Chapter 545 Laugh While You Still Can
The children sat in the same row as the bus made its rounds to collect the other students who had signed up for the day trip.
The boys voiced their concern for Sophia for shouldering the burden of having to haul the flask by herself.
“Why don’t you let me carry it for you, Sophia,” offered Franklin. “The flask looks awfully heavy.”
Sophia shook her head vigorously.
“It’s not heavy at all!” she responded earnestly, her squeaky voice barely concealing her fierce resolve. “I want to find the whitest patch of snow and bring some back for Mommy!”
Sophia’s siblings did not press the matter further in the face of their sister’s determination.
“How about letting each of us carry your backpack for you in turn, then?” Clayton suggested after a pause.
“That leaves you free with only the flask to hold. Without the weight on your back, you will be lighter on your feet to hunt for snow! What do you say, Sophia?”
Sophia considered it and thought that it was a more efficient solution than her own.
She unzipped her backpack to extract the flask before handing the backpack to her brothers.
“Thank you, guys!”
After every student who had signed up for the trip had been collected, the bus took off for the ski resort exactly at the appointed time.
Xavian and Clayton had seen snow with Natalie before. On the other hand, Franklin and Sophia grew up in Dellmoor. Even the prospect of playing with artificial snow thrilled them to no end.
Sophia slipped on her bunny mittens and hugged the flask. Her smile was wide in anticipation for the day ahead.
A woman seated at the frontmost row of the bus turned around to gaze at Sophia. Then, a meaningful smile appeared across her lips as she did so.
Laugh while you still can, little girl. You might never laugh again once I’m through with you.
“All of the children in this class belong to powerful people in Dellmoor,” the teacher who sat next to the woman explained when he noticed that she was watching them. “Especially the four kids sitting in the third row from the back. You’re new, aren’t you? You may not know this, but those kids are the children of the director of the conglomerate which owns this kindergarten. You must keep a close eye on them when we get to the resort. If they had a scratch on the knee, we’ll be doomed! Do not let them out of your sight for even a second.”
“I understand, Mr. Yoan.” The woman smiled sweetly.
“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Mr. Yoan sighed. “Sometimes I realize how ridiculous it is for me to be fawning over children who can barely read the alphabet before I even have kids of my own. To think that this bunch of kids were born with more than I could ever achieve!”
“You’re single too, Mr. Yoan?” the woman exclaimed with a giggle as she clung to Mr. Yoan’s arm. “What a coincidence. Me too!”
Mr. Yoan gave a crooked grin as his heart skipped a beat at her suggestive remark.
After being on the road for ninety minutes, the bus finally rolled to a halt outside of the entrance to the ski resort.
That particular resort differed from others of its kind in the sense that the majority of its attractions, including the U-bend, were situated outdoors. Given the scarcity of snowfall in Dellmoor, the amount of snow needed to furnish the ski resort was the result of very costly machinery and maintenance.
That was also the reason why the patrons of that establishment consisted mostly of the immensely wealthy.
“We’re here!”
When the bus doors threw open, the heirs of Dellmoor’s richest and most powerful came tumbling out in fervent excitement.
Xavian and Clayton were excited too as they have not seen snow in a long time. Franklin and Sophia, on the other hand, never had the opportunity. Without waiting to be granted permission, they bent down to pick up a handful of snow and stared with wonder at how it melted in their hands.
Mr. Yoan summoned the students to an assembly with a short blast of the whistle and led the party to get dressed in ski gear.
As the gear distributed out to all of the students of similar heights was identical, the children had trouble identifying each other through their goggles.
“Franklin, is that you?” Sophia called, squinting as she did so.
“I’m not Franklin,” Xavian said as he pushed his goggles up. “Everybody looks the same here in this huge complex. Stay close to us, Sophia.”
