Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s Ⅱ

Part 240 Admissions

Mr. Si happily returned home after dropping someone off and specially honked twice at the door, worried that others might not know he had arrived. After honking for a while without anyone coming out, he frowned and got out of the car.

He thought, is the child still sulking? Yes, it was wrong for Sisi to steal money and cause trouble for her, and they were angry with her, but it's been so long. Surely the anger has subsided by now?

Just as Mr. Si got out of the car, he heard the sound of a door opening. He straightened his suit and walked forward.

"Niannian," he started to say, but before he could finish, a middle-aged woman opened the iron gate and asked, puzzled, "Who are you looking for?"

Then, surprised, she added, "Is it you?"

Mr. Si was equally puzzled. "Who are you?"

Aunt Zhang remembered this man; he was Niannian's adoptive father. He had come once before when Niannian married Zhou Yuanshen, acting all high and mighty, looking down on everyone. She certainly didn't have a good impression of this family.

"I live next door and came to help clean the Zhou family's house. Do you need something?"

Mr. Si replied, "I'm here to see Niannian about something."

Yet he thought to himself, this adopted daughter is living comfortably now, even hiring someone to clean the house. In their family, they would think twice before hiring someone to cook.

"Never mind, I'll just go in myself," he said.

"Wait," Aunt Zhang stopped him. "Niannian isn't home; it's no use going in."

"What?" Mr. Si was taken aback. "Where has she gone?"

Aunt Zhang looked at him incredulously. "Aren't you her adoptive father? Don't you know that they've all moved away?"

Feeling cornered by her gaze, Mr. Si felt a pang of frustration. "Of course I'm her adoptive father! She's a child I've watched grow up."

Aunt Zhang looked skeptical. Although Niannian had smiled at him during the wedding, she still sensed that their relationship wasn't good.

"Well, they moved a long time ago. I heard that Niannian is going to be a teacher in the city. Didn't she tell you?"

Mr. Si felt even worse upon hearing this. The news about her becoming a teacher was something Liu Dongdong had told him. Niannian hadn't mentioned it herself.

"Where did she move to?" he asked.

Aunt Zhang shook her head. "I don't know; I didn't ask."

Hearing this made Mr. Si's expression darken even further. He had driven all the way here, wasting so much gas, only to find it was all for nothing. He couldn't express how frustrated he felt.

Si Nian was unaware that Mr. Si had come looking for her. After getting settled in at home for a few days, she went to the school to report for duty. With the school year starting soon, as a new teacher, she needed to prepare in advance.

First, she checked in with the vice principal to complete her onboarding and received her textbooks early. Although her schedule for the day hadn't been finalized yet, it wouldn't be too full. Initially, the vice principal planned to assign her to teach first, second, and third grades. However, considering Si Nian's qualifications, that seemed like a waste of her talents. So, she was reassigned to teach fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, which were more important for the school's graduation rates and came with the potential for bonuses. Of course, that meant more pressure.

To be honest, Si Nian wasn't too fond of being surrounded by a bunch of little kids who barely understood anything. Having three of her own at home was exhausting enough. The students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades were slightly older and more aware of teachers, so she didn't mind the change and agreed to it.

Next, she took her eldest and youngest sons to handle their enrollment procedures. Both kids were a bit reserved as they transferred to the new school.

The new school was nothing like the square little houses in their village. It was a real, spacious building with four or five floors, and each floor had numerous classrooms. It was said that this school had a substantial number of students, with about forty to fifty kids in each class. Back at their primary school, a class had at most twenty students, and the whole school had only a little over a hundred.

In contrast, this elementary school had thousands of students and required uniforms, along with a plethora of miscellaneous fees. Although there were discounts on tuition, the other expenses added up significantly, making it hard for an average family to bear. Luckily, Si Nian had the money given to her by Zhou Yue Shen, and by the end of the day, she couldn't help but acknowledge why children were often referred to as money pits. And she had three of them!

Fortunately, Yao Yao was still young. After completing the enrollment procedures, she needed to take her eldest son to the principal's office for an assessment. Si Nian initially thought it would just involve answering a few questions.

To her surprise, there was a written test. This year, her eldest son was entering fourth grade, and the results would determine his class assignment. The school had a strict division based on scores, categorizing students into elite and regular classes. Some things never change, it seemed.

Worried that Zhou Zedong might get nervous and underperform, Si Nian reassured him, "It's okay, don't stress. Just take your time; it doesn't matter which class you end up in." Zhou Zedong looked up at her, noticing the hint of anxiety in her eyes. For a moment, he paused and then managed a smile. "Mom, I'm not nervous at all."

He truly wasn't; he had always known he was different from others and never feared anything. His only fear was women. He didn't care about outsiders, so why would he be scared? But he could tell his mom was anxious, probably worried he wouldn't do well and would feel upset. However, Zhou Zedong was determined to do his best at everything he attempted.

Just now, he heard the principal mention that his mom taught the elite classes. If he ended up in a regular class, it would embarrass her. He lowered his gaze. The principal glanced at him again.

Meanwhile, his younger brother, seeing Si Nian's concern, thought Zhou Zedong was scared. In truth, he was also afraid—he had never been to such a big school before. Although he appeared cheerful, he worried about being looked down upon. So, mustering his courage, he stepped up and took Zhou Zedong's hand, saying, "Brother, don't be scared. Even if you end up in a regular class, I'll be there with you."

True, his own grades would likely land him in a regular class, but he didn't mind; he just wanted to be able to study. His brother, however, was different—he had always been the top student. If he ended up in a regular class, it would be hard for his proud brother to handle. This was the moment when he, as a caring and kind younger brother, needed to support him.

Zhou Zedong glanced at him, then turned his focus to the small desk, grabbing a pen to start writing. Sorry, little brother, but I have no intention of joining you in the regular class. His hand moved quickly, fingers rough and marked with old scars, showing that he had endured hardship. The principal could tell at a glance that this child had suffered.

Before, he had heard about Si Nian's situation from Sister Chen, but he didn't fully believe it. Seeing these two kids, he was convinced. However, while there were opportunities for preferential admission for teachers, not just anyone could be accepted; it was a matter of the school's reputation. He couldn't just push people through.

The test paper was from a third-grade exam, covering math, Chinese, and even English. He didn't expect much from a student coming from the countryside, thinking that if they could manage decent scores in math and Chinese, he'd place them in a better class, which would be fair to Si Nian.

As he pondered this, the vice principal took his time, discussing the responsibilities and procedures for new student enrollment. Just as he was about to take another sip of tea, he suddenly saw Zhou Zedong stand up. The vice principal was startled, thinking maybe he couldn't write anything. Given the rural educational background, even if he had a recommendation letter, doing well in a city school was a different story; the questions would be tougher.

"Can't write anymore?" He cleared his throat and tried to comfort him, "It's okay. Even if you're in a regular class, our school teaches well—better than some elite classes in other schools."

"Actually, no." Zhou Zedong interrupted calmly before he could finish, "I've finished."