Chapter 64

After the discussion, a few people left. Xiaobai held her small bowl and chopsticks, got up from the table, and Zhang Tan teased, "Xiaobai, what are you doing? Are you going to take away other people's bowls and chopsticks after you finish eating?"

Xiaobai huffed proudly, ran a few steps, and came to the waitress, lifting the bowl and chopsticks to hand them over: "Sister, I'm done~~"

The waitress was a bit confused. Was this... asking for more food?

"Little one, another bowl?"

Xiaobai shook her head: "I'm giving them back to you."

Zhang Tan understood. The little girl had finished eating and was taking the initiative to clear her dishes.

Self-reliance, self-sufficiency, it seemed she was used to this at home.

After handing her bowl and chopsticks to the waitress, Xiaobai, with her little belly sticking out, walked with a waddle, looking quite mischievous. If Ma Lanhua saw her, she would scold her again.

Getting in the car, they set off for the aquarium. Xiaobai handed Zhang Tan the 10 yuan she had, saying it was for the meal.

Zhang Tan told her to keep it and to give it to him when he needed it.

It was summer, the weather was hot, and the zoo playground was empty, but the aquarium was bustling with people.

To prevent the little girl from getting lost, Zhang Tan instinctively reached out to hold Xiaobai's hand, but he missed.

Xiaobai, alert, kept her hands behind her back and walked around him.

"There are so many people, and you're so small. What if you get lost?" Zhang Tan explained.

He reached out again to hold her hand, but Xiaomi was already being held by Huang Meimei.

"What are you doing?!"

Piapiapia~~~

Xiaobai didn't hesitate to hit his hand, chasing and hitting, not just the hand that reached out but almost the owner of the hand as well.

Zhang Tan was both amused and exasperated, and this time it was Huang Meimei's turn to watch the show.

Fine, fine, if you don't want to hold hands, then so be it.

Zhang Tan could only follow the little girl closely.

Xiaobai was definitely visiting the aquarium for the first time, exclaiming and pointing at everything, her little hands behind her back, her head held high, looking left and right, up and down, her little head not enough to take it all in, marveling at everything.

She had probably never seen so many fish.

Yes, she didn't care what kind of fish they were, she called them all "fishy-fish," since they all swam in the water, what else could they be?

Seals were fishy-fish, tuna was fishy-fish, sharks were fishy-fish, even octopuses were fishy-fish, and the mermaid played by the staff was also called fishy-fish.

Fortunately, crabs were not fishy-fish, but "sea crawlers."

Xiaobai's eyes were wide open today. She not only saw all kinds of fishy-fish but also saw "Suo Laoer" in the sea.

Suo Laoer was a snake, a sea snake.

"Is Suo Laoer in the wrong place?" Xiaobai asked Zhang Tan, puzzled. "That's not right, Suo Laoer should be at the zoo, not in the sea, or did it fall in? Poor thing."

Zhang Tan looked it up on his phone and explained to her.

Then, they saw a whale.

Xiaobai was so shocked she kept shouting "Wow, wow, wow," holding onto Zhang Tan's pants, showing how nervous she was.

Zhang Tan took the opportunity to hold her hand, giving her a sense of security.

Xiaobai was so focused on the big whale that she didn't notice Zhang Tan holding her hand.

By the time she realized, Zhang Tan had already let go and walked away with his hands behind his back.

Xiaobai: ●0●

The little girl was innocent, and today she lost out big time, not only having her hand held by Boss Zhang but also being carried by him later!

They were taking a group photo with a bunch of penguins, and there were many people. Xiaobai was always being blocked from the camera, so Huang Meimei suggested that Boss Zhang carry Xiaobai and lift her up.

Xiaobai thought for a while and, with the encouragement of the two adults, agreed. Thus, Zhang Tan carried her and took the photo, leaving a permanent memory.

Xiaomi was also carried.

The two little friends were delighted after the photo, not realizing they had been tricked.

They were still too young.

At four in the afternoon, they left the aquarium. Zhang Tan treated them to some snacks and drinks, filling their stomachs before heading back home.

All four were returning to the school. Xiaobai's home was empty at this time, as her uncle and aunt were still at work. Xiaomi could go back to the police station, but she would have to return to Little Red Horse after an hour, wasting time.

Zhang Tan bought some groceries on the way, preparing to cook dinner.

"Xiaobai and Xiaomi, would you like to help me cook dinner?"

"Huh?" Xiaobai was puzzled.

"Help me cook dinner, okay?"

Xiaobai weakly said "okay" and then lightly hit his hand.

Pia~~

You said to hit it.

Zhang Tan looked at her, ┐(～)┌

She was so innocent, he didn't bother to explain and just went along with it: "Alright, now that you've hit my hand, we'll cook dinner together, no backing out."

"Okay~"

Xiaobai agreed readily. Today's outing had its results; Xiaobai was less wary of him. Her hand had been held, she had been carried, and they had even taken a photo together.

"I can wash the dishes," Xiaomi said proudly.

Impressive, both little girls were very capable.

Zhang Tan saw Xiaomi looking at him hopefully, eager to help but also very cautious.

He understood and, with a sigh, extended his hand, inviting her to hit it.

"I want to too," Huang Meimei chimed in.

"Go away," Zhang Tan said, annoyed.

"What do you mean, Zhang Tan? I want to help too!"

"You don't want to help, you want to hit."

"Xiaobai, Xiaomi, look, Boss Zhang won't let me help."

Xiaobai immediately stood up for her: "Uncle, stretch out your hand."

Xiaomi joined in the commotion.

Huang Meimei seized the opportunity, grabbed Zhang Tan's hand, and hit it, saying happily: "Alright, I'll help too. I'll have a share of the dinner, and my fried rice is the best."

Because they had visited the aquarium, Zhang Tan had bought some fish, but when Xiaobai and Xiaomi saw them, they shouted that they couldn't eat the fishy-fish, they were so cute.

Huang Meimei, siding with the little girls, immediately abandoned her plan to cook braised fish, accusing Zhang Tan of being heartless for eating fishy-fish!

Zhang Tan was speechless. The yellow croaker he had bought was put in a tank and treated like a little prince.

The yellow croaker was tender and boneless, perfect for children, which was why Zhang Tan had bought it, but it seemed the fish was lucky.

The four of them worked together to make a simple but delicious dinner. Under the table, the crickets chirped, "dudu."

"The crickets are chirping~"

Xiaobai stretched her head under the table to look for the cricket, and Huang Meimei immediately closed her legs.

They could hear the chirping but couldn't see the cricket, and Zhang Tan had a feeling it would be a noisy night again.

He suddenly remembered something and asked Xiaobai: "Xiaobai, where did the cricket you caught in the glass bottle go?"

"Huh?"

"Your cricket?" Zhang Tan asked again.

"…It was, it was lost by that fool Luo Zikang."

Because she suspected Luo Zikang had lost the cricket, Xiaobai had even fought with him, but she didn't win and cried a lot.

But…

"I'm not talking about that time. Didn't you catch another cricket… I mean, cricket?"

Xiaobai's big eyes darted around.

"…Handsome? Uncle, you're so handsome. How did you grow up like this?"

"…"

No need to ask, the cricket at home was probably the one Xiaobai had caught, but he didn't know when she had released it there.

The cricket kept chirping, but it couldn't be found. Zhang Tan gave up and called everyone to eat, saying they would look for the cricket after dinner. He couldn't let it settle in and start a family; he was still single, and a little bug couldn't get ahead of him.

The sun set behind the tall buildings, casting a red glow over half the sky. The remaining heat was quickly dissipating, and the evening breeze in the schoolyard rustled the leaves, bringing a cool breeze through the balcony and to the dining table.

Under the table, the cricket chirped continuously. Outside the window, the mulberry and sycamore trees, and the camphor trees, were filled with the sounds of cicadas and a chorus of small insects in the grass.

"Alright, whoever finishes last will wash the dishes," Zhang Tan said, putting down his bowl and chopsticks first.

The other three girls looked at him, none of them putting down their chopsticks or spoons.

After a moment of silence, Huang Meimei said, "3:1, we decide. Whoever puts down their chopsticks first will wash the dishes. What do you think, Xiaomi?"

Xiaomi nodded in agreement.

"What about Xiaobai?"

Xiaobai looked at Zhang Tan and said, "I'm a little girl, I'll listen to the adults."

Cunning little girl, she would never grow up!

"Really?!!" Zhang Tan was不服 (unconvinced).

Huang Meimei laughed, "What do you mean, really? 3:1, minority obeys the majority, you have nothing to say, wash the dishes!"

"Ha~~~~"

Xiaobai was delighted, her little feet swinging under the table, happily digging into the golden fried rice with her spoon.

She could wash the dishes and often did at home.

But today, she didn't want to.

Today, she just wanted to be a carefree little baby.