Do Not Approach

The day of selling one's looks.

Xiaoxiao's classes weren't easy. She's in charge of six young children who needed extra care. Because Zhang Qiao and Li Bo had little experience with children, anything that's slightly tricky ended up on her plate.

Today, as luck would have it, trouble came in droves. Although the sky was clear at noon when Xiaoxiao stepped out, the weather shifted into a dreary drizzle by afternoon.

Rain in the mountains was different from the city—it seeped into the bones. The school building is old and dilapidated, with broken roof tiles scattered around. When it rained, everyone suffered.

Fortunately, the children were well-trained. As soon as the rain started, they didn't need Xiaoxiao to tell them what to do. They swiftly grabbed bowls, basins, and lunchboxes from their desks to catch the water dripping in.

Watching them work so skillfully and sensibly made Xiaoxiao feel both proud and heartbroken. She gathered them to sit near the podium, where the roof didn't leak, and they chatted as they listened to the rain.

The rhythmic "ding-dong" of rain hitting pots and pans accompanied their conversation. Xiaoxiao took off her jacket and draped it over Wenwen, the youngest and most delicate child.

The children weren't yet familiar with her and still felt a bit shy, especially Wenwen. She nestled awkwardly into Xiaoxiao's jacket, which smelled pleasantly fresh.

At just eight years old, Wenwen often helped out with farm work at home. She lived with her grandparents, barely scraping by above the poverty line. Her small hands were sun-darkened and rough, and she worried about dirtying her teacher's jacket.

Xiaoxiao smiled warmly. "It's been a long time since I've seen such beautiful scenery."

The mountains outside were shrouded in layers of mist, creating a dreamlike landscape.

In the city, life was always a rush. At this hour, Xiaoxiao's memories were filled with scenes of subway stations and buses, always rushing somewhere.

Her words sparked curiosity in one of the older boys. "Teacher, are the children in the city really like the ones on TV?"

Xiaoxiao looked at him gently. "What does the TV say?"

She expected them to mention how city kids were pampered like little emperors, surrounded by the best things money could buy, with parents who catered to their every whim.

The boy smiled innocently, full of longing. "I saw that their parents always hold them close, never letting them walk alone. Wherever they go, their parents are right behind them, and they pick them up after school every day."

Xiaoxiao froze for a moment. Another child rubbed his arms, shivering from the cold. "Do their parents not work?"

It had been six months since he'd seen his parents, and he missed them dearly. But he understood—if they didn't work far away, he wouldn't even be able to attend school.

Parental love was a yearning that ran deep in every child's heart.

Xiaoxiao gently ruffled the boy's hair. "That's why you have to study hard. Your parents are working so that, when you grow up and leave the mountains, you can live a life with more time for family."

Some truths were too cruel to tell.

Wenwen glanced up at Xiaoxiao with a soft voice. "Teacher, can you sing us a song?"

Xiaoxiao: ...

The other children chimed in enthusiastically. "Yeah, teacher! Sing us a song! We have all kinds of teachers here, but no music teacher."