24. This is a gift from Grandma.

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Scolded by her aunt for being mischievous and spirited, Xiaobai was quite displeased, puffing up her cheeks and looking thoroughly upset. If it had been anyone other than her aunt, she would have surely stomped her feet and argued. If it were Luo Zikang, there would definitely have been another fight. Although Luo Zikang had beaten her to tears just last night, what mattered was the attitude.

“Claws? You still don’t agree, huh?” Malanhua knew Xiaobai’s temper well. Seeing her glaring back with eyes wide and brows furrowed, she thought, such a small child with such a strong rebellious spirit—only four and a half years old! What will she be like when she grows up? Won’t she be constantly talking back?

Xiaobai pouted defiantly, “I’m not mischievous at all.”

“Not mischievous?”

“I’m the little whiskers on the tip of a corn cob, very well-behaved.”

“Silly kid, you’re all soft and squishy, and yet you call yourself the little whiskers on the corn cob—mischievous through and through.”

Zhang Tan, seeing Xiaobai unhappy, tried to explain for her. He didn’t know that arguing with her aunt was a daily affair in Xiaobai’s home.

He said to Malanhua, “Xiaobai is actually very obedient and sensible. Kids need to be handled gently.”

Malanhua scowled at Xiaobai but smiled warmly at Zhang Tan. “Teacher, you’re right. Our Xiaobai only listens when we teach her a lesson. We’ve raised her that way since she was little.”

Zhang Tan lowered his gaze to Xiaobai, who was secretly making faces and sticking out her tongue at her aunt. When she realized she was caught, she quickly pretended to be a good child, eyes wide, lips puckered, showing two rows of clean baby teeth. If that wasn’t a well-behaved kid, then Luo Zikang must be a reincarnated Zhang Fei.

Zhang Tan wanted to laugh but continued, “Xiaobai has admitted her mistake and apologized. Luo Zikang will apologize when he arrives later. Making mistakes isn’t terrible; recognizing them makes you a good child.”

Xiaobai nodded enthusiastically, “I’m very well-behaved.”

“Right, right, the teacher is right. Our Xiaobai is mischievous, but when she’s wrong, she admits it without denial.”

Zhang Tan agreed and praised Xiaobai a few times. He noticed Xiaobai repeatedly nodding in agreement, and when she saw him watching, she nodded even more firmly, clearly approving his words, especially the compliments.

Malanhua entrusted Xiaobai to Zhang Tan and went off to work. After a few steps, Xiaobai tugged at her pants, not letting her leave, whispering something.

Malanhua annoyedly said, “You silly kid, you’re so troublesome.”

Xiaobai muttered softly, “Uncle~ kids are all like this.”

Malanhua didn’t hear this and cheerfully said to Zhang Tan, “Teacher, I want to ask you for a favor.”

She glanced down at Xiaobai and then explained her request.

Last night, Xiaobai had sprayed Luo Zikang with a small water gun during their fight, so the water gun was confiscated.

“That water gun was a gift from Xiaobai’s grandmother. She treasures it dearly and needs to sleep holding it every night. She cried and fussed all night last night and wouldn’t sleep. Teacher, could you please return the water gun to her?” Malanhua said.

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After speaking, she tapped Xiaobai’s little head, and Xiaobai immediately chimed in, “Uncle~~ please, please~”

“...”

How could she speak so smoothly? Zhang Tan wondered. No wonder her eyes were swollen—could it be from crying all night and not sleeping well?

Unaware that the water gun had been confiscated, but seeing that both children had been disciplined and knowing the special significance of the water gun to Xiaobai, Zhang Tan decided to agree.

Xiaobai was overjoyed and kept praising Zhang Tan as a good man. This little one often gave him “good person” cards and had already given him several.

Seeing Zhang Tan agree, Malanhua prepared to leave.

“I’m off now, took up too much time already. Xiaobai, you silly kid, if you fight again, I’ll spank you until you know why flowers are so red.”

“I’m still a baby, very well-behaved. I promise I won’t fight again.”

Xiaobai quickly promised with utmost sincerity. If she fought again, she wouldn’t be human anymore.

Malanhua felt a bit relieved but recalled how this silly kid had fought twice recently, even getting her face scratched last time, which had made her furious. Back then, the kid had sworn the same promise.

“You silly child, if you fight again, I’ll fight you myself and see who wins.”

Xiaobai quickly waved her hands, swearing she would be very obedient.

Malanhua couldn’t fight her right then, only promising to settle it later, so after warning her, she left.

Xiaobai watched her retreating figure, muttering under her breath. Zhang Tan caught fragments: “Malanhua,” “wind and rain,” “please bloom soon”...

Puzzling over these words, suddenly a thought struck him. Though he couldn’t recall where he’d heard it before, the melody was etched in his memory. It was a nursery rhyme, the full version: “Malanhua, Malanhua, braves the wind and rain without fear, please bloom soon…”

He was certain Xiaobai had just been mumbling this, and her aunt’s name was Malanhua! Clever—talking bad behind her back, clearly a restless child at heart.

Unaware her secret was uncovered, Xiaobai smiled mischievously at him, rummaging in her pocket again. This time she pulled out an egg and handed it to Zhang Tan.

“Did you save this one too?” Zhang Tan asked, remembering the last time.

Xiaobai nodded, grinning, trying to slip it into his hand. With the water gun situation settled, she brightened up, wiping away the gloom from her brows. Such an optimistic and strong little soul.

Zhang Tan didn’t take the egg—he felt awkward accepting it. The child needed the nutrition to grow; it wasn’t right for him to eat it.

The thought alone was enough to appreciate the gesture.

At this time, the school was quiet; no one else was around. Xiaobai followed Zhang Tan, chatting away.

Once her aunt left, she seemed to come alive, her head free from pressure, lively and energetic.

She told Zhang Tan how precious her little water gun was, how it had protected her all her life, and that she couldn’t live without it. Moreover, her dream was to grow up to be a rabbit police officer—to protect herself, her grandmother, and keep others from bullying them.

“That’s wonderful, Xiaobai, to have a dream so young. If you become a police officer, you’ll be a great one.”

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Zhang Tan praised her, making the little girl beam as if she already were a rabbit police officer.

“Why a rabbit police officer?”

Only then did Zhang Tan notice the “rabbit” before “police officer.”

“Because it’s cute,” Xiaobai shook her head proudly, clearly proud of being a rabbit police officer.

Teacher Xiao Liu arrived, and Zhang Tan took Xiaobai to return her water gun.

Xiaobai patted it everywhere, like a treasured possession, clipped it to her waist, and with great pride, dashed into the yard to start kicking a soccer ball.

“Uncle, uncle, come play!”

“Xiaomi is here. You play with Xiaomi; I have work to do.”

“Are you going to earn money? Then go earn money. Kids don’t need to earn money—they’re so happy.”

“...”

Hearing Zhang Tan say he had to work, Xiaobai didn’t come to see him tonight. Usually, she visited daily, even if just to look at his small slippers.

Zhang Tan spent the evening rewriting two episodes of “The Lamp Bearer.” Seeing it was late, he stretched and went downstairs for a walk, noticing the kids were already in the second-floor dormitory, preparing to sleep.

Remarkably, he saw Xiaobai lying obediently in bed, fast asleep, breathing deeply and peacefully.

Most of the other children were still unwilling to sleep, but the usual troublemakers had gone to bed early this time.

He recalled Malanhua’s words from the evening—without the water gun, Xiaobai had cried all night and now had swollen eyes.

She must have been utterly exhausted today, which explained her change in behavior.

Examining the sleeping Xiaobai, with her pointed chin and slightly thinner figure, and her dark complexion—understandable since she often played soccer outside.

Her eyes were indeed swollen, and the little water gun peeked out of her pocket.

Worried she might roll over awkwardly, Zhang Tan reached to take the water gun out to place it by her pillow. But as his hand touched it, Xiaobai grabbed his hand!

“I…”

Zhang Tan was about to explain but saw Xiaobai still had her eyes closed, breathing steadily as if dreaming. Yet, looking down, he noticed her right hand tightly clutching his.

Seeing this, Zhang Tan gently withdrew his hand from her palm, and Xiaobai relaxed, her small hand resting on the water gun as she continued to sleep soundly.

Clearly, this little water gun meant a great deal to her.