Alice was anxious, and she kept asking herself if she should confront her trash parents.
Finally, she mustered up the courage, returned home, and told her scumbag parents about her desire to go to school.
However, Alice's father responded with an impatient "Get lost," and her mother was indifferent, saying, "Solve your own problems, don't bother me."
"But the teacher said I need a guardian's consent to enroll!" Alice argued anxiously with the woman.
The woman glanced at her with disdain and a mocking tone, "Then don't go to school. Studying is annoying and pointless."
"Studying isn't annoying, it's useful! I want to go to school!!!" Alice argued stubbornly.
Just as she finished speaking, a man entered. He was short, dark-skinned, and quite ugly. The man immediately opened his light-brain and transferred money to Alice's mother. Without further ado, the two began to fight in the living room.
For two years, Alice had become numb to such scenes. She turned away, no longer wanting to watch.
Normally, the men would leave soon after. Alice expected the same this time, but she didn't anticipate that things would be different. After they finished their business outside, the man unexpectedly pushed open her door without any warning.
Alice instinctively became vigilant.
The next moment, the man walked towards her, intending to touch her.
Alice finally understood. The little girl bit the man fiercely. He cried out in pain and instinctively flung her away.
Alice, regaining her freedom, quickly ran outside, desperate to escape.
When the man had pushed her door open earlier, the woman in the living room, her nominal mother, had shown no intention of stopping him. Therefore, she knew very well that this might have been tacitly approved by the woman.
What's more, her nominal mother might have even taken money from that man and sold her off!
Alice didn't know where to go, but she knew she couldn't return to the place she once called home.
She walked aimlessly, and before she knew it, she found herself under a large bridge. It was quiet beneath the bridge, and the little girl couldn't help but walk inside.
She didn't go back that night. Her small body shivered with cold in the bridge underpass, but she hugged herself tightly, enduring.
Alice knew she couldn't give up.
Having finally gained a new life, and in such a wonderful era, she was determined to seize this opportunity, go to school, study, and lead a better life.
Thinking this, Alice, clutching her piggy bank, secretly returned to the kindergarten entrance the next day. Through the kindergarten fence, she quietly watched other children attending classes.
She wasn't hidden well, and the kindergarten teacher quickly noticed her. Fortunately, teachers in this era weren't as harsh. Even after discovering her peeking, the teacher didn't come out to drive her away.
The teacher's attitude gave Alice the courage to continue her clandestine studies. She couldn't help but settle near the kindergarten, sometimes sleeping in the flower beds, other times quietly hiding in a corner.
For her, as long as her life was not in danger, she could endure any hardship.
Another week passed like this. After a week, the kindergarten teacher suddenly came out of the school and walked towards her.
Alice, who was secretly studying, became inexplicably nervous. She thought the teacher was coming to chase her away and turned to run.
"Wait!" the teacher called from behind.
Alice didn't want to stop. Her rational mind told her to run quickly and not stop, but that was a teacher!
The inherent yearning for learning gave the identity of a teacher a special place in her heart. So, even though her rational mind clearly told her to run, her emotions took over, and she stopped.
Alice turned back and couldn't help but look at the teacher.
The teacher ran over and caught up with her.
"Are you Alice?" the teacher asked.
Alice had previously taken money to ask the teacher about enrolling, but she was rejected because she lacked parental consent.
Now, the teacher clearly remembered her and even knew her name.
"My... my parents don't care about me. They don't want me to go to school," Alice hesitated but couldn't help but explain to the teacher.
Thinking quickly, Alice took out the money she had been hiding in her pocket and handed it to the teacher. "Teacher, I... I just want to learn a little secretly. I won't attend classes inside the school, but can I learn from outside? I can pay tuition just like them!"
The teacher looked at the dirty child before her. The child was very dirty, even a bit smelly, but her eyes were so bright. This child truly longed to go to school.
"They don't want you to go to school, then... where did your money come from?" the teacher couldn't help but ask.
In this era, very few people used cash anymore. Most transactions were done through direct transfers via light-brains. This entire kindergarten probably only had this little one holding cash to pay enrollment fees.
Alice quickly explained, "I saved it myself. I collect garbage every day and sell scrap. I earn a little bit at a time. I've saved for two years, and it's enough!!!"
She could afford the tuition.
Collecting garbage and selling scrap—the teacher was deeply shocked. She couldn't believe such a young child could do such things.
But the child's eyes were so bright, and then there was the way she had been hiding outside the school all week, cautiously peeking and learning...
"Do you really want to go to school?" the teacher asked Alice.
Alice nodded heavily, "Yes!"
The teacher took a deep breath and said, "Come in with me."
The teacher then led Alice into the kindergarten. There were spare clothes for the children, so she took out a set and took little Alice to bathe.
The once dirty, beggar-like child looked exquisite and cute after her bath, stunning the teacher.
However, outward appearance wasn't everything. The teacher quickly regained her composure and dressed little Alice in clean, new clothes.
The new clothes the teacher dressed her in were quite pretty, and...
Alice couldn't help but lower her head and sniff. They smelled so good, a scent she had never encountered before.
"Teacher, can... can I enroll? I don't need to be inside the school, just learning secretly from outside is fine. I will definitely pay the tuition and will never be late on payments!" Alice asked nervously again.
The teacher hesitated for a moment, then gently stroked Alice's head and smiled, "Alright, then the teacher will accept you as her student!"