Chapter 71

Chapter 71

The next morning, Charles was having breakfast with Emily after her early reading session.

Patricia, who usually slept until noon, surprisingly woke up early. She pulled out a chair and sat next to Emily, casually accepting the breakfast Charles handed her. 

Her tone was somewhat reproachful, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You stayed up late working on your design last night. I didn't know when you went to bed, so I didn't want to disturb you."

Charles glanced at the dark circles under her eyes. Patricia guiltily lowered her head. 

She had sneaked into the study to work on her design until past five in the morning.

She hadn't slept long before someone knocked on her door, calling her for breakfast. Unable to fall back asleep, she decided to get up and join them.

"Mom called this morning. Thea has moved in. She said you should visit and keep her company when you have time." 

As he spoke, he handed Patricia a piece of toast with jam. "Have you packed everything?"

"I'll pack later."

Patricia took a bite of her food and glanced at him, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Since when did he become so attentive?

Charles noticed her gaze and looked back at her, puzzled.

The two stared at each other as if in a silent contest, a scene that Ellie, carrying two glasses of milk, witnessed with a bright smile.

Patricia realized their behavior was odd and quickly looked away, coughing.

"Ellie, I'll be going to Regal City for a few days. Please take care of Emily."

"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll take good care of Emily," Ellie replied with a smile.

Lillian, who had been hiding around the corner, heard this and her eyes lit up. She walked out with a new schedule in hand.

"Ma'am, I've made a new schedule. Could you please take a look?"

Though she addressed Patricia, her eyes kept darting towards Charles, which made Ellie suspicious.

It seemed this teacher had other intentions. She needed to find an opportunity to talk to Patricia about it!

Patricia took the schedule and glanced at it briefly. "Alright, this will do."

Lillian was pleased, a calculating look flashing in her eyes. She thought that once Patricia left, she'd have her chance.

After breakfast, Patricia went back to the master bedroom to pack for her trip to Regal City.

She opened her suitcase and started placing clothes inside.

A pink teddy bear was placed in the suitcase. Patricia turned around to see Emily tugging at her clothes with a pitiful expression.

"Mommy, I want to go with you. Can you take me?"

Patricia chuckled, squatted down, and patted her head. "Emily, be good. When Mommy comes back, I'll bring you some delicious chocolate, okay?"

"No," Emily pouted, tears welling up in her eyes. "I want to be with Mommy."

"Emily," Patricia stood up and looked at her seriously, "Mommy has to work. You need to stay home with Daddy and listen to your teachers. You're a good girl, right?"

Emily nodded reluctantly, tears streaming down her face.

Charles walked in and saw this scene. "It's cold in Regal City. Make sure to pack some warm clothes."

"Got it, nagging."

Though Patricia said this, she was puzzled. Why was Charles being so considerate lately?

He never used to care about these little things.

Charles seemed oblivious to her impatience and continued, "I've scheduled an interview at Golden Radiance Academy for Sunday morning at nine. Don't forget."

"Already?" Patricia turned to him, surprised.

"Of course," Charles nodded, patting Emily's head. "How could I forget about Emily's schooling?"

Patricia was stunned. She had thought Charles had forgotten, prompting her to mention it to Missy. She hadn't expected Charles to remember all along.

His recent behavior was so unusual that she couldn't quite figure him out.

She had a feeling he genuinely wanted to improve their family relationships.

On Sunday morning, Charles drove Patricia and Emily to Golden Radiance Academy.

On the way, Patricia rehearsed interview questions with Emily.

Compared to Playful Pals Preschool, Golden Radiance Academy had a simpler environment, with common outdoor activities like slides and seesaws.

Patricia and Charles held Emily's hand as they walked in. Emily kept her head down, looking shy.

They sat on a bench outside the classroom. 

The teacher responsible for the interview came out and informed them that the individual parent interviews had been changed to group interviews. Patricia and Charles were taken aback.

"Hello there," the teacher greeted Emily, squatting down.

Emily shrank behind Charles, keeping her head down and silent.

Patricia noticed Emily's discomfort and gently coaxed her, "Emily, say hello to the teacher."

Emily didn't respond, only gripping Patricia's clothes tighter.

"It seems she's not very comfortable," a woman in a gray suit approached. "There are quite a few parents today, so we changed to group testing. Mr. Anderson, you don't mind, do you?"

Genevieve, the principal, looked directly at Charles, bypassing Patricia.

Patricia was slightly surprised. It seemed they knew each other.

Charles showed little emotion and replied calmly, "Whatever you think is best."

Genevieve raised an eyebrow, glanced at Patricia and the huddled Emily, then turned and said, "Follow me."

Genevieve led them to the auditorium, where five desks were set up. The evaluators sat in their positions. 

The interview required the children to quickly find partners and answer questions, observing their responses.

The interview began, and the children used various toys to attract teammates.

Emily stood stiffly with her strawberry bear, watching as the other children formed teams, leaving her alone.

Patricia was anxious outside, but Charles gently patted her hand, signaling her to stay calm.

Emily looked to the outside for help. After making eye contact with Charles, she gathered her courage to talk to the other children but was ignored due to her soft voice, leaving her standing there, quietly crying.

After the group activity, the evaluators discussed and spoke with the parents about the results.

Genevieve approached Charles and Patricia with the observation results. "Our preschool values social skills. Based on today's test, Emily's performance was…"

Patricia was worried. Golden Radiance Academy had the best faculty in Luminous City, and it was already December. If they missed this enrollment, other preschools might not accept Emily.

She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Charles.

"Ms. Thomas," Charles began, his voice low but enough to quiet the noisy hall, "The plants outside the auditorium are crooked. Was it last night's storm?"

Genevieve paused, instinctively looking outside.

"Emily noticed a cat hiding under the slide when she came in," Charles gently patted Emily's trembling back. "She's not uncomfortable; she's getting to know the place in her own way."

A teacher couldn't help but interject, "But the other children were actively interacting…"

"Every child is different," Charles interrupted, his gaze on Genevieve. 

"Your educational philosophy on the wall says 'Respect Differences.' Is it just a slogan? Group assessments show a child's willingness to express but not their observational skills. Can you say those eager to answer noticed these details?"

Genevieve's expression changed. She squatted down in front of Emily, her voice softer, "Sweetie, can you tell the teacher how many black spots are on a ladybug's wings?"

Emily timidly raised her head, tears still on her lashes. "Seven. Three on the left, four on the right."

Genevieve's eyes lit up. She turned to the teacher, "Bring the sandbox and puzzles. We'll change the assessment method."

Over the next half hour, Emily created a detailed model of the preschool in the sandbox, even placing the bushes accurately. 

Her puzzle-solving skills were impressive, completing the castle design twice as fast as the other children.

Patricia knew Emily was good at puzzles and building blocks, but seeing it firsthand was astonishing.

Genevieve stood with her arms crossed, her gaze softening.

She had thought Emily was just an ordinary child.

At the end of the assessment, Genevieve extended her hand to Charles. "Mr. Anderson, you were right. I was too hasty. Emily is a special child. We'll consider her carefully."