Chapter 289: Chapter 289: The Bad Teacher Really Likes Him

"Yes." Teacher Yardley nodded quickly. "I remember."

Diana Jennings’s smile faded, her gaze turning flat as she stared at the teacher. "In that case, Teacher Yardley, are you aware that the other children in the kindergarten are making fun of my two kids for not having a father?"

"I..." Teacher Yardley lowered her eyes, trying to hide her guilt. "Did Zane and Jasmine say something when they got home?"

Diana Jennings frowned. Suddenly, Renee Jennings’s slightly forceful voice cut in. "Teacher Yardley, could you please answer my sister’s question first?"

Teacher Yardley looked up at Renee Jennings, forcing a stiff smile. "Now that you mention it, I do recall a situation like that. I immediately criticized the students who were causing trouble."

"Then why didn’t you inform me, as their parent, Teacher Yardley?" Diana asked.

Teacher Yardley explained, "I had already criticized the students, and it didn’t seem like a particularly serious matter. Zane and Jasmine didn’t appear to be affected, so I thought it best not to disturb you at work."

"Just because you think they weren’t affected, that means they weren’t affected?" Renee Jennings sneered.

Teacher Yardley pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Renee Jennings continued, "And this hasn’t just happened once, has it?"

"I’m not sure of the exact number of times." Teacher Yardley began to shift the blame. "Besides, Zane and Jasmine never came to me to complain. We’re so busy with our work every day; it’s impossible to keep an eye on them every single moment."

Hearing this, Renee Jennings scoffed. "Are you too busy to pay attention to them, Teacher Yardley, or do you just think that because they’re from a single-parent home, with no power or influence, they don’t matter?"

Teacher Yardley’s expression changed drastically. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Whether it’s nonsense or not, I think you know the answer in your heart, Teacher Yardley."

Renee Jennings had spoken with the two children that morning. They told her that Teacher Yardley often asked the students what their parents did for a living.

Wasn’t that just a veiled way of inquiring about their family’s financial situation?

Zane and Jasmine said the teacher was especially nice to Zoe Archer because his family sold jewelry, and he had even given Teacher Yardley some sparkling beads.

In the corner of the office, under a windowsill, sat a crystal-clear fish tank. Three small goldfish weaved through the green aquatic plants, their swishing tails creating ripples on the water’s surface.

The largest of the small goldfish heard the humans’ conversation and, blowing bubbles, began to discuss it with its companions.

"Look! A parent is finally here to settle the score with this bad teacher!"

"Yeah! Teachers like her are the worst, always bullying the human cubs. It’s despicable!"

"Hmph, she doesn’t just bully the human cubs, she bullies us fish, too! She never lets the other teachers feed us!"

"She’s the teacher us fish hate the most!"

"GURGLE... We’re so hungry..."

This sudden conversation caught Renee Jennings’s attention.

She looked up, scanning the office until her gaze landed on the miniature ocean world in the corner.

Renee Jennings got up and walked over to the fish tank. She tapped her fingertips against the glass a few times. "Hey, little fish, are you hungry?"

"Hungry! So hungry!" the little goldfish replied hastily.

Its companion shot it a disdainful look. "You idiot, how could a human understand fish-speak?"

The corner of Renee Jennings’s eye twitched. She picked up the nearby container of fish food, and with a flick of her porcelain-white wrist, fine flakes of food rustled down into the water, creating faint ripples.

When Teacher Yardley saw this, her brows furrowed, and a look of disbelief flashed across her face.

’What is wrong with this parent? We’re in the middle of a conversation and she just gets up to feed the fish? Is she crazy?’

The little goldfish swished their gauzy tail fins, happily pecking at the floating fish food.

Renee Jennings waited a moment before asking, "Hey there, sweeties, can I ask you a few questions?"

"What questions?" one of the goldfish asked, puzzled. "Wait, can you understand us?"

A smile touched Renee Jennings’s lips, her eyes crinkling. "I can. A moment ago, I heard you call her a bad teacher. Can you tell me exactly how bad she is?"

Hearing this, Teacher Yardley’s mouth twitched. She turned to Diana Jennings with a mocking tone, "Zane and Jasmine’s mother, is there something mentally wrong with your sister?"

"You’re the one with mental problems," Diana Jennings snapped, glaring at her.

Teacher Yardley’s face darkened. "I was just asking out of concern. What’s with your attitude?"

Diana Jennings ignored her and walked over to Renee Jennings’s side.

The little goldfish blew a stream of pearl-like bubbles, looking curiously at Renee and Diana Jennings. "Which human cub’s parents are you?"

"Do you know the human cubs here?" Renee Jennings asked, also curious.

The goldfish replied, "We know the ones who come to the office a lot."

Renee Jennings: "Then do you know Zoe Archer?"

The goldfish: "Of course! He’s the chubby one who’s always bringing the bad teacher presents. She loves him! Are you Zoe Archer’s parents?"

"No." Renee Jennings shook her head. "We’re Zane and Jasmine’s parents. They’re fraternal twins, a brother and sister. Do you know them?"

"We know them, too!" A note of sympathy entered the little goldfish’s tone. "Oh, so you’re Zane and Jasmine’s parents. Your human cubs come to see the bad teacher a lot, too, but she doesn’t like them. Her tone is always so, so mean when she talks to them!"

Renee Jennings’s brow furrowed, and her voice deepened slightly. "Can you tell me everything you know?"

"Of course!" the little goldfish agreed readily. "That chubby kid, Zoe Archer, is always bullying your human cubs."

The little goldfish sank into its memories—

At first, when Zoe Archer said Zane and Jasmine were kids with no dad, Teacher Yardley did indeed stop him.

But the very next day, Zoe Archer took a few strings of sparkling beads from his backpack and brought them to the office to give to Teacher Yardley.

From then on, no matter how Zoe Archer bullied them, Teacher Yardley never said a word.

Zane and Jasmine had tried to report him to Teacher Yardley, but what was her response at the time?

Teacher Yardley had told Zane and Jasmine, "Your mother told me you’re a single-parent family. You don’t have a father, so student Zoe Archer wasn’t wrong."

"But Teacher, student Zoe was making fun of me and my sister," Zane said, his little face taut with seriousness.

"It’s just classmates joking around." Teacher Yardley looked exasperated. "Zane, you’re so young. Why are you being so serious about this?"

Zane: "But Teacher Yardley, it’s not my sister’s and my fault that we don’t have a father. Why do they keep talking about it?"

Teacher Yardley frowned, her tone becoming harsh. "Right, not having a father isn’t your fault, but it’s not student Zoe’s fault either! I already told you he was just joking. Can’t you be a little more sensible and stop bothering your teacher?"

"Brother, maybe we should just go home and tell Mom," Jasmine said, tugging at her brother’s sleeve. She was hurt, and Teacher Yardley seemed so mean. "Mom will definitely help us!"

Hearing this, Teacher Yardley worried they would go home and tattle to their parents, so she started to gaslight them.

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