Chapter 106 Part 2 (IF) 一 They move forward step by step. (END)
On the night before the end of summer vacation, nine children gathered together to eat almond tofu made by Ruan Liuyu’s own hands.
In the hot summer, eating a bite of cool almond tofu was the most comfortable.
This was Yōuyōu’s favorite.
After Gu Fuchen finished eating, he showed the paintings he had done with his sister over the past two months to others for appreciation.
Yōuyōu’s “paintings” were not really paintings; she only knew how to draw irregular lines on paper with crayons, very abstract.
Gu Fuchen didn’t mind his sister’s style.
Every time he painted, when Yōuyōu eagerly looked over, Gu Fuchen would bring out a small stool for her and give her crayons and paper to draw with him.
While painting, he would say, “Yōuyōu, I’ll open an art company for you in the future.”
Influenced by Boss Gu Youqian, Gu Fuchen now liked to talk about “opening a company.” His promises extended beyond “candy company,” “art company,” “castle company,” and “princess dress company.”
People around laughed and teased, “We can see from childhood the determination and perseverance of Chenchen to conquer the business world. His company will surely be everywhere in the future.”
Gu Fuchen’s paintings were filled with joy and childlike innocence.
He played with Yōuyōu on the grass and ate strawberries under the starry sky.
The Gu Fuchen in the paintings was very happy, and so was he outside the paintings.
And he got used to letting Yōuyōu, the abstract painting master, leave two traces on his paintings at the end of each artwork.
This represented——
that they co-created this painting together.
Qi Zhiyan, the girl with the clearest and loudest voice among the children present, after admiring Gu Fuchen and Yōuyōu’s paintings, said in a childish tone, “You must be a good brother.”
This sentence startled Lu Jin.
“I am, I am the best brother.”
Gu Fuchen: ?
He could give up everything, except for the praise from uncles and aunts around him, he couldn’t let go of.
“I’m a good big brother, both my parents and yours say so.”
Lu Jin: “I am! I can get milk for my little sister!”
“I can get anything for my little sister. I even took the smelly blanket she wet yesterday!”
Fu Jiazhan, Jiang Huai, and Qi Zhiyan:…
The three of them looked sympathetically at Yōuyōu, who was fiddling with her fingers on the side, completely unaware that her brother had disclosed embarrassing matters.
While Lu Jin and Gu Fuchen argued about who was the best big brother in the world, Jiang Huai and Qi Zhiyan watched from the sidelines, while Qi Nuo and Lu Xuan couldn’t understand, feeling only that the two older brothers were arguing back and forth…
How fun~
Yōuyōu stepped aside, rubbing her wrinkled hands from playing in the water.
Fu Jiazhan came over, leaning close to her and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Yōuyōu twisted her little face in a painful expression, pointing at her hand, and tremblingly uttered a very soft “pain.”
Fu Jiazhan hurriedly took her little finger and looked left and right, not seeing any wounds. At Yōuyōu’s insistence, he began to play “doctor” house with her, using tissue to bandage her finger.
Gu Fuchen and Lu Jin argued until they were hoarse. When Gu Fuchen turned around and asked his sister who was the best brother, he suddenly realized——
His house had been robbed.
Fu Jiazhan lowered his head and blew on Yōuyōu’s hand.
Chenchen: ?
He quickly ran to Yōuyōu’s side, made sure she wasn’t hurt, snorted heavily at Lu Jin and Fu Jiazhan, took his sister’s hand, and ran to Ruan Liuyu to complain.
“Mom, Lu Jin said I’m not the best big brother.”
Ruan Liuyu was reading the newspaper in the courtyard corridor.
“You are Yōuyōu’s best brother, Lu Jin are Xuanxuan’s best brother. Both of you are great, but in Mommy’s and Daddy’s hearts, and in Yōuyōu’s heart, you are definitely the best brother.”
Gu Fuchen was extremely satisfied.
Turning back, holding onto Yōuyōu, he crisply spoke, “Yōuyōu, don’t play with Fu Jiazhan and Lu Jin in the future; they were both bad brothers.”
Saying this, he took down the oranges that dad had just peeled for mom.
“Here, Yōuyōu, have some. They’re so sweet.”
Gu Youqian: ?
You little rascal, you’re quite good at using other people’s gifts to win them over.
Yōuyōu took the oranges with both hands and said in a childish voice, “Keke1, okay.”
She wasn’t quite proficient yet; she would nod her head after saying each word.
“Brother2, Yōuyōu calls me brother!”
Gu Fuchen excitedly tugged at his parents’ sleeves, bouncing around in the corridor.
His little sister was getting better and better at speaking and even praised him!
She wasn’t a dumb little fool.
Yōuyōu was the smartest sister in the world.
Two little rascals, hand in hand, swaggered away with a proud and arrogant attitude, showing no regard for anyone as they departed with a domineering demeanor.
Chenchen was proud because he had received his sister’s approval.
Yōuyōu was proud because mom, dad, and her brother praised her for saying a few more words!
Yōuyōu wasn’t stupid.
There were no issues with her growth and development; she just spoke a bit slowly.
But it was fine; by the time she was three years old and about to enter kindergarten, Yōuyōu had already learned many expressions.
At five years old, she finally made it to the kindergarten’s senior class, about to receive her kindergarten diploma, breaking free from the dismal situation of being fooled by others!
In the same year, a major kidnapping case was reported nationwide. The newspaper posted information and photos of two individuals who looked exactly like the strangers Aunt Gu saw at the alley two years ago.
When the investigators previously surveyed, they came over specifically to ask if there were any kidnapped children here. The portrait and information of Ruan Liuyu were somewhat useful, but in an era where information was not as developed, solving the case was always difficult.
Ruan Liuyu held onto Yōuyōu, feeling a wave of fear afterwards.
Every time she looked at the quadrangle courtyard, she would feel worried.
Six months later, the Gu family moved out of the quadrangle courtyard and went to the estate in the East China region.
There, the security measures were better, the location was larger, and they even installed surveillance cameras so no one could steal Yōuyōu.
Yōuyōu successfully began her princess life in the castle.
Shortly after moving to the castle, Yōuyōu received her kindergarten diploma, ending her happy kindergarten life.
When school starts again, she became an outstanding student in the preschool class.
Ruan Liuyu didn’t want her daughter to be so tired, so during the summer vacation, she put aside all those etiquette and piano lessons and, along with Mother Qiao, Mother Fu, Mother Lu, and Mother Qi, took the little ones on a nationwide tour to broaden their horizons.
They headed southward, climbing mountains, taking boats, and doing handicrafts, with a full and satisfying travel itinerary.
The last stop was in the southernmost city, City N.
Graduating from kindergarten, Yōuyōu shed her baby fat face, her small face becoming as delicate as a doll’s, even Lu Xuan couldn’t help but exclaim, “Sister Yōuyōu looks like a princess in a movie.”
Yōuyōu smiled, “You are also a princess.”
Qi Zhiyan and Wen Juxi nodded, “Yes, you two are both princesses.”
Yōuyōu: “What about you guys?”
Qi Zhiyan and Wen Juxi looked at each other, “We are the ones who make a lot of money.”
Lu Xuan didn’t understand such complex and profound topics, so she dragged Yōuyōu and her mom to the doll shop on the roadside to buy dolls.
There were several rows of dolls in the shop.
There were various animals and styles, but she already had many in her castle and wasn’t interested. She took the ice jelly bought by her brother and ate it little by little, not interested in the dolls.
Lu Xuan, on the other hand, had a great time shopping.
Before leaving, Ruan Yōu saw a small rabbit doll at the door, the style was ordinary, but the little rabbit smiled happily.
Yōuyōu hung it around her waist, “Brother, does it look good?”
Gu Fuchen proudly nodded, “My sister’s rabbit doll looks the best.”
Yōuyōu grinned.
In the afternoon, they dined at a local famous specialty restaurant.
Behind the restaurant, there was a street which was the residence of local residents.
After Ruan Yōu, Gu Fuchen, Lu Jin, Jiang Huai, and Fu Jiazhan finished eating, they didn’t want to listen to the adults chatting and laughing, so they ran to play in the alleys behind the street.
Two aunts followed along, Mother Fu made a call on the side, everyone felt reassured.
There weren’t many people on the back street, bicycles were coming and going on the road.
Many banyan trees were planted on both sides of the street, with luxuriant branches and leaves, standing in the shade was very cool.
Ruan Yōu sat on a bench, swinging her feet, her little rabbit doll around her waist swayed with it, the smiling face of the little rabbit appeared lively.
On another bench, a little girl jumped down and walked up to her, imperiously asking, “Where did you buy your rabbit doll?”
Ruan Yōu didn’t like the tone of the girl’s speech, pouted, and turned her head away.
Sheng Bei had been spoiled by her parents since childhood, she was the little tyrant in their area, and no one dared to provoke her. It was common for her to snatch things she liked.
With her parents indulging her and her brother doting on her, Sheng Bei became even more unruly. Seeing that Ruan Yōu didn’t respond to her, she became a little angry and pushed Ruan Yōu’s shoulder, “Where did you buy it?”
It was the first time Ruan Yōu encountered such a situation, and while she was still in a daze, she felt a tightness around her waist.
The little rabbit doll was snatched away by a boy, who handed it to Sheng Bei, “Sister, take it.”
He turned and threw some money to Ruan Yōu.
Ruan Yōu snapped out of it, her face blushing, and turned around to accuse the siblings who had snatched her things, “Brother, they snatched my doll and even hit me!”
She also had a brother!
Really amazing!!
Originally still joking with Lu Jin and Fu Jiazhan, Gu Fuchen’s expression changed in an instant.
?
Before the Sheng Bei’s brother could react, Gu Fuchen had already thrown Sheng Bei’s brother heavily to the ground with a shoulder throw.
Two years ago, he learned taekwondo, just to protect his sister.
Gu Fuchen snatched the doll back from the boy’s hand and placed it back in Yōuyōu’s palm, saying, “Isn’t your brother amazing?”
Yōuyōu nodded her head like a little chick pecking at rice.
When Ruan Liuyu rushed over after hearing the aunt’s words, the scene was already in chaos.
Sheng Bei’s parents unscrupulously accused Gu Fuchen of injuring their son.
Qiao Huai, Lu Jin, Fu Jiazhan, Wen Juxi, and Qi Zhiyan, five second graders, were young but knowledgeable.
Fu Jiazhan: “He’s a thief, he stole Yōuyōu’s doll.”
Lu Jin: “My dad said, thieves who steal people’s things should be sent to prison.”
Qiao Huai: “I’ll call the police uncle.”
Wen Juxi: “You can hire a lawyer now.”
Lu Xuan was anxious, “What’s a lawyer? Will we win?”
Qi Zhiyan: “We can win. My grandfather will help Yōuyōu hire the best lawyer in the world.”
Yōuyōu shook her head, her childish voice serious: “My parents can hire a lawyer.”
She didn’t need her good friends’ help.
Lu Jin: “We are good friends, we should help each other.”
Qiao Huai: “Mom said, a friend’s matter is my matter.”
Wen Juxi: “He stole dolls from all of us.”
Lu Xuan nodded heavily.
“Find the police uncle, quickly put the bad guy in the black room!”
It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand; she would make a fuss.
Several children had already expanded the matter of “Yōuyōu’s doll being stolen” to “our dolls being stolen.” Now it was time to test their friendship; they had to defeat the bad guy together, just like Happy Sheep defeating the Big Bad Wolf in the cartoon!
Turned around——
Fu Jiazhan was already making the aunt call his mother to come over quickly, help Yōuyōu get a lawyer, and send the big villain to the police station.
Ruan Liuyu couldn’t help but laugh and cry.
She patted the little ones’ heads and walked up to Yōuyōu and Chenchen.
“I am the mother of these two. If there’s anything, you can tell me.”
Father Sheng was having a headache from all the noise from the children. Finally seeing adults, and seeing it was a soft and weak woman, he mustered up his courage: “Your son injured my son.”
Yōuyōu tightened her grip on Ruan Liuyu’s hand. “He’s the big villain. He stole my doll and pushed me.”
“Pushed you?” Ruan Liuyu’s eyebrows furrowed. “Did it hurt?”
Yōuyōu nodded in grievance.
“He pushed my shoulder and took away my doll.”
Ruan Liuyu tenderly stroked her daughter’s head, silently comforting her.
Turning to Father Sheng, she said, “You should understand that it’s your son who acted like a robber, snatching my daughter’s doll.”
“Who are you calling a robber?” Mother Sheng’s voice was piercing. “Who are you calling a robber?”
Ruan Liuyu instinctively covered the ears of the two children and frowned. “You.”
“Your whole family.”
“You knew the reason for what happened, knew it was unreasonable for your robber-like son and daughter to snatch things from others. So, you changed the subject, shifting the focus of the matter onto my son throwing down your son. We taught Chenchen to reason things out; he’s an excellent child who never resorts to taking things from others without reason. I don’t think what he did was excessive.
Dealing with robbers who bully the weak doesn’t require mercy. Instead, I want to praise him for standing up like a warrior and protecting his sister.”
As the two families argued, more and more onlookers gathered around, making it crystal clear who was right and who was wrong.
Ruan Liuyu said in a calm voice, “Children are still young and don’t understand right from wrong, but you adults, allowing your children to snatch things from other kids, what kind of upbringing is that? It doesn’t need me to say. In this matter, the ones who should apologize and repent are you.”
Onlookers gradually gathered around, their eyes filled with meaning as they looked at the Sheng family of four. The corners of their mouths were curled up in smiles, as if they were watching a clown show.
At Sheng Bei’s age, she already understood shame. Under the scrutiny of the crowd, she felt as if scorched, crying as she pulled her parents away from the scene.
Chenchen and Yōuyōu looked at their mother with increasing admiration.
“Mom, you’re so amazing.”
Ruan Liuyu ruffled Yōuyōu’s head and then turned to Gu Fuchen with a gentle voice, “Chenchen, you were very brave just now, protecting your sister like a prince. But remember, princes seldom use their fists to fight.”
“Next time you encounter such a situation, you can scare them off with words like Mom does.”
Ruan Liuyu didn’t want her son to resort to force to control everything.
Gu Fuchen nodded vigorously. “Mom, I understand.”
He thought for a moment, then grinned. “Next time I encounter them, I can say, ‘There are many people protecting my sister.'”
She wasn’t someone who sat on a bench playing with dolls alone.
She had lovely friends and formidable family members.
“With more people, they’ll be afraid.”
Ruan Liuyu chuckled softly, holding one child in each hand as they walked back.
“Yes, you’re right.”
In the distance, the evening sky was filled with sunset hues, and the evening breeze rustled through the leaves of the banyan tree, gently moving the edges of their clothes.
Under the evening glow, the shadows of the three figures stretched longer and longer.
The other children bounced along with their aunts and mothers, following behind. The group moved towards the direction of the evening glow, step by step, advancing forward.
Taw’s Note: So, we have finally reached the end of the novel. It has been a memorable journey, and translating it took more time than I expected orz.
You can check out other equally interesting BG novels at Wanderer Translation here.
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