Liu Qian looked at Ye Jianguo and said, “Jianguo, something happened at home today.”
“I thought about it, and I still feel I should tell you.”
Ye Jianguo asked, “What happened?”
Liu Qian said worriedly, “This afternoon, when I took Tuantuan and Yuanyuan out for a walk, I discovered after we came back that someone had tampered with our front door.”
“Fortunately, the lock wasn’t broken open.”
Liu Qian truly hadn’t expected something like this to happen in the courtyard compound.
The most important thing was—
nothing like this had ever happened before.
It was only this morning that Ye Jianguo had told her to keep an eye on that child, Bang Geng.
And then—
their lock had been tampered with that afternoon.
Therefore—
Liu Qian felt she should tell Ye Jianguo.
When Ye Jianguo heard Liu Qian’s words, his expression immediately turned cold and grim.
Because—
he didn’t need to think at all to know who had tampered with his lock.
It had to be that little ingrate, Bang Geng.
Thinking of this—
he asked, “After you came back, did you check whether anything in the house was missing?”
Liu Qian shook her head. “I checked everything. Nothing was missing.”
“I’ve lived here for so long, and this is the first time something like this has happened.”
“Jianguo, who could be so bold as to come steal from our courtyard compound?”
“I wonder whether anything was stolen from the other neighbors.”
Ye Jianguo looked at Liu Qian. “Wife, if my guess is correct, the one who tampered with our front door was definitely that little ingrate, Bang Geng.”
Liu Qian was instantly stunned.
Although she had wondered whether it might be Bang Geng—
but—
she had eventually shaken her head and decided that it probably wasn’t him.
After all—
Bang Geng was still just a child.
How could he dare do something like stealing?
And even tamper with a lock?
That was surely impossible.
Yet—
Ye Jianguo was now insisting that it had been Bang Geng.
This left Liu Qian dumbfounded.
She said, “Jianguo, are you mistaken?”
“Bang Geng is only a child. He couldn’t possibly dare do something like this, could he?”
“This is theft we’re talking about.”
Liu Qian still found it difficult to believe.
This was too crazy.
Ye Jianguo said, “Wife, you’re simply too kind. You always think everyone else is a good person.”
“But I have to tell you, Bang Geng isn’t a well-behaved child.”
“He went bad a long time ago.”
“I’m certain that Bang Geng, that little ingrate, was the one who tampered with our lock this afternoon.”
Liu Qian was stunned.
Truly stunned.
She hadn’t expected Ye Jianguo to be so certain.
He was absolutely insisting that it was Bang Geng.
He even said that Bang Geng had already gone bad.
Could this really be true?
Would Bang Geng really do something like stealing?
Ye Jianguo could naturally see that Liu Qian still didn’t dare believe it.
After thinking for a moment, he continued, “Wife, you must be wondering: if it was Bang Geng, why hadn’t he tampered with our door before, right?”
Liu Qian nodded instinctively.
Ye Jianguo smiled. “That’s because we were too poor before. We didn’t have anything tasty at all. Let alone Bang Geng—even mice couldn’t be bothered to visit our home.”
“As for why Bang Geng suddenly decided to visit our home this time, it’s because he saw us eating corn this morning.”
“You know how delicious and fragrant the corn we ate this morning was.”
“To a little brat like Bang Geng, it must have been irresistibly tempting.”
“Not to mention that I scolded him this morning. He must have been furious.”
“That’s why I’m certain that Bang Geng, that little ingrate, tampered with our lock.”
There was no need to think hard to guess Bang Geng’s motive.
After all—
the look in Bang Geng’s eyes when he left that morning had been filled with jealousy, longing, and resentment.
That was also why he had reminded Liu Qian to remember to lock the door that morning.
After hearing Ye Jianguo’s analysis, a look of realization appeared on Liu Qian’s face.
She suddenly felt that Ye Jianguo’s analysis made perfect sense.
Bang Geng really had come to their door that morning and asked her for an ear of corn, hoping she would give him one.
But Ye Jianguo had driven him away.
The expression on his face when he left had clearly shown how much he wanted it.
Thinking about it this way—
it really could have been him.
Of course—
without evidence, she had no way of knowing whether it really was.
Besides—
nothing was missing now.
So—
Liu Qian didn’t think about it any further.
She said to Ye Jianguo, “Jianguo, we can’t say for sure who did it. We’ll just have to be more careful from now on.”
“For now, I’ll go prepare dinner. Tuantuan and Yuanyuan must be hungry.”
Ye Jianguo said, “Let me prepare this meal. It’ll be a good chance for the three of you to try my cooking.”
Liu Qian shook her head. “Jianguo, you’ve worked all day today. You must be exhausted, so get some proper rest.”
“I’ll take care of the cooking.”
Ye Jianguo still wanted to insist, but Liu Qian pressed him down into a chair and reminded him, “Jianguo, you haven’t spent any time with Tuantuan and Yuanyuan all day.”
“So you should keep them company.”
Ye Jianguo thought about it and agreed.
He really hadn’t spent any time with his two little cotton-padded jackets all day.
He truly should spend some quality time with them.
Thus—
he said to Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, “Tuantuan, Yuanyuan, how about Dad takes you outside the courtyard to play?”
Tuantuan was somewhat afraid of Ye Jianguo, and her adorable large eyes avoided looking at him.
Her younger sister Yuanyuan, who was usually very shy, didn’t seem afraid. Instead, she widened her eyes and looked at Ye Jianguo.
Her eyes were full of curiosity.
And a hint of anticipation.
Seeing this, Ye Jianguo walked over to them, took their little hands, and said gently, “All right, let’s go play in the snow together.”
The courtyard compound was covered in snow.
It was the perfect time to play in the snow and build snowmen.
Tuantuan had originally been somewhat afraid of Ye Jianguo.
But—
after playing with Ye Jianguo for a while, the tension in her expression eased.
A smile also appeared on her adorable little face.
“Dad, this is so much fun.”
Tuantuan spoke with a giggle.
When Ye Jianguo heard Tuantuan call him Dad for the first time, he excitedly scooped her up.
Then he planted a hearty kiss on her little cheek and said happily, “Ha-ha, my little cotton-padded jacket is such a good girl.”
“Dad really loves you so much.”
It had to be known—
all day long, the two little girls hadn’t once properly called him Dad.
Let alone doing so while they were this happy.
Therefore—
Ye Jianguo was extremely excited and happy.
Seeing this, Yuanyuan also reached out her hands and called cutely, “Dad, Yuanyuan wants a hug too. Yuanyuan wants a kiss too.”
Seeing this, Ye Jianguo set Tuantuan down, then picked Yuanyuan up and kissed her little cheek as well.
He said happily, “You both get one. You both get one.”
“Having you two little cotton-padded jackets makes Dad so happy.”
At this moment—
Ye Jianguo had completely integrated into this world.
He had grown fond of this place.
There was no other reason.
It was all because of the two adorable little girls before him.
Mm.
And his beautiful wife.
These were his family.
Just then—
an inappropriate voice rang out: “Hmph, they’re only two money-losing wretches.”
“What’s there to be happy about?”
Ye Jianguo’s expression immediately darkened.
He turned around and glared at Jia Zhangshi, who had spoken, his eyes blazing with fury.
Without saying a word, he walked straight over.
“Slap!”
He struck her directly across the face.
Only then—
did he say coldly, “Old hag, who gave you the right to comment on my precious girls?”
“What are you, anyway?”
“I’m telling you, even all of you combined aren’t as important as my two little cotton-padded jackets.”
Jia Zhangshi was furious.
She hadn’t expected that merely cursing Ye Jianguo’s two money-losing wretches would result in that damned bastard slapping her.
Her face was burning with pain.
She threw a tantrum furiously. “Ye Jianguo, you bastard! How dare you hit me?”
“You damned bastard! How dare you hit me?”
In all the time she had lived in this courtyard compound, no one had ever made her suffer such a great loss.
And yet—
now—
she had actually been slapped by that bastard Ye Jianguo.
This made her explode with rage.
Ye Jianguo stared at her, his eyes cold and grim.
He said coldly, “Old hag, if you dare say another bad word about my precious girls, I can make you wish you were dead.”
“Do you believe me?”
Ye Jianguo’s voice was not loud, but it was unquestionable and filled with domineering force.
Jia Zhangshi was furious.
That bastard.
He was utterly despicable!
Absolutely despicable!!!!
Covering her painfully throbbing face, she glared at Ye Jianguo, her eyes filled with resentment and venom.
However—
just as she was about to throw another tantrum, roll on the ground, and curse him, she saw Ye Jianguo’s eyes.
Her entire body trembled, and cold sweat poured out.
At that moment—
she felt as though she had been targeted by a ferocious beast.
It was as if the moment she made a sound, that beast would truly swallow her whole.
She was nearly scared out of her wits.
At that moment—
she even forgot to cause trouble for Ye Jianguo.
When Ye Jianguo saw that Jia Zhangshi no longer spoke—
he said coldly once more:
“Old hag, I’ll warn you again: keep your little ingrate, Bang Geng, under control.”
“If I find out that he tampers with my door again, I definitely won’t let any of you off.”
“I mean what I say!”
After saying this, Ye Jianguo picked up Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, one in each arm, and went home.
He didn’t want the two little girls to see him arguing with Jia Zhangshi.
It would not be good for their development.
But—
he had meant every word.
If there was a next time, he definitely would not let that little ingrate, Bang Geng, off.
He didn’t want to bother with these beasts.
But—
if they dared provoke him, they shouldn’t blame him for being ruthless.
Because her son had died young, Jia Zhangshi’s affection for Bang Geng had become warped.
She practically wanted to give him the very best of everything.
She could never bear to scold him harshly.
Even when he did many outrageous things, Jia Zhangshi still protected him and never beat or scolded him.
He was her Good Grandson, her treasured possession.
Now—
she had heard Ye Jianguo call Bang Geng a little ingrate.
He had even accused him of tampering with Ye Jianguo’s front door.
She instantly exploded with rage.
She even forgot the fear she had felt moments earlier.
She shouted at Ye Jianguo’s retreating back, “Ye Jianguo, what nonsense are you talking about?”
“You bastard! How dare you slander my Good Grandson?”
“Do you believe I’ll tear that foul mouth of yours apart?”
“With how shabby you are, who would ever visit your home?”
“Not even a mouse would go there!”
“Hmph!!!”
Jia Zhangshi was truly furious.
She continued cursing loudly.
However—
Ye Jianguo had already gone home and paid her no attention.
Seeing this—
Jia Zhangshi could only cover her burning face and grumble her way home.
However—
not long afterward—
the fragrant smell of chicken soup drifted through the courtyard compound.
Jia Zhangshi smelled it too.
Her stomach immediately began to growl.
She became even angrier.
Opening her mouth, she began to curse loudly:
“Which bastard cooked chicken soup?”
“If you have the ability to cook chicken soup, why don’t you help out my Jia family?”
“This is outrageous!”
Originally—
she had already been angered by Ye Jianguo’s retorts and had even been slapped by him.
Her hatred for Ye Jianguo had already reached the heavens.
Now—
she had actually smelled such delicious chicken soup again.
This simply made her explode with rage.
When she angrily stepped out of the door, wanting to see where the chicken soup’s aroma was coming from—
she was stunned to discover—
that the smell was actually coming from Ye Jianguo’s home.
In an instant—
she began cursing loudly again.
That murderous Ye Jianguo.
Where had he gotten the money to buy chicken?
Wasn’t he fond of gambling?
The money on him had probably long since been gambled away.
Could he really have money to buy chicken?
Could this chicken have been stolen?
.....