On the way back.
Lance looked at the unusually quiet children and spoke in a cold voice, "Do you know where you went wrong this time?"
Hearing this, Deanna and the two children were taken aback. They clearly did not expect Lance to say such a thing. Deanna frowned slightly but said nothing.
The two children exchanged glances, and then Gregory tentatively spoke, "Was it wrong for us to hit someone?"
"Yes and no," Lance replied, glancing at the little ones, understanding their confusion.
Chloe pouted unhappily, "Why does Daddy say we were wrong? Devin insulted Mommy and said he wanted to take me back as a child bride and torture me."
"We were wrong to hit someone in public. Daddy means that even if someone provokes us, we should find a place where no one can see us before dealing with them. Right, Daddy?" Gregory suddenly seemed to understand and looked expectantly at Lance.
Lance met his son's gaze and smiled slightly, "That's right. Hitting someone in public makes us look unreasonable, even if we are justified. Also, there's a technique to hitting someone; you should aim for places that are not easily seen but hurt a lot. I remember you learned about pressure points from your mommy."
Gregory's eyes lit up instantly. Deanna, on the other hand, was stunned. She had thought Lance would criticize the children for fighting, but she never expected this kind of criticism. He was teaching them the art of cunning.
"Isn't it inappropriate to teach them this? It's just a quarrel between children," Deanna said disapprovingly.
She believed children should remain innocent. Lance saw her thoughts and tried to persuade her, "If it were just a quarrel between children, I wouldn't interfere. But this situation is different. Such things might happen again in the future. I know you want them to stay pure, but our family can't afford for them to be too naive. Otherwise, they'll be taken advantage of."
Deanna frowned, still holding on to her previous thoughts. She believed that if anyone bullied the children, they would be there to protect them. She didn't want the children to see the dark side of human nature and society at such a young age.
Before she could speak, Lance's deep voice interrupted her thoughts again. "I know what you're thinking. You believe that children should just enjoy school and leave the rest to us parents. But you're wrong."
Lance looked at her earnestly and continued, "Even though our family status might deter some people, you never know. Human nature is unpredictable. Don't underestimate any child or their jealousy and envy. The school environment is not as simple as it seems. It's a microcosm of society that filters out those unfit for higher social echelons, leaving behind those who can succeed and gain resources."
Deanna listened silently. Although she still disagreed somewhat, she knew Lance was right. School was not a paradise; it was a small society that trained children's learning and social skills.
"But Gregory and Chloe are only in kindergarten. Isn't it too early to teach them these things?" Deanna asked hesitantly.
Lance noticed her change in tone and smiled, "For ordinary people, it might be early. But our children are not ordinary, and their bilingual school is not an ordinary school."
Deanna had nothing more to say. Indeed, their children were precocious and had already self-studied up to fourth-grade material despite not being in elementary school yet. The international bilingual kindergarten also differed from others; from middle class onward, they started teaching basic language, math, and English courses and encouraged good reading habits.
Seeing Deanna fall silent, Lance continued his lecture to the children. He addressed his daughter directly, "Chloe, I'm not angry that you helped your brother fight, but I mind one thing: you shouldn't bite people. What if the person you bite is dirty or hasn't bathed or changed clothes for days?"
"Ugh-Daddy, stop!"