Transmigrated as My Aunt in the 70s
Chapter 49 - 049 Registration

Chapter 49: 049 Registration

At this moment, Principal Luo was collecting tuition fees in the classroom. Many students came to register with flushed faces and heads hanging low, clearly indicating that they were going to delay paying their tuition fees. Some even owed fees from the previous semester and might not have paid last semester’s tuition fees when the new semester started!

Principal Luo was quite easy-going. Whenever the higher-ups came to urge the collection of tuition fees, he would speak on behalf of these students. Sometimes when the delay was untenable, he would even pay for the particularly impoverished students himself. Over the years, he had lost count of how much tuition fees he had paid for the students. Some students even came back to repay him years after graduating from elementary school, long after he could remember.

The students standing around Principal Luo automatically made way for Tian Sisi and her group. The "Miss Shanghai" of the Tian Family was not only famous in Yuequan Village but also all the students at Luoling Primary School felt a timid admiration towards the beautiful and stylish Tian Sisi, wanting to get close but not daring to get too close.

Tian Sisi smiled and thanked the students who made room for her. Those boys and girls smiled shyly, their expressions filled with a bit of excitement. Tian Sisi took out five yuan from her pocket and specifically mentioned that Jianguo was her cousin, who would be auditing at the school for this semester.

Principal Luo happily accepted the money. To him, having one more or one less student didn’t matter much; he was glad that another person was coming to school. Over the past few years, the number of students had been decreasing, and his home visits to persuade parents had no effect because the farmers were too poor, not only unable to afford tuition fees but some couldn’t even manage to provide a midday meal for their children.

"Tian Zhaodi, which grade is your cousin in?" Principal Luo asked kindly.

"Principal Luo, I’m now called Tian Sisi, ’Sisi’ as in remembering the bitterness and thinking of the sweetness. Please don’t get it wrong next time. My cousin is in the second grade, same as my brother Tian Donghua," Tian Sisi’s crisp voice was very pleasant to hear, like drinking green bean soup cooled in a well on a hot day.

"Alright, I’ll make a note of the name. Shou Jianguo, right? Study hard and make progress every day." Principal Luo took the money and gave Tian Sisi fifty cents change. Many people nearby looked on with envy. Tian Sisi’s family must be very wealthy, able to pay the school fees for three people at once.

Zhong Yuying lurked in the crowd, watching Tian Sisi with jealousy. This semester, she had to delay paying her tuition fees. Actually, her Daddy had money, but because previously Tian Sisi, the "fool," had always paid for her, her Daddy stopped giving her money over time since someone else was paying!

Zhong Yuying had planned to speak more kindly to win back Tian Sisi, but these past few days, no matter how humbly she behaved, Tian Sisi just wouldn’t show her a pleasant face. Moreover, everyone in Zhongjia Bay now knew that Tian Sisi and she had fallen out, even her Daddy knew and had scolded her fiercely, telling her not to come to school anymore. Today, she had sneaked in to register, planning to owe the tuition fees first and find a way to earn the money to pay back later.

The first day was just for registration and not for classes, but there was a need to clean up, so everyone still had to have a midday meal at school. Many students didn’t bring lunchboxes and just carried a couple of steamed sweet potatoes in their arms, and even some didn’t have sweet potatoes, planning to go hungry until the afternoon. Zhong Juying was among them, in the same third-grade class as Tian Sisi, and so was Zhong Meiying.

At this moment, she quietly hid outside the classroom. Everyone inside was eating, and she pretended she had already eaten, leaving the classroom early to sweep the hallway with a broom. From Tian Xinhua’s classroom, Tian Sisi who had finished her meal saw Zhong Juying and knew she definitely hadn’t had lunch. In her past life, her mother often talked about how she went hungry in school because there was no extra food at home to bring to school to eat, and also because of not eating midday meals, her mother’s stomach issues became very serious.

Tian Sisi thought about it, pulled out two steaming big meat buns from a bag, placed them in a lunchbox, covered it, and walked over, shouting loudly to Zhong Juying who was sweeping, "Zhong Juying, help me wash the lunchbox."

Zhong Juying looked up, saw Tian Sisi with a stern little face, and although she didn’t understand Tian Sisi’s intentions, she still put down the broom, walked up to Tian Sisi, and reached out to take the lunchbox. Tian Sisi whispered, "Don’t let others find out," then loudly said, "Make sure my lunchbox is washed clean, and return it to me later."

No one thought it was wrong for Tian Sisi to have Zhong Juying wash the lunchbox. In their eyes, it was a privilege for the well-born Tian Sisi to let a rich farmer wash her lunchbox, and it was even seen as an honor to do chores for the beautiful and modern Tian Sisi! Many male classmates even envied Zhong Juying’s good fortune!

After hearing Tian Sisi’s words, Zhong Juying knew there must be something in the lunchbox. She sneaked behind the school to the bamboo forest where few people usually came. Opening the lunchbox, she found two hot white steamed buns inside, and the lunchbox was very clean, clearly just washed. Tears suddenly welled up in Zhong Juying’s eyes.

She took a bun and bit into it ferociously, revealing the greasy meat filling inside, both fresh and fragrant. Zhong Juying felt as if her tongue was about to fall off. She gobbled down the bun in her hand and felt as comfortable as if basking in the winter sun, warmth spreading from her heart. Eating lunch felt so good!

She did not dare to eat the other bun and carefully tucked it inside her jacket pocket, a jacket which had been given to her by Tian Sisi. After putting on clean, tidy clothes, Zhong Juying looked much prettier.

Zhong Yuying was in fourth grade. After eating two sweet potatoes, she thought of finding Tian Sisi. Coming out, she saw Tian Sisi asking Zhong Juying to wash her lunchbox. She didn’t think much of it, as she used to wash Tian Sisi’s lunchbox and eat most of the food inside when they were close. There was no need to gnaw on sweet potatoes like today.

Without Tian Sisi’s care, Zhong Yuying’s quality of life had dropped several levels, and she couldn’t stand it. Thus, she thought of seeking Tian Sisi again, hoping to mollify her with gentle words, to see if she could revert to their original relationship or, if not, at least get some tuition fees.

Tian Sisi was truly annoyed by Zhong Yuying, who clung to her like a stubborn plaster. With such thick skin, no wonder she was so successful as a mistress in a previous life. Before Zhong Yuying could speak, Tian Sisi sternly said, "Zhong Yuying, are you ever going to stop? I’ve already told you I don’t want to be friends anymore. Why do you keep pestering me?"

"Sisi, where did I go wrong? You suddenly want to break off our friendship, can you tell me why? I will change," Zhong Yuying pleaded with a sad smile, making any onlookers think Tian Sisi was bullying her.

Tian Sisi was disgusted seeing that innocent expression. In her past life, her ex-husband was taken away by such an "innocent" woman. Although she was also to blame, ultimately Tian Sisi was defeated by such a woman, and in this life, too, she was driven out of her home by the "innocent" woman in front of her. Old grudges and new hatreds surged, seeing Zhong Yuying’s almost-tearful face sparked her anger.

"I simply can’t stand you. All day long, you’re thinking about taking advantage of me. Aren’t you just trying to befriend me because no one is paying your tuition this term, and no one is bringing you lunch? Humph, I’m not that stupid. Better keep your distance from me, or beware, I might hit you!"

Tian Sisi waved her little fist in a threatening gesture towards Zhong Yuying, then walked back to her seat. Zhong Yuying, not giving up, still wanted to make an effort. Zhong Meiying, who couldn’t stand it any longer, said loudly, "Zhong Yuying, have you no shame? Tian Sisi already said she doesn’t want to be friends with you, yet you have the nerve to stay in our classroom? Are you really hoping Tian Sisi will pay your tuition? How dare you think like that!"

In the classroom, no one spoke up for Zhong Yuying. Although she was quite popular in school, it depended on whom she was up against. If she had a conflict with Zhong Juying or Zhong Meiying, maybe some would speak well of her. But now facing Tian Sisi? Who would dare to defend Zhong Yuying?

PS: Thanks to My Love Myself XX, Fat Girl 0915, 123 Listen, Pen Pal 150707080753665, and other little friends for their support. Thank you, everyone. Old Yang is really struggling with updates. Sorry, everyone. We can only wait for the holidays for more updates!