Xu Qingqing's daughter sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, pouting angrily as the entire Xu family gathered around trying to coax her.
"Mom is too much of a bully!!" Xu Youluo heaved a heavy sigh.
Adults these days are really hard to handle!
...
Xu Qingqing's first child was a daughter named Xu Youluo, the apple of the entire family's eye.
As the fourth generation of the Xu family, Xu Youluo was doted on by Chairman Xu and his wife, along with Auntie Xu, to the point of being utterly lawless. Her capacity for causing trouble was no less than Xu Qingqing's in her heyday, perhaps even surpassing it.
She considered herself the boss of kindergarten. On her very first day of school, she got into a dramatic fight, then trudged home dragging her backpack, head hung low and covered in bumps.
After returning from kindergarten, Xu Youluo tossed her little backpack aside and sat on the garden swing with a profound expression, not saying a word.
Her chubby little face sported a band-aid. Puffing out her cheeks, she stared at the setting sun, her silhouette looking forlorn and lonely.
Grandpa Xu, Grandma Xu, and Chairman Xie and his wife were all very worried about this little princess. Everyone was hiding in the background, watching her with nervousness and heartache.
Xu Qingqing, completely unaware of this, walked over and asked curiously, "What are you all doing?"
Mother Xie immediately hushed her, whispering nervously, "Shh, Youluo lost a fight at kindergarten and is feeling sad right now..."
As the sun gradually set, Xu Youluo, with a grave expression, clenched her fist and declared, "Thirty years on the east of the river, thirty years on the west! Do not bully the young for being poor!!"
Xu Youluo proclaimed her grand ambition: "Sooner or later, I will make Da Pang know who the true king of kindergarten is!!"
"BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Xu Qingqing, who had just been pulled over by her own grandparents to check on her daughter, burst into uproarious laughter upon hearing this.
Everyone, including Xu Youluo, instantly turned to look at her: ...
Xu Qingqing couldn't stop laughing. Facing the collective gaze, she took a deep breath and said with feigned seriousness, "Sorry, it was just too funny, couldn't help it."
She patted Xu Youluo's little head and said cheerfully, "Future King of Kindergarten, little Xu Youluo, you do your best! Mom and Dad are off on a date!"
Xie Lianqing happened to arrive home. After saying this, Xu Qingqing casually linked arms with her husband and walked off. Hearing that her parents were going on a date, Xu Youluo on the swing immediately forgot all about her vow of revenge.
She quickly jumped down from the swing, almost stumbling from the haste. She trailed behind her parents like a little tail.
Xu Youluo was no longer pouting angrily either. Tipping her head back, she kept asking, "Mom and Dad, where are you going on a date? Why aren't you taking me? I want to go too..."
Due to Xu Youluo's demands, Xie Lianqing and Xu Qingqing had no choice but to bring along this little third wheel. Their date location also changed from a restaurant or hotel to a family-friendly amusement park.
Upon arriving at the crowded amusement park, Xu Qingqing demanded that Xu Youluo call her 'sister.' She said, "It makes me seem younger."
Xu Youluo asked curiously, "What about my dad then? Should I call him 'brother' too?"
Xu Qingqing was shocked and said matter-of-factly, "Of course you should call him Dad!"
Xu Youluo disagreed strongly. Acting wise beyond her years, she crossed her arms and declared, "No! Children should treat their mom and dad fairly!"
She and Xu Qingqing, one big and one small, both stood proudly outside the amusement park wearing sunglasses, becoming a beautiful sight on the street.
Xu Qingqing didn't care at all, shrugging her shoulders. "Suit yourself." She considered herself a very democratic and open-minded elder.
Then Xu Qingqing bought herself an ice cream and walked along eating it by herself.
Xu Youluo's eyes nearly popped out. "Mom, why didn't you buy one for me?"
Xu Qingqing ignored her. She then tugged on Xie Lianqing's sleeve and whined, "Daddy, I want one too, buy one for me!"
Xie Lianqing was powerless to help. "You've already used up your ice cream quota for this week."
Both the Xu family and Chairman Xie and his wife treated Xu Youluo as a pampered treasure. Anything that might harm her health was strictly forbidden.
If Xie Lianqing secretly took her for ice cream and got caught, he would definitely be scolded and nagged upon returning home.
But Xu Qingqing was different. She was an even bigger handful than Xu Youluo. The Xu family couldn't bear to scold her, and Chairman Xie and his wife found it inconvenient to scold her...
So only she could take Xu Youluo to eat what the elders considered junk food.
Xu Youluo realized: Mom is the real boss.
She let go of Xie Lianqing's leg and scampered after Xu Qingqing: "Sis! Sister! I want ice cream!"
After a day of fun, it was time for the most hated part of a child's life: school.
It was Xu Youluo's first week of kindergarten, and it was finally Xu Qingqing's turn to pick her up after school.
Xu Qingqing's workplace was nearby, and she happened to not have driven, so she walked alone to pick up her daughter.
On the way home, Xu Youluo deliberately led Xu Qingqing on a detour. They passed through a small alley where someone was selling egg pancakes.
Xu Youluo, holding Xu Qingqing's hand, stopped in front of the roadside stall, her mouth open, practically drooling with desire.
Xu Youluo began to employ one of a mischievous child's specialties: throwing a tantrum and being unreasonable. "I want it, I want it!!"
Based on past experience, her grandparents definitely wouldn't buy it for her; they would just take her home and have the chef make a similar version.
But for a child, homemade food naturally isn't as appealing as street food. So Xu Youluo decided to fight to the end; she was determined to have fresh snacks today.
She thought her mom would comfort or scold her like her grandparents did. Unexpectedly, Xu Qingqing stroked her chin in thought for a moment and quickly said, "Alright."
Xu Youluo: ...?!!!
That easy? Aren't you going to lecture me about the dangers of eating street food?! Is this adult even reliable?
While Xu Youluo was still suspicious, she saw Xu Qingqing order three egg pancakes. She gave one to Xu Youluo and kept two for herself.
Before Xu Youluo could even finish her own portion, she eyed the extra one Xu Qingqing was still holding. She blinked and asked eagerly, "Mom, why did you buy an extra one? Can I have it?"
Xu Qingqing was eating her own portion and replied, "No, this is for Daddy."
Xu Youluo nodded in understanding and said obediently, "Okay, then I don't want it."
She had thought the extra one was for her, but it was for Dad. Xu Youluo immediately stopped clamoring for it. Saving it for Dad was fine too; she was a sensible child.
Who would have thought, just after she finished her own portion, she saw Xu Qingqing calmly open Xie Lianqing's portion and finish it off in a few bites, not leaving a single crumb.
Xu Youluo: ... So you just wanted to eat it yourself!
Xu Youluo decided to tattle on her mom when she got home. However, none of the family took the matter seriously. Her great-grandfather patted her little head and said, "Let it go, Youluo. Your mom has been like this since she was little. You can't out-bully her."
Xu Youluo was very indignant. She secretly called her father to complain. On the other end of the line, her father gently soothed her, coaxed her to sleep early, and said he would definitely scold her mother for her.
He said, "How could she snatch Youluo's snacks? That's really too much."
Xu Youluo squatted in the corner, nodding frantically into her smartwatch: "Exactly! Too much!"
Xu Youluo desperately wanted to know how her father would scold her mother. She felt happy one moment, then started to worry the next. What if her dad yelled at her mom? Her mom had such a delicate personality, she'd definitely kick both her and dad out!
Then wouldn't she become a child without a mother? Oh my goodness!!!
What if her dad got too angry and hit mom, like the bad guys on TV?
Xu Youluo grew more scared and anxious the more she thought about it. Terrified by her own imagination, she couldn't sleep. Hugging her little blanket, she quietly sneaked out to wait for her dad to come home, planning to persuade him.
She even prepared her lines. People on TV often said, "Forget it, forget it. Men, if you want life to go smoothly..." She couldn't remember the rest.
Just as Xu Youluo was struggling to recall, her dad finally came home.
Xie Lianqing returned from working overtime to find his daughter wrapped in a small blanket, squatting by the stairs waiting for him.
"Youluo? Why aren't you asleep yet?" Xie Lianqing picked up his daughter and carried her to bed.
He took a paper bag from behind his back and gave it to her, patting her head, saying, "Remember to brush your teeth after eating."
Xu Youluo felt the warm paper bag. Inside was an egg pancake cake. It was already very dark outside; she didn't know where her dad had bought it.
As Xie Lianqing turned to leave, Xu Youluo saw he still had another paper bag in his hand. She guessed that was for mom.
—Puppy Love—
Her dad had to work overtime this weekend, so Xu Youluo was taken to the park by her mom. On the way, her mom chatted with other aunties, and she obediently played on the ground with the other kids.
When she was having fun and looked back, she found her mom had actually already left!!
Xu Youluo: ...???
"Mom!! You forgot me!!" Xu Youluo immediately took off running after her, shouting as she ran, "Mom!! What about me, me!"
Why did such absent-minded adults exist in this world!
Even though her mom was a very dramatic, troublesome, and scatterbrained adult, Xu Youluo still liked playing with her.
Because in the whole family, she felt her mom was the most amazing, even more so than her super smart dad who often appeared on the finance channel.
Because her mom held a very high status at home, was very dramatic, and yet nobody disliked her! Her mom's personality was so delicate and spoiled; with that kind of personality in kindergarten, surely no one would like her, but mom actually had lots of good friends, and everyone really liked her.
When Xu Youluo solemnly raised this question, Xu Qingqing looked at her, pursed her lips and said, "Because I'm the female lead."
Xu Youluo also watched TV dramas and cartoons, so of course she knew what a female lead meant.
She immediately pouted, very disdainful, and said, "Mom, you're so narcissistic." Her mom being narcissistic at home was one thing, but now she was actually brazenly calling herself the female lead!
Xu Qingqing: ...
She looked shocked, then got up, turned her head, and shouted into the house where Xie Lianqing was checking their luggage, "Xie Lianqing, Xie Lianqing, Xie Lianqing!!"
Xie Lianqing hurriedly ran out from the study.
The company wasn't as busy as before now, so every holiday, their family of three would find time to go on vacation.
Even with the nanny and assistant's help, Xie Lianqing still had to check the essential items for the two princesses at home. Otherwise, they'd make a fuss later.
Hearing Xu Qingqing, he came out of the room and asked gently, "What's wrong?"
Xu Qingqing immediately grabbed him and demanded, "Tell me, am I the female lead?"
Xie Lianqing raised an eyebrow, thought for two seconds, and answered without hesitation, "Mhm."
Xu Youluo couldn't believe it and hurriedly asked, "Then what am I?" Her dad was the smartest person in the world, decisive and firm. She completely believed his words.
Before Xie Lianqing could think of an excuse to make up for the child, he heard Xu Qingqing casually reply, "You're an extra. The kind that only gets a two-second cameo in the epilogue after the series ends, with less screen time than your Aunt Le Jiaojiao and the others."
Xu Youluo: ...
Xie Lianqing: ...
Compared to her mom who called herself the female lead, the equally dramatic Xu Youluo herself was very frustrated. She liked the class heartthrob from the kindergarten next door, but he ignored her.
"Where I'm not wanted, there's somewhere else that will have me!" Xu Youluo stood on the living room table, solemnly clenching her small fists and announcing gravely, "I don't like Zhouzhou anymore, I'm going to like Xiaohai now!"
Grandma Xu wanted her to get down from the table, Grandpa Xu held his head which was already starting to ache, Chairman Xie and his wife looked at each other, Xie Lianqing took a sharp breath, pondering the child's education...
Xu Qingqing walked out of the kitchen holding a bowl of strawberries and suddenly interjected, "Xiaohai? That little chubby boy who sits behind you?"
She said, "I don't approve of this match."
Xu Youluo, standing on the living room table, frowned in confusion, "Why?"
Xu Qingqing said flatly, "Last time I went to your parent-teacher meeting, I saw him wipe his snot on his clothes."
Xu Youluo immediately said with disgust, "Ew, gross, I don't like him anymore!"
Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.
Right then, Xu Qingqing took a bite of a strawberry and gave her daughter advice, "Why don't you like your deskmate Yuyu? He's good-looking, has the most little red flowers, gets the best grades in your class, and is very polite. If I were you, I'd definitely like him first."
Xu Qingqing thought her daughter's crushes were very low-standard.
Everyone else: ...
Xu Youluo had a sudden realization and immediately changed her target, starting to like her deskmate.
Not long after, Xu Youluo's crush failed again. Deskmate Yuyu gave his little red flower to another little girl in the class.
Xu Youluo was very dejected, feeling she would never meet someone who liked her. She heard that sensible little girls were the ones people liked, and seriously considered whether she should change her personality.
When Xu Qingqing found out, she said to her very seriously, "There will definitely be someone who genuinely likes you in the future, different from anyone you've met before. He might be a little different from your initial fantasy, but you will definitely meet him."
Xu Youluo was very downcast and refused to eat: "How do you know?"
Xu Qingqing was incredulous: "You actually doubt me? Even someone as dramatic as me has your dad who likes me."
CEO Xie, who had walked to the door with milk because he was worried about his daughter: ...?
He slowly took a breath, then looked down at the two glasses of milk he was carrying. One large, one small, printed with cute cartoon characters. They were custom-made family mugs for the three of them, requested by Xu Qingqing.
The light in the room was warm. Xu Qingqing and Xu Youluo were whispering nonsensical secrets to each other. Xie Lianqing stood outside the door watching them, his eyes gentle as water, a slow smile curving his lips.
