The sounds of money coming in came one after another, leaving Can Can dazed and sleepy, his little head shaking so much it was almost like a rattle drum.
“Alright, alright, stop shaking. If you shake any more, you’ll get a concussion.”
Wei Cheng opened the System Panel and gently tapped the small speaker icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
A diagonal line appeared over the speaker, and the sound of money coming in abruptly stopped.
Wei Cheng said with a smile, “I wish we could have such a sweet burden every day.”
Can Can rubbed his now quiet ears and counted on his chubby little fingers: “Gege, do we have more money than four hundred and twenty thousand now?”
920 Twisty Coins… plus the 10 Twisty Coins left from before, and the 10 Twisty Coins earned yesterday from teaching Can Can ten Chinese characters—they now had a total of 940 Twisty Coins!
Converted into money, that was 940,000! With this money, after stocking up on supplies, their escape wiggle car should also be able to level up quickly! And now, besides the most important rice and flour food grain, they could finally set aside some money to stock up on more meat and medicine.
Rice and flour could sustain life, while meat and medicine could maintain health—both were indispensable supplies for them.
Wei Cheng tapped the back of his chubby little hand, which had dimples from the fat, and spoke in Can Can’s way of thinking: “Yes, we now have two times four hundred and twenty thousand in money.”
Hearing it put this way, Can Can understood: “Wow! That really is a lot, a lot of money!”
As soon as Director Wang returned, the children no longer had time to laze in bed. Before long, the sound of a deafening gong woke up Ming Ming and Wang Xiao Tiao, who had been sleeping soundly.
“Get up! Wash up! Come out for exercises!”
The children were all afraid of Director Wang, so no one dared to stay still upon hearing his voice.
Wang Xiao Tiao yawned as he pulled on his T-shirt: “When Director Wang comes back, we get meat to eat, but when Director Wang comes back, we also have to do exercises…”
“Doing exercises is a good thing; it helps exercise the body.”
Wei Cheng helped Can Can get his clothes and said to the three of them: “Even when Director Wang isn’t here, we should still do exercises and get some proper movement.”
“Can Can likes doing exercises!”
Can Can struggled out of the dark neckline of his shirt, his hair sticking up all over like a fluffy little kitten.
His eyes were bright, and he said with some pride: “Teacher Xiao Mei says that the little ones who do well stand in the front row. Can Can is always in the front row!”
Wasn’t it just because Can Can was the shortest?
Wei Cheng held back a laugh, smoothing his little curly hair and tying it into a small tuft: “Yes, Can Can does the best. He’s the leader, so he has to be in the front row to guide everyone.”
Hearing this, Can Can grabbed his Gege’s clothes with his little hands, his eyes sparkling like stars: “That’s right, that’s exactly how it is!”
Wang Xiao Tiao opened his mouth wide: “So that’s how it is! I was wondering why Can Can was always at the front!”
Ming Ming glanced at him and quietly smiled.
Director Wang stood in front of the old building with an old-fashioned speaker, and several of the older children were already lined up.
Can Can shuffled his little steps to the very front and looked seriously at Director Wang: “Can Can is ready!”
Director Wang glanced at him: “Very enthusiastic today. That’s commendable.”
With Director Wang supervising, the older children in the back didn’t dare to slack off and performed the exercises with great seriousness.
Wei Cheng, being tall, stood in the back row, but his gaze remained fixed on Can Can, who was so absorbed in jumping that he only knew how to twist his head and wiggle his bottom. He thought to himself that Teacher Xiao Mei was right to put Can Can in the front row.
Otherwise, this little squirt who swayed side to side would definitely get kicked flying by the older children.
As soon as the music stopped, Can Can ran panting to Wei Cheng’s side: “Gege, Gege, did Can Can dance well?”
“You danced very well, but were you dancing with your eyes closed?”
Can Can’s eyes widened: “Gege, you’re so amazing!”
No wonder he had almost danced two miles away.
Wei Cheng smiled and said: “You already dance very well, you don’t need to close your eyes, be careful not to fall.”
Director Wang suddenly walked over: “Wei Cheng, after breakfast, come out with me for a bit.”
Wei Cheng was slightly taken aback but nodded: “Okay, Grandpa Director.”
“Grandpa Director, where are you going? Can Can wants to go too!” Can Can clung tightly to Wei Cheng’s leg, as if afraid he would be taken away by Director Wang.
“You stay home and be good with the other children. I’ll buy you watermelon when I come back.”
Can Can hung his head, timidly kicking a pebble with his little foot.
Wei Cheng patted Can Can’s head: “It’s okay, Gege will be back soon after going out with Grandpa Director.”
Can Can looked at Grandpa Director, then at Wei Cheng, and reluctantly said: “Okay.”
After breakfast, Wei Cheng got into Director Wang’s old Wuling Hongguang.
Can Can, who had been playing with Wang Xiao Tiao and the others, ran over at some point. He squeezed his little face through the gap in the iron gate, looking pitiful: “Gege, come back soon!”
Wei Cheng’s heart softened, and he thought about letting Can Can wait for him at the “secret Base,” but he was afraid someone might discover it, so he just waved at him: “Gege will be back soon.”
As the car drove away, Wei Cheng could still see Can Can lying alone against the iron gate, watching him through the rearview mirror.
Director Wang also saw it: “This child rarely gets so attached. Even with the family that returned him, he wasn’t that reluctant to leave.”
Wei Cheng said: “Since I came to the welfare home, I’ve treated Can Can like my own younger brother.”
Director Wang glanced at him but didn’t say more.
Wei Cheng didn’t expect Director Wang to take him to the market.
Several bags of vegetables and a few pounds of pork and chicken legs were loaded into the trunk.
Only then did Director Wang say: “From now on, you’ll be the oldest child in the welfare home. You need to take good care of your younger brothers and sisters. I know you’re very smart and a good kid. In a couple of days, I have to go to the capital for a meeting. If the issues aren’t resolved, I won’t be able to come back. So from now on, no matter who goes shopping, you go along and help me keep track of how much money is spent. Over the past two years, there have been fewer children in the home, and subsidies and donations haven’t been as plentiful. The little money we have left can’t afford to be wasted.”
Director Wang’s trip to the city for the meeting was likely to handle welfare home subsidy and donation matters.
In his previous life, Director Wang had also left the welfare home around this time. Perhaps things didn’t go smoothly, as Director Wang only returned ten days before the extreme heatwave began. Back then, Wei Cheng was withdrawn and indifferent, so Director Wang naturally wouldn’t have entrusted him with these words.
Wei Cheng said: “Grandpa Director, I actually have an idea.”
“What idea?”
Wei Cheng said: “Set aside some emergency funds, and with the remaining money, could we stock up on more rice, flour, frozen meat, and eggs? Since vegetables don’t keep well, you could arrange with vendors to deliver a set amount of vegetables to the welfare home daily. That way, you wouldn’t have to worry about the children going hungry while you’re away.”
Director Wang was stunned: “I’m really getting old. How did I never think of this?”
He patted Wei Cheng’s shoulder: “I’ll contact them right away to deliver rice and flour.”
[Congratulations! Successfully reminded a passerby to actively stock up on supplies, earning 10 Twisty Coins!]
Director Wang had gone to the market to transport rice and flour, so Wei Cheng returned alone.
Dr. Chen opened the door for him and took the large watermelon from his hands. “How rare—Director Wang actually bought a watermelon.”
He looked around. “Didn’t the director come back with you?”
Wei Cheng shook his head and only said, “I don’t know where he went.”
Dr. Chen didn’t say anything else and carried the watermelon into the building.
Just then, a burst of crying suddenly came from behind the old building.
It was Can Can!
Wei Cheng quickly ran over and saw Zhou Zihao and a few other older kids sneaking out from the back.
Wei Cheng grabbed him by the collar and said harshly, “You hit Can Can!”
Zhou Zihao was startled. “I—I didn’t hit him!”
The other older kids, who had never seen such a scene, immediately took off running and disappeared.
Can Can, crying so hard he looked like a little tear-streaked kitten, walked over holding his Watermelon Ball. When he saw Gege, he burst into even louder sobs.
Wei Cheng let go of Zhou Zihao’s collar and hugged Can Can anxiously. “What happened? Did someone hit you? Where did they hit you?”
Can Can wiped his tears with the back of his hand, sobbing between breaths. “Th-they wanted to let the air out of my Watermelon Ball, and… and they said Gege was chased away…”
It turned out that after Wei Cheng left with Director Wang, Can Can had no interest in playing with Wang Xiaotiao and the others. He stood alone by the iron gate, holding his Watermelon Ball and waiting for Gege.
But seeing those older kids running around made him a little scared, so he hid behind the old building with his Watermelon Ball.
In Can Can’s mind, he and Gege had discovered a “secret Base” behind the building, which felt very safe to him. But he never expected those older kids to sneak there to smoke. They tried to make Can Can leave, but how could he possibly go…
“Gege didn’t leave. Gege went to buy groceries with Grandpa Director, and we even bought such a big watermelon. How many pieces will Can Can eat later?”
Can Can’s tears fell as he raised his little hand and counted. “I want to eat three pieces.”
“Okay, later we’ll ask Uncle Chen to cut three pieces for you.”
Wei Cheng picked Can Can up. “First, Gege will take you to teach them a lesson.”
He led Can Can to Zhou Zihao and the others’ dormitory. As soon as he pushed the door open, the boys stood up guiltily.
Wei Cheng looked around, reached out, and rummaged through the bed closest to Zhou Zihao. Sure enough, under the pillow was a box of cheap cigarettes and a lighter.
Zhou Zihao panicked. “Those are my things!”
Wei Cheng threw the cigarettes and lighter on the ground and stomped on them hard. “You care about your things? Then why did you try to let the air out of the Watermelon Ball that Can Can cares about?”
“I… I was just scaring him…”
“How old is he? How old are you? Are you also three years old? Don’t you know that a three-year-old takes everything seriously!”
Wei Cheng kicked the crushed cigarettes away and coldly scanned the group. “Does bullying little kids again and again make you feel satisfied? Does it make you feel like you’re not the worst off? I won’t hit you, but I’ll kindly remind you—with the way you are now, the worst is yet to come.”
Wei Cheng carried Can Can back to their dormitory and locked the door again. At this time, Wang Xiaotiao and the others should have been drawing in the classroom.
With Teacher Xiao Mei and Director Wang not around, and Li Yun not paying much attention to the children, no one would notice if the kids were gone for a while.
Can Can’s eyes were red as he whispered softly, “Gege, are we going to the secret Base?”
“Mm, today we’ll have a good time exploring the Mall!”
They went straight into Cloud Mall.
Can Can trotted over and pushed a small shopping cart: “Gege, where should we go!”
Wei Cheng patted his head: “Today we’re stocking up on cakes and instant food.”
Can Can had been sad today, so he should eat more little desserts.
The mall’s baking and instant food section was huge, with a wide variety of cakes and instant meals. As soon as they got close, the air was filled with the aroma of cream and butter.
Can Can’s eyes were dazzled. He pointed at a box of blueberry cheesecake: “Gege, Can Can wants to eat this!”
“Buy it.”
Wei Cheng took a box and pulled out one of the cakes: “Try it and see if it’s good?”
The cake was topped with a generous layer of blueberry jam and five or six large, dark blueberries, filled with rich cream cheese, and had a crispy biscuit base.
Can Can took a big bite, his eyes widening: “Gege, it’s delicious!”
“Then let’s stock up on twenty boxes first.”
Wei Cheng said: “There’s a lot more ahead, see what else you want to eat?”
Can Can fluttered toward the cakes like a little butterfly. He hadn’t tried this chocolate mille-feuille cake, so he wanted it; he hadn’t tried that ice cream vanilla puff, so he wanted that too; and the croissant donut—still wanted it…
In the end, Wei Cheng placed an order directly at the mall.
Chocolate Mille-Feuille Cake x20
Blueberry Cheesecake x20
Vanilla Puff x20
Croissant Donut x20
Durian Mille-Feuille Cake x20
Strawberry Bavarois x20
… Basically, twenty boxes of every dessert in the baking section were stocked up for Can Can.
Before long, Can Can’s little belly was round and full. He let out a burp and patted his stomach: “Gege, Can Can’s tummy feels like it’s turned into a Watermelon Ball.” Then he whispered softly: “Can Can still cry tomorrow?”
“You’ll get tasty treats even if you don’t cry.”
Wei Cheng said with a smile: “This entire mall exists because of you.”
Can Can suddenly understood, pointing at himself: “Rich Baby Can Can?”
Author’s Note:
That’s right, baby, you’re Rich Baby Can Can!
Two thousand five hundred words short, will make up for it tomorrow [rainbow fart].