VFGRC Chapter 12

TL: Moonlit

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Xing Xing’s little head tilted down bit by bit as Zhao Miaomiao squatted down.

Zhao Miaomiao met Xing Xing’s gaze, and Xing Xing’s watery round eyes reflected her figure.

“Little friend, what’s your name?”

Xing Xing obediently replied, “I’m called Xing Xing.”

“Xing Xing, is this your dad’s snack stall?”

“Yes!”

“Then… how delicious is your dad’s teppanyaki?”

Xing Xing scratched his head with his chubby hand and said in a milky voice, “Um… it’s just super, super delicious!”

Xing Xing was a little over three years old.

Xing Xing was very clever, but his daily vocabulary was limited to what he learned from early childhood cartoons and daily life.

So when Zhao Miaomiao asked Xing Xing to describe how delicious Yu Bai’s teppanyaki was, Xing Xing could only use adjectives like “super” and “very” even if he scratched his little head bald.

Xing Xing seemed to realize his limited vocabulary and his difficulty in finding a suitable description for “teppanyaki”. He took a step forward anxiously and gently tugged at Zhao Miaomiao’s sleeve.

“Sister! Xing Xing is not lying to you. Dad’s teppanyaki is really, really delicious!”

Finally, Xing Xing added one more sentence.

“Dad said that lying is bad, and Xing Xing is not a bad child. Xing Xing won’t lie to you, sister!”

Zhao Miaomiao couldn’t help but shout in her mind.

This adorable little kid pulled her sleeve!

A snow-white little creature, like the chubby white kitten in her family, with innocent and beautiful ink-black eyes, using their paws to hook her sleeve…

“Sister?”

Xing Xing tilted his head slightly.

Why wasn’t the sister saying anything?

Zhao Miaomiao snapped back to reality, struggling to control her excited heart and trembling hands.

Zhao Miaomiao spoke, “I… I know that your dad’s teppanyaki is very delicious. I will buy some later. But…”

Xing Xing asked, “But what?”

Zhao Miaomiao replied, “Can I pinch your cheeks?”

As soon as Zhao Miaomiao spoke, Xing Xing’s round eyes widened even more. He covered his tender cheek flesh with both little hands and immediately took two steps back.

“No, you can’t do that!” Xing Xing tightened his brows while holding his cheeks. “A manly man’s cheeks should not be touched by anyone at will!”

Zhao Miaomiao, who was about to reach out her hands to the child, thought to herself, “?”.

This chubby little child, who would sit on the chair obediently when his dad was running the stall, was now chatting with her next to the food truck. She was caught red-handed by his dad…

A pair of strong and warm hands held Xing Xing’s armpits from below.

Xing Xing trembled like a defenseless little chick in the hands of the big hand, and then the big hand turned him around.

Xing Xing shrank his neck, eager to hide his head in the crook of his arm—unfortunately, Yu Bai lifted him a bit higher.

Xing Xing had no choice but to meet Yu Bai’s gaze.

Yu Bai’s eyebrows and eyes curved, his face filled with a gentle smile.

Yu Bai’s voice was gentle. “Xing Xing, why are you here?”

Xing Xing: …

Oh no, he was even more scared now.

…

Yu Bai had a gentle personality, and he was generally very easygoing.

Even when he encountered strangers, he always wore a friendly smile on his face, easily evoking a sense of closeness in others.

And because of his personality, Yu Bai rarely got angry. After Xing Xing was born, he only got angry at someone once, and that was in front of Xing Xing.

But just because Yu Bai rarely got angry didn’t mean he couldn’t get angry.

Like now.

Yu Bai was very angry.

God knows how anxious he felt when he was busy in front of the stall and suddenly turned his head to find Xing Xing, who had been quietly by his side, had disappeared without a trace!

Will there be strangers taking advantage of his distraction and kidnapped Xing Xing?

Xing Xing, who hasn’t learned to cross the road yet, will he cross the road alone? Will he encounter an accident?

Countless terrifying scenarios swirled in Yu Bai’s mind, unsettling his thoughts. They made him feel guilty and even more anxious.

Yu Bai almost immediately put down what he was doing at the food stall and turned around to search for Xing Xing’s figure.

It was only when he found Xing Xing next to the food truck that Yu Bai let out a long sigh of relief.

But the anger in his heart couldn’t dissipate easily.

Xing Xing had only seen Yu Bai getting angry once, but his powerful memory told him that when Dad was angry, the happier he seemed, the angrier he actually was.

And now, Dad was smiling at him… Dad must be very angry!!

Xing Xing wanted to wave his little hand and cling to Yu Bai’s arm or leg, just as they usually did to act spoiled.

He knew that when he clung to Dad and acted spoiled, Dad’s mood would improve. So maybe if he acted spoiled towards Dad now, he wouldn’t be angry!

Unfortunately, Xing Xing was lifted up by Yu Bai.

Xing Xing’s little arms were too short and couldn’t reach Yu Bai’s arms or legs at all.

Then… what should he do?!

In a panic, a thin layer of mist appeared in Xing Xing’s round ink-black eyes, and a hint of redness appeared at the corners of his eyes. Then, Xing Xing raised his gaze and met Yu Bai’s still angry eyes.

Xing Xing lowered his little head, his arms hanging weakly by his side, like a helpless little kitten.

Xing Xing’s milky voice sounded listless, “Dad, I know I did something wrong…”

“What did you do wrong?”

“I… I shouldn’t have left the chair and made Dad worry…”

Dad was managing the food stall all by himself, which was really tiring. If Xing Xing acted as Dad’s little helper, Dad would be more relaxed! That’s why Xing Xing left the chair to help Dad…

As Xing Xing spoke, a trace of inexplicable grievance emerged, and glistening teardrops swirled in his eyes.

Just as the teardrops were about to fall from the corners of Xing Xing’s eyes, Yu Bai spoke.

“Xing Xing, do you want to be a man?”

Xing Xing, with tears in his eyes, nodded vigorously, “Yes!”

“Then, as a man, you shouldn’t cry easily, right?”

Xing Xing nodded again, his little head bobbing up and down.

Xing Xing blinked his long, curled eyelashes, trying hard to hold back the tears in his eyes.

Yu Bai hugged Xing Xing with one arm and pinched his soft cheek with the other.

Xing Xing was like a well-behaved little kitten, rubbing his cheek against Yu Bai’s palm.

Xing Xing was a man!

A man’s cheek shouldn’t be touched by anyone at will, but Dad was different.

Because Dad wasn’t just anyone. Dad could touch Xing Xing’s cheek as much as he wanted!

When Yu Bai moved his hand away, Xing Xing spoke softly, “Dad, I wasn’t on the little chair just now because I…”

“I know, you were helping me serve the customers waiting in line, right?”

Upon hearing Yu Bai’s words, Xing Xing froze.

With slightly reddened eyes, Xing Xing showed a hint of confusion.

Huh?

Dad was busy in front of the food truck the whole time just now! How did Dad know that Xing Xing was helping him?

 

Author’s note:

Star【】: Xing Xing is a man, and you can’t touch my face without permission! Also, don’t steal Xing Xing! Otherwise, the police will catch all of you!

…

PS: After the guests leave tomorrow, I can finally resume regular updates.