“This is my son Chu Yihao. He is a classmate of Lin Momo’s,” Chu Yihao’s mother introduced. 

Unlike the other children, some parents had seen the news and knew what had happened to Lin Momo. They also knew that the girl was now a big star, so Chu Yihao’s mother treated Lin Cheng and Lin Momo with great warmth. 

After exchanging pleasantries with Lin Cheng, Chu Yihao’s mother looked down at the two children and said, “The new semester is about to start. You must study hard and help each other, okay? Of course, besides studying, playing also applies. You’re in the same class, so get along well and have fun together.” 

Chu Yihao’s mother’s words were merely polite words meant to foster a closer relationship between the children. However, upon hearing this, Chu Yihao suddenly retorted, “She’s the one who doesn’t play with others, right? And she doesn’t participate in any class activities…” 

Her son’s blunt words froze her face, and she felt instantly embarrassed. 

Unable to speak to Lin Cheng again, Chu Yihao’s mother gave him a couple of apologetic dry laughs. Then, she quickly pulled her son aside and lectured him, “Chu Yihao, what are you talking about?” 

Facing his mother’s accusations, Chu Yihao retorted, “I only said the truth. No one in class wants to play with her, so why should I play with her? And didn’t you and Liu Yanyang’s mother say it just now? She doesn’t pay the class fees, so why should she…” 

The mother and son spoke loudly, and even at a distance, every word of their conversation reached Lin Cheng and Lin Momo. 

Even after they walked away, Lin Momo remained standing there, stunned. 

“I’m sorry…” Lin Momo murmured, lowering her head. 

Hearing Lin Momo’s words, Lin Cheng’s breath paused, and he felt more guilty than ever, his heart aching. 

Lin Cheng leaned over. He looked right at Lin Momo and spoke firmly, word by word, “It’s not your fault.”

Because she had to help Liu Cuifang sell scrap every afternoon, Lin Momo rarely walked home with her classmates after school. Unable to afford the fees for extra classes and various school activities, Lin Momo rarely participated in school activities. While other students were enjoying snacks or watching cartoons, Lin Momo might be doing housework or collecting bottles. 

This kind of life made Lin Momo appear different to others.

‘Seeking common ground while reserving differences¹‘ was not a natural phenomenon. Most children her age would not have such complex ideas and concepts in mind, and Lin Momo being ‘different’ made many of her fellow students subconsciously reluctant to approach her. 

From the other side, the same thoughts also permeated Lin Momo’s mind: her inability to pay school fees, her lack of social media accounts, her washed-out clothes… All these made her feel different from the other students, leading to timidity and low self-esteem. 

This inferiority complex made her feel out of place in the crowd, even at a loss. The more she feared being isolated by her classmates, the less she dared to take a step forward to integrate with them, ultimately shutting herself in her own shell. 

“You’ve done very well,” Lin Cheng affirmed. 

“Not very…” Lin Momo shook her head, but was interrupted by Lin Cheng.

Lin Cheng rubbed Lin Momo’s head, gave her a soothing look, and then, in a relaxed tone, said, “Let’s go. We’ll handle your transfer paperwork, and then you can say goodbye to your teachers and classmates. 

“You know, this is my first time at your school.” 

It was also a first for Lin Momo: the first time she’d come to school with her father. 

Lin Cheng’s words seemed to give Lin Momo an invisible encouragement, telling her that he was with her, which made Lin Momo feel inexplicably at ease. 

“Yeah, let’s go.” Lin Momo nodded vigorously. 

Reminded that this was Lin Cheng’s first time at her school, Lin Momo began to introduce it to him. 

“That’s the playground over there, and that’s the flag-raising platform over there. This building is Building 1, and the one next to it is Building 2. Grades 1 through 3 are in Building 1, and grades 4 through 6 move to Building 2. And in the middle is the Academic Affairs Building, which also houses the Youth League Office. There’s also a science lab over there, where we have our science lab classes…” 

… …

[Oh. It’s obvious that Momo actually loves going to school.]

[That’s right.] 

It’s just that this place didn’t ‘love’ her… 

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

Soon, Lin Momo brought Lin Cheng to the Teachers’ Office. 

Because he had contacted the school in advance, Lin Momo’s homeroom teacher, the school’s principal, and the teachers from the Student Registration Office were all waiting for them in the office. 

When the teachers saw Lin Momo, they couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion—who could have imagined that this struggling student, over such a short break, would suddenly transform to a child of a celebrity, and that she herself would become a little star. 

Lin Momo’s homeroom teacher, in particular, was almost unable to recognize Lin Momo. She looked completely different from her pre-holiday break appearance. Back then she was thin and small, wearing old clothes, and carrying a tattered schoolbag. 

After a simple greeting, the principal asked Lin Cheng the reason for Lin Momo’s transfer. 

Although, everyone already knew the real reason. 

“We live quite far from this school now. Considering the start and end times of the classes, plus road safety, I plan to transfer her to the elementary school nearer our home,” Lin Cheng explained, without citing any other reasons. 

“Is that so?” the principal nodded, agreeing, “Indeed, we also advocate for students to go to nearby schools.” 

He then looked at the two teachers nearby and said, “Then, please, Mr. Xiao and Ms. Xu, kindly help this student with the transfer procedures.” 

“Yes.” 

The relevant transfer applications and information had already been submitted to the relevant departments. Lin Cheng and Lin Momo came to school today primarily to obtain Lin Momo’s academic records, school evaluations, and other necessary documents, as required by the transfer process. 

Arriving at the school’s Student Registration Office, the homeroom teacher asked Lin Momo to wait outside while he and the other teachers led Lin Cheng inside the office. 

The student registration teacher looked up Lin Momo’s information using the student ID provided by the homeroom teacher. The homeroom teacher then discussed Lin Momo’s records in school. 

“This child’s academic performance is fine; she’s consistently ranked in the top three in her class. However, she has some personality issues. As a parent, you might want to pay more attention to this aspect after she transfers to another school.” 

“Personality issues?” 

“Exactly,” the homeroom teacher nodded, continuing, “Lin Momo hasn’t had many friends at school. She doesn’t seem to be very good at socializing and making friends, and she’s never been very talkative in class. Overall, she’s a bit introverted and withdrawn, which might be related to her previous living and family environment…” 

Serve as Contrast Team in a ‘Dad with Baby’ Show translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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Chapter 106.3 — So Silly and Happy
Chapter 107.1 — New School
Chapter 107.2 — New School
Chapter 107.3 — New School

FOOTNOTE:

1. Common grounds are fundamental, differences are partial, and we can seek common ground while reserving differences. It’s a classic idiom, and a tenet of international diplomacy and every day relationships. But perhaps it’s a bit hard for 9-years olds. ↩︎