Adored by Him: My Blissful Days as the Girl Next Door Chapter 8 Trouble

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, we eat the leftovers from the New Year's Eve dinner; this is called "picking blessings," and it is considered auspicious.

After eating three at dumplings, a small piece of pig's trotter, and a little bit of tender white fish while her mom watched, Zhao ii was full and wanted to dash outside to play.

Liu Xiue quickly stopped her: "ii! This mont, you're coming with to open the shop. You need to help pull out the screws."

When Liu Xiue's grocery store closes at night, an iron plate needs to be fixed around the glass cabinet outside. A screw is used to fasten it from the inside. Without entering the store and removing the screw, the iron plate can't be unattached.

Zhao ii pulled out the wire from inside while her mother tugged on the iron plate from outside. Once the grocery store opened, Zhao ii followed her mom to light the small stove.

Liu Xiue took out the oranges she brought from ho and placed them on the stove to roast. Seeing sothing to eat, Zhao ii wasn't in a rush to leave. She sat next to her mother, helping to turn the oranges with a small spoon.

Zhao ii coughed; she had mild rhinitis since she was little. Her mother took her to the hospital for a prescription, and back ho, she dripped dicine into her nose. The bitter liquid trickled down her throat into her mouth, and Zhao ii found it disgusting, refusing to use the dicine.

Liu Xiue, having nothing else to do, heard Aunt Zhao talk about using roasted oranges as a ho redy for cough when she delivered old clothes to her. Trying it out and finding it effective, she continued giving them to Zhao ii.

Fresh oranges were roasted on the stove's iron wall until they beca soft. Peeled and eaten while hot, they tasted sweet with a hint of bitterness, actually quite delicious.

Zhao ii loved these, and whenever Liu Xiue roasted oranges, she'd eagerly watch from the side. When anxious, she'd help turn them with a little spoon.

Zhao ii ate two hot oranges, burped, and satisfactorily bid her mom farewell, intending to play with Da Bao and the others.

Liu Xiue quickly took out the braised pig's trotter she had prepared, glanced at the clock hanging on the shelf, and handed it to Zhao ii: "There were fireworks banging half the night last night. Your Grandma Zhao surely didn't sleep well. By now, she's probably up. ii, go deliver the pig's trotter to Grandma."

Zhao ii grabbed the pig's trotter and spun around to run.

Liu Xiue shouted from behind: "Don't forget to wish Grandma a Happy New Year and say a few auspicious words. Don't accept lucky money if Grandma gives it!"

Zhao ii, with nimble feet, was already far away in a few exchanges.

Zhao ii, familiar with the way, turned towards Building Three, and stood in front of Aunt Zhao's door, banging and shouting: "Grandma! Grandma! It's ii!"

Zhao ii knocked for a long ti, but no one ca to open the door. Doubt filled her heart, as the old lady would usually respond and hastily open the door upon hearing her knock. Today, however, there was no movent at all.

Zhao ii forcefully slapped the door twice more, leaned her ear against it, listening for a while, yet received no response.

Eager to go out to play, Zhao ii grew impatient, kicking the door, slapping and calling for Grandma at the top of her lungs.

A neighbor from the middle apartnt heard the noise, opened the door, and saw it was Zhao ii, smiling: "ii, what are you up to this early morning with all the clatter?!"

Despite being mischievous usually, Zhao ii knew enough manners in front of outsiders and quickly sweet-talked: "Hi Auntie, Happy New Year!"

Chuckling, her neighbor dashed indoors to grab a handful of candy and stuffed it into Zhao ii's pocket: "ii, Happy New Year."

Zhao ii turned back to knock on the door once more. Her neighbor, also puzzled after looking over, remarked, "Mrs. Zhao usually wakes up by now; I hadn't heard the adjacent door opening."

The neighbor helped knock and called a couple of tis, then told Zhao ii, "Perhaps your Grandma Zhao went out; maybe check back later."

Zhao ii, having no other option, politely said goodbye to the neighbor and turned to walk back.

Still holding the braised pig's trotter, she hadn't completed her mother's task yet and needed to return to deliver it.

Zhao ii kicked the snow on her journey, accumulating a thin layer of snowflakes on her thick boots. She stopped, turned to look at the first-floor balcony of Building Three, her black eyes darted around and brightened up, then she dashed towards the back of the building.

Zhao ii stood outside Aunt Zhao's house by the greenbelt-facing window, tiptoeing to look inside. She was too short, unable to reach the windowsill even with her hand raised.

Placing the bag with the braised pig's trotter on the ground, Zhao ii began bunny-hopping upwards, trying several tis, but only saw the wall before her eyes.

As Zhao ii hopped up and down, a neighbor passed by and called out: "Zhao ii, up to mischief again?"

Zhao ii turned to look and recognized him, soone who had a good relationship with her father, promptly greeting: "Hello Uncle Li, Happy New Year!"

Upon hearing the New Year's greeting, Uncle Li cheerfully responded: "Happy New Year, ii, here, take so pocket money."

Zhao ii declined, waving her hands: "My mom doesn't allow to accept pocket money from others."

Uncle Li laughed: "Am I 'others'? I'm your Uncle Li, here, take it."

Uncle Li insisted on giving the money to Zhao ii, and she finally accepted it.

Uncle Li asked her: "What are you doing here?"

Zhao ii squinted, frowning: "My mom asked to deliver pig's trotter to Grandma Zhao, I knocked, but no one answered, I wanted to see if anyone's inside, Grandma Zhao usually stays in her bedroom."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Li leaned closer, stood on tiptoe, and peered through the window glass. The sunlight outside was too bright, glaring at the glass, obscuring the view. He shaded his eyes with a hand, peered again, froze, his complexion changing instantly, and he shouted: "Oh no!" then turned to Zhao ii: "ii, quick, go ho and call your dad to co help, your Grandma Zhao has fainted on the floor!"

"Ah!" Zhao ii was startled, and upon hearing Uncle Li telling her to fetch her dad, she dashed back towards ho, halfway back realizing she needed to head for the grocery store first.

Liu Xiue was busy selling goods, just handing over so change and exchanging New Year pleasantries with the custor when Zhao ii's small head popped up under the counter, hanging her arms over the window and shouting inside: "Mom! Mom! Sothing's wrong!"

Liu Xiue sternly scolded: "Zhao ii! Mommy is conducting business, don't cause trouble!"

Zhao ii, initially frightened and having sprinted all the way here, shouted in one breath, paused, caught her breath, and urgently cried out: "Mom, Grandma Zhao has fainted at ho, Uncle Li told to fetch Dad!"

"What!" Liu Xiue, alard upon hearing, hastily yelled at Zhao ii: "Quickly co in here to watch the store, I'll fetch your dad."

Zhao ii entered the grocery store, leaned over the sales window, watching her mother swiftly dash back ho. Before long, her mom, dad, and neighbors Uncle Bai and his wife, hurriedly ran towards Building Three.

Zhao ii leaned over the window, cheering: "Go Dad, Mom, go!"

Liu Xiue, unable to decide on either crying or laughing, ran while shouting back at Zhao ii: "Take care of the store!"

"Got it!" Zhao ii responded, pulled her head back, and closed the small window.