suppress the chuckle.
Only Ding Yang, unfamiliar with the situation, completely followed Yan Chi's line of thought. She believed it wholeheartedly and apologized to Mingcai, "I'm sorry, then I can only trouble you again."
"Don't believe Teacher Xiao Chi," Mingcai whispered to Ding Yang while Yan Chi turned to speak to Gu Shu. "There are plenty of houses at school; you can easily apply for one. Teacher Lin deliberately wants to squeeze in with Teacher Xi Chang so he won't have a place to live."
"I see."
Ding Yang felt relieved.
Meanwhile, Teacher Youyou looked at Yan Chi, hesitant to speak, wanting to explain something, but ultimately finding speaking too tiring, he softly said to Yan Chi, "Xiao Chi, I'll take them away now."
Yan Chi said okay and waved to them.
Zhu Ge Yun responded enthusiastically, even giving him a flourish, smiling broadly and revealing a set of pearly white teeth. Yan Chi slowly lowered his hand, pretending to be busy looking at the ground, sometimes reluctant to admit that he had once been a fan of such a person.
Zhu Ge Yun, disappointed that Yan Chi hadn't seen his signature flourish, performed it again in front of Zheng Yu. "How was it? Pretty smooth and cool, right?"
Zheng Yu took off his glasses, wiped away his tears, his gaze cold and distant as he looked Zhu Ge Yun up and down. "I know you?"
This was already a sign that an adult was unwilling to socialize.
But Zhu Ge Yun, oblivious to the danger, put his arm around Zheng Yu's shoulder like a buddy, though he was shorter and had to stand on tiptoe to do so. "A friend of a friend is a friend too. Tell me, how do you know Teacher Xiao Chi?"
"We met by chance." Zheng Yu didn't elaborate, instead asking Zhu Ge Yun, "And you? From what you just said, you seem to be a celebrity?"
This opened Zhu Ge Yun's floodgates. "Yes, I used to be a very popular celebrity, with tons of fans..."
Zhu Ge Yun revealed all his background in just a few words. Zheng Yu listened quietly, his occasional comments only making him more excited and encouraging him to continue.
Watching the two walk away, Yan Chi was worried that Zheng Yu would betray Zhu Ge Yun. He feared that even then, the silly boy would still be happily counting money for them.
Now wasn't the time to worry about Zhu Ge Yun. Yan Chi turned to the ancient tree and asked, "Did no termite players come in this time? Were they filtered out?"
"No," the ancient tree shook its leaves, stretching out a branch to touch Yan Chi's hair. "Most of the players who signed up to enter Yunzhou this time don't have a background of killing the native inhabitants of the small world. It's quite strange."
Ding Yang thought for a moment upon hearing this and guessed, "Probably because the players all saw the live stream last time and know that Yunzhou will be hostile to players who have killed native inhabitants. Naturally, they won't come here to seek their deaths."
That made sense. Yan Chi nodded, thinking that these desperate players clearly knew that Yunzhou would give them extra "attention," so why would they be so foolish as to run in?
Back home, Yan Chi lay on the sofa, pondering how to lure the termite players over.
Shen Mingsu brought him a glass of warm water. Yan Chi took it, drank a sip, and then stared blankly at the glass.
"What's wrong?" Shen Mingsu took the cup from Yan Chi's hand, still on the coffee table, sat down beside him, scooped him up, and kissed his forehead. "Why are you looking so down after just one trip? Tell me, who upset our little teacher Chi?"
Yan Chi leaned against him, listlessly saying, "Not a single 'Termite' player came in this time."
"There definitely will be next time." Shen Mingsu fed Yan Chi a piece of candy like he was coaxing a child, his tone unusually certain.
Yan Chi opened his eyes and glanced at him, then sat up cross-legged on the sofa, narrowing his eyes questioningly. "How can you be so sure? Did you do something behind my back again?"
"No, not at all." Shen Mingsu's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Remember Zhou Xia and Rong Wenshi? They knew we wanted to eliminate the termite people, so they wanted to help us lure them in and cooperate with us."
Yan Chi: "The players... have broken ties?"
"No one doesn't want a better life, especially since most players have gone from stable lives to a life of constant displacement. They desperately want to seize this opportunity for stability."
Shen Mingsu pulled Yan Chi into his arms, speaking slowly, "So as long as we show even a hint that we dislike the termite players..." "The information is that other players will also join us in order to come to Yunzhou."
"Moreover, the termite players are keen on plundering the resources of small worlds and ruling the land. As long as they discover that Yunzhou has what they want, they will naturally swarm in like ants smelling sugar."
Yan Chi frowned upon hearing this. "What do you want to use as sugar?"
Shen Mingsu: "Currently, there are two: Zhou Yan and Li Huai."
Zhou Yan was captured by Ming Danxi in another small world, and so far, the information that she is in Yunzhou has not been leaked.
As for Li Huai… anyone among the termites would want to capture him.
Upon hearing that Li Huai would be used as bait, Yan Chi reacted like a mother cat facing a malicious human trying to steal her kittens, instantly arching his back in a defensive posture. "No, this is too dangerous! We can't let Li Huai go."
"Don't worry, he won't actually risk his life," Shen Mingsu soothed him expertly. "Tan Mo's father and your father are both here now. We can just make up a fake Li Huai to distract them. We won't actually send him to risk his life."
Yan Chi was reassured by these words, but distrust still lingered in his eyes. "Really?"
Shen Mingsu smiled. "Of course it's true. Do you think I'm the kind of heartless principal who would joke about students' safety?"
Yan Chi: "..."
Shen Mingsu's smile faltered. "...Darling, what does your silence mean?"
"Nothing." Yan Chi, slightly guilty, looked away. "While I wouldn't call you a heartless leader, I'd say you're pretty close..."
The next second, Yan Chi was suddenly tackled onto the sofa by Shen Mingsu. He gasped, but Shen Mingsu silenced him with a kiss, his hot body enveloping him, their bodies pressed tightly together, so close they could hear each other's breath.
Yan Chi was released, his eyes still glazed. His lips, still red from the kiss, were slightly parted, revealing a glimpse of his tender red tongue.
Seeing this, Shen Mingsu kissed him again.
"Ugh..." Yan Chi finally snapped out of his daze. The overwhelming, intrusive presence made him tilt his head uncomfortably. "Get up, you're heavy!"
Shen Mingsu, however, lay on his chest, listening to his pounding heartbeat, his low, husky voice tinged with grievance, "You can't call me heartless."
Yan Chi had no idea that this was the reason for his tantrum. He chuckled, patting Yan Chi's head. "I didn't say you were heartless. You're still a long way from being heartless, so you must stay true to yourself and never become a heartless capitalist."
Hearing this, Shen Mingsu snuggled closer to Yan Chi's neck, biting down on his long, slender neck.
"Ouch... why did you bite my neck again?"
Shen Mingsu licked the teeth marks on Yan Chi's neck. He was very fond of this almost animalistic act of biting necks, which was why Yan Chi had to wear high-necked clothes for a long time to hide the mottled marks on his neck.
Yan Chi couldn't resist him, so he let him be.
The two cuddled on the sofa for a while. Because the sofa was too small, Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu switched places, with Yan Chi lying on top of Shen Mingsu, finding Shen Mingsu's body too hard.
But whenever he showed the slightest intention to get off, Shen Mingsu looked at him as if he'd been deeply wronged, giving him the look of someone looking at a scumbag, making Yan Chi feel incredibly guilty, and he obediently remained on top of him.
Yan Chi suddenly remembered something and looked up at Shen Mingsu, "By the way, aren't there any houses at the school?"
"How could that be? There are plenty of houses at the school, and even more empty ones." Shen Mingsu was puzzled, "Why are you suddenly asking this?"
That's strange.
Yan Chi pursed his lips, "Then why don't you give Lin Heng a house? Why do you have to let him live with Xi Chang?"
Shen Mingsu: "..."
Wait, how can this kind of blame be pinned on him?
Shen Mingsu, his face serious, cupped Yan Chi's face. "Teacher Chi, what do you think is the relationship between Lin Heng and Xi Chang?"
Yan Chi blinked. "Colleagues?"
"Friends?"
Shen Mingsu didn't answer, and Yan Chi felt uneasy. "Did they have a fight and become enemies?"
Seeing that Yan Chi wasn't even considering the possibility of them being lovers, Shen Mingsu was incredibly glad he had confessed decisively.
Under Yan Chi's blank gaze, Shen Mingsu wrapped his arms around his waist, kissed him on the lips, and whispered in his ear, "You... you're probably thinking they're playing Jenga in bed one day when you see them in bed."
Yan Chi: "...?"
What does that mean?
Wait, on the bed… Yan Chi suddenly realized something, his face flushing crimson. Embarrassed, he covered his face and peeked at Shen Mingsu through his fingers. “So… they’re a couple too?”
Shen Mingsu’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he gently pinched Yan Chi’s pink cheeks. “Yes, so don’t praise them as best friends in front of Lin Heng next time. You’re breaking his heart.”
Yan Chi: “…”
He hadn’t considered this possibility at all, and couldn’t even remember how many times he’d called them best friends or best brothers to Lin Heng… He really had no face to face Teacher Lin anymore.
Around four in the afternoon, Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu went out to pick up little Chu Xi. Besides them, several residents of the commercial street were also waiting to pick up their children, including Zhou Guixiang, the owner of the doll shop.
Her daughter was four years old. The little one had been wandering with her in her little world since birth and had never attended school. She always looked on with envy at the students who came to buy dolls and doll clothes.
After they left, she would always carry a small stool to the shop entrance and sit gazing at the high school walls, expectantly asking her mother, "Can I go to school like the older brothers and sisters?"
Zhou Guixiang always gave a vague answer, because she knew that having a home in Yunzhou was already a great blessing; how could she dare to hope for sending her child to school?
But this time, after the kindergarten was built, Zhou Guixiang wanted to try for her daughter. She found the director, who, after consulting with Shen Mingsu, agreed.
From then on, Zhou Huihui could also go to school.
Yan Chi watched as Zhou Huihui, led out by the teacher, ran towards her mother with her little schoolbag, her innocent face full of smiles, completely unlike the pale and thin girl she had been when she first arrived.
The little girl, held in her mother's arms, also saw Yan Chi, smiled shyly, and waved her little hand to greet him.
Yan Chi smiled and waved back, seemingly remarking, "Our kindergarten is quite well-built."
Shen Mingsu put his arm around her shoulder, "It's all thanks to our teacher, Mr. Chi's, suggestion."
Yan Chi chuckled, "...The director will scold you again if he hears this."
"Let him scold me, I don't care."
When the children were dismissed, Ding Yang was also helping Ahui take care of them, escorting them to their respective dormitories, receiving countless "Thank you, sister."
This time, Ding Yang's livestream wasn't turned off, and the viewers in the livestream room clearly saw the scene at the kindergarten.
[So beautiful, reminds me of the time before I became a 'poisonous woman'.
[To be able to take such good care of children, the NPCs in Yunzhou aren't that cruel.]
[Going to school... My child was only this age when he died, but never went to school, died from being overloaded with dirt in the Don't Starve instance...]
[Can I send my child here? I don't have to go, please come and let my child stay, okay?]
[…]
The Infinite System has existed for so many years, and many players have chosen to have children, but the survival rate of these children is extremely low. Seeing the smiling faces of kindergarten children evokes complex emotions in these players who have become parents.
Ding Yang watched the number of viewers in the live stream rapidly increase. She casually chatted with Ahui, "Has that player from the Termites still not revealed who their master is?"
Ahui: "Soon, she's not tight-lipped."
Ding Yang: "Aren't you worried she'll commit suicide?"
"We have a way to keep her alive until she tells us everything we want to know."
"…"
On the other end of the live stream, two Termites members recorded the information and sent it to their superiors.
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