Chapter 1

"Hey, Chu Ge, good evening! It's quite rare to see you in the dorm at this time!"

In Dorm 224, it was around 10 PM. Zhang Heng looked at Chu Ge in surprise and greeted him.

Chu Ge was a well-known top student in the dorm, a regular at the library. He usually spent this time battling with books in the library and wouldn't return until the dorm was about to close.

"Yeah." Chu Ge laughed and put two books into his bag.

Zhang Heng glanced over and saw that it was a book Chu Ge had been reading recently, "How to Deal with Misbehaving Babies."

"Are you... packing up late at night? Where are you going?" Zhang Heng asked.

"I've been hired by a kindergarten and am starting work tonight." Chu Ge said, quickly stuffing various documents into his bag.

The bag wasn't small, but it was almost full. It was clear how well-prepared Chu Ge was for his job.

"You haven't even passed the teaching qualification exam yet. Which kindergarten hired you? What's the pay like?" Zhang Heng was surprised.

Dorm 224 had four people in total, three of whom were primary school teachers, and one was a kindergarten teacher. The only kindergarten teacher was Chu Ge, who, it was said, was the only male in their major, including the teachers and the dogs they raised.

Although their majors were different, there wasn't much of a difference. The teaching qualification certificate was the best credential for finding a job. Without it, one would face obstacles everywhere. Chu Ge was the one who hadn't passed, though no one knew why a top student had failed three times.

Chu Ge was tidying up his desk, putting scissors and colored paper into his bag, which was now almost completely full.

"These things will definitely be needed. What if I have to perform some skills..." he muttered, then answered Zhang Heng's question: "The kindergarten that hired me is Sunshine Kindergarten in Xicheng District, with a monthly salary of 30,000."

"…Are you sure you're not being scammed?" Zhang Heng looked at him worriedly.

Chu Ge shook his bag on the bed, creating a bit more space, and quickly stuffed the only apple and a fruit knife from the table into the bag. Then he answered Zhang Heng: "No, I've been to this kindergarten. The facilities are excellent, and the call was from an official number."

This apple is so red, it looks delicious. I have to bring it.

Zhang Heng frowned, opened his phone to search for Sunshine Kindergarten in Xicheng District, and continued: "Who would offer you 30,000 right from the start? The highest salary for a kindergarten teacher is around 10,000. Do you believe that? Are you stupid? What did the call say?"

Chu Ge: "The signal wasn't good, and the female teacher was coughing constantly. But she said several times that they really want me, and I have to go. If I don't, it won't work."

"…What the hell?" Zhang Heng, who was still searching for the kindergarten, saw Chu Ge already with his backpack, ready to leave, and his frown deepened.

Chu Ge smiled shyly: "I didn't expect to be so popular with their kindergarten. There were even screams threatening me on the phone."

Zhang Heng: "…"

Why do I suddenly feel something is wrong?

"Wait! Going to work now? Who has a kindergarten that operates in the middle of the night?!" Zhang Heng suddenly realized and shouted.

Chu Ge, confused, said: "When to work is up to the kindergarten. They have the right to arrange it."

"…Do you think this is normal?!" Zhang Heng looked at him, feeling like he wanted to knock some sense into him.

"It's normal." Chu Ge glanced at the time, "I have to go, I called a car, it's coming soon."

Zhang Heng: "…"

Zhang Heng looked at Chu Ge's phone; the driver was only 104 meters away and would arrive in a minute. And... it would take over an hour to reach the destination.

It will be midnight when he gets there. What will he do? Who has a kindergarten open at this time?

"Brother Zhang, I'm leaving. See you tomorrow."

Zhang Heng watched Chu Ge leave with his backpack, a shy and inexperienced young man, and his worries grew.

He looked down at his phone, and the page that hadn't loaded before finally appeared. First, a blackened wasteland came into view.

Zhang Heng's pupils dilated.

On May 7, 2020, Sunshine Kindergarten in Xicheng District caught fire for unknown reasons. The accident resulted in the deaths of two teachers and 15 children, with over 20 people severely injured. It was a major incident, and the safety of kindergartens once again became a focal point of society...

In the picture, the entire kindergarten was burned black. The playful dolls were twisted by the high temperature, and the cartoon characters on the floor were missing necks or arms. Bloodstained footprints were scattered everywhere.

The bodies wrapped in stretchers were a shocking sight. Zhang Heng's fingers trembled, and he quickly ran out—Chu Ge was already out of sight.

"…"

Zhang Heng quickly made a call.

"Hello, the number you dialed is out of service..."

...

"Why isn't Brother Zhang talking?" On the other end, Chu Ge looked at the disconnected phone in confusion.

Was he just imitating the robot voice from the phone call? Is Brother Zhang so petty that he can't take a joke?

At this moment, the driver hesitated and asked, "Little brother, what are you going to Xicheng District's old street for?"

"To work." Chu Ge laughed.

"Is there even a place to work there?"

"Yes, there's a very good kindergarten there."

Chu Ge thought he saw the steering wheel in the driver's hand tremble.

The driver asked with difficulty, "At... this time... to work?"

Chu Ge, confused, said, "What's the problem?"

The car was silent, and this silence continued until they reached the destination.

As soon as Chu Ge got out of the car, the driver immediately turned around, and the black BYD car made a stylish tail slide, splashing Chu Ge with exhaust.

"Do drivers drive so aggressively these days?"

Chu Ge muttered and looked at his destination.

In the darkness ahead, the outlines of two pandas gradually appeared—the entrance to Sunshine Kindergarten in Xicheng District was shaped like two pandas.

The kindergarten was hidden in the darkness, and the pandas were hard to see clearly, appearing much darker than during the day. One of the pandas' heads was slightly tilted, possibly due to disrepair.

The light was too dim, and only the words "Sunshine Kindergarten" on the sign could be barely seen, the rest were blurred in the darkness.

Chu Ge prepared himself and smiled warmly, "When dealing with children, one must be gentle, kind, and engaging... Yes, this angle is perfect; it will definitely win the children's affection."

He rummaged in his backpack, which contained some small gifts for the children, but after a while, he only found a fruit knife.

"Never mind, this can be a gift too."