Chapter 109: Da Chui Cried, Juanjuan Laughed

Da Chui was crying, and it wasn’t the kind of crying you could just stop at will.

Especially when he looked around the courtyard and saw that the rest of the Bai family was there—everyone except his dear friend, little sister Juanjuan.

A bold thought popped into Da Chui’s head.

Could it be that Juanjuan had already left?

He cried even harder. “J-Juanjuan… where’s Juanjuan?!”

Bai Yunqi helpfully pointed. “Behind you.”

Da Chui turned around almost instantly, only to find the doorway behind him completely empty.

Da Chui: …

“You’re lying! Where’s Juanjuan?!”

“Uncle Bai, Juanjuan—”

Bai Yunxing said calmly, “She’s behind you.”

Da Chui stammered, “You mean—”

Bai Yun’an chuckled softly as he watched his little sister standing at the doorway, looking a bit dumbfounded, while Da Chui, still bawling his eyes out, refused to believe his second brother.

【This is honestly hilarious.】

“Brother Dachui? What are you doing?”

Juanjuan stood at the doorway. Just a moment ago, the neighbor had asked her to help take some measurements for a child’s clothes—apparently for a relative’s kid who was about half a year younger than her, roughly the same height.

So she’d stood there like a little mannequin for a while.

She hadn’t even made it back to her own door when she heard Brother Dachui crying his heart out, calling her name.

The scene felt oddly familiar.

Not long ago, someone in the village had passed away, and people had been wailing just like this.

The moment Da Chui heard Juanjuan’s voice, his brain hadn’t even caught up, but his feet were already moving.

He spun around and dashed toward the door.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire Bai family, he threw his arms around Juanjuan.

Tears and snot streaming down his face, he sobbed, “Please don’t go!”

Bai Tian: …

“If you’re leaving, can’t you stay at my house instead…?”

It was clear Da Chui had cried himself silly. His mind was a mess, and he was saying whatever came to his mouth.

“Remember how you used to be the mom, and I was the dad¹…?”

With a loud clang, Bai Tian tossed the spoon into the pot, then fished it out and handed it to his second son.

He rolled up his sleeves and stormed outside.

Damn it!

【I only have one daughter! She’s been through so much already. Now that I’m finally back and making money, I’m planning to spoil her, let her eat well and live well—and this brat dares say something like that?!】

【No way! I’m furious! Absolutely livid!】

And it wasn’t just Bai Tian.

Even Bai Yun’an, who had been watching the scene unfold with amusement, stopped smiling.

【I haven’t even decided whether to take Juanjuan with me yet, and you’re already jumping the gun? Talking about being dad and mom? Dream on!】

Seeing both her father and third brother heading her way, Juanjuan glanced at Da Chui.

Her instincts told her—

Da Chui was probably going to cry again soon. This time, from getting beaten up.

“Alright, stop crying…”

Juanjuan tried to soothe him as she gently pushed him away.

Bai Tian: 【Even my own daughter has never comforted me like that!!!!】

Bai Yun’an: 【Heh! Fine, I could cry too, but to cry like that… forget it.】

Juanjuan: ??!

Whatever. Forget Dad and Third Brother.

Juanjuan grabbed Da Chui’s hand and took off running.

It’s fine.

Now Dad and Third Brother can’t lock the door and beat the dog²—

(Da Chui: ? Juanjuan? Something feels off here?)

As long as she brought Da Chui to his own house, Dad and Third Brother wouldn’t be able to hit him!

Juanjuan secretly praised herself in her heart.

And so—

Bai Tian could only watch in stunned silence as his daughter, full of swagger, dragged the tear-streaked Da Chui from next door and ran off.

Brilliant!

He was absolutely floored.

Bai Yun’an stopped in his tracks and looked at his father. “Dad, I want to beat up Da Chui.”

Bai Tian replied, “Me too. But we can’t.”

“Oh.”

Bai Yun’an gave a short reply, then went back to work.

Though in his mind, he was already considering whether he should give Da Chui a beating tonight.

No, too violent. That’s not good.

Better to frame him instead!

Let Granny Wang give him a good scolding!

Juanjuan had just managed to calm Da Chui down when she saw her mother and Granny Wang walking out of the house.

Granny Wang spotted the two little ones at the door.

Naturally, she also saw the now-clean, slightly chubbier little cutie.

And the snot-and-tears-covered Da Chui, sleeves filthy and face a mess.

“Grandma Wang.”

Juanjuan gave her grandma a sweet smile and greeted her politely.

“Mm, Juanjuan~”

Granny Wang responded with warmth and affection.

Then she turned to look at her own grandson, who was stiff-necked and clearly itching to run away, afraid of getting scolded.

“Wang Dachui! Get over here!”

Granny Wang moved fast, grabbing Da Chui—who was already crying again—by the collar.

“Juanjuan, go home and come play with Da Chui after dinner. Grandma has something to say to him.”

Juanjuan nodded and took her mother’s hand. “Then I’ll come find Brother Dachui later.”

Da Chui: “Juanjuan…”

Granny Wang dragged Da Chui home. “Can’t you be a little more sensible? When your little uncle went off to school, you didn’t cry! You were grinning from ear to ear back then!”

As Juanjuan listened to Granny Wang scolding Brother Dachui from behind, her little face lit up with amusement.

She puffed out her cheeks like a little fish blowing bubbles, then felt a bit sore and settled down obediently.

Holding her mother’s hand, she skipped along the path home, clearly in a great mood.

It was the joy of watching a friend get into trouble.

“If you’re moving away, and Da Chui cried like that, don’t you feel bad for him?” Jiang Dai asked.

Juanjuan looked up at her mother and smiled, her little face bright and cheerful. “Mama, let me tell you something!”

She stopped walking and waved Jiang Dai over.

Curious and a bit puzzled, Jiang Dai squatted down to listen.

“I told Brother Dachui that even though he’s going to school, we can still play together! And then he cried even harder.”

“Because…”

Juanjuan had even learned how to build suspense.

“Because what?”

Jiang Dai played along.

“Because Brother Dachui doesn’t like studying. He cried because he has to go to school.”

Jiang Dai looked at her clever, mischievous little Juanjuan and couldn’t help but laugh.

This was good—this was exactly how a child should be.

When talking about friends, she showed this playful, innocent side.

Jiang Dai didn’t think Juanjuan would fall for Da Chui or anything.

The kids were still young.

She herself had played with the neighbor’s boy when she was little. And what happened?

They grew up and stopped playing. Now they just nod hello when they pass by.

Let everything happen naturally.

Juanjuan was still small, still so adorable!

She was going to raise her daughter well.

Mutual affection—that’s what brings the most joy!

Translator’s Notes