As the saying goes, when talent isn’t enough, diligence makes up for it. Through Cheng Lele’s unilateral efforts, Blue Sky Kindergarten’s “A Family That Loves Each Other” actually made it into the finals.

On the day of the competition, Chen An and Cheng Lele’s faces were painted with two thick red clouds, their eyelids smeared with golden eyeshadow, and their lips were flaming red. With such heavy makeup, they looked like two little monsters about to storm the underworld.

Led by their supervising teacher, they took a minibus to the county seat. Buxi Town was only a twenty-minute drive from the county seat, so they quickly arrived at the legendary “Taixi Theater.”

Taixi Theater was a state-owned enterprise. Usually, the county’s major meetings, large performances, and imported blockbuster screenings were all arranged here. It occupied an entire floor with two levels. Upon entering through the main entrance, one immediately encountered flooring made of large marble slabs, with a thick red carpet laid down the center. On both sides stood square, sturdy, massive pillars. The decor style was dignified and solemn, making people dare not speak loudly.

Children from various kindergartens converged into an ocean of little ones. The normally lively little rascals were now obediently lining up in queues, following the teachers’ commands. Only Chen An, sporting a colorful face, looked around everywhere.

Cheng Lele followed behind him and asked in a hushed voice: “What are you looking at?”

Chen An ignored her. He was just curious. Children hadn’t seen much of the world, and he hadn’t reached the age where he needed to hide this, so he craned his neck, turning left and right.

Cheng Lele urged him: “Stop looking around, everyone’s already gone inside.”

Chen An, with a few tufts of hair sticking up, said: “This looks quite like a castle. Do you think there might be vampires?”

This sentence successfully made Cheng Lele shudder. She involuntarily grabbed Chen An’s shirttail, though her mouth stubbornly retorted: “Nonsense, vampires don’t come out during the day.”

Chen An started spouting nonsense: “Today is overcast, so vampires can appear during the day too. Do you know what vampires look like? They have green eyes—”

The teacher in front started calling: “Chen An, hurry up!”

Chen An collected himself and swaggered to catch up with the group.