Chapter 30: Xi Xi's Secret.
Pei Yiyan strode closer and said, "I've come to take Xixi home."
Meng Zhiyao didn't know how long he had been there or how much he had heard. She nodded slightly and turned to the side with her eyes lowered.
Xixi opened her arms: "Dad, are you done?"
"Okay, all done." Pei Yiyan held the baby with practiced ease. "Say goodbye to Mom, we're going home."
Xi Xi waved obediently, politely yet enthusiastically: "Goodbye, Mom."
Meng Zhiyao watched the departing figures of the two, one big and one small, with a sense of loss and unease welling up in her heart.
The understated Mercedes-Benz G-Class had been parked at the school gate for some time. Just as Meng Zhiyao opened the car door and got in, Song Ling slowly spoke:
"Yaoyao, Mom doesn't object to you getting along well with your classmates, but you have to look at their character and morals when making friends. Mom hopes you will keep your distance from Pei Yiyan."
Her critical words made Meng Zhi instinctively retort: "Pei's character and conduct are impeccable, Mom, you shouldn't be prejudiced against him."
Song Ling frowned: "Yaoyao, you saw what happened in the classroom just now, right? How old is he? His daughter is already three years old. Can a boy like that be a good person? Listen to your mother, stay away from him."
If the boy is twenty years old and the girl is three, wouldn't that mean he was already tasting forbidden fruit with a girl at seventeen? From Song Ling's perspective, her disdain and worry were not unfounded.
However, Pei Yiyan and Xixi's situation could not be explained by common sense. Ignorance is no excuse, so Meng Zhiyao was not angry.
“The child is innocent,” she said. “Even if you don’t like Pei, his daughter did nothing wrong. You shouldn’t have given the child such a hard time.”
A face resembling a New Year's painting doll appeared in Song Ling's mind. Her indifferent gaze paused for a moment, and she felt somewhat apologetic.
“You’re right.” Song Ling wasn’t someone who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong. At the time, Xi Xi’s words about her grandmother made her feel offended, and she lost control and took her anger out on her.
She transferred 1,000 yuan to Meng Zhiyao via WeChat: "Yaoyao, buy that kid some food and toys later, as compensation."
Meng Zhiyao's eyes subtly brightened: "Okay!"
The car started, kicking up a cloud of dust, and drove away from the crowded streets.
The father and daughter, walking leisurely down the road, caught a glimpse of the exhaust fumes from the corner of their eyes. Xi Xi stretched her head and said, "Dad, it's Mom and Grandma's car!"
Pei Yiyan asked in surprise, "How did you know?"
He and Meng Zhiyao had been classmates for almost three years, so unsurprisingly he recognized her family's license plate, but this was the first time he had seen the child.
Does she have X-ray vision?
If that's the case, wouldn't it mean that everyone has nowhere to hide in front of her?
Pei Yiyan couldn't help but shiver, his eyes sharp as he stared intently at Xixi: "Besides treating illnesses, is there anything else you've been hiding from me?"
Xi Xi looked back at her father, her dark eyes darting around guiltily, and she chuckled awkwardly twice.
Pei Yiyan's heart sank.
"Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be treated severely."
Xi Xi said shyly, "Dad, let's talk about it when we get home."
"Why?" There was something he couldn't say in public. Pei Yiyan looked at his daughter and asked jokingly, "Are you afraid your father won't be able to handle it and will faint in the street?"
"hold head high."
She was still gazing upwards. Pei Yiyan thought to himself, "Oh no, this is probably not a good thing. This little brat is such a pain in the neck."
The little girl had already given him a heads-up, so Pei Yiyan didn't stubbornly insist on embarrassing himself in public. He couldn't help but quicken his pace home.
Despite her quick pace, Xixi's little mouth never stopped. One minute she wanted to buy roasted chestnuts, the next she wanted to buy candied hawthorns, and she even had a roasted corn in her arms.
Xi Xi ate a couple of bites and then it all went into Pei Yiyan's stomach. The father and daughter returned home with full burps. Fortunately, he had told Aunt Liu in advance to cook seafood porridge for dinner, so they could heat it up and eat it if they got hungry in the middle of the night.
Shortly after entering the house, Pei Yiyan quickly drew the curtains, checked that the doors and windows were locked, and finally made two cups of lemon water and brought them to the living room to sit down.
"Come here." He paused the animation and patted the spot beside him.
Xi Xi understood immediately. She lifted her little bottom, held the bowl of bright red pomegranates, and slowly moved to Pei Yiyan's side.
Having prepared himself mentally, Pei Yiyan took a sip of water, leaned back in a boss-like posture, and said, "Go ahead and speak."
Xixi sipped the sweet pomegranate juice off her fingers and sat up straight: "Are you sure you want to tell me? Dad, don't be scared when I tell you."
Pei Yiyan scoffed: "I wasn't scared when you revealed your true form as a little monster, so what do you think could scare me?"
"Oh." Since he was so confident, Xixi simply didn't hold back. With a serious little face, she confessed firmly, "Dad, actually Xixi can understand what the flowers and plants are saying. Xixi is good friends with them."
“”
The little monster blinked, "Daddy?"
Pei Yiyan felt nothing at all, and even wanted to laugh a little. He had thought it was some earth-shattering, inhuman ability, but it turned out to be just like this.
It's perfectly reasonable that Xixi, being a ginseng spirit baby, has the ability to communicate with flowers and plants.
Pei Yiyan hesitated, unsure whether to laugh or not: "Okay, I got it. Is there anything else?"
“No, that’s all.” Xi Xi asked in confusion, “Dad, why weren’t you scared?”
"Because I'm your father." Pei Yiyan calmly picked up his water glass, took a sip, and said arrogantly and smugly, "Dad is fearless and forever strong."
"So, Dad has no worries?"
"No."
Xi Xi stared at him intently, then suddenly blurted out, "Then why do you frown so much when you take a shower? And cry when you go to the toilet?"
"???"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Xi Xi put one hand on her hip and said, "Dad, the succulent brother told me that you are always unhappy when you go to the toilet. Your face is always dark and your eyes are red."
"It says you're constipated, Dad. What does constipation mean? Why are you crying because you're constipated?"
“”
"Oh, and also, Green Ivy said you went to Grandma to learn how to play the claw machine. Did you learn it? When are you taking Xixi to play the claw machine again?"
"Dad, why aren't you saying anything? Please say something!"
Pei Yiyan remained expressionless, his lips twitched slightly, and he smiled, "How long have you been cricketing at me?"
Xi Xi let out a bewildered "Ah".
Pei Yiyan raised a finger and pointed in front and behind: "How long have they been watching me?"
Before Xixi could speak, Pei Yiyan pondered for a moment, his expression changing slightly: "Have they been observing our every move ever since we got home?"
Xi Xi's eyes darted around, and she weakly tried to salvage the situation: "They sleep every day too."
Pei Yiyan pressed his throbbing forehead.
The green plants in our home were purchased after we moved into our new house because Xixi felt it was too spacious. We have them on the balcony, in the bedroom, and in the bathroom.
Looking back now, that little girl didn't feel empty at all; she was clearly looking for company because she was bored!
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because once he did, Pei Yiyan felt like there were people everywhere in his house—no, they were all demons!
She's still the kind of gossipy person who loves crickets the most!
Pei Yiyan suddenly stood up and headed straight for the row of succulent plants in the bathroom. Xixi followed closely behind with small, quick steps: "Daddy, where are you going?"
"Lost something." The three words, squeezed out through clenched teeth, were forceful and clear.
"Daddy, no!" Xixi rushed to the front, spreading her arms like a mother hen protecting her chicks. "We can't lose them! They'll be doomed!"
He'd be doomed if he wasn't abandoned soon, but the cold-blooded judge Pei Yiyan remained unmoved.
"Dad, the succulent brothers are a large, gregarious family. If you throw them out, they'll spread your secrets everywhere, and then all the plants will know you were crying in the bathroom!"
"How embarrassing!"
Pei Yiyan stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
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