Chapter Seventy-Three: Mom, Hurry and Teach Him a Lesson!
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The narrow alley, the small courtyard, within the kitchen.
“Brother Bai, can you really do it or not?”
“Hah, how can a man admit defeat? Isn’t it just a Bang-Bang Chicken? I refuse to believe I can’t manage it today!”
Thump, thump, thump...
Yang Qing watched as Bai Zhijun attacked the chicken as if it were his mortal enemy, pounding it with the stick, utterly exasperated.
“Wow, brother, what are you making that smells so good?”
At that moment, Bai Lingyue entered, drawn by the aroma. Seeing Bai Zhijun’s grim expression as he assaulted the chicken on the cutting board, she was stunned.
“Brother! You’re abusing the chicken!”
Yang Qing: ≥﹏≤
What kind of siblings are these? She looked so demure and quiet, but her thoughts were unexpectedly wild.
“Go, shoo!” Bai Zhijun glared at his sister, then thrust the stick towards Yang Qing, grumbling, “You do it!”
Yang Qing: “…You admit you can’t?”
Bai Zhijun: →_→
“Hiahiahia...”
“Brother!”
Just as Yang Qing and Bai Zhijun were exchanging looks, a burst of laughter and an excited childish voice echoed.
“Xiaobai and the others are back!”
Hearing this, Bai Lingyue ran out of the kitchen, overjoyed. She saw three adorable children running hand-in-hand through the gateway.
Three... three girls of the same age... Bai Lingyue stared at them, momentarily bewildered—which one was her little niece?
She realized she had overestimated herself and underestimated the power of time. After more than a year, the tiny figure she remembered had changed so much that she couldn’t recognize her.
Bai Lingyue stood dumbfounded, and the three little girls looked at her, equally confused.
“Big sister, who are you?” Xiao Qiu’er eyed the unfamiliar Bai Lingyue with caution. “Why are you in my house? Where’s my brother?”
As she spoke, she pulled the curious, bouncing Xiao Xi’er behind her.
“Which one are you?” Little Bai, fierce but adorable, looked her up and down with a childish growl, instinctively shielding Xiao Xi’er and Xiao Qiu’er.
Suddenly, Bai Lingyue’s eyes lit up at those words—this fierce little one must be her niece, Xiaobai!
“Haha... Xiaobai, I’m your aunt!” she said, smiling with affection, eyes crinkling as she moved forward to hug Xiaobai. But Xiaobai, fierce as ever, raised her tiny fist and barked,
“Back off! Don’t come any closer, I’m really good at fighting!”
Bai Lingyue: (;_;)
“Pfft! Haha…” Yang Qing, eavesdropping at the kitchen door, couldn’t hold back his laughter. He stepped out, teasing, “Brother Bai, didn’t you say Xiaobai adored her aunt? How come their first meeting looks like a showdown, haha…”
Bai Zhijun grinned sheepishly, watching Xiaobai with her raised fist, shrugging helplessly, “It’s been over a year; the little rascal has forgotten her aunt.”
“Brother! Uncle Bai!”
Seeing Yang Qing and Bai Zhijun appear, Xiao Qiu’er breathed a sigh of relief and happily hopped to Yang Qing’s side, blinking curiously at Bai Lingyue, still facing off with Xiaobai. “Brother, who is this big sister? Why is she in our house?”
“She’s Xiaobai’s aunt,” Yang Qing said, gently patting her little head. “She’s visiting us because I invited her.”
“Aunt!” Xiao Qiu’er’s big eyes sparkled in surprise as she looked from Bai Lingyue to Xiaobai.
Xiao Xi’er, meanwhile, had already thrown herself into the moment. She ran up to Bai Lingyue, bubbling with excitement, “Hello, Aunt! I’m Xi’er, Xiaobai’s very best friend, hiahiahia…”
“And hello to you, Xi’er, you’re so adorable,” Bai Lingyue replied with a gentle smile, her gaze shifting to Xiaobai, filled with hope—hoping to hear her call her ‘aunt,’ hoping she would run into her arms.
The bond of blood stirs deeper affection than any other.
But to Xiaobai, the sudden appearance of a strange aunt was difficult to comprehend and accept. Just then, voices from the gate caught her attention. She spun around, her watermelon-shaped head bobbing as she dashed out.
“Mama! Dad brought home a girl and told me to call her aunt! Come beat him up!”
Xiaobai’s childish shout rang out, plunging the courtyard into an odd silence.
Xiao Xi’er’s mouth gaped in surprise, Xiao Qiu’er stared wide-eyed, Yang Qing’s expression twisted between wanting to laugh and being unsure why he couldn’t.
Bai Lingyue stood there, dazed. She had imagined many scenarios for meeting Xiaobai, but not this one—a scene that left her disappointed and hurt.
Bai Zhijun was no longer grinning, but instead rolled up his sleeves, his face dark as he muttered, “This little rascal! Such a brat, I’ll twist her little butt into a pretzel today! Then I’ll hurry up and practice with a new account!”
…
“Lingyue!”
Bai Mama, led by Xiaobai, entered the courtyard. Seeing Bai Lingyue’s forlorn expression, she called out in shock and delight.
“Sister-in-law…” Bai Lingyue forced a smile, looking at Bai Mama. “I wanted to surprise you and Xiaobai, but…”
“Ah, this little rascal!” Bai Mama, experienced as she was, could easily read Bai Lingyue’s heart. She took her hand kindly, saying, “Don’t take it to heart. It’s been over a year since you and the little rascal saw each other; it’s normal she doesn’t recognize you. Once you spend more time together, it’ll be fine.”
With that, she turned to Xiaobai at her feet and called, “Say ‘aunt!’”
“Aunt…” Xiaobai mumbled, unwilling, and then scampered off to join her two friends.
Bai Lingyue watched Xiaobai run away, still feeling a little disappointed—she truly loved her little niece and wanted nothing more than to hug her.
“It’s alright, there’s plenty of time ahead. Once she clings to you, you’ll be tired of it,” Bai Mama comforted her, holding her hand.
“Yes, Sister-in-law. These girls are…” Bai Lingyue nodded and looked curiously at Chun’er and Qin Xue, who had just entered.
“Oh, let me introduce you,” Bai Mama said, leading Bai Lingyue around to meet the children and two young women in the courtyard. Laughter soon filled the air.
Yang Qing dragged the disgruntled Bai Zhijun back into the kitchen, while the three girls brought out little stools, sitting by the vegetable patch, sneaking glances at Bai Lingyue chatting with Bai Mama and the others, whispering curiously among themselves.
Xiao Xi’er, ever the most inquisitive, said, her eyes bright, “Xiaobai, your aunt is so pretty! Just like my sister! But… but what’s an aunt?”
“I don’t know either,” Xiaobai said, rubbing her watermelon-shaped head. “I’ve never seen her before!”
“Xiaobai, you have seen her, but you’ve forgotten,” Xiao Qiu’er giggled. “Uncle Bai said you met your aunt when you were little.”
“Back off! I don’t know what to say!” Xiaobai sighed, “I’m still just a little kid, how am I supposed to remember?”
“Mm-hmm, so Xiaobai, we should go apologize to your aunt,” Xiao Qiu’er said earnestly. “She seemed really sad just now; she really likes you.”
“I... I…” Xiaobai hesitated, but as she struggled, one little one had no hesitation at all.
“Hiahiahia…” Xiao Xi’er laughed and bounced over.
Zoom!
She bounded in front of the three women chatting, first looking at her own sister, Tan Jin’er, then at Bai Lingyue. Without waiting for her sister to ask, she grinned and said, “Aunt, sorry, Xiaobai didn’t mean it! She’s still a child, she doesn’t remember you! Please don’t be mad at her, okay?”
The three women were stunned, Bai Lingyue most of all, gazing at the little girl, moved beyond words.
Just then, Xiaobai and Xiao Qiu’er ran over hand in hand.
Xiaobai looked at Bai Lingyue, scratching her watermelon head, a shy smile on her face as she said, “Aunt, sorry, I didn’t mean to forget you! I’m still just a kid!”
“Yes… yes!” Bai Lingyue was so touched by their apology that tears glimmered in her eyes.
She gently took Xiaobai’s little hand, saying softly, “You’ve grown so big and so adorable. I didn’t recognize you just now either, and that’s my fault. Will you forgive me too?”
“Okay!”
“Hiahiahia... Xiaobai, quick, give aunt a kiss!” Xiao Xi’er laughed and bounced, and the whole courtyard was filled with warmth and joy.