Lu Beichuan was very patient. “Daddy, too, wants to see a paper plane made by Zhouzhou. Zhouzhou make one for Daddy, eh?”


  Zhouzhou looked into Lu Beichuan’s eyes and said, intimidated, “But… but didn’t Daddy say I am not allowed to make paper planes anymore?”


  Lu Beichuan showed Zhouzhou both sides of the piece of paper. “Look, there’s nothing printed on either side of this piece of paper, right?”


  Zhouzhou nodded.

  “Then it is alright.” He then placed another piece of paper in front of Zhouzhou. “Look at this one. This has words printed on both sides of it, right?”


  Zhouzhou nodded.

  “Then you can’t make it into paper planes, do you understand?”


  Zhouzhou looked back and forth between the two sheets of paper and suddenly got it. He grabbed the piece of paper that was blank and said, “This one has no words on it. I can make it into a plane!”


  “That’s right, no words.” Lu Beichuan held both of his hands and taught him patiently how to fold a very beautiful plane. “Look, this one is made by Zhouzhou.”


  Looking at the beautiful paper plane laying there in front of him, Zhouzhou shouted, “Zhouzhou is awesome!”


  “That’s right. Zhouzhou is awesome. This paper plane is so pretty, what say you give that to Daddy?”


  Zhouzhou handed the paper plane over to Lu Beichuan generously. He had a big smile on him, very different from his cautiousness from not too long ago. “This one is for Daddy!”


  Lu Beichuan took the plane.

  Zhouzhou looked carefully over at Lu Beichuan and said in a low voice, “Then… don’t be mad any more, Daddy? You will like Zhouzhou again?”


  Lu Beichuan wrapped his arms around Zhouzhou and planted a kiss on his forehead.

  Zhouzhou shuddered. Mommy had kissed him, grandma had kissed him, even grandpa had kissed him before, but Daddy never did.

  This was a new level of intimacy between him and Lu Beichuan. “Daddy?”


  “Daddy always likes Zhouzhou,” said Lu Beichuan. “You are Daddy’s son. Daddy will love Zhouzhou forever.”


  Zhouzhou pouted and refused to let go of Lu Beichuan. His eyes teared up and he looked at him in an accusatory way. “It hurt so much when you spanked me yesterday, Daddy. Zhouzhou was all red.”


  Lu Beichuan didn’t believe in spoiling children, but looking at Zhouzhou, he felt that perhaps Mother Lu was right. Zhouzhou was only 2 years old, it was okay to spoil him a little.

  “Daddy is sorry that he spanked you yesterday. He will never do that again, okay?”


  “Okay!”


  Lu Beichuan carried Zhouzhou into his own room and Zhouzhou held onto him all night long. Ye Zhen was so mad that she gave him a smack on Zhouzhou’s butt and called him ungrateful.

  Of course, the paper plane that Zhouzhou had given to Lu Beichuan stayed on Lu Beichuan’s bookshelf, always.

  ***

  The harsh winter came and went quickly, and everybody changed into their spring clothing. Zhouzhou had turned 3 years old. With his backpack on his back, he was taken by Ye Zhen and Mother Lu to the international kindergarten that their entire family had spent a lot of time picking out.

  Zhouzhou had no concept about kindergarten. All he knew was that there were many children his age that he could play with.

  As such, he stepped into the kindergarten holding onto the teacher’s hand in a valiant and gallant manner. Nevertheless, when he turned around, he saw his mother and grandmother still standing outside of the kindergarten.

  “Mommy, Grandma, c’mon in!” He waved hopingly at the two of them. Nevertheless, he saw that his mother and grandmother remained outside of the entrance.

  He looked up at the teacher, baffled. “Why aren’t Mommy and Grandma coming inside?”


  His teacher squatted down to look him in the eyes and explained to him, “Zhouzhou, your mommy and grandma won’t be staying here with you. They will be back in the afternoon to pick you up. You will stay here and play with all the other kids here. Do you understand? There are many kids here at the kindergarten!”


  Zhouzhou took a look at the kindergarten that was bustling with noises, then at Ye Zhen and Mother Lu outside of the kindergarten entrance and kicked a pebble with his foot.

  Seeing him like that, the teacher was worried all over again.

  All children, when they first came to the kindergarten, would always cry their eyes out when they parted with their parents. The first few days were always difficult.

  This teacher had worked with many children before and had an idea that kids from family like Zhouzhou’s were very doted on and were particularly difficult to work with.

  She was about to comfort him a little more when laughter came from the direction of the classrooms. Zhouzhou’s eyes beamed. He bounced. Grabbing onto the teacher’s hand, he couldn’t wait to run toward the classrooms. He said to her excitedly, “Teacher, teacher. Let’s hurry up!”


  Ye Zhen and Mother Lu were still standing by the front door with their teary eyes. This was Zhouzhou’s first day attending kindergarten, and his first time being away from his family. They figured he would cry and fuzz. Mother Lu even had her comforting words prepared.

  Little did she know, she hadn’t even had the chance to wipe her tears away before the unconscientious Zhouzhou grabbed the teacher’s hand and started running toward the classrooms, having not a care toward the two of them still standing by the entrance.

  Mother Lu wiped her tears away as she smiled and said, “This little unconscientious thing!”


  Ye Zhen smiled helplessly. This child…


  That being said, Ye Zhen and Mother Lu were very relieved that Zhouzhou was able to adapt into a new environment so well.