Before going to bed, Nan Sheng opened the system as usual and couldn’t help but laugh bitterly when she saw the glaring number "1" in the favorability column.
Would she even be able to complete this mission in her lifetime?
Sizhe returning to school was no small matter—it required a parent’s accompaniment. Seeing her son carrying a worn-out little bag, Nan Sheng realized she had overlooked something.
"Tomorrow, I’ll make you a new backpack. And if you’re missing any pens or notebooks, just let me know."
"Mom, I want one too!"
Nan Sheng pushed her bicycle and brought Siqi along, afraid the little girl might run around unsupervised at home. Now, she was even learning to compete for attention.
"Alright, you can go to school with your brother today. I’ll go to town to buy pens and notebooks for both of you."
Siqi wasn’t as resistant to school now, but after glancing at her brother and then at her stepmother, she decided to stay home a little longer. "I’ll go after the New Year!"
The topic of whether Sizhe needed anything was cut short, and no one brought it up again.
The elementary school was built in the center of several nearby villages, requiring at least a twenty-minute walk from Xiangyang Village. Her mother-in-law also taught there, handling fifth and sixth grades, while Sizhe was in fourth grade.
"Big Kid, it’s normal to fall behind after missing two months of classes. Don’t stress too much. If you don’t understand the textbooks, you can always ask Grandma at home."
"Got it!"
Sizhe wanted to say he had been reviewing the textbooks at home and that Grandma had been tutoring him, so he could keep up.
Nan Sheng had thought sending a child to school would be simple, but she hadn’t expected to run into a meddlesome teacher like Tang Jing.
"You’re Lin Sizhe’s guardian, right? He’s such a bright student, and his grandmother teaches here. Why did you make him drop out?"
Nan Sheng hated trouble. Back then, it was the child himself who told the teacher he wouldn’t be attending anymore. The tuition hadn’t been refunded, but that was common—many families did the same, and children could return if they wanted to resume their studies.
Why was she being interrogated like this?
"Teacher Tang, never mind the reason. Just tell me if he can come back to school or not."
Tang Jing, an educated youth sent to the countryside, had always admired Lin Sizhe for his intelligence and diligence. Hearing rumors about his stepmother’s poor character, she couldn’t help but speak up.
But Nan Sheng’s temper was worse than her reputation. She didn’t bother with polite words, which only fueled Tang Jing’s anger.
"If you don’t explain clearly, I won’t allow him back."
"Fine, then refund the tuition. My kid dropped out shortly after the term started—you know how much should be returned!"
Nan Sheng had no patience to argue with the young teacher. She planned to have her mother-in-law take Sizhe back to re-enroll tomorrow.
"What? Dropping out again! I knew you, as a stepmother, had ill intentions. Are you trying to ruin Sizhe’s future?"
Tang Jing’s voice grew louder, drawing curious glances from other teachers in the office.
Nan Sheng grew even more impatient. Covering her daughter’s ears to shield her from the commotion, she snapped, "Teacher Tang, either let my kid return to class or give us our money back. You’re just a teacher—my family matters are none of your business."
Other teachers chimed in, "Teacher Tang, don’t push it. Let the student return first."
In the village, educated folks were scarce, and in this era, factory work and farming were more valued. Dropping out of rural elementary schools was common, but at least the family had brought the child back, showing they still cared about education.
Sizhe stood silently nearby. After Tang Jing’s interference, he wasn’t sure if his stepmother had really wanted him to return to school or if she’d just come to demand a refund…
Tang Jing had no choice but to let Sizhe return to class, but she wasn’t done with Nan Sheng. "Wait! We need to settle this today. Neglecting a child and keeping him out of school is wrong!"
Nan Sheng was fed up. She really didn’t want to curse at a teacher, but she couldn’t hold back. Thankfully, the child’s grandmother also taught at the school, so she wasn’t worried about Tang Jing taking it out on Sizhe.
"Teacher Tang, are you out of your mind? I brought my kid here to learn. Your job is to teach him, not judge me.
Sizhe is your student—I’m not. You have no right to decide whether my actions are right or wrong! If you keep blocking my way, I’ll chop your hands off!"
If she couldn’t curse her to death, she’d scare her to death. Nan Sheng turned and walked away.
Tang Jing was left fuming. This stepmother was utterly unreasonable, and she feared Sizhe would suffer for it.
Another teacher consoled her, "Just go back to class. Some things are beyond our control. That parent doesn’t seem uneducated—she even argues in a structured way."
Tang Jing thought, Exactly! She’s even more talkative than I am!
On the way back, Nan Sheng continued pushing her bicycle. Even if she wasn’t afraid of falling, she couldn’t risk the kids getting hurt. As they reached the village, they ran into Uncle Liu, who was driving an oxcart to the town government to fetch farming tools.
"Uncle Liu, could I trouble you with something?"
Uncle Liu stopped the cart and chatted with Nan Sheng. "What is it? That bicycle of yours looks great—new ones are always sturdy."
Nan Sheng said politely, "My eldest is back in school, and we’re running low on pens and notebooks. Could you pick some up from the supply and marketing cooperative for me?"
Uncle Liu, happy to help a fellow villager, agreed. Nan Sheng pulled out a yuan from her pocket, wanting to stock up in case they ran out again.
At noon, mother and child ate steamed buns made from mixed grains and stir-fried vegetables. Just as they finished, Uncle Liu returned with the oxcart.
His booming voice carried from afar, "Is Lin Han’s wife home?"
Not wanting to let him leave empty-handed, Nan Sheng grabbed a bun and went out. "Thank you, Uncle Liu. Here’s a bun I steamed at noon—take it and see how it tastes."
She turned and left before he could refuse, leaving Uncle Liu clutching the bun in bewilderment.
He took a bite, and the aroma of wheat, sweet and fragrant, filled his senses. A bun this good didn’t even need side dishes—he could eat ten in one go.
The old man thought to himself, Lin Han’s wife knows how to handle things. I’d be happy to help her again.
Nan Sheng took out half of the marinated ribs to stew. She had used a lot of salt, so cooking all of them would be wasteful. She also stir-fried some greens and made an egg drop soup.
Siqi had been eagerly waiting for her brother to return. At exactly four o’clock, she carried her little stool to the doorway, her focused silhouette a picture of anticipation.
When the sound of the siblings chatting outside reached her, Nan Sheng checked her watch—it was exactly 4:30.
At the dinner table, Nan Sheng asked about her son’s day at school. "Did Teacher Tang give you any trouble?"
"No!" Not only had she not troubled him, she’d even seemed sympathetic toward him.
Nan Sheng casually picked up a rib for him and reminded Siqi to eat hers with a bun to balance the saltiness.
"Big Kid, what did you eat at noon? Did you get enough?"
"Nothing. The school doesn’t serve meals."
Nan Sheng: "…Why didn’t you say so earlier?"
Seeing his stepmother’s exasperated expression, Sizhe suddenly understood her train of thought. "It’s not just me. A lot of kids go hungry at noon."
