I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 161
Chapter 161: 23 Angel Street
The principal’s office at Starlight Elementary School gave me the first impression of being simple, or perhaps… retro. Many things here seem to have been around for quite some time. The desks and chairs are worn to a shine, the bookshelves are filled with yellowed books, and the laptop on the desktop is heavily worn. Even the desktop computer next to it… um, is that a desktop computer? It’s a chassis that you can’t tell which era it’s from, paired with a bulky television.
This must be at least from around the year 2000, right? It’s about the time when I was just beginning to understand things and forming memories. Back then, computers were just entering households. Our elementary school only had a computer class every two weeks. The computer lab was filled with these bulky televisions, and the computers didn’t run on the Windows system. Instead, we had to input many strange characters in the dark command prompt to access an interface where we could “study” according to the instructions in the computer books.
However, during that time, we didn’t actually learn much about computer knowledge because the computer teacher at school had only a mediocre level of expertise. Every time he turned on the computers for us, he would just let everyone play games for about 40 minutes before the class ended.
Looking ahead, I don’t remember how many years later it was, but the school’s computers started to have Windows 98 installed. After that came Windows XP. It was from the XP system onward that a bunch of computer viruses started to appear, such as the Ice Worm, Panda Burning Incense, and so on.
I never expected that in the year 2022, I would still see such old-fashioned bulky machines in an elementary school. This thing is probably outdated even in Latin America, and their trash would probably be considered better.
What surprised me even more was… the young man in front of me, who looks only a few years older than my past “uncle” self, asking me if I wanted to become a student at this school.
Become an elementary school student? I don’t know why, but my first reaction to this question was thinking about the gender-bending yuri manga I had read before, “Elementary School Girl Begins!” by Gyuunyuu No Mio. After that, I was just confused—why is he asking me this?
From our conversation earlier, I knew that this school had some knowledge about me. The sixth-grade homeroom teacher had contacted me through Li Denghua, asking me to come here today, claiming they had “something to discuss.” On the way here, the homeroom teacher even double-checked multiple times to confirm if I was the “Yin Nuo’er” from the café.
After the homeroom teacher brought me to the principal’s office, from the brief interaction with the principal, I could guess that the principal also had a general understanding of the situation on their side.
I, Yin Nuo’er, am very short, look very “young,” and have a cute voice. After putting on the elementary school uniform, I look like a child no matter how you see it. My background is also quite simple: an orphan who came out of the welfare home, raised with my brother. Half a month ago, my brother suddenly passed away, leaving me with no family in this world.
Since the principal knows about this situation, what could be the meaning behind him asking me this? Surely… the school isn’t looking to recruit an adult over 18 to “compete for attention” with a group of children, right? Even if the school really plans to do that, the law wouldn’t allow it, would it?
“Sorry.”
After a silence lasting almost ten seconds, I, sitting on the small chair, brought my legs together and adjusted my skirt slightly, trying to present myself as more ladylike. Then I picked up the juice the principal handed me and said, “I don’t quite understand what you mean.”
Honestly, for a brief moment just now, as a little girl, I felt a tiny bit uneasy, just a tiny bit. I don’t know when it started, but I gradually immersed myself in the role of my “little loli” identity. Not only in daily interactions with strangers and customers, but even in situations that are normally ordinary and don’t require vigilance from an adult, I’ve started to develop a sense of caution.
It seems like my mindset has been altered by this body.
For example, just now, walking along the vegetable garden behind the residential area, crossing various small paths, and finally arriving at the entrance of Starlight Elementary School, that stretch of road was sparsely populated. If I were still an adult, even if it was completely dark outside, I wouldn’t have thought to “be careful” or have thoughts like “there won’t be any bad people,” and so on.
But as “Yin Nuo’er,” it seems different.
In reality… even though it was still daylight, and the sun could still be seen setting in the west, there were quite a few elderly people in the vegetable garden who hadn’t gone home yet. Walking here in a skirt, I instinctively heightened my awareness and carefully observed the surroundings.
Generally, no one would see an adult man as a target, but if I were an extremely cute little loli, it would be different.
Similarly, when the homeroom teacher brought me to the principal’s office, I instinctively became wary of my surroundings.
Starlight Elementary School seems to be the only elementary school within dozens of kilometers around. It has a history of several decades, and coupled with the fact that the local customs in Nanqi District are generally “simple,” theoretically, I shouldn’t encounter any danger in the school. However, I still tried to keep myself from being too lax.
Ah… thinking about it this way, it seems that being next to Yin Xiamo is the only absolute safety.
As long as Xiamo is by my side, whether it’s inside a school like this or in a sparsely populated public place or a small grove in the park, I can confidently sleep for half an hour and maybe even have a pleasant dream.
Have I… become dependent on Xiamo?
“You should also know that I am an adult.”
Twisting open the cap of the juice, I took a small sip. “I cannot come here to study.”
The reason I say I only have a “tiny bit” of caution is because so far, this school has given me a good impression. The environment and the teachers and students here all give me a very familiar feeling. It’s like the elementary school I attended more than twenty years ago. Despite the outdated equipment and facilities, and the lack of even a decent cement road leading to the school gate, it still constitutes my complete childhood and brings back many beautiful memories.
The internal structure of Starlight Elementary School is similar. The sports equipment and some chairs here are quite old, with some even losing their paint. However, it’s evident that the teachers responsible for maintaining them are very meticulous. The floor is well-cleaned, and the adjacent greenery is beautifully landscaped.
At this moment, the bottle of juice in my hand is obviously unopened, and there doesn’t seem to be any major issues. Most importantly, after I entered, the principal did not close the door to the office behind me. My position is right behind the door, and I can leave anytime if I want.
“Ah… I apologize for being abrupt. When I mentioned ‘becoming a student here,’ it wasn’t meant literally, not asking you to come and study.”
Seeing my puzzled expression, the principal in front of me seemed a bit embarrassed and cleared his throat. “It’s like this. I wanted to invite you to our school as a special guest, publicly claiming that you’re a student here. But this ‘student’ is different from regular students. You don’t have to come to school every day, and there’s no need for exams. That’s what I mean.”
Huh? After hearing the explanation from the young man in front of me, I was still a bit confused. “Can you explain a bit more? I’m not quite understanding.”
To be a special guest of this school? To publicly claim to be a student here? What is this for? Are they shooting an advertisement? Or do they want me to be their spokesperson?
If it’s being a spokesperson, it’s not too troublesome most of the time, and there’s money to be made. I might consider it.
I am indeed a bit short on money now—Yin Xiamo used the compensation money to buy me so many strange clothes during this period, which made me think, “Money isn’t everything, but without money, you can’t do anything.” Currently, counting the money on me and in my online banking, I have only around a thousand yuan, and I can’t do much with that.
It’s still a long time until the end of May or early June when I’ll receive my salary. If I want to have some say in the house with Yin Xiamo, I need to earn money for the family as much as possible… Oops, earning money for my own pleasure.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I got too anxious and didn’t explain anything clearly.”
Facing my increasingly confused expression, the young man in front of me brought the small fan from behind, pressed the “headshake” button, and then took a deep breath. “First, let me introduce myself. My surname is He, full name He Yuanyi. Yuanyi means ‘far,’ and Yi means ‘perseverance.’ You can call me Uncle He or Principal He, just like the teachers and children here.”
“Hello, Principal He.”
I nodded, obediently placing the juice on my skirt with both hands. “My name is Yin Nuo’er, Nuo’er from the word ‘promise.’ I’ve already… already graduated from high school… cough, cough. I’ve also self-studied a lot of university knowledge at home with my brother, like university-level English and political science.” The reason I deliberately emphasized “graduated from high school” is that I hope the principal understands the fact that I am already an “adult.”
“Yeah, I know, I know. When the homeroom teacher of Class 6-3 mentioned this to me before, I confirmed it with her. We had a meeting this morning specifically about you.”
The man in front of me, who claimed to be He Yuanyi, the principal, sounded a bit excited. “Yin Nuo’er, you are quite popular on the internet now. My nephew visited your café yesterday and spoke highly of you. He even mentioned that the Nanqi District government is planning a major development there. Things are looking up for Nanqi District.”
“I’m just a waiter who was recruited.”
I smiled, “I don’t know much about those things… and I’m not very interested either.” I’m not interested in issues like where there’s corruption, where the finances are struggling, where someone has fallen from grace, or who is hindering the development of Nanqi District. I don’t intend to get involved in these messy matters.
Like most people, if I have an interest in such things, I might look into them during my free time. However, I won’t let myself get involved in these complicated affairs.
I was harassed by those rich young men. I politely refused the first time, and it would be best if they didn’t come again. If they come for a second time, I’ll try to involve someone more suitable to handle such matters.
Like Su Yunjin, for example. His special status and the cafe’s construction have a certain connection, making him the perfect person to handle such matters. If the current principal were to say that I’ve become popular at the cafe, representing some influence, and then ask me to use a certain identity to stir up trouble, I would definitely just get up and leave.
“It’s okay, I’m not asking you to do anything like that. I just want to ask for your help.”
The principal continued to explain, “The truth is, I’ve only been here for a few months. The previous principal… well, due to health reasons, he passed away. Have you seen the news?”
“He passed away?”
I was taken aback, “I’m not aware of it. Could you provide more details?”
“There’s not much to say, really. Starlight Elementary School, being in Nanqi District, and the most remote part of it, has always had limited resources. The previous principal had to be both an administrator and a part-time math teacher here. The former principal was already in poor health, overworked, and he collapsed in the school’s teaching building last December. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful…”
The young man across the table spoke with a touch of sadness, “And then, some local families were a bit superstitious. They said the teaching building where someone had died couldn’t be used. Within a month, dozens of students transferred away.”
“Now, this is the current situation with class assignments on that side of our school’s teaching building.”
While speaking, the young man across the table handed me a document. “Take a look… can you identify any issues?”
“Just a moment.”
I took the document and quickly flipped through it.
Hmm… First grade, second grade, Class 1 of third grade, Class 2 of third grade, Class 3 of fifth grade…
Wait a minute, why does the number of students keep increasing?
No, I should look at the enrollment numbers the other way around. It’s… the number of students is decreasing?
“I think I see it.”
After taking some time to go through the document handed to me by the young man, I looked up. “There’s only one class for first and second grades, two classes for third and fourth grades, and three classes for fifth and sixth grades… and the number of students entering is decreasing?”
“That’s right.”
Principal He gestured for me to look at another document. “Last year, only 29 students enrolled in the first grade of our school. And the birth rate in Nanqi District in 2022 is even more pessimistic. I suspect that by August, the start of the school year… our school may not even be able to fill a single class.”
Huh?
Is the enrollment situation in Nanqi District’s elementary schools really that dire now?
Shenzhen City is a super metropolis, but its “prosperity” is quite fragmented. If you really have to say, the densely populated and wealthy areas are only a few large districts near the center, such as the Central District, Honor District, Canjing District, and Shuiming District. Undoubtedly, the most prosperous place is the central “Canjing District” of Shenzhen City, where almost all of Shenzhen’s resources converge. Following that are the slightly outer “Central District,” “Shuiming District,” and “Honor District.”
In places like Nanqi District, it relies basically on a single port. However, this port is said to still “supply blood” to the central districts of the city, leaving little financial resources for local development. This is also the main reason why the large restaurant, even after the cafe was built, has a daily flow of only around a hundred people.
Even without considering the cafe and Starlight Elementary School, just observing the shops and pedestrians downstairs every day after I wake up makes it clear—Nanqi District is essentially a “retirement” area, and the newly born population has been consistently flowing out.
“In the previous enrollment for fifth and sixth grades, we could still fill three classes, and for third and fourth grades, there were still two classes. In the second grade, with more than 40 students, by the time of the first-grade enrollment last year, there were fewer than 50 students interested. In the end, only 30 students enrolled, and one transferred midway. That’s how we ended up with the current situation of 29 students in the first grade.”
Estimating that I had almost finished reviewing the documents on the desk, the elementary school principal sighed helplessly, “Our birth rate has been decreasing, and Nanqi District is already quite remote. Even if there are children nearby approaching school age, their parents are trying their best to send them to downtown schools, completely disregarding this area. Unfortunately, just when it’s crucial, the principal here had an accident, making those parents even more unwilling to send their children here.”
As you say that, I think I roughly understand now. Currently, the global trend is a low birth rate and a low number of newborns. Nanqi District is a very remote area, and even if parents live nearby and have children, they want to give their children a better start. They will do everything they can to send their children to elementary schools in the city center. This resulted in Starlight Elementary School enrolling only a few students in the first grade last year.
If this trend continues, there might not even be 20 students in the first grade this year. That’s why this newly appointed principal is anxious.
So, by coming to me for help as a… spokesperson, is he hoping to leverage my recent influence at the café to raise awareness of Starlight Elementary School?
Is it really just as a spokesperson?
“I think I understand what you mean.”
After thinking for a while, I took a big sip of the juice, somewhat calming my mood, and said, “You want me to help promote the school, right?”
“That’s about the idea.”
The principal in front of me vigorously nodded, “I will provide you with an official status on our end, along with a school card and meal card just like the students here. In the future, you can freely enter and exit our school, eat here, buy things at the convenience store, or enter the library, computer room, and activity room. You can go anywhere. If you can livestream, that would be even better. During evening self-study or regular classes, bring a camera to capture the students’ learning situations. We will publicly declare that you are a special student here. This way, parents who are still hesitant about sending their children here can learn more about our school, and maybe they’ll be willing to enroll their children.”
“Um…”
I was momentarily unsure how to comment on this new young principal, “Are you planning to take the school in the influencer direction?”
“Regardless of the direction, any path that saves the school is a good one for me.”
The principal had an expression that seemed like a mix of a wry smile and resignation, “The district head of Nanqi came here before and said the district is really short on funds. The salaries of many teachers and staff here have been continuously decreasing, and it’s becoming unsustainable.”
“A private school?”
“Now I don’t know if it’s considered private or public. It used to be private, but now it’s the only school around, and we don’t want the school to close down.”
The principal had a disheartened look, “I’ve tried every method I can think of. It feels hopeless. Now, the school is entering this year’s enrollment season. If, as a new principal, I only manage to enroll a dozen students or so, I fear this place won’t make it through next year.”
So miserable…
“Um… you see, I usually have to go to work. I start my shift at the restaurant at 8 in the morning and don’t get back until very late.”
Thinking that I haven’t really done this kind of work before, I intended to politely refuse the principal, “And I haven’t been a… special guest before. I’m not sure exactly what needs to be done. I might not do it well, so… maybe it’s better not to.”
“No specific requirements, just to have your name associated. Claim that you’re a special student at our school. When you come or don’t come is not an issue. Once our finances stabilize, we can discuss compensation.”
Opening the drawer in front of him, the principal quickly searched inside for a few seconds, then pulled out a school card and handed it to me, “We’ve already arranged it for you. You can use this card to enter and leave the school anytime.”
So fast?
It seems like your situation is indeed very dire.
I took the school card and briefly glanced at the image on it.
Shenzhen City Nanqi Starlight Elementary School One-Card Pass, Yin Nuo’er, Special Guest, Student ID 2022.
Similar to Li Denghua’s school card, but the “photo” section on this card seems to have taken my appearance from the Tongmeng website. Unlike regular identification documents, it looks particularly cute.
“We only need you for some publicity, and we heard from Li Denghua that you seem to be planning to help her with her studies recently. Isn’t it convenient to have a school card for you? You can come to the school whenever you have time.”
Seeing that I was still hesitating, the principal in front took out his phone, “Also, there are some rumors online now that secretly claim you are an elementary school student. Perhaps someone took a picture of you when you came here last Saturday. Those people have started attacking the café for employing child labor. I think with this special school card, or if you take some time to livestream, debunking the rumors at our school, it can directly confront those critics.”
It seems that there are really people making a fuss about the incident where I wore an elementary school uniform before… Hearing the principal say this, I sighed quietly in my heart.
This principal seems to have some tricks up his sleeve. Having just been transferred to this school on the verge of closure, conventional methods have probably proven ineffective in boosting enrollment rates. Therefore, he plans to use some “unconventional” methods. Nowadays, what’s the most popular in society? Big data and big entertainment.
Selling a product poorly? Get an internet celebrity, do promotions, host live streams to attract attention, rather than working hard behind the scenes. This principal, judging by his age, is not very old, around thirty years old. It’s quite apparent that he understands what contemporary young people like.
Now, what kind of families have children who are just reaching the age of six or seven to start elementary school? Looking ahead six or seven years, we are talking about couples aged 24 to 30.
In other words, these couples are likely to be familiar with the same things as today’s young people—very much into internet culture, big data, and big entertainment. They might even be into 2D overlapping to some extent with my “fan” base.
In the past, there was no such phenomenon as “enrollment shortage” in elementary schools. Every place was crowded, and children had to take exams to attend school. Now suddenly, there’s a lack of students. Most principals probably have no idea what to do, as there is no previous experience to draw from.
Therefore, I greatly admire this principal for quickly understanding the situation he faces in such a short time. I’m even more impressed by his ability to convince himself with a bunch of persuasive arguments—first, play the sympathy card, then present some rationale, express sincerity, provide free cards and privileges, and analyze the situation on my end.
The current situation in Nanqi District is a bit chaotic, with some people not wanting it to be developed. Therefore, there have been occasional negative comments and rumors online targeting the café.
As for the incident where I was photographed wearing elementary school uniforms and then the situation was manipulated, I anticipated it. At that time, I intended to let Ouyang Xue handle it. Now, according to the principal, it seems more appropriate to say that I agreed to help promote the school as a special guest, and during the investigation, I changed into the elementary school uniform.
“Yin Nuo’er” and the café are quite popular online right now. If I promote Starlight Elementary School a bit, it could indeed bring them more attention. Perhaps it might even increase the number of students they receive this year. For me, it would not only clarify the rumors about the café employing child labor but also create an image of a “kind-hearted Nuo’er,” which seems like a win-win-win situation.
However, I can’t help feeling a bit calculating about portraying myself as a “kind-hearted” figure. After all, I’m a middle-aged man, trying to cultivate an image of kindness seems a bit strategic, doesn’t it?
“We will start enrollment registration at the end of June or early July. If it’s difficult for you… it’s okay to refuse. Or you can visit the school anytime during these months.”
Perhaps sensing my hesitation, the principal in front adopted a slightly more relaxed tone: “I’ve already given you this school card. If you are worried that being our guest may harm your image in case of any trouble in the future… you can freely visit the school’s cafeteria, computer room, classrooms, and student dorms anytime. If you have any problems, just come to me.”
“Or whenever you pass by, you can come to the cafeteria for a meal. The food here is very affordable and has a wide variety…”
“Really?” Suddenly interested in food, I asked, “Is there a lot of variety?”
“For the children, we definitely consider balanced nutrition and a rich variety of dishes…”
The principal nodded, “Anyway, you can come and give it a try. If you don’t like it, it’s okay. I’ll think of other ways. Just keep the school card to clarify those rumors.”
Hmm… I hesitated.
I still didn’t know much about the situation in the school cafeteria, but one thing I could be certain of… the nearest fast-food restaurant to Ai Luodi’s rental house was behind the small vegetable garden. You had to walk through the free market and then along the roadside path to get there. On the other hand, Starlight Elementary School was right next to the vegetable garden. If my memory served me right, the school cafeteria was generally cheaper than the fast-food restaurants outside.
While I could eat at the café anytime I worked, during the eight days off each month, I couldn’t possibly spend my holidays going there for every meal. Buying groceries and spending one or two hours cooking also didn’t seem like a feasible option.
“I also want to occasionally eat fast food or something… If I can eat at the school cafeteria…”
“Sorry, I cannot respond to your proposal at the moment.”
After another moment of silence, I slowly stood up from my seat, “I need some time to consider, Principal He. Is that okay?”
“No problem, here’s my business card.”
Seemingly anticipating my response, the young man in front of me took out a small slip of paper from his jacket pocket, “Feel free to contact me anytime.”
“Thank you.”
I took the slip of paper and nodded, “I’ll be going now.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
As I descended the stairs with the principal, exchanged brief farewells, I held the juice bottle and walked to the school gate along the teaching building.
“Our principal died. Where do people go after they die?”
At that moment, two little girls dressed in elementary school uniforms, wearing berets, walked towards me holding hands.
Both little girls had innocent and adorable faces, probably in the first or second grade. They were round-faced and particularly cute.
“Mom said that when people die, they become angels and fly up very high into the sky.”
“So my mom should have flown up to a very high place too.”
The two little girls walked past me.
“Did your mom also fly away like the principal?”
“Yeah, so I think we should call our classroom the Angel Classroom. That way, I might see my mom someday.”
“……”
……