Chapter 73

"Aunt Yun, besides these, what else was found?" Xu Qingyan maintained her composure. "For example, whether the cancer cells in her body have completely disappeared."

Yunlan said seriously, "I have reviewed your mother's medical records and communicated with her attending physician. Based on our laboratory tests, I can confirm that your mother does not have leukemia cancer cells in her body. She is healthy."

Xu Qingyan: "Have you figured out why my mother shrunk?"

"Not yet, further investigation is needed," Yunlan said frankly. "The reasons could be multifaceted, Ayan, give us some time."

Xu Qingyan nodded, not wanting to make things difficult for her: "I will take my mother to the laboratory in a couple of days."

As a researcher, Yunlan naturally wanted things to go as quickly as possible, but she was also an elder who had watched them grow up, and no matter how anxious she was, she remembered to be considerate of their family's feelings.

As soon as the call ended, Xu Yue couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Ayan, don't tell me you've set up a research team specifically to study why Aunt Rou has shrunk."

Xu Qingyan strolled to the window and gazed through the glass at the little girl chasing and playing on the grass. Tiny golden light fell on her two flowing black braids, which traced lively arcs as she jumped.

This is what he wants to see; he wants his mother to grow up without any worries.

His voice was ethereal: "You guessed right."

"Aren't you worried?" Xu Yue couldn't help but ask, then suddenly paused, guessing, "Was that Aunt Yunlan on the phone just now?"

It's her.

"That's alright then." Xu Yue relaxed completely, pushed up his glasses, and crossed his long legs casually. "So you poached Aunt Yun? No wonder my uncle couldn't find her."

Xu Qingyan didn't look at him: "Speak, what brings you here today?"

“I was supposed to have something to do, but I don’t now.” Xu Yue rested his chin on his hand, looking refined but exuding a seductive and wicked aura. “My uncle has recently switched back to human research. Aunt Rou is sick this time, and I’m afraid you three siblings will try anything in a panic, so I’m asking about your plans.”

They had grown up together, and he knew that their family had a deep bond, so he planned to have his uncle come and see Xu Yirou.

Unexpectedly, his friend was more decisive than he had imagined, and directly established a research team.

Xu Qingyan had originally considered Xu Yue's second uncle as a candidate, but Professor Yunlan made them feel more at ease than him.

"You're so thoughtful."

"?" Xu Yue's expression changed slightly, and he sat up abruptly. "I don't care who you are, get off my brother right now. I know a little bit of magic, believe it or not, I'll beat you to a pulp."

"..."

Xu Qingyan gave him a cold sidelong glance, ignored him, and returned to her desk to pick up a folder: "Go out and close the door behind you."

"Tsk, that's the taste," Xu Yue touched his nose, chuckled, and said as he closed the door, "Hey, don't scare me if you're not serious. I just love your cool and unrestrained attitude."

"go out."

"Okay."

*

An outdoor air conditioner was installed to prevent the cubs from getting heatstroke. The adults in the living room had nothing to do. Qin Yu and Li Ranran were meeting for the first time, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, they ran out of things to say.

With the camera focused on them from all angles, He Nianzhu, as the host, couldn't leave her guests out in the cold. But how could she quickly become one of them?

He Nianzhu had an idea in mind and waved her phone: "Want to play a round?"

Games are a powerful social tool for today's young people.

There's no emotion that can't be formed in a game; if there is, then play two games.

Li Ranran's eyes lit up slightly, and the internet-addicted girl blurted out, "Okay, I'm super sweet as support!"

Qin Yu scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly, "I've never played video games."

Huh? He Nianzhu and Li Ranran both showed incredulous expressions. Are there still young people who don't play video games these days?

Qin Yu said in a slightly embarrassed voice, "When I don't have any gigs, I like to write songs and daydream... I can daydream from morning till night."

He's plagued by bad luck; everything he does goes wrong. He's better off staying still than moving around, and spacing out is his best cover.

He Nianzhu joked, "It's such a pity that the Buddhist Academy didn't admit you."

"Ah, I took the test, but I didn't get enough points."

"..." What a talent!

He Nianzhu patted his shoulder: "It's okay, it's all in the past."

He then asked, "So, will you play cards or mahjong?"

"I know a little."

Li Ranran took over the conversation, very modestly: "My mother is from Sichuan Province, and I've been exposed to mahjong since I was little."

[Hahaha, when we're out and about, Sichuan province is second to none when it comes to mahjong! Little brother and Xiao Qin, just wait until you're crushed!]

We're one short for the three of us! Just then, Xu Yue came downstairs, and He Nianzhu immediately extended a warm invitation: "Brother Yue, we're one short for the three of us, come on over!"

The assistant director in the small room looked distressed and hesitated, "Director, isn't it a bit much to allow gambling in a group? It won't pass censorship, will it?"

Chang Yi calmly took a drag of his cigarette and sat down with an air of authority: "Go and remind Nianzhu not to gamble. If she doesn't gamble, everything will be fine."

Assistant Director: Huh?

Thinking of He Nianzhu's temper, the assistant director felt a little intimidated, swallowed hard, and looked away.

"What are you afraid of? Nianzhu isn't going to eat you. Can you find another celebrity in the entertainment industry as easy to talk to and reasonable as him?"

Having just been mistreated by the young model, Chang Yi now looked at everyone with disdain.

The assistant had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it. He Nianzhu, who had just received the call, seemed to know what he was going to say and gave a perfunctory "I know" twice.

Then it hung up abruptly.

"The loser has to choose between Truth or Dare." He Nianzhu had already planned out the game and was eager to show off her skills. "Let's go."

*

Xu Cheye initially didn't plan to come out with the cubs, as they wouldn't play together. He preferred to stay inside and wait for his silly nephew to finish his business and come home.

But then I thought, among a group of adults, he was just a little kid, so he would just stand out.

So they quietly followed a few cubs as their tails.

Xu Yirou took out a long rubber band rope. She was going to teach them how to play jump rope. Lanlan and Xiaoyueliang didn't understand the purpose of the rubber band at first.

But when the rubber bands were looped around Meimei and Yangyang's legs, Xu Yirou jumped back and forth, making the thin, flexible ropes look amazing. The novelty of this new toy made the two little ones' eyes widen in amazement.

Wow, you can play with rubber bands like this? That's amazing!

[Jumping rope! I never expected to see it in my brother's live stream, sob sob sob, this is a childhood memory for those of us born in the 80s and 90s, it really brought tears to my eyes.]

[90 here. I remember during the ten-minute break between classes when I was a kid, the hallway was full of girls playing jump rope. My highest jump ever was up to my neck, hahaha, so many memories!]

[I'm a 2000s kid, we played this game when we were kids too, don't exclude us 2000s kids.]

[This chubby little girl in her twenties can actually play jump rope! I'm so curious who taught her. Was it Qiao Wen? She's so old, how can she still jump like that?]

Little Moon's eyes grew brighter and brighter as she looked, her gaze fixed on Xu Yirou's butterfly-like, graceful figure, and she seemed to want to play.

After demonstrating, Xu Yirou paused, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling: "I'll teach you, let's play together, it's very simple."

Little Moon pinched the hem of her skirt and said softly, "I will study hard, Rou Rou."

Lanlan: "I will study hard too!"

Xu Cheye, who had been nonchalant, frowned slightly: "Jump rope is a game for girls, how can boys play it?"

Lanlan was confused: "Cheche, how did you know? You've played this before?"

The cubs' big, dark, round eyes snapped over.

Xu Cheye was stunned and suddenly became speechless.

Yeah... How did he know?

He'd never even seen it before, so how did he know that hopscotch was a game for girls?

"A game is a game, why distinguish between girls and boys?" the little girl muttered discontentedly, interrupting. "Cheche, you must be worried that you won't be able to learn it or play it well, so you said that to scare Lanlan."

Xu Cheye's mouth moved faster than his brain: "I could learn this kind of simple game that doesn't require any brainpower, even with my eyes closed."

—A game is a game. Why distinguish between girls and boys? You must be afraid you won't be able to learn it, so you're making up this excuse.

—I knew I couldn't hide it from you. So teach me first, don't teach them.

"Who is speaking!"

The conversation that suddenly popped into his mind startled Xu Cheye, and he immediately became as taut as a bowstring, his wolf-like eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Xu Yirou trembled at Xu Cheye's stern shout, her grape-like eyes misting over with tears, and she pouted, looking particularly aggrieved.

"Why...why are you being so fierce? I didn't call you a little idiot. Even if I did call you a little idiot, you can't yell at me like that. Don't you know how to respect elders and care for the young..."

The more I talk about it, the angrier I get. Who isn't a pampered little baby at heart?

Since shrinking, she has never been wronged. Her two children and her mother have never said a harsh word to her.

The other children also like to play with her, but Cheche doesn't seem to like her. They had so much fun playing with Meimei and Yangyang last time.

He frowned, his expression cold. Could it be that Cheche is also expressionless like Dabao?

When Bubble saw that her little grandma was about to cry, she felt both heartache and anger. "Well, you little figurine, you're such a little devil!"

She jumped out angrily and stood in front of Xu Yirou.

She shoved Xu Cheye away, glaring at him with a cute but fierce look: "Why are you bullying my little grandma!"

Xu Cheye slipped and fell on his backside. He instinctively braced himself with his palm, but unfortunately the grass was too slippery and he twisted his wrist.

The boy hissed, his sharp gaze sweeping lightly upwards.

Bubble clenched her little fists and waved them around, displaying incredible fighting spirit like a mother hen protecting her chicks, completely unafraid.

"Come on, if you're not happy, fight me!"

The human cubs are fighting! Is anyone going to intervene?

[OMG, Bubble is so cool! Hahaha, that aloof and arrogant look is just a carbon copy of Sister Jiang!]

Jiang Yan was once a national martial arts champion. I wonder if her daughter, Bubble Baby, has followed in her footsteps. I'm kind of looking forward to it, hehehe.

Xu Cheye scoffed dismissively, glanced at the dazed girl, and stood up with a sour face.

"Ahhh, don't hit the bubbles!" Catching his movement, Xu Yirou screamed in panic, "Hit me if you want, I'm tough and can take a beating!"

[Meat: ? ? No, I'm asking you, isn't my life a life too?]

Bubble was overjoyed and her determination to protect Grandma became even stronger: "Meatball, my fists are super hard. One punch and the little figurine will cry and go home to find its mother."

Xu Cheye, mini figurine: ...

[Is it alright to have crickets chirping in front of you?]

Xu Cheye pursed his lips, trying to explain, "Rou Rou, I'm not being mean to you."

Xu Yirou remained vigilant, protecting the bubble tightly, and cautiously asked him, "Then who are you yelling at?"

Xu Cheye: "I just heard a strange sound, didn't you guys hear it?"

The four little radish heads looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.

"What strange sound?" Xu Yirou tilted her head, a little curious. "I don't think I heard anything."

It seems only he can hear it.

Bubble stomped her foot angrily: "Don't even think about diverting our attention! We all saw you yell at Rou Rou! If you don't apologize, I'll..."

"sorry."

I'll beat you to tears!

Before he could stop himself from bubbling, he froze: Huh?

"Rou Rou, I didn't mean to be mean to you just now, I'm sorry." Xu Cheye tilted his head slightly, his eyes dark and intriguing. "Can you forgive me?"

The seemingly imminent war between human cubs ended abruptly and easily.

Xu Yirou was bewildered. She was a peace-loving child, and since Cheche had already apologized, she would reluctantly calm down.

She's an elder, so her belly needs to be big.

"Okay, I forgive you."

Xu Cheye: "Thank you."

"Hmph, men's hearts are like the bottom of the sea." Bubble shook her little tuft of hair and shouted, "When I grow up, I will never find a boyfriend like a little figurine."