Chapter 20

"Why are you staring at me? I have a thick skin, but I can still feel shy," Zhang Tan said to Huang Meimei, who was constantly sizing him up.

"In fact, I'd rather believe you're a dad," Huang Meimei chuckled, staring into Zhang Tan's eyes, trying to catch any signs of lying.

Zhang Tan was speechless and didn't bother to explain.

Seeing him leave, Huang Meimei asked, "Where are you going?"

"Back home."

"Aren't you going to shop anymore?"

"Not anymore."

...

"Why are you still following me?"

"I'm going out to do something."

"Okay."

"Can you drive me there?"

"I don't have a car."

"You don't have a car?"

Zhang Tan was taken aback. Right, where is my car? He did have a car!

He had a car, and if he remembered correctly, it should be parked in the parking lot of the urban village!

Zhang Tan immediately turned and headed to the parking lot to find his car.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to the school?" Huang Meimei followed and asked.

"Didn't you say you were going out to do something? I'll drive you there."

"…I'll go with you."

At the parking lot, it took Zhang Tan about ten minutes to find his semi-new SUV. It had been months since he last drove it, and it was covered in a layer of dust, looking quite dirty.

"Your car really needs a wash."

Huang Meimei got into the car and suddenly bent down, picking up a piece of lace underwear from the passenger footwell, and said disdainfully, "Zhang the pervert, look what you've got here."

"Emmmm~~~" Zhang Tan was embarrassed and speechless, "Throw it away."

On the way to drop off Huang Meimei, the girl kept chattering, mocking him. Zhang Tan, knowing he was in the wrong, didn't argue much.

After getting rid of her, Zhang Tan drove the car to a 4S shop and had it washed inside and out, making it look much better.

The car was new for over 300,000 yuan, but Zhang Tan's was semi-old, having been driven for six years. No wonder his former self didn't care much about it, leaving it in the parking lot for half a year.

Parking the car back in the urban village's parking lot, it was already evening. The sun was setting in the west, half blocked by the tall buildings, as if it had been cut open, with blood flowing and dyeing a large part of the city red.

The streetlights in the urban village lit up, and under the pale yellow light, various small insects were flying around, annoying but full of vitality.

A cool breeze blew through the alleys, bringing a refreshing feeling and also sending out the elderly who had been cooped up at home all day.

They carried small stools and sat at the alley entrances, fanning themselves and chatting idly. Children were running and laughing around their feet, and the sound of TV programs, a mix of cartoons and news, could be heard from the small courtyards.

Several large orange cats were lying lazily on the walls, and various breeds of Chinese rural dogs were sprawled on the now cool stone slabs, their tails sweeping back and forth, their chins resting on their paws. They would only lift their heads slightly when strangers passed by, then lie down again.

Zhang Tan strolled through the streets and alleys, feeling hungry and looking for a nearby restaurant to eat.

There were many places to eat, such as braised chicken, crossing-the-bridge rice noodles, spicy hot pot, snail rice noodles, and tea houses. Zhang Tan chose a small restaurant called "Xinfu Koufu," which was not very big, with only eight tables, each seating four people. It was very clean, and currently, only two girls were eating there.

"Would you like to order something?" the waiter and owner asked.

Zhang Tan looked at the menu on the wall and said, "Do you have boiled half-boiled eggs? I'll have one."

Half an hour later, Zhang Tan left the restaurant. He didn't expect such a small place to make such authentic boiled half-boiled eggs. The egg whites were set like jelly, and the yolks were soft and smooth. Just a light bite, and the warm yolk would burst out, leaving him savoring the taste for a long time.

Returning to Xiaohongma School, he saw a middle-aged woman leaving, and heard the security guard, Old Li, greeting her.

Zhang Tan lifted his wrist, and his watch showed it was 6:10 PM. Those who came to the school this early were usually Xiao Bai.

He could only see the back of the middle-aged woman, dressed simply, with a wet patch on her back, indicating she had sweated a lot during the day. She was carrying a small stool and walking towards the village entrance.

"Back already," Zhang Tan greeted Old Li, who was listening to the radio.

"Good, you're back," Old Li responded.

The courtyard of the school was lit up, and the teaching building was brightly lit. He could see Teacher Xiao Liu walking in the corridor.

The staff had arrived, just waiting for the children to come in.

Zhang Tan crossed the courtyard, where insects were chirping, and suddenly a soccer ball bounced and rolled to his feet. Looking in the direction it came from, he saw Xiao Bai, wearing a red Chinese school uniform, standing under a mulberry tree, grinning.

"Uncle, come play with me, let's see your strong point."

"Are you the first one to arrive again today?" Zhang Tan asked, juggling the ball with his feet.

"Those kids haven't come yet~~"

Xiao Bai ran over, watching Zhang Tan juggle the ball up close.

"Your strong point is pretty strong," Xiao Bai praised.

"Can you juggle?"

"Sure."

"Here."

Zhang Tan juggled the ball over, and Xiao Bai kicked it, sending both the ball and her shoe flying.

"Oh no, what a mess!"

"Uncle, help me pick up my 'child.'"

Zhang Tan was speechless. Last time she kicked her shoe off, and this time she did it again!

He picked up Xiao Bai's shoe from the sand and threw it to her, asking, "Your shoes seem a bit big, don't they?"

Xiao Bai, while putting on her shoe, said, "I'm growing."

No wonder she always kicked her shoes off.

"I'm going home now."

Xiao Bai immediately followed, "Uncle, where are you going? Are you coming to play with me?"

He hadn't run today, so he decided to play soccer instead of running.

"I'll change and come over."

"Uncle, Uncle."

Xiao Bai followed him up the stairs and pulled out a peanut from her pocket, "Here, have some."

It was boiled peanuts, quite fragrant. As he opened his palm to receive it, Xiao Bai pulled out two more, then reached into the other pocket and pulled out a boiled egg, placing it in his palm.

"Here, have an egg."

A warm boiled egg.

Zhang Tan asked, "Why do you carry a boiled egg with you?"

Xiao Bai proudly said, "I saved it from my breakfast."

Zhang Tan asked, "You're giving it to me?"

Xiao Bai said she had eaten his snacks and fruits yesterday, so today she was treating him, specially preparing boiled peanuts and a steamed egg.

Just boiled peanuts weren't enough to express her gratitude, so she brought a boiled egg, saved from her dinner, and secretly brought it to the school.

Xiao Bai, with her hands in her pockets, left, telling Zhang Tan to hurry and change, and she would wait for him in the courtyard to play soccer.

"Wait, come back." Zhang Tan called the child back.

"What?"

"Come here, I bought something for you."

"What? You bought something for me?..."

Zhang Tan took the chatty Xiao Bai home and found a pair of small socks from his bag, "Here, I bought you some small socks. The ones you're wearing have holes, don't wear them anymore."

Xiao Bai looked down at her feet. Her yellow socks didn't cover her toes, and three of her ten toes were exposed. She tightened her toes and happily examined the new socks Zhang Tan bought for her.

"Take them off, try them on, and see if they fit."

But instead of taking them off, Xiao Bai asked suspiciously, "Uncle, are you trying to do something to me? Don't think I'm naive, I'm very fierce, my aunt says I'm a 'little devil.'"

Zhang Tan was amused, "Don't worry, I'm not trying to do anything to you. I just saw your socks had holes, so I bought you five pairs. Try them on."

"This isn't right~~~"

"What's not right? Put them on."

"Are you really not trying to do something to me?"

"I'm a good person."

"Why are you buying me socks?"

"…Sigh~"

"What? Why are you sighing?"

"Actually, I like you."

"What?!! Little devil!"

"Ah, don't hit, don't hit! It's a misunderstanding~ I mean, I think you're cute, and I like cute kids… Do you think you're not cute?"

Xiao Bai nodded.

Zhang Tan: "You think you're not cute?"

Xiao Bai shook her head quickly.

Zhang Tan: "Really think you're not cute? How can that be? You should have confidence in yourself. Look at your eyes in the mirror, they're so big, like the moon."

Xiao Bai couldn't help but laugh and said loudly, "What? I'm so cute."

Indeed, it worked. There's no child in this world who thinks they're not cute.

Zhang Tan smiled, "You're so cute, isn't it normal for me to give you socks? Besides, I'm not giving them to you for free. I have a task for you."

"Huh?"

"Isn't Xiao Mi your good friend? She can't find her mom now, she must be very sad. Can you play with her often, chat with her, and make her happy, so she doesn't feel sad?"

Xiao Bai's big eyes sparkled with sympathy, and she nodded repeatedly, saying she would do it even if he didn't ask.

"Then I'll give you this task. As a reward, I'll give you the socks."

Xiao Bai's attitude finally relaxed, and she subconsciously took the five pairs of small socks Zhang Tan handed her, saying, "Uncle, I don't know how to thank you, thank you, you're a good person."

A good person card, he'll take it.

Zhang Tan smiled, "Not a 'little devil' anymore?"

Xiao Bai laughed awkwardly, "I'm the 'little devil,' Uncle, you're not."

"Then don't call me a 'little devil' anymore."

Xiao Bai immediately swore, "I won't call you that again, if I do, I'm not a person."