Chapter 7 - Taiji Academy

The next morning... Zhao JingShi and Zhao YuShi stood on the street from Taiji Academy. One wore a business suit and one wore a similar Taiji uniform suit.

Taiji Academy was not in the centre of the city as it needed a large area of land to accommodate a kindergarten, primary school, junior high school, and high school. Each school was small due to exclusive class sizes but the facilities the school boasted was limitless. Therefore, such a compound had several entrances.

Father and son stood outside the kindergarten entrance holding hands, both at a loss.

The road around Taiji Academy was busy as students arrived, some on foot but most in cars that quickly drove off. Vehicles weren’t allowed to linger too long outside of the Academy to facilitate efficient and timely pick-up and drop-off of students. However, owing to the Zhao and Han family relationship which extended beyond more generations than they could count, Zhao JingShi’s driver was parked at the curb side and here he stood with his little guy.

Inside, mothers hugged and kissed their little babies before handing them off to waiting teacher and departing. Fathers stood silently and waited or were directly absent from the scene. Was there any father handing off his son by himself?

No. Only Zhao JingShi, this single dad.

One mother caught their eye. She straightened her little girl’s uniform skirt, took her small backpack from the girl’s father and fixed it on her shoulders. Then the girl’s mother kissed her face on both cheeks. The girl’s mother stood and walked a few steps away but ran back and kissed the girl again. The little girl squirmed and made a face, but she stood still for the kisses.

Zhao YuShi’s hand tightened around the three fingers of Zhao JingShi’s hand he was able to hold on to.

Zhao JingShi looked down. Zhao YuShi looked up.

His filial son said, "If my mom were here, she could kiss me and I could hug her and you could be a bystander."

Brat! Who was the one who raised you?

YuShi sighed the sigh of an old man who had too much disappointments in his life. "Let's go. I will cry and you will hug me and we will not miss my mother today."

Zhao JingShi side eyed his son. This little guy's vocabulary was too advanced for his age.

"Where did you get that idea?"

"I watch the TV with Grandma and Aunt Zu," he shouted enthusiastically.

Zhao JingShi frowned. They dare expose his clean son to the messy things on TV?

YuShi tugged on his fingers. "Come on, Dad! The teacher is looking."

Zhao JingShi glanced over. Now the school yard was mostly empty and the Teacher was free. Beside her stood the Principal. Zhao JingShi nodded to the principal whom he had met earlier, and walked into the school gate, his son trailing one step behind.

Suddenly the boy wasn't so eager to start school.

"Master Zhao," Principal Mu called as they neared. His smile was big. "Welcome." He looked down at YuShi – who was now hugging Zhao JingShi's leg with big eyes. "Little Master Zhao, welcome to our school," the Principal greeted.

"YuShi, this is Principal Mu and Teacher Yi," Zhao JingShi introduced.

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YuShi nodded. "Hello Pincipal Mu. Hello Teacher Yi." He obediently greeted but did not let go of Zhao JingShi's leg.

Principl Mu's and Teacher Yi's smiles widened, pleased that Zhao Family's Little Prince had such good manners at such a young age. He was currently the youngest child at their school too. Some students in their halls did not come from families as influential or wealthy as the Zhao and Han families yet had inflated attitudes toward their elders. Principal Mu was pleased to see the Little Big Shot of the Zhao Family had respectable manners despite his status.

Teacher Yi, a young woman in her twenties crouched down and offered her hand to YuShi. "Hello there, YuShi. I will be your class teacher. Are you ready for your first day?"

YuShi tightened one arm around Zhao JingShi's leg and but extended his other arm towards the teacher. "Nice to meet you, Teacher Yi," he repeated what Zhao JingShi had told him to say last night and shook her hand.

* * *

As for Principal Mu and Teacher Yi, they were used to the excellent caliber of students that walked through their school's halls. To enter Taiji, one needed not only money, but family background. The Zhao Family, like the Han family and a few other great families, could said to be the country's elite of the elite.

Therefore Principal Mu made a rare appearance to welcome the Zhao Family's little prince. This was not to curry favour or to show special treatment, but to show respect to the Zhao Family. It would assure them that for the next fifteen plus years, his school would take care of their future heir.

Why did he pay specail care to the Zhao Family and not the other families' special heirs? Because the Zhaos and Hans and the few great families they were close with were beasts with long memories. One always ensured they were on the good side of the beast.

Teacher Yi on the other hand, was a young teacher but the requirements to teach at Taiji Academy were more extensive than in other schools. Aside from looking after the children, her daily duty was to greet them all before class and ensure they were escorted in safely.

However today, she prepared extra well because she knew Zhao JingShi, the famous head of the Zhao Family Group, would be escorting his son. Who didn't want to impress a tall, handsome single man who was insanely wealthy and had the power to crush the city with one wave of his hand?

Zhao JingShi was one of the city's most eligible bachelors despite mysteriously having a child out of wedlock. His family background, wealth and looks more than made up for the extra child. What's more, from the time his son was born, the baby accompanied Zhao JingShi everywhere - to work, to business trips, to meetings - and Zhao JingShi took care of the child himself. Which woman did not dream of an excellent dad like that? Before Zhao JingShi, such a father was a myth!

The whole city knew his illegitimate child was more precious than gold in his father's palm, so Teacher Yi was one hundred percent certain Zhao JingShi would accompany Zhao YuShi today. She didn't have lofty dreams of entering the Zhao family, but only to give a good impression to a handsome man. If he remembered her after tomorrow, that was good too.

She stood and smiled brightly at Zhao JingShi.

* * *

Zhao JingShi, a practiced hand at ignoring women, politely avoided his son's teacher's too big smile.

He pried his son off his leg so he could squat in front of him, touch the boy's hair, and look at his face carefully. "Be good for the teacher today."

YuShi nodded.

"At lunchtime, your buddy HaoRan promised to look for you."

YuShi nodded again. He put small hands around Zhao JingShi's neck. "Give me a hug for my mom."

Quickly, he pulled the boy close only for a moment. When they released eachother, he said, "It is only a few hours. Dad will pick you up after school. In the meantime, make some friends and have fun."

YuShi nodded. "Good bye, Dad."

"Goodbye, Son."

At the side, Teacher Yi wiped away a tear at the touching scene. Even the principal wore a sentimental expression.

Zhao JingShi didn't think he did anything special.

He stood and prodded YuShi towards the school entrance. "Go to class. Don't make the teacher be late."

Teacher Yi smiled again, "Thank you, Mr. Zhao." To YuShi, she said, "Let's go to the class, Little YuShi."

"I will accompany you," Principal Mu interjected.

Zhao JingShi stopped him. "Principal Mu, this is okay. Let's not keep you from your work."

In other words, don't bring too much attention to a three year old boy going to school. Escorting hims wasn't necessary.

Principal Mu laughed, "Of course. I am busy myself. Then," he looked at YuShi, "Zhao YuShi, if you have any problems, tell the teacher."

"Yes, Principal Mu."

Principal Mu once again shook Zhao JingShi's hand and left. As Principal Mu walked away, Teacher Yi murmured "Goodbye" with a blush and began to lead YuShi inside. At the door, the teacher entered first and with a small wave behind his back, his son ran in.

Ungrateful. Was it so easy to leave his old father? Zhao JingShi shook his head and returned to the waiting car, getting into the back.

Driver Liu asked, "To the company, sir?"

"Yes." He pulled up his itinerary on his tablet device. "I have a meeting at 9:00."