Lin Wantang pressed Jasper's tiny hand against the wrought‑iron gate of Golden Ivy Kindergarten, heart thudding. Morning sunlight slanted through maple leaves, casting dancing shadows on stone pavers. The campus smelled of fresh paint and polished wood—a stark contrast to the tense silence in her chest.
“Stay close, Jasper," she murmured, smoothing his hair. He clutched his dragon‑carved jade keepsake—her gift for good behavior.
“Okay, Mommy." He peered through the gate at a row of uniformed children lining up. A portrait of Old Madam Qi presided over the entrance, her gaze stern yet proud.
An attendant in a Qi Foundation polo stepped forward. “Ms. Lin? We have your paperwork." She handed Wantang a manila folder stamped **“Confidential – Vendor & Guardian."**
Wantang offered a grateful
