Chapter 84

Words : 1074 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Ji Nian didn’t take the big bag of shrimp chips. Instead, her gaze fell on his hand. “Teacher, your hand is hurt.” She thought the child might sulk, say she hated him, or even declare she no longer wanted to be the Chinese class representative. But Chen Mo never expected her to say something like this first. He followed Ji Nian’s gaze and looked down at the wound on his palm, caused by snapping a ballpoint pen. Even Chen Mo hadn’t noticed it. “My dad says that as long as you can admit your mistakes and correct them, you’re a good kid.” “So, teacher, I accept your apology.” She said earnestly, flashing Chen Mo a smile. It was the same silly grin she had given him when they first met at Gu Xiuyuan’s birthday party all those years ago. Then, she took the big bag of shrimp chips as an apology gift and pulled out a cartoon chicken-patterned band-aid from her pocket, placing it between Chen Mo’s fingers. “A trade.” Ji Nian blinked at him. The dim light filtered through the railings, falling on her face. Her emerald-green eyes shimmered even more brilliantly under the evening sun. So beautiful, it was hard to look away. From this moment on, even if Ji Nian looked exactly like Ji Tingzhou, Chen Mo couldn’t deny it—he had truly separated the two in his mind. Shifting his gaze from those captivating emerald eyes, Chen Mo glanced down at Ji Nian’s arm. A day had passed, and only a faint red mark remained on the child’s tender skin. “Does it hurt?” Ji Nian shook her head. Seeing Chen Mo’s guilt, she added, “If you feel bad, how about letting me pinch you back?” That was a hard pass. Unless absolutely necessary, Chen Mo didn’t like being touched by others. Noticing his reluctance, Ji Nian grinned again. “Then, teacher, I want shrimp chips again tomorrow.” “Alright.” This time, Chen Mo agreed. The two of them had reconciled. “Remember to come to my office during the big break tomorrow.” At these words, the child’s face, which had just lit up with excitement, immediately fell. Now Chen Mo found it amusing. No wonder the other teachers in the office loved teasing kids. It really was fun. ... Shen Qingtang stood by the stairs waiting for Ji Nian. When she saw her return, she ran over and asked, “How did it go? Did Teacher Mo give you a hard time?” Ji Nian waved the bag of shrimp chips in her hand. “Look! Teacher Mo gave me this.” “Wow, Ji Nian, you’re amazing! Teacher Mo actually gave you snacks!” Shen Qingtang exclaimed without thinking. A few kids who had just finished cleaning duty overheard and gathered around, though they kept their distance, staring in awe at the shrimp chips in Ji Nian’s hand. “What’s that?” A man dressed as a janitor pushed a trash bin out, looking around nervously. The next moment, a bald man appeared in front of him. “Did you get it?” The bald man’s eyes were fierce as he stared at the janitor. The janitor nodded, then took a stack of cash from the bald man’s hand, stuffing it into his pocket with glee. He then pulled a bag out of the trash bin. The bin, it turned out, was empty. Inside the bag was a set of boys’ summer school uniform. “Here, it wasn’t easy to get.” The bald man snapped, “Stop wasting time.” The janitor shrank back, intimidated. So scary... If he weren’t desperate for gambling money, he wouldn’t have taken this job. “Wait here.” Without waiting for a reply, the bald man took the uniform and walked away. When he returned, he was accompanied by a boy wearing the S Elementary School uniform. The boy had brown hair and dark skin, looking about eight or nine years old. His appearance was no different from any other child, but when he spoke— His voice was rough and hoarse, his eyes creased with wrinkles, and his teeth were yellow: “Damn, these brats get to wear such nice fabric.” The janitor was startled by the contrast. The ‘boy’ grinned, his eyes sinister. “What are you staring at? Never seen a dwarf before?” The ‘boy’ was actually a forty-year-old man with dwarfism. He looked like a child but was fully grown. “You got everything? Keep your mouth shut and be gentle. These are precious materials.” “Remember, don’t touch the green-eyed ones.” Ji Tingzhou’s most prized possession could bring unimaginable wealth, but only if they lived to enjoy it. Thinking of the recent undercurrents of chaos, the bald man wondered what had gotten into the wealthy elite lately. He needed to secure the goods and get out fast. The bald man lit a cigarette and added, “If this goes well, that one’s yours. According to estimates, it won’t be long before it’s useless.” The dwarf patted the poison he was carrying and chuckled creepily. “Don’t worry... I’ll feed the useless ones to myself later. I’m not hungry now.” As if remembering something, the dwarf licked his lips, his eyes filled with anticipation. The bald man was still uneasy, but there was no one else who could pull this off besides the dwarf. “That guy’s in this school. Don’t let him see you, or we’re both dead meat!” “It’s ‘we’re done for,’ not ‘dead meat’...” the janitor muttered under his breath. The bald man glared at him. “I’ll say what I want! Got a problem?” The janitor quickly lowered his head. He was starting to regret this. The bald man didn’t seem trustworthy. What if something went wrong and he got thrown under the bus? The bald man gave the dwarf one last warning. “If this works, that one’s yours. Based on the calculations, it won’t be long before it’s useless.” Upon hearing these words, the dwarf seemed to come alive, his spirits instantly soaring. "That little beauty!? Don't worry, I'll make sure to handle this for you!" Thinking about the child with an almost inhumanly beautiful face that the bald man had captured some time ago, the dwarf's mouth watered uncontrollably. As if injected with adrenaline, he dove into a trash bin and had a janitor push him into the school.

Chapter 84

Comments (0)