CH 76

The one who drives the big car—

Cui Dingchen did drive a big car—

Sanwa was too silly. Cui Qingfeng couldn’t suppress his laughter.

Cui Dingchen’s face sank. The aura that emitted from him could easily subdue his surroundings. Of course, it subdued Xu Fan as well. Xu Fan immediately stopped smiling and pulled on Cui Qingfeng’s pants, wanting to leave. Cui Dingchen finally couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “Sanwa, did you forget that he’s your Second Grandpa Cui?”

Xu Fan raised his small face to look at Cui Qingfeng with confusion.

Cui Qingfeng spoked again and pointed out, “Second Grandpa Cui. Your Second Grandpa Cui who drives the big car.”

Xu Fan finally turned to look at Cui Dingchen.

Cui Dingchen said expressionlessly, “Yes, your Second Grandpa Cui.”

Xu Fan whispered, “Second Grandpa Cui.”

Cui Dingchen nodded. “Mn.”

Xu Fan tilted his little head as he thought. He suddenly said, “Second Grandpa Cui has a big car.”

“…That’s right.” Again with the big car.

After a while, Xu Fan said again.” Second Grandpa Cui.”

Cui Dingchen raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Xu Fan. “Hmm?”

Xu Fan wrapped an arm around Cui Qingfeng’s leg. He looked at Cui Dingchen and said, “Y-Y-You said you would give me milk and pig trotters.” One couldn’t go back on their words.

“…”

Cui Qingfeng really couldn’t hold back and laughed out loud.

Cui Dingchen’s temple suddenly twitched. This wasn’t Xu Zhao’s son. This couldn’t have been Xu Zhao’s son. Besides his face, this little chubby child wasn’t similar to Xu Zhao at all. Xu Zhao was gentle, humble, and polite. This little chubby child…made others not know if they should laugh or cry.

Cui Dingchen could only say, “Fine, I’ll get it for you.”

Xu Fan smiled. His small hand landed beside his mouth. He was a bit shy and a bit happy as he said, “Thank you, Second Grandpa Cui.”

“…” He still knew how to say thank you. He was polite. This part of him was like Xu Zhao.

Cui Dingchen hadn’t entered the west wing yet when a telephone rang from inside the west ring. Cui Qingfeng quickly went to answer it and hung up after two sentences. He turned to Cui Dingchen. “Youngest uncle, I need your help.”

Cui Dingchen asked, “What’s wrong?”

Cui Qingfeng replied, “I need to go to the noodle factory to settle accounts.”

“Go ahead.”

“But Sanwa…”

Cui Dingchen glanced at Xu Fan and said, “It’s fine. I’ll watch him. Don’t worry and go.”

Cui Qingfeng smiled and said, “All right. I’ll be back soon.”

“Mn. Be careful on the slippery road.”

“Okay.”

Cui Qingfeng’s foot had just stepped out of the main hall.

Xu Fan immediately padded his short legs to chase Cui Qingfeng.

Cui Dingchen raised his voice and shouted, “Xu Fan.”

Xu Fan looked back and asked, “What?”

Cui Dingchen tried to make his voice as gentle as he could and asked, “What are you doing?”

Xu Fan then said, “I-I’m looking for Uncle Cui.”

“Don’t look for him. He went to settle accounts. He’ll come back soon. Come here first.”

Xu Fan asked, “Why should I go there?”

Cui Dingchen said, “I’ll get you something to eat. You can eat while you wait for him.”

Get something to eat—

Xu Fan stood motionless by the main hall entrance, but his heart was moved.

Cui Dingchen turned and entered the west wing. He grabbed a piece of bread and handed it to Xu Fan.

Xu Fan reached out to accept it and said, “I also want milk.”

“The milk is too cold. You can’t drink it.”

Xu Fan added on, “It won’t be cold if you warm it up. It can be drunk once warmed up.”

It won’t be cold if warmed up—Cui Dingchen thought that he really underestimated Xu Fan. Xu Fan wasn’t the same two year old child as before who didn’t understand anything. Xu Fan was now three years old. He was more talkative than when he was two years old.

Cui Dingchen could only follow Xu Fan’s words and poured half an enamel jar of boiled water, then placed the bottle of milk inside of it to be warmed. About three minutes later, he took it out again to cool the outside of the bottle before handing it to Xu Fan.

Xu Fan took the milk and said, “Second Grandpa Cui, t-t-there’s also the pig trotters.”

How was his memory about food so good!

Cui Dingchen said with a frozen face, “Don’t eat the pig trotters yet.”

“Why not?” Xu Fan asked.

Cui Dingchen calmly replied, “Your Daddy isn’t back yet. Wait till your Daddy comes back to eat it. You two can eat it together.”

Like he was afraid others didn’t know, Xu Fan quickly explained, “My daddy is selling vegetables!”

“I know.”

“My daddy sells vegetables and sells money to buy a three door cabinet with a mirror.”

This little guy also knew what a three door wardrobe with a mirror was. How extraordinary. Cui Dingchen nodded. “Mn, you can buy it if you have money.”

Xu Fan continued, “My daddy will also buy meat.”

“Mn, for the new years.”

“My daddy—”

“Xu Fan.” Cui Dingchen couldn’t help but interrupt Xu Fan.

Xu Fan’s watery eyes glanced at Cui Dingchen.

Cui Dingchen helplessly said, “Don’t talk anymore and drink your milk. Drink your milk.”

Xu Fan finally stopped speaking. He sat on the little stool in the main hall, his head lowered as he drank his milk.

Cui Dingchen sat not far away as he read over some documents.

The entire main hall was silent. From time to time, Xu Fan’s gulping sounds could be heard. Cui Dingchen didn’t mind it and continued reading the documents. He would occasionally glance over at Xu Fan. He watched Xu Fan as he finished drinking the milk, then ate the bread. Once he finished the dread, he couldn’t sit still anymore. His small meaty face looked toward the courtyard as he said, “Wow, it’s snowing!”

Cui Dingchen lowered his head to look at the document as he said, “Xu Fan, don’t run in the snow.”

“Why not?” Xu Fan asked.

“You’ll get sick.”

“If you’re sick, you have to eat medicine.” This was what Xu Zhao had said before.

“Mn, that’s right.”

“If you’re sick, you have to get shots. You can’t eat meat if you’re sick either.”

“…” Cui Dingchen couldn’t help but glance at Xu Fan and asked, “Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m not tired.”

Cui Dingchen helplessly looked at Xu Fan and asked, “Don’t you get tired from talking so much everyday?” Moreover, he asked “why” so many times a day as well. Most people really wouldn’t be able to endure it.

“I-I’m not tired. My daddy said that I talk great.”

“…Then you can continue talking.”

“Mn. My daddy said that I’m the best Baobao in the entire village.”

Cui Dingchen didn’t plan on paying attention to Xu Fan, but when he heard Xu Fan say “My daddy said this, my daddy said that,” he suddenly thought of something and couldn’t help but asking, “Xu Fan, did your daddy ever mention Second Grandpa Cui?”

Xu Fan didn’t even think about it before answering, “Nope.”

Cui Dingchen felt a chill in his heart as he said, “All right. Go to the side and play.”

“I don’t want to play.

Cui Dingchen looked at Xu Zhao and asked, “What do you want to do?”

Xu Fan muttered, “I still want to drink milk.”

“You can’t drink.”

“Why not?”

“No reason why. You just can’t drink it.” He was too lazy to explain too much to a three year old.

“Then I’ll go.” Xu Fan had always been this willful.

Cui Dingchen asked in confusion, “Go where?”

Xu Fan quickly answered, “To find Daddy.”

Without milk to drink, this little baby wasn’t willing to stay here any longer? Not waiting for Cui Dingchen to say anything, Xu Fan had already turned around to run outside of the main hall. Cui Dingchen quickly stood to follow him. When he followed him into the courtyard, he heard the sound of a tractor.

Xu Fan immediately shouted happily, “Daddy! Daddy! It’s my daddy!”

Xu Fan then ran outside of the courtyard, but the courtyard door had been locked. Cui Qingfeng was afraid that Xu Fan would run around, so before he went to settle the account, he used a thin rope to tie the handles of the door closed. Therefore, regardless of how Xu Fan’s little meaty hands pushed or pulled, he wasn’t able to open the courtyard door. As he was getting annoyed, he saw through the cracks of the door and saw Xu Zhao get down from the tractor.

“Ah Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”

Xu Fan shouted excitedly. His milky voice was overflowing with his sweet childishness, and even caused Cui Dingchen to press the space between his eyebrows. When he looked back, the courtyard door suddenly opened. Xu Zhao actually appeared. Since he had rushed back, he was covered in a thin layer of snow, making his already fine appearance even more distinct and attractive.

They hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

Cui Dingchen stared straight ahead.

However, Xu Zhao didn’t see Cui Dingchen. His entire focus was on Xu Fan. He brought Xu Fan into his embrace, kissed him, and after patting his little chubby face did he notice that there was an extra person in the courtyard. After taking a look, he realized that it was Cui Dingchen. He was immediately surprised as he shouted, “Youngest uncle!”

Cui Dingchen came back to his senses.

Xu Zhao smiled and said, “Youngest uncle, you’re back!”

Cui Dingchen gazed at Xu Zhao. “Mn, I just got back.”

“Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t be back until after the 30th?”

“I came back earlier since it’s snowing.”

Xu Zhao smiled. “I also sold all the vegetables early since it’s snowing.”

“Did you sell all the vegetables?”

“Mn, but I left some vegetables for you guys to celebrate the new year.” Xu Zhao turned back and said, “Brother Li, bring over a bundle of vegetables.”

Da Zhuang’s father carried a bundle of vegetables to the Cui residence’s kitchen.

Xu Zhao looked at Cui Dingchen and asked, “Youngest uncle, are you going to celebrate the new years over here?”

Cui Dingchen nodded.

“Then I won’t give you a separate bundle of vegetables.”

“Sure.”

Xu Zhao said politely, “Then you need to rest well. I’ll head back first. Tell Qingfeng later that the vegetables were all sold out. I’ll give the wages to Uncle Cui later so he can just get his wages from Uncle Cui.”

Cui Dingchen walked in front of Xu Zhao and asked, “You’re heading back now? What’s the rush?”

Xu Zhao smiled and said, “Mn. I ordered some furniture in the heart of the county town yesterday. I need to get them and bring them back. We still have to buy some stuff for the new year, therefore time is a bit tight. Plus it’s still snowing. I’m worried that the roads will be too slippery and inconvientant if we head home too late.

It was snowing more heavily now, so it really wasn’t convenient. Cui Dingchen said, “All right. Be careful on the road.”

“Okay.” Xu Zhao smiled and placed Xu Fan down. He then whispered, “Wait a second. Daddy is going to drive the tractor and take you home soon.”

“Okay.” Xu Fan stood firmly on the ground.

Xu Zhao glanced at Cui Dingchen and smiled as he said, “Youngest uncle, Happy Chinese New Year.”

Cui Dingchen nodded. “You too. I hope you’re happy everyday.”

“Thank you, Youngest uncle.”

“The snow was getting heavier and the roads more slippery. Drive the tractor a bit slower.”

“It’s fine. The snow is still light and it isn’t slippery yet.”

Just as Xu Zhao’s words fell, a “bam” sounded as a bicycle slipped and fell on the ground. When they quickly got up, their feet slipped and they fell again. Xu Zhao was shocked. He had wanted to refute Cui Dingchen’s words, but he suddenly found Xu Fan hugging Cui Dingchen’s leg. His eyes wide as he looked at the passerby who had fallen.

“Xu Fan,” Xu Zhao called.

Xu Fan was startled by the sudden fall and instinctively hugged Cui Dingchen’s leg. He had thought he was hugging Xu Zhao’s leg. When he saw Xu Zhao looking at him, he couldn’t help but lift his small meaty face to look up and saw Cui Dingchen’s handsome and expressionless face.

Oops. He hugged the wrong person.

Xu Fan quickly let go as he stared blankly at Cui Dingchen.

Cui Dingchen also glanced at Xu Fan.

Xu Fan said in a milky voice, “Oops. How awkward.”

Cui Dingchen: “…”

The author has something to say:

—

Mini theater:

Author: Sanwa

Xu Fan: What?

Author: What’s your real name?

Xu Fan: My real name is Xu Fan. My Daddy picked it out. It sounds very good!

Author: Do you know what the “Fan” in “Xu Fan” means?

Xu Fan: My daddy said it means “out of the ordinary”!

Author: No, it means annoying. Xu Fan, oh Xu Fan1It’s all a pun. Xu Fan’s name is 许凡, where the “Fan” means out of the ordinary. “Xu Fan” which sounds the same, means long-winded (Xu/絮) and annoying (Fan/烦). You’re both long-winded and annoying.

Xu Fan: … (T▽T)