Chapter 121: Backed by Mom and Dad

Behind a large water jar in the alley.

Jiang Dai and Bai Tian were squeezed together, crouching behind the jar as they watched the three kids blocking the path ahead.

“What do you think those three kids are doing? Don’t tell me they’re bullies, pulling some kind of shakedown?” Jiang Dai asked.

Bai Tian hesitated. “I think…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the two of them saw their eldest son hand something over. If they weren’t mistaken…

“Was that a copper coin Goudan just gave them?”

Jiang Dai couldn’t help but doubt her own eyes.

Bai Tian nodded, confirming she hadn’t seen wrong.

“So our kid just quietly handed over the coin?” Jiang Dai’s feelings were complicated, but then she added, “Well, I suppose that’s fine. Knowing you can’t win and choosing not to fight head-on is a smart move.”

Bai Tian: ??

It sounded like she was complimenting their child, but why did it feel like she was itching to rush over and beat those three kids up?

That was exactly what Jiang Dai was thinking.

Face? What a joke. Those three kids were clearly bullying the younger ones. What’s wrong with stepping in to help her own?

As soon as their four children walked away, Jiang Dai sprang out and blocked the path of the three boys, who looked to be around ten years old.

“You three! What did you just rob? Hand it over!”

Meanwhile.

Bai Yunqi was happily humming a tune as he led his younger siblings forward, completely unbothered by having just been forced to hand over a coin.

His relaxed mood made his younger siblings glance at him curiously.

Second brother Bai Yunxing was still thinking about what had just happened. He looked down at his hand, wondering if maybe he shouldn’t keep holding back.

【Even if it came to a fight, we wouldn’t have lost. Handing over the coin so quickly… it wasn’t much, but now those three might keep targeting us.】

【This kind of thing, you can’t give in from the start. The moment you compromise, trouble will keep piling up.】

Third brother Bai Yun’an stared at their eldest brother.

【No way. Something’s off.】

【Big brother doesn’t have that good of a temper. And getting robbed yet still looking this cheerful? He’s not that dumb. Unless…】

【Could it be he knew Mom and Dad were following us?】

Juanjuan: ???

She couldn’t help but glance back.

Were Mom and Dad really behind them?

“Big Brother…”

Juanjuan asked curiously, “We just gave them the coin like that?”

Instead of overthinking, might as well just ask directly.

Bai Yunqi turned his head, eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Wanna go back and take a look? See if Mom and Dad gave them a good beating?”

Juanjuan: !!!

Big Brother really is always on the same wavelength as Third Brother!

Bai Yunxing blinked, surprised. He hadn’t expected their parents to actually be following them.

Then again, he still wasn’t used to the personalities of this body’s parents.

These parents were the type to do something like this.

But the ones from the General’s Manor wouldn’t have.

He hadn’t thought it through.

“Big Brother, how did you know Mom and Dad were behind us?” Bai Yun’an asked with an innocent face, calculating in his heart.

Facing his younger brother’s question, Bai Yunqi gave a smug half-smile and tapped his head.

“Use your brain, got it?”

Bai Yun’an: …

【Tsk… I really want to punch him.】

Juanjuan’s eyes lit up. She thought Big Brother, even though he was acting a bit cocky, actually looked kind of cool right now.

Watching from the side, Bai Yunxing: …

A show-off brother, a clueless little brother, and a sister who could admire literally anything.

He couldn’t help but feel out of place among these kids.

No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t compete with actual children.

“Mom and Dad are always worried about us. Now they suddenly agreed to let us go to school alone? Obviously, they’re secretly following us.”

【Please, did they really think the spiritual energy in my body is just for show? There might not be much spiritual energy in this world, but Mom and Dad aren’t cultivators. I can still sense them easily.】

Juanjuan: …

So Big Brother wasn’t using his brain after all?

Bai Yunqi, sticking to his motto of “As long as I don’t say it, no one will know,” clicked his tongue smugly.

“Come on! Let’s go back and see how Mom’s handling them!”

Bai Yunqi figured the timing should be just right. Carrying two shoulder bags, he happily ran back.

【Life here isn’t bad. No demonic cultivators, no annoying sect rules, no daily cultivation, and no fear of being killed. Pretty great!】

【I even get to secretly be the strongest in the family! Wuhu!】

Juanjuan watched her big brother and suddenly felt that maybe he hadn’t looked that cool earlier after all.

But… was Big Brother’s past really that miserable?

He even had to worry about being killed?

Ever since her parents and brothers had “changed,” Juanjuan felt like her once-clever little brain was getting overloaded every day.

There was just too much new information. Sometimes even her dreams were full of chickens—doing laundry, cooking, sweeping…

Terrifying!!

Juanjuan shook her head and quickly ran to catch up with her brothers.

After turning two corners, they returned to the spot where they’d been “robbed.”

Juanjuan peeked out curiously and locked eyes with her parents.

She couldn’t help but let out a soft “Wow.”

Mom and Dad really were there.

The coin in Mom’s hand looked like the one Big Brother had handed over earlier.

And those three boys who had just bolted… probably got a good scolding from Mom!

“Mom! I knew it, you were totally following us!” Bai Yunqi said cheekily, clearly pleased with the surprised looks on their parents’ faces.

Jiang Dai: “Who said we were following you!”

Bai Tian: “We were just passing by! Going to buy some meat!”

The two of them spoke almost in unison.

Jiang Dai reacted quickly, immediately urging the kids, “Hurry up and get to school! Don’t be late or the teacher will punish you!”

“Bai Tian, let’s go, let’s go, time to buy meat!”

She exited the scene with practiced ease, as if she really had just come out to shop and hadn’t been hiding behind a water jar at all.

Bai Tian waved to the kids. “Off to school, now.”

Then he quickly caught up and took the basket from Jiang Dai’s hand.

“Wonder if pork’s gotten any cheaper today.”

“Doesn’t matter. We can afford to eat meat every day now,” Jiang Dai replied.

“Then can I buy a meat pie? You should try it too, see if it’s salty enough. It’s really good!”

“You mean that crispy roasted meat pie…”

The two of them walked off side by side in the opposite direction, their casual conversation fading into the distance.

Juanjuan watched them go, then touched her now-empty pocket and said in her usual oddball way, “Our copper coin’s still gone.”

From the hands of the “robbers” to Mom’s hand—either way, it wasn’t in her pocket anymore.

Bai Yunqi: …

【She’s not wrong, technically.】

“Mom will give us more. Come on, let’s go to school!”

Bai Yunqi tried to steer the conversation away.

It was just a few coins. No big deal. He’d go treasure hunting and make it up to his siblings later.

He decided that in three days, he’d start sneaking out!

He’d keep up the well-behaved act for just three more days!