Chapter 12 The Peacock's Mistaken Attack

Qin Yiyi listened very seriously as the teacher on stage introduced the school to the kids, explained the school rules, and watched the children's bizarre self-introductions, laughing merrily.

When the students saw such a pretty doll laughing so adorably, curiosity got the better of them, and despite Meng Shichen's cold demeanor, they kept stealing glances at Qin Yiyi.

That was the scene Grandpa Qin saw upon his arrival: a group of cute kids listening earnestly to the teacher, occasionally making funny faces at the joyfully laughing Qin Yiyi to tease her. He even felt it was the first time his granddaughter had laughed so heartily, which made it all the harder for him to disrupt that. Standing outside until their class ended, Grandpa Qin then turned and headed to the principal's office.

Qin Yiyi waited and waited, and after lunch, she still hadn't seen Grandpa come to pick her up, and he didn't show up after school either. When she got home and saw that the whole family had gathered, Qin Yiyi cast a sympathetic glance at Meng Shichen, thinking to herself that now there was no saving him.

"Grandpa's precious little sweetheart is back, tell me, did you have fun today?" Qin Yiyi was startled to see that the old man didn't throw a tantrum, but instead gave Meng Shichen a loving smile before taking her in his arms.

Recomposing herself, Qin Yiyi reflected on the day's events and with a smile brimming in her eyes, she said, "Happy!"

Upon hearing his little sweetheart say so, Grandpa Qin was relieved. He might be a bit mischievous at times, but he didn't lose his temper with children. After returning today, he had a good talk with Meng Huaizu and felt that he was truly getting old, and that he shouldn't underestimate the children. Meng Shichen had considered this matter very thoroughly, leaving him with no objections. The only issue with the school was not really a problem for them. It was well known that Qin Yiyi and Meng Shichen got along very well, so attending school together was unlikely to cause any disruption.

Qin Yiyi wouldn't disturb other students during class, and Meng Shichen would take good care of her, so safety wasn't a problem either. So, what reason was there to stop her? Besides, in the past six months, Qin Yiyi had recognized many words and even her foreign language listening and speaking skills were impressive. They didn't expect her to learn much from attending school—it was more about getting used to the environment early. And it made his granddaughter happy, killing several birds with one stone.

And that's how Qin Yiyi's issue with attending school with Meng Shichen was peacefully resolved.

No wonder Chairman Mao said children are like the sun at eight or nine in the morning. The first thing Qin Yiyi saw when she woke up was such a vibrant scene, prompting her to sigh with admiration in her heart.

The faces of the children at the entrance of G Primary School were brimming with the vibrance of youth. Their uniforms looked much nicer than when she attended primary school, and she wondered whether it was due to a different era or just the school itself. Either way, white with blue trim, boys in shorts, and girls in pleated skirts, the navy-inspired style looked especially cute and lively on them.

There was a teacher on duty at the entrance, and each child would sweetly greet them with a smile as they walked by, saying, "Hello, teacher."

Meng Shichen held Qin Yiyi as they passed by the teacher, and she heard his cool voice, thinking to herself that this child might seem aloof on regular days, but he sure paid a lot of attention to manners.

Later, she learned that Meng Shichen's normally lukewarm greetings owed much to his good upbringing, as he wouldn't even spare a glance to strangers otherwise.

Lifting her cute delicate face, she tried to muster the sweetest and most charming smile she could, and her sweet, soft voice rang out, "Hello, teacher!" No matter what one's status, respecting teachers as a basic traditional virtue was essential.

"Hehe, hello there!" The duty teacher, affection clearly showing, smiled back in response.

For nearly a month, this tiny accompanying student, famous at G Primary School, captured the hearts of teachers, staff, and even students. Sometimes, some of the younger students would even make a special trip to Meng Shichen's classroom just to see her.

At first, it was indeed out of curiosity for this arrangement, but later on, when they saw Qin Yiyi not only staying calm but also sometimes seriously listening in class, it was unbearably cute.

Once, a teacher was so charmed by her that, unable to resist, they posed a question to her. After speaking, the teacher regretted it, thinking that although Qin Yiyi seemed smart, she was still just a little over a year old, and if she couldn't answer, it might not only affect the child's self-confidence but possibly also diminish her interest in learning in the future. However, because the teacher was doing a good job and Qin Yiyi was listening attentively, she inadvertently let the answer slip out of her mouth. Seeing the teacher's astonished face, the envious and curious looks of the other students, and the arc of Meng Shichen's lips that seemed to betray pride, Qin Yiyi really wanted to slap herself in the face.

Fortunately, it was a very simple question, but from then on, the reputation of a child prodigy began to spread across the campus.

When the bell for the first lesson rang, most of the kids in the class were already seated. Meng Shichen, with a super-large backpack in his left hand, carried Qin Yiyi into the classroom with his right.

Speaking of which, Qin Yiyi always wondered. She ate every meal with Meng Shichen, but why, in just over half a year's time, did he seem to have grown much sturdier? He could not only carry her steadily with one hand but also manage to carry such a heavy object with the other.

Children from privileged families often mature early due to their family background. Watching Meng Shichen take someone with him to school, they wouldn't think it's because his family was too poor to have somebody to look after the child. Just by observing the attire and the demeanor of Meng Shichen and Qin Yiyi, they knew for sure that this male student's family must be very impressive.

Under everyone's gaze, Qin Yiyi was placed on a chair specially prepared for her by Meng Shichen. As her eyes swept around, she was met with a crowd of kindly smiles.

Actually, Qin Yiyi had initially felt that this was drawing a bit too much attention, but as her grandparents and others didn't seem to have a reaction, in her mind now, as long as she didn't trouble her family, everything else was trivial.

Besides, she had no intention of being overly modest; to a certain extent, she even liked being well-known.

This time though, she couldn't avoid the frequent exposures to the public gaze. In Qin Yiyi's previous life, due to her bad reputation during school, she ended up hating public appearances, even wishing at one point she could simply become invisible. Although this feeling gradually improved as she grew older and stepped into society, she knew deep down that her timidity and lack of confidence had taken root, making her nervous and shaky in major events.

This fatal flaw was something the current her could not allow to exist. Therefore, it was important to start training from a young age. Moreover, given her situation, being too low-key would be seen as pretentious once known; it was better to just follow her heart.

Meng Shichen didn't know what his little treasure was thinking, finding her alternately solemn and animated expressions amusing. Pouring milk from the thermos into the bottle, he brought his hand to her lips, "Baby, open up."

Qin Yiyi obediently opened her little mouth, hands holding the bottle, feet swinging on the stool, her slightly squinted eyes revealing her enjoyment. Her expression also pleased Meng Shichen, earning her a kiss on the cheek.