You were mistaken.

Principal Qin said, “Six thousand for the salary? Five days a week?”

“That’s impossible. Six thousand can’t be less, but as for coming to work, as long as you can keep the students in line, the rest… Wait a minute, don’t take Li Hero. Anyone with Li Hero, don’t take them either.”

The reason he agreed to become a teacher was simple: two boxes of dumplings last night.

Yunyun’s face was beautiful, her figure too, but her hands were rough, her back slightly hunched, her brow furrowed so long it seemed permanently etched, and her hair had whitened too early—turning a vibrant, mature woman into a petty, streetwise matron.

If there were a choice, who would want to live their whole life like this?

To put it bluntly, if Yunzheng got himself killed in a fight right now, Zhang Fear wouldn’t be sad; it was his own choice, his own desire to fight, no one forced him. For the same reason, he wouldn’t care if Yunyun felt sad. Among billions of people in the world, who truly knows anyone? Who can protect anyone?

But since he knew them, he’d help if he could—especially for two boxes of dumplings.

That was why Zhang Fear changed his mind. Third year only lasted one year; letting Yunzheng graduate smoothly would let Yunyun live a little easier for a year. While she was still young, if possible, she should have another way to live—go for walks, find some entertainment, pick up her dreams again…

He wanted Yunyun to have a few comfortable days, and he wanted to make his own life easier. He certainly didn’t want to deal with Li Hero.

He made his demands, but the principal objected, “I won’t speak for other students, but there are a few who must transfer to your class.”

Zhang Fear was surprised, “How many?” His voice was heavy, the emphasis lingering on “many.”

Principal Qin named them, “Yunzheng, Li Hero, Wang River, Li Mountain, Pei Easy.”

Zhang Fear surrendered, “Are these the five big bosses of your school?” He shook his head, “This isn’t a movie, the whole school can’t be full of trash students… Wait, Hot-Blooded High, Suzuran or something, we’re not filming, just a small junior high, why are there so many troublemakers?”

Principal Qin said, “Not one of these five students is easy to handle.”

Zhang Fear was exasperated, “Principal, give me the truth—is this really a junior high or a youth detention center?”

Principal Qin said, “Three grades, fifteen classes in first year, seventeen in second and third, forty-five students per class—you can do the math.”

Zhang Fear was stunned, “Is our school really that big?”

Principal Qin continued, “Of the five I named, Li Hero and Pei Easy are second year… You know what’s the worst? They look down on one another, and when they do, they fight.”

Zhang Fear clasped his hands, “Master Qin, the waters of your school are far too muddy for me. I can’t handle it, I resign.”

Principal Qin said, “Since you’re here, you should meet our talents.”

Zhang Fear paused, “I’ll say it again: I’ll only take care of Yunzheng, Old Pei and the other four. I won’t deal with anyone else.”

“We’ll talk tonight. I have a meeting with the teachers, I’ll call you later.” Principal Qin replied.

Zhang Fear sighed, and sighed again, and again: “Pure trouble, all self-inflicted.”

He rode his bicycle back to Happiness Lane and saw crowds on the street. The neighborhood committee and employees from the real estate company were surveying residents, preparing for demolition.

Our Mr. Zhang lived here, yet the lively scene before him belonged to someone else.

Yunyun thought the same, leaning by the door to watch.

She didn’t really want to come out—it was the landlord who showed up, so out of courtesy, she had to accompany her.

Still, it was someone else’s excitement. Zhang Fear went back to his room to work, and soon received a call from Fatty, “When are you moving over?”

Right—he had to move to the company. Zhang Fear asked Fatty, “Did you handle the paperwork? Those business registration procedures?”

“Hell no, I don’t know anything about it.” Fatty shirked the troublesome matters.

Zhang Fear shook his head, said he understood.

“Don’t just say you know—move as soon as you can! Big Strong invested over thirty thousand, and now it’s just vanished without a word. How are we supposed to look him in the eye in the future?” Fatty said.

Zhang Fear replied, “What’s it got to do with me?”

“You tell me.” Fatty hung up.

Zhang Fear stayed in his room for a while, then called Principal Qin, “I need a laptop.”

“You’ll have it.” Principal Qin was probably in a meeting, and hung up quickly.

Many things always happened suddenly; to live peacefully was already a kind of happiness.

Zhang Fear’s sudden turns were far too many, filling him with anxiety; what if he couldn’t finish his daily updates?

In the past, he spent half the day selling books. If trouble came, he rarely stepped forward, and when he did, he was careful not to end up at the police station—the goal was to keep updating.

Those days were fine, but everything changed with his own desires. One day, he wanted to meet a beauty, she made demands, he got busy—learning to dance, sing, play guitar…

If it were only that, it would have been fine. At the same time, Fatty and a gang wanted to shoot a web drama, asking him to write and direct…

Alright, that counted as chasing dreams a different way—a roundabout path to fulfilling ambition. But the web drama hadn’t even started, and now he was about to become a teacher…

Time had always felt tight, but now it was even tighter, unbearably so!

He was working hard, when downstairs, a quarrel broke out. Zhang Fear went down to see: the young couple next door were arguing with Sun Easy.

The couple wanted to cancel their rent. “You’re about to demolish, yet you’re still renting—aren’t you cheating us?”

Sun Easy said she wasn’t cheating, at least they could live there for another month.

The couple refused, “Moving after a month or moving now makes no difference. We’ll stay until today, refund the remaining rent.”

It was a simple matter, but Sun Easy had no money at hand. To avoid her idiot husband snatching it, she only kept a bank card and some small change at home. Sun Easy explained, but the couple didn’t believe her, “Who doesn’t even have a hundred or two on hand?”

When Zhang Fear walked in, perhaps having someone to rely on, Sun Easy’s legs gave way and she fell. Luckily, the bed was behind her and nothing happened.

Zhang Fear went over and asked how she was. Sun Easy said she was fine, then explained the reason for the quarrel.

Zhang Fear asked the couple, “Found a new place?”

“Yes, we’ll move early tomorrow.”

“Alright,” said Zhang Fear, glancing at Sun Easy, then asked the couple, “How much should be refunded?”

After a quick calculation, Zhang Fear helped return the rent—just over one hundred ninety.

Sun Easy was furious, shouting at the couple, “Move tomorrow, move in the morning. If you’re late by even a minute, you owe me money!”

Zhang Fear advised, “Don’t be angry.”

Sun Easy shook her head, “I’m not.” But how could she not be? Thinking of her entire life, of recent hardships, sorrow welled up, unstoppable—she felt awful!

Zhang Fear said, “I’m heading upstairs, call me if you need anything.”

Sun Easy answered softly, thanked him.

Zhang Fear said it was nothing, returned to his room, and got back to work.

That night, after finishing his update, Principal Qin called, “Come to the school tomorrow morning for a detailed discussion.”

Zhang Fear agreed, hurrying to finish the script for “One Hundred and Ninety Pounds.”

The next morning, he went to the school; the principal, vice principal, and director of teaching were lined up—it was an interview.

Zhang Fear said, “If we followed the usual procedures, I definitely wouldn’t come work at your school. No need for all this fuss.”

Principal Qin said, “It’s just a formality. Mainly, we want to know what education methods you have, or what ways you can make students listen to you?”

Zhang Fear gave a single word: “Discipline.”

“Discipline?” The vice principal quickly shook his head, “That won’t do.”

Zhang Fear said, “It’s not about what will or won’t do. You need to understand something—I don’t care about the title of teacher. If you want me to control these trash students, you’ll have to do things my way, without interference.”

“That’s… not really appropriate, is it?” Another leader spoke.

Zhang Fear said, “There’s nothing inappropriate about it. Actually, you should be glad I’m only a temp—a temporary teacher for ethics… Do you even have that subject? Fine, labor class, how about that?”

Principal Qin said, “Labor class?”

“Yes, don’t your students work?” Zhang Fear asked.

Principal Qin said, “The subject doesn’t matter, what matters is how to control these students. Many have skipped class for ages…”

It was a vicious cycle—skipping class should be corrected, but teachers didn’t want to bother with a group of troublemakers. Anyway, 119 Middle School was what it was, not worth taking seriously.

Zhang Fear said, “Principal, let’s be realistic—don’t overestimate me. I just happen to be able to handle Yunzheng and those five monkeys. As for others, I have no confidence, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Principal Qin said, “We can talk about hopes later. Let’s discuss the class you’ll take—Class 18, Grade 3. How many students do you think you can manage at most?”

Zhang Fear replied, “Too professional. I can’t answer.”

A vice principal said angrily, “With all these ‘I don’t know’s and ‘no answers’, how can we trust you with the children?”

Zhang Fear breathed out lightly, “I only want to keep an eye on Yunzheng and the five monkeys.”

“Then why come to the school?” The vice principal said. “You could watch them from outside just as well.”

Zhang Fear smiled, “Principal Qin invited me.” One sentence shut him up.

Principal Qin said, “If you won’t say, I’ll decide. Class 18, Grade 3, thirty students—is that fine?”

“Whatever,” Zhang Fear replied, “As long as there are no girls.”

“No girls,” Principal Qin confirmed. “What if it’s forty-five students? Could you manage?”

Zhang Fear said, “Principal Qin, you’re an honest man, so I’ll be honest with you—no matter how many students are in the class, I won’t manage them. Hungry, full, sick, grades, mindset—I won’t deal with any of it. In my class, only one thing matters: fists…”

The vice principal interrupted, “You can’t punish students physically.”

Zhang Fear smiled, “That won’t be a problem.”

Principal Qin asked, “You just said you wouldn’t manage anything—so what do you manage?”

“I’ll manage their every word and action in school. Must meet my standards.” Zhang Fear said, “Getting trash students to follow the rules—isn’t that what your school always wanted?”

“The school always wanted to improve grades,” Principal Qin sighed, “But every year we’re last.”

Zhang Fear said, “That’s beyond me.”