Chapter 104: Catching the Doll (Please Subscribe)

We are all unfortunate people; it is misfortune that brought us together…

Yang Qing’s words cast a faint sadness over everyone present.

Gently, Qin Xue took Yang Qing’s hand.

In that moment, she suddenly understood the meaning behind his words, and also why Jin’er always seemed to deliberately avoid Fang Du’s affection.

It was fear—fear of gaining, and even greater fear of losing again. For the second wound cuts far deeper than the first.

She also realized then that perhaps Yang Qing had long since known her feelings, and that back then, he might have been avoiding them just as Jin’er was now.

Sometimes, gaining something is even more terrifying than losing it.

“Qing, I will always be by your side, and with Qiu’er and the others too,” Qin Xue said, holding his hand tightly; her voice was gentle yet resolute. “Your past may have been full of sorrow, but I promise, the future will be filled with happiness and joy. Believe me!”

“I do,” Yang Qing replied, nodding earnestly.

Their eyes met, and in that instant, their hearts drew even closer.

“Ahem!”

Just then, Wang Ming cleared his throat and said, “Alright, you two. Here we are with all this delicious food, and instead of letting us eat, you insist on feeding us dog food!”

He glared at Yang Qing and added, “Yang, you really need to work on your way with words. Fang is his own person, and we are ourselves. Don’t lump us all together. We care for the little ones too, you know.”

Fang Du shot him a look: “Ming, you’re such a dog!”

No sooner had he said this than a cold gaze fixed on him.

“Eek!” Fang Du shrank back, trying to make himself as small as possible in the corner, hoping to avoid further notice.

“Haha…” Wang Ming laughed at Fang Du, “If you can still curse at me, you must be feeling better. Since you’re back to normal, let’s eat up, and get back to work once we’re done!”

“Alright,” Yang Qing agreed with a smile. After a moment’s thought, he looked at Wang Ying, as if he wanted to say something, but held back.

Wang Ying noticed and asked, “Is something wrong? Just say it if you have something on your mind.”

Yang Qing shook his head. “Let’s talk after the recording.”

“Alright.”

Thanks to Wang Ming, the atmosphere soon returned to normal. As everyone enjoyed the meal, smiles reappeared on their faces.

After breakfast, the group headed once more to the recording studio. Today, Yang Qing was determined to devote himself fully to finishing the last two tracks of the soundtrack.

…

Meanwhile, in the small courtyard, the three little ones had also finished their breakfast, dressed up, and were ready to go out.

“When you’re out, you must listen to Mama Bai and Sister Lingyue, understand?”

Little Qiu’er replied, “Yes, I understand!”

Little Xi’er giggled, “Hee-hee…”

Tan Jin’er glared at her, “Xi’er, I’m talking about you. What are you laughing at?”

“Hee-hee…” Little Xi’er bounced playfully and squeaked, “If we listen to Mama Bai and Sister Lingyue, that means I don’t have to listen to Uncle Bai, right? Sister, I want to go with Uncle Bai! Hee-hee…”

She laughed and pointed at Bai Zhijun, who had come to pick them up.

Bai Zhijun’s forehead wrinkled upward in a kindly fatherly smile.

Tan Jin’er felt so embarrassed she wished she could disappear. She roared, “Xi’er! Must you always be so cheeky to be happy? You’re not allowed to go out today! You’ll stay and help Dong’er wash her little underwear!”

“Hee-hee… No, I want to go out and play!”

With a burst of laughter, Little Xi’er dodged Jin’er’s grabbing hands and spun out of the gate like a happy little top.

“Hee-hee…” Little Qiu’er giggled, “Jin’er, Qiu’er and Xiao Bai will look after Xi’er, right, Xiao Bai?”

Xiao Bai giggled slyly, “Heh-heh… Silly Xi’er, you can’t escape.”

Tan Jin’er nodded, “Alright, I’ll leave Xi’er to you two.”

The two little ones nodded in unison, “Okay!”

Having settled the matter of Xi’er, Tan Jin’er felt a little embarrassed as she turned to Bai Zhijun, “Brother Bai, I didn’t mean it that way just now. Xi’er, she’s just…”

“It’s alright,” Bai Zhijun waved her off with a laugh. “Let’s get going.”

“Okay…”

Bai Zhijun led the two little ones out. Just outside the gate, they spotted Little Xi’er peeking around, and the three joined hands once more.

Outside the “Bai’s Grain and Oil Store,” they met up with Mama Bai and Bai Lingyue, and together they headed straight for the big mall in the city center.

Tomorrow, it would be time to reopen “Bai’s Congee House,” and with Yang Qing’s consent, Bai Lingyue had officially moved into the second floor to become a staff member at Four Seasons Gourmet.

So today, they needed to buy her a single bed, bedding, and other daily necessities.

The Bai couple, coming from the countryside, were quite frugal in their own lives, using old bedding and such. For the children and Bai Lingyue, though, they insisted on buying everything new.

Bai Lingyue couldn’t refuse them, and so today’s trip to the big mall was arranged.

As for the three little ones, they didn’t care about any of that; as long as they could go out to play, they were happy, skipping and laughing all the way.

Their sweet little voices never stopped as they walked into the mall.

“Wow! It’s so big, and there are so many people! Qiu’er, Xiao Bai, look, there are so many kids over there. Let’s go play with them!”

Upon entering, curious Xi’er immediately became the little observer.

“Really! So many kids. What are they playing?” Qiu’er and Xiao Bai exclaimed with innocent wonder.

“They’re playing the claw machine,” Bai Zhijun said, glancing over.

“Nonsense!” Xiao Bai retorted adorably, “Old man, you’re tricking us. The kids are just standing there. How could they be grabbing dolls?”

“Hey! You don’t believe me? Come on, I’ll show you!” Bai Zhijun laughed, rolling up his sleeves.

But before he could step forward, Mama Bai kicked him and scolded, “Don’t you know what your silly kid is like? Do you really think she doesn’t know what a claw machine is?”

Bai Zhijun was stunned for a moment, then looked down to see Xiao Bai gazing at him in disappointment, as if to say, “Old man, you’re useless. You can’t even fulfill my wish to play the claw machine.”

His face darkened. He glared at his silly kid, then turned to Mama Bai, “You need to take Lingyue to buy clothes. If I go, it’ll be awkward. I’ll just take the kids to play for a bit. When you’re done, call me.”

“Alright,” Mama Bai nodded, then asked, “Can you really handle all three?”

Bai Zhijun protested, “Are you questioning the capabilities of a grown man like me?”

Mama Bai looked at him coolly, “Have you run out of goji berry tea?”

Bai Zhijun: ????

Bai Lingyue burst into laughter, then left with Mama Bai. Bai Zhijun watched his wife leave with a look of deep grievance, muttering to himself, before leading the three little ones to the claw machine.

“Let’s catch dolls!”

At the claw machine, the three of them squealed with delight.

“Who wants to go first?” Bai Zhijun had exchanged ten tokens and looked at the three, “Each of you gets three turns.”

“Me, me! Uncle Bai, let Xi’er go first!”

Xi’er bounced up and down, waving her hand, while Qiu’er and Xiao Bai, as if by agreement, didn’t compete with her.

“Alright, Xi’er goes first. But… do you know how to play?”

“Hee-hee… Xi’er doesn’t know!”

Bai Zhijun was speechless.

With a sigh, not wanting to waste money, he waited for a young man nearby to finish helping his girlfriend, then cheerfully asked him to teach the three little ones.

The young man, seeing how adorable they were, readily agreed and patiently showed them how it was done.

A few minutes later, the young man and his girlfriend waved goodbye and left. Bai Zhijun turned again to Xi’er and asked, “Xi’er, do you know how to do it now?”

“Hee-hee… My eyes know how!”

Bai Zhijun: …