Chapter 34

Zhang Tan: -_---

This nickname "Boss Zhang" has recently spread throughout the school, and according to insider information, it originated from Xiao Bai! Just like the previous nickname "Black Ass."

"Black Ass" was given to Zhang Tan because he hindered Xiao Bai's pursuit of Xiao Mi, and it was given secretly; "Boss Zhang" was given because of that cold noodle meal, also secretly, and he only found out after it was already being used.

Xiao Bai firmly denied that she was the one who gave him the nickname "Black Ass," even though all the kids in the school knew it was her. After all, she was the only one who called him "Trump," but she refused to admit it, even after she and Zhang Tan made up.

"Boss Zhang" was also denied by Xiao Bai. When asked, she would look innocent and claim to know nothing, saying she was just a kid and didn't know anything.

"Black Ass" made Zhang Tan's face black for a while. "Boss Zhang" was ambiguous, and he couldn't tell if it was a compliment or an insult, but either way, he wasn't happy. After all, it didn't sound good.

Zhang Tan habitually wanted to tug at Shen Liuliu's pigtails, but suddenly remembered her mother was there. His hand had already reached out, but he changed it to patting her little head and said, "Is your mom here to take you home? Don't play with the ball anymore, let's go home quickly."

As he got closer, he noticed that Shen Liuliu's mother looked tired and pale. He asked worriedly, "Is Liuliu's mom feeling unwell?"

This was the first time he had met Shen Liuliu's mother, who was about 168 cm tall, a bit overweight, and had the same single-fold eyes as Shen Liuliu.

"It's nothing, thank you," she replied. "Who are you?"

Shen Liuliu, holding a ball, enthusiastically introduced Zhang Tan to her mother, calling him "Boss Zhang," but she didn't know his name, gender, age, or what he did.

Zhang Tan had to introduce himself: "I'm Zhang Tan. I just came here this month, so you might not have seen me."

"Oh, hello, I'm Liuliu's mother, Zhu Xiaojing..."

Zhang Tan reminded Shen Liuliu to go home with her mother early and then said goodbye to the mother and daughter.

Shen Liuliu, full of energy, had already slept and was reluctant to go home, playing with a ball, sliding down the slide, hugging a picture book, and whispering to a stuffed animal... She just wouldn't stop, as if she had a spring inside her.

Her mother, looking pale, would frown from time to time and unconsciously hold her stomach, seeming very uncomfortable. She eventually sat down, took out a thermos from her backpack, and drank some hot water, watching Shen Liuliu play and reminding her not to leave her sight.

"Mom, come see, Papi Ma is so cute, come sit down," Shen Liuliu waved happily at her.

In front of her child, Zhu Xiaojing smiled and said, "Liuliu, play by yourself, mom will sit for a while."

Shen Liuliu played for a while, then ran over and pulled her mother's hand, asking her to play with her.

"Liuliu, let's go home? It's very late," Zhu Xiaojing's stomach was getting more and more painful, and she just wanted to lie down and rest.

"Just a little longer," Shen Liuliu pleaded.

...

Zhang Tan returned to his room, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and went to bed. The window wasn't fully closed, and the cicada sounds from the mulberry tree kept coming in, making him restless. He got up to close the window and saw Shen Liuliu holding her mother's hand, walking ahead, finally willing to go home after playing in the courtyard.

When they reached the school gate, Zhu Xiaojing stopped, holding her stomach and squatting down. From a distance, it wasn't clear, but Old Li from the guard booth ran out and said something to her.

Zhang Tan hurriedly went downstairs. Besides Old Li, there was also Teacher Xiao Liu.

Zhu Xiaojing looked a bit awkward when she saw him. Old Li called Zhang Tan aside and said to leave it to Teacher Xiao Liu to handle.

Zhang Tan guessed that it was probably her period, causing menstrual cramps, and the pain was exacerbated by working late and overtime.

Teacher Xiao Liu took her back to her room to rest for a while. When she came out again, Zhang Tan brought the mischievous Shen Liuliu, who still wanted to play and not go home, and she became obedient after her pigtails were tugged.

Zhang Tan said to Zhu Xiaojing, "Let me drive you home."

Zhu Xiaojing had come on an electric scooter, but she couldn't ride it in her current state.

To avoid awkwardness, Zhang Tan also invited Teacher Xiao Liu to come along. He drove the three of them away, and the round trip took more than half an hour.

On the way, he learned that Zhu Xiaojing was a journalist, having been on the job for three months and still in the internship period. To stay, she worked very hard and often overtime. Her husband, due to a job transfer, went to Yuhang, over 200 kilometers from Pujiang, and only came back on weekends. During the day, Shen Liuliu stayed at the kindergarten, and in the evening, she was sent to Xiaohongma School.

Back at Xiaohongma School, he learned that Xiao Bai had already been taken away by her aunt. Zhang Tan went back to his room to sleep, it was already close to midnight, and he had to work the next day.

In the middle of the night, a child's cry woke him up. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling in the dim light, still hearing the child's cry. The tree shadows outside the window swayed in the wind, making him feel uneasy.

It wasn't a dream; someone was crying in the night.

Zhang Tan lay in bed and listened for a while. The crying was downstairs, from a little girl. He picked up his phone from the bedside table; it was 3:30 AM. At this time, the only little girl in the school was Xiao Mi.

The crying continued without stopping. Zhang Tan turned on the bedside lamp, changed his clothes, picked up his phone, and turned on the flashlight function. He opened the door, and the motion-activated lights in the hallway automatically turned on. The second-floor dormitory was empty; all the children had left.

The crying was coming from the staff dormitory, also on the second floor, at the end of the hallway.

The lights in the hallway were all on, and today, Teacher Xiao Liu should have been staying to accompany Xiao Mi. The child might have had a nightmare and was crying.

Zhang Tan, worried, was about to knock on the door when it opened. Teacher Xiao Liu, in her pajamas, with messy hair and sleepy eyes, came out and was startled to see someone in the hallway, screaming.

"It's me, it's me, Zhang Tan, Teacher Xiao Liu, don't be afraid~" Zhang Tan quickly explained.

He was startled by Teacher Xiao Liu's piercing scream, and in the room, Xiao Mi's crying paused for a moment.

"Boss?" Teacher Xiao Liu asked hesitantly.

Zhang Tan took a few steps forward so she could see him more clearly.

"It's me, Zhang Tan. I heard Xiao Mi crying and came down to see what happened. Did she have a nightmare?"

Teacher Xiao Liu let out a deep breath. She was startled by Zhang Tan's sudden appearance and felt a bit awkward about her appearance.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Mi had a nightmare and was crying very sadly, waking you up."

"It's okay, what are you doing?" Zhang Tan asked.

Teacher Xiao Liu said, "Xiao Mi's stuffed animal is in the children's dormitory. It's something her mother left her, and she's crying for it."

"Can I help you?"

"No, no, you go back to sleep. I'll take care of Xiao Mi."

"Okay, I'll go back to my room."

Zhang Tan saw that Teacher Xiao Liu was a bit awkward. Girls always want to look their best in front of others and don't want to be seen in their natural state.

"Wait~ Boss, can you wait a moment?"

Teacher Xiao Liu called out to Zhang Tan, who was about to leave, and said shyly, "Can you accompany me to the dormitory to find Xiao Mi's stuffed animal? I, I'm a bit scared."

Zhang Tan looked at the spacious and empty dormitory, which looked like a black hole from the doorway, and it was indeed scary at night.

Zhang Tan found the light switch on the wall, turned on all the lights, and then called Teacher Xiao Liu in to find Xiao Mi's stuffed animal. It was a little girl doll, very old, but it was Xiao Mi's treasure.

Zhang Tan turned off the lights again, closed the door, and escorted Teacher Xiao Liu back to the dormitory. He saw that Xiao Mi had come out at some point, wearing a blue and white striped pajama, standing at the door, crying helplessly.

Teacher Xiao Liu went up to her, picked her up, and waved to Zhang Tan before going into the room.