Chapter 168: No Way! (Subscription Requested)

At 4:30 PM, little Xiao Bai finished school and came home. The little one was in high spirits, carrying her small backpack and skipping all the way into the little shop.

Not far behind her walked the Spring and Summer twins, both in similarly cheerful moods. Tomorrow was Saturday and the start of the weekend break, so school let out rather early this Friday.

Furthermore, with final exams approaching, the twins' little artist training classes had been temporarily suspended and would resume only during the summer vacation.

"You little rascal! Come out quick! I'm back!"

As soon as she stepped into the shop, Xiao Bai shouted happily in her baby voice and then darted upstairs like a gust of wind.

"Sigh..."

Bai Lingyue had wanted to call out to her, but the little toddler bolted by too fast for her to catch.

"Jin'er, do you think Xiao Bai will throw a tantrum when she finds out Qiu'er and Xi'er are gone?" Bai Lingyue asked with a playful smile.

Tan Jin'er replied, "I don't think..."

"Where are they?! You little rascal! Damn it! Where did you run off to? Crawl out here right now!"

Before Tan Jin'er could finish her sentence, she heard Xiao Bai's roaring baby voice coming from upstairs. With a gentle smile and a shake of her head, she said, "Misjudged that one..."

"Haha..."

Bai Lingyue laughed out loud. Then, seeing the Spring and Summer twins step into the shop and greet her and Jin'er, she smiled and said, "Chun'er, Xia'er, you two go keep Xiao Bai company. Don't let her worry herself to tears."

"Hee hee... Xiao Bai won't cry. Xiao Bai is very strong," little Xia'er said with a smile.

Hearing Xiao Bai's fierce little roars, little Chun'er paused for a moment and then asked curiously, "Sister Lingyue, where are Qiu'er and Xi'er? Aren't they home?"

"Mm," Bai Lingyue nodded. "Brother Hao took them to the beach to play."

"The beach!"

The two little ones cried out in unison, their eyes instantly filled with envy.

Bai Lingyue: (??。??）

Did I say something wrong? Why do I suddenly feel like you two are about to throw tantrums as well?

"Sigh..."

After a moment, little Xia'er let out a cute sigh, took little Chun'er's hand, and said, "Sister, let's go."

"Mm..."

Little Chun'er nodded, and carrying their small backpacks, the two little ones went upstairs. As soon as they reached the second floor, they saw Xiao Bai frantically searching for the little ones.

"Not here! How can it not be here! Bang!"

Xiao Bai angrily slammed the small drawer of the TV cabinet shut. Then, dropping to all fours, she tilted her little head and peered into the gap of the sofa.

"Rubbish! Where on earth did the little rascal hide?!"

Xiao Bai muttered in frustration, and immediately her little legs pattered over to the small refrigerator, which she opened and rummaged through...

"Ah! I'm so mad my ghost is smoking!"

The little toddlers were nowhere to be found in the small refrigerator. Pouting her cheeks in anger, Xiao Bai picked up a bottle of Little Bear milk beverage, popped it open, and gulped it down.

Little Chun'er: (；☉_☉)
Little Xia'er: (◎。◎)

Both of them were utterly dumbfounded by little Xiao Bai. Can people hide inside a refrigerator?! Aren't you afraid of freezing into a little ice sculpture?!

"Xiao Bai..."

After watching for a moment, little Chun'er called out.

"Sister Chun'er! Bad news!"

Hearing the voice, Xiao Bai turned around and ran excitedly over to the two of them, crying out in her baby voice, "The little rascals are gone!"

"Hee hee..."

Xia'er smiled and reached out two small fingers to pinch Xiao Bai's chubby cheek, saying crisply, "Qiu'er and the others were taken to the beach by Brother Hao!"

"The beach!"

Xiao Bai's eyes widened in astonishment. A moment later, she rubbed her pinched cheek, tossed her watermelon-style bob, raised her tiny fists, and declared with fierce cuteness:

"Rubbish! You're not allowed to pinch my face! I'll hit you!"

"Hee hee... Come and hit me!"

Xia'er giggled and reached out her little fingers for another pinch, but Xiao Bai dodged away.

"Don't run, Xiao Bai, let Sister pinch you again!"

"Rubbish! I'm going to throw a tantrum now! I'm going to spank you!"

"Hee hee... Come on!"

In an instant, Xia'er and Xiao Bai were chasing each other around in play, and Xiao Bai's frustration and disappointment over not finding her little best friends faded away.

Little Chun'er smiled as she watched the two playing. Then, picking up the small backpacks they had tossed on the floor, she said:

"Xia'er, Xiao Bai, stop playing. Let's go wash the school uniforms and the bedsheets!"

"Coming!" Xia'er replied. Then she grabbed the roaring Xiao Bai and said softly, "Xiao Bai, go change out of your little school uniform quickly, and Sister will wash it for you."

"Mm, okay!" Xiao Bai nodded. "I'll wash them with you guys."

"Silly baby, you don't have to," Xia'er seized the opportunity to pinch her cheek again and laughed loudly. "There's a washing machine. We'll use the washing machine, and then we can clean the room."

"Darn it!"

Ambushed, a slightly annoyed Xiao Bai gave Xia'er's little bottom a light pat, then zipped off into the small bedroom.

"Hee hee... Xiao Bai's better now."

Xia'er cast a triumphant smile toward little Chun'er, and then the two little ones went back to their room to change their clothes.

A short while later, the changed Spring and Summer twins walked into Xiao Bai's bedroom carrying the replaced school uniforms, bedsheets, and quilt covers.

"Xiao Bai, what are you doing?"

As soon as she entered, little Chun'er looked at Xiao Bai, who was tugging fiercely at the bedsheet, and said speechlessly, "You have to move the little quilt and pillow aside first. That's the only way to pull off the bedsheet."

"Huo huo! I'm a strongwoman!"

Xiao Bai turned back with a roaring laugh and pulled even harder, baring her little milk teeth.

"Smack!"

Xia'er stepped forward and gave her a light pat on the bottom, looking cute and fierce: "You're going to tear the bedsheet if you pull like that."

"Damn it! I quit!" Xiao Bai growled angrily.

"Hee hee, don't like that. Sister was wrong. Don't be mad, Xiao Bai, Sister is saying sorry to you." Xia'er hurriedly apologized with a smile.

"Hmph!"

Little Xiao Bai turned her watermelon bob away with proud disdain.

"All right, stop fooling around. Let's get to work quickly."

With a smile, little Chun'er stepped forward, and together with Xia'er, they managed to pull off the bedsheet and quilt cover.

"Xia'er, I'll go wash the clothes. You and Xiao Bai fold their little outfits neatly and put them in the wardrobe."

"Mm-hm, okay."

After that, little Chun'er went to do the laundry, while little Xia'er and Xiao Bai began organizing the clothes.

Amidst much joy and laughter, little Xia'er taught Xiao Bai how to quickly fold small garments while telling her a little story.

Xiao Bai became utterly captivated, constantly asking in her baby voice: Will the little princess die? Why doesn't her father go save her? Why did the frog turn into a prince? Does he have magic...

"All right, the little clothes are folded."

Xia'er put the neatly folded clothes into the small wardrobe, and looking at Xiao Bai, who was anxiously tugging at her watermelon bob, she smiled and said:

"Want to know if the prince has magic? Then come mop the floor with Sister, and Sister will keep telling you the story."

"Okay! Xia'er, let's go mop the floor quickly! I'll go wash the mop!"

"Hee hee... I'll go with you."

...

In the office of Qingyun Wendao Publishing House, Yang Qing closed his notebook, stood up, and said solemnly to Yan Daowen, "Brother Yan, thank you."

"Hey, don't mention it," Yan Daowen waved his hand. "I already said, you pay and I handle it, no need to be like this."

"No," Yang Qing said earnestly. "Knowledge is priceless. Regardless of the reason or excuse, respecting one's teacher is essential."

"Mm..."

Yan Daowen looked startled at these words. He gazed earnestly at Yang Qing, then patted him on the shoulder with a smile and said:

"Go back. Come over tomorrow morning at eight."

"Alright, goodbye, Brother Yan."

Stepping out of Qingyun Wendao Publishing House, Yang Qing hailed a cab and returned straight to his little shop.

"Brother Qing, you're back."

"Mm, you've worked hard, Jin'er. I'll go change my clothes and come down to relieve you."

"It's fine, Brother Qing, rest for a bit. I'm not tired," Tan Jin'er said with a smile.

"You..." Yang Qing shook his head with a smile and headed up to the second floor.

"Thump!"

Just as he planted one foot on the second-floor landing, a little toddler darted toward him like a streak.

"Uh... Xiao Bai, what's wrong?"

Seeing the little girl run up and block his path, lowering her little head to stare silently at the foot he had just stepped forward with, Yang Qing asked in bewilderment.

"Lift your foot!"

With a soft roar from Xiao Bai, Yang Qing hurriedly lifted his foot, only to see a clear shoeprint left behind on the floorboards.

"Rubbish!"