Call Me Daddy [Quick Transmigration]

"What is wrong with you, child? Saying such nonsense at your age—did someone teach you to talk like that?"
Wang Fangfang snapped, holding back her temper as she unleashed a barrage of scolding on Su Mingcheng. Her words carried a pointed implication, clearly casting veiled blame toward Jiang Lianmei.
As she spoke, she glanced expectantly at Su Aobai.

"Teacher Su, you know I’m not that kind of person. How could I ever say something like that in front of a child?"
But the other teachers standing nearby showed even more peculiar expressions at her words.
Everyone here knew each other too well. It was no secret that Wang ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Fangfang’s father—Leader Wang of the Upper Gully Brigade—and Jiang Dajun of the Lower Branch Brigade had always had their share of friction, and that tension had extended to their children too.

Back when Jiang Lianmei was still an unmarried girl, she had thoroughly overshadowed Wang Fangfang. Later, Jiang married an educated youth, while Wang Fangfang relied on her father’s connections to become a temporary teacher at the commune elementary school. Only then did public opinion about her start to shift.
People would say: sure, Wang's daughter might be a bit heavyset and proud, but at least she’s a teacher—she’ll never have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of her life.
As for Jiang Lianmei’s husband, that handsome young man from the city? No way he’d stay in a rural backwater like this forever. The moment he found an opportunity, he’d surely leave and never come back.

Wang Fangfang couldn’t stand hearing such talk.
If people wanted to compliment her for having a good job and a lucky life, fine—but why bring up looks? It wasn’t like she was some cheap whore selling herself—what good was a pretty face anyway?
Deep down, Wang Fangfang envied Jiang Lianmei. She envied her beauty. She envied the love she got from her parents. Only the Wang family themselves knew the truth—that Wang Fangfang’s job was merely a placeholder for her nephew, who was still in school. If he failed to get into a vocational high school, the family planned to pass her position to him. That meant Wang Fangfang could lose her most pride-worthy job at any moment.

There was another jealousy buried even deeper in her heart: Su Aobai.
Back when the commune screened outdoor movies, she had fallen for the city youth the moment she saw him—he looked like a movie star who had stepped right off the screen. To Wang Fangfang, there weren’t enough flowery words in the world to describe how perfect Su Aobai was.
She wasn’t a fool either. She knew she was an unmarried woman and he was someone else’s husband. If people found out she liked him, she’d be spat on in the streets. So she never once expressed her feelings to the original Su Aobai.

But some things can’t be hidden. At the very least, the teachers at the elementary school had all noticed—Wang Fangfang paid special attention to Teacher Su. During breaks, she’d always find a reason to go talk to him.
And since she always had a valid excuse, no one could say anything outright. They just silently mocked her in their hearts.
As for the original Su Aobai, he had absolutely no interest in Wang Fangfang. The moment he sensed her affection, he did his best to avoid her. If he couldn’t get out of it, he’d pull a few more teachers into the conversation—once there were others around, Wang Fangfang would be too embarrassed to cling to him.

Truth be told, Wang Fangfang wasn’t that young anymore. At twenty-one, she was considered one of the “older” unmarried women in the commune. Even Jiang Lianmei, who was only four years older than her, already had two kids.
Back then, the other teachers used to console themselves, saying: "Anyone who’s not married is still just a kid." They believed Wang Fangfang was just temporarily dazzled by Su Aobai’s pretty face and that she’d snap out of it eventually. She’d realize how inappropriate her feelings were.
But as time passed, not only did she not let it go—she actually ended up saying something like that in front of his child.
What kind of person says something like, “A dumb woman who can’t even hold onto her man” in front of students—especially in front of that woman’s child?

Sure, they had all assumed Su Aobai had run off to the city and wouldn’t return, but even so—it wasn’t his wife’s fault. If anything, she was the victim.
Wang Fangfang had no business being a teacher. The older teachers, who had already had doubts about her competence, now looked at her with even more disapproval.
"Teacher Wang, you're here to teach kids how to read and write—not to gossip like some village woman who can't let anything go."

It was Wu Zhiyong who spoke. He was a veteran educated youth who had come down in the early '50s—different from the later waves. At his age, he had long given up the idea of ever returning home.
His wife was also an educated youth. Unlike the outsiders who were still met with subtle rejection by locals, Wu Zhiyong had earned genuine respect in the commune. Back when the Red Flag Commune didn’t even have an elementary school, it was thanks to his and the old principal’s efforts that they secured funding from the education bureau and laid the foundation for one.
Now, with the old principal nearing retirement, everyone expected Wu Zhiyong to be the next headmaster.

Maybe it was because they were both educated youths, but Wu Zhiyong had always looked out for the original Su Aobai. Given that Su Aobai had a solid foundation and took teaching seriously, Wu Zhiyong’s opinion of him was far higher than of other people who had gotten in through connections.
Back when he thought Su Aobai had abandoned his wife and kids, Wu Zhiyong was genuinely saddened. But now, seeing him alive and well, standing right in front of him—he couldn’t be happier. It proved he hadn’t misjudged the man.
Wu Zhiyong’s sharp rebuke made Wang Fangfang’s face alternate between red and pale.

"Teacher Wu, I really didn’t say anything like that. Maybe the kid misheard me. Older kids lie the best—they twist things. Maybe I was too strict with him, and he’s holding a grudge."
Wang Fangfang was still trying to defend herself.
"I did not!"

Su Mingcheng was so furious he stomped his foot, chest puffed full of air like a frog about to croak.
"I’m not the only one who heard it! Third-grader Chu Ni and the others can back me up! They asked you if my dad was ever coming back to teach, and you told them he wouldn’t. You said there are plenty of young, pretty girls in the city—and that my mom, someone who didn’t go to school and already popped out two kids, is just a yellow-faced hag who can’t even hold onto her man!"
Those words were harsh—so harsh that a few of the male teachers couldn’t help but frown. Another female teacher clenched her fists tightly, barely resisting the urge to slap Wang Fangfang across the face.

How could she say something like that in front of students? And she was a woman herself—didn’t she think for a second how such words insulted married women with children, people just like her?
“Dad, she’s spouting nonsense. Mom’s skin is pale. It’s Teacher Wang’s face that’s yellow—yellow and blotchy—she looks just like that old yellow dog at Xiaomao’s house.”
Su Mingcheng’s voice rang out clear and loud. His childish comparison sent Wang Fangfang reeling backward in fury—but not a single person felt sorry for her.

“This child has no upbringing at all! He actually said I look like a dog!”
Wang Fangfang pointed a trembling finger at Su Mingcheng, her eyes sweeping across the gathered teachers—lingering especially long on Su Aobai, clearly hoping they’d scold the “rude little brat.”
She knew Su Aobai cared deeply about his son’s education. While the other children still babbled in local dialects, Su Mingcheng already spoke fluent Mandarin. Surely, she thought, he’d discipline the boy harshly.

But Su Aobai simply patted his son’s head, then gently nudged him behind his own body, blocking Wang Fangfang’s poisonous glare with his own frame.
“Now, now. That’s not how we talk.”
There was a touch of displeasure in his voice. Wang Fangfang’s eyes lit up. Su Mingcheng, on the other hand, clenched his tiny fists, his eyes wide with tension.

“Of course your dad would never leave your mom or you two kids behind. Stop worrying about pointless things like that.”
The second half of the sentence flipped both their expressions.
“And besides,” he continued, “even if Teacher Wang’s complexion does look just like that old yellow dog at Xiaomao’s house, you still can’t say that kind of thing to her face. Some people have thinner skin than a needlepoint. Even if you’re telling the truth, they’ll hold a grudge. What if she tries to bully you when Dad’s not around?”

“Pfft—hahaha.”
One of the female teachers nearby couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, quickly covering her mouth as giggles spilled through her fingers.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

She’d never realized before that their usually polite and well-mannered Teacher Su could be so sharp-tongued and cutting.
The other teachers seemed to agree. Given that Wang Fangfang had been the one to overstep first, none of them blamed Su Aobai for giving her a verbal slap.
“You—you all—ah!”

Humiliated by the very man she had feelings for, Wang Fangfang felt her heart shatter into pieces.
Tears welling, she stomped the ground in frustration, covered her face, shoved past Wu Zhiyong, and ran off crying.

Su Aobai reacted quickly and caught him before he could stumble.
“I’m fine.”
Wu Zhiyong gave a wry smile and waved his hand. He couldn’t hold grudges against someone Wang Fangfang’s age.

Still, Wang Fangfang had completely crossed the line. Letting her stay at the school meant no one knew what kind of harmful thoughts she might be planting in the kids’ heads.
“Teacher Wu, I’m back now. I plan to resume teaching starting this afternoon. I’ll take over the same class I had before. I heard Teacher Wang was substituting for me—though I doubt she’ll be in the mood to show up today.”
The hundred revised textbooks in his System Space, plus the way Wang Fangfang had just acted, only solidified Su Aobai’s decision.

Earlier, when his son mentioned Chu Ni while recounting what happened, he’d known Wang Fangfang would retaliate against that little girl. He couldn’t just stand by and let that happen.
More importantly, he didn’t feel safe letting his son study in a school where someone like Wang Fangfang had any influence.
And frankly, Su Aobai’s tolerance wasn’t that much greater than hers. That woman had crossed him, and a few sarcastic words weren’t going to settle the matter.

On the surface, he maintained his usual calm and refined demeanor—but inwardly, he was already drafting a plan to strip Wang Fangfang of her iron rice bowl for good.
“It’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” Wu Zhiyong said.
How could he possibly refuse?

The teaching quality at Hongqi Commune Elementary School was so poor that the county didn’t even bother notifying them about the annual standard exams anymore. That had always left both the aging principal and Wu Zhiyong deeply disheartened.
Honestly, among all the teachers present—whether officially employed or temporary—Teacher Su had the highest teaching skills. The batch of students he had previously taught had scored only slightly lower on their final exams than those from the town elementary school.
Sure, the town school was already scraping the bottom in terms of county-wide test scores—but still, they had almost reached the minimum target.

Chu Ni’s class had been assigned to Su Aobai by Wu Zhiyong himself, starting from first grade. He had hoped that one day their grades would be good enough to qualify for the standard exams.
Once that happened, the education bureau might finally pay some attention to this struggling commune school. They could gain a few more official teacher slots, boost teacher morale, and help the local parents see hope in their children’s education. They wouldn’t have to go door-to-door begging people to send their kids to school.
Kids from this village didn’t have to be stuck in the dirt their whole lives. Wu Zhiyong respected hard-working farmers, but he hoped these children could one day fly higher, see farther.

Wasting even a month of Chu Ni’s class time on Wang Fangfang had already been bad enough. And she wasn’t qualified to teach the older grades either.
Wu Zhiyong didn’t even consider asking for Wang Fangfang’s opinion. In his mind, not assigning her anything but still letting her draw a salary was already a gift. What right did she have to complain?
“Daddy, I’m really happy today.”

Su Mingcheng sat on the back seat of the bike, his thin little legs swinging back and forth behind him. His cheeks were pressed against his father’s back as he let out a series of gleeful giggles.
“Sit still. Don’t move.”
Su Aobai gave a brief warning. Even though he couldn’t see the boy’s face, he could still feel just how happy he was.

Today, with his dad’s cooperation, he had managed to tell everyone loud and clear—they were a family, and they were doing just fine.
Su Aobai could feel the joy lingering in the air, but before he had a chance to share in it, the boy’s constant wiggling threw off his balance. Unable to control the bicycle’s handlebars, the whole bike—along with both of them—toppled straight into a roadside ditch.
Thankfully, there wasn’t much water in the shallow trench. The soft, muddy sludge only dirtied their clothes and actually cushioned both the bike and their bodies from getting hurt.

Su Aobai’s smile froze on his face. He gave the little rascal’s butt two solid smacks.
Su Mingcheng: …
The once arrogant little boy—who had put on such a cold face during their first meeting—was now staring back with an indignant expression, his cheeks smudged with bits of mud. His eyes were wide and round, not a trace of his usual cleverness left. Instead, he looked adorably dumbfounded.

Su Aobai’s mood immediately lifted again.
As expected, being a dad really is the best.