1

I exhausted my savings to set up a kindergarten for the children of migrant workers.

I only charged 10 yuan for three meals a day as a meal supplement.

But just because the new kindergarten next door only charged 8 yuan a day, I was beaten by the parents in unison.

"You heartless crook! You took our money and abused the children, not giving them any meat to eat!"

"You're a disgrace to teachers, trying every day to make money off the kids. Have you no shame?"

I was completely disheartened and shut down the kindergarten, dragging my injured body away.

Later on, their children went to the kindergarten next door, ate tainted pork, drank dodgy milk, and collectively got food poisoning.

They cried and begged me for forgiveness, wanting to send their children back.

1

I graduated from a top-tier teacher training university and immediately started a high-paying job at a prestigious kindergarten.

But I discovered that every year during enrollment period, there was a large group of migrant worker parents outside the kindergarten, confused and wiping their tears while holding their children.

They wept in front of me, saying that public kindergartens nearby rejected children from out of town, and private kindergartens were too expensive, leaving their children unable to attend school.

Parents knelt in front of me, hoping I could give their children a chance to study.

Seeing this group of children eager to learn softened my heart, and I took out all my savings to set up a charity kindergarten.

I sympathized with the parents' hard work earning money, so I charged only a symbolic 10 yuan a day for three meals to cover food costs.

To ensure the children had enough to eat, I accumulated over a hundred thousand yuan in debt over two years.

Life was tough, but I gritted my teeth and persisted, never giving up.

After all, the original intention of setting up the kindergarten was not for profit, but to provide enough food and early education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

However, since a kindergarten opened next door that provided three meals with meat and vegetables daily for just 8 yuan.

The parents who once were grateful gradually changed, hinting that I was embezzling the food fees.

Until half a month later, enraged parents gathered and destroyed my kindergarten.

"Zhang Qian, you're too heartless! We trusted you with our kids, and you didn't even give them any meat!"

"You're discriminating against our poor children, thinking they're not worthy of eating meat!"

"Today you must refund all the meal fees and compensate for our children's health damages, or else I'll make sure your kindergarten can't stay open!"

Amidst the waves of accusations, someone rushed up and slapped me.

This was followed by more slaps, shoves, and kicks, forcing me to curl up in a corner with my head in my hands.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I felt an unspeakable grievance.

They forgot that two years ago, they knelt before me begging me to take in their children!

Qi Qi's mother, who was the first to slap me, was also the first to kneel to me back then.

She wiped her tears and said, "We are all poor from the countryside, and the city kindergartens won't accept our kids. Teacher, I always see you volunteering, you must be the kindest person here. Please take in my poor child!"

I awkwardly told them that my resources were limited, only enough to barely provide for the kids.

She confidently said, "Our demands are not high, as long as the children have food while we work, that's enough!"

The other children also tearfully said to me, "Teacher, we want to go to school!"

Who would have thought that gratitude could turn to enmity.

In just two short years.

I looked at these parents in despair.

What chilled my heart was that the parents all wore expressions of hatred and calculation.

In this moment, I suddenly realized that my two years of persistence and dedication were a joke.

I managed a self-deprecating smile.

"Since you think the kids fare poorly with me, I'll shut down the kindergarten. Are you satisfied now?"

The parents were stunned for a moment, and the scene quickly quieted down, as they all looked at each other in dismay.

Their real intention was to pressure me into lowering prices while improving food standards for the children, not to force me to close.

After all, their children had become smart and polite under my teaching.

If I shut down, which kindergarten would accept their children?

In the silence, Qi Qi's mother laughed.

She patted her chest and promised, "I have already arranged for everyone; the new kindergarten next door will accept all the children!"

I realized that Qi Qi's mother had long colluded with the kindergarten next door.

With her assurance, the parents were all persuaded and began urging me to refund the tuition.

Holding back my anger at these ungrateful people, I took out the agreements signed upon admission and refunded each family based on the remaining months.

After the last refund, the parents couldn't wait to leave with their children.

Afraid that I would cling to them like a plague.

Taken away with them was my last bit of reluctance to part with the children.

As I tidied up the trashed kindergarten, my heart also turned completely cold.

Meanwhile, I was curious, could someone truly offer more than I had?

To provide nutritious eggs, milk, and fresh fish for the children, I had invested over a hundred thousand yuan of my own money over two years.

Organic vegetables were too expensive, so I grew them personally, catching bugs and fertilizing, daring not to use any pesticides.

I had no extra money left to buy meat for the children.

How could that newly-opened kindergarten manage to feed the children with meat, eggs, and milk for just 8 yuan a day?