DLRC – Chapter 35 Can I Not Go to Kindergarten?

After finding a shop today, Yu Wei was in a good mood, so she made two meat dishes and one vegetable dish for lunch.

Spicy minced pork with green beans—crisp beans balanced the savory minced pork, with a hint of sugar to enhance the flavor. A dash of dark soy sauce added color, and she sprinkled fresh green scallions and a few red chilies on top. The contrast of red and green made it look as good as it tasted—perfect for eating with rice.

Next was braised chicken with potatoes. Half a tender chicken was chopped into pieces, pan-fried in oil until golden and crispy on both sides, then simmered over medium heat for half an hour. When the lid was lifted, the aroma filled the house, enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

That irresistible scent slowly wafted through the air. Little Yu Hui leaned on the kitchen doorframe, sniffing eagerly, his chest rising and falling as if trying to inhale the aroma straight into his stomach.

Beside him, their chirping pet bird Gu Gu Ji Ji was hopping around joyfully in its cage, making a bit of noise—perhaps it was hungry too.

As she was about to finish cooking, their neighbor Chen Caiqian from next door called out from her balcony, “Donghua, who’s cooking? Smells amazing!”

The little orange flames danced in the wind. After turning off the stove, Yu Wei called her little one to wash his hands and help carry the dishes.

Yu Hui happily trotted in on his short legs, helping carry the most fragrant dish—the minced pork and beans. Once all the food was on the table, Yu Wei served rice for them both, and they began to eat.

Their white enamel bowls were filled with plump rice grains. On top of Yu Hui’s rice, Yu Wei placed a spoonful of the fragrant minced pork and beans. Mixed together, it was mouthwatering—the pure white rice now soaked in the savory flavor of the pork, making it irresistibly appetizing.

The little guy lowered his head and devoured the food with gusto. Yu Wei smiled and gave him a golden chicken wing, then added another spoonful of pork to mix into his rice. The plump grains mixed with red and green looked especially delicious.

“Thank you, Mama.”

“You’re welcome, my good boy.”

After lunch, Yu Hui played with Gu Gu Ji Ji in the birdcage for a while. When it was nap time, Yu Wei carried him to bed, gently patted his shoulder, and softly said, “Mama needs to go pay the landlord. Be a good boy and take a nap, okay? I’ll be back when you wake up.”

Of course, Yu Hui didn’t want Mama to leave, but being a thoughtful child, he obediently agreed.

Under Yu Wei’s patient coaxing, Yu Hui finally drifted off to sleep.

Yu Wei sat by the bed for a moment, watching her son’s adorable face. She gently touched his warm cheek, then tiptoed out of the room.

Everything was ready. Now she just needed to go pay the rent and deposit to Niu Zhongshi, and then she could focus on preparing the store for its grand opening.

First, the renovation. Since she planned to run this long-term, she had to treat it seriously. The decor was like a person’s face—only if it looked good would people be drawn in.

Second, the display cabinets and tools for the dessert shop. She planned to visit a glass factory to check the price of custom cabinets. As for the storefront, the shop had two doors—she intended to install a glass window on the side door, just like most modern stores.

Everything went smoothly. After paying and signing the lease, she could begin decorating and organizing the dessert shop.

Back home, Yu Wei started a livestream. Her main goal was to talk with her followers about things to consider when opening a shop.

And indeed, the wisdom of the crowd prevailed. Within minutes, viewers had compiled a checklist of essentials for opening a store. Yu Wei took it seriously, jotting notes with paper and pen. After dinner, she even took everyone on a virtual stroll through the park before ending the stream.

Earnings from the stream: 221. Livestream duration: 3 hours and 5 minutes.

Not bad! There was still heat to the stream’s popularity, and with 20 yuan added to her account, she could make a hearty breakfast tomorrow!

Yu Wei’s mind had been entirely focused on preparing for the shop’s opening. The next day, she visited the glass factory to order custom cabinets. Since they were made-to-order, the factory sent a few employees to measure her store, and she also brought in renovation workers.

Recently, she was spending nearly all her time at the shop.

As a single mother juggling raising a child and opening a business, Yu Wei couldn’t take care of everything. She was out more often than home. For example, her time with Yu Hui had drastically decreased lately. Since moving to their new place, this had been his loneliest period. But Mama promised him at bedtime that once the store opened, she could take him with her every day.

That sentence became a deep-rooted belief in Yu Hui’s young heart.

Now, he looked forward to it day and night. Each day when Mama returned, he would run over and hug her leg, his big, sparkling eyes blinking up at her as he asked, “Mama! Is our shop ready yet?”

And every time Yu Wei returned exhausted and saw her energetic little boy, her weariness melted away. She would squat down, ruffle his soft hair, and stifle a smile as she replied, “Not yet. Ask me again tomorrow.”

“…Okay then.”

Although little Yu Hui was disappointed, he had grown used to being home alone. At least now he had Gu Gu Ji Ji to keep him company, unlike the dark and lonely days back at Grandma’s house. Life didn’t seem so unbearable anymore.

Of course, Yu Wei still felt uneasy about leaving him alone every day. Honestly, it was a bit cruel for a child. So if she only had to go out for a short while, she’d let him stay home alone.

If she had to be out for a long time or half the day, she would take him to Jiang Aihua’s downstairs. It was definitely better than leaving him alone in the apartment.

Still, she didn’t want to trouble others too much. So whenever she livestreamed cooking for fans, she’d make extra, carefully pack it all, and bring it downstairs as a gift for the landlord. It helped build goodwill and made it less awkward to ask for favors later.

Gu Gu Ji Ji had now become his only true friend—well, if you didn’t count the little panda toy.

These days, Yu Hui’s standard outing gear was a panda plush in his pocket (a gift from Yu Wei), and a small birdcage in hand carrying Gu Gu Ji Ji.

He’d then quietly sit under the flowering vine trellis in Jiang Aihua’s courtyard, flipping through picture books like an old grandpa sipping tea and teasing his bird—living a peaceful little life.

To be honest, the picture book was a good buy. Yu Wei had searched all over Luzhou while doing market research before finding it in a bookstore. It was a bit pricey, but Yu Hui loved it—so it was worth every cent.

When she had some spare time, Yu Wei taught her son how to recognize characters. She started with simple ones, and the little guy turned out to be pretty smart—he remembered everything after just one lesson. His little brain worked quite well.

The renovations dragged on for more than half a month, and it wasn’t until the twentieth day that those dull days finally came to an end.

All preparations were completed by the third day after the renovation. That day, Yu Wei worked overtime the entire day. Apart from going home at noon to have lunch with her son, she spent all her time at the new shop making desserts.

She planned to open the store the next day. As for the tools and ingredients needed for the dessert shop, they were all available in the “Jiumimi Exchange Mall”—she could just buy them directly using her balance.

Since it was the first day of opening and she wasn’t sure which desserts customers here would like, Yu Wei planned to make a variety and observe which sold best before deciding what to offer long-term.

She wrote the prices of the desserts on small cards and placed them next to each dessert to make it easier for customers to choose.

Everything was in full swing. The last day before opening was also the most exhausting. Yu Wei brought her son to the dessert shop early in the morning. While she was busy cooking in the kitchen, the little guy sat outside reading a picture book, completely engrossed.

After returning home, Yu Wei was too tired to even cook dinner. She ended up making a simple bowl of egg noodles, and after eating, mother and son played with the birds for a while before heading to bed.

For some reason, strange sounds had been coming from Chen Caiqian’s room next door late at night. Yu Wei had gotten up several times to use the restroom and found it odd that her neighbor wasn’t asleep so late.

A few days later, the strange sounds continued. Yu Wei walked to the corner and listened carefully—only to discover… how embarrassing. The couple next door was clearly doing something intimate.

The next morning, after breakfast, Yu Wei held her son’s hand and headed downstairs. Today marked the grand opening of her new shop, and she wanted to bring her good boy along.

The female neighbor who worked nights hadn’t returned home yet, but on the other side, Chen Caiqian and her boyfriend were already flirting noisily in their room. It was early in the morning, yet the noise was loud enough that it was hard to believe only two people were inside.

Yu Wei quickened her pace as she passed by Chen Caiqian’s door, but still couldn’t avoid hearing: “Aiya, you’re so annoying!”

She broke into a cold sweat and hurried her son downstairs.

At this time, there weren’t many people in the courtyard. Jiang Aihua was watering her small vegetable garden, and her husband was making breakfast in the kitchen. Yu Wei had eaten early today, while most people were still preparing their meals.

As she stepped outside with her son, they bumped into Song Xia returning from grocery shopping. She had her twin daughters with her. The identical faces side by side stunned Yu Hui again.

“She’s the neighbor who gave us biscuits!” One of the twins pointed excitedly at Yu Wei and called out to Song Xia, unsure whether Yu Wei was the older or younger sister.

“Hello there!” Yu Wei walked over with a smile.

“Hi!” Shu Yale beamed at the pretty big sister, her eyes crinkling cutely. She pointed at Yu Hui and exclaimed, “Little brother, your clothes look so nice on you!”

“Hui Hui, say thank you. She’s praising you,” Yu Wei said gently.

Yu Hui looked a bit shy but still obediently said, “Thank you, sister.”

“You’re welcome! You’re the cutest kid I’ve ever seen! You’re even better looking than Wang Keke from my class!”

“You’re such a show-off!” Song Xia laughed and pulled her daughter aside, motioning for her to quiet down. She then chatted with Yu Wei. “Oh, are you going grocery shopping too?”

“No, I’m heading to the store now—it’s opening day,” Yu Wei replied, shifting her gaze from the twins.

Song Xia was surprised. “So soon? Then I’ll eat breakfast first and come by later with the girls to support you!”

Yu Wei’s eyes lit up, and her smile widened. “Thank you, Sister Song! I really need some foot traffic on opening day.”

She suddenly remembered something and asked, “By the way, Sister Song, aren’t your girls about school age now?”

“Yes! They’re in second grade already!” Song Xia replied.

“Oh, where did they go to kindergarten?”

The two sisters were holding Song Xia’s hands and eyeing Yu Wei curiously. Since moving in, Yu Wei had been busy with the shop, and apart from the first day when she brought desserts around, she hadn’t had much time to interact with her neighbors.

Despite the few encounters, Yu Wei’s striking appearance made her unforgettable.

“My daughters went to the factory district kindergarten,” Song Xia explained.

Yu Wei smiled warmly and continued, “I see. My son hasn’t gone to kindergarten yet. I’ve been busy setting up the shop, and now with the store opening, I’ll be even busier. I was thinking it’d be more reassuring to send him to a kindergarten rather than leave him at home.”

Song Xia nodded. “Oh? How old is your son now?”

“Almost four.”

“Then yes, it’s definitely time for school.”

“Exactly! So I’ve been looking for kindergartens lately, but I’m not too familiar with the area. I wanted to ask if you have any good suggestions.”

Song Xia thought for a moment. “Well, my girls went to the nursery class at the factory kindergarten. What about where you used to work? Was it a factory? If so, maybe you can find someone to help get him in.”

In 1985, Luzhou didn’t yet have officially regulated kindergartens. Most were simply daycare centers labeled as kindergartens—like the “Factory Nursery for Chemical Workers,” usually set up in residential courtyards.

During the day, parents had to work and couldn’t care for their kids, so they’d send them to nursery classes at the factory. These places even included lunch and only cost about one yuan per year.

Yu Wei looked troubled. “Well… I didn’t work in a factory before, so I probably can’t send him to a factory kindergarten.”

“I see,” Song Xia understood. “But I heard there’s a new kindergarten nearby that was built with funding from the steel factory. It’s right next to the elementary school—not far from your dessert shop. Pretty convenient!”

Yu Wei’s eyes sparkled. “Really? Do you think my son can get in? Do I just need to pay tuition?”

“I’m not sure about that. I only heard some neighbors chatting about it. I didn’t ask for details since my girls are already in primary school.”

Still, Song Xia had a good impression of this new neighbor. A single mother managing both a child and a business wasn’t easy. She wanted to help however she could.

So Song Xia offered, “How about this? When you have time, I’ll take you to check out the kindergarten. My husband knows someone who works there—maybe we can pull some strings.”

“Great! Thank you so much, Sister Song!”

“No problem. We’re neighbors—we should help each other out.”

As the saying goes, distant relatives aren’t as good as close neighbors. It’s always helpful to maintain good relationships—you never know when you’ll need a favor.

Song Xia then took her daughters to school, and Yu Wei continued on with her son toward the dessert shop.

But as they walked, Yu Hui’s mood seemed off. He didn’t hold his mother’s other hand and instead clutched his panda toy, head lowered and looking dejected.

Yu Wei chuckled. “Don’t walk with your head down—you might trip.”

Yu Hui immediately lifted his head. He studied her expression for a while, hesitation written all over his face—Yu Wei saw it clearly.

“What is it? Why are you staring at me?”

“Mama…”

After a moment of hesitation, he finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and asked softly, “Mama, can I not go to kindergarten?”

Yu Wei paused mid-step and then slowed down. “Why don’t you want to go? There are lots of other kids in kindergarten—you won’t feel lonely.”

But Yu Hui murmured, “I don’t want friends.”

He already had Mama. At home, there was Gugu and Jiji (the birds). They were his friends. He didn’t want to play with other kids.

“That won’t do,” Yu Wei said gently. “Every kid has to go to kindergarten. Our little Hui Hui is so cute—everyone will like you and want to be your friend!”

Still, Yu Hui really didn’t want to leave his mother and go to that unknown kindergarten. But he didn’t dare argue, because his sensitive little heart didn’t want Mama to be displeased with him.

But even so, he was just barely four years old. Once those emotions surged up, how could he hold them in? His little hands began to tremble, and his steps slowed more and more.

Noticing his sudden hesitation, Yu Wei turned to look—and saw tears silently streaming down his cheeks. She panicked and quickly bent down to pick him up.

As she walked, she asked, “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you crying because Mama spoke too harshly just now?”

“No…” Yu Hui buried his face in her neck, sniffing her familiar scent and soaking in her warmth. His little hands clutched his panda tightly against her shoulder as he quietly sobbed.

“Mama… can I not go to kindergarten…”