What's wrong with me, a school principal, listening to students' suggestions?

"I heard Lao Zhou made some crayfish today. I'll wait for you in the cafeteria, we can eat and chat."

Lin Yucai grinned as he read Su Qingyan's message.

He locked the office door and walked briskly towards the cafeteria.

As he passed the newly added suggestion box in the lobby on the first floor, he stopped, opened the lid, and took a look.

The room was full of slips of paper, and he randomly picked one out.

"Principal, could we build a new basketball court during the summer vacation? The current basketball court is too dilapidated."

Another one.

"Principal, when will the new teaching building be finished? I heard they're also building a research building? Will our new senior class be able to use it?"

Another one.

"Principal Lin, I'd like to learn programming. Can I come to the school during the summer vacation?"

Lin Yucai stuffed the note back in and closed the box.

There are more and more suggestions.

More and more students are willing to speak up about what they want.

This is what he most wants to see.

The system panel flashed again in the corner of my field of vision.

[New suggestion detected... currently being evaluated...]

He wasn't in a hurry to look.

Let's eat crayfish first.

Let's talk about tomorrow's problems tomorrow.

……

Lin Yucai pushed open the cafeteria door, and a wave of heat and aroma wafted out.

Zhou Dahai was standing at the kitchen window, wearing a chef's hat, with a huge stainless steel basin in front of him.

The basin was piled high with bright red crayfish, and the aroma of garlic and chili mingled together, making one's mouth water.

"Principal Lin, Vice Principal Su has been waiting for you for ages!" Zhou Dahai waved to them. "Come on over, it's fresh out of the pot!"

Su Qingyan was already seated by the window, with two pairs of disposable gloves and several wet wipes in front of her.

Lin Yucai walked over and sat down. Zhou Dahai brought over the bowl of crayfish and placed it steadily on the table.

"I got some fresh stuff today, two flavors: spicy and garlic." Zhou Dahai smiled so much his eyes narrowed into slits. "You guys should try it. I also have some crayfish with a Tom Yum flavor that I just developed."

Lin Yucai put on gloves, picked up a crayfish, twisted its head and peeled off the shell in one go.

The shrimp meat is bouncy and firm, the spicy flavor explodes on the tongue, and the aftertaste is accompanied by a hint of garlic.

"Great, Lao Zhou, this garlic flavor is amazing! I'll try some others."

Lin Yucai gave a thumbs up.

"Of course." Zhou Dahai waved his hand smugly and turned back to the kitchen.

Su Qingyan also picked up a shrimp, her movements much more elegant than Lin Yucai's. She slowly peeled off the shell and took a small bite.

She frowned slightly, then reached for her water glass and took a big gulp.

"Too spicy?" Lin Yucai asked.

"It's alright." Su Qingyan put down her cup and picked up a second one.

"What was this inspection you mentioned earlier?"

Lin Yucai threw the shrimp tails into the trash can and took out a tissue to wipe his hands.

"Didn't the dean of students from No. 3 Middle School in the East of the City come by today?" Su Qingyan lowered her voice. "Before he left, he told me that someone from above might come down to check on No. 13 Middle School."

"Who?" Lin Yucai stopped what he was doing.

"I don't know exactly who it is, but it's someone of high rank."

"You've recently made No. 13 Middle School so famous, with your videos going viral online and your grades being so outstanding. It would be strange if the higher-ups didn't take a look."

Su Qingyan looked at him, her tone carrying a hint of pride.

"Come on, come on." Lin Yucai picked up a shrimp upon hearing this. "There's nothing shameful about our school."

"Aren't you nervous?" Su Qingyan stared at him.

"What's there to be nervous about?" Lin Yucai laughed. "Could it be any more ruthless than Liu Jianguo's surprise inspection?"

Su Qingyan's lips curled slightly as she recalled the time Liu Jianguo led a group to inspect the cafeteria and was surrounded by students.

"But this time is different." She put away her smile. "When the people from above come, Liu Jianguo will definitely come along."

"That's even better." Lin Yucai stuffed the peeled shrimp meat into his mouth. "Let's see if he dares to pull any tricks in front of the leaders."

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Su Qingyan felt a little more at ease.

She lowered her head and continued peeling shrimp, then looked up again after a while.

"Lin Yucai".

"Um?"

"What if Liu Jianguo really complains about us to the leaders?"

Lin Yucai tossed the shrimp shells in his hand into the plate and wiped his hands with a wet wipe.

"What are you complaining about? Is it that the food in our cafeteria is too good? That our dorms are too clean? Or that our students' grades are improving too quickly?"

He paused, looking into Su Qingyan's eyes.

"Vice Principal Su, everything our No. 13 Middle School does now can withstand scrutiny."

"The students' grades are real, the teachers' teaching is real, the food in the cafeteria is real, and the air conditioning in the dormitories is real."

"If Liu Jianguo dares to throw dirty water in front of the leaders, he's asking for trouble."

After hearing these words, Su Qingyan felt completely at ease.

She picked up a tom yum flavored shrimp and slowly peeled it.

"You're right, I was overthinking it."

"It's not that I'm overthinking it." Lin Yucai picked up another shrimp. "It's that you care too much about this school."

Su Qingyan paused for a moment.

She looked up at Lin Yucai.

"You know, when I first came to No. 13 Middle School, I thought this place was a complete mess."

Lin Yucai didn't look at her, focusing intently on the shrimp in his hand.

"A run-down school, bad students, no money, no people, no hope."

"But now..." He held up the peeled shrimp meat and looked at it, "I think this place is pretty good."

"What's so good about it?" Su Qingyan asked.

"Luckily, these kids still trust me." Lin Yucai stuffed a shrimp into his mouth. "Luckily, you're willing to go through all this trouble with me."

Su Qingyan's face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, pretending to be focused on peeling shrimp.

The two chatted while eating shrimp, talking about everything from the review process to summer vacation plans, from the research building to freshman military training.

It was almost ten o'clock when the bowl was empty.

"Principal Lin, Vice Principal Su, would you like another pot?"

Zhou Dahai poked his head out from the kitchen and looked at the two of them.

"No need, Lao Zhou," Lin Yucai waved his hand. "I'm too full."

He stood up and glanced out the window.

Night had completely fallen, the streetlights on the playground were on, and the shadows of the ginkgo trees stretched long on the ground.

"Let's go," he said to Su Qingyan. "Let's go home."

Su Qingyan nodded, stood up, and walked out with him.

Stepping out of the cafeteria, a cool summer night breeze blew by.

The two walked side by side on the campus path, neither of them speaking.

"Vice Principal Su, who do you think will be the person coming from above?"

Lin Yucai looked ahead and suddenly remembered something.

"I don't know." Su Qingyan shook her head. "But the dean of students at No. 3 Middle School in the east of the city said that his rank is not low."

"Then we need to prepare properly," Lin Yucai said. "At least we should fix the parts that need fixing, so that people don't think we're shabby."

"Is it too late to fix it now?"

"There's still time," Lin Yucai laughed. "I'm rolling in money!"

Su Qingyan turned her head to look at him, her eyes filled with a complex emotion.

"Lin Yucai, where did you get so much money?"

"I already said it," Lin Yucai said seriously, "I am the son of the richest man in Tomato City. Investing in legitimate businesses will allow me to inherit the entire family fortune."

"Vice Principal Su, there are some things you don't need to ask too clearly."

"All you need to know is that the money is clean and has been spent where it should be spent."