Li Jinnan had just taken the cigarette out. When he heard the statement, he shoved it back into this pocket and said, “Why aren’t you leaving yet?”
The corners of Li Sicheng’s mouth lifted in a smile. He held his wife’s hand as he opened the door and walked out.
They were finally gone Li Jinnan put the cigarette box back before calling out, “Children, are you ready?”
“Ersu is still packing! Give us a little while more, Uncle!” Li Jianqian’s voice was very loud and could be heard clearly from the second level.
It was approximately another 20 minutes before the children came down, dragging their mini suitcases behind them. Each child had one mini suitcase. Li Jianyue’s suitcase was pink with an image of Elsa from Frozen and had many stickers pasted on it. Li Jianyue was also carrying a Barbie doll in her arms.
Carrying the suitcase required quite a bit of effort. Li Jianyue pouted her lips. “Daddy is bad. I can’t carry this. Uncle, heavy.”
Li Jinnan took a look and went forward to test it out. He declared, “It is a little heavy.”
Li Jianyue nodded her head. “It is, isn’t it? You think so too, don’t you, Uncle? So, can you help me carry it please? Thank you, Uncle!” Li Jianyue looked at Li Jinnan in wide-eyed hopefulness.
Li Jinnan wasn’t moved. He shoved the handle of the suitcase back into her hand and said, “I promised your father that I wouldn’t help you, so I can’t. Otherwise, I’d be going back on my word, and that shouldn’t be the case.”
The little kid pouted and whispered, “If you don’t mention it, and I don’t mention it, nobody will find out.”
Li Jinnan chuckled and pinched her little cheeks. “It doesn’t work that way. The truth will always e to light sooner or later. As a person, you have to be upright. You mustn’t do bad things, and you mustn’t lie. Otherwise, should your lie be uncovered one day, it’ll be very awkward for you.”
The kid only understood half of it. What she clearly understood was that Li Jinnan wasn’t going to help her. With a huff, she stomped off with the bag in one hand and the doll in the other.
Her little body bounced with every stomp. It was clear she possessed vitality, but she possessed a hot temper too.
Ye Youyou was tickled by her antics and asked, “You’re really not going to help her?”
“Little children mustn’t be spoiled or it’ll develop into a habit.” Li Jinnan turned to look at the two boys behind as he spoke and said, “Hurry and catch up. You’re the older ones.”
In Li Jianqian’s hand was a mini royal blue suitcase. It was plain with no motifs or words on it. As for Li Mosen, his mini suitcase was of a golden Transformers’ theme and looked pretty cool.
Ye Youyou found something amiss as she looked at their bags. “Who bought your suitcases for you?”
“Daddy bought them, but we chose them for ourselves!” Li Jianyue turned her head back to answer. She laughed merrily as she said, “I love princesses!”
She was beaming from ear to ear. It was almost as if her temper had dissipated.
Ye Youyou had no words. This little girl’s mood is so volatile!
Li Jinnan chuckled and seized Ye Youyou by the shoulders as he said, “e on, let’s go.”
“I’m going too?” Ye Youyou was quite afraid. “Didn’t you say your parents are ing home today?”
“What are you afraid of? If they’re back, we’ll meet them together.” With that, he looked at the children and asked, “Do you know who she is?”
“Yes! Auntie Youyou!” Li Jianyue rushed to answer.
Li Mosen quickly corrected her and said, “Aunt.”
“That’s right. She’s your aunt. Remember to call her ‘Aunt’ from now on.” Li Jinnan reached out to pat Li Mosen on his head and said, “You’re pretty quick-witted. e, Uncle will take you out to buy you some presents.”
–
*Translator’s note: In Chinese culture, anyone who is one generation older is generally called “Auntie.””Aunt” is reserved for family relations, i.e. a sister of a parent or a wife of an uncle.
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