What a magical night tonight.
For the children of Little Red Horse Late Night Academy, they had never experienced such a scene. Men and women in all kinds of strange clothes kept passing by the wall, shouting at them and teasing them.
This group of children were scared and novel. They were scared, but they were reluctant to leave. They were like small fish in a hot spring. They scattered after being lifted, but once there was no movement, they gathered around again and sipped. Sucking people's feet.
At dusk, Xiaobai stood under the sycamore tree as usual, peeking at the people passing by, just like watching small animals in the zoo. Xi'er and Cheng Cheng were both there, but soon they were frightened and suddenly ran over. A group of ghost-like people lay beside the wall and shouted at them through the iron fence. Cheng Cheng was frightened and cried, while Xi'er hid behind Xiaobai.
Xiaobai was also frightened, but she soon took on the responsibility of protecting Cheng Cheng and Xi'er. She protected the two and ran away. Then she filled the small water gun she carried with her and bravely fought with the people outside the wall.
When Zhang Tan arrived, Xiaobai was carrying a small water gun and fighting alone on the front line.
Zhang Tan drove away the people outside the wall, and Xiao Liu's teachers also brought the children who were watching the fun back to the classroom. The night is already dark, and tonight is Halloween. Children should not wander around outside.
"That fierce little girl, yes, that's you, come here!" Another young man came back outside the wall. He was wearing a scarecrow's clothes, but he didn't look like a human being.
But Xiaobai, who was left behind, still managed to get through.
"Where do you live?" She pointed the small water gun at the scarecrow, as cautiously as she should have.
"Today is Halloween, you are a child, I give you candy." The scarecrow outside the wall did not scare her anymore, but took out a handful of candies of different colors from his pocket and stretched them through the iron fence.
Xiaobai stared at the candy and looked at it. It looked real, but she would not take it. Huh, who knows if the bad guys would catch it. How dangerous it would be.
"Come here and get it. I'm not going to lie to you. I'll give you something to eat." Scarecrow urged when he saw that Xiaobai was motionless.
"You are scaring my little friend, I don't believe you." Xiaobai said.
The scarecrow was stunned, smiled bitterly, put the candy somewhere through the gap in the iron fence, stepped away, and said, "Then I'll put it on the ground, you can take it yourself."
Having said this, he turned and walked away, his companions calling to him.
He just took two steps, stopped again, looked up and looked at the sign of Xiaohongma Midnight Academy, and asked Xiaobai: "Is this a kindergarten? Why is it still open at night?"
"Hoohoho~~" Xiaobai laughed at him: "You are a melon."
scarecrow:"……"
"Then I'm leaving, bye."
Seeing that he was really gone, Xiaobai waved and said late: "Bye~~~"
The other party actually heard it, turned around, waved to Xiaobai, and reminded her not to forget the candies on the ground.
His companion, Miss Pumpkin, asked curiously: "Why are you talking so much to that fierce little girl?"
The Scarecrow said: "She is quite cute."
"Cute? So fierce."
"Have you noticed? This is a late-night academy, and families are in trouble."
Xiaobai watched the other person go away, and then she picked up the candy on the ground until he disappeared.
It's true!
She held the candies in both hands and ran happily to the classroom to distribute candies to her friends.
"Seat in a row and eat Guoguo, one for you and one for me~~~"
Xiaobai gave out more than ten candies, but it was still far from enough. There were more than 30 little friends in the school.
But it doesn't matter, Zhang Tan brought candies, one for each child, no more, as eating too much will cause tooth decay.
"Boss Zhang, is today a festival?" Xiaobai asked curiously.
"Halloween."
"What festival is that?"
"It's Ghost Festival."
Xiaobai was startled and asked: "What? Don't scare me~ Don't scare Cheng Chengthi."
I originally said don't scare her, but Xiaobai didn't want to admit that he was scared, so he changed his mind and said Cheng Cheng.
Cheng Cheng was frightened to tears today, and Xi'er was also in tears. She was also frightened, but she didn't cry out, retaining her last stubbornness.
Zhang Tan saw that Xi'er, who had always laughed and laughed, was crying, and comforted him: "Don't be afraid, I will tell you a story."
As soon as they heard the story, the children who were happily eating candies gathered together, and Teacher Xiaoliu and Teacher Xiaoman also looked over.
Zhang Tan didn't expect that his casual remarks would attract the attention of so many children. It seemed that it would be difficult to deal with it without some effort.
"Boss, please sit here."
Teacher Xiao Liu brought a chair to Zhang Tan, and Teacher Xiao Man asked the children to sit down.
After Boss Zhang finished telling the story, they planned to continue. Tonight had already reached the storytelling stage.
The TV was turned off, and the moonlight outside was like water, illuminating the yard. In late autumn, the insects chirped much less, but there were still one or two chirping melancholy.
Zhang Tan originally just wanted to tell a random story about Halloween, but now so many children are joining in, even the teachers are here.
He has to be serious and not let the children look down on him.
"Today is Halloween, which is also the Ghost Festival. Legend has it that on this day, our deceased relatives will return to the people they loved and visit them."
It's just the beginning, the children are already in a commotion, how can this be done?
However, they all chose to believe that children are always naive. As long as what they say seems to be true, they are all willing to believe it. Only Jiang Bin at the end listens with a sensible face.
Zhang Tan continued: "Xiaoguang's grandfather died suddenly of a heart attack. He was very sad. His mother comforted him and said that his grandfather went to heaven and became an angel. His father also said that his grandfather would turn into clay and slowly disappear. . But Xiaoguang didn’t believe it at all. His parents’ words didn’t make him feel better. He resisted his grandfather’s departure and couldn’t accept this fact.”
As he spoke, the restless children gradually calmed down, and their big eyes stared at him, full of childlike innocence.
They really believed everything in the story.
"Xiao Guang missed grandpa very much. A few days later, it was Halloween. It was a night, just like tonight. The moonlight was bright, the temperature was a bit cold, and there were many people on the street, wearing all kinds of strange clothes. , yelling and yelling, and even giving candies to the children."
"On this day, children will also wear strange clothes, carry small baskets, and go to the houses of their hosts with their friends, or parents, brothers and sisters, knock on their doors and ask them for some sweets. "
"That night, Xiaoguang, accompanied by his father, went to the neighbor's house and asked for a lot of candies. He also gave a lot of candies to other children who came to the door. Late at night, he returned home and was ready to go to bed. However, he Found grandpa sitting on the cupboard in his room!”
"Xiaoguang was surprised at first and asked, 'Grandpa, aren't you dead?' Then he suddenly realized, 'Oh, I know, grandpa became a ghost.'"
"Grandpa said that today is Halloween, and all ghosts can go back to the people they love most to spend this night. After this night, they will leave forever and never come back."
This story is called "Grandpa Became a Ghost". It is a picture book. Zhang Tan has read it and remembered it, but not all of it, but it doesn't matter. As he told it, he made it up himself.
The children listened very carefully.
The story was finished quickly. The children were talking and chattering, and some asked loudly whether their deceased relatives would return to them this night.
Of course Zhang Tan said yes, and Xiaoliu teachers also answered the question.
This stimulated the children, and they chattered as if they were watching a movie.
"I'll leave this to you. Let's put the children to bed early." Zhang Tan whispered to Teacher Xiaoliu and Teacher Xiaoman beside him.
"Go ahead and leave this to us."
Zhang Tan left quietly, and Teacher Xiao Liu began to tell stories to the children, and also invited children who wanted to perform to come forward to sing and dance.
Xiaobai, who is usually very active, did not move tonight. Even if Teacher Xiaoliu called on her, she refused.
She seemed to be full of worries and unhappy.
Until ten o'clock in the evening, the children were taken to the dormitory to prepare for rest.
Xiaobai was last: "Teacher Xiaoman~Teacher Xiaoman~~~"
Teacher Xiaoman, who was greeting the children, looked at the sound and asked, "What's wrong with Xiaobai?"
"Come here, come here."
Xiaobai stood in the corner and waved to her.
Teacher Xiaoman stepped forward and was pulled by Xiaobai's hand to a further corner.
Oh, I have something to tell her privately. Teacher Xiaoman is quite happy. It is the first time that Xiaobai wants to tell her such a private thing.
Unlike other children, this child never talks to them. He may talk to Boss Zhang, but not to them.
"What's wrong, Xiaobai? There is no one here. Just tell me. The teacher will keep it secret for you." Teacher Xiaoman knelt down and reassured Xiaobai to let down his guard.
Xiaobai stared at her, thought for a while, and then asked: "Hey, will grandpa really come to the children after he becomes a ghost?"
Her big eyes were full of hope and anxiety.
Teacher Xiaoman was stunned. This was a story told by Boss Zhang. Xiaobai asked why.
She thought for a moment and said: "The people we love and the people who love us will always be by our side."
Many of the lights on the first floor were extinguished, and only a few were still on. The light in the corner was not very good, and only a floor lamp emitting a pale yellow light was on.
This made Teacher Xiaoman see Xiaobai's eyes light up a lot, and the child asked again: "Where's mom?"
Her voice was much softer and her eyes were brighter.
Teacher Xiaoman felt that this gaze was going straight into her heart. She didn’t even dare to look directly at him. She couldn’t help lowering her head, leaning slightly away, and said, “Moms will come to see their babies too.”
She probably guessed Xiaobai's intention, and her heart seemed to be touched, and she was a little sore. The direct result was that her eyes were also sore.
"Is it true?"
Xiaobai's voice became much more urgent, and his little hands even grabbed her sleeves.
Teacher Xiaoman looked at her, her little face was full of innocence and expectation.
Teacher Xiaoman couldn't say anything negative at all. At this moment, she even felt that she had all the hopes of this child.
Her words were trembling as she said, "Of course, mothers will always stay with their babies, even if they leave this world."
…
Teacher Xiaoman left, and Xiaobai stayed alone on the first floor, refusing to follow her.
"Aren't you scared?" Teacher Xiaoman asked Xiaobai worriedly before leaving.
Although Xiaobai stayed on the first floor to play by himself every night, it was different today. Today they had been frightened by people outside, such as Cheng Cheng and Xi'er. They did not dare to be naughty tonight and followed everyone to the dormitory obediently.
"I'm not afraid."
Not only was Xiaobai not afraid, she was even full of expectations.
Teacher Xiaoman left and disappeared out the door.
"Then my mother." Xiaobai muttered in a low voice.
Of course she's afraid of ghosts, and that's bragging if she's not afraid, but how could she be afraid of her mother?
Just as Teacher Xiaoman left, footsteps sounded again outside the door. It was Jiang Bin.
"Xiao Bai, I'm here."
"Come on, come on, Xiaobai, I'll tell you the good news."
Xiaobai couldn't wait to share her good news with Jiang Bin.
"Are you waiting for mom tonight?" Jiang Bin asked in surprise. Did Xiaobai really believe the story told by Boss Zhang? That's a lie, a story, not true.
Xiaobai stood in front of the window, jumping up and down, stretching his neck to look out, looking forward to it.
But more than ten minutes passed, and there was no movement in Little Red Horse Late Night Academy.
She ran around in the yard and Jiang Bin, worried about her safety, followed her.
It's no different now than in the summer, it's very cold in the yard at night.
"Xiao Bai, go back."
"I don't."
After taking care of the children on the second floor, Teacher Xiaoman came down to find Xiaobai and called her back to the classroom.
"Do you really want to wait for mom?" she asked the restless Xiaobai.
Xiaobai nodded.
"Aren't you afraid?"
Xiaobai shook his head.
"The story says that grandpa will only appear when Xiaoguang is alone, and only she can see it. If you are not afraid and want to see your mother, then you may be able to wait until you sit alone in the reading area."
Xiaobai immediately said: "I'm not afraid."
Teacher Xiaoman asked Xiaobai to sit alone in the reading area and wait, and left with Jiang Bin.
Most of the lights in the classroom were turned off, with only a few lights dimly on. The reading area was like a warm harbor, and there sat a little white boy waiting for his mother to come to him.
Xiaobai looked left and right, but there was no movement around her, but she was not discouraged.
Her eyes were sparkling and she was more focused than ever.
She was looking forward to it but also worried, and suddenly thought of a question.
"I don't remember what my mother looks like, what can I do?"
Yes, she doesn’t remember what her mother looks like. Her mother’s photo is with her aunt and she hasn’t seen it for a long time.
She wanted to run to Teacher Xiaoman and ask what to do, but she was worried about what if her mother happened to come when she left.
So I continued to wait like this, and at the same time I felt relieved in my heart. Although the baby didn't remember what the mother looked like, the mother definitely knew which baby was hers.
Suddenly, a series of small footsteps sounded in the darkness outside the light.
Xiaobai became energetic and looked nervously towards the source of the sound. A pair of small feet stepped into the corner covered by light, and then a small body appeared.
"hiahiahia~~~Xiaobai, here I come."
It's Xi'er.
"Are you here?" Xiaobai asked in surprise.
Xi'er happily sat beside her, her little feet dangling in the air, swaying: "Teacher Xiaoman said that babies who want to find their mother can come here. Xiaobai, I want to find my mother."
"Ouch."
Xiaobai touched Xi'er's little head and said lovingly: "Don't cry."
Xi'er giggled at her.
"Xiao Bai, I'm afraid of the dark. Please hold my hand."
"Don't be afraid, I will protect you."
The two children held their hands tightly together and sat in this corner, staring at the darkness around them and listening to all the noise.
What others fear is exactly what they expect.
Bedroom on the second floor.
Teacher Xiaoman asked softly: "Is there any other children who want to go? If you want to go, the teacher will send you to the first floor to find Xiaobai and Xi'er."
Liuliu immediately stood up, and Teacher Xiaoliu, who was close to her, said, "Liuliu, you can't go. Your mother will come to pick you up later."
"Ah~ turns out I have a mother duck~~"
I lay down disappointed, but then felt happy again.
The children in the dormitory were chattering like a chicken coop, and there was a rustling sound. Teacher Xiaoman saw Luo Zikang getting up from the bed.
Teacher Xiaoman asked softly: "Is Luo Zikang going?"
Luo Zikang rubbed his eyes, lowered his head and hummed softly.
"Don't be sad, the teacher will take you there."
She held Luo Zikang's hand, went down the stairs, and sent him to the first floor, but not there, letting him walk the rest of the way by himself.
"Teacher Xiaoman, I'm scared."
The huge classroom was pitch dark, with only the farthest reading area lit by a faint light, and to get there, one had to walk a long way in the dark.
Teacher Xiaoman encouraged: "Teacher can only send you here. If you really want to see your mother, then be brave."
After watching Luo Zikang successfully join Xiaobai, Teacher Xiaoman left.
Zhang Tan got the news, quietly went downstairs, and handed over the second floor to Teacher Xiaoman and Teacher Xiaoliu, who took care of the first floor.
He walked quietly to the classroom on the first floor, found a corner near the door and sat down, immersed in the darkness, glancing at the light from time to time to protect their innocence.
