txolops Chapter 35 Tangtang Goes to School
Chapter 35 Tangtang Goes to School
Seven o'clock in the morning.
The early summer sun shone through the windows of the rented room, casting bright patches of light on the floor.
Lin Chen didn't go into the kitchen early as usual today.
He stood by the bed, looking at Tangtang who was still fast asleep on the mat.
Today is the day Tangtang officially starts kindergarten.
Lin Chen turned around and walked to the folding table, picking up the neatly folded blue and white collared short-sleeved shirt and pleated skirt.
This is the summer school uniform that Ms. Liu from the admissions office gave to them in advance, along with their schoolbags, after they paid the 11,000 yuan tuition fee yesterday.
"Tangtang, wake up."
Lin Chen bent down and gently pinched his daughter's soft little face.
"Ugh... Daddy..."
Tangtang rubbed her sleepy eyes and turned over in bed.
"I'm going to kindergarten to play with my friends today, I'll be late if I don't get up soon."
Upon hearing the word "kindergarten," Tangtang's big eyes instantly opened, her lingering sleepiness vanished, and she nimbly climbed up from the mat: "Oh right!"
Tangtang is going to school today!
Lin Chen took the brand-new school uniform shirt.
"Come on, hold out your hand."
Tangtang stood up straight obediently, letting Lin Chen help her change into her school uniform.
Lin Chen's movements were slow and meticulous. He buttoned up his shirt one button at a time and tucked the hem neatly into the pleated skirt without leaving a single wrinkle.
"Daddy, does Tangtang look good in this?"
Tangtang tugged at the hem of her blue pleated skirt and twirled around the bed.
Lin Chen looked at the exquisitely beautiful little girl in front of him, who seemed to have grown up a lot overnight, and his eyes were full of tenderness: "She looks good. Our Tangtang looks good in anything."
He knelt down and put a pair of clean white socks and new soft-soled sandals on Tangtang.
Finally, he adjusted the shoulder straps of the little backpack with the cartoon pattern and carried it steadily on Tangtang's shoulders.
After the father and daughter finished washing up and came out of the rented room, Wang Hai was already waiting downstairs on his tricycle.
"Wow! Tangtang looks absolutely stunning in her outfit today!"
Wang Hai's eyes lit up as soon as he saw Tangtang, and he grinned widely. "Brother Chen, look at Tangtang in this school uniform! She'll look like a real city princess!"
"Let's go, get there early, don't be late on the first day."
Lin Chen handed the file bag containing the medical examination report, a copy of the household registration book, and other materials to Wang Hai, then picked up Tangtang and sat in the passenger seat of the tricycle.
At 7:50 a.m., at the entrance of Qiming Bilingual Kindergarten.
The atmosphere here is even more lively than when we were on our inspection yesterday.
Parents were holding their children's hands everywhere, and the air was filled with teachers' greetings and the occasional tearful farewells of newly enrolled children.
Lin Chen, along with Tangtang and Wang Hai, found Teacher Liu, who was in charge of admissions, at the reception desk at the entrance.
Good morning, Teacher Liu.
These are Tangtang's admission materials.
Lin Chen handed over the file bag.
Teacher Liu took the bag, carefully checked the medical examination report, vaccination certificate and photo inside, and nodded with a smile after confirming that everything was correct.
"All the materials are ready. Mr. Lin, Tangtang looks beautiful today."
Teacher Liu squatted down, her eyes level with Tangtang's, and stretched out her hand. "Tangtang, how about coming to Class 3 with Teacher Liu?"
The other kids in the class are all waiting for you to play games with them.
Tangtang didn't cry, but her little hands instinctively gripped Lin Chen's clothes. She looked up at Lin Chen, her eyes showing a hint of instinctive nervousness about the unfamiliar environment.
Lin Chen squatted down and gently patted his daughter's head.
"Go on, and listen to the teacher."
At 4:30 PM sharp, Dad will be here to pick you up and take you home.
Lin Chen's calm and gentle tone gave his daughter a great sense of security.
"Daddy, don't be late!"
Tangtang stretched out her chubby little finger.
"I definitely won't be late."
Lin Chen extended his finger and made a pinky promise with his daughter.
Tangtang then let go of her hand, turned around, and took Teacher Liu's hand.
She carried her little schoolbag, took small steps, and followed her teacher into the park.
Lin Chen and Wang Hai stood outside the isolation zone at the school gate.
Tangtang took a few steps, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and waved her little hand vigorously.
"Goodbye, Daddy! Goodbye, Fatty Uncle!"
Lin Chen waved his hand without saying a word.
He watched Tangtang's small figure walk across the plastic track in the yard, and finally turn into the corridor of the teaching building, disappearing completely from sight.
At that moment, Lin Chen remained standing, his gaze fixed on the empty corner of the corridor, lingering there for a long time.
Surrounded by a noisy crowd, Lin Chen felt as if a piece of his heart had been suddenly ripped out.
His daughter is like his little shadow, always by his side no matter how hard or difficult things get.
Now, the little tail suddenly let go and walked into a group that no longer needed his constant protection.
The emptiness that only an elderly father could understand spread through Lin Chen's chest.
"Brother Chen? Brother Chen!"
Wang Hai called out twice, and when Lin Chen didn't react, he reached out and patted him on the shoulder.
"Hey, they've been inside for ages, and there's not a trace of them. What are we still looking for?"
Seeing Lin Chen's dejected look, Wang Hai couldn't help but chuckle憨厚ly, "What's wrong? Feeling down?"
Lin Chen withdrew his gaze, glanced at Wang Hai, and gave a self-deprecating smile: "It's a little...uncomfortable."
"Hey! That's perfectly normal!"
Wang Hai casually explained, "When my nephew started kindergarten for the first time, my big, burly brother sat on the sofa when he got home and actually shed a couple of tears."
"Before, the child was always clinging to you; now that he's out of your sight, even a father feels terrible for a couple of days."
Wang Hai put his hand on Lin Chen's shoulder and pushed him toward the tricycle.
"But Brother Chen, we have to think about it this way."
Tangtang is enjoying good food and a pleasant environment here.
"What we adults do is strive to give our children a bright future, right?"
Wang Hai walked to the tricycle and patted the cargo bed.
"If Tangtang studies hard inside, shouldn't we two brothers work even harder today?"
Let's hurry back and prepare those 100 portions of ingredients so we can set up our stall early this afternoon and make some money!
When you arrive to pick up the kids at 4:30 sharp, won't you feel even more confident?
Lin Chen looked at Wang Hai, then glanced back at the high wall surrounding the kindergarten.
Yes.
In order to ensure his daughter could continue her studies here peacefully, he couldn't stop using that iron pot in his hand.
Lin Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the emptiness in his heart, and his eyes regained their depth and steadiness.
"Let's go home and prepare the groceries."
Lin Chen got into the car.
"Okay!"
Twenty minutes later, inside the rented room.
Lin Chen took off his coat, put on a clean short-sleeved shirt, and tied on a faded apron.
He walked straight to the corner of the kitchen, where the 100-pound bag of old rice he had bought a few days ago was placed.
There's still more than half a bag of rice left, enough for the next two days.
Lin Chen picked up a plastic basin, bent down, and deftly scooped out a sufficient amount of old rice from the bag.
"Fatty, wash those two bunches of scallions, drain them, and then chop them."
While pouring water into the basin to rinse the rice, Lin Chen methodically assigned tasks, "It's a bit hot today, so the rice needs to cool down a little longer after it's cooked, otherwise it'll stick to the pan when you stir-fry it."
"Understood! I've already soaked the scallions!"
Wang Hai was washing his hands nearby, full of energy.
The water flow washed over the rice grains, making a rustling sound.
Lin Chen lowered his head and carefully rubbed the stale rice in the basin.
Every bit of force he applied was just right.
Although the void in my heart caused by my daughter's absence is still there, as long as I hold these ingredients that sustain my life in my hands, that sense of security will slowly return.
One hundred portions of ingredients, one hundred portions of hope.
On this ordinary early summer morning, the two brothers channeled all their hopes for the future into preparations for setting up their stall that evening.