Chapter 17
After a standoff in the elevator, Xing Nuo reluctantly agreed to go to kindergarten.
Seeing the third-floor uncle grinning at the elevator entrance, Xing Nuo, clinging to his dad’s shoulder, cried even harder.
At kindergarten, several other children were in the same boat as Xing Nuo. As soon as they heard their parents couldn’t stay, their cries filled the air.
The chubby boy, who had previously declared himself super brave, was now the loudest, his wails echoing through the classroom.
“Waaaaah! No! Waaaaah!”
Xing Nuo, startled by the ear-piercing cries, froze, his watery eyes blinking, unsure whether to continue crying himself.
Seeing that Zaizai had stopped crying, Shen Wen tried to put him down.
Xing Nuo immediately snapped back to reality, clutching his dad’s shirt, wrinkling the fabric, and shaking his head, refusing to let go.
His hair was a fluffy, tangled mess, his little mouth turned down, tears clinging to his long, dark eyelashes, his expression utterly pitiful.
Shen Wen had prepared himself to be firm, no matter how much the little one cried.
But looking down at Zaizai’s aggrieved and pitiful expression, Shen Wen’s monster heart, which didn’t exist, softened.
He wiped away the tears from Zaizai’s face, his brow furrowed.
Should he just not go to kindergarten?
The thought was quickly dismissed.
Shen Wen’s childcare notes contained numerous examples of how excessive pampering would only spoil a child.
Xing Nuo could grow into a kind and cheerful young boy, not a spoiled, arrogant brat.
Shen Wen sighed, carried Zaizai to the sunny window, kissed his forehead, and gently asked:
“Why doesn’t Zaizai like kindergarten?”
Xing Nuo, tired from crying, leaned against his dad’s shoulder, his dazed eyes moving sluggishly. He shook his head slightly.
“No Daddy…with.”
For Xing Nuo, who had always been glued to his dad, even a short separation was difficult.
“Daddy isn’t always home, and Zaizai is always so good when he’s alone, aren’t you?”
Xing Nuo shook his head again. “No Big Brother.”
When Daddy wasn’t home, Big Brother always played with him.
Shen Wen rubbed his forehead, his golden hair falling over his shoulder, shadowed by the curtains.
This was tricky.
Xing Nuo, his arms around his dad’s neck, peeked at him, then lowered his head, frowning slightly, and let out a small sigh.
“Daddy and Zaizai…go kindygarten…together~”
After a moment, Xing Nuo wiped his eyes and offered what he thought was a perfect solution.
Shen Wen chuckled, pinching his cheek.
“You’re full of ideas.”
Shen Wen glanced at the noisy classroom and sat down with Zaizai. He took out the picture book from Zaizai’s sunflower backpack.
“In Xing Nuo’s favorite story, didn’t the little knight face many dangers alone to defeat the dragon that was harming the town?”
“Doesn’t Zaizai want to be a brave little knight?”
Xing Nuo’s tear-washed eyes were bright and clear. He pursed his lips, slightly embarrassed.
The little knight went on adventures alone, while he needed Daddy to stay with him at kindergarten.
“Zaizai…not bwave…can’t be…widdle knight?”
Xing Nuo’s voice was thick with nasal congestion, his words jumbled.
Shen Wen ruffled Zaizai’s hair, soothing his anxiety, his voice gentle and calming.
“Of course not. The little knight also grew up little by little. Zaizai is still small.”
“And Daddy won’t leave. I’ll be waiting for you in the office outside. As soon as class is over, Daddy will come and get you.”
“Look, Big Brother also has to go to school. Everyone has things they need to do, and all the other little ones have to go to school too, right?”
Shen Wen spoke softly, his eyes filled with boundless gentleness and understanding, gradually calming Zaizai’s anxiety.
Xing Nuo thought for a while, then finally nodded, looking up at his dad.
“Daddy…outside…wait Zaizai.”
Shen Wen smiled, caressed Zaizai’s soft cheek, wiped away his tears with a tissue, and nodded.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be waiting for Xing Nuo outside.”
The hour-long crying battle finally came to an end.
The children, their faces tear-streaked and dazed, sat at their cloud-shaped desks, occasionally sniffling.
Xing Nuo was one of the calmer ones, hugging his picture book, his clear, slightly red eyes fixed on the teacher.
The teacher’s heart melted at the sight of Xing Nuo’s beautiful, clear eyes.
She glanced at the other children, some still crying with tears streaming down their faces, and quickly looked away.
She walked over to Xing Nuo and gave him a small red flower sticker.
“Xing Nuo is the best-behaved! Everyone should learn from him! Let’s give him a round of applause!” The teacher clapped her hands.
The other children, some still sniffling, looked at Xing Nuo and clapped along.
The chubby boy, seeing Xing Nuo with a red flower while he had none, stopped crying and sat up straight.
Xing Nuo touched the little red flower, his eyes filled with curiosity.
His cheeks flushed slightly, he looked down at the flower, his tear-stained eyelashes fluttering, and smiled.
Zaizai has little red flower!
Xing Nuo put the little red flower in his sunflower pencil case, no longer upset that his dad wasn’t with him, and, putting his hands behind his back, joined the other children in singing nursery rhymes.
He swayed his head along with the teacher, his golden curls dancing in the light, like a small sunflower growing tall.
Shen Wen, standing outside the classroom, peeked in and smiled gently at the sight.
He took out his phone, snapped a picture of the bright, cheerful little sunflower, Xing Nuo, and set it as his wallpaper.
Back home, Xing Nuo rushed into his brother’s arms, holding up his little red flower, practically shoving it in his face.
“Zaizai’s flower!”
Shen Baizhou leaned back slightly, looked at the paper flower, and nodded, clicking his tongue.
“Pretty.” Not really.
After a month in the human world, even a monster with Shen Baizhou’s intelligence had learned to lie.
Shen Baizhou touched the rather ugly little red flower, picked up Zaizai, and changed the subject.
“Did Xing Nuo cry at kindergarten today?”
Xing Nuo, who was explaining the origin of the little red flower in his nasal voice, fell silent.
He blinked his big eyes, looking around, avoiding the question.
Shen Baizhou, seeing Xing Nuo’s silence, turned to Shen Wen.
“Xing Nuo didn’t cry…”
Before he could finish, Xing Nuo’s small hands covered his mouth.
“Xing Nuo tomorrow…tomorrow no cry!”
His dad had already teased him about crying at kindergarten on the way home.
Shen Baizhou didn’t press further, giving Xing Nuo some face.
He mumbled “Oh” through Xing Nuo’s hands, looked down at his guilty expression, and smiled, raising an eyebrow.
The next day, Xing Nuo kept his promise and didn’t cry.
He carried his little backpack, his small fists clenched, his head down as he walked, mumbling to himself.
“No cry…bwave widdle knight!”
He hadn’t been able to pronounce “knight” correctly since yesterday.
Shen Wen, whose hand was tightly gripped by Xing Nuo, couldn’t help but smile, quickly suppressing it with a cough.
Today, parents were still allowed to accompany their children to the classroom before leaving.
Xing Nuo sat on the small wooden chair, his eyes slightly red, looking up pitifully as his dad left.
He wiped away a tear that was about to fall and patted his chest, reassuring himself.
It’s okay, little knights are brave like Zaizai.
Class went much more smoothly today. Inspired by yesterday’s little red flowers, far fewer children were crying.
The teacher took out a stack of little red flowers and gave one to each well-behaved child.
The chubby boy proudly stuck his red flower right in the middle of his forehead, holding his head high after class so everyone could see it.
Xing Nuo also received one, clutching it tightly in his hand, his eyes shining, planning to show it to his dad later.
After packing his little backpack, Xing Nuo was the last to leave the classroom, running to the office to find his dad.
During the week-long trial, parents could wait for their children in the teachers’ office.
This special privilege wouldn’t be available once the summer program or the official September classes started.
Xing Nuo’s face beamed, his curls bouncing, as he entered the office, calling out in his sweet voice:
“Daddy! Zaizai got widdle wed flower!”
He didn’t hear a reply. His steps slowed, then stopped.
He looked up and saw a stern-looking stranger in a suit sitting on the office sofa.
Teacher Xiao Song was making tea for the man. Seeing Xing Nuo, she waved.
“Xing Nuo, come here. Your older brother is here to pick you up.”
