Chapter 127 Overdoing the Flattery
Yao Shuli and Xiao Tiantian have been playing with the children in the alley.
We played games like jacks, card games, rolling hoops, and spinning tops. Occasionally, when the mood struck, we'd split into two teams and play cockfighting.
Both older and younger children had a lot of fun.
Xiao Wei, who is about the same age as Xiao Tiantian, is very envious of Xiao Tiantian.
Not only are they well-dressed, but they also eat well, with an endless supply of candy, peanuts, and rice candy in their pockets every day...
So, Xiaowei started asking Xiaotian for advice.
"Tian Tian, how do you have so many delicious foods?!"
"My older sister likes me a lot! She always saves food for me whenever I like it."
But my older sister also said that while you can eat, you must brush your teeth afterward, otherwise you'll get cavities.
"I've lost a tooth, so I eat much less than before," Xiao Tiantian said, showing Xiao Wei her missing front tooth.
Xiao Wei glanced at Xiao Tiantian's missing front tooth, then looked at Xiao Tiantian's pocket...
It's full of food!
Even though Xiaotian is worried about getting rotten teeth, there are still so many delicious things to eat. When will he be able to have an endless supply of snacks?
"Did your older sister give them all to you?" Xiao Wei asked in a low voice.
"Yes, they were all given to me by my eldest sister."
"Shulige has some too. My older sister said that if I don't have enough, I can just take some from Shulige's pocket," Xiaotian said proudly.
Xiao Wei was even more envious.
Yao Shuli and Xiao Tiantian both have a good older sister.
"Then... how did you manage to make your older sister like you so much?" Xiao Wei asked in a low voice.
Xiao Tian thought for a moment, how was he supposed to answer this question? Was he supposed to say that he was born likable? Was it something he was born with?
Does everyone love me, whether it's my grandfather, my maternal grandfather, or my older brothers and sisters?
"Well... it's hard to say! I guess I'm just more likable!" That's all Xiaotian could say.
Xiao Wei said "Oh," and Xiao Tiantian was indeed lovable; it seemed that all the grandpas and grandmas in the alley liked Xiao Tiantian quite a bit.
When will I be as likable as Xiaotian?
"Tian Tian, do you have some ideas? Shura isn't your biological sister, but she likes you so much. You must have your own way, right?" Xiao Wei kept pestering Tian Tian and kept asking.
At this moment, Yao Shuli, who had won the cockfight and was waiting to advance to the next round, came over.
"A solution? Of course there is! Tian Tian's words are so sweet, like they're coated in honey," Yao Shuli said with a smile as she listened to the two talking.
Xiao Wei...
"Would you like it if I put honey on your lips?" Xiao Wei asked immediately.
Yao Shuli, Xiao Tiantian...
"It's not about making you sweet-talk; it's a way of saying that you need to know how to speak and say things that adults will like."
"Tian Tian is the most experienced in this matter, you should ask Tian Tian!" Yao Shuli said casually.
Xiao Tiantian, who was already a little unhappy when she heard Xiao Wei say that Yao Shula was not her biological sister, immediately nodded in agreement.
"Yes, the main thing is that you need to know how to speak! Adults need to like what you say."
That's why the older sister likes me so much—because I'm good at talking.
"But my older sister also said that she will always like me no matter what. She's my real older sister!" Xiao Tiantian said, raising her head.
"How can I say things that adults like? Tiantian, please teach me!" Little Weike pitifully tugged at Little Tiantian's arm.
Xiao Tian thought about it and realized that although Xiao Wei was the youngest in the family, he didn't seem to be the one the adults liked the most.
Grandma Wu's family has many boys, so Grandma Wu's feelings towards her grandsons are just so-so.
"Of course you should praise them! Praise them to the skies! Praise them no matter what they do!"
If you don't even know how to compliment someone, then you're really stupid.
For example, when my older sister cooks, I say that her cooking is delicious, even better than that of a restaurant chef.
If she does the laundry, I'll say that the clothes my sister washed are so clean, just like they were bought from a department store.
"My sister has a new dress, and she looks even better than those movie actors in the newspapers!" Xiao Tiantian shared her experience with Xiao Wei.
Xiao Wei thought it made a lot of sense.
Who doesn't want to hear nice things? Who doesn't want to hear nice things?
Even if he's a little kid, doesn't he like to hear nice things?
Last time my aunt came, she gave me two pieces of candy. Wasn't it just because my older brother said a few nice words that I was able to coax her away?
"Okay, I'll go praise my dad in a bit!" Xiao Wei said confidently.
He'll definitely compliment me!
"Remember! Praise everything, the more genuine the praise, the better. Make people believe what you're saying is true."
"Fine, Shuli and I will go with you to see how you compliment people!"
As Xiao Tiantian spoke, she pulled Yao Shuli to watch how Xiao Wei praised his father.
When we arrived at Xiaowei's house, Xiaowei's father was playing cards with someone.
Xiao Tiantian and Yao Shuli were just waiting to see how Xiao Wei would praise his dad.
Xiao Wei was also thinking about how to praise his father, and from which aspects to praise him!
How about we start by praising them for playing cards? Didn't Xiaotian say that we should praise adults no matter what they do?
So, Xiaowei immediately prepared to praise his dad for playing cards well, since he hadn't played a single card from start to finish...
Just as Xiaowei was about to open his mouth, his father suddenly farted.
The sound was just right, not too loud or too soft, so everyone could hear it.
Farting is normal, so everyone just pretended not to hear it and continued playing cards.
Xiao Wei suddenly realized something.
"Dad's farts smell so good! Just like when Mom puts on face cream."
Dad, you must have secretly applied Mom's face cream. I saw it.
"And Dad's farts are really loud. Most people can't make that kind of noise." Xiao Wei praised very earnestly.
Yao Shuli and Xiao Tiantian were dumbfounded.
Is this kid genuinely stupid or just pretending...?
The group of people playing cards with Xiaowei's father immediately burst into laughter.
What was originally a small matter has now become a laughing stock.
When Xiaowei saw everyone laughing, he immediately wondered if it was because of what he had said that made them happy. He was about to laugh along when he saw his father stand up.
"You little rascal, what are you doing at home making a racket instead of going out to play..."
As Xiaowei's father spoke, he prepared to kick Xiaowei, but the stool he was sitting on was slightly crooked, and he immediately tripped and fell when he stretched out his leg.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Wei immediately began praising it again.
"Dad is so good at wrestling, he must have been trained."
"It's even more spectacular than a toad's fall..."
And just like that, Xiaowei was kicked out by his father.
...
"Big sister, tell me, can you blame us for this?" Xiao Tian said angrily.
Yao Shula patted Xiao Tiantian's head, and then patted Xiao Wei's head.
"Xiaowei, stop praising people! You'll get beaten up if you do! If you really want to praise someone, praise Tiantian and Shuli instead!" Yao Shula sighed.
This is like trying to flatter someone but ending up hurting them!
Xiao Wei was about to cry when Yao Shula took out 50 cents from her pocket and handed it to Yao Shuli.
“Take them both out to play. There’s a popsicle wholesaler on the back street. One popsicle for each of you! Buy one for Xiaowei too.”
Remember to buy cream!
Although it wasn't my child's fault, well... they're just kids.
Xiao Wei immediately became happy again, and he hurried over to grab Xiao Tiantian's arm and said.
"Tian Tian, you're right, praising someone really does get you delicious food!"
Yao Shuli, Xiao Tiantian...
...
Yao Shuli and Yao Shuxin both smiled and shook their heads.
Just as the two were about to speak, Zhou Pingan called out to Yao Shula from the other side of the wall.
"Shura, Lei Jingwu called me and said they'll be here in a few days, and there's one more person with them this time!"
"Who is it?" Yao Shula asked curiously.
“Tian Tian’s grandfather!” Zhou Ping’an said.
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