The Baby Seizes Fortune - Chapter 68

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 68

* * *

The day the new student recruitment flyer for Somang Preschool was released.

Mothers gathered at the apartment complex playground were talking about the preschool they had seen on the flyer recently.

The flyer placed in front of them had this phrase written on it.

[Nature is the best teacher.]

Along with photos of children playing in the forest, a blue-eyed foreigner was giving a thumbs up.

[A place where the forest becomes the classroom instead of concrete classrooms, Somang Preschool.]

[Why a forest preschool?]

-Nature-centered early childhood education already proven in Finland and other Northern European advanced countries

-Social skills develop through activities in nature.

-Respects each child’s own pace instead of artificial competition.

“This place seems pretty good, doesn’t it? Playing in the forest, touching soil, and it helps brain development too.”

“It’s Finnish-style.”

“But Somang Preschool… wasn’t this originally an orphanage?”

“I heard the principal changed.”

“But this child, I think I saw her in the Edinburgh Kindergarten promotional material too… she was listed as a perfect score student.”

“Oh my, could she have transferred from Edinburgh to here?”

The mothers’ voices grew louder, and their curiosity about Somang Preschool deepened.

At that moment, inside the principal’s office at Somang Preschool, Misuk was busy taking the suddenly flooding consultation calls.

After finishing another consultation call, she took out ice cream from the freezer and offered it to Chaea.

“This is really beyond expectations.”

Her tone suggested she still couldn’t believe this situation.

Somang Preschool was located near the forest, and even during the Somang Orphanage days, they used to spend certain hours in the forest with the children, but she had never thought of linking this with Finland for marketing purposes.

Of course, she had heard about holistic education through forests and Waldorf education existing in Northern Europe, and there were some points where it matched with Somang Preschool, but…

“Hehe.”

I smiled while eating the sweet ice cream with a spoon.

Initially, Misuk was thinking of making ordinary promotional materials like Edinburgh.

But I suggested hiring a foreigner and proposed completely changing the foundation of the promotion to her.

“I saw it on television. Finnish children playing in the forest.”

Since using Saebyeol’s excuse again would make the lie obvious, this time I made the suggestion by referencing a TV program.

As far as I know, branding like ‘forest preschool’ and ‘Waldorf education’ became popular in Korea around the late 2000s.

During this period, preschool flyers mainly featured native English early education and advanced Korean and math concepts, so it’s a concept that’s a bit early for the times.

But I think precisely because it’s an early concept, it could be refreshing to parents.

And that thought was right.

Ring ring-

The phone rang loudly again.

The ‘Northern European marketing’ I suggested seemed to be having the best effect.

[Creative and proactive, like Finnish children]

There was high demand from parents who wanted to raise their children freely.

It was a different kind of demand from Edinburgh.

“Since converting to Somang Preschool, this is the first time so many children will be attending. I think we need to hire teachers and reorganize the system. I even applied for a field trip to Finnish early childhood education sites in summer…”

Misuk muttered to herself while writing schedules in her diary.

“Would Chaea like to go together too?”

“I’ll pass.”

Nom nom, the ice cream is delicious.

The taste of vanilla melting softly in my mouth.

“Why not, it would be nice to go together. If our Chaea is okay with it, I can get Father’s permission. Or Father could come along too.”

“He won’t allow it because of filming.”

“But…”

Misuk put down her pen and leaned forward slightly to look at me.

“At some point, I feel like I’m treating Chaea like an adult. Even though you’re clearly such a small child…”

An emotion of wonder formed in her eyes.

“I wonder why.”

“Well. There’s a saying about being an old soul! Maybe Chaea is that kind of child?”

I efficiently finished the ice cream and stood up from my seat.

Before I knew it, it had become the summer of my fifth year.

Due to the blazing hot weather, forest activities were also suspended for the time being.

The heat wave of the 90s is no joke.

The most difficult thing to endure in this era is… that air conditioning penetration is still low.

Not only government offices but even preschools didn’t have air conditioning.

So what I demanded from Misuk in exchange for promotional filming was…

“Air conditioning installation is complete.”

Installing air conditioning in every classroom!

Since Edinburgh operated classrooms with air conditioning, while she agreed, there was worry visible in Misuk’s expression.

Because air conditioning costs a lot for installation and maintenance.

But after receiving tons of enrollment consultation calls, such worries were no longer visible.

“You should install one in the principal’s office too.”

“It’s fine, this level of heat is manageable. But Chaea, do you have air conditioning at your house?”

“No. We don’t have one yet. Since we have to move soon anyway…”

Since the relocation of neighborhood residents due to redevelopment was beginning, we were also a month away from moving.

“It’s hot, so take care of yourself, and don’t sleep with the fan on.”

“The fan? Why not?”

“Good heavens, that’s dangerous talk!”

Misuk’s eyes widened, and then she opened her mouth with an adult’s expression as if she finally had something to teach a child.

* * *

-Amid the continuing heat wave, tragic accident news has been reported. A man in his 40s who fell asleep with a fan on was found dead in a Seoul residence, and police have begun an investigation.

The anchor spoke with a sorrowful expression.

Soon, along with file footage, the reporter’s voice flowed out.

Junho, who was watching the news, sighed heavily.

“Hah… we really need to be careful.”

I blinked and continued watching the news.

Death from a fan is ridiculous.

Moreover, oxygen depletion… I raised my small hand to my forehead.

Fans only circulate air, they don’t consume oxygen, and even in enclosed spaces, the oxygen concentration in a room doesn’t drop enough to cause suffocation.

It was only later that ‘fan death’ became known as an unscientific story like an urban legend, but there certainly were many such news stories in this era.

Junho, who had been looking at the fan in the room as if it were a monster, turned off the fan and handed me a hand fan.

“This won’t do. Let’s turn it back on in two hours.”

Then he looked around to check if the windows were open and inspected again.

Since it was bothersome to refute a story already popularized in this era, I silently accepted the hand fan.

‘By the way… he’s working hard.’

Even while memorizing scripts, Junho was diligently studying English vocabulary.

Thirty words a day consistently, taking tests with me grading them.

And reading beginner comprehension books based on those words and teaching him was what I did every evening.

Junho was also making steady progress, so shall I check my account situation for the first time in a while!

“Noah, show me the graph!”

With a whoosh, Noah smoothly displayed the status window.

[૮₍˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶₎ა]

Since Noah’s upgrades, linking ‘today’s fortune’ for day trading seemed to be quite a good choice,

‘Assets of 1.5 billion, wow.’

I feel full.

‘At this rate, how many Gangnam apartments would that be already?’

* * *

“Did you guys hear that?”

“A transfer student is coming from another preschool!”

“I heard they’re twins?”

The Rabbit Class was buzzing with news of the transfer student.

But… twins?

The faces of two little girls suddenly came to mind, but just as I was thinking “no way,” the front door creaked open.

And together with Teacher Noh Ji-hye, the familiar twins I had seen at Hee-jae’s birthday party last time walked in.

Han Hae-su, Han Hae-deun.

Aren’t they the twin daughters of Geumhae Construction?

But…

“Huh?”

Last time, both of them had their hair in pigtails, but today only Haedeun had pigtails.

In contrast, Haesoo’s… hair was very short?

In other words, like… a boy.

‘The clothes are also Burberry boys’ clothes…?’

No way… could it be?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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