CH 19
I Want to Be Friends With You
Meanwhile, Dad Zhou came over and quickly read Aunt Huaâs message. He said brightly, âA bunch of snacks for a 400 yuan screen. So this was how the greatest entrepreneur of this century did business.â
Zhou Yuan looked up at his father, as if he was looking at a fool, and said, âMoney isnât as important as people.â
This retort made Dad Zhou feel as if the HP bar above his head had fallen all the way to zero.
He slapped Zhou Yuan on his shoulder, âDude, your mom isnât here, so tell me honestly. In what year were you reborn? Do you remember any lottery numbers? And what was I like at that time? I will definitely not say it out loud.â
Zhou Yuan stood up and picked up an apple. After taking a bite, he said, âDad, please donât indulge yourself in your imagination.â
Suddenly, he felt that something was amiss. He lowered his gaze and saw blood on the apple. A tooth was inserted into it.
He didnât turn around and calmly trekked into the bathroom.
Dad Zhou was left speechless by his sonâs behavior.
On the other hand, after reading Zhou Yuanâs message, Aunt Hua couldnât help it and said to Uncle Hua, âMiaomiaoâs tablemate is really good.â
Classmate Zhou Yuan had once again changed Aunt Huaâs views on âhow smart a child could be.â
Itâs no wonder why Mrs. Li told her that she could treat him like an adult. He spoke politely with poise and was generous enough to exchange a screen for snacks.
Uncle Hua responded, âItâs certainly rare for a kid so young.â
Zhou Yuan was certainly a great child, especially when compared to the two spoiled brats from his brotherâs household. Those two made Uncle Hua believe that all kids were the same.
Uncle Huaâs words reminded Aunt Hua of something, so she asked, âBy the way, didnât your brother ask for your assistance to enroll his son into Miaomiaoâs school?â
âI refused his request. I told him that the elementary school is quite strict. If they wanted to enroll their kid there, they had to live here permanently.â
Aunt Hua was taken aback and said, âNo wonder why your mom once told me to register the name of your brotherâs youngest son into our household registry, since we have no children of our ownâ¦â
Uncle Hua frowned, âYou donât have to worry about what my mom says. Sheâs always like that. She canât wait to move all my belongings into my brotherâs house.â
âWith Miaomiao here, I donât think that she will bring this up again.â Aunt Hua comforted him.
Uncle Hua nodded, âNo matter what she says, donât worry about it.â
There was still a monthly pension. Both of them were well-paid, especially Aunt Hua. In recent years, they bought a house and a car. They never had any major expenses, so they had quite a bit of savings.
They chatted for a while. Aunt Hua looked at Uncle Hua, who sat next to her, and noticed that he seemed a little unhappy. She realized that it must be because of what she had said.
In fact, Uncle Huaâs mother allowed his brotherâs younger son to live in their household. It wasnât just for studying. Although she didnât explain things clearly, Uncle Hua was a sensible person who could deduce why she did that. This predicament brought him nothing but unhappiness.
Uncle Hua leaned over and kissed him on the face. Then, she leaned on him, âMiaomiaoâs condition is getting better and better now. She told me a lot of things along the way today. She also raised her hand to answer questions in class.â
Uncle Hua stroked her head, âSheâs going to get better and better in the future.â
Before Little Miaomiao departed for school the next morning, Aunt Hua asked her, âWould you like to take more snacks to school today?â
Of course, Aunt Hua didnât mind that Little Miaomiao shared her food with Zhou Yuan. She just wanted her to eat some more.
Little Miaomiao looked at the food and recalled how Zhou Yuan helped her yesterday, so she took a bag of snacks and fruits with her.
After her arrival at school, she put all the snacks into Zhou Yuanâs desk once more.
Soon, Zhou Yuan arrived at school. Strangely, Zhou Yuan didnât greet Little Miaomiao and directly sat down into his seat.
This perturbed Little Miaomiao. She remembered that she had left in a hurry yesterday without telling him that she would see him tomorrow.
Could he be angry because of that?
Little Miaomiao whispered, âGood morning?â
Zhou Yuan hummed in response and handed her a note, âMiaomiao, good morning.â
Little Miaomiao froze for a moment, turned her head and saw Zhou Yuan catching up on his homework.
His face was taut, his lips were tightly pursed, and he looked a little unhappy.
Traces of anxiety and perturbation crept into Little Miaomiaoâs heart. She squeezed her hand. She wanted to talk to him. But since he was busy, she dared not disturb him. So Little Miaomiao could only watch him from the side.
After Zhou Yuan completed his homework, he turned his head and saw Little Miaomiao staring at him.
Zhou Yuan was stunned for a moment and reflexively uttered, âWhatâs wrong?â
While he was speaking, Little Miaomiaoâs gaze zeroed in on his missing front toothâ¦
Shock and dismay enveloped Little Miaomiao for a moment. Then, she quickly grabbed his hand. With tears cascading from her eyes, she asked him in a hushed voice, âDid they beat you?â
Once she got him, she would beg Aunt Hua to let Zhou Yuan stay in their house. She would share her food with him in the futureâ¦
Shock and dismay also engulfed Zhou Yuan for a moment. Then, a realization struck him. Little Miaomiaoâs teeth shouldâve fallen out before, but it happened at the same time as her beatings. She probably thought that she lost her teeth, because she was struck.
At first, he believed that his missing tooth would tarnish his image; therefore, he didnât want to speak with anyone. But he didnât want to see Little Miaomiao so sad and apprehensive, âNobody beat me.â
Zhou Yuan took out a notebook and started to draw on it, âWe are born with two sets of teeth.â
While speaking and drawing, he found it difficult to speak, because of the gap between his teeth. But, he still spoke soberly, âThe bottom set is stronger, so when itâs time to come out, the top one will fall off naturally. I was eating when it did.â
Zhou Yuan didnât mention that his tooth fell out while he was eating an apple, nor did he mention that his dad had teased him gleefully for an entire day. His dad still continued to tease him.
Little Miaomiao probably understood it. She breathed a sigh of relief and realized that Zhou Yuan knew a lot of things.
Zhou Yuan looked at the little girlâs adoring eyes, then turned his head to the glass window next to him. Then, he grinnedâ¦
Itâs such a shame to be a child.