"Why bother? Children are like grass; a little water is enough to keep them alive."
Miranda curled her lips slightly, and I ignored her.
She continued talking, "Elise is really unreasonable. The kindergarten offers a free dinner, but she refuses to eat it, insisting on having chicken nuggets that costs tens of dollars after school. What a waste of money!"
I offered a faint smile, choosing not to interfere.
She continued, grinding her teeth, "I was so angry I scolded her. She cried and promised that she would eat plenty of the free meals at kindergarten."
With a self-satisfied air, she said, "That's the right attitude!"
I scoffed inwardly. Miranda treated raising children like an investment focused on cost-effectiveness, always suppressing Elise's true needs. A child growing up this way would surely become sensitive and insecure.
My relationship with Miranda gradually grew distant. I began to deliberately avoid her. We transitioned from being close friends to just ordinary neighbors.
Vivian's personality was vastly different from her previous life.