Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Father's Favoritism 16

The puppet said calmly, "Everyone in my family is dead. I don't want to talk about it."

9972's fake identity was perfect, but if you were to investigate, you'd find that no one knew Wu Jiaren; he was a ghost who didn't exist in reality. While this was a low-probability event, the puppet wouldn't reveal it, leaving any evidence.

Ma Xia had no doubts. Zhao Hongwei, who had overheard this, suddenly realized something. Wu Jingqiu hadn't said which village she was from when she came to see him, and now Wu Jiaren wouldn't say either. Wu Jingqiu's silence might have been due to her recent death, and Wu Jiaren, who needed to prove his identity to strengthen his credibility and build closer ties, hadn't revealed it either.

Don’t want to say it, or can’t say it?

It's not that Zhao Hongwei is biased. He intuitively thinks Wu Jiaren's situation is the latter, which means that there is something wrong with his local identity and he is likely to have committed a serious crime.

If this is the case, then there is an explanation for Wu Jiaren's behavior of hiding and not even attending his sister's funeral.

Moreover, he had just been to the police station, and the police did not find anything wrong with Wu Jiaren, which was probably because his current identity was also fake.

Then Zhuozhuo can’t follow him anymore!

Zhao Hongwei's mind raced, and he said naturally, "Then you have to tell me. It's inconvenient for you to be away. I'll take Zhuozhuo to pay homage every year."

Puppet: "No need. When a person dies, he is just a handful of dirt. Zhuozhuo just needs to take care of himself."

Zhao Hongwei smiled and said nothing more, but he felt more relaxed than ever before.

When we first met, Wu Jiaren kept calling everyone "Wu family" and had a strong sense of family honor. Now he doesn't need to go to worship, there must be something wrong.

Zhao Hongwei was in a good mood and thought that he would find an opportunity to interrogate Wu Jiaren and find out what he had done wrong. If Wu Jiaren tried to rob Zhuozhuo again, he would call the police and have him thrown in jail to see how he could rob again.

Ah, I feel so comfortable all over!

Looking at the scorching 9972 through the puppet's perspective, he suddenly shuddered and looked left and right in his mind suspiciously, feeling as if he was being watched by a hunter.

Two days later, the three adults and one child arrived in Hai City. Zhao Hongwei immediately led them to the public toilet, took turns guarding the door, and used water from the faucet to wash each of them and change into clean clothes.

Finally, there is no more sweat odor that almost makes people smell pickled.

Zhuozhuo wore new clothes for the first time in this small world, a small white dress with red flowers. She was so happy that she couldn't stand still. She jumped up and down, spun around, and spun in circles. Until she accidentally stepped on her right foot with her left foot, causing her cloth shoes to break open. She laughed a few times, then realized her shoes were broken. She stood there, looking at Zhao Hongwei helplessly.

Zhao Hongwei, delighted at being chosen as the first choice, squatted down and lifted Zhuozhuo onto his lap. He examined his patched cloth shoes and said, "They can't be worn anymore. Don't worry, Dad will buy Zhuozhuo new ones later."

He stood up and took Zhuozhuo in his arms.

After Ma Xia finished his shocking toilet break, he gazed at the wide road and towering buildings, screaming and screaming, drawing mocking, kind, and calm glances from passersby. When he finally calmed down, he realized that his brother Hongwei and his uncle Zhuozhuo were secretly competing with each other again. To avoid a "bloodbath over Zhuozhuo's mount," Ma Xia bravely went in. "Brother, this place is so big! Where can we go to buy the goods? Do you need someone to ask for directions?"

If he wanted, he would go and ask for directions right away!

Zhuozhuo, confused by the inexplicably tense atmosphere, raised his hand and volunteered, "Zhuozhuo knows the way! Zhuozhuo will take you there!"

Ma Xia was intimidated by the unfamiliar city and didn't believe what he said. He smiled and said, "Zhuozhuo is so amazing, he has a great memory. But you should talk less and let your father lead the way."

Zhuozhuo didn't hear the implicit refusal and said seriously, "Zhuozhuo doesn't speak, Zhuozhuo points the way."

Zhao Hongwei said: "Zhuozhuo knows the way, let Zhuozhuo come."

Ma Xia scratched his head and fell silent. After all, Zhao Hongwei was there. If Zhuozhuo pointed the wrong way, he would definitely correct them. He couldn't really let them go astray.

Well... Brother Hongwei isn't so foolish as to follow Zhuozhuo around, right?

Zhuozhuo looked at Zhao Hongwei with a smile and said happily, "Dad believes in me."

Zhao Hongwei's heart skipped a beat. This seemed like the first time Zhuozhuo had called him "Dad" when he didn't need him. His chest felt warm, and a surge of warmth flowed through his body, dispelling all the fatigue from the continuous hard work and rushing. A smile spread from the corner of his eyes. Zhao Hongwei pressed the back of Zhuozhuo's head, stopping the little guy who was about to give directions. "Wait a minute, everyone's thirsty. Let's buy a bowl of sugar water to try."

He pointed to the candy shop on the opposite corner of the street and said, "Zhuozhuo, do you remember?"

Zhuozhuo looked over and immediately remembered that this was the sweet soup she hadn't had the chance to drink last time. She was so excited that she arched her back in Zhao Hongwei's arms and said happily, "Sweet soup, sweet soup, sweet soup! What a beautiful sweet soup!"

Zhao Hongwei was about to cross over with Zhuozhuo in his arms when Zhuozhuo suddenly pointed at a horizontal line on the road not far away and said, "Zhao Hongwei, cross over there!"

The puppet said at the right time: "We must obey traffic rules. When crossing the road, we must look at the traffic lights and walk on the zebra crossing."

Zhao Hongwei knew about this through observation the last time he came here, but he just didn't think about it for a moment. Upon hearing this, he immediately walked to the zebra crossing, waited for the green light and then followed the crowd. He also seriously warned Ma Xia not to walk around casually, otherwise he would be hit by a car and killed.

Ma Xia looked at the speeding cars and nodded with curiosity and yearning.

The puppet added: "If you get hit on a zebra crossing, the compensation is even higher."

Now not only Ma Xia, but Zhao Hongwei also nodded seriously and kept it in mind.

A group of people stood in front of the sweet soup shop. Illiterate Ma Xia, bewildered, leaned over to Zhao Hongwei and whispered to him how much something cost. Zhuozhuo excitedly stretched his head to look, captivated by the buckets of beautiful sweet soup. Without blinking, he pointed at everything, "Grandpa, Zhuozhuo wants this, this, this, and that, and I want a big bowl of each!"

Seeing this, Ma Xia's eyelids twitched. How much money would this cost? He really wanted to stop her and say that her words didn't count.

The old man selling sugar water laughed and held up the paper bowl in his hand for Zhuo Zhuo to see. "It's such a big bowl, can you drink so much?"

"We can finish it." Zhuozhuo pointed to the side and said generously, "One bowl per person!"

Hai City was experiencing rapid development, with opportunities to make money everywhere. It wasn't uncommon to see people dressed in rags but generous with their money. The old man didn't show any strange expression. After asking Zhao Hongwei, who was obviously the person in charge, he swiftly scooped out four bowls of sugar water and put them in plastic bags. "One bowl of red bean paste, one bowl of green bean paste, one bowl of clear soup, and one bowl of stewed pears with rock sugar. A total of two dollars and ninety cents."

Zhao Hongwei felt a little pain in his flesh, but he paid the money without changing his expression.

The old man handed the bag over and said, "Be careful not to spill it."

Zhuozhuo took it actively, and carried it together with Zhao Hongwei, saying sweetly, "Thank you, Grandpa!"

The old man laughed and called to them, "Don't go yet. It's too hot. I've put ice in the sugar water bucket. The child has a hoarse throat and can't stand cold food. I have a pot of eight-treasure porridge that hasn't been iced in yet. Give her a bowl."

Three adults: "..."

They didn't even realize Zhuozhuo couldn't eat ice right now, even though they knew the doctor's orders were to "drink plenty of warm water." Ugh, how incompetent!

He said he was going to serve a bowl, but in fact he only served half a bowl. The old man's movements were extremely fast, almost like flowing water. When he handed the eight-treasure porridge to Zhuozhuo, Zhuozhuo didn't even have time to protest that he could have ice.

Zhao Hongwei took out the money, but the old man threw it back. "This is a gift from me to the child. If you give me money, wouldn't that be like forcing me to buy it? It's just half a bowl of porridge! It would be better if you patronize my business more often in the future!"

Zhao Hongwei didn't force the money and smiled cheerfully, "Don't worry, as long as it tastes good, we'll buy a bowl every time we go back!"

Zhuozhuo left the sweet soup shop dejectedly, but soon looked eagerly at the sweet soup in Zhao Hongwei's hand and said pitifully, "Dad, Zhuozhuo is hot. I want to drink something cool. It will cool me down."

Zhao Hongwei said, "Baby, it's too hot outside. Let's go to the wholesale market and find a cool place to drink first, okay?"

"Zhuozhuo wants to drink now." Zhuozhuo can delay gratification, but he is too greedy now.

"Then let's have the Eight Treasure Porridge first? This is specially given to you by Grandpa. It must be the best."

Zhuozhuo was convinced, nodded vigorously, and said expectantly: "Okay, okay."

Zhao Hongwei stopped, picked a place with scattered shade, placed Zhuozhuo on the edge of the roadside flower bed, and scooped a spoonful of eight-treasure porridge to feed Zhuozhuo.

The eight-treasure porridge was cooked to a soft consistency, the flavors of various rice, beans, peanuts, and lotus seeds blending together. Adding a generous amount of rock sugar, it was sweet and delicious, melting in the mouth. Zhuozhuo's eyes sparkled as he ate, gulping down mouthful after mouthful, finishing half a bowl in one go.

"Delicious!" Zhuozhuo commented enthusiastically.

Zhao Hongwei immediately decided to buy three more bowls of eight-treasure porridge before leaving so that Zhuozhuo could have enough to drink.

After eating, Zhuozhuo was sweating profusely under the scorching sun, but she was full of energy and waved her little hand, "Let's go to the wholesale market and make some money to buy some sweet soup!"

The three adults looked at her and laughed. Ma Xia teased her, "King Zhuozhuo, please show us the way quickly. If you don't say anything, we won't know how to get there!"

Zhao Hongwei picked up Zhuozhuo and said, "King Zhuozhuo, we are ready."

Zhuozhuo pointed forward, "Beep, beep, Zhuozhuo's car is moving. Now keep going forward..."

"Talk less and point the way."

"I know."

At every intersection, Zhuozhuo pointed out a direction without hesitation, and made no mistakes. They arrived at the wholesale market smoothly, which shocked Zhao Hongwei and Ma Xia.

Ma Xia exclaimed, "My King Zhuozhuo is a true prodigy. Brother, you need to earn more money to train Zhuozhuo. Learning things costs a lot of money!"

Zhao Hongwei remained noncommittal and said calmly, "Zhaozhuo can learn whatever he wants to learn. I won't force him."

But he was thinking, on TV, all the kids from wealthy families learn piano. A piano costs tens of thousands of dollars, and they have to hire a very skilled and expensive teacher. If Zhuozhuo wanted to learn, he couldn't just tell him, "We don't have the money, so why not learn bamboo clappers?" And what about painting and astronomical observation? A box of paint costs dozens of dollars, and an astronomical telescope costs tens or even hundreds of thousands.

Tsk, money is hard to earn, but it is not worth anything.

Zhao Hongwei felt that he had to work hard and was thinking of more ways to make money when Zhuozhuo grabbed his neck and shook him, "Zhao Hongwei, drink sugar water, drink something iced!"

Tsk, you still remember it after walking so far.

"Okay, let me go and I'll get it for you."

Zhao Hongwei showed no resistance. Ma Xia and the puppet were startled and instinctively tried to stop him, but then they noticed the clear, even syrupy water, with no trace of ice. They silently stepped back to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Zhao Hongwei gave Zhuozhuo a bowl of stewed pears with rock sugar, and told him to drink the water first. Zhuozhuo eagerly lowered his head and took a big sip.

Sweet, warm and delicious.

But that’s not right!

"Zhao Hongwei, it's hot!" Zhuozhuo put the bowl in Zhao Hongwei's hand and let him feel it for himself.

Zhao Hongwei took a sip and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What happened? It was cold just now, why is it hot now? Where's the ice? Where's the ice? Did it fly away?"

Someone passing by heard this and laughed, "It's hot out. The ice will melt in a moment, and the sugar water will be hot in a moment. You can even crack an egg on the street and it'll be cooked. Go to the market to buy shrimp, and they'll be red before you even get home. If you want something cold, go straight ahead and turn right at the second intersection. There's a sugar water shop."

Zhao Hongwei, who was acting with real emotion: "..."

He had been brewing the story of "the ice cube was afraid of pain and didn't dare to be eaten so it ran away", but he didn't have the chance to tell it to fool Zhuozhuo. Damn it!

Zhuozhuo, who wasn't fooled, had his little brain spinning like an angry bird, staring at Zhao Hongwei, "You did it on purpose! You lied to Zhuozhuo! You don't want Zhuozhuo to drink ice water!"