Chapter 9 – Like a Pitiful Little Puppy

When Chu An arrived at the large open space in front of the family housing compound, she was immediately yanked over by the ranting Aunt Wu.

“Chu An, you’d better take care of those two little brats of yours. My grandson was playing just fine, and they suddenly started hitting him—what’s going on?”

“I’m telling you, a child’s nature can be seen by the time they’re three. If they’re already unreasonable and love fighting at this age, they’ll never amount to much in the future…”

Chu An cut off the woman’s endless chatter. “Whether my two children will amount to anything is not for you to decide.”

Aunt Wu was momentarily choked. “Hey, you—”

“Since it’s just children fighting, stop making a scene and first listen to what the kids have to say.” Compared to the noisy Aunt Wu, Chu An’s tone was far more composed and convincing.

The onlooker Li Xia chimed in: “That’s right. It’s better to understand the situation first.”

Aunt Wu shot them both a vicious glare before lowering her head to question her grandson, whose face was black-and-blue. “Guai Bao, quickly tell me—why did they hit you?”

The Mei Qiukuai still clutched the stolen candy tightly in his palm. Feeling guilty, his eyes darted around as he stammered: “They were stealing malt candy, and when I caught them, they hit me…”

“Did you hear that?” Aunt Wu straightened her back and raised her voice. “Chu An, your two children—if they can’t do anything good, why do they have to be thieves? And when caught, they still dare to hit people!”

Huo Mian shouted in distress: “He’s lying! He stole my candy, so Big Brother hit him!”

She reached out instinctively, wanting to tug on Chu An’s sleeve, but halfway there, she timidly withdrew her small hand.

She was afraid that Sister-in-law would misunderstand them as bad children who picked fights for no reason, and from then on, she would no longer like her or Big Brother.

Huo Ran’s eyes were red too. He stood stubbornly with his fists clenched, turning his head to the side.

But while they dared not take the initiative to touch Chu An, she reached out and pulled both cubs into her arms.

“That malt candy was given to them by me as a treat. They did not steal anything.” Chu An comfortingly patted both children’s heads.

When the candy had been snatched from her earlier, Huo Mian had not cried.

When Aunt Wu had pointed at her nose and scolded her, she still had not cried.

But the moment Sister-in-law hugged her and Big Brother, Huo Mian felt her nose sting.

Chu An calmly stood up. “Your grandson stole from my children. Ran Ran was only trying to get it back for his sister.”

Seeing the malt candy still clutched in her grandson’s hand, Aunt Wu faltered slightly.

But she still pressed forward, shoving Chu An with her hand. “It’s just a piece of malt candy—was it worth hitting someone over? I’m telling you, if you don’t compensate my grandson for his medical expenses today, I won’t let this go…”

Before her domineering threat could finish, Chu An was suddenly shoved and staggered back, falling to the ground.

“Sister-in-law!”

“Sistah-in-law!”

Huo Ran and Huo Mian cried out in alarm, trying to help Chu An up with their small arms.

Clutching her stomach with a pained expression, Chu An groaned repeatedly: “Oh dear, oh dear, everyone come take a look—what’s going on here! Aunt Wu’s grandson stole my children’s malt candy, and instead of admitting her fault, she’s now resorting to hitting people!”

The crowd glanced at the slender Chu An, then at Aunt Wu’s arms—thick as a bowl from years of labor—and immediately began pointing fingers at Aunt Wu.

“If you can’t win the argument, why push someone?”

“That’s right. Comrade Chu An’s build can’t take shoving—what if something serious happened?”

“I already heard from my own kid—it was the Mei Qiukuai who stole the candy first.”

Aunt Wu stared at her own hand in disbelief, wondering if she had blacked out for a moment.

If she remembered correctly, she hadn’t even used much force just now, right?

“She fell on her own! She’s trying to frame me!” Aunt Wu argued, her face flushed and neck stiff.

Rising from the ground, Chu An cast her gaze downwards, her beautiful eyes shimmering faintly, her posture like a delicate willow swaying in the wind. “Aunt Wu, I’ve long heard you love making up nonsense. But with so many neighbors watching, I didn’t expect you’d still try to twist the truth and turn the blame onto me! If I hadn’t come today, would my two children have been falsely accused by you as thieves?”

“My man devotes himself to serving the country, and their parents gave their lives for the nation. Our family’s conduct is upright and clean—yet with just a few words, you’re ready to fling filth at us. What exactly is your motive?”

One big “hat” after another came down on her, leaving the notoriously unreasonable Aunt Wu completely dumbfounded.

T-this… if a simple children’s fight got twisted into slandering the orphans of martyrs, this matter could easily blow up.

She hurriedly pulled her grandson closer with an ingratiating smile. “I didn’t mean it that way. I was just speaking in the heat of the moment and didn’t think it through. Comrade Chu An, please don’t hold it against us. I truly apologize, truly apologize!”

Chu An said lightly: “The person you should be apologizing to isn’t me.”

Aunt Wu froze for a moment, then quickly smacked her grandson. “Hurry and give the malt candy back to them!”

The Mei Qiukuai had never been scolded so harshly by his grandmother before. Wailing, he handed the candy back to Huo Mian and mumbled an unclear “sorry” before being dragged home by Aunt Wu.

Even when the grandmother and grandson were far away, they could still be heard as Aunt Wu furiously berated her grandson for being useless.

Aunt Wu loved nothing more than stirring up trouble with her tongue, but today she had been flipped and bested by Chu An—it was a taste of her own medicine.

Chu An, playing her role to the end, wiped away the tears she had forced out and did not forget to thank the crowd.

“Thank you, everyone, for helping me get this justice back.”

The former Chu An had always looked down her nose at others, but now, suddenly so polite and gentle, she left the onlookers momentarily stunned.

A few aunties, seeing her clutching her chest in such a delicate and fragile way, couldn’t help but feel sympathy. “Hurry and take the children home to rest. That Aunt Wu is an unreasonable person; don’t stoop to her level.”

Chu An nodded to everyone again before finally leading the two cubs home.

The moment she closed the courtyard gate, a muffled voice came from behind her.

“I’m sorry.”

Chu An turned to look at him. “Why are you apologizing?”

Huo Ran’s brows and eyes drooped, looking like a pitiful little puppy. “Because Mian Mian and I caused you trouble… and made you get pushed over.”

Chu An winked playfully. “I wasn’t pushed over just now—I was using my wits to take the moral high ground!”

The two children stared at each other in bewilderment.

So… Sister-in-law wasn’t hurt earlier?

Seeing their wide-eyed, puzzled expressions, Chu An laughed and patted their heads. “I’m happy that when you were bullied, you could protect yourselves.”

For once, Huo Ran didn’t dodge. Instead, he instinctively rubbed his head against her hand.

Huo Mian asked in confusion: “Sistah-in-law, you don’t blame us for fighting?”

Chu An shook her head. “If possible, of course I wouldn’t want you to solve problems with violence. But—”

Her tone shifted. “Since someone has already bullied you to your face, we also can’t be too soft and let them treat us like pushovers. We can’t go around bullying other kids, but Sister-in-law also doesn’t want you to be bullied by others. Understand?”

No matter that these two cubs would one day grow into cold, cunning villains—right now, they were still innocent little children who needed security and protection.

Chu An’s words were a bit convoluted. Huo Ran and Huo Mian looked at each other seriously, as if steam from overthinking was about to come out of their heads.

When Huo Zeye came through the door, he found his little brother and sister each sitting on a small stool, faces stiff, arms crossed over their chests, looking as if they were contemplating the ultimate meaning of life.

When they saw their big brother come in, the two cubs merely nodded slightly before continuing their silent reflection.

Huo Zeye: “?”

He looked toward Chu An, who had just come out with a bottle of red antiseptic solution. “What’s wrong with them?”

“Someone stole Mian Mian’s malt candy, so Ran Ran got into a fight.” Chu An explained.

Huo Zeye immediately frowned. “Did you win?”

Three metaphorical black lines dropped over Chu An’s forehead. “That’s the point?”

Huo Zeye averted his gaze and coughed twice.

Chu An dipped a cotton swab in water, cleaned the scrape on Huo Ran’s knee, and then slowly dabbed on the red antiseptic.

When the swab touched the wound, the boy hissed in pain.

But with Big Brother, Sister-in-law, and Mian Mian all watching him, Huo Ran immediately clenched his small fist and forced a nonchalant expression. “H-ha-ha, it doesn’t hurt at all!”

Chu An almost couldn’t keep herself from laughing out loud.

This little brat, at such a young age, already had an ego heavier than a ton.

Huo Zeye lowered his head, looking at the large patch of scraped skin on his brother’s knee, his voice a little deep. “Next time, I’ll teach you and Mian Mian some combat skills—so you can protect yourselves.”

Huo Ran’s and Huo Mian’s eyes lit up at the same time.

But soon, Huo Ran shook his head. “I want to learn combat skills, but next time, I won’t fight someone so easily.”

Huo Mian blushed and echoed: “Mm, no more fighting.”

Huo Ran finished the thought. “We won’t use violence to solve problems.”

Huo Mian nodded again. “Fighting causes injuries—we should use our wits!”

Huo Zeye glanced quickly at Chu An.

Chu An smiled slightly and told the two cubs: “That’s right. If you run into something you can’t solve, remember you can always come to the adults.”

“Your big brother and I are both here.”

Huo Zeye’s gaze fixed on her back, and he gave a deep, firm “Mm.” “We’ll always be here.”