Zhao Yaoyao’s father was one of the kindergarten’s board members. He was considered a little tyrant at school. From the little class to the big class, every teacher catered to his needs, and he had a smooth time in the kindergarten. He never expected that a new teacher today would dare to leave him up on this broken steel frame, with such an imposing tone?!
He clung to the bars, looking down at the far-off ground, trying to save face: “I… I don’t regret it! I’ll come down myself!”
“Alright.” Yi Shi clapped his hands, calling the children to find seats and enjoy the little tyrant’s acrobatic performance.
The children from Class One dropped their toys, found seats, and looked up curiously at Zhao Yaoyao. Zhao Yaoyao’s eyes wandered everywhere, boasting loudly, but he still didn’t dare to move.
The moment he let go of the iron frame with one hand, a strong wind blew, and he quickly grabbed back on, afraid of being blown off.
Yi Shi sneered. The little brat still wanted to challenge him. Sitting up there, shivering in the wind, was he about to wet his pants?
One minute passed, and Zhao Yaoyao was still holding out, though clearly lacking confidence: “You, you—I, if I get hurt, you’ll definitely be in trouble!”
Yi Shi smiled without speaking. This height was nothing to him. Moreover, his position was calculated for the angle and distance. Even if the kid accidentally fell, his skills would ensure a safe catch.
Three minutes passed, and Zhao Yaoyao’s voice started to waver with tears: “Teacher Shi…”
“Hmm?”
“I, I want to come down…”
“Will you still climb in the future?” Yi Shi asked with a hint of mockery, “You can go up but can’t come down. What’s the point of climbing?”
Zhao Yaoyao’s face turned red, but he was speaking the truth, leaving no room for rebuttal. This iron frame had been in the kindergarten for more than half a month. He had never climbed to the top before. Although he was up there now, the sense of joy had vanished, replaced only by fear of hanging in the air.
“I won’t climb anymore…”
Zhao Yaoyao finally admitted defeat, and Yi Shi went up to bring him down. As soon as his feet touched the ground again, Zhao Yaoyao sighed deeply, then quickly became anxious again: “Teacher Shi, you won’t tell my dad about today’s events, will you…?”
“You’re scared of someone?”
“Please don’t tell him!” Zhao Yaoyao grabbed Yi Shi’s arm, “He always tells me that I can’t be weak or admit defeat, otherwise, I’ll lose face and embarrass him…”
“……” What kind of strange education method is this? Guiding children based on the parents’ face? Rich people’s thinking is truly incomprehensible.
“A true man knows when to bend and when to stretch.” Yi Shi patted his head and paused, “When making any decision, compare your self-esteem, face, and what you want. Which is more important?”
For example, as a man, self-esteem can be completely set aside in the face of a strong desire to catch a criminal, even if it means wearing women’s clothing and playing house with a group of children.
Zhao Yaoyao looked up, staring intently at Teacher Shi. Other teachers would only coddle and indulge him, constantly keeping an eye on him, fearing to lose their jobs even if he scraped his knee. But Teacher Shi had put him on that big iron frame and made him come down by himself, speaking as if addressing an adult, not always calling him “Yaoyao” or “baby,” which made him feel nauseous.
Yi Shi couldn’t care less about what this little prince was thinking. It was finally time to deal with the children fighting over toys. The children from Class One were sitting quietly on the playground. Yi Shi said, “Children, do you know what happens if adults take other people’s things?”
The children eagerly raised their hands: “They will be caught by the police!”
“They will be beaten!”
“They will be locked up!”
“Yes, they will be caught.” Yi Shi continued, “Where are they locked up?”
“In a cell!”
“In a small dark room!”
“In prison!”
Yi Shi picked up a small stone from the grass and drew a little person on the cement floor, then drew a few lines blocking the person: “If you’re locked up here, you have to get up at regular times every day, no more sleeping in; the food is always the same, no snacks; you have to work and attend classes, no toys or cartoons, nothing at all.”
“The scariest part is not being able to see your mom and dad, your brothers and sisters. If you’re bullied in there, you can only endure it yourself because no one will protect or care for you.”
Some children were daydreaming, some looked frightened, and some shook their heads as if they didn’t understand. Yi Shi didn’t mind and continued, “Every adult was once a child, and adults who are locked up may have also been children who liked to grab toys.”
Hearing this, a few of the most domineering children in the class changed their expressions, especially Gu Zichen, who nervously rubbed his clothes and didn’t dare to look Yi Shi in the eye.
Yi Shi smiled faintly. The children were too young, and repeated indoctrination couldn’t be fully absorbed. It was better to just touch on the topic. He didn’t expect this bad habit to be corrected immediately; as long as the correct values were formed in their subconscious, it would be enough.
The injured little girl was sitting by the flower bed. As soon as Yi Shi approached, she reached out for a hug. With no other choice, Yi Shi picked her up and gently asked, “Does your leg still hurt?”
Jiang Yuanmin shook her head: “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“One of the children said they saw Liao Tingting push you. Is that true?”
“Tingting didn’t do it on purpose; she tripped and bumped into me.”
Yi Shi nodded. His guess was correct, which was why he hadn’t rushed to deal with this accident.
Jiang Yuanmin, held in Yi Shi’s arms, clung to his neck and said in a babyish voice: “I like Teacher Shi. You’re different from Teacher Guan and Teacher Mao. You were so cool climbing the iron frame just now, like my uncle and dad. I’ve never seen such a cool teacher before.”
“……”
That’s a given, little girl. You guessed it right; it’s just like with my uncle and dad.
The activity class “successfully” ended. Perhaps it was Teacher Shi’s actions that intimidated these little devils. When the bell rang, Yi Shi clapped his hands, and the children obediently lined up to return to the classroom.
Teacher Mao arrived late, as if she had specifically timed her appearance. She gave Yi Shi an apologetic smile: “Teacher Shi, I’m so sorry. One child had an upset stomach and accidentally soiled his pants, and was crying continuously. I was comforting him, which delayed a class…”
“It’s okay.” Yi Shi seemed to have completely disregarded it. Teacher Mao looked at the neatly lined-up children, surprised: “Did they line up so quickly today? Zhao Yaoyao, weren’t you usually the last to go to class, lying on the floor?”
Zhao Yaoyao looked guilty: “Today… I didn’t want to play.”
After enduring two cultural classes, it was nap time. Yi Shi leaned against the wall and sighed deeply. After the children finished eating, they could finally nap. The small beds were moved out and set up, the curtains were drawn, and the noisy classroom gradually quieted down. Teacher Guan waved to Yi Shi, calling him to the corridor.
“Teacher Shi, that iron frame is an unfinished art sculpture. How could you let Zhao Yaoyao climb it?!” Teacher Guan covered her mouth with her hand, “His dad is a school board member! What if something happens? We can’t afford that!”
“Did you see it, Teacher Guan?” Yi Shi’s tone was calm, “So why didn’t you come down to stop him?”
“This…” Teacher Guan hadn’t seen it with her own eyes. She had heard it from Teacher Mao and was still shaken, which was why she called Yi Shi to talk.
“Teacher Shi, let’s be clear. You were sent by Officer Yu to protect these children. You should fulfill your responsibilities!”
Hearing this, Yi Shi coldly replied, “My responsibility is for the day of the activity, not now.”
Compared to the hectic morning, the afternoon became much more relaxed. It wasn’t that Yi Shi was skilled at handling children, but because nap time lasted until 2:30 PM. After the children woke up, they had some snacks, attended an art class, and were dismissed at 4 PM. This meant Yi Shi only needed to interact with the children for another hour and a half to complete his task.
Indeed, he viewed today’s teaching experience entirely as a task, which was his only reason to persuade himself.
Just through one activity class, Yi Shi successfully memorized all the children’s faces and names and also left them with a deep impression—new Teacher Shi was not to be trifled with. Although she wore a skirt, she wasn’t gentle at all, and the consequences of not listening to her were severe.
Strangely, despite Teacher Shi’s severity, the children didn’t show any fear. Instead, they all vied to get closer to her. The little princes and princesses who came to school here were tired and bored by the teachers’ careful attention and caution. “Teacher Shi” was like a female hero who could climb bars in a skirt, full of a “heroic” aura, and became an object of admiration for the children.
Especially Jiang Yuanmin, who was very attached to Yi Shi. She woke up earliest after the nap time and came over in her slippers, her hair disheveled, and handed Yi Shi a hair tie: “Teacher Shi, can you help me braid my hair?”
Yi Shi was at a loss with the hair tie in hand. This request was far beyond his professional abilities. Teacher Mao grabbed Jiang Yuanmin’s arm: “Minmin, Teacher Mao will help you braid your hair. What kind of braid do you want today?”
“No!” Jiang Yuanmin threw herself into Yi Shi’s arms, “I want Teacher Shi to help me braid.”
“……” Yi Shi really wanted to tell her that the teacher simply couldn’t manage it.
Helpless, he could only search for a braiding tutorial online and awkwardly fumble with Jiang Yuanmin’s thick black hair. The little girl sat obediently, saying: “Teacher Shi, I want to be like you when I grow up.”
“Me?” Yi Shi was puzzled, “Why?”
“Because Teacher Shi is amazing. Even Zhao Yaoyao is afraid of you. I want to be as amazing as you.”
“…Then it wouldn’t be cute.”
Jiang Yuanmin turned her head and stared at him with her big eyes: “I want to be cute too, but my little uncle says that being weak will lead to being bullied. Little girls need to learn to protect themselves. Teacher Shi, are you never afraid of bad people?”
“Not afraid.”
“Wow, so amazing!” Jiang Yuanmin clapped exaggeratedly, tilting her head, “Does Teacher Shi have a boyfriend?”
Yi Shi shook his head. Jiang Yuanmin’s eyes lit up with a smile, and she hugged his arm: “That’s great! My little uncle doesn’t have a girlfriend either. Can Teacher Shi be my little uncle’s girlfriend? He’s very handsome!”
??? Yi Shi sweated and decisively refused: “Thank you for your kindness. I like being single.”
“Who do you like?”
Yi Shi rephrased: “I like, being, single.”
“Right, but who does Teacher Shi like?”
“……” Yi Shi tried to explain further, but the depth of Chinese language would probably be understood only after she entered nine years of compulsory education.
At dismissal time, Teacher Guan helped the children pack their homework and asked Teacher Mao and Yi Shi to take them downstairs to line up.
According to their student numbers, Jiang Yuanmin should have been second in line, but she stubbornly walked at the end, holding Yi Shi’s hand. Zhao Yaoyao was displeased: “Hey, Jiang Yuanmin, why are you always clinging to Teacher Shi? We need to line up!”
The little girl held Yi Shi’s hand and stuck out her tongue: “Mind your own business. I want to hold hands with Teacher Shi!”
Zhao Yaoyao, hands on his hips and fuming, said: “Then… then I want to hold hands with Teacher Shi too!”
Yi Shi calmly replied: “Go line up. I don’t hold hands with mischievous boys.”
Zhao Yaoyao’s steps came to an abrupt halt. His eyes widened, his expression changed several times, and finally, with a pout, he seemed to be deeply wronged. He had tasted the “sweetness of being defied” several times today, and his emotions were like a roller coaster, wanting to cry but reminding himself not to lose face as a boy. After a few seconds, he dropped his grandiose statement: “I’ll definitely behave in class tomorrow! I’ll make sure to hold your hand!”
Jiang Yuanmin, carrying her small backpack, happily held hands with Yi Shi as they went downstairs. Outside the school gate, several parents were already gathered. Jiang Yuanmin, on tiptoe, looked around and suddenly exclaimed with surprise: “Teacher Shi! My uncle is over there! Look quickly! The tall one in the blue clothes!”
“……” Yi Shi was helpless. How could he get this little girl to stop playing matchmaker? He should have told her earlier that he had a boyfriend, a police officer, carrying a big silver bracelet. Wasn’t that enough to scare her?
“My little uncle is a police officer. He’s very amazing and not afraid of bombs!”
“Hmm?” Yi Shi finally looked up and followed her pointing direction. He inadvertently saw a familiar face—wasn’t that Jiang Dongliang, the elite bomb disposal expert from the previous mission?
The Class One line reached the door, and Teacher Mao arranged the parents to swipe cards to pick up their children. Jiang Yuanmin jumped up and down at the back, waving her hands: “Uncle! Little uncle!”
Jiang Dongliang saw his niece calling out and waved back. The little girl was led out by an unfamiliar young female teacher, and she pulled his hand: “Uncle, this is the new teacher. She doesn’t have a boyfriend!”
“……” Yi Shi tried to cover Jiang Yuanmin’s mouth with his hand, “Children speak without thinking.”
Jiang Dongliang was confused about the situation and nodded awkwardly: “Yes, yes, children speak without thinking.”
His niece was truly a little pest, wanting to matchmake the handsome single teacher with her uncle. He glanced at this new teacher’s face and paused, a strange sense of familiarity spreading in his heart.
The female teacher was very tall, with unusually delicate features. Her meticulously drawn eyebrows and eyes seemed vaguely familiar, and her clothes looked like a fleeting silhouette from deep within his memories. A more familiar voice sounded from behind: “Yiyi, school’s out?”
Jiang Dongliang turned around to see Captain Yu from Nanyi, whom he had worked with on cases before, looking surprised to see him: “Jiang Dongliang?”
“Yes, Captain Yu, hello.”
Nan Yi looked at the little girl Jiang Dongliang was holding and asked uncertainly: “…… Here to pick up your daughter?” If he remembered correctly, this young man was only 25. Was he married so early?
Jiang Dongliang quickly explained, that the little girl was his niece. Nan Yi smiled, agreeing that young police officers who became fathers were indeed rare.
“Captain Yu, are you here to pick up this teacher?” Jiang Dongliang asked.
“Yes.”
Jiang Dongliang looked at the female teacher: “Is she your girlfriend?”
Yi Shi remained silent, and Captain Yu stifled a laugh, leaning in to whisper. After a few words, Jiang Dongliang’s expression changed drastically, becoming increasingly stunned: “You… you are—Yi Shi?”
No wonder she looked familiar. They had worked together on a mission recently, and Jiang Dongliang had heard about Yi Shi’s work with Lin Erde.
Captain Yu put a hand on Yi Shi’s shoulder: “Did you manage to keep it hidden all day?”
Yi Shi shook his head, his expression stern. Was this something to be happy about? A man dressing as a woman and staying in a place full of women and children without being recognized all day was indeed quite an astonishing feat.
Jiang Dongliang was still in shock, his gaze at Yi Shi becoming more profound. At that moment, he was reminded of an ancient poem: “The male rabbit’s tracks are elusive, the female rabbit’s eyes are dazed; both rabbits move close to the ground, how can one distinguish between male and female?”
The “Ballad of Mulan” was indeed not misleading. The reputation of Nanyi Police Station was well-deserved.
