Chapter 100

Yali looked at the delicate and beautiful little child in front of her. She bent down to pat his head and asked, “We are Zhuzi’s parents. Are your mommy and daddy at home?”

Xiao Doubao took two steps back. He looked at them cautiously, then ran back with his little short legs, shouting as he ran, “Mommy, grandma, there are liars~~~”

Su Xiaoxiao, who was reading a book, actually heard their conversation, but she was not surprised. Han Cheng mentioned last month that Zhuzi’s parents would come back this month.

Su Xiaoxiao took the little cub who had run over, got up, and walked outside, saying, “Good baby, they are not liars; they are Brother Zhuzi’s parents.”

Xiao Doubao tilted his little head and thought for a moment. He remembered that Brother Fantuan said that his brother Zhuzi had no parents and that he was very pitiful. Are these two people really not liars?

Zhang Hongtu and Yali waited at the door, and Su Xiaoxiao walked towards them with a smile, saying, “Hello, please come inside.”

It turns out that Zhuzi’s parents are both very good-looking. Especially Zhuzi’s mother, Yali, with her high, hooked nose and big, watery eyes? These distinctive features, so deep and with a touch of exotic charm, are rare in this inland area, and it’s easy for someone with ill intentions to make a big deal out of them.

Perhaps they’ve suffered quite a bit in recent years, and the signs of hardship they went through are not entirely concealed.

Zhang Hongtu and Yali bowed to Su Xiaoxiao, sincerely saying, “Thank you for taking care of our child. Thank you!”

Su Xiaoxiao replied, “You should thank Zhuzi’s grandmother. We haven’t taken care of him for long. She has been looking after him all this time.”

The couple had learned about their son’s situation before they came, and hearing Su Xiaoxiao’s words, Yali nodded and said, “We will find a time to thank her in person.”

Li Yufeng had already prepared tea and left to attend to her own business. The couple thanked her and set down the things they had brought.

Su Xiaoxiao sat down with Xiao Doubao and said, “Zhuzi will return from school in a little while. If you have any questions, you can ask me first.”

The couple had a thousand questions in their hearts but didn’t know where to start. Their child had been sent away shortly after birth, and the organization had always said that Han Cheng and his wife treated the child as their own and raised him very well, so they didn’t need to worry.

Before coming here, they were indeed very anxious. Many years have passed, and the people who initially adopted Zhuzi are no longer around. Even Han Cheng’s wife is no longer Yang Mei. In just a few years, everything has changed, which is truly the source of their mixed emotions.

But when they arrived at the courtyard and saw the clever and beautiful child, and then saw Su Xiaoxiao, who was gentle as water, as well as the kind-hearted mother of Su Xiaoxiao, along with the clean and harmonious surroundings in the courtyard, they almost completely let go of their worries.

How could a child raised in such a comfortable environment not turn out well? Yet they genuinely didn’t know where to start.

Li Yufeng broke the silence as she entered, holding a round signboard she had woven: “We’ll have lunch at home. I’m washing the rice right now, and when Zhuzi and his friends come back from school, we’ll be ready to eat.”

The husband and wife both waved their hands, and Yali said, “Auntie, you don’t have to bother. We’re just here today to see our child. In the afternoon, we’ll clean up the house and wait until Zhuzi can adapt, and then we’ll let him move back. We’re just here to see our child, and then we’ll leave.”

Su Xiaoxiao smiled and said, “There’s no need to have any psychological burden. The food is already prepared; we just need to add a bit more rice and a couple of sweet potatoes. This is also an opportunity for you to bond with Zhuzi.”

Li Yufeng also said, “That’s right, it’s just a matter of adding two more plates and pairs of chopsticks. Xiao Doubao, come here and help grandma with cooking.”

Xiao Doubao didn’t find it fun to listen to the adults talk, so he ran over to hold Li Yufeng’s hand and went to the kitchen with his grandma.

Since they had already discussed the matter this far, Yali had no choice but to say, “Then. we’ll thicken our skin and have a meal at your house.”

Su Xiaoxiao repeatedly assured them that it was no trouble.

Understanding their nervousness She then began to talk about Zhuzi: “Zhuzi is an exceptionally good and well-behaved child, responsible and hardworking, and our whole family likes him very much. He is in the same class as our child, Fantuan, and he has always been at the top of his class. His teachers and classmates also really like him.”

The couple listened to Su Xiaoxiao’s gentle voice as she recounted Zhuzi’s past experiences with care, lightly brushing over the time he spent with his grandmother. She wanted to let go of those unhappy memories along with Zhuzi’s grandmother, who had passed away.

Throughout the process, except for a moment when she mentioned Zhuzi’s grandmother, Su Xiaoxiao mostly saw nods and smiles from the husband and wife, who listened with smiles on their faces.

Just as Su Xiaoxiao was getting parched from talking so much, Xiao Fantuan’s voice echoed from a distance, “Mom, grandma, Xiao Doubao, Xiao Tangyuan, your Xiao Fantuan is back from school! It’s time to get ready for lunch!”

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head in disbelief. She lowered her head and touched her belly, saying with a smile, “Xiao Tangyuan is the child in my belly, and this is the voice of my Xiao Fantuan. He’s a bit mischievous compared to Zhuzi, but he’s also very well-behaved. He always likes to announce his arrival from afar so that the whole family knows he’s back.”

The husband and wife exchanged a knowing smile, and Yali said, “He’s very cute.”

The sound of Zhuzi calling his Grandma and Xiaodoubao also reached their ears. They heard him say: “Xiao Fantuan, there are too many earthworms today, let’s feed the chickens first.”

After the rain, there were a lot of earthworms in the ground. The two big cubs managed to find some while digging on their way back.

Su Xiaoxiao heard the voices and said with a smile, “That’s Zhuzi’s voice. Feeding earthworms to make the hens lay eggs is a method taught by Zhuzi’s grandma. Whenever they have free time, they’ll go and dig for earthworms. Our hens at home lay eggs every day because of them.”

The voice of Xiao Fantuan was also heard: “Yes, let’s feed Huahua and Zhou first. The big roosters are too fierce; the little hens can’t compete with them.”

Zhuzi “Alright, I’ll go inside and put away my school bag. I’ll go stop the big rooster in a moment, and you can feed the little hens.”

Su Xiaoxiao added, “Xiao Fantuan is so lazy; he always makes Zhuzi carry his school bag. Zhuzi is an honest child, he helps every time, while Fantuan doesn’t listen.”

The couple listened to Su Xiaoxiao’s narration with tears in their eyes. What a good person to treat a stranger’s child as their own. Many biological parents might not be as caring as Su Xiaoxiao. Their child must be living very well here.

“Aunt Su, we’re back. How are you and Xiao Tangyuan today?”

When Zhuzi appeared in front of them, they both welled up with tears because they recognized him at first sight. The lively and handsome little boy in front of them was their own son.

The couple only looked at him, not daring to approach. Yali covered her mouth, shedding tears, and Zhang Hongtu, a big man, also had tears in his eyes.

Su Xiaoxiao called Zhuzi over and said, “Zhuzi, come here.”

Sometimes, the familial connection between families is truly magical. Perhaps it was because Han Cheng had prepared him psychologically, but Zhuzi could almost be sure that these two people in front of him were his biological parents.

He looked at them and awkwardly walked towards Su Xiaoxiao.

Su Xiaoxiao reached out and took off the two school bags on him, rubbing his head and saying, “Next time, don’t help that little lazy Fantuan carry his school bag.”

Zhuzi turned back to look at the couple, and his eyes turned red as he held Su Xiaoxiao’s belly.

Su Xiaoxiao rubbed the child’s head and said, “Did Xiao Zhuzi guess who they are? They are your parents. Aunt Su knows you need some time to adjust, and it’s okay. Take your time.”

Zhuzi choked up and said, “Aunt Su, I’m fine. I’ll be good, and I’ll go with them. I just… I just can’t bear to leave you all.”

Since Han Cheng had spoken to Zhuzi about going back to live with his parents, Zhuzi had prepared himself for this day. His Aunt Su was pregnant and going through a tough time, and he couldn’t make her sad.

Even if he felt uncomfortable inside, he never showed it. He was afraid that his Aunt Su would also be sad. So he reminded himself countless times not to cry.

But no matter how composed Zhuzi was, he was still just a seven-year-old child, and when the day finally came, he couldn’t control his tears.

Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes also welled up with tears. After all, she had raised the child for over half a year, and he was so well-behaved and good. It was hard to part with him in an instant.

She touched the child’s head and said, “Do you remember our neighbors, Uncle Zhou’s family? Remember when Uncle Zhou and Aunt Zhou had an argument, and we could hear it from here?”

The child nodded. “I remember.”

Su Xiaoxiao continued, “I heard from your Uncle Han that Uncle Zhou has moved away, and from now on, you’ll live with your mom and dad in that yard. If there’s anything, just shout in your own yard, and we’ll all hear it. We can still see each other every day, so there’s no need to be sad, okay?”

The child looked up at Su Xiaoxiao, wiped his eyes with his little hands, and forced a smile. “Yes, I’m not sad. I have mom and dad to take care of me, and Aunt Su should be happy for me.”

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t hold back her tears this time and hugged the child, saying, “Yes, Aunt Su is happy for you, and from now on, you will be a child with parents to care for you.”

Su Xiaoxiao still remembered that starry night after the child’s grandmother passed away. The child had looked at the stars in the sky, tears streaming down his face, and said to her, “Aunt Su, I don’t have a home anymore.” Since then, she had felt a special tenderness for the child.

Now, this child has a real home and a true family. He could finally have the home he wanted.

The child couldn’t bear to see Su Xiaoxiao cry, and he wiped her tears with his hand, saying, “Aunt Su, you shouldn’t cry. Uncle Han said that carrying my little sister is very, very hard, and you shouldn’t cry.” As he spoke, he burst into tears himself.

Fantuan, who was waiting outside for Zhuzi, noticed that Zhuzi hadn’t come out for a long time and went inside. When he heard his mother and Zhuzi crying, he hurriedly went inside the house.

Seeing that there were guests in the house, he furrowed his brow and asked, “Mom, Xiao Zhuzi, what’s wrong with you? Did they bully you?”

After Fantuan spoke, he put his hands on his hips and questioned Mr. and Mrs. Zhang, “Who are you? Did you bully my mom and Xiao Zhuzi?”

When Han Cheng got home, he saw his eldest son looking really fierce, ready to fight. He picked up the little guy from behind and said, “Xiao Fantuan, don’t be rude. These are Uncle Zhang and Aunt Yali, they are Xiao Zhuzi’s biological parents, and they have come to take Xiao Zhuzi home.”

Xiao Fantuan was stunned, looked at the couple, and then turned to look at his father: “Dad, Zhuzi is a member of our family! Nobody is allowed to take him away!”

Han Cheng knew this little troublemaker would be a handful, so he hadn’t said anything before. “Back then, Aunt Zhou Cuihua didn’t allow me to take you and your younger brother away, but I’m your dad, and no one can stop me. Uncle Zhang and Aunt Yali are good people, and from now on, Xiao Zhuzi will live next door to us, with a Mom and Dad to take care of him. What’s not to like about that?”

Fantuan wasn’t convinced. “Aunt Zhou Cuihua is a bad person, but we are good people. It’s not the same!”

Han Cheng ruffled his child’s hair and put him down. “No more causing trouble. You and Xiao Zhuzi, go outside to play. Mom and Dad need to have a conversation with Zhuzi’s mom and dad.”

Fantuan glared at Mr. and Mrs. Zhang. “I don’t care who you are. If you dare to be mean to Xiao Zhuzi or dare to spank his butt, you’ll have to give Xiao Zhuzi back to our family, and he will never live with you again!”

Han Cheng thought to himself, ‘Has this naughty kid figured out whose child Xiao Zhuzi is or not?