Bai Ji had changed her approach. Every day, she used small toys to tempt and coax Little Bai Guo into rolling over.

“Sweetie, do you see this rattle? If you turn over, Mommy will give it to you. How about it?” she waved the rattle.

The beads hit the drum face, making a loud “thunk-thunk” sound, but Little Bai Guo didn’t even give her a glance.

After trying a few more toys with no success, Bai Ji could only sigh.

This lazy little thing wasn’t interested in any toy.

What could she do?

It was Li Qiurong’s words that reminded her.

“Sweetie loves baths. Let her reach for the bath basin, and if she can reach it, let her take another bath. If she can’t, the attempt will make her happy.”

“That’s true, sweetie loves baths,” Bai Ji’s eyes brightened.

The toys didn’t work on Little Bai Guo, but surely, if she got a bath, she’d be happy.

“I’ll go check if the water is hot in the yard,” Li Qiurong said as she stood up.

Bai Ji poked Little Bai Guo’s cheek.

The baby was over three months old now and had started to grow.

Her soft little face, with big, shiny eyes, a delicate nose and mouth, and even her pair of ear-shaped windcatchers were so cute and in harmony with the rest of her features.

“Little lazybones, you’re going to take a bath again. Are you happy?”

Little Bai Guo was happy!

The person who understood her best in the house was her grandmother, who knew how to coax her with the bath basin.

But, although she was happy, she looked a bit dazed, with no expression on her face.

Bai Ji kept talking to her: “Babies need to move around more to grow taller and more beautiful. Your older sister was already flipping over well at your age.”

Though Little Bai Guo was still young, her laziness couldn’t be indulged.

Bai Ji was determined to correct it from the start.

If she wouldn’t even try to roll over now, how would she learn to walk, eat, and study later on? If they didn’t address it now, when she grew up, she wouldn’t even be able to take care of herself.

Who would look after her for life? She needed to get moving!

By the end of the lunar sixth month, the weather had gotten very hot.

In summer, there was no need to heat water. At noon or in the afternoon, when the sun was strong, they would fill all the buckets and basins and leave them in the yard to warm up.

Their house had a well, so they didn’t need to fetch water. Forget about two baths a day; they could give her three or four baths and still have enough water.

Moreover, in this weather, there was no fear of her catching a chill.

The water in the yard was already warm.

Little Bai Guo had successfully switched to a system where she earned a bath through movement.

Of course, rolling over was out of the question, but moving her little hands or turning her head slightly were small movements she could manage.

Both Bai Ji and Li Qiurong were happy.

They were happy that Little Bai Guo had started to move, and they were happy to have found a way to deal with her laziness.

For the next period of time, the atmosphere in the Bai family was harmonious. It was a “you good, I good, everyone good” situation, with happiness spreading from the elders to the youngest.

This continued until Lin Yongcheng came home.

When he heard that they had found a way to deal with the little one, his first reaction was joy. But this feeling came and went quickly, soon replaced by worry.

“It’s summer now, so we can let her take several baths a day. But what about when it gets cold?”

“Take advantage of the summer to train her. By the time it cools down, she’ll have already adapted,” Bai Ji replied.

“You’re thinking too simply.” Lin Yongcheng couldn’t help but pour cold water on her enthusiasm.

How well did he know his own lazy child?

She wouldn’t even move her little hands, and this wasn’t a matter of adapting—she was just lazy!

“Do you have a better solution?” Bai Ji glared at him. “For now, this is what works. Unless you find something else she likes!”

As things stood, the only thing that seemed to tempt Little Bai Guo was bath time.

She was too lazy to move and didn’t fuss like other kids who always wanted to go outside. There was no other solution for her, so Lin Yongcheng shouldn’t try to complicate things.

“Should I try an empty bath basin?” he suggested.

“She likes baths, not the bath basin. What good would an empty basin do?” Bai Ji responded.

“She’s only a few months old, what does she understand? Put her in the bath basin, and she’ll think she’s taking a bath. When she’s no longer fooled, we can add water.”

It was one word—cheating!

Trick her three times, then add water to give her a little reward.

It was all about deception. Could a little baby differentiate?

She’d definitely fall for it!

“Alright… we’ll try it today?” Bai Ji was convinced.

“Wait for her to wake up, and then we’ll give it a shot.”

Little Bai Guo, still sleeping peacefully, had no idea she was about to be tricked.

When she woke up, she saw Lin Yongcheng’s big face close to hers. “Sweetie, you’re awake! Daddy’s back. Did you miss me?” He kissed her on the cheek.

The stubble scratched Little Baiguo’s tender face, making it hurt.

She clenched her little fists and swung at him.

The three-month-old baby already had some strength, and Lin Yongcheng tilted his head to dodge. “You little rascal, as soon as you see your daddy, you start hitting people.”

Little Baiguo withdrew her little fist and ignored him.

“Stop lying around. Daddy’s going to take you for a bath.” Lin Yongcheng immediately picked her up, talking as he walked outside. “Other babies can already speak baby language, why aren’t you talking? Too lazy to move, and now you’re too lazy to speak too?”

“Not speaking much, what if others call you a mute?”

“You can’t just lie around all day. You need to move more, wave your little hands and feet. That way, you’ll have more strength, and won’t be afraid of losing when you fight other kids.”

“Did you hear daddy?”

Other babies would babble away, but their own little one barely cried, not even when she was scratched by stubble—she would just hit people.

Her little temper was quite fiery.

The bath tub was ready.

This was the first time Lin Yongcheng tried to coax his little daughter, and Bai Ji brought a small stool to sit in front of the tub, waiting for him to bring Little Baiguo out.

Bathing was incredibly tempting for Little Baiguo.

No fish doesn’t like water, and even though she was now a human, she still loved water.

Soon, she realized she had been tricked.

Lin Yongcheng sat on the stool with Little Bai Guo in his lap.

Right beside them was the tub she used every day for her bath.

As she reached out her little hand to grab the edge of the tub, her body leaned towards it.

“These little hands have some strength.”

After struggling for two minutes, Lin Yongcheng finally placed her into the tub.

But where was the water?

Was she just going to lie in the empty tub?

Little Baiguo lay in the empty tub, her eyes wide open.

Her parents sat nearby laughing.

Lin Yongcheng, assuming his daughter couldn’t understand, spoke right in front of her: “When the weather cools down, we’ll do this. Let her grab the empty tub a few times, and then give her a bath. In a few days, let her enjoy a little, and she’ll start looking forward to it every day.”

Bai Ji nodded in agreement. “Once it cools down, that will work.”

Little Baiguo: “…”

Bad daddy, you’re done for!!

Tricking her was one thing, but saying it right in front of her?

Bullying her because she’s young?

Her age wasn’t the issue.

She’d remember it!

In her little grudge book, her bad daddy would be the only one listed, and she would get her revenge!

Little Baiguo lay like a salted fish in the empty tub.

No water, the tub had lost its appeal. It was just another place to lie like a salted fish.

Lin Yongcheng and Bai Ji were still talking.

“Soon it’ll be the busy harvest season. You’re still recovering from giving birth, and this time of year is the hardest. I’ve found a temporary worker position for you at the mine. We’ll go to the county town the day after tomorrow to escape the rush and take it easy.”

In the countryside, harvest season was a big deal.

Everyone who could work, whether elderly or young, couldn’t just sit idle.

Even though Bai Ji was young, if she stayed home, she was expected to work in the fields too.

She glanced at Little Baiguo in the tub and shook her head. “I can’t go, the baby is still too small. What will she eat if I go to the county town with you?”

“She’s already almost weaned, just leave her with her grandparents. She’ll be fine drinking formula,” Lin Yongcheng had it all planned.

He didn’t lack money or tickets; the formula was taken care of.

“Little Zisu was only weaned after her first birthday. This little one’s health isn’t as good, she can’t be weaned before she’s four months old!” Bai Ji felt it would be unfair to Little Baiguo, and added, “I’d rather work in the fields myself than wean her before she’s one.”

“She’s not lacking in nutrition. Her grandparents will take care of her,” Lin Yongcheng insisted.

“Nutrition’s not the issue! She’s a premature baby!”

“Once a premature baby is raised properly, they’re just like other children. Right now, it’s your body that can’t take the strain. What if you get sick and leave lasting problems?”

“I know my own body!”

“You don’t.”

The two of them argued in front of Little Baiguo, who lay with a blank expression in the tub. Honestly, whether she drank breast milk or formula didn’t matter to her.

As long as she could lie there like a salted fish, eating anything to fill her belly was fine.

The argument continued, and they ignored the baby until Li Qiurong, who had finished her work, came back. She saw her daughter sulking and her son-in-law in a bad mood.

She put down her sickle, washed her hands, and came over.

“Why’s Little Baiguo lying in the tub?” Li Qiurong didn’t ask about the argument, immediately picking up the baby from the tub. “She’s so well-behaved, lying on the hard wooden tub bottom without crying or fussing.”

“He wants to wean her!” Bai Ji snapped.

“If you’re angry and your milk dries up, she won’t have milk to drink.” Li Qiurong shot a look at Lin Yongcheng. Normally, he was so good to the child—why suddenly make the baby wean?

Bai Ji deflated.

“Ah… she’s still so young.”

“I’m just worried her body can’t handle it,” Lin Yongcheng explained his reasoning.

When he saw Bai Ji not even giving him a glance, he hesitated and stepped back. “If she really doesn’t want to wean… we’ll take her to the county town.”

After hearing Lin Yongcheng’s explanation, Li Qiurong thought it was a good idea.

Both mothers cared about the child’s well-being, and Li Qiurong didn’t want to see her daughter upset either.

She had to stay neutral.

“Let’s not rush. Wait until your father gets back to make a decision.”

Whether Little Baiguo could wean would depend on Bai Zhusu’s advice.

If Bai Ji really couldn’t accept it, they’d have to take the child to the county town.

But how convenient would that be?

Lin Yongcheng’s dorm at the mine had only a small one-bedroom apartment, with no separate bathroom. Fetching water took five to six minutes, and laundry was a hassle. It would be inconvenient to live there, especially with a child.

As the sun set, Li Qiurong said, “Let’s give Little Baiguo a bath first. The water will be cold when it gets dark.”

The empty tub earlier didn’t count as a bath.

Soon, they realized Little Baiguo’s laziness had returned.

She had been tricked by the empty tub in the afternoon, and Lin Yongcheng had even mentioned tricking her in front of her.

Little Baiguo remembered and held a grudge.

Now that the water was running, she wasn’t cooperating.

What was it?

Did they think fish were easy to bully?!