Side Story 2: Sneaking into School

 

Early one morning, before Lin Chuxia could even wake them up, the three little ones were already up and dressed. Not only was Dazai i.e Xie Hongchu, up, but Erzai and Sanzai were also awake and ready.

 

Seeing them up so early, Xie Jingming was a bit surprised. “It’s barely dawn. Why are you up so early? I haven’t even made breakfast yet.”

 

“Dad, it’s our first day of school! Of course, we have to get up early so we won’t be late!” Xie Hongchu replied matter-of-factly, his cool little face showing a hint of seriousness, as if his dad just didn’t understand the importance of being a responsible young man.

 

“Oh, I see. Well, today you officially become a student, so make sure to study hard.” As a dad, that was the best advice he could give.

 

“Of course.” Talking about school made Xie Hongchu puff out his little chest, feeling proud. He already saw himself as a young man, and he didn’t want his dad to talk to him like he was a little kid anymore.

 

After brushing their teeth and washing their faces, they were ready for breakfast. Xie Hongchu eagerly knocked on Lin Chuxia’s door, urging her to get up. “Mom, hurry! We’re going to be late!”

 

But his real plan was to leave early enough to take his younger brothers, Erzai and Sanzai, to the principal’s office and convince him to let them attend school too.

 

Lin Chuxia, exhausted from being woken up so early, reluctantly got out of bed. She washed up and sat at the breakfast table, smiling sweetly at Xie Jingming, who was busy preparing breakfast. “Thank you for your hard work.”

 

Seeing Lin Chuxia—who had been worn out from their late-night activities but was still dragged out of bed by their son so early—Xie Jingming felt a little guilty.

 

After breakfast, Xie Hongchu proudly put on his light blue school bag that Lin Chuxia had bought, filled with a water bottle and pencil case, ready for his first day of school.

 

However, to their parents’ surprise, Erzai and Sanzai also put on their backpacks, packed with pencil cases and notebooks, and then demanded their mom pack them water bottles too.

 

“You two aren’t going to school. Why are you bringing all this stuff?” Lin Chuxia asked, confused by their enthusiasm.

 

“We’re just pretending, Mom. What if we get thirsty on the way?” the second son said sweetly, coaxing Lin Chuxia, who thought about it and felt his reasoning wasn’t entirely wrong.

 

“Alright, alright.” Giving in, Lin Chuxia packed the water bottles for them, unaware of their actual plan.

 

And so, off they went, with Lin Chuxia leading the way, taking Xie Hongchu to his class while the two younger ones followed closely behind.

 

While Lin Chuxia was busy talking to the teacher, Erzai and Sanzai took the opportunity to sneak away, hand in hand, making a run for the principal’s office. They were determined to enroll in school as well, confident that they were smart enough to keep up.

 

They didn’t want to stay home playing with the little kids—they were as smart and capable as their older brother, so why shouldn’t they go to school too?

 

Meanwhile, Lin Chuxia, like any concerned mother, spoke with the teacher, who eyed the chubby Xie Hongchu. Though he was cute, the teacher wondered if such a pampered child would be serious about his studies.

 

Still, the teacher was polite and said, “Of course, we take every child’s education very seriously.”

 

“Our Hongchu is very smart. If you…” Lin Chuxia began to praise her son, though halfway through, she realized she might have gone overboard. Xie Hongchu blushed with embarrassment, thinking his mom was exaggerating too much.

 

But despite his blushing, the proud little smile and the way he puffed up his chest showed that he was secretly pleased.

 

After a few more pleasantries with the teacher, Lin Chuxia knelt down to speak gently to her eldest son. “You’re so brave going to school by yourself today. Mommy will come to pick you up at noon, okay?”

 

Xie Hongchu’s face turned red as he listened to his mom’s babyish tone, thinking, I’m not a little toddler anymore! Why is she talking to me like this?

 

“Hmph.” But he couldn’t help but smile slightly. Acting nonchalant, he waved her off. “You can go home now. I have class.”

 

As Lin Chuxia turned to call for her other two sons, her heart skipped a beat. “Where are Erzai and Sanzai?” she asked, her voice rising in panic.

 

“Have you seen two three- or four-year-old boys wearing little suspender outfits?” Lin Chuxia frantically asked the other parents. She had been so focused on talking to the teacher and helping Xie Hongchu into his classroom that she hadn’t noticed the two little ones slipping away.

 

Hearing Lin Chuxia’s panic, Xie Hongchu clenched his fists proudly. His younger brothers had definitely gone to the principal’s office by now. Surely they would succeed in their plan!

 

“What? The children are missing? Did a kidnapper take them?” other parents exclaimed in fear, grabbing hold of their own children.

 

“Quick, let’s help look for them! They’re three- or four-year-olds wearing suspenders. They’re chubby and pale. Somebody go to the gate and make sure no one gets away!” The school erupted into chaos as everyone began searching for the missing children, terrified that they might have been abducted.

 

Meanwhile, a panicked teacher rushed to the principal’s office. “Principal, something terrible has happened! There are two…” The teacher trailed off upon entering the office and seeing the two missing boys sitting there, looking perfectly fine.

 

“What’s going on? Why are you running around like that?” the principal, who had just been happily impressed by these two young “geniuses,” frowned at the flustered teacher.

 

The teacher pointed at the boys, exasperated. “Principal, these two boys are the ones causing all the commotion! Their mother thought they had been kidnapped!”

 

The principal, realizing the seriousness of the situation, quickly stood up. “Let’s go. Their mother must be worried sick.” He hadn’t considered the potential scare when he let the boys stay, having been too pleased to find such smart children.

 

He turned to the boys and gently scolded them as he led them out. “Did you sneak over here without telling your parents? You’ve made them worry so much.”

 

Outside, chaos reigned as worried parents held tightly onto their children, some even mistaking the principal for a kidnapper. But soon, it became clear that the principal wasn’t an abductor, and that the boys had simply found their way to his office on their own.

 

Lin Chuxia’s face turned pale with relief when she saw her two mischievous boys. Anger quickly followed as she glared at them. So that’s why they didn’t complain about not being able to go to school—they’d been plotting this all along.

 

Though furious, she held them tightly in her arms, relieved they were safe. Seeing the look of guilt on Xie Hongchu’s face, Lin Chuxia quickly deduced that all three boys had been in on the plan.

 

“Sorry, everyone. My boys were just being too naughty,” Lin Chuxia apologized to the principal, teachers, and other parents. But inside, she was already planning to give them a good scolding at home.

 

Seeing the mixture of embarrassment and anger in Lin Chuxia’s expression, the other parents kindly tried to comfort her.

 

“Kids will be kids. It seems like they’re quite smart, though. The principal even mentioned they could enroll in school!” one parent commented.

 

“Still, they shouldn’t run off like that. It’s too dangerous! You should give them a good lesson, so they don’t do it again,” another parent advised.

 

“Thank goodness my kids don’t act like that. I’d be too worried to let them run around!” another chimed in.

 

Lin Chuxia smiled politely, nodding in agreement. “Yes, yes. I’ll make sure to teach them well.” But inside, she was fuming. *These rascals are definitely getting a spanking when we get home!*

 

The principal, sensing her thoughts, didn’t offer any advice about “gentle parenting” and simply led the boys back to class. Lin Chuxia, now calmer, agreed to return later with the necessary documents to officially enroll them, and she paid the school fees right then and there.

 

Meanwhile, Erzai and Sanzai, unaware of the trouble they were in, were overjoyed at the thought of going to school with their eldest brother.

 

However, on the way home at noon, their joy quickly turned to tears when Lin Chuxia gave them both a stern spanking.

 

When Xie Jingming returned home and saw the two boys crying, sprawled on chairs, he was furious. “Who bullied my kids?!” he demanded, ready to defend them.

 

But Lin Chuxia coldly replied, “Your precious sons were quite the troublemakers today! While I was talking to the teacher, they snuck off to the principal’s office, giving me a heart attack! I thought they’d been kidnapped, and all the teachers and parents helped me search for them!”

 

Immediately, Xie Jingming deflated. “Oh… well, in that case, they deserved it.”

 

He turned to his sons, his expression serious.

 

“How could you do something so dangerous? Do you know how worried mom was? What if…”

 

He continued to lecture them for a long time, making the three boys cry even harder. We already got spanked by Mom, and now Dad is scolding us too?