Meanwhile, on the other side, Yang Yi held XiXi’s little hand and led her through the kindergarten gates.
“Welcome, little sister!” Two rows of female teachers stood at the entrance, clapping warmly with bright smiles, exuding enthusiasm from the start.
Perhaps caught up in the lively atmosphere, XiXi tugged her father’s hand, her steps light and cheerful, as she curiously looked left and right.
After passing through the teachers’ “welcoming corridor,” the little girl couldn’t wait to pull her father’s hand, urging him to crouch down for a whisper.
“Daddy, I think this place is so much fun!” The little girl, with rosy lips and fair skin, blinked her big eyes and smiled adorably.
Yang Yi scratched his head. “Uh, fun?”
Before coming, he had worried XiXi might cry, brainstorming countless strategies and even researching materials—enough to write a several-thousand-word thesis on how to handle a child’s first-day-of-kindergarten tears...
But now, it seemed all that preparation was wasted. XiXi wasn’t crying at all; she looked eager and ready to go.
“It’s fun!” XiXi nodded emphatically.
However, just because XiXi wasn’t crying didn’t mean other kids weren’t.
As Yang Yi finished XiXi’s registration, a little boy nearby burst into loud sobs. His mother quickly scooped him up, red-eyed, trying to soothe him without success, while his father stood helpless, unsure what to do.
XiXi was startled. She gripped her father’s hand tightly, staring at the crying boy.
“Daddy, what’s wrong with that little brother?” she asked curiously, leaning on her father’s shoulder as he picked her up.
Who knew who was older or younger? But XiXi, with good genes, was tall and looked bigger than kids her age, especially the boys.
Afraid her mood might be affected, Yang Yi carried her aside and whispered, “I don’t know. Maybe because he’s not as good as XiXi? Our XiXi never cries, right?”
“Mm-hmm, XiXi is very good!” The little girl beamed happily.
But the time for parting came. Yang Yi brought XiXi to her assigned middle class, where several teachers were already waiting at the door.
From earlier visits and registration, he recognized them: the two young female teachers on the left and right were Teacher Shen and Teacher Cai, while the middle-aged teacher around thirty-seven or thirty-eight was the homeroom teacher, Teacher Mu.
Teacher Mu walked over with a smile, gently placing her hand on XiXi’s shoulder. “XiXi, do you remember Teacher Mu?”
XiXi instinctively leaned closer to her father, then looked at her timidly, still a bit unfamiliar.
“You saw her last time when Daddy brought you here. Say hello to Teacher Mu!” Yang Yi nudged the little girl’s back encouragingly.
“Hello, Teacher Mu...” At home, Yang Yi and Mo Fei had taught XiXi these manners, but she was still shy, speaking softly before quickly returning to her father’s side.
“And Teacher Shen and Teacher Cai,” Yang Yi added, nudging her again.
After the first attempt, she was less shy. XiXi obediently greeted the other teachers, who responded with smiles. Teacher Cai even made a playful duck-bill gesture with her hands and said, “Hello, Yang Xi!”
The teachers’ kind and approachable demeanor gradually eased XiXi’s wariness; at least she no longer hid behind her father.
“Then, Teacher Mu, I’ll leave XiXi in your care. Please look after her well,” Yang Yi couldn’t help rambling. “She needs to drink a bottle of water every two hours, and milk once in the morning and once in the afternoon. We’ve packed her lunch in her backpack—the blue cat lunchbox is XiXi’s, and the other pink cartoon one has the same food. XiXi said she wants to share with the other kids.”
As he explained, Yang Yi felt his nose sting a little.
When had he become so sentimental? Back when XiXi went to her mother’s house, he hadn’t felt a thing!
Teacher Mu smiled at him. “Don’t worry, Father Yang. We’ll take good care of your daughter! And we have your phone number, right? If anything comes up, we’ll contact you parents promptly.”
“Good, that’s good!” Yang Yi nodded.
It was time to say goodbye to XiXi. Yang Yi crouched down to adjust her hat—the little girl in her cloche hat had never looked so beautiful!
“Daddy has to go now. XiXi, remember to be good. Let’s pinky promise, okay?” Yang Yi said softly.
“Where are you going, Daddy?” XiXi looked confused, sensing something was off.
“Daddy brought you to kindergarten, so now he has to go home!” Yang Yi quickly added, “But don’t worry, I’ll come pick you up when school ends this afternoon!”
XiXi’s smile faded. She nervously gripped his hand. “Huh? Why does Daddy have to go home?”
“Because Daddy can’t stay for kindergarten with you!” Yang Yi felt his preparations might finally come in handy.
“But, but why not?” The little girl’s eyes reddened with anxiety, as if her father had taken her to a playground but told her he couldn’t play with her.
Yang Yi resisted the urge to scoop her into a hug and comfort her, because the “guide” said that would only make her cry more. Instead, he gently patted her shoulder. “Because in kindergarten, XiXi needs to play with the teachers and other kids. Daddy will come pick you up in the afternoon to go home for dinner.”
“Remember? You pinky-promised Daddy you wouldn’t cry! Whoever cries is a puppy!” Yang Yi extended his right pinky and wiggled it.
“Mm, I, I won’t cry.” Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back, sniffling. “But, but I still don’t want you to go, Daddy.”
“Daddy will wait for you to come home tonight and tell me all the fun things you did today. So XiXi has to play happily with the other kids, okay?” Yang Yi couldn’t help wiping her eyes.
The moment he did, golden teardrops rolled down one by one.
But XiXi was still obedient. Despite her reluctance and tears, she nodded firmly.
The “guide” also told Yang Yi not to linger too long. The more worried and reluctant he was, the more he had to steel himself and walk away, because the longer kids saw their parents, the harder they cried.
Kids were clever, after all! If parents gave in once, they’d use that softness to keep pushing.
“XiXi, goodbye. Daddy will pick you up this afternoon!” Yang Yi handed XiXi to Teacher Mu and, as his daughter waved tearfully, forced himself to turn and leave.
That turn was decisive. He kept his head down and walked straight out, afraid that if he looked back, he wouldn’t be able to leave.