Chapter 13

Xiaobai sat on a small stool, holding a glass bottle, and looked up at Zhang Tan, who was walking around the room. Seeing that he wasn't going to the kitchen, she asked curiously, "Uncle, why aren't you making something to eat?"

Zhang Tan turned his head to look at the clock on the wall and said, "It's already 9 o'clock. I've already eaten outside."

"Oh." Xiaobai nodded, then suddenly remembered something and said unhappily, "Then why don't you play with me? What do you mean by that?"

Previously, Zhang Tan had used the excuse that he hadn't eaten, so he wouldn't play soccer with her.

"emmmm~~~~"

"Huh? What do you mean? What are you going to do?"

What are you going to do? It feels like you're accusing me. Do you want me to compensate you?

"… I'm sorry." Zhang Tan admitted, "I lied. Actually, it's too late, and it's already dark. How about this? I'll play soccer with you tomorrow."

Xiaobai was taken aback by his words, curiously examining his face. This was the first time an adult had said sorry to her. Isn't it only children who say sorry?

"Oh. Okay, don't trick me, okay?"

"I won't trick you. By the way, do you like being a forward?"

Xiaobai was confused: "What? Bee? Is it a bee?"

It turned out Xiaobai was a soccer novice. Zhang Tan didn't want to make it difficult for her and said, "Then I'll be the goalkeeper, and you can take shots. How does that sound?"

Xiaobai understood this and said confidently, "Don't joke around. Kicking the ball is my strong point. Don't blame me if I hurt you~"

Zhang Tan laughed, "I won't blame you. Go ahead."

"Go ahead with what?"

"… Go ahead with the horse."

"Why do you want to let the horse go? Let the dog go."

"…"

That makes sense too.

Zhang Tan took grapes from the fridge, washed them, and placed them on a small plate, then brought it to Xiaobai and invited her to eat.

Xiaobai glanced at it quickly but didn't touch it. Instead, she held up the glass bottle and said, "Uncle, do you still want to see my Dinding Miao?"

"Dinding Miao? I don't want to see it anymore. You can keep it."

"Then I'll let Dinding Miao go."

She got up and asked Zhang Tan if she could go to his balcony. After getting permission, she went over, reached into the bottle with her small hand, gently caught the dragonfly, held it in her palm, and let it fly away.

Zhang Tan asked curiously, "Don't you like Dinding Miao?"

Xiaobai watched Dinding Miao fly away until it was out of sight, then returned to the room reluctantly and said, "I'll catch it again tomorrow."

"But you let it go?"

"Let Dinding Miao find its mom for a while. It needs to sleep."

"… Okay."

"Bye~"

"Ah? What for?"

"I'm leaving, bye~"

She came and went in a hurry.

Zhang Tan politely tried to keep her, "Stay a bit longer."

Xiaobai put on the small shoes by the door and said she was busy, as she had to play with the other kids.

"Then take some grapes with you."

"I don't want to eat them, I don't want to eat them."

"Have a little, I've prepared them for you. Are you not giving me face?"

This kid always refused to eat his food, which made him feel a bit defeated.

Is it because I'm not enthusiastic enough?

Today, I have to be as enthusiastic as fire.

"I don't want to eat them, I don't want to eat them."

"Have a little, have a little, here you go."

"This isn't good~~~~"

"What's not good? Come on, give me some face."

He even spoke with a Sichuan accent.

He enthusiastically poured the grapes from the small plate into a food container and forced it into Xiaobai's hand. She couldn't leave empty-handed.

Since Zhang Tan was so enthusiastic, Xiaobai didn't want to discourage him.

"This isn't good~~~ Take it back for the other kids to eat."

She took the container and said, "There are so many, this isn't good~~~"

"It's fine, it's very good."

"How can I thank you?"

She said this seriously.

"Then why don't you sing a song for me?"

Xiaobai wasn't shy at all and started singing immediately.

"Tang僧 rides a horse, dong that dong, followed by Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong runs fast, followed by Zhu Bajie…"

She sang a Sichuan folk song.

"Is it good?" Xiaobai asked.

"It's good, it's very good."

Zhang Tan saw her out, saying, "I'll see you downstairs, walk slowly."

Xiaobai asked, "Is there a ghost?"

"…" Zhang Tan wiped his sweat, "No, not really."

Hearing there was no ghost, Xiaobai waved him back, saying she wasn't afraid of ghosts.

Zhang Tan, who had heard from the security guard Old Li that she liked to play in the yard, was still a bit worried. He didn't return until he handed her over to Teacher Xiaoliu.

Back home, Zhang Tan saw the small slippers neatly arranged by the door, which she hadn't worn.

Xiaobai is such a good kid, yes, as long as she doesn't get angry, doesn't swear, and doesn't fight.

The air conditioner was on in the room. Zhang Tan closed the balcony doors and windows. Suddenly, he saw a dragonfly perched on the balcony, the same one Xiaobai had released.

Why didn't it listen to Xiaobai and go find its mom?

He turned off the main light and only left the lamp above the sofa on. He placed his laptop on his knees, found a newly released movie, and watched its trailer on the subway yesterday. It was very exciting.

If only he had a projector, he could project the movie on the wall, which would be much better than watching it on an 18-inch laptop screen.

The movie is called "The Chaser," a modern kung fu film.

Zhang Tan didn't immediately watch the movie but first checked the real-time box office. It had been in theaters for 5 days, and the box office had exceeded 1 billion. Without a doubt, it was the box office bomb of the summer, setting the stage for the summer season.

The box office wasn't Zhang Tan's main concern; the reviews were. The most liked review was titled "A Tribute to Traditional Martial Arts Films, 'The Chaser' Inheriting and Innovating."

Below that was another review titled "((Contains Spoilers, Read with Caution)) 'The Chaser': A New Height in Violent Aesthetics."

Zhang Tan unhesitantly clicked on the second one. He had a habit of wanting to know the outcome first; otherwise, he felt uncomfortable, like a cat scratching. He even wanted to fast-forward to the last 5 minutes of the movie to see the ending before watching it from the beginning.

The review concluded that "The Chaser" could compete for the Oscars.

Zhang Tan pursed his lips and read three more reviews, forming a general impression of the movie. Then he started the movie, full screen, with the speakers plugged in.

An hour and a half later, the movie ended. Zhang Tan sat up, placed the laptop on the coffee table, and rewound to the 70-minute mark to rewatch the climax.

"The Chaser" was indeed a great movie, with a well-paced rhythm that made the blood boil. It was a popcorn movie with depth and excitement.

Zhang Tan categorized it as a popcorn movie.

As for the many reviews saying it could compete for the Oscars, Zhang Tan thought it was completely baseless.

He recalled the highly praised reviews he had just read, which either missed the point or stayed on the surface. He couldn't help but feel the urge to write, sat back at his desk, and typed a short review of less than a thousand words. He registered an account with the username "Tan Wei Guan Zhi" and posted it on the review website.

He closed the computer, and the clock on the wall pointed to 11 o'clock. He poured a glass of water, drank it, and went downstairs. The children were all sleeping in the second-floor dormitory, but a few were still playing in the first-floor activity area.

Xiaobai was one of them.

Zhang Tan found her in the reading area.

She was sitting alone in the corner, her shadow falling at her feet. A picture book was open on her lap, her elbow resting on her knee, and her hand supporting her small face. Her hair, cut to her ears, naturally fell, covering her face, making it unclear whether she was reading or dozing off.

Hearing footsteps, Xiaobai looked up, revealing her small face under her hair. Her eyes were bright. Seeing Zhang Tan, she waved happily and asked if he could tell her the story in the picture book.

"You should be sleeping," Zhang Tan said.

"The windmill, Ah Fu, is very good. Uncle, tell me the story, and then Xiaobai will go to sleep, okay?"

Alright, Zhang Tan took the picture book and flipped to the cover. What windmill, Ah Fu, it was clearly "The Mouse and the Sun."

"Where did you read to? I'll continue from there."

Xiaobai shook her head, smiling but not speaking, her small, dark face with two rows of white baby teeth.

"Hmm?"

"I didn't read it. Xiaobai can't read."

"…??"

What an excuse. It was very late, and Zhang Tan didn't want to waste time. He opened one of the short stories, "Collecting Sunshine," and began:

"Winter is coming, and the little mice are preparing for winter. Some are storing corn, some are storing rice…"

Xiaobai interrupted, "Corn is also called corn."

"…" Zhang Tan nodded, "Yes, corn is also called corn. Some are storing cookies, and only…"

Xiaobai interrupted again, this time in a Sichuan accent, "You are corn, I am the tassel on the corn."

"…" Zhang Tan had a puzzled look, "What does that mean?"

"Go, go, go~~"

Xiaobai laughed like a goose, shaking her head, "Uncle, continue the story."

Zhang Tan stared at her suspiciously, feeling that the child had just insulted him. No, he had to look it up online later; not understanding Sichuanese was a disadvantage.

"All the little mice were working, but Ah Fu seemed to be doing nothing, only collecting sunshine, air, and colors. Later, when winter really came, and the little mice were hiding in their homes without sunshine or color, Ah Fu started telling them about sunshine and colors, making everyone feel very warm…"

"Okay, the story is over. Go to sleep!"

Zhang Tan put away the picture book, not giving Xiaobai any chance, and led her back to the dormitory.

"Uncle~"

"Uh?"

"I'm not called Xiaobai anymore."

"Ah?"

"Xiaobai is called Ah Fu."

She then broke free from his hand and ran off like a flash.

Zhang Tan thought she had changed her mind and wasn't going to sleep, so he followed her, but saw her come back with the food container.

"Uncle, here you go!"

She pushed the container into Zhang Tan's hand.

It was a disposable food container that could be thrown away, but Xiaobai not only didn't throw it away but also washed it clean, making it look new.

"Did you like the grapes?"

Xiaobai nodded, "They were very sweet. The kids all liked them. Thank you, Uncle."

"If you like them, come again tomorrow. I have a lot more."

Xiaobai said shyly, "This isn't good~~~~"