Facts tell me.

Half an hour later, there was another knock on the door. It was Yun Yun. She was only a few years older than Zhang Pa, yet because of mistakes made in her youth, she had instantly gone from being cherished and cared for to being the one who cared for and served others.

Every time he saw her, Zhang Pa felt something indescribable in his heart. Was it pity for her? Or was it fear that one day he might end up like her?

Yun Yun smiled and said, “I made dumplings. I wanted to invite you for dinner, but since you didn’t come, I had to bring them over.”

Zhang Pa quickly stepped aside to let her in. “Please, come in.” He picked up a bottle of mineral water from the floor and handed it to her. “Have some water.”

Yun Yun set down the lunchbox. “I didn’t know which filling you’d like, so I made two kinds—one box of pork with scallions, and one of beef with cabbage.”

“I like both, really. But… have you recovered?” Zhang Pa asked.

“Almost. I’ll rest for a couple more days before going back to work,” Yun Yun replied.

“The doctor said your illness was due to irregular sleep and meals, and not taking proper care of yourself,” Zhang Pa said.

“Mmm, I’ll try to be more careful from now on. Thank you,” Yun Yun responded.

Zhang Pa told her there was no need to be so polite.

After hesitating, Yun Yun said, “Yun Zheng came home and said the principal wants you to be a teacher?”

“Ah, I refused,” Zhang Pa replied. “I’m just not cut out for it.”

“Yun Zheng said it’s six thousand a month?”

“Yeah.” Zhang Pa asked, “Do you want me to take the job?”

“From a personal development perspective, having a stable job is foundational—first, you don’t have to worry about food and clothing…” She stopped herself mid-sentence. “Sorry, I shouldn’t say that. I heard Happy Lane is going to be demolished. Where will you live then?”

“What about you?” Zhang Pa asked.

“I don’t know.” Yun Yun smiled faintly after speaking. “Sometimes I think I must be a fool—didn’t know anything and got pregnant, didn’t know anything and had Yun Zheng, and like now, didn’t know anything and ended up hospitalized. Now with the demolition, I don’t even know where I’ll stay.”

“Everything will get better,” Zhang Pa said.

Yun Yun smiled. “Yes, everything will get better.” She set down the water bottle. “I’ll go now. Thank you for helping me.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Zhang Pa offered.

“No need.” Yun Yun opened the door and headed downstairs. She was not tall, and very thin, but there was a strength emanating from her very bones.

He watched that strength descend the stairs, watched it disappear into the dark alley, watched as it was swallowed by the night… Zhang Pa sighed and went back to his work.

The next morning, Zhang Pa went to knock on Yun Zheng’s door. Yun Zheng came out and saw him. “Brother Zhang?”

“Come on, I’ll walk you to school.”

“Again? But I didn’t do anything yesterday, Brother.” Yun Zheng’s face fell instantly.

Zhang Pa didn’t respond, just greeted Yun Yun and said he was taking Yun Zheng to school. Yun Yun urged him to sit and have breakfast with them.

So they ate together, the three of them squeezed around a small table. It was just porridge and pickled vegetables, but Yun Yun was warm and attentive, worried she might not be a good enough host.

After breakfast, Zhang Pa and Yun Zheng left. Yun Yun saw them to the door, only closing it after watching them walk off into the distance.

Yun Zheng looked back. “I think my mom likes you.”

“You must have hit me too lightly,” Zhang Pa replied.

“You just show up for a little while in the morning, and she smiles more than I see her smile in a whole year—even during the New Year,” Yun Zheng said.

“That’s because you’re a rebel. If you got first place in your class, see if your mom wouldn’t smile,” Zhang Pa retorted.

Yun Zheng fell silent.

Back home, Zhang Pa wheeled out his bicycle. “Give me a ride.”

“You’re an adult,” Yun Zheng protested.

“So what? Adults need to be cared for too,” Zhang Pa said.

With a huff, Yun Zheng tossed his backpack at Zhang Pa. “Hold this.”

Zhang Pa took it and patted it. “Just one book?”

“One book is already something. I used to not even bring a bag,” Yun Zheng replied as he got on the bike.

It wasn’t long before they reached the school. Zhang Pa said, “If anyone tries to block you, call me.”

“Who would dare? I’d flatten them,” Yun Zheng scoffed.

“How about I flatten you first?” Zhang Pa locked his bike and walked in with Yun Zheng.

Yun Zheng hurried to ask, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to chat with your teacher. Is she married?” Zhang Pa replied.

Yun Zheng was unsure. “Big brother, what are you up to?”

“Mind your own business. Hurry or you’ll interrupt my heart-to-heart,” Zhang Pa said.

Yun Zheng sighed and hurried into the teaching building.

Zhang Pa strolled lazily inside, grabbed a random student and asked, “Where’s the principal’s office?” After getting directions, he climbed to the top floor and knocked.

A teacher was coming down the hallway. “Who are you looking for?”

“The principal.”

“Is there something you need?” the teacher pressed.

Zhang Pa sighed and started down the stairs, but the teacher called after him, “Don’t go! Who are you?” Clearly suspicious, thinking he was up to something.

Zhang Pa found the third-year teachers’ office and looked around, but didn’t see Monkey’s homeroom teacher. Another teacher asked who he was looking for.

“Liu Fangfang,” Zhang Pa replied.

“She’s not here. Maybe in the classroom?” the teacher said.

Zhang Pa thanked her and went to Monkey’s classroom.

After some twists and turns, he finally found Principal Qin. “It’s really hard to see you,” Zhang Pa said.

Principal Qin asked, “So you’ve decided to come teach?”

Zhang Pa nodded. “But I have a few conditions we need to agree on first.”

Principal Qin told him to go ahead.

“First, the six-thousand salary you mentioned—that can’t be reduced.”

“No problem.”

“Second, I won’t be teaching any subjects.”

“That’s fine.”

“Third, no one interferes with what I say or do.”

Principal Qin said, “That won’t work. You have to follow school rules.”

“Those rules are meaningless to me,” Zhang Pa replied. “Fourth, I’m not here to be some tough-love teacher. I don’t have the energy to care about every student. Conversations, worrying about the next generation, home visits—all that is none of my concern.”

“Anything else?” Principal Qin asked.

“The fifth point is most important. I need a laptop, or at least a computer, with internet access, and a private office.”

Principal Qin said, “Then you’ll have to use my office.”

“That’s fine, too,” Zhang Pa said.

Principal Qin grew anxious. “What do you mean, that’s fine? If you’re in my office, where do I go?”

“A computer with internet is the only thing I need. Also, I won’t be clocking in.”

The principal was speechless. “Are you here to teach or for a vacation?”

“I’ll only be responsible for one thing: keeping Yun Zheng and his group of five monkeys in line. I’m not responsible for anything else.”

Principal Qin immediately objected, “No, that won’t do.”

Zhang Pa considered for a moment. “Are there a lot of kids who hang around with Yun Zheng?”

The principal heaved a sigh. “Not that many—just thirty or forty.”

“What? That many?” Zhang Pa said. “Wait, if he has so many with him, how did those four kids still get beaten up?”

“First and second years finish at different times than third years. Also, lots of students skip class out of habit…”

“Why don’t you expel the ones who skip?” Zhang Pa interrupted.

The principal sighed. “Nine-year compulsory education.”

“You have it rough,” Zhang Pa said.

“Yes, it’s always been tough. Out of pity for me as the principal, help me out, will you?”

Zhang Pa looked at him. “You’re a good teacher.”

“Don’t flatter me,” Principal Qin said.

Zhang Pa smiled. “A middle school principal, that’s impressive.”

It wasn’t that middle school principals were impressive; as long as the school wasn’t especially terrible, principals were generally powerful. The most obvious sign—they were wealthy, very wealthy.

Principal Qin said, “You’re talking about other schools. At 119, it’s like sitting on a volcano—no, a volcanic range. It erupts several times a month.”

Zhang Pa laughed. “So what do you want to do?”

“I’ll put every troublemaker in the school into your class. You’ll be their homeroom teacher. You don’t have to worry about anything else, just make sure they come to school and don’t cause trouble. If you can do that from now until the winter break, I’ll give you a year-end bonus,” the principal said.

“That’s until winter break? Four months or so,” Zhang Pa responded. “How many troublemakers are we talking about?”

“Not that many—about a hundred sixty students from the three grades who’ve been disciplined,” the principal replied.

Zhang Pa was shocked. “Is this a school or a juvenile detention center?”

“One hundred sixty is already not many. Let me tell you something—last semester there was a gang fight involving more than four hundred students. I thought I’d gone back to the era of factional struggles,” the principal said.

“Four hundred? How many on the other side?” Zhang Pa asked.

“There was no other side. It was an internal brawl—one group led by Yun Zheng, the other by Li Yingxiong. The education bureau called me in again. I was so angry I threatened to quit, but nobody wanted the job.” The principal, evidently reminded of his misfortunes, continued, “No outsiders here, so I’ll tell you—two years ago, the school board sent a deputy principal to replace me. He had the qualifications, knowledge, and looks, but only lasted a month. Guess why?”

“How would I know?” Zhang Pa replied.

The principal shook his head. “Someone—god knows who—posted photos of that deputy principal checking into a hotel outside the school gate.”

“With his own wife?” Zhang Pa asked.

“Would you check into a hotel with your own wife?” the principal retorted. “Luckily there wasn’t a woman in the photos, but the deputy knew what he’d done. He thought it over and decided to transfer somewhere else.”

Zhang Pa sighed, “So much for teachers’ integrity.”

The principal was indignant. “Most people insult monks behind their backs—you insult the abbot to his face.”

Zhang Pa quickly shook his head. “I have the utmost respect for the abbot. Don’t get me in trouble.”

“Back to the point—one hundred students, yes or no?” the principal asked.

Zhang Pa agreed readily. “Fine, but I have additional conditions. First, one hundred per student, so a salary of ten thousand per month. Second, no interference in my decisions.”

The principal sighed, “That’s impossible.”

“Come on, Qin. I’m bargaining in good faith. Meet me halfway.”

The principal was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Last night when I came to you, you refused without hesitation. What made you change your mind overnight?”

He was a skilled negotiator—one question, right to the heart of the matter. What had made Zhang Pa change his mind?

Zhang Pa glanced at him. “Let’s not argue. Just get the list from the teachers. How many classes are there in total? How many students from each class are you sending me?”