Only after confirming that the newly arrived monster was sound asleep in the dormitory did Yin Zhuzhi finally leave with peace of mind.

The kindergarten was a mix of the old and the young. The principal was too elderly to possess any remaining combat power, and the only teacher in his prime was a rabbit spirit who was terrified to death—Bi Fang alone could scare him to tears. He was completely unreliable, so Yin Zhuzhi had no choice but to keep an extra eye on things himself.

The newly arrived monster was still under observation, but for now, he didn’t seem to harbor any malicious intentions. Yin Zhuzhi happily flicked the tip of his tail, his sharp claws gripping the wall firmly as he scaled the outer wall of the building back to his own dormitory.

As he passed the adjacent room, he saw Long Ya standing at the window looking down, his grayish-blue pupils gleaming with a green phosphorescence in the dark. “How is it?”

Yin Zhuzhi shook his head. “No problems.”

Long Ya gave a grunt, turned around, and leapt down from the windowsill, presumably heading back to bed.

Having been startled awake once in the middle of the night, Rong Sui didn’t sleep very well during the latter half of the night. When he woke up in the morning, he was still feeling quite drowsy. However, since he had to teach the little cubs today, he forced himself to cheer up, went to wash his face, and began preparing his lesson plans in the dorm.

Bai Tu got up at around the same time. At exactly eight o’clock, he went to the student dormitory to wake the children up one by one, urging them to change their clothes and wash up.

Once breakfast was finished and nine o’clock arrived, it was time for the children’s classes.

A kindergarten’s primary focus is to cultivate the children’s interest in learning, so there were no fixed curriculum requirements. In a standard, regular kindergarten setup, there would usually be two classroom teachers and one childcare worker operating on a shift system—one teacher taking the morning session and the other taking the afternoon, while the childcare worker managed the students’ daily lives.

Currently, Mountain and Sea Kindergarten had barely any students, and Rong Sui was the only teacher, so he simply set things according to his own pace.

The first class was Art. Rong Sui had always been somewhat clumsy when it came to the arts; he wasn’t good at singing or dancing, and drawing was the only thing he could confidently display. Since the cubs still harbored a bit of fear and hostility toward their new teacher, Rong Sui figured that if he rigidly taught something like Social Studies or Science, they would probably just ignore him and play on their own. It was better to find a way to spark their interest first.

The dismissal bell outside clanged to signal the start of class, and Rong Sui walked into the classroom carrying a stack of white paper and a box of colored pencils.

The restless cubs didn’t quiet down just because the bell had rung. Bi Fang was still trying to tug at Wen Tun’s little topknot. It pulled so hard that it hurt, causing Wen Tun to clutch his head and hide behind Long Ya. After a couple of tugs, Long Ya couldn’t stand it anymore and looked ready to throw hands with Bi Fang again.

Rong Sui quickly stepped forward to pull them apart and made them sit in their respective seats.

But Bi Fang acted as if he had springs installed under his bottom; he couldn’t sit still for even a second. Just as Rong Sui walked back to the podium, he saw Bi Fang pinching Baize’s face again. Baize’s face was being pinched almost out of shape, yet he remained perfectly still and obedient.

The smile on Rong Sui’s face faltered. Stiffening his expression, he tapped his fingers on the podium and said, “Alright class, school is in session!”

“Bi Fang, let go of Baize and sit properly!”

Hearing his name called, Bi Fang twitched his mouth in dissatisfaction but honestly let go of his hand.

Only then did Rong Sui satisfactorily distribute the white sheets of paper one by one. “Today, we are having an art class.”

Returning to the podium, Rong Sui used colored chalk to draw simple stick-figure sketches of rabbits, birds, and other animals on the blackboard. He drew very quickly, and within moments, the blackboard was filled with all kinds of sketched creatures.

Bringing the colored pencils down for them to choose from, Rong Sui walked around the room, saying, “Everyone, use your imagination to draw. Turn it in when class is over, and the teacher will grade it.”

When it was Wen Tun’s turn, Rong Sui looked at the child’s vacant eyes. Worried that the boy might feel singled out or excluded, he spoke softly, “Wen Tun, why don’t you come up to the podium and be the teacher’s model?”

Terrified, Wen Tun shrunk toward Long Ya, but he didn’t dare speak up to refuse. He could only stand up with a pout, looking as if he were about to cry.

Rong Sui assumed he was just nervous. He possessed twelve fractions of patience for this chubby, adorable, yet blind little cub, so seeing him like this made him act even more gently. He rubbed the boy’s head and led him by the hand to sit on the podium.

Wen Tun sat down helplessly, completely clueless as to what this grand demon was going to do to him. He could only hold back his tears, frequently turning his head to look down at the classroom.

Down below, Long Ya was scratching a pencil across his paper, making rustling noises with absolutely no intention of coming up to rescue him.

Filled with grievances, Wen Tun thought to himself, Are they going to offer me up to be eaten by this grand demon? The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Hanging his head in fear and sorrow, Wen Tun almost wanted to revert to his original form and bury his head into his belly to hide away.

Rong Sui was completely oblivious to his inner turmoil. Propping up his drawing board, he picked up a few colored pencils and began sketching Wen Tun with total concentration.

He was drawing a cute, chibi version. The little child sat on the chair, turning his head to look below the stage with a slightly aggrieved pout. His eyes were drawn large and dark, but unlike reality, the Wen Tun in the drawing had eyes filled with vibrant luster, looking as though they held all the stars in the universe.

After sitting on the podium for a while and realizing that the grand demon wasn’t doing anything to him, Wen Tun gradually stopped being so afraid. He even began craning his neck, stealthily looking for an opportunity to slip back down.

Noticing his movements, Rong Sui didn’t stop him. With a smile on his face, he captured the boy’s subsequent sequence of actions onto the paper, turning it into a short comic strip.

“All done.”

Wen Tun, whose bottom had just left the chair as he prepared to sneak back, was startled by the sudden voice. Upon landing, his foot tripped, and he fell heavily toward the floor.

Rong Sui gasped. His physical reflexes bypassed conscious thought as he lunged forward, managed by a hair’s breadth to catch Wen Tun securely in his arms.

Enveloped once again by that ferocious aura, Wen Tun wanted to cry all over again.

Cradling the little cub in his arms, Rong Sui anxiously checked him over. Only after ensuring he wasn’t injured did he breathe a sigh of relief. He intended to scold him a little to tell him to be more careful when walking, but seeing the chubby little cub curled in his embrace with eyes tightly shut and teardrops trembling on his lashes, his heart instantly melted.

Fumbling through his pockets, he pulled out a strawberry-flavored lollipop. Rong Sui unwrapped the wrapper and waved it under the boy’s nose. “Does Wen Tun want to eat a piece of candy?”

The sweet and sour scent of strawberry candy wafted across his nose. Wen Tun’s nose twitched, and before his tears could even dry, he opened his mouth wide to grab the lollipop. Rong Sui slipped the lollipop into his mouth and carried him back to his seat, gently patting his head.

Beside them, Long Ya stared at him sideways, trying to deduce this grand demon’s true motives. Judging by his performance yesterday and today, this grand demon—whose true form could not be detected—really behaved just like an ordinary teacher. He taught them classes, ate meals with them… and was incredibly patient with Wen Tun.

He seemed completely different from those wicked monsters who sneaked in wanting to eat monster cubs.

Long Ya couldn’t help but feel a bit perplexed.

Seeing Long Ya staring at him with a brooding expression, Rong Sui assumed he wanted candy too. He checked his pants pocket and found the very last lollipop he had brought out. Unwrapping the paper, he held the candy out in front of the boy’s face. “Orange flavor, say ah—“

Long Ya’s gaze shifted to the lollipop in front of him. After a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth. Rong Sui placed the candy inside. Watching him continue to stare with his cheeks puffed out, Rong Sui realized that although this little cub looked a bit gloomy, he was actually quite cute.

He brushed Long Ya’s bangs up slightly, exposing a smooth forehead, and said with a grin, “Isn’t your hair a bit too long? Let’s cut it shorter another day. Long Ya looks very cute with his forehead showing.”

Long Ya’s expression froze. With a loud crack, the candy in his mouth was bitten to pieces, and he uncomfortably turned his head away to avoid the contact.

Collecting the cubs’ drawings one by one, Rong Sui took a look. Aside from Baize, who had meticulously drawn a sheep, everyone else’s papers were filled with chaotic scribbles that made it impossible to discern what they had intended to draw.

However, children’s ideas are naturally strange and varied, so Rong Sui wasn’t overly surprised. He praised them each in turn, drew a little red flower on their papers, and carefully stored away the cubs’ very first assignment.

Out of the five, only Wen Tun hadn’t drawn anything. Perhaps because he was still too young, he hadn’t yet realized his own differences from his peers. Seeing him contentedly enjoying his lollipop, Rong Sui felt an increasing pang of pity. He brought his finished sketch over and placed it before Wen Tun, saying softly, “The teacher drew many pictures of Wen Tun. Let’s frame it up later and hang it on the wall, alright?”

Sensing his presence, Wen Tun instinctively shrunk his neck at first, but then he remembered that this grand demon had just given him candy and didn’t seem quite so fierce after all. His courage grew a bit, and he mumbled softly, “Okay.”

Rong Sui smiled, fetched some heavy cardstock and glue to fashion a cartoon picture frame, and hung the drawing in the display area right next to the blackboard.

Just as he finished hanging the frame, the bell rang to signal the end of class. The second period was outdoor activities. The cubs, who had been drooping just a moment ago, instantly revitalized and sprinted out one after another.

An outdoor activity class was meant for playing games. Normally, a kindergarten would have basic children’s amusement facilities like slides and seesaws for kids to enjoy, but Mountain and Sea Kindergarten clearly lacked these conditions. Aside from an old slide covered in dust and fallen leaves, there were no other amenities.

The cubs’ outdoor activity consisted entirely of getting some fresh air within the school grounds.

Rong Sui watched them from a short distance away, contemplating how to improve the living environment for these children. Since he had chosen to stay, he wouldn’t content himself with settling for the status quo and merely waiting out his job until these children graduated. He wanted to make the cubs’ lives a little better within the scope of his capabilities.

As he was thinking, Bai Tu ran over out of breath, clutching a stack of documents in his arms. “I’ve reviewed all the policy documents. Our kindergarten meets the criteria! Next, we just need to prepare the materials and file the application.”

He looked a bit self-conscious. “I don’t have much experience with this. Could you help me look over it?”

Rong Sui naturally wouldn’t refuse. The two sat cross-legged on the grass, slowly organizing the materials according to the application requirements Bai Tu had printed out.

Auntie Wang, who was responsible for cooking, walked past carrying a large rooster, calling out, “Teacher Bai, Teacher Rong, thanks for your hard work! I’m adding an extra dish for you guys today!”

The large rooster she held upside down kicked its legs, craning its neck to let out two high-pitched crows.

“Is Auntie Wang the only one cooking in the cafeteria?” Rong Sui’s gaze drifted to the large rooster. Remembering the tomato egg drop soup from yesterday that tasted of nothing but salt, he nudged Bai Tu with his hand and asked in a low voice.

“Yeah.” Bai Tu scratched his head, saying, “Auntie Wang used to do the cleaning. Later, when the cook left, she took over the cooking as a side job.”

No wonder…

The corners of Rong Sui’s mouth twitched. He hurriedly told Bai Tu, “Keep an eye on the kids,” and then went to greet Auntie Wang with a smile. Proactively taking the rooster from her hands, he said, “Auntie Wang, you must be too busy handling this alone. Let me help you.”

“Oh my, how can I let you do these things!” Auntie Wang was startled by him, repeatedly waving her hands to decline his help.

But Rong Sui remained resolute. Holding the rooster, he ran straight toward the cafeteria, leaving Auntie Wang with no choice but to chase after him.

Rong Sui was actually quite skilled at cooking. His family used to live in a mountain village, but later, due to local tourism development requisitioning their land, the whole family moved to the city. When they lived in the village, conditions were poor, so Rong Sui had started figuring out how to cook on his own since high school. Over the years, his skills had become quite decent.

He deftly slaughtered the chicken and drained its blood, using half of it to stew soup and the other half to debone and shred into fine pieces for chicken silk porridge. His movements were incredibly swift; stewing the soup and boiling the porridge were executed in one smooth motion, leaving Auntie Wang staring wide-eyed. Smelling the fragrance of the chicken soup wafting from the pressure cooker, she swallowed her saliva frequently. “Teacher Rong knows how to cook too?”

“Yeah, I used to cook frequently back at home.” Rong Sui kept his back turned to her as he kneaded dough, planning to make little rabbit-shaped buns for the cubs. Consequently, he missed seeing her growing so ravenous that even her tail popped out—a thick, furry tail sweeping back and forth across the floor.

After kneading the dough until it became elastic, he tore it into small dough balls and carefully pinched them into the shape of rabbits.

The white rabbit dough balls were arranged on a cutting board dusted with flour. Once they were all shaped, Rong Sui covered them with a layer of gauze, waiting for the dough to rise before steaming them in the pot.

Auntie Wang stood in the corner of the kitchen, staring longingly at the pot of chicken soup, the tail behind her wagging eagerly.

Rong Sui turned around just in time to see a yellow, furry, long object flash past behind Auntie Wang. He peered behind her curiously and asked, “Auntie Wang, what was that moving behind you?”

Terrified by his question, Auntie Wang instantly zipped her tail back inside. Turning around to look behind herself, she asked thoroughly confused, “Where is there anything?”

The vacated space contained absolutely nothing. Rong Sui pressed his temples, wondering if he hadn’t slept well last night and was starting to see things today.

__

Author’s Note:

Teacher Rong (smiling): Today’s lunch consists of little rabbit buns.

Bai Tu (terrified): Bunnies are so cute, why do we have to eat bunnies QAQ?