Chapter 54: The Kindergarten
At the entrance of Little Sun Kindergarten, the gatekeeper lay sprawled on a chair, idly scrolling through Douyin (TL Note: A Chinese short-video platform, similar to TikTok.). The holiday season had clearly brought him a leisurely pace, for even after occasionally opening the gate for the renovation team, he would promptly resume his repose.
Zhou Haochen’s handsome face abruptly materialized outside the glass pane. He rapped lightly on it.
“Uncle, hello,” he greeted.
Without so much as a glance, the old man declared, “No entry during holiday periods!”
Zhou Haochen turned to Bai Sha, who, phone in hand, informed him, “Just a moment. I’ve arranged to meet the director, and she should be arriving any minute now.”
‘Such is the power of connections,’ Zhou Haochen mused, contemplating how a mere phone call had been enough to summon the school director. ‘Beyond Bai Sha’s own capabilities, her high-ranking official uncle alone ensures she’s no ordinary individual.’
He gently stroked the little one’s hair. ‘My daughter,’ he thought, ‘you truly are a princess through and through.’
The family retreated to their car to wait. It wasn’t long before a Volkswagen slowly approached, from which a middle-aged woman, her eyes framed by red spectacles, alighted.
Stepping out of their vehicle, Bai Sha extended a hand in greeting. “Director Ren, it’s been a while!”
The rather portly Director Ren effusively replied, “Team Leader Bai, it has indeed been a long time! You’re looking… more and more… beautiful these days!”
Their last encounter dated back to the year of the championship, at a celebratory banquet hosted by the BQE boss. While they weren’t particularly close themselves, Bai Sha knew Zka well, and Zka happened to be the BQE boss’s own son.
“Come, come, come! I’ll give you a tour of the school grounds!”
Upon spotting a superior, the gatekeeper instantly stowed his phone, adjusted his hat, and rose to attention, simultaneously pushing open the main gate.
Director Ren addressed Bai Sha, “I happened to have some business at the school today, so I’ll show you the classrooms first. After that, your family is welcome to explore the rest of the campus at your leisure.”
Having said her piece, she re-entered her car, leading the BMW to the designated parking area within the school grounds.
Despite being merely a kindergarten, its sprawling grounds surpassed the size of many rural middle schools, boasting dedicated teaching blocks, a cafeteria, teacher dormitories, a compact athletic track, and even a small swimming pool.
The little one, pressing against the car window, watched the scenery rush past and exclaimed in wide-eyed wonder, “It’s so big here!”
From the driver’s seat, Zhou Haochen nodded in agreement, observing that this school was significantly more opulent than any he had ever attended.
Once the car was parked, Director Ren guided the family of three towards a classroom. “Our classrooms are truly spacious, grand, clean, and meticulously tidy,” she announced. “This entire section is the teaching area, and over there is the sports field. Feel free to explore both later.”
After providing them with a general orientation, Director Ren promptly excused herself.
Bai Sha and Zhou Haochen then led the little one into one of the classrooms.
The classroom was undeniably neat and remarkably spacious. Aside from the integrated teaching podium, it contained only about a dozen desks and chairs. Along the walls on either side, numerous baskets overflowed with a plethora of toys.
“This is truly impressive!” Bai Sha remarked, her eyes sweeping across the room. “Hey, Zhou Haochen! There’s even a restroom right inside this classroom!”
Zhou Haochen, holding the little one’s hand, joined Bai Sha, observing that a single door at the back of the classroom led directly to the restroom.
The little one peered inside with wide-eyed curiosity, noting that this arrangement was even more convenient than walking from their bedroom to the bathroom at home. ‘How wonderful!’ they thought.
Emerging from the classroom, they found a small playground just outside the door, adorned with numerous slides and other delightful play structures. The sight made the little one’s eyes sparkle with excitement. “Mama! Can I go play!?” they eagerly asked.
Bai Sha nodded. “Don’t play for too long,” she cautioned, “we still have more of the school to explore.”
With Mama’s eager assent, the little one, brimming with enthusiasm, grabbed Papa’s hand and dashed towards the slide.
All the playtime missed at the park was now being enthusiastically compensated for at the school. The little one raced up and down, their small face flushed crimson, yet their spirits remained undimmed even by the summer heat.
Bai Sha smiled, observing the little one’s antics from a distance, while Zhou Haochen, tasked with catching their energetic leaps, was drenched in sweat. ‘Indeed,’ he thought, ‘children possess an inexhaustible well of energy.’
Bai Sha paused, recalling the water bottles still in the car. “I’ll fetch some water for you from the car,” she announced. “Don’t wander off, alright!”
Standing by the slide, the little one waved at Mama. “Okay!” they chirped.
Once the little one had tired themselves out, they and a thoroughly sweaty Zhou Haochen sought refuge in a shady spot. Just then, Bai Sha arrived with the water, handing it to them. “Quickly, drink some water,” she urged. “It’s scorching today; we don’t want anyone getting heatstroke.”
Bai Sha had also brought a bag, which contained two umbrellas for protection against the sun.
With pea-sized beads of sweat glistening on their deeply flushed cheeks, the little one took a sip of water, then beamed at Mama. “Hehe! Mama, I want to attend school here!”
Bai Sha pulled out a tissue to wipe their sweat, responding with a playful scoff, “This is a kindergarten, not an amusement park! You can’t just expect to play all day long!”
The little one excitedly countered, “But the students on TV are always playing! They have so many adventures, too!”
Taking the tissue Bai Sha offered, Zhou Haochen chuckled. “That’s only because they don’t film the parts where students are actually having lessons in the classroom. Xiao Yu, you’ll be spending your time inside the classroom, you know.”
The little one looked up, pouting thoughtfully. With puzzles and toys inside the classroom, it didn’t seem entirely impossible to play there after all.
“Then you can stay in the classroom!” they concluded. “Coming out to play on the slide just once in a while should be plenty.”
While the little one remained lost in their fantastical vision of school life, Bai Sha and Zhou Haochen exchanged hushed whispers.
“Do you think Xiao Yu will cry if she discovers that studying isn’t as fun as she imagines?”
“Our daughter is so sensible; I doubt she will,” Zhou Haochen replied. “At most, she might just make a small fuss.”
Once the father and daughter had sufficiently rested, the trio resumed their tour of the school.
The kindergarten’s athletic field boasted a two-hundred-meter track. Bai Sha reached out, touching the grass on the central football pitch. “It’s real grass!” she exclaimed.
Zhou Haochen stroked his chin. “This football field must have cost a fortune,” he mused, “especially with maintenance. No wonder the tuition fees are so steep.”
The little one squatted by the grass, nestled in the shade of Mama’s umbrella. They gently touched the blades of grass. “But Xiao Yu doesn’t know how to play football!” they stated.
Bai Sha smiled. “That’s precisely why Xiao Yu will come to school,” she explained. “They teach all these things here.”
Bai Sha and Zhou Haochen had already reviewed the curriculum, which, in addition to regular lessons, allowed for the selection of two elective interest courses, ranging from football, basketball, and table tennis to guitar, piano, and singing.
Encircling the athletic field was a complete circuit of various courts: basketball, table tennis, and badminton.
Bai Sha sighed, “This really is just like a sports complex.”
Zhou Haochen laughed, gently correcting her. “And let’s not forget the swimming pool!”
“Oh, right,” Bai Sha acknowledged, “but it’s locked, so we can’t go inside.”
The little one tugged at Mama’s sleeve. “When Xiao Yu learns to swim, can we go play at the beach?”
‘Actually, knowing how to swim and going to the beach are unrelated,’ Bai Sha thought, a pang of guilt striking her. ‘It’s just that Mama and Papa are lazy, and we wanted to stay cozy at home, which is why we didn’t take you to the beach this year.’
Bai Sha, a little flustered, promised, “We’ll definitely take Xiao Yu to the beach, Mama promises you.”
Zhou Haochen leaned in from the side. “Papa promises you too!”
Since the little one wouldn’t be eating at school, they decided to skip the cafeteria and prepare to leave the campus.
Driving towards the main gate, they saw the gatekeeper dutifully patrolling, clearly still on duty as Director Ren hadn’t left yet.
As the BMW slowly drove away, the gatekeeper smacked his lips. “Another little princess or young master coming to study here, I suppose!”
From a distance, the gatekeeper spotted the Volkswagen approaching and immediately straightened his posture.
“Have a good day!”