Little Rice Cake usually appeared quiet and a little dazed, hardly talking much, nothing like her brother, who was a chatterbox through and through. Yet here she was, arguing her way out of preschool like a tiny little lawyer.
Before Shen Yuan even got to work, Qiao Hailou heard the commotion from the bathroom. Stepping out, he saw his big treasure and the two little ones staring at each other—eyes wide, sizing each other up. Shen Yuan was seriously debating with Little Rice Cake.
Suppressing a laugh, Qiao Hailou pulled out his phone to record.
Shen Yuan said firmly: “Two-year-old babies go to preschool—little class.”
Little Rice Cake: “Why do I have to go to preschool?”
Shen Yuan: “To learn stuff, to get an education.”
Little Rice Cake: “But they said preschool is just singing and playing games. That’s not real school. Daddy, you’re lying. Except for silly brother, no other kids need to go at two.”
Little Peanut widened his eyes: “!”
Shen Yuan countered: “I’m not lying. Singing and playing is a way of learning. And didn’t you say last time you were happy meeting other kids? Isn’t making friends at preschool fun?”
Little Rice Cake frowned: “They look even sillier than Brother. I don’t want to be friends with them.”
Shen Yuan froze—he hadn’t expected his quiet little daughter to put up such a fight over preschool. He wanted to persuade her gently, not force her with dad authority.
Hearing Qiao Hailou’s teasing laughter, Shen Yuan turned, annoyed: “What are you laughing at? And filming? Help me think of a solution!”
Qiao Hailou moved the camera toward Little Rice Cake and said, still laughing: “I think she has a point. Two is too young for preschool. But… Little Rice Cake, if you don’t want to go now, that’s okay. Not going to school at all is a no-go, but waiting until three is fine.”
Seizing the opportunity, Little Rice Cake said: “Brother Hao Hao said he only went at four. Can I wait until four too?”
Qiao Hailou asked: “Then what will you do instead?”
She pouted at Shen Yuan, clinging to him: “I’ll stay with Daddy.”
Shen Yuan grumbled: “You make me mad and still want to stay with me?”
Usually she’d cry easily, but now she just smiled softly with her big, dark, grape-like eyes. Shen Yuan felt his heart melt, though he tried to resist. He turned to Qiao Hailou: “Look at her! Such a little dumpling. Definitely got it from you, Qiao Hailou!”
Qiao Hailou calmly replied: “Little Rice Cake is both mine and yours. She doesn’t cling to me; she clings to you. Any good habits come from you, and the bad ones… maybe a tiny bit from me, if at all.”
Shen Yuan felt cornered. He couldn’t argue with Little Rice Cake, couldn’t argue with Qiao Hailou, and felt exasperated. But he knew Qiao Hailou had a point—he did take care of her most of the time.
He finally resorted to pouting: “I didn’t teach her anything! Then it must have been from you!”
Qiao Hailou laughed. Shen Yuan had a perfected routine: argue first, then whine, then charm. Years of practice made him unbeatable at it.
Qiao Hailou wasn’t offended, only amused. He wanted Shen Yuan to keep some of his childlike innocence, to unwind at home, instead of always being serious and grown-up.
“Alright,” he said, “I give up. If Little Rice Cake is naughty, it’s my fault. Education’s serious business though. What now? Should we rename her ‘Little Dumpling’?”
Shen Yuan laughed: “Don’t tease me! I thought you were going to say something else.”
Qiao Hailou felt lucky. Even though he’d married a younger woman, he thought Shen Yuan was the best. She had her own wings, could soar professionally, handle work and social life, and in private, she was open and playful. Sure, she could be a bit spoiled or mischievous, but he accepted that.
Shen Yuan squatted down to meet Little Rice Cake’s eye level and said, calm but exasperated: “No changing your mind this time. When you’re three, you must go to preschool. Even if you cry, Daddy won’t give in.”
He added: “When Daddy was little, I wanted to go to preschool but couldn’t. You, on the other hand, can go and choose not to.”
Little Peanut asked curiously: “Daddy, why couldn’t you go?”
Shen Yuan feigned sadness: “Because my dad was a big meanie. He kept me at home and didn’t send me. I only learned to read at seven. That’s why I want you kids to go early, learn letters, write by three or four. When I was little, I admired those kids so much.”
Little Rice Cake touched his hand on the railing: “Daddy, you won’t lock me up. You can take me with you. Hmm… let me go at four, then.”
Shen Yuan tried every tactic—soft, firm—but Little Rice Cake was resolute. He could do nothing but sigh.
She reached out: “Daddy, Daddy, will you really let me go?”
He had to pick her up. She snuggled close, planting a kiss on his cheek: “Daddy, I love you. Let me wait until four. I’ll be a good little dumpling. Uncle and Aunties all said I’m good, right?”
Shen Yuan thought: Kids are the most devious creatures in the world.
Curiosity, initiative, and “Daddy, I love you”—how could one resist?
He straightened his face: “Four is too late. If you go at four, you’ll be the oldest in your class. Three it is.”
Little Rice Cake had no choice. She compromised: “Three and a half then.”
Shen Yuan agreed, then threatened playfully: “Okay, three and a half. I’ll write a contract. You sign it. If you try to back out, the police will come get you.”
She finally looked a little scared: “Okay, fine.”
Little Peanut, watching the whole thing, fretted: “Daddy, really? She can go at three and a half? Then why did I have to go so early? Isn’t that unfair?”
Qiao Hailou teased: “Unfair? How?”
Little Peanut scratched his head: “Well… she can go at three and a half, so I should have waited too.”
Qiao Hailou: “How old are you now?”
Little Peanut: “Four…”
Qiao Hailou: “See? Four-year-olds go to preschool anyway. If you could turn back to two, you could wait until three and a half too. Can you do that?”
Little Peanut shook his head: “I can’t go back.”
Qiao Hailou teased: “Weren’t you saying preschool was fun? And didn’t a lot of girls like you after the show?”
Blushing, Little Peanut nodded shyly: “Yes… Kiki said she wants to be my girlfriend.”
He covered his face in embarrassment.
Qiao Hailou asked teasingly: “Did you say yes? And only Kiki? Weren’t there other girls before, like Lulu?”
Little Peanut: “Yes… Lulu got mad when she saw me with Kiki. She also wants to be my girlfriend.”
Qiao Hailou: “Then who do you want?”
Little Peanut looked distressed: “I don’t know yet… There’s Xiao Meng, Lan Lan, they all want to be my girlfriend. I don’t know what to do.”
Shen Yuan, hearing this, slammed his hand down, alarm bells ringing: “Qiao Hailou! What are you doing? He’s still so little! You’re turning him into a little playboy! Don’t go too far.”
Qiao Hailou laughed heartily: “Hahaha!”
Little Peanut was confused: “I’m Little Peanut, not Little Playboy… what’s going on?”
Little Rice Cake chimed in: “Daddy, what are you teaching Brother? Tell us!”
Shen Yuan felt his head explode. This family… it’s insane.
Absolutely maddening.