Going to a new place and starting a new chapter in life always brings a mix of excitement and nerves.

This morning, Yuanyuan ate much less than usual for breakfast, which made Yu Mingxi suspect she might be feeling unwell.

The little one secretly peeked at her dad, and from his cold, indifferent gaze, she knew there was no room for negotiation.

No matter what, there was no escaping it—she had to go to Kindergarten today, no way out, meow.

After she finished breakfast and changed into her uniform, Yu Jinxiao handed her a small, fully packed backpack with her name neatly labeled on it.

“First day of school…” Yu Jinxiao felt he should probably give some sort of speech on such an important day, but after a long pause, all he could muster was, “Don’t let anyone bully you.”

Of course, the worry was there—this silly little one, without them around to watch over her, could easily be a target for mean kids. Her soft, innocent demeanor made her the perfect prey for bullies.

“I know,” Yuanyuan nodded half-heartedly, “If they call me names, Yuanyuan will… call them names back.”

“And if they hit you?”

Yuanyuan: “…” She hadn’t thought about that. This was a tough question.

Yu Mingxi chimed in, “Tell the teacher.”

Yu Yingze, however, had a different take: “Hit them back.”

Yuanyuan thought for a moment: “Cry and let them see it!”

It felt as though a flock of birds flew overhead, squawking in exasperation.

Yu Jinxiao wanted to open up his daughter’s head and figure out why her thought process was so different from everyone else’s.

“Your big brother and second brother’s suggestions are both correct,” he said, massaging his temples to ward off a headache. He pulled Yuanyuan close and gave her the definitive instruction: “Fight back first. If you can’t win, then tell the teacher. Got it?”

The little one, determined to learn, started counting the steps on her fingers, carefully memorizing each instruction. “Got it!”

Just as Yu Jinxiao was about to let her go, Yu Yingze called her back: “I don’t believe it. Repeat it.”

Yuanyuan confidently balled her tiny fists and recited, “If someone hits Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan will hit them back. If I can’t win, I’ll tell the teacher!”

Not bad, she answered confidently and without missing a beat. Satisfied, Yu Jinxiao carried her off to the car.

Yu Mingxi and Yu Yingze took a different car to their own school, while Yuanyuan was dropped off at kindergarten along the way to the office. From now on, Gao Zhou and Yu Jinxiao would personally take her to school.

The kindergarten had been carefully selected by Gao Zhou, boasting excellent facilities and top-tier teachers. The students there came from either wealthy families or prestigious backgrounds, making it one of the most elite schools around.

The school uniform was a crisp white shirt paired with a beige skirt, complete with a school crest and name tag pinned to the chest. Even the backpack was a standard khaki color, with a touch of gold embroidery around the collar—real gold, a status symbol for the wealthy parents who took pride in such details.

Seeing Yuanyuan in this uniform, Yu Jinxiao couldn’t help but feel… his daughter had grown just a little bit more. He was used to seeing her in her frilly princess dresses, but in this simple, formal uniform, she seemed a bit more… responsible. Just a little.

“If you run into any trouble at school, you can call me,” Yu Jinxiao said, tapping on her smartwatch. “My number’s the first one saved.”

Yuanyuan looked up curiously: “Can I call Daddy when I’m bored, just to chat?”

“No.” The cold response crushed her hope immediately.

“Aww, Daddy changes his mind so fast.”

“Only call if it’s important. No calls just for chatting.”

“Okay…” she sighed.

Just then, they arrived at the kindergarten. The entrance was crowded with children in identical uniforms, walking in one by one. Some were crying, refusing to go inside, while others happily greeted their friends, chatting about the fun things that had happened the day before.

Yuanyuan was starting mid-year, and after some arrangements by Gao Zhou, she was officially enrolled.

As she stared at the unfamiliar surroundings, a wave of nervousness washed over her.

“Daddy…” Yuanyuan tugged at the corner of his suit jacket, her small voice filled with anxiety. “You’ll come pick Yuanyuan up later, right?”