txolops I got a little red flower in Chapter 36!
I got a little red flower in Chapter 36!
4:25 PM.
The entrance to Qiming Bilingual Kindergarten.
The once empty sidewalk has become crowded, with a long line of private cars of all colors lining the roadside.
Well-dressed parents gathered in small groups outside the cordon, occasionally glancing down at their watches or craning their necks to peer into the park.
Among the cars, Lin Chen's tricycle, which was fairly clean but still looked somewhat out of place, was parked steadily under the shade of a tree.
Wang Hai straddled the driver's seat, holding a large palm-leaf fan he'd somehow acquired, and fanned himself intermittently.
Lin Chen stood at the front of the isolation zone. He was wearing a dark blue short-sleeved shirt today, and his back was ramrod straight.
He's been standing here since four o'clock.
Although his face remained calm and expressionless, only he knew that he had checked his watch no less than ten times in those forty minutes.
"Brother Chen, don't be so tense."
Wang Hai chuckled loudly behind him, drawing the attention of several well-dressed parents nearby. "Looking at you like you're facing a formidable enemy, anyone who didn't know better would think you're here to collect a debt."
"Relax, Tangtang's personality is such that she'll get along anywhere."
Lin Chen didn't turn around, but simply replied, "The first time is inevitable."
"Ding-a-ling—" The crisp sound of the school bell rang throughout the campus.
The once noisy school gate instantly fell silent.
A few minutes later, several teachers led out rows of children who were lined up in neat rows.
Lin Chen's gaze was fixed on the direction of Class 3.
Walking in the middle of the group was Tangtang, carrying a cartoon backpack and wearing a blue and white school uniform.
She took firm, small steps, following behind Teacher Liu, curiously observing the crowd outside the gate.
"Daddy!"
The moment Tangtang saw Lin Chen, her big eyes lit up instantly.
Unlike some children who rushed out of the line, she first raised her little hand to signal to Teacher Liu. After receiving a nod from Teacher Liu, she took her first steps and flew to the edge of the isolation zone like a happy little sparrow.
Lin Chen took two quick steps, picked up his daughter over the railing, and held her steadily in his arms.
"Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Liu."
Lin Chen looked at the teacher in charge who was walking over and greeted her politely.
Teacher Liu pushed up her glasses and smiled gently: "Mr. Lin, Tangtang did a fantastic job today."
Not only did she not cry, but she also behaved very well during her afternoon nap.
She is a very polite child, and all the teachers in our class like her very much.
"That's good, thank you for your help."
Lin Chen nodded.
"Daddy, Tangtang got a little red flower today!"
Tangtang took a sticker out of her pocket and showed it to Lin Chen, her little face full of "please praise me".
"Tangtang is great."
Lin Chen gently tapped his daughter's forehead, then led her back to the tricycle.
Wang Hai couldn't wait any longer. He jumped out of the driver's seat, grabbed Tangtang, and stuffed her into his arms, teasing her, "Oh my, our little princess is home from school!"
"Tell Uncle Fatty how it was inside today!"
As Wang Hai spoke, he skillfully pulled an unopened bottle of children's yogurt from his pocket and handed it to Tangtang.
Tangtang took the yogurt, politely said "Thank you, Uncle Fatty," and then sat obediently on the small stool in the passenger seat of the tricycle, swinging her little legs.
"Tangtang, you spent the day in that big house, did you make any good friends?"
As Wang Hai started the car, he turned his head and asked loudly.
"Submitted!"
Tangtang nodded vigorously, her voice full of excitement, "There's a girl named Xiaomeng, and her braids are so pretty."
We played with building blocks together this afternoon, and I even helped her build a super big castle!
"Hey, no wonder she's my brother Chen's daughter, her social skills are off the charts."
Wang Hai laughed heartily and then asked, "What about lunch?"
Is the food cooked by that chef delicious?
"Is there any meat?"
When the topic of food came up, Tangtang pouted slightly. She first glanced at Lin Chen, who was tidying up the truck bed, and then lowered her voice to say to Wang Hai, "There is meat, but... but it's not as good as Daddy's."
Lin Chen paused as he was covering the thermos with the lid, then looked up at his daughter.
"The bok choy was soft, not as crisp as the fried rice cakes."
And that soup, it was all salty, not nearly as fragrant as the sweet and sour pork ribs that Baba makes.
Tangtang took a sip of yogurt and commented seriously, "But Tangtang still ate it all obediently because Daddy said we shouldn't waste food."
Wang Hai laughed so hard his belly jiggled: "That's right, your dad's skills are unmatched by any master chef in the garden."
"When we're rich, we'll open branches all over town with your dad's cooking skills, and then nobody's going to dare say kindergarten food isn't good."
"Fatty, stop teaching the kid all this nonsense."
Lin Chen got into the car, sat next to Tangtang, and reached out to straighten her collar, which was wrinkled by the backpack strap.
"What else did the teacher teach you today?"
Lin Chen asked softly.
"I'll teach you to sing!"
Tangtang stood up excitedly and struck a pose in the passenger seat, putting her little hands by her ears. "Our teacher taught us a nursery rhyme called 'Clap Your Hands.'"
"Daddy, I'll sing for you!"
"Okay, go ahead and sing."
Lin Chen's expression softened.
Tangtang took a deep breath, and her sweet, childlike voice rang out in the early summer afternoon breeze: "Clap your little hands, clap your little hands, stretch out your fingers..."
As she sang, she moved a few chubby little fingers. Although her movements were a little out of sync with the rhythm, her earnestness made passersby smile involuntarily.
"Point to the eyes, the eyes are here; point to the nose, the nose is here..."
After the song was finished, Wang Hai applauded loudly and enthusiastically: "Bravo!"
That was such a beautiful performance! With that level of skill, you'll definitely get two red flowers tomorrow!
Tangtang giggled and buried her face in Lin Chen's arms.
Lin Chen put his arm around his daughter's thin shoulders, feeling the faint smell of disinfectant and talcum powder mixed with the scent of kindergarten on her body. The missing part in his heart was finally filled completely by this real noise.
"Daddy, are we going to sell food now?"
Tangtang looked up and asked sensibly.
"Okay, after we sell the food, I'll take you to eat something delicious."
"Yay!"
The tricycle, with its steady motor hum, drove off the street where the kindergarten was located.
The early summer sun at 4:30 was still bright, casting a long shadow of the tricycle.
Inside the carriage, Tangtang was still repeating the two lines of lyrics she had just learned over and over again.
Lin Chen sat beside him, looking at the bustling street ahead, his eyes revealing an unprecedented sense of peace.
For that clear, melodious song, for that daily afternoon reunion, he felt it was all worthwhile to stand in front of the sweltering stove, no matter how long.