Chapter 12 Mimi King, Please Get Down the Tree

Chapter Twelve

As it turned out, the folk remedy was useless. After drinking the strong tea, Ji Zhi Qiu's tea skills did not improve at all. On the contrary, he lost his sleepiness and stayed awake until dawn.

He looked at Ji Yanyan, who was fast asleep beside him, his chubby cheeks puffed up and flushed, and felt very unbalanced. He held back and refrained from pinching him.

He resignedly got up, tiptoed out of the bedroom, and prepared breakfast for Ji Zishen.

Breakfast wasn't anything fancy; Ji Zhi Qiu easily made a few sandwiches and a cup of soy milk.

When Ji Zishen finished washing up and came out with his little schoolbag, this was the scene he saw. Ji Zhiqi was wearing a pink apron, holding a white porcelain plate in his hand. His face was slightly pale, and his beautiful eyebrows and eyes were filled with fatigue. He forced a smile at him, which perfectly matched the image of a suffering old father.

Faced with Ji Zhi Qiu like this, it was really hard to harden one's heart. Ji Zi Shen originally had other purposes and wanted to scheme against him, but at the last moment he couldn't open his mouth. He could only pretend to be an innocent child and run towards Ji Zhi Qiu with a smile: "What did Daddy make? It smells so good."

Ji Zhi Qiu hadn't slept all night, and now her mind was blank and her legs were weak. She smiled and ruffled his soft tuft of hair. "It's a sandwich. I squeezed lots of sauce on it for you. Try it and see if it's good."

Ji Zishen's feigned behavior was very much in line with his age. He happily carried the plate, skipped and hopped to sit in the opposite seat, took a big bite, and smeared sauce all over his lips. Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and wiped the corner of his mouth for him, looking like a loving father and son.

After breakfast, Ji Zhi Qiu intended to take Ji Zi Shen to school, but she missed the fleeting look of wariness and vigilance on Ji Zi Shen's face, so she stopped and watched Ji Zi Shen leave home.

He was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open, so he went back to his bedroom. The heavy velvet curtains blocked out the bright morning light, making the room dim and perfect for a nap. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he happily drifted off to sleep.

...

The room was quiet. After some time, the little one wrapped in the blanket turned over, kneeling on the bed with his face down and bottom sticking out, his chubby face showing a ring of soft flesh.

Ji Yanyan had his own unique way of waking up. After puffing out a few bubbles with his cheeks, he opened his eyes and looked around sleepily.

He tried to sit up, but as soon as he moved, a heavy arm pressed down on him and pushed him back onto the bed.

Ji Yanyan glared at the arm on her body, which felt like a five-finger mountain binding her. She struggled for a long time with her pregnant belly, making "heh heh heh" sounds, and finally managed to lift Ji Zhi Qiu's hand with all her might.

Ji Zhi Qiu didn't notice Ji Yan Yan's movements, turned over and continued sleeping.

Ji Yanyan woke up feeling a little bored. She sat on the bed and played with her fingers for a while before turning to look at Ji Zhiqi. "Daddy, wake up."

Ji Zhi Qiu ignored him.

Ji Yanyan stepped lightly onto the soft blanket, circled around, and squatted down in front of Ji Zhi Qiu. She reached out and poked Ji Zhi Qiu's face, saying, "Daddy, wake up."

Ji Zhi Qiu frowned slightly, thinking there was a mosquito on her face, and reached out to swat it.

He was still asleep and hadn't found the right spot. His touch was very light, but it still made a snapping sound. Ji Yanyan abruptly pulled her hand back, staring in disbelief at the red mark on the back of her hand.

Dad hit me! Waaaaaah!

Ji Zhi Qiu had a nightmare where he was called a gorilla. His eyes darted around and he finally managed to open them, only to see a triangular rice ball sitting in front of him.

The little dumpling bit her lower lip, her expression extremely aggrieved. She covered her little hands, looking at him as if she was about to cry.

Ji Zhi Qiu instantly snapped out of it, sat up, and asked with concern, "What's wrong with Yan Yan?"

He shouldn't have said anything, because as soon as he did, Ji Yanyan accused him in a tearful voice, "Daddy, you hit me!"

Ji Zhi Qiu was completely stunned, having no idea what had just happened. She gently took Ji Yan Yan's hand; there were no red marks on the back of her hand, only a dent from being poked. "Did I hit you?"

"You did hit me!" Seeing that Ji Zhi Qiu still wouldn't admit her mistake, Ji Yan Yan stood up angrily and gestured wildly to demonstrate what had just happened.

Ji Zhi Qiu then realized that being called a gorilla wasn't a dream; it was actually Ji Yan Yan.

“I was not awake just now, I just checked your temperature casually, I didn’t mean to hit you, does it hurt? Let Daddy blow on it for you.”

Ji Yanyan sat on the bed angrily, arms crossed and neck stiff, refusing to look at Ji Zhi Qiu, leaving only a cold back view.

Ji Zhi Qiu leaned forward, wanting to hug and comfort him, but Ji Yan Yan firmly pulled her hand back.

Looking at Ji Yanyan's puffed-up cheek, Ji Zhiqi knelt down helplessly beside her. "Although Dad didn't mean it, I can't hit you for no reason. I apologize to you. How about I take you out to play after dinner?"

Upon hearing the word "play," Ji Yanyan's ears twitched, but out of embarrassment, she couldn't back down, so she just swayed excitedly back and forth.

Ji Zhi Qiu didn't notice Ji Yan Yan's change and suppressed a laugh, "Yan Yan, give Dad this chance and let me make it up to you."

Ji Yanyan finally couldn't hold back anymore and snorted, "Fine then."

Before he could finish speaking, he turned around impatiently and looked at Ji Zhi Qiu with starry eyes: "Where shall we go to play?"

"Let's play your favorite game, Swoosh."

Ji Yanyan was finally satisfied and couldn't wait to sit up in bed, ready to jump off the bed without a care in the world.

Ji Zhi Qiu frowned and grabbed Ji Yan Yan's collar just in time to prevent her from falling flat on her face: "Be careful."

Ji Yanyan's short legs flapped in the air, and just as they touched the solid ground, she was launched like a rocket.

Ji Zhi Qiu followed behind helplessly.

He intended to cultivate Ji Yanyan's self-care ability, but Ji Yanyan was, after all, just a three-year-old child. She was clumsy and almost fell headfirst into the basin of water while washing her face. She also made herself into a mess while eating, causing chaos and exhaustion. Ji Zhi Qiu had to clean up the mess behind her.

He realized that Ji Yanyan's education was a long and arduous task, and he wanted to take the opportunity to give him some pointers, but seeing that Ji Yanyan was in a good mood, he couldn't bear to dampen his spirits at this critical moment. He simply tapped his forehead and said, "When I come back after we've finished playing, I have something to tell you. You must listen carefully."

Ji Yanyan nodded repeatedly, eager to go out and play, agreeing to whatever Ji Zhi Qiu said.

Ji Zhi Qiu then led the little one to the children's activity area, where he enjoyed sunbathing while watching Ji Yan Yan jump around like a little monkey.

Perhaps it's because he's getting older; he used to find this scene noisy, but now he's moved by its vibrant life force.

I have to admit, this brat is really cute when he's not throwing a tantrum.

Let him be.

Ji Zhi Qiu watched Ji Yan Yan let loose and never interfered. He only went over when it was almost time.

Ji Yanyan hadn't had enough fun yet, so she put her hands behind her back, not letting Ji Zhiqi hold her hand, "I still want to ride the 'Swoosh'."

Ji Zhi Qiu raised an eyebrow slightly, "How long do you want to play? I think you wish you could live on the slide. Be good, I'll bring you to play again another day."

"When is 'another day'?"

"As long as the weather is nice, I'll take you out to play. I won't let you stay cooped up at home."

"Really?"

Ji Zhi Qiu snorted twice and wiped the dust off Ji Yan Yan's face with a handkerchief. "When have I ever lied to you?"

Ji Yanyan twisted her fingers, looking somewhat conflicted.

He could sense that his father had changed and wasn't as kind to him as before, but he didn't dislike his father.

This was the first time Ji Yanyan had dealt with her emotions calmly, without throwing a tantrum, and reluctantly extended her little hand: "Okay."

Ji Zhi Qiu looked at his dirty little hands with a hint of disgust in his eyes, and held out one finger for Ji Yan Yan to hold, saying, "I'll take you to wash your hands first."

Ji Yanyan: Hmph, orz.

After washing his hands, Ji Zhi Qiu readily took his hand, and Ji Yan Yan finally calmed down, chattering away nonstop.

The father and son returned to the residential area. There was a large tree downstairs, with lush shade that provided shelter and coolness for passersby. The property management had specially arranged a circle of wooden benches around the tree for residents to rest.

Standing in front of the tree, Ji Yanyan looked tiny in comparison. Even with her head tilted back, she still couldn't see the topmost leaves.

Seeing Ji Yanyan's wide-open mouth and blank expression, Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but chuckle. "This tree is older than you. You should call it Uncle."

Ji Yanyan thought for a moment and said, "Uncle Tree."

“Yes,” Ji Zhi Qiu said with a smile, “it would be even better if you didn’t spit while you were talking.”

Ji Yanyan didn't do it on purpose. He always pronounces words forcefully, his lips are pursed high, and saliva flies around with each breath.

Ji Yanyan looked at Ji Zhiqi with dissatisfaction: "I didn't!"

Ji Zhi Qiu teased, "If you don't pay attention to hygiene, the other kids might not want to play with you."

“I’m very hygienic,” Ji Yanyan said confidently. “I never eat shit.”

Ji Zhi Qiu: "." That's really amazing.

"Actually, 99% of people have this advantage."

Seeing that Ji Zhi Qiu was so uncooperative, Ji Yan Yan became furious and blurted out, "No, Daddy, you can eat shit."

And that sentence was like a bolt from the blue, completely stunning Ji Zhi Qiu.

Ji Zhi Qiu's first reaction was to look around. Seeing that there were no outsiders, she breathed a sigh of relief, then put her hands on her hips and confronted Ji Yan Yan: "You're talking nonsense. I don't eat shit."

Ji Yanyan imitated him, sticking out her round belly, and lied without batting an eye, "You just eat shit."

"I don't!"

"You have!"

Ji Zhi Qiu glared angrily at Ji Yan Yan, finally losing her temper, "Then you eat shit too!"

Ji Yanyan was stunned. She ran over and tried to cover Ji Zhiqi's mouth, saying, "I didn't, Dad is talking nonsense."

Ji Zhi Qiu looked at the little thing thrashing around at his feet, deliberately cleared his throat, and raised his voice, saying, "Ji Yan Yan, the kid from Unit 1502 of Building 8, eats shit!"

Ji Yanyan: !!!

He felt like the sky had fallen, and he almost lost his balance, collapsing onto the ground with a thud.

"I didn't, I didn't eat poop, I really didn't! Dad, how could you do this?!" Ji Yanyan became more and more aggrieved as she spoke, sniffling.

Ji Zhi Qiu wasn't buying it. She crossed her arms and looked at him coldly. "Do you know that this is a rumor? It's very hurtful. I just used the same method, and you couldn't stand it. You can understand how I felt just now."

Children may not understand grand principles, but firsthand experiences will definitely leave a deep impression on them. Ji Yanyan clearly realized the destructive power of casually spread rumors. She bit her lower lip tightly, stared at him with wide eyes, and said, "Dad, I will never say anything to you again. Can you please stop saying anything to me too?"

"If it's not just me, would you treat others like this?"

Ji Yanyan's mind was filled with Ji Zhiqi's shout just now, and she shook her head like a rattle drum, "I can't."

Ji Zhi Qiu nodded in satisfaction.

Ji Yanyan hugged his leg, looking at him with expectant eyes.

Ji Zhi Qiu knew what he wanted, and tried hard to suppress her laughter as she continued, "I misspoke just now. Ji Yan Yan, who lives in apartment 1502 of building 8, never eats poop."

Ji Yanyan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

The father and son reconciled and walked back hand in hand, but just then they heard a faint meow.

The equipment was easy to use right out of the factory. Ji Yanyan's hearing was even more acute, and she immediately stopped and looked around. Ji Zhi Qiu, on the other hand, thought it was just a hallucination carried by the wind.

“Dad, there are cats here,” Ji Yanyan’s eyes lit up as she pointed to the tree trunk.

Ji Zhi Qiu looked up and immediately frowned with concern.

It was a tiny kitten, smaller than a human fist, perched on a tall tree trunk, pacing back and forth but too afraid to jump down. There was no water or food up there, and it was unclear how long it had been trapped.

Ji Zhi Qiu frowned deeply, unable to pretend she hadn't seen anything, and resolutely turned and left.

Although Ji Yanyan is a mischievous child, he still has a soft heart. Seeing the little kitten so pitiful, he was anxious and paced back and forth. Unfortunately, he was only a three-year-old child, and even if he tried his best to stand on tiptoe, he was not as tall as Ji Zhi Qiu's legs.

"Dad, please save him." Ji Yanyan hugged Ji Zhi Qiu's leg and looked at him with her big, watery eyes.

Ji Zhi Qiu was already preparing to act. He pulled Ji Yan Yan aside and said, "Stand here obediently and don't run around."

Ji Zhi Qiu nervously grabbed his sleeve and whispered, "Dad, can you save the kitten?"

Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and touched his cheek. "Just you wait and see."

This body was almost thirty, but he felt very young, and climbing trees was a piece of cake for him. Ji Zhi Qiu reached out and hugged the rough tree trunk, adjusted the angle, and began his first attempt.

His technique was not rusty, but his physical strength was failing him. His hands and feet were trembling uncontrollably, and sweat was beading on his nose.

Ji Zhi Qiu looked at the treetops that were still some distance away from him. He didn't want to give up halfway, and he didn't want to disappoint Ji Yan Yan, who was watching him eagerly from behind. So he gritted his teeth and continued to climb.

With his last bit of strength, he pushed off with his feet, stretched out his arms, and the treetops were getting closer and closer to him. Just as he was about to miss them, he bent his fingers and grabbed the treetops tightly. Using the momentum, he climbed upwards and finally sat on the thick tree trunk.

He let out a long sigh of relief, not even bothering to wipe his sweat, and looked up to check on the kitten's condition.

The kitten was very intelligent; it blinked its big, watery eyes, looked at him pleadingly, and even moved a little closer to cooperate.

The treetops above were too thin to support his weight, so Ji Zhi Qiu adjusted his posture, half-upright, and stretched out his arms. He took a bold step forward. Without the support of the tree trunk, he could only maintain his balance by controlling his muscles, and his legs trembled uncontrollably.

Fortunately, it went smoothly; he successfully caught the kitten, slowly lowered his center of gravity, and sat on a tree branch.

The kitten seemed to sense something, its meows became stronger, and it broke free from Ji Zhi Qiu's hand and jumped down.

This height was no problem for the kitten. It stumbled and ran to the bushes by the roadside. Hidden among the branches and leaves was a large cat with almost the same markings as the kitten. Its meows conveyed a sense of relief and anxiety that even humans could sense.

Ji Zhi Qiu was completely relieved. The kitten's mother had come to find it, and there shouldn't be any more problems. The mother and kitten were finally reunited.

Ji Yanyan didn't notice this. Watching the kitten disappear into the flower bushes, she was eager to chase after it, but remembering Ji Zhi Qiu's instructions, she could only stand stiffly in place.

"Dad, come down quickly, let's go find the kitten." He eagerly reached out his hand, wanting Ji Zhi Qiu to hold it.

Ji Yanyan usually has a love-hate relationship with his father, but he is very attached to him in public. His sense of security comes entirely from Ji Zhi Qiu. If Ji Zhi Qiu doesn't hold his hand, he doesn't dare to chase after him on his own.

Ji Zhi Qiu's legs were still trembling, and she was so tired that she couldn't move at all: "Don't worry, the mother cat is here. She will take good care of the babies, just like I will take good care of you."

Looking at Ji Yanyan's anxious little face, he inexplicably recalled the events of the past few days and felt somewhat unbalanced.

He was treated so badly by Ji Yanyan, he had to get some retribution.

Ji Zhi Qiu crossed her arms and said arrogantly, "I saved the kitten, why don't you praise me?"

Ji Yanyan imitated Ji Zhi Qiu, racking her brains to praise him: "Daddy is super handsome! Who is the most awesome dad in the world? It turns out to be my dad!"

When Ji Yanyan had talked herself hoarse and couldn't think of any other words, Ji Zhiqi's attitude softened a little. "Alright, say 'Queen Mimi, please come down from the tree.'"

Ji Yanyan didn't understand and tilted her head in confusion: "Mimi the Big Wolf?"

Ji Zhi Qiu corrected, "It's 'King of Breasts'."

"Mimi Big Dog".

"King Mimi, second tone!"

Ji Yanyan drawled out the words, trying hard to pronounce them: "King Mimi, please come down from the tree."

Ji Zhi Qiu's vanity was greatly satisfied, and he nodded, "Then turn around and absolutely do not look."

Ji Yanyan covered her eyes with her hands and said in a childish voice, "I'm all better now."

Ji Zhi Qiu only prepared to climb down the tree after confirming that Ji Yan Yan had obediently done so.

His rescue of the cat was a cool move, but it cost him all his strength. To avoid falling flat on his face, he had to resort to the most pathetic way to get down, letting his jeans slide down the tree trunk.

His legs were trembling. He finally managed to get down, only to find that his attempt to take a shortcut had backfired and he had accidentally gotten stuck in the middle of a tree branch.

Oh no, we can't get out.

...

When it was time to leave school, Ji Zishen said goodbye to his best friend and walked back home with a heavy heart.

In his mind, Ji Zhi Qiu had always been a fool, easy to use, and didn't need much caution. The image of a pitiful old father had fooled him. But after leaving home, Ji Zi Shen calmed down and gradually realized something was wrong.

Ji Zhi Qiu had previously been very indulgent and biased towards his biological son, always treating him like a burden. Why was he so kind to him yesterday, giving him gifts and cutting fruit for him?

Ji Zishen felt increasingly uneasy, and it wasn't until he was almost home that he suddenly realized what was wrong.

His earlier guess was correct; Ji Zhi Qiu's sudden change was definitely up to no good, and he was definitely not as useless as he appeared!

The thought that Ji Zhi Qiu was two-faced and secretly plotting against him filled Ji Zi Shen with a strong sense of crisis.

His steps slowed involuntarily, his mind filled with thoughts of getting revenge on Ji Zhi Qiu. Before he knew it, he had walked back to the residential area, when he suddenly caught a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

Ji Yanyan was standing alone under the tree with her back to him.

Ji Zishen frowned. Based on his understanding of Ji Zhiqiu, he knew that Ji Zhiqiu cared a lot about this youngest son and would never let him go out alone.

Following his heart's desire, Ji Zishen searched everywhere but couldn't find a single adult standing upright. Instead, he saw a large, protruding buttock hidden among the leaves.

butt?

Ji Zishen frowned and subconsciously looked over.

The person stuck in the tree branch was indeed Ji Zhi Qiu. He maintained a rather contorted posture, gripping the tree trunk with his hands and sticking his butt out high. He used all his strength but still couldn't pull himself out. He even lost his balance and fell forward, getting stuck even more tightly.

Ji Zishen: "..."

The thought from earlier kept replaying in his mind: Ji Zhi Qiu is two-faced, not as... as he appears...

He was wrong; Ji Zhi Qiu really was that stupid and useless.