“Hmph! He is Heifeng, not some ‘Honghong’!”
Accompanied by an arrogant, tsundere cold huff, a young boy dressed in fine sapphire-blue brocade robes and wearing a jade crown walked over with his head held high.
Little Tangbao blinked her big eyes. “Pretty… Big Sister.”
Congratulations, congratulations! She had made progress again.
She could say four words all at once now!
Even though she paused briefly in the middle again.
Upon hearing Little Tangbao’s form of address, the boy’s delicate, handsome face instantly darkened.
“Insolent!”
The young boy barked sternly.
Although young in age, an unmistakable aura radiated from him—a sense of innate grandeur and noble dignity.
Wang Zhong hurriedly interjected, “Calm your anger, Young Master. The little girl is still young and knows no better.”
With a stern, stiff face, the little boy shot Little Tangbao a look of disdain.
It was as if he also felt it beneath him to argue with a toddler who couldn’t even speak in full sentences yet.
And so, as if granting a grand favor, he commanded, “Throw them out, and don’t allow idle strangers inside ever again!”
His youthful tone was filled with an authoritative, unchallengeable arrogance.
Little Tangbao knitted her brows.
This little older brother is way too uncute!
If she couldn’t come inside, how was she supposed to visit Honghong?
Little Tangbao pursed her tiny lips.
She just saw how serious he was at such a young age, acting like a mini-adult.
Living like that made it far too easy to lose one’s childhood innocence, so she had simply wanted to tease him a tiny bit.
Of course she knew he was actually a little older brother.
Little Tangbao would absolutely never admit that she had a mischievous streak in her nature.
Su Liuhu was having none of it.
How could he let anyone bully his sister?!
“Looking for a fight?!” Su Liuhu rolled up his sleeves on the spot. “Dare to bully my sister, and I’ll beat you till your teeth fly everywhere!”
Having said that, he even shook his small fist in demonstration.
He completely forgot that he was currently on someone else’s turf.
The young master’s face grew even darker.
“Guards!”
“Young Master!”
Two large men dressed in black emerged out of nowhere.
“Throw them out!”
“Yes, Young Master!”
At the young master’s order, the two burly men immediately strode toward Su Liuhu with fierce, menacing looks.
A flash of tension and fear immediately appeared on Su Liuhu’s little face.
Yet he still stood resolutely in front of Little Tangbao, refusing to take a single step back.
Little Tangbao grew anxious.
Whoever dares to touch her brother, she would…
Well fine, she was way too young and completely helpless.
“Uncle!”
Little Tangbao cast a pleading look toward Wang Zhong.
Her pair of large, watery eyes were filled with entreaties.
Looking at Little Tangbao, Wang Zhong felt that if he didn’t help her, it would be a heinous crime.
Thus, he quickly stepped in to smooth things over and plead on her behalf:
“Young Master, please be generous and don’t lower yourself to the level of country children.”
After saying that, fearing the little boy wouldn’t agree, he added, “Have you forgotten what your maternal grandfather instructed before you came?”
The young boy’s expression froze, and a hint of struggle appeared on his small face.
With a cold huff, he turned on his heel and walked away.
Looking at his young master’s retreating back, Wang Zhong let out a quiet sigh in his heart.
Little Tangbao, however, curled her tiny lips at the young boy’s back.
Immediately after, she took out a small red fruit from her tiny basket.
“Honghong, eat fruit.”
When Wang Zhong turned back around, he caught sight of the small red fruit in Little Tangbao’s hand.
Unintentionally, his pupils shrank violently.
“This fruit—”
Before he could finish his sentence, the small red fruit was already in the big black horse’s mouth.
Wang Zhong: “…”
He blinked his eyes.
He must have misseen, right?
That couldn’t possibly be a Vermilion Fruit!
Right! Absolutely impossible!
How extraordinarily precious a Vermilion Fruit was—how could it possibly be in the hands of a little country girl?
However, there might be something mysterious about this little girl…
“Little girl, pastries have already been prepared in the gazebo. How about Uncle takes you over to eat them?”
Wang Zhong chuckled heartily, his smile resembling that of the Big Bad Wolf disguised as Grandma.
When Little Tangbao arrived, her small basket held a handful of green grass and a small red fruit.
When she left, her basket was filled with soft, sweet, fragrant pastries instead.
The little pocket on her dress was packed with high-grade pine-nut candies.
Even Little Tangbao herself felt like she was guilty of going over to someone’s house to trick them out of food, drinks, and gifts.
Sigh! It’s all because of her invincible charm!
Little Tangbao would never admit that she actually wanted to bring them back for her parents and little nephews to taste.
“Precious baby, where did these come from?” Old Lady Su asked in surprise.
“Uncle… gave,” Little Tangbao answered in a soft, sweet voice.
“Uncle?” Old Lady Su was completely baffled.
Which uncle?
In the entire Daliushu Village, there wasn’t a single “uncle” rich enough to be this generous.
Old Lady Su looked over at Su Liuhu.
“Little Sixth, where did you take your sister? Who gave you these?”
A touch of sternness crept into Old Lady Su’s tone.
“Mother, Little Sister said she wanted to feed the big horse, so we went to the village entrance big house…”
Su Liuhu quickly explained what had happened.
Old Lady Su understood at once.
She knew it—the things her daughter brought back were definitely not something an ordinary family could produce.
It wasn’t that they couldn’t afford them, but rather that even the pastry shops in town couldn’t make treats like these.
Old Lady Su’s brows furrowed, a dim gloom passing through her eyes.
“Mommy, eat candy,” Little Tangbao pulled out a piece of pine-nut candy and stuffed it straight into Old Lady Su’s mouth.
Good things had to be shared with everyone.
Old Lady Su’s brow smoothed out, a heart-warmed smile spreading across her face.
“Mommy won’t eat it. My little darling, keep it for yourself to eat.”
There was no troubling thought that a thoughtful word from her little daughter couldn’t fix.
“Mommy, eat!”
Little Tangbao was stubborn, insisting that Old Lady Su eat it.
“If you don’t eat, I’ll cry…”
She even resorted to threats.
Crying was Little Tangbao’s ultimate secret weapon.
She had once used this move to tame even the trouble-making Qian Yuemei.
Left with no choice, Old Lady Su had to pop the candy into her mouth.
The long-lost sweetness stimulated her taste buds.
Old Lady Su’s eyes welled up with red.
Distant memories seemed to unfold like a dusty painting, rushing toward her…
Once upon a time, she could eat these candies whenever she wanted and bestow them on others as she pleased.
“Mommy, don’t cry,” Little Tangbao was startled.
Could a single piece of candy really make her mother cry from sweetness?
Her soft, tender little hand hurriedly wiped away her mother’s tears.
Old Lady Su pulled out a handkerchief and pressed the corners of her eyes, saying, “Mommy isn’t crying, the wind got in my eyes.”
Little Tangbao: “…”
That excuse of yours is way too old-fashioned.
Even if I’m young, you can’t be this casual with your brush-off, right?
“What happened here?” Old Man Su returned from the fields and asked in confusion upon seeing his wife’s reddened eyes.
“It’s nothing. Tangbao, go play with your father. Mommy is going to cook,” Old Lady Su was clearly unwilling to elaborate.
Old Man Su glanced at his wife, but didn’t press the matter further.
He simply looked at his precious daughter, wrinkles forming on his face as he smiled.
“Daughter, did you miss Daddy?” Old Man Su asked his daily question.
“Missed Daddy,” Little Tangbao gave her daily answer.
Setting down his hoe, Su Erhu came over unabashedly and asked as well, “Little Sister, did you miss Brother?”
“Missed Brother.”
Actually, no.
It was just part of her daily customer service.
Hearing his sister’s reply, Su Erhu instantly felt completely satisfied.