Since appearing on the show and making some little friends, Little Rice Cake had grown a bit braver. Now, she wasn’t afraid of strangers anymore—but only if they were kids.
Shen Yuan brought her to preschool and helped her change into the school uniform. Seeing so many children around her age, her big eyes blinked rapidly. Part of her wanted to join in the play, but part of her still wanted to stay close to Dad.
Shen Yuan gently put her down and asked, “Little Rice Cake, do you want to play with the other kids?”
She nodded shyly: “Yes.”
Shen Yuan smiled at her: “Okay, go on and play.”
She took two steps, glanced back at him, took two more, then looked again. A gentle female teacher came over, crouching down and reaching out to hold her hand: “Little Rice Cake, I’m your teacher. From now on, you’ll be in my class.”
Shen Yuan said, “At school, you have to listen to your teacher, okay?”
Little Rice Cake, sensing that her father might leave, hid her hand behind her back and refused the teacher’s hand. Like a sensitive little touch-me-not plant, she turned and scuttled back into Shen Yuan’s arms. “I don’t want to play with the other kids. I only want to play with Daddy.”
She was terrified, shivering. Shen Yuan realized she was still very young. Maybe he had been too hasty.
He held her gently. Her eyes were red, brimming with unshed tears. Even though she had put on a brave front in front of Qiao Hailou, Shen Yuan couldn’t help softening. He thought back to Little Peanut, who had started preschool at about the same age and had adapted without issue. Sometimes he had even been so happy there that he didn’t want to leave.
Little Rice Cake sniffled, clearly upset and on the verge of tears.
Suddenly, a thunderous wail erupted nearby, startling her so much that she forgot to cry herself. She rested her head on her dad’s shoulder and looked at the source of the noise—a chubby little boy crying like his world was ending.
Little Rice Cake had never seen such a scene. Her own cries had always been quiet, and her brother had never cried like that. Were there really kids who cried this much?
The chubby boy’s wailing set off a chain reaction. Other first-time preschoolers started crying too.
Little Rice Cake, wide-eyed, pointed at them and whispered to her dad: “Daddy… they’re crying.”
Her own tears lingered, but she became so fascinated by the spectacle that she forgot to cry. Shen Yuan couldn’t help but laugh and sigh.
She clung to his clothes, distressed: “Daddy, I don’t want to play with them.”
Shen Yuan gently said, “Little Rice Cake, if you don’t go to school, you’ll become a little silly. Do you want to be silly?”
She shook her head, gripping him tighter: “I don’t want to be silly. But I’m scared.”
Shen Yuan encouraged her: “Remember when we went to the village with Daddy and your brother? You were scared then too. But later, you liked Sister Mei Mei and Brother Hao Hao a lot. Once you get used to the other kids, you won’t be scared. Little Rice Cake, you’re a brave baby.”
She protested logically: “But there’s no Sister Mei Mei, no Brother Hao Hao, no Wang Wang here. Daddy, I’m really scared. Can we wait until Brother Peanut comes and brings me?”
Shen Yuan actually considered the suggestion. He also felt a little reluctant to push her. After thinking it over, he said: “Okay, we’ll wait for Brother Peanut to come, and he can take you to school. But once you go, no backing out.”
She nodded firmly: “Yes!”
Shen Yuan decided to bring her to his office instead. He often took her there, where all the baby supplies were ready. He set up a high baby chair with soft cushions next to him.
He continued revising design drafts while giving Little Rice Cake a blank sheet of paper and a box of watercolors to play with.
She was a quiet little one, watching her father paint and trying to mimic his strokes. Her drawings were a messy tangle of lines and colors, which she proudly showed him: “Daddy, Daddy, look what I drew!”
Shen Yuan asked: “What is this?”
She explained, and he listened patiently: “It’s beautiful.”
The praise made her cheeks flush pink like a sweet little apple. Shen Yuan remembered being a child and watching his mother design jewelry—he had felt the same awe, thinking she was the most talented artist in the world. His gaze softened completely.
He took her hand and said gently, “Come, Daddy will teach you.”
After work, Qiao Hailou was still filming and missed his family. He video-called Shen Yuan: “So, did the plan to send Little Rice Cake to preschool succeed?”
Shen Yuan hesitated.
Qiao Hailou immediately teased: “Hahaha, I knew you couldn’t let go. You even promised me!”
Shen Yuan defensively replied: “No, it’s not that I can’t let go. Little Rice Cake agreed with me. She said she’s scared of kids she hasn’t met yet. We’ll wait for Brother Peanut to come and bring her. She’s still so small—even in the little class, she’ll be one of the youngest. I realized I was too selfish. It’s better to wait until she’s a little older.”
Qiao Hailou laughed: “You always find excuses. Just admit you can’t let go.”
Shen Yuan blushed: “I’m not making excuses! She told me herself. If I forced her to go, I’d be lying to her. When I was little, I hated being tricked like that. I don’t want to do that to my baby.”
Qiao Hailou smiled, delighted: “Alright, alright, you’re the boss. So where is she now? Asleep?”
Shen Yuan said: “I brought her to the office. She was so good—quiet, painting with me, napped on the small bed when tired. After work, I brought her home, fed her, taught her a sound, read her a story, and now she’s asleep.”
He turned the camera to show her peacefully sleeping.
“She wanted to sleep with me today. Since you weren’t home, I let her.”
Qiao Hailou mock-pouted: “Hmph! You took my spot while I’m gone. No respect at all.”
Shen Yuan chuckled: “Don’t make noise, you’ll wake her.”
He tucked her in, turned off the lights, and soon fell asleep himself.
In the darkness, Little Rice Cake opened her eyes and remembered what Dad had said on the call:
“…she’s still so little—even in the little class, she’ll be one of the youngest…”
“…better wait until she’s a little older to go to school…”
She wondered, confused: A little older… how much older is that?
Instinctively, she decided to investigate “preschool” for herself. She sneaked away while Dad wasn’t paying attention and called the older kids she had met on the show.
She asked on her little kid phone:
“Hello? Sister, do you know what preschool is?”
“How old are you when you go to preschool?”
“Oh, you went at three years and five months?”
“What do you do at preschool?”
“That doesn’t sound very fun.”
“Brother Hao Hao, when did you start preschool?”
“Four years old.”
“Thank you, Brother.”
When Little Peanut returned from filming the last episode, exhausted, he immediately told Dad his reflections on life:
“Daddy, why am I so weird? At home, I want to go out, but once I’m out, I want to come back.”
His tone was surprisingly mature.
“I’ve really grown a lot. I’m going to write a diary now.”
He had learned to write from an older boy he met on the show, though his diary entries were only a sentence or two, with some words he still needed Dad’s help to write.
Shen Yuan said: “Little Peanut, your sister is going to preschool too. Will you help take care of her and protect her?”
Little Peanut was thrilled. His sister would go to school with him! He patted his chest: “Okay! I’ll take care of her.”
A few days later, the day finally came for Little Rice Cake’s first day of school.
Seeing Shen Yuan bring out the preschool uniform, she immediately refused: “I don’t want to go to preschool.”
Shen Yuan teased: “Hey, you tricked Daddy? You said Brother would take you, and now you go back on your word. If you lie, your nose will grow!”
Little Rice Cake retorted: “I checked. Other kids go at three or four. I’m just two. I don’t need to go. Daddy, you tricked me. I’m not going.”
Little Peanut was shocked: “Sister, I went at two years old!”
Little Rice Cake gave him a disdainful look, just like Shen Yuan sometimes did when annoyed, and said: “That’s because you’re silly. You could have waited until three too. Silly brother.”
Little Peanut felt deflated. He had always thought he was smart! And now his little sister was calling him the silly one?