Chapter 66: Mengmeng’s Mischief

Watching his childhood friend so full of ambition, Cao Zhen couldn’t help but interrupt, “You’re planting so much, but how are you going to sell it?”

“As far as I know, fruits are seasonal. You can’t always guarantee a good price every season,” he added.

“Figure it out! A living person won’t be stifled by such trivial matters!” Cao Shujie was completely unconcerned.

Seeing that Cao Shujie wasn’t worried, Cao Zhen didn’t press further.

With Cao Zhen in the car, Cao Shujie drove straight into Mingbo Textile. After parking, he pulled Cao Zhen along to his office.

It was a row of single-story buildings.

As the head of logistics at the factory, Cao Zhen had his own office. The room wasn’t large, but it was fully equipped with a desk, chairs, a filing cabinet, and a sofa for guests.

Cao Zhen took out a box of tea from the cabinet. “This is good tea. I don’t usually bring it out for just anyone. Give it a try.”

“You bought this? The packaging alone looks expensive!” Cao Shujie recognized its value.

Cao Zhen shook his head. “I’d be crazy to spend over a thousand on this. Someone gave it to my uncle, and I just took it from him.”

Hearing this, Cao Shujie didn’t say anything more, and the two chatted over tea.

During their conversation, Cao Shujie didn’t forget to call his wife, Cheng Xiaolin, to let her know he wouldn’t be coming home that night, as he was staying in the county to catch up with Cao Zhen and the others.

…

At Cao Family Village, in Cao Shujie’s home.

It was too hot outside, so Mengmeng stayed indoors, running around wildly.

Watching her daughter run, with her little bottom swaying as if she might fall at any moment, Cheng Xiaolin was worried. “Mengmeng, slow down!”

“Hee hee!” Mengmeng ignored her mother’s advice.

Wang Yuelan came in from outside, carrying a bag of bananas. Seeing her granddaughter, she called out, “Mengmeng, want a banana?”

“No!” Mengmeng, like a whirlwind, was too busy running to eat.

“Mengmeng, your clothes are soaked through. Stop and rest for a bit,” Wang Yuelan urged, seeing her granddaughter’s clothes sticking to her skin.

Mengmeng still wouldn’t listen. “Grandmother, move aside, you’re in my way.”

“…” Wang Yuelan quickly stepped aside as her granddaughter zipped past, worried she might trip her.

“Linlin, have a banana,” Wang Yuelan offered, breaking off a few and placing them in front of her daughter-in-law.

Seeing her mother-in-law break off five bananas at once, Cheng Xiaolin quickly waved her hands. “Mom, I can’t eat that many.”

“There’s nothing much to do at home, just eat them for fun,” Wang Yuelan said, peeling one for herself, intending to give it to her granddaughter.

At this point, Cheng Xiaolin said, “Mom, Shujie called earlier. He said he’s staying in the county tonight to meet with Zhen and the others, so we don’t need to wait for him for dinner.”

“Did he get everything sorted?” Wang Yuelan asked curiously.

Cheng Xiaolin nodded. “I asked him earlier. He said the documents have been submitted to the Forestry Bureau, and it should be fine.”

“That’s good!” Wang Yuelan nodded.

“Mommy, let’s go outside to play,” Mengmeng said, feeling constrained indoors and eyeing the vast world outside.

Hearing this, Cheng Xiaolin felt a headache coming on. “Mengmeng, it’s so hot outside. If you go out, you’ll get sunburned and turn into a little black duckling.”

“Play!” Mengmeng was undeterred.

Before her mother could get up, Mengmeng turned and ran outside. But she forgot about the small slope from the door to the yard.

She ran straight ahead. Even adults found it hard to stop on the slope without falling, let alone a little girl. Unsurprisingly, Mengmeng lost her footing and fell.

The concrete ground was hard, and falling on it hurt. Mengmeng’s cries immediately echoed in the yard.

Her wails startled Wang Yuelan and Cheng Xiaolin, causing them to drop the bananas on the table and rush outside.

“Mengmeng, Mengmeng, where does it hurt?” Cheng Xiaolin picked her daughter up from the ground, not even brushing off the dirt as she checked her over.

Mengmeng, seeing her mother and grandmother, raised her hand to show them the back of it, her cries growing louder.

“Oh dear, her skin’s broken. I’ll get some tissues to clean it up,” Wang Yuelan said, hurrying back inside to fetch some tissues.

Cheng Xiaolin, feeling both heartbroken and guilty, knew Mengmeng was at a mischievous age and wouldn’t listen to advice.

“Mengmeng, be a good girl. You’re a brave and strong little princess. Princesses don’t cry,” Cheng Xiaolin coaxed.

It worked. Mengmeng, who had been crying loudly, soon stopped, sniffling as she looked at her mother, her face smeared with snot and tears, making Cheng Xiaolin wince.

Her mother-in-law, Wang Yuelan, returned with tissues and wet wipes. Cheng Xiaolin cleaned Mengmeng’s face, wiped the dirt from around her wound, and used a tissue to gently clean the blood. “Look, Mengmeng, it’s not bleeding anymore.”

After three or four minutes, Mengmeng waved her little hand, realizing it had indeed stopped bleeding. She forgot the pain. “Mommy, hee hee, it’s better.”

“I told you, Mengmeng, look how hot it is outside. Let’s go inside where it’s cool, okay?” Cheng Xiaolin tried to persuade her.

But it was no use. Mengmeng was determined to go outside.

When Cheng Xiaolin tried to drag her back inside, Mengmeng stubbornly knelt on the ground, arms spread wide, head tilted back to look at the sky, her body limp as if she had no bones, relying on her mother to keep her from lying flat on the ground.

No matter how her mother tried to pull her inside, she refused to stand up.

“Mengmeng, if you keep being naughty, I’ll spank you,” Cheng Xiaolin warned through gritted teeth.

She wasn’t bluffing.

But Mengmeng, like a pig unafraid of boiling water, was set on going out to play, ignoring whatever her mother said.

When Cheng Xiaolin let go, Mengmeng lay on the ground, watching her mother and grandmother with a look that said, “If you don’t let me out, I’m not getting up.”

“Mengmeng, are you being naughty again?” Cheng Xiaolin lifted her foot, pretending to kick her. Recognizing the threat, Mengmeng quickly rolled away, running to her Grandmother for protection.

Wang Yuelan couldn’t help but smile wryly. She thought Mengmeng had come to her senses and quickly peeled a banana for her. “Mengmeng, have a banana first. I’ll take you out to play later, okay?”

“I don’t want it, I want to play.” Mengmeng couldn’t stand staying indoors for even a moment.

Cheng Xiaolin was furious. “Mom, don’t worry about her. I need to teach her a lesson today so she’ll remember.”

Hearing that her mom still intended to spank her, Mengmeng didn’t wait around. She turned and ran for the door.

But before she could escape, Cheng Xiaolin, who was ready for this, swiftly grabbed her by the collar and pulled her back, placing her on her lap. With her free hand, she gave her daughter a few firm smacks on the bottom.

This time, Mengmeng cried even harder than when she had fallen earlier. Wang Yuelan couldn’t bear to watch and thought about persuading her daughter-in-law, but Cheng Xiaolin said directly, “Mom, don’t interfere. She won’t learn unless she’s disciplined.”

Wang Yuelan, unable to watch any longer, went to prepare dinner.

…

The next morning, Cao Shujie drove back to Cao Family Village from the county. As soon as he parked and entered the house, Mengmeng ran over and hugged his legs. “Daddy, Mommy hit me. You should hit her!”

She had gone to tattle!

Mengmeng believed in swift revenge!

(End of chapter)