Chapter 109: Xiaoxiao's Mission

On the third day of the National Day holiday, Su Tong got up early to make breakfast for his three younger siblings. As for his father’s portion, he didn’t bother— the old man was still fast asleep and wouldn’t be up before noon.

Su Tong was now earning money and could support the entire family on his own, but he hadn’t insisted that his father quit his job. Otherwise, the old man would just spend all day drinking.

Two years ago, an old friend whom Su Tong’s father had once helped and who had since prospered, approached him out of gratitude and invited him to Shenyang to manage a construction project at the managerial level. But Su Tong’s father was both unwilling to be subordinate and often drank when idle.

That poor friend hadn’t seen Su Tong’s father for ten years and didn’t realize the man had long since changed. After one drunken episode, Su Tong’s father nearly died. Unsurprisingly, the friend cut ties with him.

After finishing breakfast, Su Tong went into the room to wake his two sisters, who rubbed their eyes and looked quite pitiful. Su Tong couldn’t help but smile—children were always like this when waking up.

“小 Yu, take Xiaoxiao to the bathroom, or she’ll wet the bed again. If she wets the bed tonight, she won’t be allowed to sleep with brother anymore,” Su Tong warned. Xiaoxiao had wet the bed just two nights ago.

Xiao Yu struggled to open her eyes but obediently dragged Xiaoxiao outside. Su Tong left them alone and went to the study, opening the window. Behind the house was a small vegetable garden, offering a full view of the scenery inside and out.

He then returned, pulled off the cover from the piano, and sat down. A song that only existed in his past life began to play—deeply moving, it had come to mind because of last night. As he played and sang, his nose tingled with emotion.

Suddenly, his ears perked up. There was movement in his father’s room next door—his father’s spirit returned, quietly sobbing.

After finishing the piece, Xiao Yu and Xiaoxiao had finished washing up, and Su Tong stood up to go eat breakfast.

His father, after crying, fell silent. Whether he had fallen asleep or was simply too embarrassed to come out, Su Tong didn’t concern himself.

A new day began, and the three siblings happily ate breakfast. Halfway through, the sound of an engine came from outside the yard. Soon, Li Wen, wild and untamed in a short T-shirt and skirt, ran into the yard.

“Good thing I made it in time, I’m starving. Su Tong, make me a plate too.” Seeing only Su Tong and his siblings at home, she didn’t act like an outsider at all, plopping down beside Su Tong and loudly demanding food.

“Help yourself; that’s the way to be self-sufficient,” Su Tong said, breaking off a piece of steamed bun and eating slowly, his attitude toward Li Wen noticeably softer than before.

The night before, Li Wen had asked Su Tong to hang out today. Coincidentally, Wen Peiyan’s flight was at 5:45 p.m., and Su Tong had said he would pick her up. Since Li Wen drove over, it was convenient to give her a ride.

“Why are you...” Li Wen was used to being bossed around by her boyfriend and almost got angry, but she quickly realized her place and stopped herself. She obediently got her own bowl for porridge, milk, and steamed bun.

Fortunately, Su Tong had boiled an extra egg, so Li Wen got one too.

“My stomach isn’t great this morning; I can’t finish the bun, so you can have half. There’s too much milk; I can’t finish it either, so you can have half,” Li Wen said, tearing the bun in two and handing half to Su Tong, pouring half her milk into his cup.

Su Tong took the half bun, then poured some of his milk into Xiao Yu’s and Xiaoxiao’s cups. “Brother has to go out to run errands later. You two stay home and behave. I’ll be back at noon to cook lunch. Xiao Yu, watch over Xiaoxiao—don’t let her touch any electrical appliances. After you finish your homework this morning, practice piano for at least an hour. When you’re done, we’ll play a duet together. Once I have money, I’ll buy a violin too. Piano and violin duets—wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“Okay,” Xiao Yu obediently replied, but Xiaoxiao exclaimed, “Brother, I want to go too! I want to eat grilled fish!”

Su Tong laughed heartily. “Xiaoxiao, stay home and practice your calligraphy and painting. When you finish drawing those cartoon characters I taught you, you’ll get grilled fish.”

Xiaoxiao had perfect pitch but likely wouldn’t sing as well as Xiao Yu. However, she was talented in drawing; even when she used to doodle randomly, her work was better than that of children who had formally studied art. Su Tong only needed to teach her once, and she understood.

Last night before bed, Su Tong told Xiao Yu and Xiaoxiao a story that didn’t exist in this world. Later, he planned to have Xiaoxiao illustrate it so that all the children in Great Qin could see this tale of monster-slaying.

Xiaoxiao was eager and motivated. Hearing that drawing was for that great comic story, she no longer insisted on going out.

Su Tong had two tasks in the afternoon: signing a contract with the editor-in-chief and picking up Wen Peiyan. In the morning, he also needed to collect money as compensation for the family whose house was burned down by his father.

Li Wen’s job today was basically chauffeur, driving Su Tong to collect the money. After returning, Su Tong carried the money bag alone to that family’s house.

He came out shortly after.

“Uncle Deng, you all keep chatting. No need to see me off. Please bear with us in the future; my father’s business failed, and when he drinks, he’s not himself...” Su Tong apologized to the villagers who had accompanied him out.

“We’re all from the same place; we must stay harmonious. Little Tong, don’t blame us for what happened last time when your father was hurt so badly,” a burly man said, bare-chested and hearty. Though he was strong, much more robust than Su Tong’s father, who looked like a skinny monkey from years of drinking, even he would keep his distance when Su Tong’s father drank.

“I’m heading home now; they’re waiting for me to cook,” Su Tong said goodbye and wove his way back home along the village paths.

The adults only began talking after Su Tong disappeared from view.

“Money’s ruined him. Su Jinggang used to be a good man... sigh, how did it come to this?”

“That’s how men are—get a little money and get arrogant. Don’t talk about Su Jinggang; if you were in his shoes, you’d probably fall even harder.”

“Sigh, it’s just harsh on those three kids, having Su Jinggang as their old man.”

“Yeah, but little Tong is promising. So young and already making big money. I heard he’s even a celebrity.”

“...”

Su Jinggang, that was Su Tong’s father.

Back at home, Su Tong got busy cooking. Xiao Yu wanted to help but was sent to watch TV instead.

Li Wen, of course, didn’t want to leave, staying in the kitchen to watch Su Tong cook.

“Why didn’t Tongtong come with you?” Su Tong asked curiously while cooking.

Li Wen immediately got unhappy. Being with her, how could he mention another girl, and calling her “Tongtong” so intimately made her jealous. “Call me Wenwen from now on, and I’ll tell you.”

“That’s easy. Wenwen, spill it,” Su Tong said, adding soy sauce and stirring the vegetables without looking at her.

Li Wen was a bit unsure—why was Su Tong suddenly so easygoing? She thought it would take a long time for him to agree.

But when she thought about why Gao Litong wasn’t coming, she brightened. “Tongtong is grounded at home, not allowed out.”

Su Tong was slightly surprised. “Grounded? Does that kind of strict upbringing still exist nowadays?”

Li Wen realized she was too excited and quickly put on a sympathetic expression. “Tongtong said it’s that spoiled woman’s doing—she tattled to her parents about what happened the night before last. Tongtong’s mom is super strict—no dating in college, no staying out late... basically way too controlling. Look at the red BMW 1 Series my mom bought me. It’s only worth about 200,000 yuan, but it’s flashy, right? Tongtong’s mom said no car until graduation. Hmph, boys get raised poor, girls get raised rich. I don’t know what Tongtong’s mom’s thinking—controlling her like that but not worrying she’ll be bought off by a boy with a BMW...”

The car Li Wen drove today wasn’t her mother’s multimillion-yuan Maserati but the BMW her mom bought during summer break.

The “spoiled woman” Li Wen mentioned was Yang Feifei—Su Tong knew exactly who she meant.

He hadn’t expected Yang Feifei to really tattle. Women were truly unpredictable.

“Lalala, lalalala...” Su Tong’s phone suddenly rang. The ringtone was the song Xiao Yu sang—“Catching Loaches.”