Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: In ancient times, Kong Rong yielded pears; today, He Wenyu hoards snacks.

”Qianqian, why were you so unreasonable just now? Even if someone took your snack, you shouldn’t treat an elder so cruelly, do you know?” Although Luo’s Mom really agreed with her daughter’s action, as dealing with such a shrew should indeed be met with force, she still mildly criticized her on the surface for the sake of fostering good manners in the child.

”Right, Qianqian, your aura changed just then.” He Jun said as he moved closer to his daughter, who was holding chocolate and sitting calmly beside the hospital bed, not knowing whether to worry about her eating too much and getting cavities or to feel relieved that friendships in her eyes overruled food.

”Not at all, where do I know such a ’Red Hairy Worm’? There’s no such uncultured person who comes in pointing at others and cursing, messing with others’ things, invading others’ privacy. What annoys me the most is, who knows if she carries contagious diseases—like rabies—and she even dared to sit on my bed. What if I catch a virus from her—would she be able to compensate?” Luo Qianqian pouted, hiding the anger in her eyes, yet her expression remained normal.

”Indeed, coming in so arrogantly really makes people angry, but you should also be polite in the future, do you understand?” Luo’s Mom grasped her daughter’s soft cheeks with both hands and stretched them to the sides: ”Brother has been taken away by the police uncle, shall we quickly pack up and go see him?”

Mom, I’m not a three or four-year-old child, what’s with this tempting tone???

”Okay.” Luo Qianqian dodged Luo’s Mom’s claws still wanting to molest her cheeks and got off the bed on the side where He Wenyu was lying down: ”Xiao Yu, let’s go, to see brother’s teeth.”

He Wenyu held on to that box of chocolate, seemingly worried that if left in the ward, the ”Red Hairy Worm” might come back to steal it: ”Qianqian, shall we take all the snacks to give to brother to eat?”

”...” Xiao Yu, comrade Luo Shufan just lost two big teeth, and you let him watch you continue eating the snacks you give him?

”Xiao Yu, we need to go to the police station. What if the police uncles and aunts see these snacks and want to eat them but can’t and shouldn’t—how will they feel? If you care only about yourself without considering others’ feelings, are you still that kind-hearted child?” Mr. He looked at his goddaughter with a helpless expression, somewhat speechless at his own daughter’s excuses to eat more.

”Xiao Yu, let’s hide the snacks in this cabinet, you can take them home and hide them when you get back tonight. We can eat them when we’re free, okay?” Luo Qianqian opened the bedside cabinet door, took out what was originally inside, and together with He Wenyu stuffed all the snacks into the cabinet and shut the door.

”Yes, okay, then Qianqian can also come to my house to eat, and that big bad Red Hairy Worm can’t get in.” He Wenyu closed the cabinet door, patted her hands and finally showed a smile.

”Xiao Yu, that’s very impolite!” Mr. He frowned and sternly scolded He Wenyu, who only had eyes for sweets. He Wenyu went from shock, fear, sadness, grievance to loud crying, changing enough expressions for ten people.

She could definitely be a hit in Sichuan opera face changing. Luo Qianqian thought this secretly but still hugged the upset He Wenyu dropping her ”golden beans”: ”Uncle, it’s right for Xiao Yu to protect the gifts we got. Everyone is busy; someone has to look after these material possessions, right? It shows Xiao Yu has a knack for financial management. But why would uncle scold Xiao Yu.” Financial management... Luo Qianqian wouldn’t tell anyone that in her past life, He Wenyu could spend a month’s salary in one day and then daily chew on plain buns.

”Dad of Xiao Yu, it’s normal for Xiao Yu to care about snacks as she’s still a child. My Qianqian used to not give anyone her snacks, wouldn’t even allow someone to touch them, but now she’s also doing well. Children need time to change.” Luo’s Mom watched He Wenyu crying her eyes out with genuine distress. When her own daughter cried, she would wail loudly and also ’thunder without rain’ to scare herself.

”I...” What am I even saying? Just a remark about being impolite and being collectively unhappy about it? Seeing his own daughter crying so pitifully, doesn’t it hurt him? But seeing ’other people’s children’ acting maturely makes it easy for him to forget their real age and always raise his expectations of his own daughter.

”Daddy was wrong; can you stop crying now, Xiao Yu?” He Jun rubbed the back of his own head and squatted in front of He Wenyu. He Wenyu, hugging Luo Qianqian, turned her head away from her father.

”How about Daddy buys you the bubble blower you wanted?”

He Wenyu turned her head to glance at her father, still pouting and sniffling, holding onto Luo Qianqian without saying a word.

”Two... no, how about three? Then each of you three can have one; can you forgive Daddy then?” Seeing his daughter’s eyes light up at the mention of two, and she completely stopped crying and let go of Luo Qianqian to hug him, when he said three.

It’s not that his daughter cared only about things, right? What’s most important is sharing and having things together. Since his daughter understood this, why should he, as a father, be unkind and blame her?

”Daddy is the best, I want to play with my brother and Qianqian; playing alone is no fun.” He Wenyu pouted, hugging Mr. He, ”I’ve saved some for Brother and Qianqian, and haven’t eaten any extra. Qianqian even fainted; I would never steal Qianqian’s treats.”

”Yes, yes, Daddy misunderstood our Yuyu. How about Daddy divides all of Mother He’s cooked pig’s feet just for Yuyu as a penalty?” He Jun felt even more remorse hearing his daughter’s explanation, and realized how much she had grown in just under a month. It eased his parenting concerns, but it also diminished his sense of achievement.

”Mom, should we buy a new lunchbox for stepmom since the one for storing soup got broken?” Luo Qianqian swiftly shifted attention, seeing Luo’s Mom absent-mindedly watching the embrace between He Wenyu and He’s father. She feared her mom might be reminiscing about the dad she had never met and worrying about her lacking a father’s love. She wouldn’t mind her mom finding a good man to care for them, but so far, no suitable person seemed to exist.

”Hmm? Oh, let’s go have a look later. If there isn’t the same one, we’ll buy one that Xiao Yu likes.”

Luo’s Mom bowed her head and rubbed her dry eyes, then lifted her head with a gentle smile. She started straightening her daughter’s clothes.

”Why buy when we have some at home? It’s just random stuff we put in,” He’s father hastily waved his hand and put down his daughter. ”Besides, you want to compensate us? Are you suggesting you don’t acknowledge us as your godparents? We’re happy to spoil our goddaughter with soup; if that’s not okay, just say so. We won’t push it.”

His words broke Luo’s Mom’s train of thoughts, making her smile wistfully but nod in agreement, though she mentally planned what to buy for He Wenyu.

”Godfather, speaking like that hurts my mom’s feelings. But if we don’t do something, Mom will feel bad too. I think stepmom must be eager to go shopping after being home for so long. Maybe you could accompany stepmom for a stroll tomorrow? Help her around to look at clothes, shoes, and such?” Luo Qianqian looked up, not hiding the smile on her face.

Shopping is a woman’s nature, after all. Mother He had been stuck at home for over a month without much conversation or the ability to go downstairs, surely feeling extremely bored. This suggestion would balance Luo’s Mom’s feeling of taking advantage and also help Mother He relax and not get sick from being cooped up at home. Therefore, it received He’s father’s approval.

”That’s settled then. It’s a good opportunity to shop for the kids. Xiao Yu’s Mom has been wanting to go shopping hundreds of times; I’ve been too busy and honestly not keen on it, so I never accompanied her. Now that she has company, I couldn’t ask for more. You mustn’t decline, big sister, I’m a man who hates shopping the most,” He’s father said, smiling broadly as he decided on tomorrow’s plans.

Luo’s Mom had no choice but to nod in agreement but also displayed a hint of longing in her eyes.