Once they had disappeared into the kindergarten, Beijue strode over with his long legs and bent down to pick up the little guy next to him, then handed over the entire amount of over 2,000 yuan he got from Zhou Ru to Chi Jingchen, âGo buy some candy.â
Chi Jingchen hadnât expected to earn an extra sum, and a beautiful smile blossomed on his face as he sweetly said, âThank you, Uncle Li.â
While his words were honeyed, his actions didnât slow a bit, swiftly pocketing the money into his little backpack.
Beijue, holding him, gave Xu Lulu a heads-up, âCan I take him with me?â
Xu Lulu had watched him casually give over 2,000 yuan to a five-year-old child to buy candy. Her instinct was to offer him a word of caution, but she felt it wasnât her place. After hesitating, she said, âOf course. Uh⦠you are Chi Jingchenâs uncle, right?â
Chi Jingchenâs eyelids flicked up, and he immediately corrected her, âTeacher Loulou, this is my Uncle Li; he works at the BBC TV Station.â He purposefully omitted the fact that this Uncle Li lived next door to his home and was currently involved in an ambiguously intimate relationship with a woman from his house. After introducing Beijue, he began introducing Xu Lulu, âUncle Li, this is my Teacher Loulou. Teacher Loulou is always really nice to us, gentle and patient. Especially with me, she takes extra care.â
After he spoke his last four words, Beijue finally looked straight at Xu Lulu. His thin lips, uncharacteristically, curved slightly, âHello.â
Xu Lulu was pleasantly surprised, âYou⦠no⦠Mr. Li, hello.â
âIâd like to take Chi Jingchen home, he wonât be attending school today, is that alright?â His attitude was much better now, though his manner of speaking still carried an air of command.
As a parent wanting to take their child, the kindergarten couldnât really stop him, nor would they try to. She nodded, âOf course. But before you leave, may I have a word with you?â
âItâs just to discuss Chi Jingchenâs situation at school.â
Beijue hesitated only a moment before agreeing. He set the little guy down on the sofa and told him, âStay inside here for now, Iâll be back shortly.â
Then he followed Xu Lulu out of the office.
Outside the office, Xu Luluâs ears felt a bit warm as she bravely said, âHereâs the thing, what Chi Jingchenâs mother did today was indeed a bit too much. However, I feel it necessary to tell you, and I hope you can convey it to Chi Jingchenâs mother on behalf of our teachers. It was wrong for Chi Jingchen to start the fight today, and I hope she can educate him about that.â
Beijueâs brows drew together, and his thin lips pursed, âI understand.â
âAlso, I saw you give over 2,000 yuan directly to a child; isnât that somewhat inappropriate? Chi Jingchen is only five years old, and although we should cultivate a sense of money in children, itâs not good to raise them to be too money-minded.â
Xu Lulu spoke these words sincerely from the perspective of a teacher, with no ulterior motives.
She knew about Chi Jingchenâs little business dealings at school. As a kindergarten teacher, she should have said something, but after learning about Chi Jingchenâs family situation from the little friends, she held back for personal reasons. Holding back always left her feeling uneasy. So now, she took the opportunity to hint to Beijue, encouraging the adult to pay more attention to the childâs growth.
It would be such a shame if a child as smart as Chi Jingchen went down the wrong path!