Chapter 37: The Domesticated Giant Panda

On the clear and refreshing Mid-Autumn Festival, thousands of families gathered for a reunion.

The parking lot of the community was crowded with small cars, and the returning travelers, carrying large and small bags, could not hide the smiles on their faces.

In a ceramic bowl, there were two boiled eggs soaking, and a pot of lean meat porridge was simmering on the induction cooker, topped with ginger and scallions. When a spoon broke through the outer layer, steam immediately wafted out.

Dust took shape under the direct sunlight, and Li Mu pulled out a stool, sitting with his back to the sun while having breakfast.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw some red and yellow paper, scissors, and tape piled on the sofa, and he knew these were materials for making handmade lanterns.

When he got up, his parents were nowhere to be found. Since it was a day off work, they were probably downstairs chatting with neighbors from nearby villages.

It was already the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Looking at the three stacked large mooncakes in the corner, he pinched his chin and thought for a moment, then chose the biggest one and knocked on the door across the hall.

“Oh, Li Mu, happy Mid-Autumn Festival!”

“Aunt Qin, happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Where are Uncle Lu and Lu Xiaoxi?”

“They’re inside watching TV. Do you want to come in and sit for a while?” Aunt Qin stepped aside, allowing Li Mu to see the Lu family, who bore a striking resemblance to each other. Uncle Lu was sitting on the sofa playing with his phone, while Lu Xiaoxi seemed to be looking this way. After making eye contact with Li Mu, she turned back to watch TV, and a very fat orange cat lay at her feet.

“Maybe later. I still have to make lanterns. I mainly came to bring you a mooncake. My parents probably haven’t given you one yet, right?”

As Li Mu spoke, he lifted the large box of mooncakes in front of him.

These large mooncakes were all five-nut flavored, the least tasty, but the packaging was the most luxurious. A whole one symbolized reunion, and they were produced specifically for gifting.

“Thank you, Li Mu! Lu Xiaoxi! Go to the kitchen and bring out a large mooncake!”

“Oh!”

“Here.” Lu Xiaoxi’s expression was somewhat resentful.

Exchanging mooncakes with relatives and friends during the Mid-Autumn Festival had become a custom. Buying three mooncakes home meant that after giving and receiving, there were still three left, just with different brands.

They were also neighbors, and the two families had a very good relationship, so gift-giving was inevitable during festivals.

Lu Xiaoxi felt a bit dazed. After their relationship had grown distant in previous years, the gift-giving had always been handled by their parents.

Now, Li Mu stood at the door cheerfully, exchanging mooncakes with her, and for a moment, it felt like they had returned to their childhood.

Little Li Mu rang the doorbell with a big mooncake in hand, and she stumbled after her parents to the door, locking eyes with little Li Mu. Their parents chatted about family matters while the two kids talked about their own.

She had really been very attached to Li Mu back then.

“Aunt Qin, when did your family get a giant panda?” Li Mu took the mooncake and took the opportunity to lightly poke Lu Xiaoxi’s fair hand with his nail.

Lu Xiaoxi quickly withdrew her hand, leaving a shallow nail mark on her hand, gritting her teeth.

“Eh, maybe Lu Xiaoxi didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Do you want lanterns? I can make a few for you later. The Mid-Autumn Festival is all about hanging lanterns.”

“That’s too much trouble.”

Li Mu was quite skilled at ordinary crafts. He could make paper lanterns for the Mid-Autumn Festival and the New Year decorations, and he would always give them some.

“How about you teach our Lu Xiaoxi to make some too?” Aunt Qin covered her mouth and chuckled.

“Mom!” Lu Xiaoxi puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction. Why was she pushing her daughter into the fire pit?

“Sure, I can teach her. I’ll head out now, and I’ll bring the lanterns over later.”

After giving away one mooncake, three were left.

Li Mu didn’t know why his parents bought so many.

Their family didn’t like eating large mooncakes. Every time they opened one, they would eat a little and then stop.

It was the same two years ago; after giving and receiving, they were left with an unopened large mooncake. Not wanting to throw it away, they stuffed it in the fridge for six months, and in the end, they took it out to eat. Encouraged by his dad, he took a couple of bites, and the taste hadn’t changed much, but that night he had a stomachache for five hours, which was no small matter.

Who on earth was eating five-nut mooncakes?

Next door.

The TV was playing this year’s popular ancient drama, but none of the three people at home were watching it.

Mom was cleaning, Dad was on the sofa scrolling through his phone, and she was sitting on the sofa with her knees hugged, looking very displeased.

Just thinking about that annoying Li Mu made her angry.

“Is Xiaoxi unhappy today?”

“Mom, you know very well that my relationship with Li Mu is not good.”

“I feel like your relationship is quite good now. You used to not talk or greet each other when you met, but when you called yesterday, I thought you two had reconciled.”

“How is that possible? I can’t stand that guy at all!” Lu Xiaoxi puffed up her cheeks like a little pufferfish.

This made Aunt Qin chuckle.

As a mother, how could she not know her own daughter?

If Lu Xiaoxi was really angry, she would definitely not speak and would bottle up her feelings inside.

The fact that she could still complain to her mother now proved that she wasn’t really angry.

Their relationship was clearly very good; they just didn’t want to admit it.

Her daughter was really adorable.

“Alright, if you don’t want to make lanterns, you don’t have to go. I’ll let Li Mu know when I go out later.”

“No need. We can’t keep letting him bring lanterns to our house, or he’ll be talking behind our backs.”

Lu Xiaoxi huffed angrily and took out her phone to check the chat history.

[Idiot Li]: Good night

[Little Pig Lu]: ???

[Little Pig Lu]: ???

[Little Pig Lu]: ???

[Little Pig Lu]: (contempt) (contempt)

This annoying guy really thought their relationship was good!

…Even if it used to be good, it wasn’t anymore!

Why was he sending good nights out of the blue?

It made her overthink last night, feeling all mixed up, tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, staying up until midnight, and she just couldn’t calm down.

So that was why she had dark circles under her eyes this morning!

This guy even teased her about being a giant panda.

Annoying, annoying, annoying!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, so she sent Li Mu a middle finger emoji, and the person on the other end quickly replied.

[Little Pig Lu]: (middle finger)

[Idiot Li]: (Question mark.jpg)

[Idiot Li]: Making lanterns, come quickly.

[Little Pig Lu]: Not coming!

[Little Pig Lu]: I can’t.

[Idiot Li]: I’ll teach you step by step. If a giant panda can’t learn, it should go check its brain (funny).

[Little Pig Lu]: I’m not a giant panda; you are the giant panda!

[Little Pig Lu]: (keep distance from the idiot.jpg)

[Idiot Li]: Yes, I am a giant panda; you are a pig.

[Little Pig Lu]: You die!

…

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