Liang Mengsong's face turned ashen. "Did you tell An'an that your mom won't come to pick you up?"
If she did, it would be a huge embarrassment!
"No," Liang Qiutong shook her head. "But one day, An'an's mom was late picking her up from school. An'an noticed on her own that I'm always the last one to leave school every day."
Liang Mengsong glared angrily at Zhu Mei and pointed at her while scolding, "You've made me lose all my face! Go find a nanny specifically for picking up and dropping off the kids tomorrow. You're not needed anymore, and your allowance will be halved!"
Liang Mengsong then turned to Liang Qiutong and said, "Don't talk about family matters to An'an in the future. It's too embarrassing! Come to Dad when you need to pay for something. Got it?"
What if Xu An'an blurted it out to Xu Qingqing and Lu Chuanbai? It would be so humiliating!
"Got it," Liang Qiutong nodded obediently.
"Alright, go do your homework."
In the Liang family villa, Liang Mengsong slumped on the sofa, his expression serious. He warned Zhu Mei, "Don't think that just because I don't interfere in family matters, you can treat my daughter however you like! If you're not nice to her again, you can't stay in this family."
"I know," Zhu Mei stood up obediently, her head down. The falling hair covered the resentment in her eyes. "I won't do it again."
"Also, file a complaint against her class teacher."
Su Xiaoyue was meddling too much!
"Okay," Zhu Mei nodded without asking what Su Xiaoyue had done to anger him.
Anyway, she didn't like Su Xiaoyue either. Zhu Mei could feel Su Xiaoyue's disdain for her just because she was the step - mom!
She had wanted to complain about Su Xiaoyue for a long time but was afraid Liang Mengsong wouldn't agree.
There was an honor roll and a complaint list in the kindergarten. If parents were satisfied with a teacher, they could rate the teacher. If not, they could file a complaint.
Once a teacher received more than three complaints, they would have to leave.
No teacher in the kindergarten had been complained about for three consecutive years. The principal's goal was to break the record of five years without a complaint.
Su Xiaoyue checked her good - and bad - review list as usual at night. She hadn't been complained about since she started working. Although there were no good reviews, it still gave her a sense of accomplishment.
When the page refreshed, the smile on Su Xiaoyue's face froze. She had been complained about with a one - star bad review, accusing her of meddling.
She became the only teacher in the kindergarten to receive a bad review.
Su Xiaoyue's face turned pale, and the knuckles of her hand holding the phone turned white. She thought it must be because she advised Xu Qingqing not to let the kids eat grilled sausages this morning. Xu Qingqing must have filed a malicious complaint out of anger!
Who else could it be?
To confirm her suspicion, Su Xiaoyue called the principal. The call was answered as soon as it rang. Su Xiaoyue couldn't wait to say, "Principal, someone has filed a malicious complaint against me!"
The principal was looking at the only bad review received on the phone. His face was dark and angry. He said in an irritated tone, "Su Xiaoyue, how can you even ask? It's been ages since our kindergarten received a complaint. What on earth did you do!"
"Principal, I've been wronged!" Su Xiaoyue cried out in anger. "Can you tell me who complained about me?"
She was sure it was Xu Qingqing.
She was just being kind. Why did she get complained about?
"I'm going to ask her why she complained about me!" Su Xiaoyue shouted with a sob.
"What do you think you're doing!" The principal got even angrier when he heard that she showed no sign of repentance. He roared into the phone, "Instead of reflecting on your own mistakes, you want to cause trouble for the parents!"
"Su Xiaoyue, didn't I tell you? This is a prestigious kindergarten. We serve not only the kids but also the parents. Have you listened to a single word I said!"
But Su Xiaoyue cried out, "If I'm really wrong, I have nothing to say about the complaint. But it's clearly the parent's fault. I'm not convinced!"
The principal got even more furious. Before hanging up the phone, he said, "If you're not convinced, then don't work here anymore!"
"Come to school tomorrow to settle your salary and then leave!"
She had only taught for a few days, and she really thought she was superior!
Su Xiaoyue panicked. When she called the principal again, there was no answer. She collapsed on the bed, her back shivering. Without the environment provided by the kindergarten, how could she meet so many upper - class people?
Su Xiaoyue sent a message to the principal, apologizing and admitting her mistakes through gritted teeth.
No matter what, she had to keep her job first, or she would never have the chance to see Lu Chuanbai again!
Su Xiaoyue: I'm sorry, principal. I was impulsive just now. Please forgive me.
Principal: Reflect on your mistakes seriously. Come back to work when you've thought it through!
Su Xiaoyue: Thank you, principal. I understand.
Although Su Xiaoyue said she understood, she was still not convinced in her heart. She decided to go find Xu Qingqing tomorrow and ask clearly.
The leaves were falling more and more every day, and it was getting dark earlier. Xu Qingqing looked out of the window at the shadowy night and then turned to look at Lu Chuanbai sitting at the dining table.
Xu Qingqing was speechless. He had the nerve to come to her house for dinner again. "Lu Chuanbai, your house is renovated. Why don't you go home and cook for yourself?"
Why did he always come to her place?
"Xu Qingqing, listen to what you're saying," Xu's mother heard her daughter's question and slapped the back of her hand. "Chuanbai just moved here. He doesn't have pots or bowls. How can he cook?"
"You girl, you have no conscience at all."
"He can order takeout," Xu Qingqing pouted and retorted, glaring at Lu Chuanbai, who was sitting there with a smiling phoenix - eye and propping his chin with one hand.
It was okay for this guy to eat at her house, but could he stop looking at her like he wanted to devour her?
"Takeout is so unhealthy. Besides, it's more fun to eat with more people," Xu's mother filled a big bowl of white rice for Lu Chuanbai, the rice piling up high.
Xu's mother looked lovingly at Lu Chuanbai as if he was her future son - in - law. "Chuanbai, eat up. Auntie will fill your bowl again when you're done."
"Thank you, auntie," Lu Chuanbai held the rice bowl. Although Xu's mother was kind to him because of Xu Qingqing, he still felt the long - lost maternal love.
"Yiyi, An'an, come and eat quickly!" Xu Qingqing walked into the living room to call the two little kids who were sticking their butts up. She smiled and patted each little butt.
"Mom! We've come up with a name for the puppy!" Xu An'an laughed and rolled on the carpet, her top rolling up to reveal her chubby belly.
Xu Qingqing sat down and patted Xu An'an's belly, then pulled her clothes down. "What's the name?"
"Wangcai. Mom, isn't it a nice name?" Xu Yiyi pushed the dictionary towards Xu Qingqing. "Wang is a lucky character."
Xu Qingqing was stunned. So they had been flipping through the dictionary all afternoon just to come up with this name.
Lu Chuanbai walked over, crossed his arms, and leaned gently against the wall, looking at this warm scene, which overlapped with the real family he had imagined.
"Uncle Lu, what do you think?" Xu An'an looked up with an expectant face, asking for Lu Chuanbai's opinion.