They were well aware of their own child's capabilities, having no illusions about them.
Furthermore—
Third Uncle Si had bribed Si's Father, and she herself was completely in the dark about it.
Si's Father had given her the money with a clear explanation; she was justified and had solid grounds.
Third Uncle Si couldn't possibly cause trouble for her.
He could only go after Si's Father.
Si's Father's position was inherently sensitive.
He absolutely wouldn't dare let this matter blow up.
Si Nian was even less worried about him coming to cause trouble for her.
The mere words "corruption and bribery" were enough to scare him to death.
Si Nian had always disliked trouble.
So, if anyone caused trouble for her, they couldn't blame her for not being polite.
The two teachers had initially been waiting for some juicy gossip.
They had thought this new teacher was being troublesome.
But in the end, they discovered the dirt was on their own side.
Now they were even comforting Si Nian.
The deputy director also thought she was rather pitiful, as he had already heard about her situation from Sister Chen.
He said if anyone gave her trouble, she must tell the school, and the school would handle it for her.
Looking at these people, Si Nian thought her future teaching work probably wouldn't be too rocky.
The first day of school was mostly for student registration and collecting books.
There weren't many classes.
On her first day, Si Nian went to greet her students.
Rows of little munchkins gave her a headache.
Although she had three children at home now,
at least they were relatively well-behaved.
Other people's children were harder to manage, chattering noisily, making her ears ache.
She only taught the fourth and fifth grades, with a maximum of four classes a day.
And only the top-tier classes.
After checking the schedule, Si Nian started preparing her lessons.
Yaoyao sat quietly nearby, munching on her little biscuits without making a fuss. Her well-behaved and adorable appearance instantly won over the hearts of all the parents in the office.
Everyone was vying to hold her.
There was no need for introductions; everyone already knew Si Nian because of her speech on stage back then, which people were still amazed by.
Everyone gathered around Si Nian, asking her all sorts of questions.
Some thought she was talented and beautiful, while others felt it was a pity that someone so young already had a child.
Mostly, they were thinking of building good relationships. Everyone chatted and laughed, all happy about the start of the new term.
"Have you heard? Teacher Wu is not only the homeroom teacher for fourth grade Class A, but he's also taking on fifth grade Class A now. The school really has high hopes for him!"
"Of course, just look at who he is—a returned overseas PhD! The school spent a fortune to recruit him. I teach Chinese for his class, and the pressure is immense!" A woman around twenty-five or twenty-six said she was under pressure, but she was actually quite proud.
Because last year, the class Wu Ren'ai taught excelled, and even the teachers involved received bonuses.
Everyone wanted to teach in Teacher Wu's class.
Moreover, Wu Ren'ai was among the youngest teachers at the school yet had the highest achievements. His family was also wealthy, so all the young female teachers had their eyes on him.
Of course, Si Nian wasn't among them.
Hearing these people talk about Wu Ren'ai's excellence, she felt a bit speechless.
After all, in her eyes, Wu Ren'ai didn't seem very bright.
Just as she was thinking this, she felt a gaze full of hostility.
Si Nian turned to look and saw a woman around twenty-four or twenty-five.
The other woman snorted coldly, gave her a very unwelcoming look, and turned to walk out.
Puzzled, Si Nian heard the female teacher at the next desk say, "Teacher Si, don't mind her. That's Li Fengxian, Teacher Li. She originally taught fourth-grade English, but last year she didn't meet the standards and was demoted. You're now teaching her former class, so she's probably upset."
Their school had high requirements and fierce competition.
Even teachers who passed the entrance exam could be replaced at any time if their students' performance didn't meet standards.
Li Fengxian was a case in point.
Hearing this, Si Nian sighed.
The classic workplace vibe hit her instantly.
She was just wondering if Lin Sisi had encountered these people in the plot when—thud—a large stack of materials was placed on the desk beside her.
The people around suddenly fell silent.
"Director Li!"
Si Nian raised an eyebrow. It was a middle-aged woman in her forties.
A teacher nearby whispered, "That's Director Li Fenghua, a relative of Teacher Li."
Li Fenghua had sharp features, the kind of face that looked like she enjoyed making things difficult for subordinates at work.
Sure enough, the next second, she said, "You're the newly reported Si Nian? Can't you see how busy it is today? What are you sitting around for? Take these materials and make three copies for me by noon!"
Fragments of the novel's plot flashed through Si Nian's mind.
When Lin Sisi entered the school, because she was from the countryside, she was bullied.
Lin Sisi had taken away Li Fengxian's chance to teach the top-tier class.
Her relative, Li Fenghua, also looked down on her and privately gave Lin Sisi all sorts of trouble.
To stay at the school, Lin Sisi, afraid to offend the two, endured humiliation and hardship all the way.
Finally, the male lead, who had already fallen in love with the female lead, learned she was being bullied by these two, stood up for her, and thoroughly humiliated them until they knelt and begged for mercy...
So, was everything just part of the male and female lead's play?
Si Nian sighed and refused, "No."
"What?" Li Fenghua, who had already turned to leave, thought she misheard.
She dug at her ear and turned back to stare at Si Nian in disbelief. "Say that again?"
Si Nian: "I said no."
The people around gasped, staring at her in shock.
Everyone knew newcomers had it the worst.
When they first arrived, they had to do all sorts of odd jobs.
They had all been through that themselves.
But they never expected Si Nian to dare refuse?
Li Fenghua's face darkened. "If you're unwilling, then get out. Our school doesn't hire idlers!"
"I didn't come to your school to be an errand girl either," Si Nian nodded. "I came to be an English teacher. What do these materials have to do with me?"
Li Fenghua stared at her with an incredulous expression. "I'm telling you to do it, so you do it! What I say goes here!"
"I just won't do it." Si Nian stood up, holding the startled Yaoyao, and patted her back. "Since what you say goes, then fire me."
"By the way, I signed a contract when I came. There's a three-month severance penalty. Since I haven't started work, I don't need the salary, but remember to give me the penalty payment." After saying this, Si Nian picked up her child and prepared to leave.
Now, it was Li Fenghua's turn to be dumbfounded—
