Chapter 125: Still Not Giving Up

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“If you lose to me, my request is that you stop wearing that hair clip.”

After spending so much time with these two boys, Su Qinghu had learned to always be on guard—they could turn on her from any angle!

She stared into Dadan’s eyes, trying to gauge how much truth there was in his words.

Not much, honestly…

Su Qinghu figured that if she lost to him, the next thing out of this kid’s mouth would probably be a demand that she stop wasting money. If he was feeling especially ruthless, he might even set a spending limit!

Dadan answered her question directly. “No! I just want you not to wear that hair clip when we go out to eat later.”

Afraid she’d misunderstand, he quickly added, “I’m worried people will say you’re an idiot…”

A married woman, wearing a blindingly pink hair clip that only two- or three-year-old girls would wear—walking down the street like that, people were bound to stare.

And then, people would say she was an idiot, and he and his brother would become—“the idiot’s sons”!

Just imagining the scene made Dadan’s cheeks twitch.

Su Qinghu: “…”

At that moment, Su Qinghu suddenly nodded. It wasn’t because Dadan’s eyes were sincere or his words were harsh that she believed him, but because, seeing how terrified Dadan was of being called an idiot, she was reminded of her own thick skin.

What was there to be afraid of?

Thick-skinned people have nothing to fear!

If Dadan turned on her, she could just turn on him right back. Who wasn’t someone’s baby, after all?

“Come on!” Su Qinghu squatted at the starting line and called Dadan over. “Rock-paper-scissors, best two out of three. Winner goes first!”

As soon as Dadan squatted beside her, Su Qinghu added, “Whoever loses washes dishes for a month. This is a three-player match, so no backing out.”

She meant that the previous match was done, and the new bet couldn’t overlap with the last one.

Dadan understood and nodded. Just as he was about to throw his hand for rock-paper-scissors, Su Qinghu said again, “Don’t be too slow—try to finish the game in three minutes!”

She figured the kids’ grandpa or grandma—or both—would probably be back soon.

Dadan was incredulous. Wasn’t she always quick and efficient? Why was she saying so much just for a tiebreaker?

“Got it.”

He nodded and quickly threw out his hand.

Su Qinghu followed suit.

Best two out of three—Su Qinghu won, so she went first. Dadan quickly followed, using his marble to knock into Su Qinghu’s.

Su Qinghu took it seriously, but each step was just a little off. After a few rounds, Dadan knocked her marble straight into the hole.

“I win,” Dadan announced.

As soon as he said it, Erdan came running over from the wall, saw the marble in the hole, and burst out laughing. “Wow, you’re awesome, bro!”

Su Qinghu stood up with Dadan, smiling as she waited for him to make his request.

She was actually looking forward to Dadan asking for something different this time—then she could “fight poison with poison” and tease the kids openly~~~

Dadan opened his mouth.

Erdan quickly grabbed Dadan’s hand, shaking it and giving him meaningful looks. Worried Dadan wouldn’t get it, he blurted out, “Bro, bro, bro! Quick, tell Mom to count the money she lent us before as part of our business partnership!”

Su Qinghu’s face went blank. What the heck? All these little bits and pieces—when it came time to split the profits, it’d be a pain to calculate. She’d feel bad taking advantage of them over a few cents, so she’d end up rounding up for them anyway!

Little rascals!

Always pushing their luck!

Never giving up!

Always scheming to get her to round up their share!

Dadan saw Su Qinghu’s cheeks puffing up and looked away, turning to his brother’s eager face.

Erdan blinked. “Bro? Big bro?”

Dadan patted his sometimes-clever, sometimes-silly brother on the head, shook his head, and said, “My request is that she doesn’t wear the hair clip you gave her when we go out!”

Su Qinghu, who had been standing there relaxed, straightened up and looked at Dadan as if she didn’t recognize him.

Seriously?

Was he really such a little angel?

Or was the hair clip really so hideous that wearing it outside would make people think she was an idiot?

Just as she was thinking this, the sound of the front door opening came from outside.

All three of them looked toward the door. Dadan quickly looked away from the door and stared straight at Su Qinghu’s… hair clip!

Su Qinghu met his gaze, raised her hand, and started to take off the hair clip. Just as the door opened, and Dadan’s heart was about to leap out of his chest, she finally pulled the clip out of her hair.

So, as Mrs. Meng walked in, she saw Su Qinghu’s hand sliding down from her big waves, her pretty little face tilted up, quickly shaking out her hair so her long curls looked even fuller.

“Xiao Su, you’re back?” Mrs. Meng was carrying a watermelon, closed the door behind her, and walked into the courtyard with a smile. “When did you get back? Are you tired? You could’ve called so we could pick you up.”

Su Qinghu smiled at Mrs. Meng, trying to stuff the hair clip into her pants pocket—only to realize, after a moment of fumbling, that her straight-leg dress pants didn’t even have pockets!

Dadan was getting anxious too, especially when he realized she didn’t have pockets. He almost wanted to help her out.

At that moment, both of them completely forgot that the hair clip was no longer on her head—they could just hold it openly now.

Erdan happily ran up to Mrs. Meng. “Grandma, are you good at picking watermelons? Did you thump it?”

“I did, I did. It should be sweet.” Mrs. Meng looked down at Erdan’s little upturned face and smiled. “Did you open the door for any strangers while you were home?”

Erdan felt a little guilty—Grandma had told them not to go out or open the door for anyone, but he had.

But—

“I opened the door for Mom,” Erdan said, eyes wide. “Me and my brother also helped a grandpa with Mom.”

Mrs. Meng was listening intently when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of bright pink.

She looked over and saw Su Qinghu and Dadan passing the hair clip between them. “What’s that?”

Su Qinghu and Dadan both froze and looked at Mrs. Meng.

Eye contact. Silence. Confusion. Realization. Calm.

In that instant, Su Qinghu suddenly understood—why were they sneaking around? As long as the birthday present wasn’t on her head, it wasn’t a problem!

She’d let Dadan lead her astray!

“This is the birthday present Erdan gave me,” Su Qinghu said, shaking the hair clip with a smile. “I was going to show you later.”

Dadan paused, then suddenly understood too.

It was fine for people to see the hair clip—after all, he wasn’t the one who gave it, so he wouldn’t be the one laughed at!"