Chapter 42.42 She is the mother of my child.
From Xixi's scattered narration, Pei Yiyan's biggest conclusion was that these kinds of plant monsters were not very bright and their fighting skills were not great either.
Take Xiao Hei's father, Da Hei, for example. This 800-year-old He Shou Wu spirit couldn't even beat an old human. He finally managed to go down the mountain for a trip, but he almost got stewed. I don't know whether to say he was too unlucky or too weak.
It's one thing for the potted plants in Baicao County that haven't developed sentience, but these little demons who have cultivated for hundreds of years, how come they're all so naive?
No wonder the entire Hundred Herbs Mountain fell into chaos after the mountain god disappeared; they are incredibly lucky to have survived for hundreds of years without being harvested by hunters.
Baicaoshan is an inconspicuous wild mountain in Baicao County. Judging from the perfunctory naming, this mountain has little presence in the local area.
Pei Yiyan, who grew up there, had never even been there before. Who would have thought that so many little monsters would live in the wild mountains?
Pei Yiyan put down his chopsticks and asked, "Do you want to go back?"
Xi Xi smacked her lips, her eyes crinkling with a dazed look, savoring the lingering sweetness of the milk beer on her tongue.
"Baicao Mountain." Pei Yiyan rolled up a slice of roast duck with his fair fingers and placed it in her bowl, this time without any scallions. "The place where you were born."
It has been exactly nine months since she came down the mountain. Baicao Mountain is where she has lived for three hundred years. Suddenly being away for so long, she must be secretly missing home.
He had never thought about this issue before.
"No, no." Xi Xi was stunned, shaking her little head like a windmill, afraid that if she was too slow she would be thrown back into the mountains. "There is no fried chicken, milk beer, steamed egg custard and delicious candy in the mountains. Xi Xi doesn't want to go back."
The little girl has long since adapted to the abundant modern life down the mountain and is quite content, forgetting all about returning home.
Pei Yiyan reminded him: "Don't you miss your friends? Like Aunt Huahua and Sister Mushroom, whom you used to talk about all the time."
"That's what I was thinking."
Xixi slowly licked her sauce-stained fingers, her chubby face momentarily saddened before brightening up again: "So Xixi needs to cultivate well as soon as possible, so she can take Mom and Dad back. They'll be so happy to see you come back!"
"Can't we go back now?" Pei Yiyan asked, somewhat puzzled. "For example, I can take you back to Baicao Mountain to see them."
Xi Xi looked at him with affection and shook her head: "No, Daddy, you're too weak right now. Aunt Flower and Sister Mushroom are both poisonous monsters. If you get within three meters of them, you'll be poisoned."
“Xixi is so small, and you are so wide, Xixi can’t carry you.”
Pei Yiyan: "
An answer I never expected.
Pei Yiyan was unconvinced; he wasn't that weak. "What kind of grass are they?" he asked.
"Aunt Huahua is nettle, and Sister Mushroom is bluebell."
Okay, sorry to bother you.
The effects of Polygonum multiflorum vine far exceeded Xixi's expectations. Originally, it was expected to take seven days, but the oranges were much better on the third day.
This shows that Xiao Hei's cultivation and magical power have increased significantly. Ordinary people who eat its fruit will never have to worry about going gray or bald for the rest of their lives.
They were all little monsters who grew up together, and Xi Xi felt a sense of urgency. After finishing her meal, she pestered Pei Yiyan, saying:
"Dad, Xixi wants to grow taller and go out to play more."
Pei Yiyan, who was bending down to tidy up the table, remained calm and lazily lifted one eyelid: "Who said you were a little potato?"
Xi Xi stepped onto a small stool: "No, it's just that my tusks want to surpass Xiao Hei's vines."
It was too dark that day, and Pei Yiyan couldn't see clearly whether there was a vine on Xiao Hei's head, but he understood the competitive spirit between the cubs.
Pei Yiyan couldn't help but think of the events at Fragrant Hills. He bent his fingers and tapped the table absently.
"Dad hasn't asked you about what happened that day. You wanted to go up the mountain to dig up some he shou wu (Polygonum multiflorum) to give to Grandma. Why didn't you just tell Dad?"
He hit the nail on the head right away. Xi Xi wrinkled her nose and smiled, looking just like a little cat that had done something naughty.
"Because I wanted to scare my dad."
Seeing her father's handsome face, which clearly showed his displeasure, Xixi became even happier: "Daddy has never seen any other little monsters before. Aren't you super excited to see a new little monster?"
Pei Yiyan was speechless for a moment.
"You'll lose both your father and your friend if you do this."
“Daddy is clearly very happy.” Xi Xi wasn’t scared at all. “You even gave him a little black outfit to wear.”
"Then who is he doing this for?" Pei Yiyan felt like he was swallowing a bitter pill, unable to express his grievances. He could only glare fiercely at the little guy and continue his idle chatter:
"Tell your dad more about yourself."
"Isn't Xiao Hei a little monster from Beijing? Why do you two know each other?"
"Xiao Hei is Xi Xi's neighbor, not a little monster from Beijing."
While Pei Yiyan wasn't looking, Xixi secretly dipped her chopsticks into the milk beer can, quickly put some in her mouth, and savored the taste.
"Xiao Hei came over after hearing Xi Xi's call."
"?"
Pei Yiyan thought he had misheard, his narrow eyes widening slightly: "It takes two hours to fly from Beijing to Pingshui, and he's faster than a plane?"
Xi Xi: "Running fast is Xiao Hei's unique skill, just like Xi Xi can cure diseases."
Ah, my head is so itchy, it feels like my brain is growing.
Shouldn't having long hair be considered a special skill? Pei Yiyan remained silent for a long time; he really knew nothing about demons.
"Since you can summon Little Black, can you summon him to your house for dinner now?"
"no."
"Little Black won't come; he's afraid of being caught by humans and made into soup," Xi Xi said. "Not all demons are as brave as Xi Xi."
Pei Yiyan said calmly, "Yes, that's true. If other demons were to steal drinks like you, they would have been caught and used as snacks."
Xi Xi's little hand holding the chopsticks trembled, and she rolled her eyes at him angrily. "Fine, don't drink then, you stingy adult."
"The last bite."
Pei Yiyan dipped his chopsticks in the water again and tapped his daughter's round little nose: "Things shouldn't happen more than three times. You're not allowed to think your father is stingy in your heart."
Xi Xi: (⊙o⊙)
Huh!
Maru, Dad can read minds.
The little guy's face was full of barely concealed guilt and surprise.
She hurriedly tried to salvage the situation, forcing a sweet, ingratiating smile: "Xixi loves you so much, Daddy."
Despite the laughter and playfulness, Pei Yiyan took Xixi's loss in the fight to heart.
Thanks to Zhou Yi enrolling him in various physical training classes when he was young, he developed a strong fist from a young age. Even with a broken leg, he never lost a fight, and even when he was being ganged up on, he could beat a bunch of people so badly that they didn't dare to fight back.
Pei Yiyan earned his reputation as a freak at Jiamu No. 3 Middle School with just his two hands and one leg.
How could his daughter be a meat bun?
Therefore, Pei Yiyan originally intended to enroll Xixi in a martial arts class to help her improve her physical fitness and become a strong little monster.
Wow, father and daughter are really in sync.
The young father, his lips curled into a smile, said, "Don't worry, Dad will definitely help you achieve your wish to grow taller."
On the weekend, when there were no classes, Pei Yiyan took Xixi to a martial arts gym. The father and daughter stood among the onlookers, and because of her father's height advantage, Xixi had the widest view.
The coach is very professional; he's supposedly from the Shaolin Temple. His moves are skillful, beautiful, and powerful.
As an expert, Pei Yiyan nodded repeatedly and asked Xixi in a low voice, "How are you feeling?"
"It looks amazing!" Xi Xi stared intently at the young and handsome coach, her face flushed. "Daddy, do you like him?"
“Hmm, not bad,” Pei Yiyan replied.
"So it's settled then?"
"Hurrah."
Both father and daughter were very satisfied, and after the class, Pei Yiyan paid half a year's tuition.
With an equal number of boys and girls in the class, Pei Yiyan wasn't too worried.
The martial arts class was scheduled for 9 a.m. on the weekend. On the first day of class, Xixi was completely bewildered. Wasn't it Dad who was going to teach?
Xi Xi tried to run away, but Pei Yiyan pressed her down on the spot.
"We've already paid the money, why are we still going on strike?"
"Dad, why are you dragging Xixi along instead of focusing on your class?" The little one struggled in vain, then clenched her little fist to remind him, "The teacher is waiting for you, hurry up and go, you can't keep her waiting so long."
Pei Yiyan stood straight, pinched her little pigtail and flicked it: "What classes do I take? This class is for you."
Xi Xi was taken aback: "No, no, it's clearly Dad's favorite class, and Xi Xi even asked you about it."
After all that fuss, it turns out the little girl thought the martial arts class was for her dad, and she was just a 'parent' sitting in on it.
Pei Yiyan, of course, couldn't let Xixi continue down this path of error. He unfolded the child's practice clothes and said, "Didn't you want to grow taller? You'll grow taller after this class. Go change your clothes."
The little girl had been pouting, but the moment she saw the pink silk practice uniform, she perked up instantly.
"Alright then, since you're my dad, Xixi will reluctantly help you with your lessons."
Pei Yiyan: "" He was clearly very impatient.
With her tiny arms and legs, Xixi couldn't even hold a proper horse stance. Standing in the front row, she looked like an innocent and bewildered little cabbage, serving as a decorative element.
In the second week of classes, Pei Yiyan received a WeChat message from his martial arts teacher. After arriving home and closing the door, he asked with a cold and stern face:
"My teacher told me that you're not paying attention in class and are always whispering to others. What's going on?"
"Xixi is bored."
“Everyone else is seriously following the movements, but you're daydreaming. Of course it’s boring.” Pei Yiyan frowned and asked her, “Why don’t you follow along?”
Xi Xi collapsed to the ground like a salted fish.
Pei Yiyan gently kicked her foot down, but there was no reaction. Instead, he tickled the sole of her foot with his fingertips.
The little girl giggled and curled up her toes to hide everywhere.
"Classes are no fun at all."
"This wasn't a place for you to play in the first place." Pei Yiyan rubbed his forehead, poking the child's chubby arm with his finger. "Don't you want to grow taller?"
"Xixi needs to grow taller."
“So you need to exercise more,” Pei Yiyan said matter-of-factly. “How will you grow tall if you’re lazy like a little pig?”
"Daddy, take Xixi out to play more often. If you accumulate more merit, you'll grow taller." The little girl sat up and slapped away her father's naughty hand that was pinching her chubby cheeks. "Xixi wants to heal everyone's illnesses and accumulate merit."
Pei Yiyan looked puzzled.
There seems to be an information gap between him and the child.
"You mean, you can grow taller by helping others cure their illnesses and accumulating merit?"
"Yes."
The higher the level of a demon's cultivation, the taller it becomes. Xi Xi grew five centimeters taller in the six months since she went down the mountain, all thanks to the merit she accumulated from healing illnesses.
Pei Yiyan was a little embarrassed. What about the recipes he had painstakingly researched for raising his daughter over the past six months? At times, he was genuinely pleased with his daughter's growth.
Upon suddenly learning the truth, the elderly father found it difficult to accept.
Although learning martial arts wouldn't increase his height, Pei Yiyan had no intention of giving up; he figured it would be a way to cure the little girl's laziness.
Pei Yiyan went to great lengths to get the little girl to willingly attend martial arts classes.
Today I want ice cream soufflé, tomorrow I want egg tarts, and the day after tomorrow I want raspberry cream puffs. The desserts I make to pick up my little girl from school are never the same.
Every day, Xixi receives a delicious dessert from her father, who makes it for her, amidst the envious gazes of other little ones. She then skips and hops away, holding her father's hand.
I went home for the weekend.
"Dad, I want to eat your strawberry cake again."
Pei Yiyan said coldly, "Don't I look like a strawberry cake?"
The actual whipping of cream leaves afterimages as the hand swings.
"Hehe, thank you, Daddy! Daddy's the best! Mua!"
Pei Yiyan touched the drool mark on his face expressionlessly, his eyes deep and thoughtful. It seemed he would have to buy Xixi a strawberry farm.
The weather turned slightly cooler in October.
The National Day holiday has just begun, ushering in the peak period of passenger flow during the year, apart from the Spring Festival travel rush. Office workers are practically crushed into meat patties just to get on and off the subway smoothly.
Qiu Ming was admitted to the agricultural college in the neighboring city of Jinshi. Although it was an ordinary second-tier university, it was an extraordinary achievement for him. With his usually terrible grades, he would have had a hard time even getting into a junior college.
On the day the college entrance examination results came out, Qiu's parents were overjoyed. When the admission notice arrived, they slapped their thighs in excitement, held a grand banquet to celebrate their admission, and kowtowed repeatedly in the direction of their ancestral graves.
At the same time, the couple did not forget Pei Yiyan, who was encouraging their son to move forward.
During the final six months of intensive study, the two of them worked day and night on practice questions. Qiu Ming was so tormented that he lost ten pounds. In the month before the exam, Aunt Lan brought them late-night snacks several times.
The couple were extremely grateful to Pei Yiyan. Before he went to the capital, they sent him a large red envelope, but Pei Yiyan didn't even look at it and returned it directly.
Upon learning that Qiu Mingguo would not be returning home for the National Day holiday but was instead going to Beijing to visit Pei Yiyan and Xixi, Qiu's parents specially sent a large amount of local specialties in advance, repeatedly urging their son to take them with him.
As soon as Pei Yiyan opened the door, Qiu Ming stood in front of him, carrying one snakeskin bag after another, panting heavily with a red face and thick neck.
"Brother Yan!"
Qiu Ming was as excited as if he had seen a relative, and he threw the burlap sack and opened his arms wide: "I've missed you so much!"
Covered in sweat, Pei Yiyan's face turned green. He nimbly dodged and shouted urgently, "Stand there and don't move!"
Qiu Ming looked incredulous and hurt, while Xi Zi clutched her heart and said, "Brother Yan, you despise me, even though I traveled all this way to bring you warmth."
Pei Yiyan's lips twitched: "If you hadn't said anything, I would have thought you came to sell something."
Qiu Ming: "What are you trying to sell? These are things my parents asked me to bring to you. They offered you a red envelope but you didn't take it. If you don't accept these local specialties this time, they'll come to Beijing in person to ask you to accept them."
Pei Yiyan sighed and stepped forward to help carry the things: "Come in, the room is ready for you, go take a shower first."
Tianjin and Beijing are adjacent cities, and it only takes half an hour by high-speed rail. Qiu Ming stayed at Pei Yiyan's house for the entire seven-day holiday.
During the National Day holiday, tourist attractions across the country were packed with people. Before the holiday, Pei Yiyan searched online for lesser-known but fun attractions. After searching for a while, she gradually realized that a fun place is unlikely to be lesser-known, and a lesser-known place is not necessarily fun, and the little girl might not be able to stay there.
That's worse than lying at home like a corpse.
Since he couldn't avoid the crowds no matter what, he finally made a decision: he would just climb the mountain.
The kid is too lazy, this is a good opportunity for him to get some exercise.
On the day they decided on their destination, Pei Yiyan learned from Xixi that Meng Zhiyao wouldn't be returning to Pingshui City for the holiday. After asking her opinion, they formed a four-person hiking team.
Qiu Ming was shocked. Meng Zhiyao was a well-known sickly beauty, a heart patient who was always out of breath after taking a step. He was taking her hiking?
That's crazy!
“She doesn’t need to climb; there’s a cable car at the foot of the mountain that goes directly to the top,” Pei Yiyan said casually. “She and Xixi can take that.”
His explanation only made Qiu Ming feel more confused.
"Then why did you insist on bringing her along?" Qiu Ming stuffed his mouthful of rice, full of confusion. "Brother Yan, I've wanted to ask you this for a long time. When did you become so familiar with her?"
He actually had a bold guess in his heart, but whenever that guess was about to come out, he would personally suppress it.
Because it's just too outrageous and fantastical.
Who would believe that Pei Yiyan, who seems to have cultivated the path of ruthlessness, would suddenly become so audacious as to want Meng Zhiyao to be Xixi's stepmother?
Pei Yiyan's explanation was impeccable: "My old high school classmate happens to be in the same city, so we went together on the way."
Ah, one is in the south of the city and the other in the north of the city, which one is in the right direction?
Qiu Ming gave him a strange look, forcing down his doubts, and continued:
"It's better to be safe than sorry. What if she has a heart attack halfway through? She's an only child. If something happens to her, it will be a huge problem."
During her first year of high school, Meng Zhiyao, who was helping to count items in the equipment room, suddenly suffered a heart attack. She was the only one in the equipment room at the time. Her hand was unsteady, and the medicine bottle she was carrying was accidentally knocked off and stuck in the gap between the equipment.
Pei Yiyan happened to be passing by the door when he heard the faint cries for help inside. He discovered Meng Zhiyao in a critical situation; her face was as pale as paper, like a drowning fish on the verge of death.
Thanks to Pei Yiyan's timely appearance, he was saved.
The aftermath of that incident was that Song Ling came to the school and made a scene, publicly and severely reprimanding the subject teacher who asked Meng Zhiyao for help and the neglectful Old Lü. If it weren't for the principal's constant intercession, that subject teacher might have lost his job.
Everyone in Class 5 had witnessed Song Ling's formidable and troublesome nature. Qiu Ming still vividly remembered the scene from back then, and couldn't help but worry that Pei Yiyan would get into trouble.
Just then, a childish, sweet voice drifted over:
"Brother, don't worry. Sister Meng is strong enough to take on an ox. She's even healthier than you and Dad."
Last week, Xixi gave Meng Zhiyao a second thick ginseng root. Now, Meng Zhiyao is like someone who has had a heart transplant. As long as she doesn't go to participate in a long-distance marathon in the middle of the night, climbing a mountain is no problem at all.
Qiu Ming was filled with unanswerable questions.
He chuckled dismissively, "Xixi, look at how big your brother is. How could your sister Meng possibly compare to me? You should just keep watching cartoons."
The little guy holding the colorful lollipop rolled his eyes and said bluntly:
"Pigsy is taller than Monkey, but Pigsy can't beat Monkey. This story tells us that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, or we'll suffer a great loss."
Qiu Ming was speechless:
Pei Yiyan, nestled on the sofa, crossed his arms and smiled kindly at his daughter: "Hmm, that's right."
Qiu Ming's resentment is quite reasonable, but
Who are you calling Pigsy? QAQ
Xi Xi didn't expect Qiu Ming to believe her immediately. She knew that most people believed what they saw, so she was eager to see Qiu Ming's surprise.
This is called, emmm, a melodramatic short film-style face-slapping!
The three of them got up very early the next day. Xi Xi stood on a small stool with a watering can, blinking her black eyes as she watered the potted plants on the balcony.
Inside the room, the only sounds that could be heard by Xixi and Pei Yiyan were the gurgling sounds of the plants drinking water.
"Drink slowly, don't rush, you'll choke."
"I watered your little cactus yesterday. You can't drink water every day, or the leaves will turn yellow, okay?"
"Little bamboo is not allowed to use foul language; it should be a civilized little bamboo."
Qiu Ming, who was sitting at the dining table waiting for his food, chuckled to himself. He was just about to tell Pei Yiyan how cute Xi Xi was talking to herself when he heard him reply...
"Don't worry about it, it'll behave once the leaves turn yellow."
"Ha, I heard you cursing me. I'll send you to the dark room now."
Xi Xi: "Dad, forget it. Little Bamboo is still too young to understand. Let Xi Xi teach it properly."
"Alright, for your sake, I'll let it go this time."
Qiu Ming: ? ? ?
Rub your eyes and then clean your ears.
What are you two cosplaying for so early in the morning?
Qiu Ming suppressed a laugh and didn't dare to say anything.
When Meng Zhiyao arrived, she was carrying a large pile of breakfasts. Before leaving, she called Xixi to ask about the breakfasts she had brought for them.
When they met again four months after graduation, Qiu Ming almost didn't recognize her.
The girl who I always remembered as sickly and frail was now radiant and unlike any other person. Her eyes were bright when she spoke, her lips were red and her teeth were white, and she no longer had that weak, feeble voice.
He was brimming with the vibrant energy that one should have at his age.
Meng Zhi smiled gracefully at Qiu Ming: "Long time no see."
Her smile was like a summer flower, and in an instant, Qiu Ming could hear his heart pounding rapidly.
He blushed deeply and said, "Oh, yes, yes, it's been a long time. The things must be heavy. Let me carry them."
"It's okay, it's not heavy." Meng Zhi swayed and stepped inside. "Come and eat after you've washed up, it'll still be hot."
Pei Yiyan came out of the restroom in her slippers. The two exchanged a brief glance, and Pei Yiyan caught Qiu Ming's face, which was as red as a monkey's bottom, out of the corner of her eye.
He frowned: "You have a fever?"
Qiu Ming was taken aback, then awkwardly waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, it's hot."
Pei Yiyan glanced at the 25-degree air conditioner: "Your room has a fan."
Qiu Ming slunk away.
The breakfast was plentiful; Meng Zhiyao bought a little of everything. Boys have big appetites, so the portions were very generous.
The group ate until their bellies were round and then left. This time, they climbed another free mountain in Beijing, which had fewer tourists compared to other attractions.
Meng Zhi led Xi Xi ahead, while Pei Yiyan and Qiu Ming followed at a distance.
Qiu Ming stared blankly at Meng Zhiyao's slender, upright back, unable to recover from his daze. He pulled Pei Yiyan aside and whispered, "..."
"Brother Yan, it feels like she's a completely different person after four months apart."
"I guess I met a miracle doctor, which is why I got better."
"Wow, what kind of miracle doctor is so amazing?"
Pei Yiyan: "What, you have an illness that needs treatment too?"
Qiu Ming said awkwardly, "No, that's not true."
It seemed that because Meng Zhiyao's transformation was so dramatic, Qiu Ming paid more attention to her, and his attention would often fall on her.
Because we hadn't interacted before at school, he was too shy to strike up a conversation, but he was exceptionally attentive and helpful throughout the journey.
He was extremely competent as a helper, scouting for directions, asking for directions, carrying things, and hailing taxis.
After a day of hiking, Qiu Ming, who was wearing long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, was covered in mosquito bites, while the other three, who were wearing short sleeves and short-sleeved shirts, were completely unharmed. Qiu Ming was starting to question his life choices.
Especially when Xixi wore that sleeveless floral dress, revealing a large expanse of her fair skin, the mosquitoes avoided her, which was truly puzzling.
Little did they know that the little skirt made of nettle petals was impervious to all poisons and weapons, and could easily keep out mosquitoes.
Unaware of the truth, Qiu Ming was indignant. Everyone was climbing the mountain together, so why was he the only one targeted? And to bite him and then go and bite his butt was going too far.
The mosquitoes on the mountain were highly venomous, and Qiu Ming's buttocks swelled up with huge welts. Despite the crowds around him, he managed to resist the urge to scratch his bottom, and he looked pale as he held it in until he got home.
When Qiu Ming got home that evening, he applied a herbal ointment to his arm to reduce swelling and relieve itching. Pei Yiyan glanced at the terrible red spots on his body and suddenly remembered how he used to attract mosquitoes.
In truth, he was even more unlucky than Qiu Ming. Not only was he bitten by insects in the summer, but he also couldn't escape being chosen by the emperor in the winter. This situation continued until he met Xi Xi.
Before going to bed, Pei Yiyan mentioned this, and Xi Xi laughed so hard she rolled around in bed:
"Dad, it's because you're a tree spirit. Tree spirit blood is very nourishing, even more fragrant than a big chicken leg. If they drink your blood, they can go without food or water for a year. If they're lucky, they might even gain sentience."
“”
Pei Yiyan's face darkened unnaturally. No wonder he always felt like there were endless mosquitoes around him; it turned out he was a real hot commodity.
The thought that he had unknowingly raised a mosquito spirit gave him the creeps.
Pei Yiyan didn't dare to think about it too much. He awkwardly moved on to the next question: "So, the reason I'm not being bitten by mosquitoes now is because you're next to me?"
"Sure, sure."
"Because the little dress Aunt Hua gave me can repel mosquitoes." Xi Xi mysteriously beckoned with her finger, "Dad, come here, Xi Xi will tell you a secret."
Pei Yiyan wasn't taking the bait: "We can talk about any secrets tomorrow. Let's go to sleep first."
"Tomorrow has its own secrets, but today is today's secret." Xi Xi said with a smug look, "It won't wait any longer."
Pei Yiyan put down his phone and pretended to listen attentively.
"Alright, little miss, go ahead and tell me."
"Daddy, actually Aunt Huahua is Mommy's sister. Mommy made you a dress out of flower petals. When we go back together, you can wear the dress Mommy made for you."
Pei Yiyan didn't speak, but silently looked at Xixi for a while: "It's not a skirt, is it?"
Little guy: (▽)
"Xixi doesn't know."
Goodnight, Dad.
Over the next few days, the four of them queued at various popular tourist attractions in Beijing, experiencing what holiday crowds are like. The difference was that Xixi sat on her father's shoulders the whole time, and no matter how crowded it was, no one could squeeze onto her, which was enviable.
The three adults were exhausted from playing all day, and Pei Yiyan even gave up his habit of playing a couple of games before bed, falling asleep instantly as soon as he got home at night.
Qiu Ming would grin foolishly while glued to his phone every night, and Pei Yiyan was startled by a dark shadow in the living room the two nights in a row when she got up to pour water.
On the fifth night, at the same time and in the same place, Pei Yiyan could no longer hold back.
"You stay up all night scaring people, are you bored out of your mind??"
"Brother Yan, you don't know, I've been thinking about something these past few days."
Pei Yiyan opened the refrigerator door: "Spit it out if you have something to say."
Qiu Ming perked up, gripped his phone with both hands, and stammered, "Brother Yan, do you think Meng Zhi would accept my WeChat if I added her?"
"The main thing is, I didn't tell her beforehand, so I wondered if it was too abrupt."
Before Pei Yiyan could react, he continued, "Actually, I think it's fine. After all, we've been going out together these past few days, and we're high school classmates. Adding each other on WeChat shouldn't be seen as a pervert."
Pei Yiyan screwed the bottle cap back on, took two steps forward, and asked in a tone devoid of emotion, "Why did you add her on WeChat out of the blue? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, Yan-ge, what you're saying makes me blush." Qiu Ming shifted back and forth on the sofa. "Yan-ge, you haven't experienced that kind of thing, you don't understand how I feel."
That kind of thing?
"I understand once you explain."
Qiu Ming hesitated and refused to speak.
Pei Yiyan was initially confused, but the more he looked at Qiu Ming's awkward manner, the more familiar he seemed.
Isn't this guy behaving exactly like the lovesick second male lead in those melodramatic soap operas?
Damn, so this kid's got a crush on her!
He wants to be Xixi's stepfather!
"You brat!" Pei Yiyan's temples throbbed with veins, his body temperature plummeting to freezing. Meanwhile, Qiu Ming, oblivious to the subtle cues, stood by, shyly pressing for answers:
"Brother Yan, what do you think of me? I mean, I'm not bad looking, right?"
He was self-aware enough to know that he couldn't compare to Yan Ge, so he only compared himself to ordinary people his age. He was a sunny and cheerful big boy, and since childhood, his neighbors had praised him for his cheerful appearance.
He thinks he'll bring good fortune to his girlfriend or wife in the future!
Pei Yiyan gritted his teeth: "Not very good."
"Brother Yan, don't do that, it hurts."
Pei Yiyan was still holding back.
"Brother Yan, actually I wanted to..."
"What do you want?" Pei Yiyan slowly curled into a somewhat frightening sneer. "You want to pursue Meng Zhiyao? You like Meng Zhiyao?"
Qiu Ming: !!
He asked in surprise and confusion, "Brother Yan, how did you know?" He touched his burning face and smiled sheepishly, "Was I that obvious?"
"You're practically throwing the abacus at my face, don't you think?"
Qiu Ming: "Huh?"
He scratched his head: "I thought I was being quite reserved."
These past few days he's been keeping to himself, acting as a mere tool, not daring to actively attract the goddess's attention, considering himself a reserved big boy.
Pei Yiyan looked at him intently and said in a deep voice, word by word, "You can pursue anyone, but not Meng Zhiyao."
Qiu Ming stared in astonishment, frozen in place, and asked dumbfoundedly, "Why?"
Because that's the mother of her child!
Pei Yiyan took a deep breath in the darkness and walked step by step to his side.
He patted Qiu Ming on the shoulder, his eyebrows lowered, his expression cold and unapproachable, yet his tone was apologetic and helpless:
"Xiaoming, you should find someone else to like. I'll cover all your dating expenses."
Anyone but the child's mother and his mother is fine.
“”
Holy crap, is this for real?
"Brother Yan, what's our relationship? You should have said something earlier, otherwise this would have been a misunderstanding." Qiu Ming was moved to tears. "So you can love someone so passionately and deeply. So she's my sister-in-law. Oh dear, what a joke."
Pei Yiyan's mind went blank for a moment, then his reason gradually returned, and he tried to explain: "No, you..."
"Brother Yan, I'm so sorry, I almost made a terrible mistake."
All the inexplicable doubts suddenly cleared up, revealing the truth. No wonder, no wonder Xixi and Meng Zhiyao had such a good relationship, calling each other "Sister Meng" so sweetly.
So they knew each other all along! They really kept their secret relationship well!
Upon discovering his best friend's big secret, Qiu Ming was as excited as if he had won the lottery, and the heartbreak he hadn't even experienced before became a thing of the past.
Uh, wait a minute, what about Xixi's mother?
Qiu Ming was lost again.
"Yan-ge, Xi-xi's biological mother"
"good evening."
Qiu Ming:
No, he hadn't finished speaking yet.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com