"Anqi, take him home."
"Why?"
"......"
"Hello?"
"I'm here."
"What's his dad's phone number? I'll call him."
"He doesn't have a father."
"What?"
"It's just what you heard. Okay, I have something to do, that's all."
That brat hung up the phone so fast I didn't have time to ask him a single question.
No father?
I glanced at Captain Tsubasa. If it's true, no wonder he wouldn't tell me about his father when I asked him about it earlier.
He doesn't have a father? I can't believe his mother got divorced at such a young age.
Fine, might as well go all the way. I ruffled the young soccer player's hair and lifted him to sit on the desk. After changing my clothes, I led him down to the garage.
In the car, the young soccer player was engrossed in playing with his fingers, head down, ignoring me. I took him home according to the address on his medical record.
Zhang Qian
I'm preparing the reunion dinner. Yes, today is Lunar New Year's Eve, a day for families to sit together and have a reunion meal.
Dongdong stayed close to me, chattering on and on about his amazing experience getting his tooth filled a few days ago. I listened patiently as he told the story again and again, without interrupting or saying a word.
That day, just before I was about to leave work, Hu Lu called and told me not to go to the hospital to pick up my child, but to go straight home. He said his colleague had already taken Dongdong home. I was very grateful. Even relatives might not help me like that, let alone someone who was a complete stranger.
When we got home, Dongdong told me the story that had happened to him, embellishing it a bit. Grandpa assumed that it was Hu Lu herself who had brought him back. Although he disliked "Third Aunt," he still told me to thank Hu Lu properly.
The day before Lunar New Year's Eve, after getting off work, I took Dongdong to a large supermarket to buy New Year's goods. Because of working overtime, I hadn't had any free time, and with the New Year fast approaching, we didn't have anything at home.
Inside the store, I pushed the shopping cart and put Dongdong inside. Little Dongdong grabbed whatever he saw without hesitation; nothing that caught his eye escaped his clutches. After shopping, we came back and made something simple to feed the family first. That evening, after Dongdong and Grandpa fell asleep, I started making egg dumplings. Those two, one old and one young, are so mischievous. If I didn't start before they were asleep, I'd be busy until tomorrow and still wouldn't have made any decent egg dumplings.
"Mom, are you done yet?" Little Dongdong urged me anxiously from the side.
"Almost done, we can start eating as soon as this dish is ready."
I made a hot pot, stir-fried a few dishes, and boiled some rice cakes. This is the loving New Year's Eve dinner I prepared for my family.
This meal took a long time to prepare, and we didn't start eating until the Spring Festival Gala began. Little Dongdong has grown a year older and is more like a little adult now. He gave his first chopstick to his grandfather, the second to me, and only took his own chopsticks on the third.
Grandpa finds watching the Spring Festival Gala quite interesting. He changes the channel as soon as there's a song and dance performance. He says that women these days wear too little clothing, which can negatively impact children.
As usual, we didn't set off any firecrackers this year.
Grandpa said, "Be careful with fire."
Maybe I should buy a string of firecrackers and set them off for Dongdong to see.
Anqi
On New Year's Eve, the annual traditional dinner was being held in Banquet Hall No. 1 of the International Conference Center. Father was discussing the newly implemented drug management regulations and their implementation methods with Zhang Sijia's father. Mother, among her group of girlfriends, won over the crowd with her outstanding speech.
I looked around but couldn't find Zhang Sijia. It seems she's caused quite a bit of trouble.
"Hi!" A hand patted my shoulder. I turned around and saw it was Zhang Siyi, Zhang Sijia's sister.
"Who do I think it is? But upon closer inspection, it's Siyi! You've changed so much." Women, no matter their age, love to hear flattery.
"You can't recognize me, can you?" He became smug after being praised.
"Hmm, where's Scarlett? Didn't she come?"
She didn't say much, probably because she didn't want to reveal her family's dirty laundry, and I didn't ask her any further.
"Please give my regards to her."
I changed my drink and headed towards my father. Some people still need to be won over, and some things require a bit of pretense.
"Anqi!" Another hand patted my shoulder.
It's Zhou Yanping, my high school classmate. This guy was only discharged from the hospital at the end of the year, and he's already back to his energetic self so quickly. It seems that the "Myna's" family's secret urology remedy is effective after all.
"Are you feeling better?" This is a doctor's job.
"Great doctor, you're awesome! Why don't you give it a try?" He patted his chest. "Where's Scarlett?"
"I'm looking for it too."
We changed the subject and talked about some harmless pranks and gossip from high school.
I checked my watch; it was time to leave.
Anqi
The doorbell woke me up very early on the third day of the Lunar New Year. It was that rascal, "Mynah." That guy only remembers his friends after he gets caught doing something bad.
Here's what happened: a few days before the Lunar New Year, this scoundrel invited "Lily Chou" from the dentist out. Halfway there, he couldn't resist and they started having sex in the car. Well, to make matters worse, his tractor was parked in the wrong place. The traffic cop gave him a ticket and called a tow truck. He somehow got wind of a friend at the traffic police station saying he could pull some strings and get the tractor out. If he went through the proper channels, the fine would be much more than just a small amount. I didn't want to get involved—this scoundrel had sent a devil to deal with me last time—but he cleverly came knocking, leaving me no way to escape.
Resigned, I drove him to the traffic police brigade to resolve the matter. The officer who received him was very welcoming and promised that the tractor could be released after the holiday.
"An'an, take me somewhere else."
Look, this guy is totally treating me like a driver.
"Call me 'Uncle' and I'll give you taxi fare," I said.
"Uncle, could you please take me to my sister's house?"
"I'm busy, take a bus yourself." Alright, I've done my part. If you keep pestering me, don't blame me for being impolite.
He was quick on his feet; he had already fastened his seatbelt and was just waiting for me to start the car and send him on his way.
"Hey, it's the place where you took Dongdong back last time."
"Grandson, if you make your grandpa do this thankless task again, you'll regret it!" It's better not to mention it, because it makes me angry.
"Isn't it all for the children?" he offered a flimsy excuse. But this excuse was enough to pique my curiosity.
"Is your sister the one who asked you for medicine in the office last time?" I glanced at this scoundrel.
"Zhang Qian, yes, that's her."
"Why doesn't your sister have the same surname as you?" This family is really strange.
"Oh, not by blood. We lived together when we were little, we were old neighbors. My mom liked girls, so she spoiled her a lot. After we moved, we saw each other less often."
"oh."
"I haven't seen her for several years. This girl has suddenly become a mother. She has changed a lot."
"She's open-minded, got married early, and divorced early too." I didn't know this was something that shouldn't be said.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
This was the first time I'd ever seen "Myna" so excited. The car quieted down; it was hard to adjust without "Myna's" teasing.
Having safely delivered the myna bird to its destination, my mission is now complete.
"An'an, shall we go upstairs and sit for a while?"
Why would someone who's not related to me go up there? I refused his suggestion.
"Go up and sit for a while. There aren't many people in this family, and they don't have any relatives during holidays. It will be more lively if you go up and there are more people."
"So you're here to join the mahjong game, aren't you?"
"Sigh, there's nothing I can do if that's how you think. Dongdong called me last time and said a lot of nice things about you." He played his trump card. "Only you are willing to clean up his messes. He's never received this kind of treatment at home."
No wonder he still remembers me. Captain Tsubasa's butt is incredibly smelly. I can understand why he doesn't get to be "wiped" at home either.
Last time I dropped the little guy off downstairs, I didn't go up; his building's hallway was very old. "Myna" knocked on the door, and his "sister" opened it.
Zhang Qian
Hu Lu was outside the door, along with another person, who, if I remember correctly, was the doctor whose clothes Dongdong had soiled. I'd seen him once before, in Hu Lu's office. What was he doing here?
I quickly invited them in and brought out two cups of tea from the kitchen. Little Dongdong stayed with the guests. It turned out that this doctor was the kind person who had helped take Dongdong to the dentist.
"Where's your grandfather?" Hu Lu asked me.
"My dad took me to celebrate the New Year. I'll be back on the seventh day." I said as I wrapped dumplings. "Want to eat dumplings later?"
"Okay, okay, whatever. Hey Zhang Qian'er, why aren't you going?"
"Can we go? Who will take care of Dongdong?" Hu Lu was really something, asking a question she already knew the answer to.
"I'll take care of it for you."
"Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue in the wind? You even helped me take care of him. Who was it that left the child with a colleague last time? And had them bring Dongdong back? And you call yourself an uncle? I don't think you care about Dongdong at all."
He's just like "Third Aunt" – he gets uncomfortable if Hu Lu doesn't say a few sarcastic things to him.
I stole a glance at Hu Lu's colleague. He seemed nice, with a good heart. Seeing him playing with Dongdong made me feel good, unlike Hu Lu, who always seemed to be asking for trouble.
"I'll put the dumplings in now, they'll be ready soon." I threw the dumplings into the water and turned the heat up high. I found a few small bowls in the cupboard and poured some vinegar in as a condiment.
When I brought the dumplings out, the three of them in the living room were already having a blast. Dongdong hadn't played this happily in a long time.
"How does it taste? Is it salty?" I asked the guest Hu Lu brought.