After Escaping Marriage - Extra 4
Chapter 147: Extra 3 - Parallel World
White clouds drifted across an azure sky. Below, a group of children, even softer than the clouds, emerged from luxury cars parked along the road, each with a different little backpack on.
September marked the start of a new school year at Yingcheng International Bilingual Kindergarten, and the scene was chaotic enough to be called a “disaster zone.”
Children who had spent the summer at home clung to their parents, refusing to budge an inch. For those experiencing the strange new world of kindergarten for the very first time, it was a terrifying ordeal. They clawed at car doors and clung to their parents’ legs. The parents, in turn, were a frazzled, sweaty mess of hugging and coaxing.
Amid the cacophony of wails, a little girl stood calmly at the entrance. She wore a pink princess dress, a pink headband, and light pink sandals, her face as fair as jade. A handsome young man, looking just as refined, squatted down to meet her gaze, his voice almost impossibly gentle.
“Tangtang, don’t be afraid. If you need anything, find a teacher. Tell them if you’re cold, hungry, or sleepy.”
“If you miss Mom and Dad, give us a call. Do you remember our phone numbers?” The young father swung her little backpack around to her front, pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, and showed it to her.
It read—
Dad, Wei Tingyu: 139xxxxxxxx
Mom, Yu Ci: 139xxxxxxxx
Wei Tingyu carefully refolded the paper, tucked it back into her bag, and pointed. “It’s right here. Got it?”
Little Yu Qingtang nodded.
Wei Tingyu gave his daughter a hug and explained, “Mom has an expo to attend today. She didn’t skip dropping you off on purpose, so don’t be upset with her. She’ll come with me tomorrow.”
“I know,” little Yu Qingtang said. Her voice was soft, yet it held a clear, decisive quality unlike the clingy tones of other children her age.
Wei Tingyu looked at his daughter, her little backpack on her shoulders, and his eyes welled up. “Tangtang’s all grown up. In the blink of an eye, she’s starting kindergarten.”
Little Yu Qingtang said nothing.
Just as Wei Tingyu was getting sentimental, a surprisingly robust, childish voice called out, “Uncle Wei!”
Wei Tingyu and Yu Qingtang both turned. A little girl in a white princess dress came pattering over and stopped a couple of steps away. Wei Tingyu blinked back his tears and greeted her gently. “Xixi.”
He straightened up and looked toward the young couple standing behind little Cheng Zhanxi.
Wei Tingyu greeted them. “Brother Cheng, Sister-in-law.”
Song Qingrou stared at him intently.
Cheng Yi nudged his wife in the small of her back. “Tingyu,” he said.
Song Qingrou averted her gaze and looked down at the little girl beside Wei Tingyu. Little Yu Qingtang greeted them politely, “Uncle Cheng, Auntie Song.”
Song Qingrou ruffled the little girl’s hair. “So well-behaved.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi looked at little Yu Qingtang, blinked, and said sweetly, “Sister.”
Little Yu Qingtang gave a quiet “mm.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi pressed her lips together. With her rosy lips and pearly teeth, her proper beauty was already evident at such a young age. Her lips were a soft pink, and even pursing them looked like an endearing pout.
In that moment, many of the other parents at the gate turned to look at her. Far from shy, little Cheng Zhanxi beamed at their friendly faces. The parents glanced at their own howling children and felt a pang of envy. Why were other people’s children so obedient, sensible, and beautiful?
Little Cheng Zhanxi was busy charming the other parents and didn’t notice little Yu Qingtang glance at her with a slightly puzzled expression.
Cheng Zhanxi was born more than half a year after Yu Qingtang and should have started school the following year. But she was mature for her age and good at taking care of herself. Since Yu Ci’s daughter, Yu Qingtang, was starting kindergarten, Song Qingrou and Cheng Yi decided to enroll Cheng Zhanxi too. That way, the two girls could look out for each other, which would put the parents’ minds at ease.
At the kindergarten gate, Wei Tingyu said gently, “Qingtang, hold your little sister’s hand. When you get to your classroom, take good care of her.”
Yu Qingtang had a cool temperament and had never been one for physical affection. She hesitated for a moment after her father spoke. In the next instant, a small, warm hand wrapped around hers.
It was a warmth she couldn’t quite describe, as if it had seared straight through to her heart. Yu Qingtang instinctively tried to pull back, but the other hand held on tight, filled with a protective instinct.
“I’ll take good care of Sister!” Cheng Zhanxi declared in her high, childish voice.
Her innocent words made the three parents burst out laughing.
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang were polar opposites. Cheng Zhanxi was naturally warm and outgoing. She got along with children her own age, and her sweet words charmed adults as well—everyone adored her. She was used to taking the lead, and Song Qingrou didn’t try to curb her spirit. “You two look after each other,” she said with a smile. “Xixi, don’t get too carried away, and make sure to include your sister when you play.”
The Cheng and Wei families had a marriage agreement. Though it started as a joke, Yu Ci had indeed given birth to a daughter who was growing more beautiful by the day. And the Cheng family’s son, Cheng Yuanxi, had inherited all the best family traits. Who could deny they were a perfect match?
Song Qingrou already considered Yu Qingtang her future daughter-in-law.
Cheng Zhanxi nodded obediently. “I know! I’ll play with Sister.” She gave their joined hands a little swing.
Yu Qingtang lowered her gaze, her lips pressed together.
After entrusting the two children to a teacher, the three parents stood at the gate, watching their daughters walk away. Song Qingrou sighed. “In the blink of an eye, Xixi’s starting kindergarten. It feels like only yesterday we were dropping her brother off for his first day of school.”
Cheng Yi was also feeling sentimental. “Yeah. We’re getting old.”
When no sound came from beside them, Cheng Yi and Song Qingrou glanced over in confusion. Wei Tingyu was dabbing at the corners of his moist eyes with a tissue he’d pulled from his pocket, his eyes red-rimmed.
Cheng Yi and Song Qingrou were speechless.
Yingcheng Kindergarten.
A teacher led the two little girls toward their classroom. Hoping to build a rapport, she asked gently, “You two seem to get along so well. Who’s the big sister and who’s the little sister?”
The words were barely out of her mouth when the little girl in the pink dress, her expression impassive, pulled her hand away from the girl in the white dress.
The teacher was at a loss for words.
Yu Qingtang lowered her gaze. “It’s hot,” she said quietly.
The teacher blinked, glancing at the girl’s dress. It’s not like she can take anything off, she thought. “The classroom has air conditioning,” she said.
“Oh, okay,” Cheng Zhanxi said.
The teacher was confused.
It took her a long moment to realize that Yu Qingtang had been explaining why she’d let go of the other girl’s hand.
The teacher was speechless again.
Never mind, she thought. I’d better stay out of this.
She delivered the children to their classroom, where another teacher took over and assigned them seats next to each other. Yu Qingtang sat down and remained perfectly still, while Cheng Zhanxi couldn’t keep still for a second. Before all the students had even arrived, she had already made a circuit of the room, introduced herself to everyone, and established herself as the queen bee.
Listening to the surrounding chatter, Yu Qingtang’s delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. She opened her backpack, took out a children’s picture book, and began to read.
She had just turned to the second page when a slip of paper fluttered out. Yu Qingtang bent to pick it up. Her father’s strong, clear handwriting stood out on the page—
Dad, Wei Tingyu: 139xxxxxxxx
Mom, Yu Ci: 139xxxxxxxx
Yu Qingtang was bewildered.
She unzipped an inner pocket of her backpack. The note Wei Tingyu had put there at the gate was still inside.
Yu Qingtang was speechless.
Then, Yu Qingtang found identical notes in her pencil case, her writing practice book, the water bottle pocket on the side of her backpack, and every other conceivable hiding spot. She gathered them all up and put them in her pencil case, at which point she discovered Wei Tingyu’s little surprise: the back of each note had a message. The front listed their contact information, and the back said, “Mom and Dad will love you forever.”
A faint smile touched Yu Qingtang’s lips as she read the words on the back. Suddenly, she felt a puff of warm air near her ear. She turned to find Cheng Zhanxi standing right behind her, long eyelashes fluttering.
Yu Qingtang quickly hid the note, her expression turning cool. “Were you spying on me?”
Cheng Zhanxi shook her head. “No, I came to ask if you want to play a game with us.”
Yu Qingtang’s expression softened slightly. “No, thank you,” she declined politely.
Cheng Zhanxi scratched the back of her head. She remembered she was supposed to play with her sister but didn’t know how to make it happen. She had to play with her sister the first time. So she sat back down in her own seat. “Then I’ll… Sister, can I borrow your picture book?”
Her voice was sweet and soft, and she always seemed so good-natured and well-behaved.
Yu Qingtang considered for a moment before handing over the picture book. “My mom bought this for me,” she said, the unspoken warning being, don’t get it dirty.
Cheng Zhanxi pulled several books from her own backpack and shoved them all at Yu Qingtang. “My mom bought these for me, too. You can have them all.”
Yu Qingtang stared at the new pile of picture books on her desk, then glanced at Cheng Zhanxi, who was now engrossed in her book. A flicker of surprise crossed her face.
After the second period, Yu Qingtang went to find the teacher.
The teacher bent down to look at the little girl, who was as pretty as a porcelain doll. “What is it?” she asked gently.
Yu Qingtang said impassively, “Teacher, I want to call home.”
“Are you missing your mommy and daddy?”
Yu Qingtang nodded.
This was an expensive private kindergarten, and she was a new student, so the teacher immediately dialed the number and handed her the phone.
The Wei Residence.
The landline rang. Wei Tingyu shot up from the sofa and snatched the receiver before the second ring. “Tangtang,” he said anxiously.
Little Yu Qingtang looked at the floor. “Dad.”
“What is it?” Wei Tingyu asked hurriedly. “Do you miss me?”
“Mm.”
“Are you getting used to school?”
“Mm.”
“If you need anything, just find a teacher, okay? Don’t be afraid to bother them, and try to talk to people. Your little sister is in your class, right? You can stick with her when you have free time, let her play with you…”
“Dad,” little Yu Qingtang interrupted his rambling, her voice clear and high. “Class is about to start.”
“Okay.”
Little Yu Qingtang added, “I probably won’t call again before lunch, so make sure you eat properly.”
“Okay,” Wei Tingyu replied. “I will.”
“See you after school.”
Wei Tingyu clutched the receiver. “Mom and I will come get you together. Don’t be scared.”
Little Yu Qingtang paused for a moment. “Mm.”
Wei Tingyu listened to the dial tone, unable to put the receiver down for a long time.
The housekeeper passed by the TV cabinet, polishing a vase. Seeing Wei Tingyu pulling another tissue from the box on the coffee table, she sighed to herself.
The young miss had only gone to kindergarten, and the master had already cried countless times this morning. What on earth would he do when she got married?
Comments
Post a Comment