"Exactly! Why make it so late? The sun sets at five o'clock!" the old lady agreed.
The principal smiled awkwardly and then patiently explained to the old master and the old lady, "Well, sir, most kindergartens close around this time, a little earlier ones at four-thirty, but you know, most parents get off work late, and they all hope we can dismiss the children later, which makes it more convenient for them to look after their kids."
Master Qin and Lady Qin couldn't absorb the explanation, only feeling that they wouldn't see their precious daughter all day, their hearts were nearly twisting into knots.
Seeing this, the principal continued to reassure them, "How about this, if you want to pick up the child in between, that's also possible, our kindergarten doesn't have a strict rule about that."
"That's more like it!" Master Qin reluctantly accepted.
Then he squatted down and said to Susu, "My good treasure, be nice, okay? Go to the kindergarten and play with new friends, and if you miss mom and dad, just call us with your electronic watch, and we'll come to pick you up right away."
Susu nodded, "It's okay! You guys go back! I can take care of myself!"
Susu patted her little chest, full of confidence.
Master Qin added, "Susu, don't cry later, okay? Don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid." Susu shook her head, then patted Master Qin's shoulder, "You guys need to behave, don't cry your eyes out, okay?"
Susu wasn't scared herself; instead, she turned around to comfort the old master and lady.
Then, without waiting for Master Qin and Lady Qin to say goodbye, Susu scurried into the kindergarten.
Without any reluctance, not looking back.
Without a trace of reluctance or sorrow.
And none of the tears and cries one might have imagined.
Watching Susu's figure disappear, Master Qin and Lady Qin felt like their hearts were breaking.
The old master felt his nose tingle, tears threatening to fall, "My little darling is growing up, leaving us, learning to be independent..."
Their precious daughter, off to kindergarten!
Master Qin and Lady Qin had lived most of their lives, raised three sons, and several grandchildren.
In the past, they didn't think sending a child to school was such a hard thing to do.
Not until their little daughter walked through the kindergarten gates did they feel as if their hearts went in with her.
"Old man, do you think our little treasure will cry if she misses us?" Lady Qin asked her husband.
"She might!" The thought alone of their little darling crying made Master Qin's heart throb with pain, "Wife, what do we do? What if she cries and can't find us, and it isn't until five o'clock that she can see us? Wouldn't that be too pitiful?"
Upon hearing this, Lady Qin also became anxious, "No, no, I need to look again."
Lady Qin tiptoed to peek into the classroom.
Master Qin couldn't help saying, "Shall we go in and check?"
Lady Qin thought about it but shook her head, "No, no, it's our daughter's first time being independent today. If we keep accompanying her, it will affect her growth!"
Emotionally, they couldn't bear to part with their daughter.
But rationally, they knew they had to learn to let go, as they were already old and wouldn't be able to take care of their daughter for many more years. Before they passed away, they had to teach her to take care of herself.
So the two of them stood forlornly outside the kindergarten gate, unable to walk far away for a long time.
They also imagined a hundred different postures of Susu crying, which made them feel even worse.
Thus, the entrance of the kindergarten witnessed this unusual scene:
Two elderly men and women peered through the gates of the kindergarten all day, and passersby almost mistook them for human traffickers and called the police.