"In short, Huzi can't go on like this. Eat properly, do you hear me?"
Xie Sui's stern face, his imposing aura, prevented Huzi from being mischievous. He obediently started eating.
Children are very perceptive; they know how to read adults' moods. Don't think they don't understand; they're just testing your limits.
That's why they say there are no unruly children, only unruly parents.
By the end of the meal, Huzi was a bit subdued. Xie Lan and her husband felt sorry for him, but they didn't dare to argue with Xie Sui.
After dinner, it wasn't completely dark yet, so they could head back. The two villages weren't far apart, less than half an hour's journey.
As they were leaving, Huzi acted up again. He wanted the tin frogs belonging to Doudou and Dingding and refused to let go, whining with all his might, "Mom, I want one too! Doudou and Dingding have several. What's wrong with giving me one?"
Doudou and Dingding were unhappy. They wanted their frogs to play with their friends, and they could even make money from them.
Lin Wanwan found it awkward to speak, so she gently patted the child's head. After all, she was his aunt, a relative.
"No."
Huzi burst into tears. Xie Lan hesitated, "Xiao Sui, Doudou and Dingding have several frogs. What's wrong with Huzi playing with one?"
She could endure hardship herself, but she couldn't bear to see her child suffer. This wasn't an unreasonable request, was it? It wasn't like he was asking for their only one.
Zhao Xiue also said, "Forget it, give it to him. You can buy him another one later."
"No."
Xie Sui added, "This isn't about one frog; it's about principle."
"I have plenty of things at home, and plenty of money. How about I give you all of it?"
"If a child offers something willingly, they can have it. But this method is outright snatching, it's being a rogue. Sister, do you want your child to grow up to be a rogue?"
Huzi grumbled, his pride wounded, yet unwilling to part with the frog. In anger, he threw it on the ground, shattering it into pieces. "Who needs your stupid frogs anyway? I don't want them if you won't give them!"
Xie Sui was so furious he felt like spanking him. What a spoiled brat, a little scamp who needed discipline.
"Mom, Mom..."
Seeing Xie Sui's menacing glare, as if he were about to devour someone, Huzi was terrified and hid behind Xie Lan. He knew he had caused trouble.
"Xiao Sui, don't scare the child. He just got out of the hospital..."
Xie Lan hadn't expected it to turn out this way and looked at him pleadingly.
"Just getting out of the hospital isn't an excuse for misbehavior. I saved his life. If I don't discipline him and he turns out spoiled and wayward, it will be my fault."
"Huzi, come out. If you're a man, you'll take responsibility for your actions. Apologize to your uncle, or you're never welcome at my house again. No one likes an ill-mannered child."
"Waaaa..."
Huzi wailed. Xie Sui roared again, "Cry outside. Your tears are useless here."
Li Wenjun lowered his head, not taking a side. He didn't dislike his son, but he felt Xie Sui was right, and Xie Lan was spoiling the child too much.
"Huzi, apologize to your uncle."
Li Wenjun finally spoke. Huzi stopped crying, sniffling, "S-sorry, Uncle. Sorry, Doudou, Dingding."
"Hmph!"
The two little ones weren't willing to forgive him. A child who broke his tiger frog wasn't a good child.
"Since you know you were wrong, you must make amends. Tomorrow, you'll come with your mother to work. This matter won't be settled until you earn enough money to pay for the frog."
"Ah, work? What can I do?"
Doudou said, "Catch cicada shells. Three for one cent. All the kids in the village catch them and make a lot of money. You can catch them too."
"Really?"
"Yes. If you find one, I'll give you money. Three hundred will be enough to pay for the frog."
"Okay, I'll definitely catch three hundred."
Huzi stopped crying. Li Wenjun apologized again and left with his wife and son.
Doudou and Dingding picked up the broken pieces on the ground, trying to put them back together.
Xie Sui sighed and suddenly said to Lin Wanwan, "Wife, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. You care about the children's feelings; you did a great job."
Lin Wanwan thought he was apologizing for Xie Lan's family and didn't pay much attention.
"No, I'm thanking you for raising our children so well. I didn't realize how good our son was until I compared him."
Xie Sui was truly grateful. It was a pity he hadn't cherished her in his previous life. Without an heir, he left the world in sorrow. Thinking about it, he felt a deep sadness, his nose stinging, and he wanted to hug her and cry.
"He's my son too. Isn't it my duty to raise him well? Go wash up and go to bed."
Lin Wanwan found him baffling. She went to the kitchen to help wash dishes and heat water for the children's baths.
Xie Sui: "..."
His heartfelt emotion was wasted.
"Son, come, Dad will help you fix it."
Since he couldn't win over his wife, he turned to his son. Sons were much easier to appease.
Xie Sui actually managed to repair the tin frog. It wasn't a complicated toy, yet they sold it for a high price. Xie Sui stroked his chin, wondering if he should open a toy factory. Children got bored easily, and toys were a huge market.
The profits were high. In his previous life, he knew a tycoon who made a fortune selling toys and had factories all over the country.
"Dad is so amazing! Thank you, Dad."
The two little ones clapped their hands and jumped with joy. Xie Sui boasted, "Of course! Dad can do anything."
"Xie Sui, let the children take a bath."
"Okay, coming."
Even the "all-powerful" dad had to obey his wife.
...
The next morning, Zhang Wenfeng arrived very early, wanting to learn how to ride a bicycle. He had been scolded by his father last night for damaging it. Thankfully, Xie Sui hadn't held it against him.
Xie Sui had underestimated a man's passion for a bicycle. He was speechless when Zhang Wenfeng explained. "It's not that serious, is it? Learning to ride a bicycle requires a special lesson? Just ride it casually. You'll learn by falling a lot."
"With those long legs, can't you just brace yourself on the ground?"
Xie Sui demonstrated. Wang Tie Zhu next door was also watching enviously.
"Tie Zhu, come learn with us too. You two are beginners, so help each other out."
Xie Sui didn't want to hold the back seat for Zhang Wenfeng; he wasn't a pretty young girl.
"Brother Xie, can I?"
"Go ahead. I haven't eaten yet, and you've disturbed my sleep."
Xie Sui yawned. It was just past six o'clock, and these two had dragged him out of bed. He wouldn't be able to get any more sleep, so he might as well go to the kitchen to cook for the children.
With plenty of time, Xie Sui made small wontons, using leftover chicken broth from yesterday, adding chopped scallions and preserved vegetables, and drizzling a few drops of sesame oil. The thin skin and plump filling smelled delicious.
"It smells so good! Dad, what delicious food are you making?"
Doudou woke up needing to pee and rubbed his eyes, intending to go back to sleep. But the aroma drew him to the kitchen, and his sleepiness vanished.
"Chicken broth wontons. Hurry up and wash up. Dad will make some pancakes too, and we can eat soon."
"I'll go wake up my brother."
Lin Wanwan looked at the wontons. She took a sip of the broth, her eyes welling up. It tasted like home. How many years had it been since she last ate wontons? Had her parents really forgotten her?
She couldn't go back!