CHAPTER 2

As Wen Yang approached the school gate, her pace gradually slowed. Behind her, a group of little kids with short legs hurried to catch up, shouting excitedly, “Sister Yang Yang, walk slower!”

At that moment, a girl jumped down from a tractor, nearly colliding with the oncoming children.

The girl wore a T-shirt and shorts, her arms and legs so slim that it was hard to tell who would be hurt more if she collided with one of the chubby kids.

Brown sunglasses sat on her sharp nose, covering half her face. Despite her stylish attire, she couldn’t hide the signs of the rough journey.

Xiao Yan threw a jacket over her head to shield herself from the sun. She looked around with obvious disdain at the desolate mountain roads, muttering softly, “What kind of place is this?”

Standing next to her was a tall boy with a straight face, wearing the same sunglasses and casual white T-shirt and shorts. The two looked like vacationers who had ended up in the wrong place.

The students, holding burlap bags, kept looking back at the unfamiliar adults with wide, curious eyes. Some bolder kids simply stood there and stared unabashedly, and when someone greeted them, they quickly became embarrassed, pulling their friends along and running off, laughing loudly.

The newcomers laughed along too.

Xiao Lin said, “These kids are really cute.”

Xu Chenglin, holding a fan he bought in town, said with a deep voice, “Yes, the carefree age is the most innocent and adorable.”

Xiao Yan, leaning on Xiao Lin, kept poking her in the waist with her fingers.

Xu Yi, feeling like they were overheating, said impatiently, “This damn sun is about to roast people alive, and you’re still talking about how cute they are.”

With that, he distanced himself from the two, not caring about the dirt, tossing his black handbag onto the ground. It kicked up a cloud of dust as he sat down on it, using the wooden sign that read “Sunshine Primary School” to shield himself from the sun.

The old principal, accompanied by the two teachers from the school, hurried over. Seeing so many people standing at the school gate, his face, already withered, was dripping with sweat. The usually grumpy principal was visibly nervous now, his eyes flickering around, too afraid to meet anyone’s gaze.

“Comrades, hello. Thank you for your hard work. You came all the way here in such hot weather,” the old principal said, clasping his hands in front of him and bowing slightly, his voice trembling.

“Old Principal, you’re too polite,” Xu Chenglin said, reaching out to steady the principal’s thin, bony shoulder. His voice was deep, and his imposing presence was apparent, showing his long-standing dominance.

“Are you Mr. Xu?” the old principal asked, unsure, but seeing this man as the leader. He hesitated before speaking.

“Yes, I am Xu Chenglin,” Xu Chenglin said, introducing the lady beside him. “This is my wife, Xiao Lin.” He gestured behind him, “These are the teachers who came to volunteer.”

The old principal’s eyes were filled with tears, and he felt embarrassed. He snorted and quickly held back the tears. “Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, we are deeply grateful for your support. We will never forget your kindness toward our school. Thank you to all the volunteer teachers who have come. All of us at Sunshine Primary School will be forever thankful for your generosity.”

He was emotional, happy that these children in the mountains needed this help so badly.

Xu Chenglin’s approachable attitude helped ease the principal’s nervousness. The principal eagerly led them into the school.

Though everything was simple, they quickly made their preparations. None of them seemed like they would be left behind. The volunteer teachers, organized by Xu Chenglin, had planned to stay for six months, arriving at the end of summer and leaving just before the New Year. In those five months, there could be no shortage of clothes. Moreover, they were all young, so snacks and phones were also necessary.

A large group of people with big bags and suitcases walked through, stirring up dust. It felt like an army marching through the town.

Wen Yang quietly followed behind the group, her 500-degree nearsightedness preventing her from even seeing the back of their heads clearly.

“Can you get me a pair of glasses?” she asked, finally calm enough after spotting the female lead. Since entering the novel world, she had rarely been this patient.

The system, both relieved and embarrassed, was glad Wen Yang didn’t yell at it but also couldn’t produce glasses out of thin air.

To avoid an eruption of anger, the system pretended to be offline, fiddling with its fingers.

Wen Yang, knowing the system’s antics, couldn’t be bothered to call it out.

She sensed a heavy breath behind her and turned around.

Under the blazing sun, the two of them made eye contact.

Both were drenched in sweat and equally disheveled.

Xu Yi strode past her, his body creating a gust of hot air.

The young man was tall with broad shoulders and long legs, casually slinging a backpack over one shoulder. His steps were steady, and his neck turned with a slight tilt as his posture exuded an overwhelming restlessness.

Name: Xu Yi.

Identity: The female lead’s stepbrother.

Wen Yang recalled a few scattered details about Xu Yi: troublemaker, school bully, and someone who had helped care for the child when Xiao Yan went abroad to find her husband.

In the office

An old-standing fan whirred in the middle of the office, making a creaky sound. The brief gust of air couldn’t alleviate the sweltering heat.

More than ten people were cramped in the not-so-spacious office, their endurance being tested.

The principal briefed Xu Chenglin and the others on the school’s situation. Though the school was called a primary school, it had grades from first to third-year high school. Due to the low number of students, there were only five classes: one each for first and second grades, third and fourth grades, fifth and sixth grades, one for middle school, and one for high school. The school’s two teachers rotated to handle everything.

Education in the mountains was outdated. As students grew older, fewer stayed in school, either working outside or marrying early as per their parents’ wishes. Even if some were unwilling to accept their fate, they were powerless to change their situation. The high school class had the fewest students, with only two second-year students.

The young teachers felt disheartened by this. Providing quality education required both resources and a shift in mindset.

They briefly organized the schedules for the primary and middle school students, while the remaining six high school teachers took charge of their own classes.

Xu Chenglin then made a request to the principal.

The old principal, afraid to neglect anything, replied, “Mr. Xu, please speak.”

When Xu Chenglin mentioned his son, he sounded more troubled than serious. “I have a son, but he’s a bit rebellious… I thought about letting him stay here for a while to experience school life.”

Normally, it would be the beginning of the school year, but Xu Yi had caused trouble during military training, being reported for leading a fight with outsiders.

Furious, Xu Chenglin contacted the principal to temporarily suspend him. Xu Yi had never given him a peaceful day, and Xu Chenglin feared that his son would face severe consequences if he continued with his bad attitude.

He thought this would be a good opportunity to send him here to reform, hoping he would see how the children in these mountains continued to study despite their hardships and eventually escape to broader horizons. He wanted Xu Yi to understand the value of hard work and learning, rather than living a spoiled life at the expense of his parents.

Xiao Yan quietly laughed to herself, delighted at the thought of Xu Yi being put in his place.

Xiao Lin sighed and looked at the principal. “Principal, do you think it’s okay for this child to stay and study here?”

The principal nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, of course.”

These two kind-hearted people had donated so much to the school; how could they refuse the request for two more students?

“Mom!”

Xiao Yan panicked. She had come to watch Xu Yi make a fool of himself, but how did she end up roped into this herself?

Xiao Lin, on the other hand, was absorbed in her phone.

The internet here was slow. Pages took forever to load. Xiao Yan stared blankly at the endlessly spinning white loading icon, struggling to imagine what her life would look like over the next few months.

Xu Yi, however, remained indifferent. He lounged back in his chair, silent, fiddling with his phone. Even when Xu Chenglin tried to have a heartfelt father-son goodbye, Xu Yi ignored him entirely.

The tractor was still idling by the school gate, waiting to leave. Xu Chenglin and Xiao Lin couldn’t linger long. They refused the principal’s suggestion to have the students come out to see them off, not wanting to disturb their studies.

“Mom, I promise I’ll listen to you from now on. Just take me with you! I don’t want to stay here!” Xiao Yan’s voice trembled, almost on the verge of tears. But her acting was awful—full of noise but no real tears. Despite truly feeling upset, she couldn’t seem to shed a single drop.

“I didn’t even pack my luggage! I don’t have anything with me, Mom!” Xiao Yan clung tightly to Xiao Lin’s waist, refusing to let her leave.

Xiao Lin’s tone sharpened. “Xiao Yan.”

The reprimand made Xiao Yan fall silent. She weakly called out, “Mom,” in an attempt to rekindle her mother’s compassion.

“I already packed your luggage. It’s in the principal’s office. If you have anything else to say, wait until you’ve fixed your bad habits before bringing it up again.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yan’s face flushed under the blazing sun. Her lips trembled as she began to sob uncontrollably, her tears and snot flowing freely, throwing any semblance of elegance to the wind.

But Xiao Lin wasn’t joking this time. She climbed onto the tractor decisively, her resolve unshaken.

Xu Chenglin glanced toward the school, scanning for his son. Not seeing him, he recalled how Xu Yi had grumbled in the office about the heat and announced he wouldn’t come out to see them off. That boy was nothing if not true to his word.

With one final handshake with the principal, Xu Chenglin reiterated his request to look after the two children before boarding the tractor. As the vehicle chugged away, its engine’s rumble gradually faded. The narrow dirt path was soon swallowed by the lush greenery on either side, the heat waves shimmering, obscuring the view.

Xiao Yan stood under the scorching sun, wallowing in her despair. She was deaf to the comforting words of those around her.

The principal, who was already sweating nervously, grew increasingly anxious. After all, this was the daughter of their school’s benefactor. If something happened to her from standing out in the heat too long, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

A young teacher decided to call Xiao Lin to inform her of Xiao Yan’s condition.

After hanging up, the teacher whispered to the group, “Xiao Lin said no one is allowed to console her.”

Just then, Qi Chen came running from the distance. He had been delayed that morning, carrying his grandmother to the village herbalist after she complained about her leg pain. Now he was rushing to school, drenched in sweat like he had been caught in a downpour.

As he neared the school gate, he saw a girl with tear-streaked cheeks. She clearly wasn’t from the area—her porcelain-white skin gleamed under the sunlight, almost unnaturally pale, as though it had been plastered with layers of powder.

He stopped to catch his breath, his sleeves rolled up to his shoulders. His arms, lean and muscular, rested on his knees as he bent over, panting. Seeing the girl sniffling, he rummaged through his bag and pulled out a neatly folded wad of hot pink tissues. His sweat had dampened most of them, but he managed to find a clean one to offer her.

Xiao Yan didn’t initially notice what it was. She absentmindedly accepted it, only to realize after a closer look—it was a piece of tissue stained with blood. Her thin eyebrows furrowed tightly. A curse! She recoiled in shock, dropping the tissue as it fluttered to the ground.

Meanwhile, the housing arrangements for the new teachers had already been sorted before they arrived. However, the unexpected addition of two people had thrown the logistics into disarray.

The principal looked worriedly at Xu Yi, who was sprawled in the office with a nonchalant attitude, and then at Xiao Yan, who was still sulking at the school gate. Finally, his mind landed on Wen Yang, the student whose family was considered the “most well-off” in the area.

Elsewhere, Wen Yang was preparing herself to be summoned for a conversation.

In the stifling heat of the classroom, she leaned her head against her hand, bored. She was the only one there; the other student—also the story’s male lead—was probably off meeting the female lead for the first time.

The small desk cramped her legs, and she had just started to push it away when the principal entered with three others: Qi Chen, Xiao Yan, and Xu Yi.

Wen Yang stood up immediately, her movements fluid. “Hello, Principal.”

The principal, usually known for his temper, always softened when dealing with Wen Yang and Qi Chen, two obedient and bright students. “Hello.”

“These two are the children of the benefactors who funded our school’s construction. They…” The principal started to introduce them but realized he didn’t even know their names. Meanwhile, the two remained aloof, unwilling to fill in the gaps. The principal faltered, laughing awkwardly to cover the silence.

Returning to the main issue, he said, “Here’s the thing: these two students will be studying here for a while, but we’re short on dormitory space.” Pausing, he looked slightly embarrassed. “So I wanted to ask if they could stay at your house temporarily.”

“Sure,” came the cool and crisp reply. Wen Yang’s tone was straightforward, her face showing no hint of reluctance.