Call Me Daddy

Teaching at the junior high school wasn’t a sudden idea for Su Aobai. In fact, he had a preliminary plan in mind long before deciding to pursue the path of a teacher.

During the years when Su Mingcheng was still studying in the elementary school, Su Aobai consciously worked on nurturing the teaching abilities of other teachers.

Here, it’s worth mentioning that Wang Fangfang was no longer a teacher at the Hongqi Elementary School. Not only her, but her older nephew, who graduated from junior high school without any teaching experience, couldn’t secure a position after her departure.

The Hongqi Elementary School had transformed significantly since then. With improved student performance, the educational authorities paid special attention to the school’s teaching staff. Temporary teachers like Wang Fangfang, who lacked formal qualifications and capability, were bound to be persuaded to leave sooner or later. Moreover, their family background only held some sway within the commune; when higher authorities intervened, even Wang Fangfang’s father couldn’t help.

Su Aobai was generous in sharing his teaching experience. The teachers at the Hongqi Elementary School, including the retired Principal, had been succeeded by Wu Zhiyong. Several temporary staff, who initially lacked teaching experience but improved their skills through learning from Su Aobai, were gradually made permanent in the following years. This way, he could entrust his students to them with peace of mind after his departure.

As for why he could come to teach at the junior high school, it naturally had to do with the junior high school supplementary teaching materials he had previously published.

Now in the second year since the resumption of the college entrance examination, with numerous tasks awaiting completion, the country urgently needed educational talent. The fact that Su Aobai’s junior high school supplementary teaching materials were recognized and published by the Capital Publishing House was sufficient proof of his teaching ability at the junior high school level, consistent with his outstanding performance at the elementary school level.

In the eyes of many, junior high school education was more challenging than elementary education. Since Su Aobai had the ability and willingness to teach at the junior high school level, how could the education bureau and school leaders oppose it?

They couldn’t wait to bring Su Aobai over, hoping to have more students admitted to high school or vocational school in his class, thus firmly establishing their county’s position as the top junior high school in the entire county.

***

“Dad, why did you become a teacher at the county junior high school?”

Midway through the enrollment process, Su Mingcheng found an opportunity to pull his father into a corner of the corridor, lowering his voice as he asked indignantly.

There had been no hint from the family about this before. Did they no longer see me as an adult?

“Well, this might seem sudden to you, but your mom and I wanted to surprise you.”

Su Aobai said, “Your mom and I found a house with a small courtyard, very close to the school. In the future, during winter, you can sleep a little longer in bed before going to school. For now, why don’t you stay with me in the teachers’ dormitory? On Sunday, we’ll take you and your sister to see it. If you both like it, we’ll buy that house and move the whole family there.”

“Move? Buy a house in the county town?”

Su Mingcheng’s attention shifted. Does our family have enough money to buy a house in the county town?

He had no idea about his father’s ability to make money; who knows how much money those sets of supplementary teaching materials had brought to Su Aobai while making the students wail.

“Don’t worry, the money at home is still enough. Dad and Mom will work together to create a better living environment for you and your sister.” Su Aobai understood his son’s implication and patted his shoulder.

“I’ve already discussed with the Principal of the county elementary school. By then, your sister can enroll in the county elementary school.”

This year, Su Mingmei was 7 years old. In fact, she was old enough to be enrolled early, but Su Aobai and his wife, Jiang Lianmei, agreed that their daughter didn’t necessarily have to follow the same educational path as their son.

Every child was an individual. Su Mingmei and her brother, Su Mingcheng, obviously had different personalities, and their talents in studying were also different.

Su Mingcheng was a bit more mature. Even though he started school 2 years earlier, there wasn’t much difference between him and his older classmates. But Su Mingmei was different. Her personality was more like Jiang’s family, innocent and sweet. Starting school too early made the couple uneasy.

Moreover, when Su Aobai introduced her to enlightenment, he found that she didn’t have much talent in learning. With the same teaching method, while other children scored 90 points, Su Mingmei could only score 70 or 80 points. However, she had a talent that others didn’t have, which was a keen sensitivity to color and graphics.

Therefore, when Su Mingmei was 6 years old, he found an art teacher for her. The teacher was a former architecture Professor who had been criticized during the Cultural Revolution. He had a deep foundation in painting and didn’t want to return to teaching at school after rehabilitation. Teaching Su Mingmei to paint was partly because he found her adorable and partly because he valued her talent.

Now Su Mingmei goes to the old Professor’s house every day to learn painting. Coupled with her father’s enlightenment at home, starting school a little later could actually lay a better foundation for her.

Upon hearing that his parents had already planned everything, Su Mingcheng hesitated for a long time, unable to come up with any reason to oppose.

He couldn’t just say that his adolescence had come early and he wanted to live alone in the dormitory.

“Actually, Dad just doesn’t want our family to be separated again.” After a long silence, Su Aobai suddenly spoke again, gently rubbing his son’s head.

“Do you remember when you were very young, I left home for 3 months? Everyone thought I didn’t want your mom and you kids anymore. You were upset and angry about it, so much so that when I came back, you didn’t even want to call me Dad.”

That was a long time ago, and Su Mingcheng thought of the time when he used to fight with other kids all day long as his father recounted it.

At that time, he did resent the man in front of him.

“The reason I bring this up again isn’t to dwell on the past, because I did handle it improperly at the time, and it was normal for you to be angry. But after that experience, Dad secretly vowed in my heart that I would never leave you guys alone for so long again.”

Su Mingcheng pursed his lips, his eyes reddening a bit.

The old man was being so sentimental today, as if someone wanted to be separated from him for a lifetime.

He sniffed awkwardly, feeling a warmth in his heart that he couldn’t express.

“Suit yourself,” he said gruffly.

Ah! Who asked me to have such a clingy dad?

Looking at his son who had already finished bristling his fur, Su Aobai’s smile became even brighter. Indeed, this kid was still as easy to coax as he was when he was little.

***

Su Aobai’s addition was like adding wings to the county junior high school, but for the students, it was like adding fuel to the fire.

They were undoubtedly fortunate because they could always get the firsthand teaching materials that hadn’t been published yet. But this problem-solving maniac was just too amazing. Just when you finally mastered the basic version of the teaching materials, he would hand you an advanced version with a smiling face. And when you thought you had grasped the content of the advanced version, there came the superior version.

Most people stopped at the superior version, but there were still tricks to deal with the true study gods; Teacher Su’s brand of Olympiad math edition was worth having.

Now, the series of supplementary teaching materials published by Su Aobai had almost become a textbook for every teacher in every school. Whenever they were restocked in bookstores, they sold out immediately. He was also secretly called a problem-solving maniac by many students.

There was once a student who complained privately, a statement that was widely recognized by classmates…

“No one will ever hate a problem-solving maniac forever, but there will always be someone who hates a problem-solving maniac.”

Anyway, that was just the students’ grumbling. Every time they achieved good grades, they would feel grateful that they had such a ‘good’ teacher.

***

Su Mingcheng spent 3 years of junior high school under the sympathetic gaze of his classmates.

They all knew that his father was Su Aobai, the problem-solving maniac, and they believed that when he was at home, he must be subjected to endless sea of ​​exercises in order to maintain his top grades.

Because of that speculation, in the hearts of his classmates, Su Mingcheng had always been a pitiful little guy who needed everyone’s love and protection.

The speculation and reality were somewhat different. Su Mingcheng did indeed receive extra tutoring materials, but it wasn’t as exaggerated as they thought. He still had plenty of his own time to maintain some of his extracurricular hobbies.

He wouldn’t tell these classmates how much his father loved him and their family.

This kind of clingy father also needs to be cherished, can’t let him be snatched away by others, just let them misunderstand like that.

***

“Too touching. When I get into high school, I’ll finally be able to get away from the problem-solving maniac.”

As the last exam of the entrance examination ended, countless third-year junior high school students cheered and rejoiced. Among them, one student, carrying a backpack filled with guidance materials compiled by Su Aobai, shed tears.

“I don’t think it’s that simple.” Another student poured cold water on him.

He watched as a family of three walked away with the teenager who had just come out of the examination room, his expression somewhat serious.

“Back when Su Mingcheng and I were in the same school, when we graduated from fifth grade and moved up to junior high school, Teacher Su followed to teach at the junior high school. Some time ago, when I helped the teacher collect homework and took it to the office, I saw Teacher Su writing some out-of-syllabus questions. Those questions, I’ve only seen them in my older brother’s high school textbooks…”

As he spoke, he looked at the student beside him with vacant eyes.

“What…what do you mean?”

The student’s heart tightened. So, Teacher Su still follows his son around everywhere? But I remembered that Teacher Su only had a high school education, could such an education level teach high school students?

“It means that they’re inseparable, father and son, lingering together until the end of the world.”

But obviously, the calm and certain response from that student burst his bubble of illusion.

Based on Teacher Su’s achievements, as long as he can produce high school-level teaching materials and prove his ability to teach high school students, those high school leaders wouldn’t care about his education background at all. They would be more than eager to invite him back to teach at their schools, banging drums and trumpets.

Despite these 3 years, Teacher Su had remained a common teacher in the county, his status in the education sector was extraordinary! He was a nationally renowned master teacher. As long as he wished, he can go to any secondary school in the country. Even his contributions were enough to make him a leading cadre in the education system.

In these years of renewed emphasis on education, the series of guidance materials published by Su Aobai, from first grade to the third year of junior high school, had helped students lay a more solid foundation and provided a model standard for the revival of education in many places.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that he was a demigod in the contemporary compulsory education stage.

“Don’t be sad. Look at it from another perspective. When the problem-solving maniac enters high school, as long as you follow him, getting into a vocational college is a sure thing. There’s still hope to aim for university. Endure a few years of pain for a smooth future. It’s worth it.”

With that, his eyes suddenly brightened. For them, ordinary students without backgrounds, the college entrance examination was the only way to change their lives. Nowadays, university graduates were all guaranteed jobs. In recent years, many graduates had even become cadre leaders.

Isn’t it just doing exercises? Isn’t having a future more important?

Thinking like that, he patted the shoulder of the person next to him and walked away briskly.

He had to quickly find out about Su Mingcheng’s school preferences, and then follow him. Such a good teacher couldn’t be missed.

Sure enough, several months later, the Provincial First High School started its new term.

Su Mingcheng sat in the classroom and saw that familiar face again.

QAQ Dad really loves me!

*****

The mission in this world was relatively simple because the fundamental contradiction between the two children and the original owner was that he abandoned them, but Su Aobai timely prevented that from happening, so the two children didn’t harbor any resentment towards him.

In this life, Su Mingcheng and Su Mingmei both lived well.

Su Mingcheng followed in his father’s footsteps and became a university professor.

Do you still remember the one thousand sets of children’s clothing rewarded by the system when Su Mingmei’s favorability exceeded 75 points? After becoming financially comfortable, Su Aobai began to frequently take out the clothes from inside, claiming that they were brought by friends from publishing houses in Haicheng, the capital, and other places.

The clothing gifted by the system was very fashionable and in line with current aesthetics, with a touch of trendiness added to conservatism. Perhaps it was because she had been exposed to such trendy clothes since she was young that Su Mingmei developed a strong interest in design while studying painting.

After the reform and opening up, Su Aobai invested a lot of his spare money in various businesses, with the clothing industry receiving the most investment. Eventually, the clothing factory was inherited by Su Mingmei, who loved design.

As for Jiang Lianmei, as their relationship deepened over time, Su Aobai genuinely fell in love with this straightforward and passionate woman. They rarely argued, and in the envious eyes of others, they lived happily and prosperously for most of their lives.

As for the Yu family, who originally had many intersections with Jiang Lianmei and her two children, they rarely appeared in their lives.

Until later, when Yu Zhicheng was transferred to the provincial capital for work, they met again.

The Yu family took the initiative to visit, taking home a whole set of old textbooks that Su Mingcheng had used and filled with notes.

Unlike the previous life, Su Mingcheng didn’t fall in love with the Yu family’s lovely daughter like he was bewitched. To him, she was just a passerby, and he soon forgot about her.

Su Aobai watched that scene and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

***

In this life, Su Aobai lived to be 97 years old. His wife passed away a few years earlier than him, both peacefully. When news of his passing in the hospital spread, the entire education community was shocked.

‘You may not have attended tutoring classes, but you’ve definitely used the tutoring materials written by Teacher Su.’ That was the most widely circulated phrase at the time.

On the day of the funeral, Su Mingcheng and his sister were both in tears.

Although they were both grandparents now, it wasn’t until the day their father passed away that they truly felt like they weren’t children anymore.