Uncle, please come home at high speed.
The issue of Qi Youyu’s status as an Earth child was resolved, but the huge stone hanging over Yan Xingli’s heart didn’t fall; instead, it rose even higher.
As a law-abiding citizen, scenes of the two little aliens forging official documents kept floating through his mind.
Yan Xingli felt a vague sense of having been tricked onto a pirate ship, along with the confusion and guilt of having nowhere to turn for help.
The young uncle, doing a plank on the floor, frowned deeply. His gaze toward the child was complex.
By the floor-to-ceiling window with its wide view, Qi Youyu sat on a small stool with a little comb, brushing Qian Jin’s fur.
The chubby, moldy-looking little steamed bun lifted her head, resting her chin on the child’s soft hand, comfortably enjoying the sunbath and grooming service.
“Purr, purr, purr.”
The little cat tractor was revving up.
Looking at that content little expression was almost enough to make one’s teeth ache with envy.
“Why does the cat get to not work?!”
“Qian Jin, be good and move over for your sister. Sister wants to lie down too.”
“Uncle, why are you secretly looking at me?” The child seemed to have eyes on the top of her head, looking up to meet her uncle’s gaze.
Yan Xingli simply lay flat on his back, limbs splayed out like an upturned bug.
“Oh, haven’t seen a cockroach this big before. Just taking a look.”
The child behind him, wearing a cockroach costume, shook her head. The two antennae, longer than chopsticks, bobbed springily.
After their confrontation yesterday, it was like the Golden Headband had been removed from Sun Wukong. The two little aliens no longer bothered hiding things from him.
Apparently, they’d been browsing the internet late into the night. Early this morning, a delivery guy brought this cockroach costume.
Qi Youyu refused to take it off once she put it on.
Xiao Hua, who usually emitted a faint aura of being a robot, went crazy. He waved his own antennae and shrieked, “Ooh ooh ooh! Lady Yuyu, you are the mightiest cockroach baby in the world!”
“Yes! And I’m also very fast!”
With that, the child went “thump thump thump”, running all over the place.
Yan Xingli immediately envisioned a giant cockroach scurrying frantically around the house.
“Whose wild giant cockroach escaped? Is it yours, Ah Yue??”
“Hahahaha, who recommended the cockroach costume to this kid? Now I can’t help but describe cockroaches as ‘delicate-featured’ when I see them.”
“…”
After the excited giant cockroach had calmed down, Yan Xingli organized his thoughts expressionlessly for a moment.
“Yuyu, it’s hot in the house. Don’t wear something so thick. Take it off now.”
Qi Youyu fidgeted with her little hands, clearly reluctant.
Xiao Hua said, “Brother Xing is right. You have an important party to attend tomorrow. It would be rude to get your outfit dirty, Yuyu.”
“Okay, okay.”
Yan Xingli’s finger, pressing his brow, paused. “What outfit?”
The child stepped forward and proudly puffed out her round, fuzzy belly. “I’m wearing this to see Sister Xiaofu tomorrow.”
“…” Yan Xingli’s eyes widened, his expression blank.
It wasn’t that he discouraged the child from being herself, but,
Well, he was a relic of feudal thinking.
Yan Xingli looked at Yuyu with a mix of awe and trepidation. After a moment, he weakly said, “Yuyu, how about I drop you and Xiao Hua off, but I won’t go in?”
The child’s face became exceptionally serious. “Uncle, little kids can’t go out alone. It’s too dangerous.”
Says the kid who flew a spaceship solo for seven hours.
After changing out of the cockroach outfit, the child became ‘approachable’ again. Yan Xingli held a cup of warm milk to calm his nerves and stood by the window, gazing into the distance.
Qi Youyu, carrying a box of things, bumped his knee with her head.
“Uncle, I’ll be a bit busy today. You can play by yourself.”
“What, busy summoning your cockroach descendants?”
A question mark slowly rose above the child’s head.
“Uncle, I’m human.”
Yan Xingli said, “Got it. Go play.”
Qi Youyu put down the box she was carrying and laid out its contents in a row. Then she lay on her stomach, her little bottom in the air, and started designing the Queen’s cape with her imagination.
Qian Jin slinked over, occasionally bumping her head against the child’s chin and letting out a sweet, whiny meow.
The cat’s tactics were masterful; Yuyu couldn’t resist.
She’d draw two strokes, then have to pet the clingy cat twice. At this rate, she’d be drawing until tomorrow!
Yuyu carefully avoided Qian Jin’s affectionate advances.
“I’m busy. I can’t play with you.”
The cat: “Meow~.”
“If you come any closer, I’ll turn you into a rice ball!” Yuyu wrinkled her little nose, threatening in a babyish voice, “Then I’ll gobble you up!”
“A rice ball? That sounds delicious.”
Sunlight, a child, and a cat. Peaceful times.
After taking photos to document the scene, Yan Xingli mercilessly removed the disruptive Qian Jin with an iron fist.
There was no child’s desk at home. Lying like this to draw wasn’t healthy; it could compress the heart and obstruct blood circulation.
Yan Xingli thought about it, found a furniture store on the map, changed clothes, and grabbed his car keys.
“Yuyu, Uncle is going out.”
With Xiao Hua watching the house, he wasn’t worried about danger.
The child raised her little leg and wiggled it. “Okay, go!”
Now only two ‘kids’ were left in the spacious house: one human offspring and one robot.
Xiao Hua stayed quietly by Qi Youyu’s side.
“Wise Yuyu, are you planning to use seven colors to design the Queen’s cape?”
“Yes! Rainbows are beautiful, so I’m going to make the cape rainbow-colored.”
“Yuyu, even if you weren’t a little scientist, you would become an outstanding genius painter.”
“Thank you, Xiao Hua.”
Qi Youyu always chose gifts based on her friends’ traits and needs. The first time she saw Little Barbie, she thought she looked like an elegant little princess.
And little princesses grow up to be queens.
So she wanted to give her the coolest Queen’s cape.
Yuyu had a burst of inspiration. After ten minutes of hard work, she finished the Queen’s cape design. The child was especially satisfied with her artwork. After showing it to Xiao Hua, she showed it to Ele, me, and Qian Jin in turn.
Only Uncle was left.
Meanwhile, at the furniture mall, Yan Xingli received a text message from an unknown number.
Usually, to avoid scams, he ignored messages from unknown senders, but this time, for some reason, he opened it.
“Uncle, please come home at high speed.”
“Uncle, my heart is running around.”
Yan Xingli’s eyebrows curved. He didn’t need to think twice to know this was from Yuyu.
She must have used some high-tech trick to get a SIM card and find his phone number.
He called back. “Why is your heart running around?”
“Uncle.” The child’s voice was happy. “Are you coming home soon?”
“Almost.”
“I finished drawing the Queen’s cape! I want you to come home and see it,” the child said. “When you’re not home, my heart always goes thump-thump.”
It was a strange but whimsical and childlike description.
Yan Xingli hid his smile behind his fist. “If I come back, will it stop thump-thumping?”
The child on the phone hesitated for a moment, then immediately shook her head. “It’ll still go thump-thump. If it stops thumping, I’ll kick the bucket!”
So she knew what she was saying. Yan Xingli couldn’t help but laugh.
On his way home, Yan Xingli bought two boxes of Swiss rolls, the child’s favorite.
As soon as he entered, an enthusiastic dog appeared at his feet. Yan Xingli held the Swiss rolls higher and poured cold water on the idea:
“Your mom said you’re getting fat and need to lose weight. Go run two laps on the treadmill.”
Eleme’s short tail, which had been wagging like a propeller, immediately drooped. His watery dog eyes looked at his owner.
Yan Xingli, having long developed a heart of stone, looked straight ahead and strode into the living room.
“Yuyu, Uncle’s back.”
A solid little cannonball charged over, holding up a drawing. “Uncle! Look at my Queen’s cape!”
Yan Xingli took it and examined it carefully.
Objectively speaking, the child’s lines were rough and bold, and the mix of bright colors was a bit harsh on the eyes.
But it was clear she had put effort into it. “Not bad. The color layering is very rich.”
The bullet comments were mixed, though most were friendly. Normal people are the majority and wouldn’t be so cruel as to say harsh things to a child.
The colorful cape was adorned with many little bows, making it look a bit gaudy.
Saying that directly might hurt the child’s confidence, so Yan Xingli phrased it differently. “With so many bows, wouldn’t it be hard to wash?”
“No, it won’t.” Yuyu had thought of everything. “It will wash itself.”
“What Yuyu means is that the cape will be made of a material that doesn’t get dirty easily, right?”
“Trust me, there’s no fabric a child can’t get dirty. Smile.jpg”
Self-cleaning function.
Yan Xingli gave Qi Youyu a meaningful look.
“The party is tomorrow. Can you finish it in one day?”
Yuyu puffed out her little belly. “No problem! Xiao Hua will help me.”
Yan Xingli looked at Xiao Hua. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Xiao Hua.”
Time was tight, the task was heavy. Xiao Hua interfered with the camera’s signal and secretly replaced the footage from the guest room without anyone noticing.
What the cameras captured was the child sleeping soundly under the covers. In reality, Little Fish hovered in the air, and Qi Youyu squatted inside, handcrafting the Queen’s cape.
ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ
Yan Xingli had communicated with Little Barbie’s father beforehand about the cameraman. Not only was he not opposed, but he was actually quite happy that his daughter’s party would be seen by many viewers.
Half an hour before departure, Yan Xingli tried everything, pleading until he was blue in the face, before Yuyu agreed not to wear the cockroach outfit.
Yuyu was a little disappointed inside, but that was okay. Her uncle said she could wear the cockroach outfit for an entire day on his birthday.
Thinking about that made Yuyu happy.
Everyone attending the birthday party was a child; parents were just incidental. As soon as Qi Youyu entered the hall, her eyes lit up.
So many little princesses and princes!
“Yuyu, welcome.”
Little Barbie had noticed Yuyu as soon as she walked in. She quickly came forward to greet her new friend, calling her name in halting but warm Chinese.
Qi Youyu took Little Barbie’s hand, beaming with joy. “Sister Xiaofu, you can speak our language!”
She looked at the other girl’s pink, elegant dress and sighed, “You’re so beautiful! You’re a real princess, aren’t you?”
Based on Yuyu’s facial expression and gestures, Xiaofu guessed she was being complimented and immediately thanked her in her clumsy Chinese.
Qi Youyu thought Xiaofu’s outfit was perfect for the Queen’s cape.
She eagerly handed the gift box she was holding to Xiaofu. “Inside is the Queen’s cape I made! Do you want to open it and see?”
Xiaofu nodded and opened the box amidst curious glances.
As soon as the gaudy cape was revealed, stifled giggles erupted around them. “Oh my, giving such a tacky, old-fashioned thing as a gift? How embarrassing.”
Yan Xingli turned his head slightly and gave the crowd a silent glare.
The Queen’s cape felt smooth and soft, its texture similar to silk. Even if the colors were bold and the design extravagant, the giver’s thoughtfulness far outweighed its material value.
After her initial surprise, Xiaofu was delighted, saying thank you repeatedly.
Yuyu enthusiastically introduced it: “These little bows on the cape are little wings! They can fly!”
Xiao Hua wasn’t around, and Yuyu was speaking Chinese. Little Barbie tilted her head in confusion.
Qi Youyu pointed to the bows on the cape and flapped her short arms, mimicking flight:
“Little butterflies are wings that can fly!”
Little Barbie’s ice-blue eyes lit up, and she broke into a joyful smile.
Misunderstanding Yuyu’s meaning, Xiaofu took her hand and started dancing.
They spun in circles, one after another. Dizzy and disoriented, Yuyu thought, “Uh oh, it feels like I’m flying!”
After the dance ended, afraid Xiaofu would want to continue, Qi Youyu quickly made an excuse and slipped away like a fish.
Little Barbie’s father felt an instant connection with Yan Xingli and chatted with him for a long time. Yan Xingli handled the conversation while keeping an eye on the situation in the corner.
Qi Youyu sat on a small chair, nibbling at a piece of cake. Her short, chubby legs swung leisurely, and her round, lively deer-like eyes darted around.
The next moment, she unexpectedly met a pair of eyes filled with unease and timidity.
The moment their eyes met, the other looked away like a startled rabbit.
Qi Youyu became curious. She openly fixed her gaze on the owner of those eyes, then hopped off her chair and padded over.
“Hello! What’s your name?”
Zheng Yue lowered her head in panic and clutched her mother’s hand for support.
Shen Lan didn’t rush to intervene. Instead, she leaned down and gently stroked her daughter’s face.
“Yueyue, this little friend wants to get to know you. Let’s respond bravely. Don’t be afraid.”
Zheng Yue buried her head low, her face almost invisible.
Qi Youyu scratched her forehead, bent down with a “whoosh”, and flashed a grin showing teeth stained black by chocolate cake.
“I’m right here!”
Zheng Yue: …
Qi Youyu’s face was clean except for her blackened mouth, which instantly made Zheng Yue laugh.
Shen Lan’s eyes crinkled with a smile. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and handed it to Yuyu.
Yuyu looked confused.
Zheng Yue covered her little mouth and stammered, “Y-your mouth… it’s… It’s black.”
Then, kindly, she took a small mirror from her own bag.
Qi Youyu took it, looked, and felt like the sky was falling.
“Oh dear, oh dear!” The child wiped her mouth, her cheeks slowly turning pink. “Oh no, I’ve changed color!”
Shen Lan reassured her, “Don’t worry, it wipes right off.”
Zheng Yue added, “Y-yes.”
By the time Qi Youyu had cleaned herself up, the atmosphere between the two little ones had completely changed.
Shen Lan didn’t watch much TV usually, but she occasionally checked out the variety show her husband, Zheng Xiaofeng, was in charge of, “My Kid”.
What a coincidence to run into one of its guests here.
Seeing her daughter getting along with Qi Youyu, her tense heart slowly relaxed.
Zheng Yue gathered her courage and hesitantly extended a small hand. “I… I’m called… Zh-Zheng Yue. Yue.”
She hadn’t expected that after stealing just a few glances at Yuyu, Yuyu would come over and talk to her.
Zheng Yue, used to being ignored or avoided by peers her age, felt both flattered and overwhelmed.
“Wow, you’re called Yueyue? That’s such a cute name!”
Was she being complimented by another kid? Zheng Yue was happy and shy.
“W-what’s your name?”
Qi Youyu puffed out her little chest, lifted her chin, and declared loudly, “My name is Qi Youyu! Everyone calls me Yuyu. I love inventing little toys. I’m three and a half years old!”
Only three and a half! No wonder she was so short, she was this young.
Zheng Yue smiled sweetly, a small dimple appearing on her cheek. “Yuyu, hello.”
“Wait for me a second!” A sudden urge hit. Qi Youyu couldn’t wait for her new friend, clutched her stomach, and dashed off.
Coming out of the bathroom, a few kids blocked her way. “Don’t play with Zheng Yue.”
“Why not?”
“Because she’s a stutterer. Stuttering is contagious. Whoever plays with her will become a stutterer too.”
Qi Youyu frowned. “But I didn’t become a stutterer.”
“That’s because you just started playing with her.”
Qi Youyu waved her hand. “I’m not scared. I want to play with her.”
Zheng Yue was surprised to see Yuyu return. Usually, once new friends found out she stuttered, they never came back.
Qi Youyu brought over some small cakes and offered one to Zheng Yue. “This one doesn’t change color. Eat as much as you want.”
“You…” Zheng Yue was puzzled. “I, I’m a st-stutterer. Aren’t you… Aren’t you scared?”
Qi Youyu raised her hand as if making a pledge. “I’m not busy! I’ll listen very carefully.”
“This cake is so yummy, hehe.”
“Right?”
Zheng Yue responded softly, “Yes… yummy.”
Hearing her answer, Qi Youyu stood up straight, stared intently at Zheng Yue, quickly finished the cake in her own hand, and put the plate back.
Then she took a deep breath, gently hugged Zheng Yue, and smelled faintly of strawberry cake.
“You spoke very well.”
“This is your reward.”
ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ
Yan Xingli watched Qi Youyu finish her third small cake and reach for a fourth. He immediately changed direction.
Even if the cake was delicious, she shouldn’t overeat. If she ruined her teeth, how would he, the ancestor, explain it to her parents?
In a hidden corner on the second floor, a man in a high-end, handmade suit wore a cynical smile. His eyes were filled with undisguised malice as he followed the figure with a back as straight as bamboo.
Bai Ji was Yan Xingli’s university classmate and a long-time hater.
He had been stalking Yan Xingli since his debut, watching every day of the live stream without missing a second. He controlled hundreds of accounts specifically for trashing him.
He hadn’t expected to get an unexpected bonus from watching the stream.
Yan Xingli was actually coming to his sister’s classmate’s birthday party. Bai Ji initially wouldn’t have deigned to attend such a childish event. But for the chance to expose Yan Xingli in front of hundreds of thousands of live-stream viewers, he changed his mind. He badgered his way into coming.
“Pfft. A French master?”
“A loser who failed the English CET-4 three times dares to build such a persona?”
“Let him, someone who studied in England for four years, show him what a real language genius looks like.”
Bai Ji loosened his suit collar and curled his lips into a confident smile.