Call Me Daddy [Quick Transmigration]

The Red Flag Commune Elementary School wasn’t large. It consisted of a single row of brick-and-tile buildings—six rooms in total. One was used as the teachers' office, while the other five served as classrooms for grades one through five.
In front of the school was a large open space. Half of it was designated as a playground for the students, while the other half was used for growing crops like sweet potatoes and vegetables. A sturdy iron pole stood in the center, holding up the national flag. On regular days, students attended agricultural labor classes in this field, and the harvested crops belonged to the teachers—a form of workplace benefit.

Overall, the school was quite simple and modest.
“Dad, can’t you wait a little longer?”
Su Mingcheng turned his head, scanning the area, seemingly looking for someone.

By now, they had already arrived at the classroom door. The children playing outside on the school grounds quickly took notice—after all, it was rare to see Teacher Su, who had been absent for so long, suddenly show up, especially with his son in tow.
Hadn't the rumors said that Teacher Su had run back to the city and wasn’t coming back?
The kids huddled together in small groups, whispering among themselves. But since Su Aobai was standing right there, none of them dared to step forward and ask questions directly.

Su Aobai assumed this was exactly what his son wanted—to make sure enough students saw him, spreading the news of his return. Now that the goal was achieved, he could head off to the county town for business.
But just as he was about to leave, Su Mingcheng tugged at his sleeve hesitantly, reluctant to let him go.
“Dad, come pick me up after school.”

Su Aobai had important matters to attend to. The town was too small, making it easy to run into acquaintances, so he planned to head straight to the county instead. The round trip would take at least two to three hours, and if he delayed any longer, he wouldn’t make it back in time for lunch.
Seeing his father’s serious expression, Su Mingcheng had no choice but to obediently climb down from the back seat of the bicycle. His face scrunched up with clear reluctance.
At the time, Su Aobai didn’t think much of it. He mounted the bicycle and was about to leave when, just as he reached the school gate, a thin girl—almost reed-like—stepped forward to block his path.

“Teacher Su, are you coming back to teach?”
Su Aobai recognized her. She had been one of the students he taught before leaving for the Xiazhi Brigade. She had just started first grade back then, and with the new school year, she had moved up to second grade. If he returned to teaching, she would still be his student.
Her name was Chu Ni, and she was already eleven years old. At her age, she should have been in fourth grade, but she hadn’t originally been given the chance to attend school. The only reason she was enrolled was because her younger brother, Chu Jiabao, had reached school age, and their parents, worried that their precious son might get bullied, had reluctantly paid extra tuition to send Chu Ni along with him.

Chu Ni had six older sisters. The eldest had already been married off for «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» a bride price, while the younger ones were stuck at home, working tirelessly for the family. Compared to them, Chu Ni was actually lucky—at least she had the chance to study, even if it was just as a glorified bodyguard for her little brother.
She cherished this hard-won opportunity. Even at a young age, she understood the value of literacy. If reading and writing weren’t important, then why would her parents send their precious son, Chu Jiabao, to school? That was why she never dared to slack off in class. Even when she was busy with chores at home, she would steal moments to learn a few more characters. She not only taught herself but also tried to teach her unmarried sisters.
After Teacher Su left, the school replaced him with Wang Fangfang, the daughter of another brigade leader. She had barely scraped through middle school and had taken the job as a commune teacher for the sake of an easy, respectable position and a slightly better wage compared to farm work.

Most of the time, she couldn’t even be bothered to teach. She would either let the students read on their own during class or replace regular lessons with extra farming labor. A whole month had passed since school started, and Chu Ni had barely learned anything new. Compared to when Teacher Su was around, her progress had completely stalled.
That was why she had worked up the courage to ask—was Teacher Su coming back?
As for that question, even Su Aobai himself hadn’t decided yet.
Right now, it was 1975. In two years, the college entrance exams would be reinstated. However, at his age, sitting for the exams felt a little awkward. He didn’t need a diploma to prove his abilities. What he was looking forward to was the economic boom after the reforms. Until then, he could focus on accumulating wealth.

To be honest, teaching at an underfunded commune elementary school felt like a waste of his time.
However, this job had been secured for him by his father-in-law, who had pulled a lot of strings to make it happen. Quitting without a good excuse would be a bad look.
Then again, was there really anything wrong with continuing to teach?

Money was just a number at a certain point. It wasn’t like he had to become some wealthiest man in the world type of figure. He’d already lived the rich life before—it wasn’t as exciting anymore.
At first, he had instinctively thought about making a quick fortune in the 1970s, as if he’d be wasting his time otherwise. But… did he really need to rush?
“We’ll have to see what the commune leaders decide.”

In the end, he gave a vague answer.
When Chu Ni didn’t get a direct response, her thin, sallow face couldn’t hide her disappointment.
As she walked away, head down, Su Aobai watched her small figure for a moment before pedaling off toward the county.

 
****
Before heading into town, Su Aobai disguised himself.

The night before, he had taken some flour from the kitchen cabinet, mixed it with mud, and added water to create a makeshift foundation cream.
He smeared the brownish paste evenly over his face, then put on a straw hat and slung a worn-out towel around his neck. Hunching his back slightly, he now looked just like a typical nervous country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time.
There was no other choice—he was just too damn handsome.

If he walked into town looking the way he normally did, people would remember him too easily. The only solution was to ugly himself up as much as possible.
Su Aobai didn’t go to the large factories or the family housing area—those places were crowded with prying eyes. There were also plenty of Red Armband patrols, and he couldn’t be sure whether the big buyer he had in mind was actually an undercover officer.
From the original body's memories, there were a few known black markets—word-of-mouth secrets among educated youths and certain workers. After all, only people like them had the extra cash to buy high-priced scarce goods. The original owner had visited these black markets before, and they were relatively safer.

Riding his bicycle, Su Aobai arrived at a secluded area in the eastern part of the county. Most factories were located in the west, and family housing was mostly arranged nearby, making the east side much more desolate in comparison.
At this hour, a few people stood scattered along the street, their eyes darting around warily.
The moment Su Aobai appeared on his bicycle, he drew their attention. However, no one approached him; they only observed him cautiously.

Su Aobai parked his bicycle to the side. There was a basket hanging on the back seat, covered with cloth. He reached into the basket as if rummaging for something, but in reality, he was transferring a portion of the smoked fish from his system space into the basket.
Since it was a system-provided reward, he could retrieve the smoked fish at any moment if an emergency arose.
Taking out a piece of smoked fish, he noticed that it was still steaming.

The system’s smoked fish was of freshly cooked quality—hot, crispy, and fragrant.
In one of his past lives, Su Aobai had been the heir to a prestigious restaurant. His grandfather was a legendary chef, and from childhood, he had been trained to recognize spices and memorize recipes. By the time he was thirty, he had already mastered seventy to eighty percent of his grandfather’s skills. Many considered him the next great successor to Huaxia’s culinary world.
Unfortunately, he encountered a man who sold outrageously priced egg fried rice. That man’s godlike cooking skills completely crushed him.

Ordinarily, one failure wouldn’t have meant much. But after that, it was as if he had lost his mind—he became obsessed with surpassing that man. In the end, his restaurant went bankrupt, his right hand—the hand he used to wield the wok—was broken, and his father had to trade away their family’s treasured recipe collection just to save his life.
After being chosen by the system, Su Aobai finally understood that his fate had been predetermined by the world's will. He had never truly been inferior to that man—his downfall had been orchestrated.
The very existence of the system was to rebel against the world's preordained fate. Deep inside, Su Aobai harbored a deep sense of unwillingness. Though he sometimes grumbled about his system, in reality, he was more than happy to be bound to it.

Even if it wasn’t his past lives that were being changed, it was still a form of defiance.
This hundred pounds of smoked fish was made using his mother's recipe. The ingredients were of top quality—fatty, rich in the natural oils of moray eel. The frying process locked in the meat’s texture, and with every bite, the fish flakes burst with flavor.
Su Aobai carefully analyzed the taste in his mind. The heat was slightly too high, making the fish a bit overcooked. The excessive charred flavor masked the natural sweetness of the sea fish. A bit of sugar in the seasoning could have enhanced the umami, bringing out the fish’s natural taste more effectively.

Moreover, the soy sauce used for coloring was of subpar quality. It was likely that more salt was added to preserve it for a longer time…
Of course, these were flaws only detectable by his overly refined palate. To the vast majority of people, this freshly cooked, crispy, and fragrant smoked fish was a rare delicacy.
Especially in inland regions, where sea fish were scarce, its value was multiplied several times over.

After savoring the rich belly meat, Su Aobai picked up a tail piece. The tail had less meat, but it was fried until perfectly crisp. When he bit into it, a satisfying crunch echoed through the air—so loud that a few nearby people instinctively turned their heads.
What is he eating?
They sniffed the air hard and caught a whiff of the fragrant soy sauce and rich oil aroma.

A lean man approached Su Aobai. His hands were tucked into his pockets, which bulged slightly, though it was unclear what he was carrying.
Su Aobai recognized him. This man frequently appeared in the black market, seemingly making a living as a scalper. His volume of trade was larger than most, and the original owner had once bought a few meat coupons from him.
This man was precisely Su Aobai’s target today.

Selling in small portions could fetch a higher price, but Su Aobai didn’t want to go through the hassle or live in constant fear of getting caught. He intended to sell his entire batch of smoked fish in one go. While the selling price might be lower this way, it would also reduce his risk.
Seeing that his bait had taken, Su Aobai decisively shoved the remaining piece of smoked fish into his mouth. The crisp chewing sounds made the lean man’s mouth water.
"Hei-ge."

That was what people called this man.
The lean man raised an eyebrow. A familiar face?
However, Su Aobai had disguised himself well, and Hei-ge didn’t recognize him. Still, he could tell that Su Aobai had deliberately altered his appearance.

"I brought in a batch of sea fish from the south and made it into ready-to-eat food. Try some."
Su Aobai took out a piece of smoked fish and handed it to Hei-ge.
It wasn’t uncommon for the black market to have goods smuggled in from other regions. Many perishable foods were turned into semi-processed or cooked products for easier storage and transport.

Hei-ge had been eyeing the fish for a while now. He didn’t hesitate to take the piece and eat it.
He had eaten plenty of seafood before, but transportation in these years was still underdeveloped. He wasn’t some high-ranking official, so most of the seafood he had eaten was frozen or long-dead. The taste of Su Aobai’s freshly prepared, fried sea fish was on an entirely different level.
"Damn, you even fried it in oil."

Hei-ge devoured the smoked fish in just a few bites, spitting out the main bone.
This fish is good.
It had barely any small bones, making it easy for kids to eat. The slightly salty taste, combined with the rich aroma of the oil, made it perfect for pairing with alcohol.

"How is it?"
Su Aobai tugged at the brim of his cap. After handing a piece of smoked fish to Hei-ge, the people watching from a distance seemed to grow restless.
Hei-ge noticed this as well and decisively said, "How much do you have in total? If the price is right, I'll take it all."

A sharp man like him could easily tell that Su Aobai had sought him out on purpose, which only proved his own influence in the black market.
Su Aobai set his price at 1.2 yuan per jin, plus ration tickets or equivalent vouchers. It was a bit steep—first-grade meat only cost 0.72 yuan per jin at the moment.
However, his smoked fish was ready-to-eat, deep-fried in oil, and, more importantly, sea fish, a rarity in this region. He also offered an alternative: if the buyer didn't have enough ration tickets, they could pay cash instead, at a rate of 1.35 yuan per jin. In these times, ration tickets were more valuable than money—many working-class families had savings but lacked the necessary tickets to purchase goods.

When Su Aobai mentioned he had over 90 jin of smoked fish, Hei-ge immediately recognized him as a valuable supplier. If things went well, there might be future deals, so he didn't haggle too aggressively.
In the end, they settled on selling 60 jin at 1.33 yuan per jin without ration tickets, while the remaining fish was sold at 1.15 yuan per jin, plus ration tickets or equivalent vouchers.
Since Hei-ge needed time to gather the money and tickets, he first purchased all the fish in Su Aobai’s basket. This worked out well for Su Aobai, who needed to "go back" to retrieve the rest of his stock.

At the final tally, after rounding the numbers, Su Aobai was left with two jin of smoked fish in his system space, 110 yuan in loose cash, and a pile of ration tickets in his pocket.
 
****

On his way back from the county, his bicycle basket was once again filled—this time with supplies he had bought from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
Once out of town, he stopped by a small stream and washed off his disguise. Then, pedaling hard, he managed to reach the school just as classes were letting out.
Su Mingcheng ran out with his classmates, and from a distance, he spotted his father—one foot resting on the ground as he balanced his bicycle.

"Dad!"
His face turned red with excitement when he saw the small military-green shoulder bag in his father’s hand.
During the New Year shopping trip to the county with his mother, Su Mingcheng had seen that very same bag at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. It was made of durable labor cloth, embroidered with a bright red five-pointed star, looking exceptionally prestigious.

Jiang Lianmei had noticed her son's interest and asked about the price—7.8 yuan, and that wasn’t even counting the fabric ration tickets.
Back then, she had hesitated over the expense and told her son, "I’ll buy some military-green fabric later and sew one for you."
But military-green fabric was hard to come by, and so, the promise remained unfulfilled.

Su Mingcheng, being an understanding child, never brought it up again.
Now, seeing the bag in his father’s hand, his first thought was: Dad bought this for me!
Emotion overwhelmed him. In an instant, he completely forgot about the terrifying "homework-enforcing devil" from the night before.

Su Mingcheng Favorability: 65 → 68 → 71 → 72.
The tsundere son had overtaken his little sister in favorability ranking!
At that moment, Su Aobai's mind registered a system reward for his son’s favorability surpassing 70.

[Reward: 100 newly revised elementary school tutoring books!]
Watching his son excitedly circling around him, eyes glued to the shoulder bag, a rare sense of pity welled up in Su Aobai’s heart.
Why pity?

Because, damn it, who else was going to use those elementary school books?
"Teacher Su."
Several teachers from the school had just come out and greeted Su Aobai.

He stepped down from his bicycle, steadying it by the handlebars, and nodded in response.
Before, he had been uncertain about his future plans. But with this unexpected system reward, he suddenly felt like he had a clear direction.
When the teachers approached, the previously excited Su Mingcheng calmed down slightly.

He stood beside his father, gripping the edge of his coat. Then, raising his voice, he declared in the direction of the teachers:
"Teacher Wang, my dad is back. My mom is not the fool you said couldn’t keep a man!"
Silence.

The air turned stiff as all the teachers’ eyes snapped toward one particular female teacher in the group.
The woman’s face flushed red, utterly caught off guard. She looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.