Chapter 20: The School Bully (20)

In the shallow waters, half the height of a person, Yu Qian floated in a bright yellow duck-shaped children’s swim ring, her legs kicking in the water like little duck feet. Her wild flailing had no effect though – she and the swim ring simply drifted on the gently rippling sea surface.

Zai Ye held onto her swim ring with one hand to keep her from being swept away by the current.

Being athletic and a strong swimmer, he used one hand to grip the child’s swim ring while paddling with the other, guiding her into deeper waters. Sometimes he didn’t even need to paddle, just using his legs to maintain balance and move while both hands steadied the ring.

Yu Qian felt like she was on an ocean sightseeing ride as he pulled her back and forth in circles. Soon enough, she expressed her dislike for the troublesome swim ring, wanting to directly feel the seawater.

Zai Ye brought her back to the shallow waters and lifted her out.

Yu Qian sat on her father’s back, treating him like a new little boat.

“Pat! Pat! Pat pat!” While swimming, Zai Ye worried she might slip off, but he soon discovered the little one on his back was thoroughly excited, repeatedly patting his back with both hands.

His back must have turned red from her enthusiastic patting.

Unable to maintain a sitting position while he swam, she soon lay flat. Zai Ye tried to keep steady as he paddled. During this process, the curious two-year-old spotted his armpit hair.

What grown man doesn’t have armpit hair? But for a child, this was a first—after all, her dad always wore clothes around her. Swimming meant he couldn’t stay fully covered, and the little one seized her chance. Having previously made a habit of pulling her father’s hair, she couldn’t resist grabbing a few strands of armpit hair and yanking them out with all her strength.

Caught off guard by the sharp pain of his daughter’s betrayal, Zai Ye tumbled into the sea with a muffled groan, flailing around frantically before managing to fish her out. She still looked utterly confused about what had happened.

Zai Ye’s expression twisted slightly as if he had a toothache. “You…”

Looking down, he saw his daughter still clutching the evidence.

With a darkened face, he plucked the hair strands from her little fist and gave it a light smack. “Will you dare do that again?”

Yu Qian froze, about to cry, when Zai Ye suddenly shook his head vigorously, splashing water all over her face to interrupt her incoming wail. He smacked her hand again: “No grabbing, understand?”

As Yu Qian opened her mouth to cry again, Zai Ye quickly pressed his wrist against her widely opened mouth, blocking her string of whimpers.

After having her attempts thwarted twice, Yu Qian stared at him for a moment before giving up on expressing her displeasure that way. Her mood changed incredibly fast as she patted her father’s body and made a request: “Boat ride, daddy boat swim.”

So she mounted Zai Ye’s back for a second time, though this time he frequently looked back at her warily. Yu Qian didn’t mess with his hair again, but she kept bouncing on his back, her strong legs often accidentally kicking his kidneys.

After taking his daughter swimming and returning to shore, Zai Ye grumbled through gritted teeth: “Unbelievable, truly my good daughter. Never again.”

Yu Qian laughed gleefully: “Hahaha!”

Afterward, he mostly left the child with his mother while he went to relax in the sea and “play” with his clueless half-brother.

Poor Lu Lang often faced unexpected attacks in the sea. Sometimes while swimming peacefully, he’d suddenly feel something grabbing his feet underwater. Other times while splashing around, he’d either get a face full of water from Zai Ye swimming past quickly or be knocked over by the waves he created, all while enduring his brother’s mocking glances. In the end, he would either cry for his father or mother in fear.

When Lu Lang spotted Zai Ye in the water after that, he wouldn’t even go in, instead running inside to seek comfort from his mother.

But by his mother’s side, there was often an even more annoying presence. She appeared particularly harmless, but Lu Lang found her more frightening than his brother.

Because in front of Yu Qian, his privileges as the family’s youngest child didn’t exist. Moreover, she seemed to naturally counter him – no matter what mischief he tried to pull, he always ended up being the one crying, followed by his mother’s scolding and lectures.

Through repeated failures and crying fits, Lu Lang became convinced of one thing: his brother and little niece were both demons, and approaching them would only bring misfortune.

Thanks to Lu Lang’s eventual quieting down, Zai Ye felt this vacation was quite nice.

Before returning from their trip, Mrs. Wen had a conversation with Zai Ye about their child’s schooling.

“I heard you often leave the child at Li Xiu’s Soaring Lounge when you’re at school. This can’t continue forever.”

“I have a nanny taking care of her.”

What Mrs. Wen was more worried about was what bad habits the second-generation rich kids might unconsciously influence the child with, but she couldn’t say this directly to Zai Ye. Instead, she took a roundabout approach: “Xiao Qian is about ready for kindergarten. Why not let her start early? It would make things much more convenient for you.”

Zai Ye frowned: “She’s only two. I see other children starting kindergarten at least at three.”

Mrs. Wen replied: “Not necessarily. I see that Xiao Qian has basic self-care abilities and is quite clever. She can express herself clearly. She can start school early, and some kindergartens do accept younger children. The kindergarten next to Lu Lang’s elementary school is quite good – I’ve asked about it and checked it out. The teachers are very responsible. Xiao Qian will have teachers taking care of her and many little friends to play with, and you can focus on your studies with peace of mind.”

Zai Ye: “…I’ll think about it.”

He had countless times before thought about leaving the child in someone else’s care, but when it came to actually not looking after her, something felt off that he couldn’t quite explain.

Mrs. Wen hadn’t expected to convince him in just a few words, so she gave him the school information and suggested he could look at it when he had time.

“If you don’t like this kindergarten, you can look at others, but the child will have to go to school sooner or later.”

Zai Ye took her words to heart, spending almost the entire latter half of summer vacation looking for kindergartens.

He asked everyone he knew, including Li Xiu and others.

“What? Do we know anyone who runs a kindergarten? We really don’t.”

“Who would run a kindergarten? Though I have a sister who teaches at university – want me to introduce you?”

“You’re looking at kindergartens for Xiao Qian? I heard Old Jing say earlier that he doesn’t trust current kindergartens and was thinking about opening one specifically for his son, feeling more at ease having his own people taking care of him.” Li Xiu couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s foolish idea.

But Zai Ye asked very seriously: “So did he open one? Where is it? I’ll go take a look.”

Li Xiu was stunned: “His son isn’t even one year old yet, he was just talking. Are you taking this seriously?”

The more Zai Ye thought about it, the more he liked this idea, and pressed further: “He’s really not planning to open one?”

Li Xiu rolled his eyes and hung up the phone.

In the end, after comparing options, Zai Ye had to admit that the kindergarten Mrs. Wen Ling chose was indeed the best.

Zai Ye mingled with a group of parents whose average age was over thirty as they toured the kindergarten. He didn’t ask any questions throughout, just quietly listened as experienced parents asked teachers about the children’s daily education, their lunch meals, the facility’s equipment, and so on. There were countless details he hadn’t even thought to consider.

He was like a young inexperienced penguin who had a chick too early, awkwardly following the mature, experienced parents, often struggling to keep up.

Finally, when the other parents were satisfied, he also decided to try sending his child here.

Before going to register himself for school, he first brought Yu Qian to her new school to enroll her.

The cute little backpack and water bottle they bought finally had their use. Zai Ye held her hand as they arrived at school, completed the registration, and the teacher took her from his hands.

Zai Ye worried she might feel uncomfortable and cry, but in reality, this child barely reacted. She just looked at him twice, seemingly used to him leaving her in different people’s care. When the teacher led her inside, she even knew to turn back and wave goodbye to him. She was unusually well-behaved.

Zai Ye stood at the entrance with his hands in his pockets, watching inside for a while. Parents were gradually bringing their children, most of whom were older than Yu Qian. Most were crying and whimpering, starting from the moment they realized they had to leave their parents, still sniffling even after the teachers consoled them. Only a few children didn’t cry—their parents did instead.

When he heard sniffling sounds beside him, Zai Ye was startled. Seeing a round-bellied father wearing glasses wiping tears under them, he quickly hastened away from there.

Was it really necessary? Why cry when your child starts school?

Zai Ye went to his own school, where it was his turn to register.

Although classes were starting immediately in the third year of high school, the classroom was still chaotic. The teacher hadn’t arrived yet, and knowing the coming year would be even more terrifying, students were engaging in rebellious noise-making, as if this was their last celebration. Only after various subject teachers, the homeroom teacher, and the teaching director all came through – some scolding, some lecturing, some having heart-to-hearts – did this combination of approaches finally make all students put away their holiday playfulness.

Zai Ye was distracted throughout, barely responding when classmates tried to talk to him.

His unusual behavior wasn’t just a day or two old, and the group of followers who had hung around him for two years tried to figure out why he was acting strange. Some suggested he might be unhappy because his parents had given him a sister. The fact that Zai Ye had a sister who looked very similar to him had become known to many after the previous Taobao dress incident, but classmates who knew about his family changes didn’t dare ask more about it.

More people believed that having a sister couldn’t possibly change Brother Ye this much. Their Brother Ye must be troubled by love.

Besides love, what else could make a cool and unruly school bully so absent-minded?

When the class bell rang, Zai Ye suddenly stood up with his bag, ready to leave.

“Brother Ye, this is only the second period, you’re leaving already? Skipping class on the first day of school, the homeroom teacher will definitely come to your house to find you!”

Zai Ye casually said: “Help me ask for leave.”

His follower wailed: “Brother Ye, I can’t get permission!”

Zai Ye: “Then forget it.”

He left school with familiar ease, heading straight for the kindergarten.

By this time, there were no parents outside the kindergarten. Zai Ye looked around, climbed a tree by the road, and from the trunk peered inside. This position perfectly faced an activity classroom, and through the large glass windows, he could clearly see the children moving around inside.