After the three of them chatted for a bit, Xiao Bai suggested going out to play. The main street in the county town was bustling during the first lunar month, with all kinds of street perforrs, snacks, and gas.
Chuchu, however, preferred to stay at ho and chat with Bai Zhixi. She declined the invitation outright.
Bai Zhixi said with a smile, "We have been busy for so long. Take this chance during the New Year to go out and relax. Don’t worry about , I’ll be visiting so friends in a bit."
She had a clear understanding of her daughter’s thoughts now - Chuchu was surely worried about leaving her alone at ho.
"Where are you going?" Chuchu asked incredulously, "Or, let accompany you."
She was very clingy to Bai Zhixi now, which reminded Bai Zhixi of Chuchu from two years ago. Back then, the little girl would stick to her all day long, and if she lost sight of her, she would cry and search everywhere for her. At that ti, she even wrote to Shi Guo saying that it was a sweet nuisance.
Later, when Shi Guo ca ho on leave, the sweet nuisance ceased as Chuchu began to cling to Shi Guo. She switched from being her little shadow to his, which made Bai Zhixi quite jealous.
As ti went on, Shi Guo left, and Chuchu’s temperant worsened, eventually reaching a point where mother and daughter hardly spoke.
Now, Chuchu had grown into a tall and graceful young lady, once again becoming her little cotton-padded jacket, which delighted Bai Zhixi.
However, her daughter was no longer a two-year-old child; she should be lively and playful like a teenage girl.
She had been busy studying at school, and Bai Zhixi didn’t say much. Recently, she was busy earning money.
The New Year was a ti to relax and have fun, but it was a pity that Chuchu had fallen out with Zhuo Yao. She couldn’t think of anyone else to suggest for Chuchu to hang out with, but just then, Xiao Bai arrived.
Although Xiao Bai was a bit older than Chuchu, Bai Zhixi could tell that Xiao Bai was a good kid who genuinely cared for her daughter. So when Xiao Bai offered to take Chuchu out to play, she was all for it.
Bai Zhixi playfully slapped her daughter’s hand and said, "Mom has her places to go as well. I’m going to visit the Glass Factory Family Quarters. After all, we lived there for over a decade, and I have so private words to share with our old neighbors and colleagues."
Hearing that Bai Zhixi was going to visit old acquaintances, Chuchu didn’t cling to her anymore.
She could see that Bai Zhixi really wanted her to go out and have fun. If it made Bai Zhixi happy, she would agree.
As Chuchu was about to leave, she rembered sothing and instructed Bai Zhixi, "Mom, when you visit those old neighbors, you can bring them so of our homade pickles. Now that we’re selling our pickles in Wanzhou, it would be a proud gift to offer them."
Though the pickles weren’t worth much, first, they were a gift, and who wouldn’t be happy with a gift; second, Bai Zhixi’s pickles were delicious and well-known in the Glass Factory Family Quarters, and finally, receiving gifts would soften their hearts towards Bai Zhixi.
Bai Zhixi quickly waved her hand, "I got it, I got it. Go out and have fun now."
Chuchu and Xiao Bai quickly reached the main street which was filled with a festive and lively atmosphere, drawing many people out to play.
However, inside she was a thirty-sothing-year-old, with no enthusiasm for the street perforrs and gas. Xiao Bai tried to persuade her for a while but couldn’t sway her.
Seeing Xiao Bai having a blast, she increasingly felt that Xiao Bai was truly fortunate.
It must be that Xiao Bai’s family was very happy, with elders who cared deeply for him, making him grow into such a carefree individual.
After having a great ti, Xiao Bai insisted on giving Chuchu a tanghulu (candied hawthorn), which Chuchu looked at disdainfully. After so thought, she bit into it. The familiar yet long-missed taste caught her off guard, and then she silently started nibbling away at it.
In the crowd, Liu Li, with heavily made-up face, watched Manager Bai and Wan Chu’er from a distance, her expression complex.
How could they be together?
It looked like Wan Chu’er had a very good relationship with Manager Bai.
She rembered the reason why she first entered Heavenly World—a note, which now seed likely to have been written by Wan Chu’er herself.
Why did Wan Chu’er want her to go to Heavenly World, to repay her money? Or sothing else?
Liu Li shook her head, afraid to think too much.
Manager Bai was the undisputed boss at Heavenly World, soone she couldn’t afford to provoke. But how could Wan Chu’er know Manager Bai?
She felt so envy over the relationship between Wan Chu’er and Manager Bai. It even looked like Manager Bai was cajoling Wan Chu’er.
Cajoling?
A thought suddenly flashed through Liu Li’s mind.
She looked again at Wan Chu’er in the distance, her skin fair, tall and slender, with bright and beautiful features, making Wan Chu’er look very pretty.
She bit her lip—could it be that Manager Bai had taken a liking to Wan Chu’er?
As the thought crossed her mind, she subconsciously wanted to deny it—on what grounds!? She’s just a bratty girl who’s not yet weaned!
In the distance, Manager Bai seed to say sothing that made Wan Chu’er laugh softly, and the two quickly turned and left.
Liu Li’s mind was a bit chaotic; she would no longer be able to attend Wutong Middle School next term. Her grades this sester were terrible, and her father had ntioned several tis that she should go south to work.
If it were before, she would be panicking, but after working nights at Heavenly World this term, she no longer rejected the idea. She liked the feeling of earning her money, and she liked seeing herself all glamd up and beautiful.
However, before she left, she had to do sothing—leave sothing for Wan Chu’er.
She had heard about how Wan Chu’er had sched against Zhuo Yao, turning her into the talk of the school. Perhaps she could do sothing similar, using the sa trick on Wan Chu’er.
Before dinner, Wan Chu’er finally managed to send Xiao Bai away. She still preferred to stay at ho; the street was too noisy, and she felt uncomfortable finding joy in the celebratory atmosphere—unless it was about making money.
Just before leaving, Xiao Bai forcefully handed her two red envelopes.
"From your big brother and Second Brother, there will be more next year. If you get into college, they’ll give you a bigger one."
Seeing Xiao Bai’s overflowing kindness, if she hadn’t accepted, he probably would have lectured her on the streets about sibling affection. Wan Chu’er had no choice but to force a smile, thank him, and take the red envelopes.
In the following days, Xiao Bai ca to ask her out twice more, but she firmly refused each ti.
Whenever Bai Zhixi tried to persuade her, Wan Chu’er would pull out her practice books, putting on an earnest studying facade, saying, "I was too busy making money before the New Year, and I haven’t even done my winter break howork yet."
Seeing her like this, Bai Zhixi found it quite amusing but didn’t press further.
During this ti, Wan Chu’er took a gift and visited An Lian. An Lian’s son, who was at college, had co ho for the holidays, and when Wan Chu’er visited, father and son were having a few drinks.
Wan Chu’er set down the gift, exchanged New Year’s greetings, chatted briefly with An Lian’s son, An Gang, and then headed back.
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