60. The Vain Doll

(1/3)
PS: Asking for recommendation tickets!

"Xiao Bai, Xiao Bai, come here!" Old Li shouted from the security booth.

"What is it?"

"Remember to take your snacks."

"What?"

"Your snacks. Miss Li Jia just gave them to you."

"Are they all for Xiao Bai?"

"All for you. Are you going to get them yourself, or do you want me to help?"

"Xiao Mi, Xiao Mi~~~" Xiao Bai called out to Xiao Mi to come and help.

Li Jia had given her some snacks, such as dried fruits and fresh fruits.

The two little kids carried the snacks away and came to the classroom. Not many kids had arrived yet, but Luo Zikang was already here.

Xiao Bai waved and shouted, "You silly goose, do you want some? Come over here."

Luo Zikang was chubby and looked like someone who loved to eat. Hearing this, he really wanted to go over, but... he was a bit too proud to lower his face~

Zhang Tan didn't know how Xiao Bai would tease Luo Zikang. He went to find Teacher Xiao Liu, told her about the matter, and asked if she would be free tomorrow.

Teacher Xiao Liu looked a bit troubled when she heard this. Just as Xiao Bai had said, she was dating someone and had already made plans for the weekend.

Zhang Tan said, "It's fine. Go ahead and take care of your business; I'll ask someone else."

He thought hard about it. The only girl he knew well was Huang Meimei. Jiang Rong was another option, but his relationship with Jiang Rong was strictly professional, with zero intersection in their personal lives. Huang Meimei was different; at least they had grown up together and understood each other fairly well in daily life.

Thinking of it, he immediately called Huang Meimei.

Hearing that he wanted to take Xiao Bai and Xiao Mi to a charity event tomorrow, Huang Meimei was shocked.

Had this Zhang Tan really turned over a new leaf? Had he actually started taking care of kids? Or could Xiao Bai be his illegitimate daughter?!

Not long ago, she had first seen Zhang Tan buying children's socks, and then she saw him buy a box of Little Bear beverages, all for children.

Forgoing romance for children's wear?

Considering Zhang Tan's past lifestyle and habits, this stylistic U-turn was so drastic that Huang Meimei almost sprained her waist.

"Are you going to help or not?" Seeing her ramble on endlessly as if fighting with thin air, her imagination running completely wild, Zhang Tan urged.

"Help, help, help! I have to be responsible for the little kids."

Huang Meimei decided to join. She had never seen Zhang Tan take care of children before. In the past, he wouldn't even step a foot inside the Little Red Horse Kindergarten, yet now he was taking the initiative to invite little kids out to play. It was as unusual as a puppy giving birth to a puppy egg, making her immensely curious.

She came uninvited, claiming she wanted to build a good relationship and emotional bond with Xiao Bai and Xiao Mi first.

She found Xiao Bai, who was listening to another child tell a story, and started bothering her.

Unfortunately, Xiao Bai couldn't be bothered to pay any attention to her enthusiasm. Being pestered until she was fuming with anger, Xiao Bai blew her top and scolded, "Who are you anyway? What are you doing?"

Huang Meimei introduced herself somewhat awkwardly: "I'm the big sister who is going to play with you tomorrow."

Xiao Bai finally gave her a serious look and said, "Scram! Don't make me lose my temper."

Where would she find the time to deal with Huang Meimei right now? The children around her were lining up to tell her stories. Tonight was her once-a-week moment of glory; it would be a miracle if she paid attention to Huang Meimei.

Huang Meimei didn't understand Xiao Bai's Sichuan dialect very well. Zhang Tan translated it for her on the spot and burst out laughing. Serves you right! Xiao Bai was just the one to put her in her place.

Did she really think Xiao Bai was someone easy to chat up? Did she think little kids couldn't act aloof just because of their age? Did she think Xiao Bai lacked personality? Did she really think she had a charismatic personality?

Huang Meimei suffered a heavy blow.

Seeing how pathetic she looked, Zhang Tan filled her in on Xiao Bai's personality and warned her not to provoke the feisty little girl tomorrow. Finally, he invited her inside to sit down.

Huang Meimei entered Zhang Tan's home and looked around. This was her first time visiting as a guest.
(1/3)

(2/3)
"What is this?"

On the bedside table sat two action figures—the ones Liu Dawei had given him. One had three heads and six arms with a ferocious expression, while the other had a blazing figure and the face of a femme fatale.

Huang Meimei stared at the voluptuous female action figure and scoffed at Zhang Tan, "Pervert!"

"..." Zhang Tan retorted, "Entering a man's bedroom without permission, you were snooping! You're the pervert!"

After a round of bickering, Huang Meimei left in a huff, dropping one last sentence before departing:
"I will definitely be here on time tomorrow! Otherwise, I won't feel at ease."

In the evening, Ma Lanhua came to pick up Xiao Bai. Zhang Tan had been waiting and told her that Teacher Xiao Liu couldn't make it tomorrow, so another young woman would go instead, and Xiao Mi would also be joining them.

Ma Lanhua trusted Teacher Xiao Liu relatively well, but since Xiao Bai had already said Teacher Xiao Liu was busy dating, Ma Lanhua could understand why she couldn't make it.

It was just a replacement. Since she had already agreed, she didn't say anything further.

Besides, even Xiao Mi was going, and Xiao Mi's backing was the police station! Would Zhang Tan dare to pull any stunts? Would Zhang Tan dare to climb mountains?

With the police station's endorsement, she felt much more at ease.

After discussing the details of tomorrow's trip with Zhang Tan, Ma Lanhua took Xiao Bai and left, arranging to set off from Little Red Horse Kindergarten at precisely 8:00 AM tomorrow, with Zhang Tan driving.

On the way home:
"Auntie, are you tired today or what?"

"What are you talking about? Don't ask me if I'm tired or not, okay? My heart is already anxious enough."

"Why? I'm just caring about you."

"You caring about me? You just want me to do something for you."

"No way."

"You're just that kind of kid."

"...You're making me so mad I'm fuming."

"You scared my soul right out of me."

"Rubbish!"

"Are your little buttocks itching for a beating?"

"Oh my, Auntie, Xiao Bai is going away tomorrow, you must take good care of yourself."

"Where are you going anyway? Are you planning never to come back?"

"I'm going out to play with Boss Zhang."

"Will this silly goose even come back or not?"

"I'll come back."

"I thought you were going to fly far away and never return."

"Auntie, you have to take good care of yourself."

"Got it, got it, you little weirdo."

"What did you say?!"

"I said you're so well-behaved."

"Hmph~ Auntie, look at the clothes I'm holding. They were given to me by that big sister I picked up. What should we do with them?"

"What do you mean, what should we do?"

"What should we do with these clothes?"

"She gave them to you, so just keep them and wear them."
(2/3)

(3/3)
"Doesn't that feel a bit wrong~~~~"

"If it feels wrong, then hand them over to me, and I'll give them to someone else."

"What's wrong with you! I was just joking with you, seriously, not cute at all."

"Silly goose, acting all spooky and scatterbrained."

"Why do you keep calling me a silly goose? And calling me scatterbrained!"

"Silly goose, scatterbrained."

"Rubbish! I'm burning with anger!"

"Silly goose, brainless!"

"..."
"Silly goose."

"Black-butt! Auntie, you're the black-butt."

"You silly goose! Don't run, I'm going to give you a couple of smacks on the ears."

Back home, Xiao Bai rushed into the bathroom in a huff the very first second.

Ma Lanhua followed right behind her and asked, "What are you going to do, you silly goose?"

"I'm going to take a bath."

Ma Lanhua said, "Take a bath? Take a hammer! Didn't you already take a bath?"

"You made me so mad I'm fuming, I need to take another bath."

Ma Lanhua warned, "Don't you dare play with water! Otherwise, I won't let you off, you hear me?"

"Tang Seng rides a horse dong-da-dong, following right behind is Sun Wukong~~~"

Xiao Bai didn't dare to play with water and came out right after washing up. Her auntie wasn't someone to be trifled with; getting her little bottom spanked really hurt, smacking hard.

After washing up, Ma Lanhua saw Xiao Bai tossing and turning on her small bed, refusing to sleep.

"You silly goose, what are you up to instead of sleeping?"

"Let me look at my new clothes before I sleep."

"Two-faced! A kid the size of a peanut and already so vain!"

"I look so well-behaved, Auntie, you can't compare."

"Oh wow, you look so dazzling and flashy, the turning heads on the street must be off the charts."

"Do you even need to say that?"

*Snap*, Ma Lanhua turned off the light, and Xiao Bai started yelling: "Why did you turn off the light?? I was still looking at my new clothes."

"Go to sleep."

"I want to look at my new clothes."

"You're like a flashlight in an outhouse—shining on shit."

"What?? I'm super fierce, you better not provoke me."

"You better not provoke me, that's the truth."

"Biubiubiu~~~"

"You silly goose! Making me so mad I'm fuming, don't run away~"
(3/3)