“I didn’t isolate Zhao Guangzong.”
Zhaozhao was small, but his tone was firm.
He looked up at Li Erni and said, “It was Zhao Guangzong who bullied Chubby Girl and didn’t let anyone play with her.”
Then he recounted the situation to everyone again.
Grabbing Li Qiuyue’s hand, he said seriously, “Mom told me to protect girls and never let them cry.”
Hearing this, the adults first felt embarrassed for doubting Zhaozhao.
Then they looked at Li Qiuyue in surprise.
They hadn’t expected her to educate her child like that.
Li Qiuyue chuckled softly and waved her hand. “He’s a boy; it’s only right. It’s what he should do.”
For once, she felt a little guilty.
Originally, she had said this because she didn’t want Zhaozhao to eat two meat buns at night and get an upset stomach she had wanted to snatch one for herself!
She hadn’t expected her son to be so capable of self-education.
Truly… touching!
Everyone else felt sheepish, but only Qin Huai, seeing through her nature, shook his head with amusement.
He had initially intended to help Zhaozhao explain things, but seeing Zhaozhao handle it so well, he simply let him manage it himself.
If you want to make friends, you have to stand up on your own.
“Chubby Girl, is this true?” Chubby Girl’s mother asked, frowning immediately upon realizing her daughter had been bullied.
Chubby Girl nodded quickly. “Zhao Guangzong ran into me and wouldn’t let anyone play with me. Zhaozhao gave me candy and cookies…”
The foodie girl immediately cheered up at the mention of food.
Li Tiedan also stood up. “Yeah! Zhao Guangzong even told others to insult Zhaozhao. We didn’t, and Uncle Zhaozhao even gave us peach cookies!”
“Everyone knows now who led the isolation and bullied their own cousin, right?” Li Qiuyue stood with her hands on her hips at the perfect moment.
Apparently, you don’t need fists to assert authority you can do it with reason.
The feeling… was incredible!
Chubby Girl’s mother, no pushover herself, said, “Li Erni, your parents spoil you, but that’s got nothing to do with us. If I ever find out your son bullies Chubby Girl again, I’ll hit you every time I see you!”
Li Erni’s face immediately turned dark, and she tugged at her son with a sour look.
“Why didn’t you tell me this at home?” she complained.
At home, Zhao Guangzong had only said that Li Zhao teamed up with others to bully him, and that Li Qiuyue had come out to help Li Zhao.
Zhao Guangzong, his arms hurting from being dragged, cried harder. “Weren’t you the one who said I’m the boss? Shouldn’t everyone listen to me?”
Li Erni froze, embarrassed, unable to reply.
Under the fierce gazes of the other parents, she could only bend down and spank Zhao Guangzong twice. “What nonsense are you talking about!”
“You did say it! I hate you!” Zhao Guangzong wriggled free like a pig at Chinese New Year, running to his grandfather, the one who always treated him best. “Grandpa, I want White Rabbits too! And peach cookies!”
Seeing his grandson like this, Li Gensheng felt worse than if someone had insulted him.
“They’re just kids. Why get so serious?” he said, glaring at the others.
Everyone was speechless. In a small village, families inevitably have ties.
And with Li Gensheng’s age and status, no one dared argue further.
He looked at Li Qiuyue next. “Go get all the snacks in the house for your nephew!”
Li Qiuyue laughed. “Do you have a problem with your eyes? Are you blind too?”
“This is your home? You come here to beg and shout orders!” she rolled her eyes.
She hadn’t driven them away just now because she didn’t want to ruin the good image her son had just built of her.
Everyone else laughed heartily.
Li Gensheng glared, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to flatten in frustration.
“Li Qiuyue, don’t be ungrateful!” Li Gensheng threatened.
“You’re wasting your money on a bastard; when you’re in your coffin, you won’t even have a pot to hit!”
Li Qiuyue laughed even more mockingly. “You’re older than me. Why don’t you worry about yourself first?”
She had never relied on the Li family while alive, and didn’t care about inheritance after death.
Li Gensheng wasn’t as calm as her. He trembled with anger. “Even if Li Zhao isn’t a Li, the money you hold will eventually go to Guangzong!”
“Now you give him some to eat it’s just an advance on the inheritance,” he said strictly, as if convinced of the truth.
“Exactly! Bring out all the candy and peach cookies!” Zhao Guangzong stood by his grandfather, no longer afraid of Li Qiuyue.
“You two really are a pair. Yesterday you talked about advancing the bride price; today you’re advancing inheritance. Do you take me for dead or what?” Li Qiuyue scowled, ready to explode.
Chubby Girl’s mother, grateful to Zhaozhao for saving her daughter, spoke up. “Exactly, Uncle Gensheng. You don’t take care of them, yet demand money? Is that even human?”
“Isn’t this exactly what Qiuyue said? Coming to beg?” someone else mocked.
They all remembered Li Erni’s role in instigating her child to bully theirs.
One comment after another, Li Gensheng’s pride sank.
He stubbornly said, “You’re just venting. Wait until Li Qiuyue dies, then we’ll see who gets the inheritance!”
Saying that, he picked up Zhao Guangzong and dragged Li Erni away.
Along the way, you could still hear Zhao Guangzong crying for White Rabbits and Li Erni scolding him.
The others wanted to take their kids home too, but the children refused, some even crying.
Zhaozhao took the initiative. “Mom and Dad are already working hard. Don’t give them more trouble.”
“Go home to eat and sleep. Come back in the afternoon. We can build little dogs and I’ll tell you the story of Sun Wukong!” Zhaozhao comforted them.
After thinking for a moment, the children nodded.
The parents, who had planned to warn their children to stay away from Li Qiuyue’s house, felt relieved hearing Zhaozhao’s words.
After all, raising their kids for five or six years, they hadn’t heard them acknowledge anyone’s hard work before.
Plus, Zhaozhao was neat and generous, handing out treats like a little Santa.
After sending off the friends, Zhaozhao felt a brief moment of disappointment.
But he quickly perked up, cleaning up sticks and trash left behind.
Li Qiuyue and Qin Huai felt very gratified.
Qin Huai glanced at Li Qiuyue, about to say, “Actually, you’ve taught your child very well.”
But Li Qiuyue sighed, “My good big boy! He’s really good at teaching kids!”
Qin Huai: “……”
The more time he spent with them, the more he realized Li Qiuyue’s judgment wasn’t necessarily as mature as Zhaozhao’s.
There were things he needed to address.
“Comrade Li Qiuyue, can we talk about Zhaozhao’s future?” He followed her into the kitchen.
Li Qiuyue raised an eyebrow. Considering his genuine care for Zhaozhao, she would hear him out.
If her subordinates, who always complained about Qin Huai being taciturn and cold, knew her thoughts, they’d probably howl at the sky in disbelief.
Qin Huai, accustomed to her attitude, said, “Comrade Li Qiuyue, I think this environment isn’t suitable for Zhaozhao and doesn’t benefit his growth.”
Li Qiuyue stayed silent, waiting for him to get to the point.
“The Li family comes to cause trouble at your house every so often. While it’s not your intention, it’s unavoidable,” Qin Huai stated.
Reasoning: “Rather than letting Zhaozhao stay here and be bothered by them, it’s better to let him leave.”
Li Qiuyue thought for a long time before realizing the “intellectual’s” meaning.
“You want to take my child from me?” Li Qiuyue held her breath, eyes sharp, staring at Qin Huai.
Qin Huai paused, not sure how she extracted this from so many words.
But thinking carefully… she wasn’t wrong.