"Mom, what is that red thing?" A white and tender finger pointed at the huge two-meter-high mural on the wall.
"That's blood."
"What about the long thing next to the red one?"
"Well that's a sea monster in the sea."
Shanshan tilted his head and stared at the mural for a while, then turned to his father and asked, "Dad, this monster is so ugly. Can you draw it better? Like in the cartoons?"
Gao Zhiming, who was concentrating on finishing the work, said without even looking up: "Go and have your meal. Don't be late for school today, your first day."
Zhao Jiajia's slender hands passed through Shanshan's armpits, and she carried her out of the studio and walked towards the living room.
Shanshan turned around and crawled into her mother's arms, resting her little head on her shoulder, watching her father who was painting.
"Mom, why do so many people like to buy Dad's paintings even though his paintings are so ugly?"
"Because some people with unique tastes like to see this kind of thing. Also, don't say your father's paintings are ugly. The little skirt you wear and the delicious food you eat every day were all exchanged by your father for his paintings."
Shanshan, who was placed on the children's chair, blinked at the buns on the table, then she picked them up with both hands and took a small bite.
"Then my Peppa Pig painting is prettier than Dad's, so can I also exchange my painting for something delicious?"
At this time, Gao Zhiming in the studio walked up to her and rubbed her little head with his one arm, and Shanshan's five-year-old body swayed. "Okay, you can do it when you grow up."
Jia Jia, who was drinking porridge across from him, rolled her eyes at him and said, "Those dyes are poisonous. Go wash your hands quickly."
Shanshan didn't pay attention to what her parents were saying. She had only one thought in her mind at the moment. "It's great to grow up. I really want to grow up quickly."
The family finished their breakfast as usual.
What was different from usual was that Shanshan had a newly bought red schoolbag on his back, and the neatly dressed family got into the car.
However, Shanshan was not very happy sitting in Gao Zhiming's arms. Compared with being held by her father, she was obviously more comfortable lying in her mother's arms.
She turned her head to look at her mother who was holding the steering wheel with both hands, and looked up at Gao Zhiming's unshaven chin. "Why is it always mom who has to drive? You can't drive."
"Because I only have one hand, I can't drive if I can't get a driver's license." Gao Zhiming pulled out his artificial eye with his hand, wiped it with a wet tissue, and put it back in.
Shanshan frowned her short little eyebrows and tried hard to imitate her mother's scolding look.
"Then dad, why did you lose your arm? You are not a good boy."
Hearing the soft laughter coming from his wife next to him, Gao Zhiming patiently explained: "Okay, I will be good next time and won't lose my arm again."
"Good children must keep their words and not lie to others!"
"Okay, Dad, I'll keep my word."
"Well, this is my good father." Shanshan stood up from his arms and kissed him on the face.
The car gradually became quiet, with only the soothing car music slowly flowing.
Not long after, Shanshan asked again: "Dad, what is a driver's license? Why do I need a driver's license to drive?"
"When you go to school, your teacher will tell you."
When Shanshan heard this, she leaned against her father's broad chest and began to swing her legs, "I really want to grow up quickly."
Hearing their daughter say this, the two smiled knowingly again.
When they arrived at the kindergarten gate, many people had already gathered at the gate because it was the first day of school.
There were children who covered their eyes and cried, there were children who fell to the ground and struggled, and there were also some children who were crying and were hugged by adults.
Everything that appeared before her eyes seemed different from what her mother had said.
In her eyes, the beautifully colored house in front of her seemed to have turned into a monster that ate children.
After handing over to the teacher, Anna bent down and gently tucked her long hair behind her ears. She looked at her daughter with tender eyes and comforted her gently.
"Don't worry, Shining. There's nothing to be afraid of. There are many children in there who are the same age as you. You will soon be able to make many new friends in there, just like you did in the past."
There was a trace of struggle in Shanshan's eyes. Finally, she looked at her parents carefully and said, "Then you must come and pick me up in the evening."
"Of course. There's nowhere to stay here. If we don't pick you up, are we going to let you sleep on the street? Go ahead and don't worry."
As Gao Zhiming spoke, he grabbed Shanshan with one hand, threw him high into the air, and then caught him steadily.
However, the trick that had always worked in the past did not work this time.
"Promise yourself! You must come to pick me up!" Shanshan, who was starting to pout, grabbed Gao Zhiming's clothes tightly with both hands.
After getting repeated assurances from her parents, Shanshan finally walked towards the kindergarten gate with two parts of anticipation and eight parts of trepidation in her heart.
Watching his daughter disappear in the kindergarten, Gao Zhiming put his arm around Zhao Jiajia's waist.
"Although I'm a little reluctant, now that this little light bulb has gone to school, we finally don't have to revolve around her and can have a lot more time for ourselves."
Zhao Jiajia rolled her eyes and raised her hand to elbow him in the ribs. "You're talking as if you've made such a great contribution. What, now that you have some free time, do you want to give Shanshan another brother or sister?"
Gao Zhiming moved his arm around her slender waist and gently pulled up her long black hair. "I want to say... spend the extra time with you."
The two faces approached each other tacitly and then slowly separated. Seeing them showing their affection like this, the parents who were also sending their children over cast strange looks at them.
After all, there is a huge difference between them in both age and appearance.
But Gao Zhiming didn't care at all. He hugged Zhao Jiajia and walked out the door like an old couple.
"How about we travel the world?"
"You are such an incompetent father. Are you really going to abandon Winky here?"
"Then we'll go when she's a little older."
Although Shanshan was very scared at first, she was a child after all, and after a while she was attracted by all kinds of toys and the kind teacher.
Other children who had just entered the kindergarten were also happy to play with this cute little girl. Before long, she had made many new friends.
"I just saw your father. Why does your father only have one hand?"
When the teacher heard a boy ask this question, he suddenly became nervous and seemed to want to step forward to stop him.
But without thinking, Winky answered, "Because he was naughty and lost one of his hands, unlike me, I never lose a hand."
At this time, the teacher next to them stopped them from chatting and stood in front of them, greeting them with a friendly expression.
"Hello, children. I am your new teacher. In the coming days, I will teach you all kinds of knowledge."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shanshan blinked her long eyelashes and asked directly: "Teacher, what is a driver's license?"
(End of this chapter)