Chapter 138 Chapter 138 [VIP]
Megan originally thought they were going back to Arkham Asylum for Christmas, but the Joker asked in surprise: "What makes you think that, kid? Are we on good terms with those idiots in Arkham?"
He often used rhetorical questions to express doubts. Megan had learned to listen to his tone and selectively accept information. She ignored his words and asked to herself, "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Should we get a Christmas tree?"
The clown was arranging her toy shelf. After she got the new toys and dolls, she wanted to rearrange them all. However, due to her short height, she had to move a stool to reach the slightly higher places. As for the upper layers of the toy shelf, she couldn't reach them even if she stood on the stool. As a child with her own ideas, she thought of asking the clown for help, and before he could express his opinion, she dragged him over.
He held a Mickey Mouse in his left hand, Donald Duck and Bugs Bunny under his arms, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger in his right hand. He turned to look at Megan and said, "Do you want to spend Christmas again?" They also spent last year's Christmas in this two-story building, and he was happy to indulge Megan in these harmless things.
"Okay, okay, since you said you want to cross the border, then let that guy go chop down the trees tomorrow."
The Joker should remember Bob's name, but he sometimes pretends to be nice, so Megan's temperament is similar to his, and she has learned the essence of it directly.
Seeing that he was holding dolls in his arms, Megan ran over to help, but when she looked up, she realized that the dolls he was holding were the ones she didn't like very much - this was obvious, if it was a doll she liked, it would usually be placed where she could reach it by raising her hand, and that position would be the center from her perspective.
Megan turned around and went to the utility room next to her. After a while, she dragged out a big guy, a Stitch with all six legs. He looked extremely arrogant and unruly. The clown raised his eyebrows and asked, "Is this the kind of thing you like?" It seemed that his temperament was exactly the same as Megan's.
The child heard the contempt in his tone, but didn't care. He held up Stitch in his arms and said to him, "Dad, it should be in the middle." Adults and children alike can see it the first thing they see when they enter the door. After all, children usually want to show off the things they like and want everyone to know about them.
The clown noticed this little thought, as he knew her too well. "What about your little bear?"
Megan said, "The teddy bear is mine." Some things you like will not be shared with others casually.
Put the big Stitch away, and then find a corner to stuff the dolls she doesn't like very much. She can arrange the other dolls where she can reach them. With the joint efforts of the two of them, this task is easily accomplished.
The next day, Christmas Eve, Megan and Arthur went out to buy a lot of Christmas decorations. She found something interesting to do, so she excitedly put stickers everywhere on the outer walls of the two-story building. When she came back after finishing her work, she found that the Christmas tree had arrived, and she took the colorful light strings to wrap around the tree.
Finally, there is the matter of gift wrapping. Children often ask, "Dad, what gift are you going to give me?" If you can know what the gift is sooner, why wait?
Arthur lowered his eyebrows and thought for a while, then laughed uncontrollably and said, "Why are you so anxious? Megan, you haven't learned to look forward to it yet, have you?"
Megan was an honest child and nodded directly. She held the paper box given by the store owner in her hand and tugged at Arthur's clothes. "It's a gift." She wanted it and would make a fuss if he didn't give it to her. It was obvious that she had learned from the experience of the previous Halloween.
Her father laughed intermittently. He was amused by the child's self-righteous attitude, but he did not stop to correct her. He leaned over and patted her head gently, "But you can't think of what you want."
Arthur's tone of complaint was not very fake. He seemed to sigh and said slowly: "Alas, you are my beloved child after all. What gift should I give you? I guess you don't like dead cats. After all, they are your friends. Then do you want a 'zombie'? No, no, no, I'm not talking about that brainless guy Grundy. You probably don't know who he is..."
He smiled as he offered his suggestion, but what he said was too irrelevant. Megan raised her head and looked at him for a moment, then proposed her own idea, "If gifts are expectations, and expectations are wishes, then can't wishes be kept?"
Arthur told her: "No, this is a limited time event. If you miss the chance to redeem the coupon, it will expire."
He had worked in a store before and realized that expired coupons were useless. After all, by that time, the accumulated gifts had already been cleared out of the inventory. If it was too late, it would be too late and you would get nothing. The new clerk might even ask the boss which event it was, and finally point to the date printed on the coupon and regretfully tell him that it had expired.
Sadly, it's expired. Everything expires. He was acting a bit neurotic, forcing a complex, indistinguishable smile onto his face. But as a clown, he always smiled. He had to face these so-called human destinies with a smile. In short, he had to do something...
Megan raised her arm and took his hand. She asked a childish question, "Dad, will you expire?"
The clown dressed as Arthur lowered his head, staring at her with his extremely ominous green eyes. It was unclear what he was examining. Finally, he slowly put on a cruel enough expression, with the corners of his mouth stretched to the extreme, almost to his ears, making him look less like a human and more like a 'symbol' or 'sign'.
"Wow," he exclaimed, his voice cryptic. "You've enlightened me, kid. Lottery tickets expire, but you said people don't expire? There's something to that."
"My answer is, I won't expire, I will always exist, so I will keep your wish."
"If you collect three blank wishes in the future, I will unconditionally grant one of your wishes."
He let out a low, gradually demented laugh, as if he had told a ridiculous joke. He was so happy, a feeling that could be called joy surged in his heart, but his eyes remained cruel and calm. He knew exactly what he was saying and doing, but he was immersed in it—
After laughing, he slowly bent down to pick up Megan and kissed the child on the forehead. "Good boy," he said.
…
On Christmas Day, Arthur took Megan through the park and into the bustling neighborhood outside downtown.
On the street, you can see Christmas stickers and flashing lights on the shop windows. Many stores are playing cheerful music, and there are display stands, inflatable arches or large ornaments at the door, creating a strong festive atmosphere.
But Megan was not interested in ordinary shops. She raised her head and said, "Dad, it's not fun here." But she didn't know where the fun was, so she threw this question to Arthur. Anyway, the adults knew more than her, so it was natural to ask her own adults for help.
Arthur, who was holding her hand, smiled and said, "Then let's go to Chinatown. You haven't been there yet. There should be a lot of activities and performances during the festival."
"Dad, what's it like in there?"
Arthur fell into reminiscence and said slowly: "I went to Chinatown to run errands for others before. It was very lively, with many friendly and enthusiastic yellow people. They would laugh and talk loudly, and cook many kinds of food with special aromas, and set up stalls on the street..." But Arthur certainly had never spent any money there at that time, so he could only express his superficial feelings.
Megan was in high spirits, but Arthur told her, "Chinatown isn't nearby. We need to take the subway."
Then take the subway. They used to be so poor that they could only live in a cramped old house, but now their lives are affluent and have improved significantly. Going out on the street to do some "unnecessary" consumption is no longer out of reach, and Arthur is happy to spend money on Meghan. The most simple expression of love is that where the money is, there is love.
After getting off the subway, there was still a short walk to go, but Megan could already feel the crowds of people here, people of all skin colors and different outfits. She was dazzled by the sight, but after turning a corner, she felt suddenly enlightened.
In front of them was a huge archway with a simple and solemn style. It had upturned eaves, red tiles and red pillars, and was very tall. Megan pointed with her fingers and said, "Wow." Looking up, she saw many red lanterns hanging above the street. After looking carefully for a while, she found that Christmas was not celebrated here. On the contrary, there were unique, more festive and cheerful music.
Megan fiddled with her short legs and saw a stall selling windmills on the street as soon as she entered. She grabbed Arthur's hand and ran to buy a shiny windmill. It turned when the wind blew, making a rustling sound. She liked this little thing, but after looking at it for a while, she handed it to her father because children like so many things that she couldn't hold them all with one hand.
She squatted on the street and looked at the stalls that stretched for a long distance. There were some other small gadgets under the windmill stall, but none of them were as interesting as the puppets next to it. Megan saw a few chubby puppets and pulled Arthur's hand. She picked up the puppet and Arthur handed her the money at the same time. The two of them were extremely efficient in shopping.
After all, Arthur's role is to be a good father. At the end of the year and during important holidays, what's wrong with indulging his children's spending desires a little? He would love it!
His gentle and tolerant eyes fell on Megan from time to time. Not only did he not stop her, but he also picked up other gadgets and asked Megan if she liked them. If she nodded, he would buy them all and take them away.
Megan moved slowly, and after she finished looking at the stalls and bought the items she liked, Arthur was left with a pocket half full of things. He didn't get impatient. Seeing Megan's eyes still looking at the gift shop on the side of the road, he took the initiative to ask, "Do you want to go take a look?"
The child said, "Dad, I want to buy a lot of things?"
Arthur's eyes were filled with the most gentle meaning. "Then buy a lot of things... Meghan, I heard that Chinese children all get New Year's money. You also have some money. Maybe not rich, but definitely enough for you to spend."
The author has something to say:
I'll fix it! (raises the shovel) Winnie the Pooh was blocked before~
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