Chapter 163 Rice Balls VS Sandwiches

Chapter 163 Rice Balls VS Sandwiches

"What a coincidence!" Teacher Li continued, "They even called it a 'high-end foreign teacher autumn outing,' and charged 398..."

"What?!" Teacher Sun's eyes widened. "We just sent out a notice, and they also chose the same day? That's too much of a coincidence!"

"How about...we reschedule?" Director Pan asked tentatively.

“A cold wave is coming next week,” Ms. Zhang, the teacher of Class 1, said with a frown after looking at the weather forecast. “This weekend will be the best weather.”

"Then...shall we go this afternoon?" Director Pan suggested hesitantly.

“Even private kindergartens stay there until the afternoon,” the childcare worker in the middle class added, her tone tinged with resentment.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was subtle yet resolute.

Su Yingxue's words were like a pebble thrown into a calm pond, creating ripples.

"Anyway, they can play their games, we'll play our own." She smiled, her tone relaxed but with a hint of defiance.

Ms. Zhang, the teacher of Class 1, immediately chimed in, "That's right, Principal! Maybe we can even recruit more students this way! Let the parents compare and see for themselves what's truly suitable for their children."

Principal Pan was initially hesitant, his gray hair gleaming softly under the lamplight. He looked around at the teachers who had fought alongside him for many years—some frowned with worry, others were eager to try, but all their eyes revealed a simple and stubborn determination.

He took a deep breath and nodded: "Let's go! On the same day. Our teacher is just as good, let's do something different too."

The next day, the teachers at Tongxin Kindergarten were extremely busy.

Su Yingxue went to the market early in the morning, carefully selecting the freshest ingredients—seaweed, pork floss, nori, and the children's favorite cherry tomatoes and corn kernels. Aunt Wang from the canteen, wearing an apron, skillfully washed the fruits and vegetables; the cherry tomatoes were all round and plump, like little works of art.

"Aunt Wang, remember to bring this salad dressing; the kids like it sweet," Su Yingxue reminded her.

Meanwhile, caregiver Sister Li was busy preparing picnic mats and game props: "I brought a magnifying glass so the children can observe the leaves; and small shovels so they can dig up little bugs and sand!"

Even the usually stern security guard joined in: "No problem, I'll take care of security and ensure the children's safety!"

Meanwhile, at Xingchen International Kindergarten, three kilometers away, the scene was quite different.

In the spacious and bright office, foreign teacher Lisa was adjusting her makeup in front of the mirror, making sure she appeared in front of the parents in the best possible light.

“Today is very important,” she told Lily, the assistant principal. “We’ve prepared a lot of vocabulary. We must make sure the children learn as much as possible and memorize as much as possible. This will help us build a high-end image for our kindergarten.”

At the kindergarten entrance, a luxury bus was already parked, its body bearing the logo of Xingchen International. Meals were delivered by a partner international catering company—exquisite sandwiches, imported fruit boxes, and even bottled water specifically for children.

In the principal's office, Principal Li looked at the autumn outing plan with satisfaction: "This time, we must show the parents what true international education is."

——Autumn Outing Day · Along the Creek Park——

In autumn, the park along the stream resembles an overturned palette of colors. Maple leaves are tinged with pale crimson, while ginkgo leaves, edged with gold, shimmer in the sunlight. The stream is crystal clear, reflecting the blue sky and the reeds along the banks. Occasionally, a red carp leaps out of the water, splashing up a string of sparkling droplets. The lawn is soft and fluffy, like a thick velvet carpet, and the air is filled with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.

The children at Tongxin Kindergarten, hand in hand with their parents, skipped and hopped along the winding path. Some children, tired from walking, would snuggle into their parents' arms, but their eyes still sparkled with anticipation.

In contrast, the children at Xingchen International Kindergarten lined up neatly and quietly boarded a luxury bus. Although the bus was air-conditioned, they lacked energy and anticipation.

"Children! Today we're going to be little explorers!" Su Yingxue held up a small red flag, standing on a wide-open grassy field, her smile brighter than the sunshine.

"The rules are simple—find the most unique leaf or insect, and you'll earn an 'Exploration Medal'!"

"Yay!" The children cheered and scattered like a flock of happy little birds.

"Look, Mom! I found a red maple leaf! It looks just like my little hand!" Yuanyuan ran up to Zhang Yanyan, holding up a bright red maple leaf, her eyes sparkling.

"Teacher, look! I found an earthworm!" a little boy shouted excitedly, holding up a small shovel, attracting the surrounding children to come over.

"Be careful not to step on the little ants!" said Sister Li, the caretaker, gently.

On the grass, the laughter of children rose and fell like a string of silver bells. They lay on the ground to observe ants moving house, stood on tiptoe to count the fruit on the trees, and even carefully parted the grass to look for hidden insects.

Parents also squatted down to explore with their children, exclaiming in surprise from time to time, "So that's how dandelion seeds fly!"

"Look, this leaf has so many tiny serrations!"

At the nearby Xingchen International Kindergarten, children sat in rows on picnic mats, while their foreign teacher, Lisa, held up a card and explained in English: "This is a maple leaf... red and yellow..."

The children listened attentively, but their expressions were somewhat reserved. Occasionally, someone would raise their hand to answer a question, but they lacked that spontaneous curiosity and excitement.

A while later, at the Children's Zoo.

"Kids! Gather together!" Su Yingxue blew her whistle. "Now, we're going to a secret base to do something special!"

It turned out that she had contacted the park management office in advance and borrowed their shared kitchenette. At that moment, an enticing aroma wafted from the kitchen.

Wearing an apron, Su Yingxue looked like a magical magician. She took out pre-prepared molds—star, heart, and animal-shaped rice ball molds—and busied herself beside the rice cooker. As soon as the steaming rice was cooked, she skillfully added fragrant pork floss, seaweed flakes, corn kernels, and diced carrots, then pressed it down firmly—

"Ding!" A cute star-shaped rice ball has been created!

"Wow!" The children gathered around, their eyes wide with surprise.

"I want one shaped like a star!"

"I want one shaped like a bear!"

Su Yingxue also prepared hot pumpkin pancakes and honey grapefruit tea to dispel the autumn chill. She specially fried eggs, and after the children completed the "Exploration Badge" task, she would secretly wrap the fried eggs inside rice balls—this was a little secret between her and the children.

"Yuanyuan, did you get the badge?" Su Yingxue blinked.

“Of course. Teacher Su, look at my leaves!” Yuanyuan proudly held up a small badge.

"That's great! Teacher Su will give you a special rice ball!"

When Yuanyuan bit into her rice ball and discovered a golden poached egg inside, her eyes lit up: "Mommy! Teacher Su added an egg for me! It's so delicious!"