Fried Steamed Buns

Brothers Chen Xuemin and Chen Xueren had an unpleasant quarrel. Chen Xueren went out for a walk and he didn't take his opponent Ji Yang seriously.

When Song Shixia saw him going out, she only told him what time dinner would be served. When he came back late, there was no food to eat. Chen Xueren was angry but dared not say anything.

Chen Xuemin was bored and ran to the yard to provoke the goose, but was chased by the goose all over the yard. Although the goose is small, a bite on his butt hurts more than a dog bite.

Chen Xuemin ran into the living room panting, only to find that his ugly appearance was seen by his aunt. He turned around and ran into the room, too embarrassed to see anyone.

Chen Xueren didn't dare run too far. Unlike his aunt and grandmother, he was afraid that he would not be able to have dinner if he returned late.

Across the street was the family area for teachers and staff. He ran to the back of the area and saw many of his peers playing table tennis, as well as a few middle school students who looked tough gathered together.

Chen Xueren stood there and watched for a while before finding it boring.

"Where are you from? Why haven't I seen you before?" A few people who looked tough came over. They were the bullies in the neighborhood and usually gave parents a headache. Children would have to avoid them when they saw them.

Chen Xueren didn't want to pay attention to them.

The boy who looked like a skinny monkey said in a shrill voice: "Hey, this boy has a bad temper."

The tallest and skinny guy in the group looked disdainful and scanned Chen Xueren from head to toe: "He must be a new family member. He must be a country bumpkin from the countryside, judging by his frightened look."

Chen Xueren angrily retorted: "Who are you calling a country bumpkin? I'm a city person!"

The skinny guy was in the process of voice change, and his voice was like a duck: "Are you from the city? How much pocket money does your family give you every day?"

Chen Xueren felt that they had bad intentions, so he turned around and wanted to leave: "It's none of your business."

The skinny man put his hand on his shoulder: "Why are you leaving? We all live in this area, let's hang out together."

Chen Xueren was blocked and couldn't leave. He had no pocket money at all, and he wanted to spend every penny carefully. His pocket was cleaner than his face.

He tried to break free: "I'm busy, I want to go back to eat."

The male duck said: "We are short of money recently. Since we are friends, please lend us some money."

Chen Xueren was furious. He didn't have enough money to spend. "Who are you friends with? I won't lend you money even if I have it!"

The skinny guy let go, and the two younger brothers held one shoulder each to prevent him from moving.

"You are a tough guy. Search him for me."

A clear and loud female voice sounded at an inopportune moment.

"Yang Wei, you are bullying others again. Be careful or I will tell your mother."

Xie Jing was carrying a lunch box in her hand. She went to the cafeteria to help her mother get food and encountered Yang Wei bullying a child.

Yang Wei was a little hesitant.

Xie Yan said sternly, "Your mother will teach us Chinese next semester, and I will come to your house to complain tomorrow!"

Yang Wei waved his hands impatiently: "You are lucky today."

Chen Xueren was so scared that he followed Xie Yan cautiously.

"Who are they?"

"The boss, you'd better avoid them if you meet them. If I hadn't shown up, you would have definitely been beaten up."

Chen Xueren said shamelessly: "Where do you live? I'll take you back." He was afraid that those people would catch up with them again.

Xie Yan saw through his thoughts.

"This is the first time I've seen a boy as unmanly as you. Let's go. I'll give you a ride wherever you live."

Chen Xueren was unwilling to admit that he was frightened. He and his brother had been bullying each other before, but he had never encountered such a student bully who would search and beat people if they disagreed with him.

"We are on the same road. You'd better not go there. They are a small group. If you get hurt, you won't have anywhere to cry."

When they arrived, Xie Huan was even more excited than Chen Xueren.

"So you are a relative of Sister Xia's family?"

Chen Xueren was confused: "This is my uncle's house, are you talking about my aunt?"

Xie Huan's face was full of joy: "Fortunately, I am not meddling in other people's business today. Please go in quickly."

Chen Xueren looked gloomy: "Let's make a deal. Don't tell my aunt about this, okay?"

Xie Yan nodded: "I understand, you are afraid that your aunt will worry. Sister Xiao Xia will definitely not blame you, don't worry."

Chen Xueren was very depressed. Why did everyone like his aunt? His savior also liked her, but his aunt secretly didn't even give them meat to eat?

Dinner was light porridge and side dishes, but the steamed buns were replaced with fried steamed bun slices. The steamed buns were specially coated with egg liquid and were particularly sweet. The two Chen brothers ate them up ravenously.

In the evening, Song Shixia came to the young man's room.

"How is Yangyang's preparation going?" With Ji Yang's ability, he would have no problem memorizing it, but she was worried that he would blame himself if he couldn't. The little guy liked to take the responsibility on himself, and she didn't want to put pressure on the child.

Unexpectedly, Ji Yang nodded: "I have memorized them all."

Song Shixia was astonished: "You memorized all of them? How come you are so smart? Are you a child prodigy?"

Ji Yang was so shy when he was praised that he didn't know where to put his hands.

Ji Yuan danced with joy for his brother, even happier than when he was praised himself.

The next day the competition started on time.

"Who of you will carry it first?"

Chen Xueren was thinking about how to take revenge on those people last night and didn't review at all.

"Let my brother do it."

Ji Yang stood up with his back straight and recited the multiplication table completely.

Chen Xueren's eyes were as big as bells.

He couldn't believe it: "How...how did you memorize all of it?"

Ji Yuan was excited and started to cheer loudly: "Brother is a genius!"

"Impossible! How can you memorize the multiplication formula when you are only four years old?"

Ji Yang frowned and said grimly: "I can also recite it backwards." Then he started to recite it.

Chen Xueren's mind was in a mess. He couldn't believe that he lost. He lost to a little brat. Chen Xuemin was very glad that he didn't accept the challenge. It would be too embarrassing if he lost.

Song Shixia waited for him to come to his senses: "Do you want to continue the competition?"

Chen Xueren looked confused and at a loss. He shouted, "You are bullying me!" Then he turned around and ran out. Chen Xuemin followed closely behind him.

Song Shixia shrugged helplessly and smiled at the two boys: "Yangyang, you performed really well. What reward do you want?"

Ji Yang frowned: "Can I make you not angry?"

Song Shixia was surprised: "I'm not angry?"

Ji Yang lowered his head and said, "It was because I stole some cookies for my brother a few days ago. I hope you won't be angry anymore."

Song Shixia ignored his wishes, squatted down and held him in his arms.

"How can you be so cute? I'm no longer angry. I wish I could change to someone else."

Ji Yang's ears turned red, and he didn't resist being held: "Then it's your turn to not get angry next time."

Song Shixia pretended to think: "So your gift is gone?"

Ji Yang replied hastily: "I can get many more rewards."

Song Shixia cooperated with him: "Since you want to give the reward to me, then I will accept it. This is an anger offset card."

Ji Yuan was confused by what he heard, he came over to hug too, the three of them huddled together.

Chen Xueren's self-esteem was greatly frustrated. He lowered his head and kicked the stones on the road: "Brother, I want to go home."

Chen Xuemin also wanted to go back, but he wanted more. If he went back, he would have to be controlled by his mother, and he didn't know when his grandmother would return to the city. It would be better for him to be free here.

"Just bear with it. I heard dad say that we should stay for half a month."

Chen Xueren was restless: "I can't stay here for another day."

As soon as they finished speaking, they heard the sound of someone arguing.

Yang Wei's voice came out: "Why is it only one dollar today?"

Then a shrill female voice rang out: "How easy do you think it is to take out a dollar? My mother is the one who manages the family's money. This is the money that was stolen from my father's pocket."

A duck voice appeared: "This dollar can only buy you two a week of peace. Next week it will still be two dollars."

Huo Xuan was furious: "Why don't you go and rob the money!"

Chen Xueren lowered his voice and said, "Brother, it was this man who brought his men to surround me and search me yesterday. Fortunately, I ran back."

Chen Xuemin held his head high and said, "Come on, I will avenge you. Let's go and save the beauty."

Chen Xueren thought that his benefactor from yesterday could scare them, so he was not so afraid of those people anymore.

Chen Xuemin entered the scene with his hands in his pockets: "It's outrageous for a group of you to team up to bully a girl!"

Yang Wei was startled by him, and then saw that it was the kid from yesterday who had found help, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, the coward is here. He hid behind the little girl yesterday, and today he brought a little brat with him."

Several junior high school students burst into laughter, and Huo Xuan and her brother ran behind Chen Xueren.

Chen Xueren encouraged himself in his heart: "Don't be afraid, my brother and I will protect you." He felt infinite pride in his heart. What if he couldn't recite the multiplication formulas? He could be a hero and save the beauty, but could Ji Yang do the same?

"Thank you." Huo Xuan's voice was soft and sticky, completely different from her previous shrill voice.

Xie Yan came to the next room and said, "Sister Xiao Xia, I'm here."

Song Shixia invited her into the house.

"Nini is here, are you having trouble with your summer homework?"

Xie Huan looked around.

"No, hey, did that coward go home yesterday?"

Song Shixia laughed and said, "Which coward did you run into?"

Xie Jing explained what happened: "He was afraid that you would be worried so he didn't let me tell you. I thought it was not shameful. If you are bullied, you should tell your parents."

Song Shixia had a smile on his face, and in his heart he had a clearer understanding of how much the two Chen brothers cared about their reputation. However, wasn't the area opposite the faculty and staff's family area?

"Why do schools still have such cliques? Aren't there adults supervising them?"

Xie Yan hates the school bullies the most: "They form cliques, who dares to mess with them? It's no use telling their parents, they will still be bullied the next day."

Song Shixia had an idea in his mind.

"Chen Xueren and the others are out. Let me go with you to look for them. Is your mother home?" She always felt that these two children would get into a fight with others.

"Yes, I came here because my mom is at home looking after my brother."

Song Shixia sent the little guy to the next door.

"I'm going to go get my two cousins. You guys stay at my aunt's house for a while."

The little guy nodded obediently.

Xie Yan volunteered to help: "I know the place, Sister Xiao Xia, I will lead you there."

Chen Xueren and Chen Xuemin were indeed in trouble.

The male duck voice sarcastically said, "You had a snitch to help you yesterday. What's the point of calling for a helper?"

Chen Xueren put his hands on his hips and said, "My family called me to have dinner yesterday, but I was too lazy to argue with a few bugs. It's embarrassing to ask girls for money. My grandma said that men who spend women's money have no future." After he finished speaking, he made a face with his mouth and eyes.

Chen Xuemin said, "That's right, you're still robbing children's money, why don't you rob adults' money?"

Yang Wei was hit in the sore spot and was furious: "You haven't even been weaned yet and you want to be a hero and save the damsel in distress. Come on, guys!"

Chen Xuemin and Chen Xueren usually relied on their tall and strong stature to act as small leaders in the alleys, teasing chickens and provoking dogs and lording over them. Adults despised them and children were afraid of them. Anyone who did not work for them would be excluded and isolated.

Evil will always be rewarded with evil. The junior high school student had the advantage of height, and he bullied the two brothers like they were weaklings. Soon the two brothers were at a disadvantage.

Seeing that something was wrong, Huo Xuan pulled her brother to the junior high school student camp to draw a clear line of demarcation.

"I...I'm not in the same group with them."

Chen Xueren was pinned to the ground by two men, his head and cheeks in close contact with the ground, unable to move.

"Bah, you hedgehog. I should have known not to help you." The person he saved betrayed them, and he was not so angry even when he was beaten.

Chen Xuemin was beaten so badly that he lay on the ground unable to move. He felt that he was so unlucky because it was his younger brother who caused the trouble, but he still had to be beaten as well.

Huo Xuan's voice was shrill and piercing: "I didn't ask you to help me, you are the one meddling in other people's business. I don't even know you guys."

Chen Xueren was so angry that he almost died, cursing Huo Xuan madly in his heart.

"People like you would be traitors in a war!"

Huo Xuan said sharply: "That's better than being a drowned dog!"

Song Shixia and Xie Yan happened to hear this when they came over.

Xie Yan and Huo Xuan were enemies at school. She couldn't stand Huo Xuan's two-faced attitude towards everyone he met: "You are really capable. You are so proud of being a traitor. You must be the traitor mentioned in the book."

This sentence touched Huo Xuan's sore spot. Her parents were divorced and she had a stepmother. Wasn't she a slave to three surnames?

Huo Xuan didn't have enough confidence to scold: "Bah, you are the slave!"

When Chen Xueren saw Xie Yun, he felt like he had seen a savior, but he was not happy because his aunt was there too.

Although Song Shixia doesn't like naughty kids, he won't let them be bullied.

As the only adult present, she had to put a stop to the farce.

"You guys teamed up to bully my child?"

Huo Xuan quickly drew a line in the sand: "They are the ones meddling in other people's business. I don't know them well."

Chen Xueren was so anxious that he said, "It was obviously you who was asked for money by them, and you even stole money from your family. My brother and I were kind enough to help you, but you turned the tables and blamed them. You are a troublemaker!"

Chen Xuemin followed up with a curse: "Your kindness is taken for granted. You deserve to be asked for money by them!"

Song Shixia pulled the two brothers up one by one: "Okay, stop talking and tell us what happened in detail."

Yang Wei and several of his men looked at each other and prepared to slip away.

Xie Yun shouted to break their plan: "Yang Wei, I know all of you. Even if you run away, I still know where your home is!"

Yang Wei gnashed his teeth in anger: "It's no use for a dog to catch a mouse."

Xie Jing was not afraid of him: "If I don't mind your business, will you bully others? You are so shameless that you only know how to bully the younger kids. If you have the ability, why don't you go ask your dad for money!"

The male duck voice stood up and said: "What do you know, little girl? You don't go home to play house with your brother, but you mix it with our boys' affairs!"

"I'll intervene if I see it. You guys were wrong in the first place. Did this little girl eat your rice?"

Song Shixia couldn't help but applaud Xie Lan: "No matter how weak a girl is, she will stand up for justice. You guys, 13 or 14 years old, are bullying the little ones by asking for money from elementary school students. Who wouldn't laugh at you if people tell others about it?"

"Bullying those who are weaker than you will only make others look down on you. Even girls know this. Hasn't anyone taught you this?"

Yang Wei stiffened his neck and said, "How old are you?"

Xie Jing stood up and said, "Sister Xiao Xia is the eldest sister. You don't even know Sister Xiao Xia. Go home and ask your mother!"

The male duck tugged at Yang Wei's clothes and said, "Brother, why don't we just give in and find a chance to smash her window."

Yang Wei said with a sour face: "It's wrong for us to bully children, but they came up first and meddled in other people's business. Huo Xuan, tell me yourself, were we the ones who asked you for money?"

Huo Xuan was hesitant.

Xie Yan said unhappily, "If you are being bullied, just say something. There are so many people watching, they won't dare to bully you in public."

Huo Xuan finally made up her mind. Afterwards, Yang Wei would take revenge on her and her brother. Xie Yan would only say nice things.

“They didn’t bully me.”

Xie Jing couldn't believe it: "Are you not sick? Why are you speaking for them?"

"They didn't bully me, but you insisted that they did. What can I do?"

Huo Li also looked at his sister in surprise, but Huo Xuan didn't look at him.

Chen Xuemin covered his face and breathed in cold air, and Song Shixia couldn't bear to watch.

"Okay, let's go to the infirmary to treat the wound first, and then ask our respective parents to handle this matter."

"Nini, you know their parents. Go get them. We'll meet in the infirmary."

Xie Yan nodded and disappeared in a flash.

Facing the middle school students, she smiled with a fake smile: "Don't even think about sneaking away. The school family area is so small. If you don't want to embarrass your family, just go to the infirmary."

When we went to the infirmary, we found that the Chen brothers were the most seriously injured, but they were only superficial wounds, which looked both miserable and funny.

The oldest among this group of junior high school students is Yang Wei, who is in the second grade this year. Then there are Gong Yasheng and others. They are all children from the same class or building, with Yang Wei as the leader.

The nurse treated Chen Xueren's wound. He grimaced in pain when the alcohol swab touched the broken skin.

Song Shixia specifically instructed the doctor not to use iodine, knowing it would hurt so he would not be reckless again next time.

Song Shixia helped treat the wounds on Chen Xuemin's face. She had no medical ethics at all and showed no mercy.

"Now you know it hurts. When you bullied other kids before, did you ever think about whether they would feel pain?"

Chen Xuemin stubbornly retorted: "We didn't hit them, and all the slingshots were taken away."

Song Shixia said unhappily, "Just because you bullied them before, doesn't that mean it's not bullying? It hurts so much when you get hit on the face, don't your brothers feel any pain when you bully them?"

Chen Xuemin didn't dare to argue, so Chen Xueren said stubbornly: "Then let our brother fight back, otherwise you will always say it."

Song Shixia was angry but also amused: "Is there any point in fighting back? Do you want to wait until you grow up before fighting with Yang Wei?"

This is what Chen Xueren thought. It was so embarrassing today. He made a fool of himself in front of his benefactor. He would fight back when he went to junior high school.

"As you grow up, won't they stop growing? Do you think they will still be in junior high school when you enter junior high school?"

Chen Xueren was even more unwilling to accept this: "It is never too late for a gentleman to take revenge."

Song Shixia deliberately exaggerated: "You also know idioms? But you are wrong, you are not gentlemen."

Chen Xueren was anxious: "Then we are not mean people."

"No, only people with noble character can be called gentlemen. You two are villains just like them."

Chen Xueren was not convinced. They were acting bravely today, so how could they be considered villains?

Chen Xuemin covered his face. He felt his teeth were a little loose and he wanted to cry, but the people who bullied them were still there, so he had to endure it.

Yang Wei was not injured. He did not participate in the fight. He let a few of his younger brothers do the fighting. Their injuries were only superficial. After all, they were just one more person.

"Boss, what if my mom comes?"

"Yeah, my dad will definitely beat me."

Yang Wei looked ready to die: "It's okay, you guys push it onto me and say I forced you to do it."

The younger brothers' eyes were filled with tears and they became even more devoted to him.

Chen Xueren was lying on the bed, imagining that when he was fighting, he should first throw a left hook and then a right hook, and then sweep them with his legs. In reality, his short legs could not hold his ground when he swept out, and he tripped and fell.

Chen Jiao was the first to rush over, and unexpectedly met Song Shixia.

"You're here too, what happened?"

Song Shixia let Chen Xueren speak for himself.

"You mean Huo Xuan personally admitted to taking money from his family?"

Chen Jiao finally confronted her husband, who had been complaining about her not giving him the money to do laundry but just using it. Chen Jiao remembered that she would search the pockets of his clothes every time, but never saw a dime.

She had never suspected that the child stole money, especially a little girl as proud as Huo Xuan, who didn't look like the kind of child who would steal money.

Chen Jiao asked her with a half-believing and half-doubting attitude: "Huo Xuan, did you take money from home?"

"I...I..." Huo Xuan's eyes were wandering, and Chen Jiao had the answer in her heart.

She was in a mixed mood. It was true that being a stepmother was difficult. The children were not close to her, and she thought they were just not used to her presence. She also wanted to teach the children well, thinking that she would teach them well after they accepted her, but she didn't expect that the children would develop the bad habit of stealing money.

Chen Jiao forced a smile and said, "I want to thank you on behalf of Huo Xuan. Both of you are little heroes."

Chen Xueren was flattered and said, "You're welcome, Auntie. Your Huo Xuan really deserves a good lesson. We bravely helped her, and she even spoke for a few people outside."

Chen Jiao felt heartbroken. Could she really change this child's temper?

All the parents have arrived, and the current dispute is whether Chen Xueren took the initiative to cause trouble or acted bravely. Huo Xuan said that he knew Yang Wei and was joking and playing around without being asked for money, but Chen Jiao said that Huo Xuan did steal money from the family, so she was asked for money.

Huo Li, who was inconspicuous in the corner, suddenly said, "My sister took the money. Yang Wei asked us for money three times. The first time was five yuan, which my mother gave us. The second and third times were two yuan, which my sister and I took from my father's pocket. Today he only gave one yuan, and Yang Wei thought we gave too little. He had that one yuan in his pocket."

No one expected Huo Li to speak suddenly, and Huo Xuan also didn't expect his brother to expose this matter.

Huo Xuan was so anxious that she burst into tears under the questioning gazes from Yang Wei and the parents: "Why did you say it out loud? Do you still want to go to school?"

Huo Li said slowly: "They will never be satisfied. Do we have to keep stealing money from home?"

The truth came out, and Yang Wei was scolded by his own mother, and his younger brothers all blamed Yang Wei.

Song Shixia smiled and said, "Now that the truth is out, do you have any objections to me calling the police?"

All the parents and children in the infirmary were stunned, and Chen Jiao was the first to step forward to offer support.

It hasn't been revised yet. If it's updated in the middle of the night, it means I'm revising the text. In fact, there are only typos and grammatical errors. I'll try to have Professor Ji come back in the next chapter.