Chapter 19

### School Office

Logan sat at his desk, continuing to wait for someone to sign up for the reopened school. Summer, on the other hand, seemed to have nothing to do. After sitting at her desk for a bit, she yawned long and loud, then laid her head down on the desk and fell asleep.

Logan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.

When Summer woke up, it was almost time for the afternoon work session. She stretched her arms, looked out the window to clear her head, then turned to Logan with a dazed expression and asked, "Did anyone come to sign up?"

Logan didn't want to admit he'd been proven wrong. After a moment of silence, he replied, "No."

Summer, not fully awake, spoke instinctively. "No one came and you're still acting all high and mighty..."

She realized what she said and quickly added, "I wasn't talking about you."

Logan: "..."

He bit back a retort and asked, "So, how did you know no one would come to sign up?"

Summer thought for a moment but didn't answer him directly. Instead, she got up and said, "Come with me."

She grabbed her bag and looked at Logan, waiting for him to follow.

After a moment of hesitation, Logan grabbed his bag and stood up. He walked over to her, closing the distance between them, and asked, "Why are you so eager to team up with me? What are you plotting?"

He'd initially thought she was just trying to shirk work and reap the benefits of his labor. But now it seemed she was waiting for him to fail so she could step in and work with him.

Logan's height made Summer feel pressured as he looked down at her. She forced a smile and said, "Why are you so suspicious? I'm just a girl with a simple mind full of love stories. What could I possibly be plotting? I just think we have a responsibility to work together since the village entrusted us with this task. I told you this morning that the announcement wouldn't work, but you didn't believe me. So I thought it would be better to show you the reality."

Logan: "I can figure it out and solve the problem on my own."

Summer: "..."

Logan: "Don't think you can just sit back and do nothing. If I do all the work, the village leaders will know. Your image of being hardworking will take a hit, and it won't be me who suffers."

Logan: "So, don't play games with me."

Summer: "..."

After staring at Summer for a while, Logan asked again, "So, what are you really plotting?"

Summer felt a bead of sweat forming on her forehead under his gaze. She thought for a moment, swallowed, and said, "I'm tired of being Henry's follower. But he still comes to me for everything, and it's really annoying. I want him to dislike me and stay away. He's kind and loyal to everyone except you. So I thought..."

Logan: "..."

His eyes grew even more intense.

Summer, under pressure, stopped speaking.

Logan let out a cold laugh, turned, and walked out.

Summer watched him leave, feeling her body go limp with relief. This was really tough. Was there no one else who could counter Henry's influence?

As she was contemplating her situation, Logan's voice came from the door, "Well? Are you coming or not?"

Summer quickly grabbed her bag and followed him out.

At the school gate, Logan said, "I don't want to be friends or help you with your problems. I just want to solve this quickly and enjoy seeing Henry annoyed."

Summer nodded. "I understand. I promise I won't drag you down."

Logan secured the gate and said, "So, why didn't anyone come to sign up?"

Summer decided not to play any more games. "It's because of two things. First, from the kids' perspective. Did you want to go to school when you were a kid?"

Logan replied, "Yes. Without education, you can't achieve anything."

Summer smiled awkwardly. "You're in the minority. Most kids don't want to go to school. Take Henry, Charlie, and Gabe for example. They hated school and only went because their families forced them. They spent more time playing and getting into trouble than in class."

Logan: "Go on."

Summer: "Second, from the parents' perspective. In the city, it's normal for kids to go to school, like eating and drinking. Even if they're poor, parents will find a way to send their kids to school. But in the countryside, families have many kids to work on the farm. Education isn't a priority. Kids are laborers from a young age. Most families here are too poor to consider school a worthwhile investment. Education isn't seen as beneficial. Before the country was founded, poor rural kids didn't go to school. Even after, not many did. And with the recent turmoil closing schools, people are even less inclined to send their kids now. Sure, some continue, but they're few."

Logan nodded. "Makes sense."

Summer smiled. "I'm not just thinking about love stories anymore."

Logan could see she had a point. He could tell she wasn't the naive girl she used to be.

They discussed the situation and came up with a plan. It was simple: they needed to talk to people and convince them of the benefits of education.

They started looking for children of school age. These kids weren't working, so they roamed the village in groups, playing, gathering pig fodder, firewood, or dung. Some even tended pigs and sheep for the commune, earning small work points for their families.

The task wasn't easy, but it was the best they could do.