Chapter 273

Xu Ran spent almost the whole afternoon telling the two children stories and teaching them the application of Thirty-six Stratagems. Then he listened to the two of them bickering for a while, and it was already evening time. Since Tangtang and Guoguo were back today, Red Mansion closed early. Gao Quan and Shao Yu also returned early.

When the father and his two sons came out of the house, they saw Baozi squatting down at the door alone, his chin on his hands.

Xu Ran walked up to him and asked, “Baozi, what’s wrong with you? It’s so cold. Why are you squatting outside the door?”

Baozi stretched out his hands for Xu Ran’s hug. Xu Ran held Baozi up and heard him saying, “I was waiting for you to come out. Daddy said that you had something to say to my brothers, so he asked me not to go in and disturb you. That’s why I was waiting at the door.”

Baozi looked innocent. Xu Ran touched his hands and found them cold. He asked him, “Did Daddy ask you to wait at the door? How long have you been waiting here?”

Seeing that Xu Ran seemed to be angry, Baozi told everything. But even if he had told the truth, Xu Ran didn’t let him off. He smacked Baozi on the buttock. “It’s been a long time since I last taught you a lesson, right? Do you still remember the feeling of catching a cold on our way here? Do you want to try it again?”

Although Xu Ran was giving Baozi a lesson, Baozi didn’t actually cry. Instead, he should be talking back, “Why are you getting mad at me? You’re clearly the wrong one. The moment my brothers got back, you’ve stopped talking to me. You guys haven’t spoken to me for the whole afternoon. I just wanted to be the first one you would see when you come out, so I’ve been waiting here.”

Baozi said in a righteous manner, but it sounded a little pitiful. He probably felt that he had been neglected, so he had been waiting at the door.

Seeing Baozi staring at him with eyes wide open and looking unconvinced, Xu Ran felt a little guilty instead, because he scolded Baozi without asking why.

Xu Ran stroked Baozi’s face and apologized to him, “Baozi, Dad’s wrong. Dad should have asked you the reason before scolding you. I apologize to you. Could you forgive Dad?”

Baozi’s eyes turned red immediately when he heard Xu Ran’s apology. He pounded Xu Ran’s shoulder gently with his tiny hands and complained, “Dad is bad. You scolded me without knowing the cause. I’ve put on a lot of clothes and won’t catch a cold. I just want to see you as soon as possible.”

Xu Ran held Baozi’s hands and coaxed, “Okay, it’s Dad’s fault. From now on, Dad will ask Baozi the reason before talking, alright?”

Baozi looked at Xu Ran with red eyes, as if he was asking Xu Ran if he was being serious.

Xu Ran nodded sincerely and promised, “I mean it. Don’t you believe Dad’s words? But Baozi, you have also done something wrong today. You could have just knocked the door if you missed us. Dad would open the door for you and let you in. Even if you don’t want to come in, you should wait inside the room. You can’t wait outside here. Do you understand?”

Baozi thought to himself. He had been squatting here for half an hour. There was no place for him to sit down, while the cold wind had been blowing from time to time. Daddy was busy cooking in the kitchen, and Yan Lan had gone back. There was no one Baozi could talk to, so he had felt wronged. Now Baozi heard Xu Ran’s words, and he nodded reluctantly.

However, Xu Ran lectured him and had him make a promise. After that, Xu Ran asked Tangtang and Guoguo to play with Baozi, while he went to the kitchen himself.

Seeing that Xu Ran had left, Baozi was so happy that he could play with his two brothers. But when he turned his head, he saw them giving him a meaningful look. Suddenly, a chill came creeping over Baozi and he wanted to flee, but Baozi could never run faster than Tangtang or Guoguo. Before he could move, Baozi was picked up and carried into the house. Baozi didn’t dare to say anything during the process.

Baozi found it impossible to escape his doom. He knew that it was useless to struggle, so he just gave up struggling.

Baozi had known his two brothers very well since childhood. Without their ideas, he couldn’t have been the head of the children of Xu Village.

When in peace, Tangtang and Guoguo spoiled Baozi, even more than Xu Ran and Liu Tong did, but when giving a lesson, they were much harder on Baozi than Xu Ran was. The only one in the family who wouldn’t punish Baozi was Liu Tong. Baozi was wondering if it would work if he rushed to the kitchen now and held Daddy’s thigh for help.

Of course, he was just thinking about it. After all, he didn’t even dare to move at present, nor did he knew what Tangtang and Guoguo would do.

However, Tangtang and Guoguo did nothing. The two of them started to talk about Thirty-six Stratagems. Baozi couldn’t hear them, nor was he able to interrupt, because he would be ignored anyway, no matter what he said. More importantly, he couldn’t go out even if he wanted to, so he could only stay in the house and listen to his brothers talking about something he didn’t understand.

Time went slowly by, and it was getting darker and darker outside. The smell of food was already in the air. Xu Ran lit the oil lamp in the yard, but didn’t call Tangtang or Guoguo or Baozi for dinner.

Tangtang and Guoguo was confused at first. Then they thought for a moment and figured out Xu Ran’s purpose. Xu Ran intended to punish Baozi. Since the two of them had played “the bad cop” for so long, neither of them minded playing a little longer.

The moment Baozi smelled the food, he began to say he was hungry. He even wanted to open the door and run out. However, having been ignored by Tangtang and Guoguo all the time, Baozi was still given a cold reception, so he could only put up with the hunger.

At this moment, Baozi also realized that his two brothers were punishing him for squatting at the door for half an hour this afternoon.

Baozi put on a bitter face and thought to himself. He had just squatted at the door for half an hour. Not only had he been taught a lesson by Dad, but he was also punished by his two brothers. What a cruel fate he had! The more he thought, the more wronged he felt. He almost started to cry.

Even so, this failed to soften Tangtang and Guoguo. Both of them kept on doing what they were doing, ignoring Baozi.

It was getting late, and Baozi was feeling hungrier, and also thirsty, while Tangtang and Guoguo were still minding their own business. Baozi had no other option but to compromise.

Baozi thought to himself. Didn’t Dad always say that he who suited his actions to the times was wise? Then he would be this wise man today!

Baozi went to Tangtang and Guoguo in a pitiful way and whispered, “Brothers, I know I’m wrong. I won’t do it again. Please let me out! I’m starving.”

Tangtang and Guoguo had clearly heard him, but they had Baozi repeat himself a few more times on purpose. At last, Baozi was almost roaring. Probably he was even heard from the yard outside. It was then that Tangtang and Guoguo got satisfied. They told Baozi that they had heard him and took him out of the room.

During dinner, neither Xu Ran or Liu Tong scolded Baozi. But there was still something different. Baozi was so sensitive that he found it out.

That was, Daddy didn’t pick out fishbone for him when Baozi was having fish. Daddy had used to pick out fishbone for him before. Although Dad would always ask Baozi to pick out fishbone himself after Daddy had processed one or two pieces of fish, the fish being treated today had all gone to the bowls of his two brothers’. They didn’t even bother ask him.

Looking frustrated, Baozi held his bowl and reflected on the mistake he had made.

He had a lively personality to begin with. The last thing he could put up with was being ignored when he talked to others. However, he had been ignored twice in a row today, and Baozi felt extremely anxious. But since he had made this mistake himself, Baozi could do nothing but play along.

After this uneasy dinner, Baozi pestered Liu Tong to apologize to him. Anyway, he said everything he could and made an apology in every possible way, but Liu Tong remained indifferent to him. Baozi knew that Daddy was really angry this time.

In the past, no matter what mistakes he had made, it was Dad who had punished him. Although Daddy would not intercede with Dad for him, he would definitely comfort Baozi afterwards. But this time, even Daddy ignored him. The more Baozi thought about it, the more wronged he felt. Finally, he started to cry.

Liu Tong’s heart softened and he was about to comfort him. At this moment, Xu Ran came in. He carried Baozi outside the door and put him down. Then he closed the yard gate and made sure no one would sneak in. After that, he turned to tell Baozi, who was crying out loud, “Since you like staying at the door, then stay at the door! When you realize what’s wrong with you, knock on the door. I’ll be waiting for you in the house.”

Hearing this, Baozi dared not cry anymore. No matter how bold he usually was, he was a child less than eight years old. He was so scared that he turned pale.

It was dark now. There was no one outside, but the lit lantern alone in the yard.

Baozi rushed towards Xu Ran immediately, held his thigh and cried, “Dad, I know I’m wrong. Don’t leave me alone in the yard. I won’t do it again. Dad, I know I’m wrong.”

Watching Baozi crying so miserably, Xu Ran softened, but still said in a harsh tone, “Didn’t I raise you better? You do nothing but cry when something happens. Come on and think of a way to solve the problem, alright?”

Hearing this, Baozi stopped making a sound at once. He bit his lip and tried hard not to cry. There were still tears in his eyes as he stared at Xu Ran with his eyes wide open.

After a while, Baozi probably didn’t really want to cry any more, and then he said, “Dad, I know what was wrong with me. I won’t make such a mistake in the future and I won’t cry over trifles. Dad, please forgive me, okay?”

The sobbing tone sounded adorable, but also particularly serious. Each member of the family was sincere when making a promise. It was Xu Ran who had had them develop such habits since childhood.

Hearing Baozi, Xu Ran grew tender, held him and said, “We’re not angry that you weren’t obedient, but that you didn’t take good care of yourself, you know? It’s freezing out there and you’ve squatted outside for so long. Tell me, how Dad and Daddy wouldn’t be angry?”

Head lowered, Baozi remained silent. Xu Ran did not go on either. After all that had happened today, this kid might have learned his lesson this time.