Chapter 168 Animals and Food
As Ms. Wang thought about it, tears welled up in her eyes.
Su Yingxue handed over a tissue, her fingertips still slightly cool from washing the dishes, her voice as soft as if bathed in sunshine: "Children are the most perceptive; they carry the burdens of adults and their favoritism. You don't need to force them to compromise, and don't force yourself to endure it."
Ms. Wang took the tissue and dabbed it at the corner of her eye. Her gaze fell on Lele—the little guy was scraping the sauce off the bottom of the plate with a spoon, a little red on the corner of his mouth. When he looked up and smiled at her, his eyes were as bright as if they were filled with starlight. He was nothing like the listless boy he used to be in the expensive kindergarten.
She suddenly remembered the day she transferred kindergartens. Lele clung to her clothes, refusing to go into the classroom, staring timidly at the unfamiliar toy area, not even daring to lift her head.
Now, in just half a month, he will chase after other children after meals, share his cookies with his deskmate, and even take the initiative to say to Su Yingxue, "Teacher, let me pass you the bowl."
These changes were something she had never hoped for despite paying exorbitant tuition fees.
“I used to be obsessed with the idea that expensive things are good. I worked my butt off taking on projects and stayed up all night, just to give Lele the best environment.”
Ms. Wang's voice softened, tinged with self-deprecation, "But back then I left early and came home late every day. I would leave when he woke up and return when he went to sleep. Occasionally I would have a meal with him, but I was always in a hurry to check work messages. I never even asked him what he didn't like to eat or what he liked to do."
Just then, Lele finished her meal, ran over with her short legs, and hugged her arm with her little hands: "Mommy, today Teacher Su said that next week we're going to make zucchini balls with chopped carrots. Maybe I'll like them."
Ms. Wang was stunned for a moment, then reached out and ruffled his hair.
The little one tilted his head back, his eyes serious: "Mom, please don't eat hamburgers all the time. Teacher Su said that eating vegetables is good for your health. I want Mom to be healthy."
These words struck Ms. Wang like a pebble, and her nose tingled with emotion. She had always thought she was sacrificing for Lele, but she never imagined that the little child was also quietly understanding her.
As Su Yingxue wiped the table, she interjected with a smile, "Actually, sometimes it's not that the food is bad, but that you lack the patience to accompany your child to taste it slowly. Look at you now, you don't have to rush, Lele is eating heartily, and her mood is bright."
Ms. Wang looked out the window. The afternoon sun slanted across the lawn, and several children chased butterflies, their laughter drifting into the classroom, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
She suddenly realized that what is considered "the best" is not something that comes from price tags, but rather the smile in a child's eyes, the ease that comes from not being on edge, and the tranquility of not having to rush at the dinner table.
Before, when I worked overtime until late at night and came home to an empty living room, I always felt wronged and thought I had been working too hard. Now, I've saved on tuition, I don't have to take on difficult projects anymore, I can pick up Lele early after work, and I can even occasionally learn a few simple home-cooked dishes from Teacher Su.
Last week, she tried chopping broccoli into small pieces and stir-frying it with minced meat in rice. Lele ate a whole bowl and said, "Mom's cooking is better than hamburgers."
The young woman in the office said she looked younger. She didn't think much of it then, but now she understands that it's because the burden in her heart has lightened and the weariness in her eyes has disappeared.
Lele pulled her hand and walked towards the toy area, pointing to the pile of building blocks: "Mommy, I'll build you a little house, and we can live together from now on." Ms. Wang squatted down and joined him in building with the blocks. Her fingertips touched the soft plastic blocks, and she suddenly felt at ease.
Watching the mother and son, Su Yingxue quietly retreated to the kitchen doorway. Sunlight fell on Ms. Wang's hair, gilding it with a light gold. She smiled and talked to Lele, her eyes no longer filled with the anxiety of the past, but only with peaceful gentleness.
Good companionship is never about forcing things, but about adults letting go of their obsessions and children opening their hearts, slowly warming up the days together in ordinary life.
Ms. Wang was assembling building blocks when she suddenly looked up at Su Yingxue and smiled: "Teacher Su, thank you. I used to worry that Lele wouldn't be able to keep up, that I wasn't giving him enough. Now I realize that just being there for him as he grows up is enough."
Su Yingxue nodded, her smile gentle: "You've done a great job. Being a mother is hard work, and your willingness to accompany her is the best thing about you."
Lele held up the little house he had just built and showed it off to the two of them. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on his smiling face and on Ms. Wang's relaxed eyebrows, filling the room with the warmth of peaceful times.
Ms. Wang nodded in agreement, acknowledging Su Yingxue's educational philosophy.
Since Lele started attending Tongxin Kindergarten, lunchtime has been her favorite time of day. Su Yingxue seems to have magic powers, always able to transform ordinary ingredients into adorable animal shapes, which Lele adores.
Tuesday was Marine Animal Theme Day, and Su Yingxue made octopus sausages and whale mashed potatoes. The octopus sausages were cut into eight tentacles, which curled up after cooking, and the eyes were made of seaweed, making them very lifelike. The whale mashed potatoes were plump, with blueberries for eyes and seaweed for the dorsal fin, making them look like a little whale swimming in the sea.
When Lele saw the octopus sausage, her eyes lit up: "Teacher Xiaoxue, this octopus is so cute!"
“Yes,” Su Yingxue said with a smile, “Octopuses have eight legs, so they can swim around in the sea and spray ink to protect themselves. Besides, octopus meat is very nutritious, and eating it can make Lele smarter.”
Lele picked up the octopus sausage and started eating it in big bites, saying, "I want to be as smart as an octopus!"
Lele also finished the whale-shaped mashed potatoes next to him. He even pointed to the mashed potatoes and said to Ms. Wang, "Mom, whales are the biggest animals in the sea. They don't eat people, they only eat small fish and shrimp."
Ms. Wang smiled and nodded, her heart filled with satisfaction. Lele not only developed a love for eating, but also learned a lot about animals.
Wednesday was Forest Animal Theme Day, and Su Yingxue made Squirrel Walnut Rice and Deer Carrot Sticks. The Squirrel Walnut Rice was made by mixing rice and chopped walnuts, shaping it into a squirrel, using almonds for ears and black sesame seeds for eyes, making it look fluffy. The Deer Carrot Sticks were made by cutting carrots into strips, using cucumber slices for antlers, and seaweed for eyes, making them extremely cute.
“Lele, look, this is a squirrel,” Su Yingxue said, holding up the squirrel-shaped walnut rice. “Squirrels love to eat walnuts. Walnuts are very nutritious, and eating them can make Lele’s brain more agile.”
Lele picked up the squirrel-shaped walnut rice and nibbled on it, muttering, "I want to become smarter, I want to get first place."
Lele enjoyed the carrot sticks with a deer on them. He held the carrot sticks above his head, pretending they were deer antlers, and ran around the classroom. He even imitated the deer's call with the other children, having a great time.
Su Yingxue also took special care of Lele, preparing adorable vegetable meals for him every day to gradually guide him to try various vegetables. She would cut carrots into star shapes, cucumbers into rabbit shapes, and broccoli into the shape of small trees, making Lele fall in love with vegetables without even realizing it.
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