Chapter 124

The bell rang brightly, echoing through the small, colorful halls of the kindergarten.

Outside the classroom, Lisa was practically vibrating with excitement, bouncing slightly on her heels while peeking through the small window. Jennie, on the other hand, stood beside her with arms crossed, trying to look calm—but the slight tapping of her fingers on her arm gave her away.

“It’s just her first day,” Jennie murmured, glancing at her wife. “Relax.”

“I am relaxed,” Lisa whispered back, eyes still glued to the door. “I just want to see my dumpling.”

Jennie raised a brow. “You’ve called her ‘dumpling’ twelve times in the last five minutes.”

“And I’ll say it again,” Lisa grinned. “My dumpling.”

Before Jennie could respond, the classroom door opened.

A teacher stepped out, smiling politely—but there was something… off about it. The kind of smile that looked like it had been through something.

“Ah, you must be Ruby’s parents,” she said.

Lisa beamed instantly. “Yes! I’m—”

“Her mom,” Jennie cut in smoothly, nodding. “Both of us.”

The teacher nodded slowly. “Right… yes. Of course.”

There was a brief pause.

Then another.

Lisa’s smile faltered just a little. “Is… everything okay?”

The teacher inhaled deeply, as if preparing for something.

“Well…” she began carefully, glancing back into the classroom. “Your daughter is… very… energetic.”

Jennie tilted her head. “Energetic?”

Lisa chuckled nervously. “She gets that from me—”

“She terrorized the whole class.”

Silence.

Complete, stunned silence.

Lisa blinked. “I’m sorry—she what?”

The teacher gave a small, strained laugh. “She… um… reorganized the seating arrangement because she said the original one was ‘boring.’”

Jennie’s lips twitched.

“And then,” the teacher continued, “she declared herself the ‘leader’ during playtime and assigned roles to everyone.”

Lisa slowly turned to Jennie. “That definitely sounds like you.”

Jennie scoffed softly. “Excuse me? I do not terrorize people.”

Lisa raised a brow. “You once made a barista remake your drink three times because the foam wasn’t ‘emotionally right.’”

“That was different.”

The teacher cleared her throat, trying to regain control of the conversation. “She also… convinced three children to trade snacks with her.”

Jennie blinked. “Convince… or manipulate?”

The teacher hesitated. “…I’m not entirely sure.”

Lisa pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to laugh.

“And during story time,” the teacher added, “she interrupted to correct my character voices.”

That did it.

Jennie turned away, covering her mouth as her shoulders started shaking.

Lisa let out a small snort. “Oh my god…”

“But!” the teacher quickly added, raising a finger. “She’s very smart. Very confident. And… oddly persuasive.”

Jennie nodded, still holding back laughter. “That checks out.”

“Would you like to… come in and get her?” the teacher asked.

Lisa straightened immediately. “Yes! Of course!”

They stepped inside the classroom.

It looked… like a tiny, colorful battlefield.

Blocks were stacked into what looked like a “castle,” a group of kids were sitting in a circle like loyal followers, and in the center of it all—

Ruby.

Their six-year-old daughter stood proudly on a small chair, hands on her hips, her tiny pigtails slightly messy but her posture full of confidence.

She spotted them instantly.

“Mommy! Mama!”

She jumped down and ran toward them at full speed.

Lisa crouched just in time to catch her in a tight hug. “My baby!”

Jennie smiled softly, brushing Ruby’s hair back. “How was your first day?”

Ruby pulled back, eyes sparkling.

“It was fun!” she said brightly.

Lisa glanced at Jennie, then back at Ruby. “Your teacher said you… uh… made quite an impression.”

Ruby grinned.

A very wide grin.

The kind that looked exactly like Jennie’s when she knew she’d gotten away with something.

“I made friends,” Ruby said proudly.

The teacher, standing behind them, quietly muttered, “You led a revolution.”

Jennie coughed to hide a laugh.

Lisa looked at Ruby, trying to stay serious. “Did you… maybe scare some of your classmates?”

Ruby tilted her head innocently. “Nooo…”

Pause.

“…only a little.”

Jennie lost it.

She turned away, laughing into her hand while Lisa stared at their daughter in disbelief.

“Ruby,” Lisa said, trying to sound stern, “you’re supposed to play with your classmates, not… not… overthrow them.”

Ruby giggled. “But they liked it!”

From the back of the room, a small kid raised his hand. “She’s our leader!”

Another chimed in, “She said we can have extra snack time!”

The teacher sighed.

Jennie wiped a tear from her eye, finally composing herself. “Well… at least she’s confident.”

Lisa groaned softly. “We’re raising a tiny boss.”

Ruby puffed her chest. “I’m not tiny. I’m big.”

Jennie crouched down to her level, smiling warmly. “You are. But maybe tomorrow, try being… a nice leader, okay?”

Ruby thought about it.

Then she nodded. “Okay. I’ll be nicer.”

The teacher looked relieved.

“…Probably,” Ruby added with a mischievous grin.

Lisa facepalmed.

Jennie just laughed again, pulling both of them into a hug.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “She’s definitely ours.”

And as Ruby giggled between them, still wearing that dangerously charming grin, one thing was very clear—

Kindergarten wasn’t ready for her.