Hearing this, I became alert again and asked cautiously, “How’d you know I was here?”
He cast a sidelong glance at me and snorted, “There’s nothing I don’t know here.”
Feeling guiltier, I continued to ask, “So what else do you know?”
“You’d like to know that, wouldn’t you?” With eyebrows raised, Rufus chuckled.
I nodded honestly. “Yes.”
“Then let’s trade. I’ll tell you my secret in exchange for yours.” Rufus slipped his hands into his trouser pockets and looked at me with a casual smile.
I fell silent for a while and quickly gave up the idea of getting any information from him. “Forget it. What other secrets can I have? You already know all my secrets.”
Rufus sneered, “Really? I doubt it.”
His strange smile sent a shiver down my spine. Nervous, I quickly changed the topic. “So what’s up? Why’d you want to see me?”
“It’s about Beryl,” Rufus said frankly.
“Why? What’s wrong with Beryl?” I immediately worried that something bad might’ve happened to my daughter.
Rufus looked down at my hand that had subconsciously grabbed his arm, and then brushed it away with a frown. “Don’t worry. I just wanted to discuss her educational path with you.”
I withdrew my hand sulkily, regained my composure, and said calmly, “I admit that Beryl is indeed a little naughty. Thank you for taking care of her. Please don’t be mad if she causes trouble.”
Rufus rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what do you mean?” I asked impatiently, feeling both confused and annoyed.
“Beryl hasn’t regained all her memories yet, and you can’t leave the imperial palace either. So I arranged for Beryl to study in the royal kindergarten.”
I frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Once Beryl entered the royal kindergarten, it would be even more difficult for her to leave in the future. She’d probably only willingly leave with me if she regained her memory, but judging from the current situation, the possibility was very slim.
“Why? Don’t worrynobody would dare to bully her. I’ll raise her as a real princess,”
Rufus said gently, his expression softening.
I had mixed feelings about this and didn’t know whether to refuse or agree. All things aside, Beryl would definitely benefit a lot from studying in the royal kindergarten.
“Also, there are still some vacancies for teachers in the kindergarten. Would you like to one, at least temporarily?” Rufus offered.
I mulled over it for a while. Even I had to admit it was an interesting proposal. It would be a good opportunity to cultivate a relationship with Beryl. Besides, the children in the royal kindergarten certainly didn’t know me, so it would be much safer for me there.
“Okay, I’m in.”
Rufus nodded. Smiling slightly, he added, “Arron can also go there.”
“I’ll need to ask him if he wants to. But I doubt it. Arron’s a little shy.” I refused Rufus vaguely.
Rufus didn’t insist. “In that case, let’s go to the royal kindergarten to get you acquainted with the environment.”
Crystal’s POV
Several small Gothic structures surrounded the enormous pink-blue castle that housed the royal kindergarten. Along with that, a spacious part of the lawn served as a playground.
I followed Rufus all the way to the gate of the castle. When I walked in, I saw Beryl who sported two pigtails. She had her hands on her waist while fiercely staring at a boy who was at least a head taller than her.
The boy was a little chubby. He stared back at Beryl defiantly.
Angry, Beryl demanded, “Apologize to me!” Her frail, childlike voice almost cracked.
“No!” A smirk spread across the little boy’s face as he reached out to grab Beryl by her pigtail.
When Beryl’s pigtail was yanked out of place, she became even more enraged. She snatched the boy’s arm and bit it.
Seeing that the two kids were about to grapple with each other, Rufus and I quickly stepped forward to stop them.
As soon as Beryl saw Rufus, she threw herself into his arms and sobbed, “Daddy, my strawberry hair band was broken,”
Beryl said as she spread out her soft, beautiful hand.
On it was a broken strawberry hair band.
Rufus scooped her up and comforted in a soft voice, “Baby Beryl, don’t cry. Daddy will buy you another one. How about a bunny one, okay?”
Beryl sobbed and said reluctantly, “Okay. Bunny is not bad.”
Looking at Beryl’s tearful smile, I breathed a sigh of relief. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the chubby boy trying to sneak away. I quickly grabbed his hood and said seriously, “You can’t just run away after doing something wrong.”
Evidently nervous and a little uneasy, the young boy stuttered, “I didn’t do anything wrong. Everyone here does this kind of thing. You can ask them if you don’t believe me.”
The little boy pointed at the stairway not far away. I followed his finger and saw a group of boys watching and evidently enjoying this ruckus. Hearing the little boy’s words, those boys immediately dispersed, leaving behind only a scrawny one squatting on the ground, eyes bloodshot.
His hair was in a mess, and several red marks were on his face. His necktie was crooked. It was obvious that someone pulled it with brute f0rce.
Both Rufus and I exchanged glances and we immediately understood what was going on.
Such incidence of bullying almost happened everywhere, even in kindergarten.
Frustrated, Beryl said, “They treated Firman very badly and took his bread. I felt angry so I helped Firman. But there were too many of them. I couldn’t take on them alone.”
“Humph! It’s none of your business. A sinner’s son doesn’t deserve fresh bread,” the little boy next to me mumbled.
I frowned and raised my head to ask Rufus, “A sinner’s son? Who are Firman’s parents?”
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