The Sick Boy

Climbing a mountain is no easy task. Even the adults, including Ren, started to feel out of breath.

"Phew, I can't take it anymore. I need water!" Xixi's dad gasped, his face red as he set Xixi down. If Ren hadn't caught him, he might have fallen to the ground. "I'm getting old. I used to handle this kind of hike without breaking a sweat."

"Sure, sure," said the chubby boy's dad with a laugh, also panting. "Back in the day, I was almost selected for the national mountain climbing team."

The parents soon started exchanging exaggerated stories of their pasts.

Meanwhile, Yueyue walked up to her dad, holding out her small water bottle. "Daddy, have some water. It must be hard carrying me."

Ren looked at the bottle and felt a warmth in his heart. His little girl really was his sweet treasure.

Look at that—while the other kids were only thinking about themselves, his little angel thought of him.

Ren felt a surge of energy. "Such a good girl!" he said, ruffling her hair. "I'll buy you something nice when we get home."

Yueyue's eyes lit up. She had copied the scene from an anime, but now she was actually getting a reward!

The other kids, seeing this, also started offering their parents water. Whether it was because they saw Yueyue getting a reward or they genuinely wanted to help was up for debate.

But one child hadn't offered any water—chubby boy.

His dad hadn't carried him, and they had walked up together. So chubby boy drank his water alone, making his dad feel a bit embarrassed.

"Chubby, look at how well-behaved the other kids are, caring for their parents. Why don't you offer me some water?" he complained.

Chubby boy, in the middle of drinking, looked around and then at his dad. Mimicking his dad's tone, he said, "Dad, look at how well-behaved the other adults are, caring for their kids. Why didn't you carry me up the mountain?"

"Hey!" His dad was furious. How dare his son mimic him?

Thinking quickly, his dad put on a pitiful face. "Chubby, please give Dad a sip. Just one sip."

"Hmm..." Chubby boy thought about it, feeling a bit left out since the other kids had offered water. After a moment, he nodded. "Okay, just one sip."

"Just one sip," his dad agreed, taking the bottle. Under chubby boy's watchful eyes, his dad took one sip...and finished the entire bottle.

Chubby boy cried out in dismay, dropping to the ground in tears.

After a short break, Ren and the others felt a bit more rested and continued their climb.

This time, the group was quieter, saving their energy for the climb. Soon, they could see the platform and the faint outline of the pavilion at the top.

"Yueyue, keep going. We're almost there," Ren encouraged.

"Okay," Yueyue nodded, sticking close to Ren and steadily climbing until they reached the top.

Not many people had reached the summit yet. Ren led Yueyue to the edge, holding her hand to keep her safe. "Look, isn't the view amazing?"

Yueyue's face lit up with excitement as she looked at the misty scenery. "Yeah!"

"Remember, whenever you face challenges, think about today," Ren said, using the moment to teach a lesson. "You wanted to give up several times, but if you had, you wouldn't see this beautiful view. So, when you want to achieve something, don't quit when it gets tough. Keep going, overcome the obstacles, and you'll reach your goal."

Ren's words seemed a bit too complex for Yueyue, whose face showed confusion. Eventually, she tilted her head and said, "I don't understand."

Sighing, Ren simplified it. "It's like when you want a toy or a treat. Mom and I give you a lot of conditions. Only by meeting those conditions can you get what you want."

╮(～▽～)╭

"Oh!" Yueyue nodded vigorously. "Like when I wanted that life-sized Madoka toy last semester, and I had to go to bed by nine and study hard every day to get it. Why didn't you say that in the first place? Adults are so confusing sometimes."

As time passed, other kids and their parents arrived. Once everyone was accounted for, they began enjoying lunch.

Ren noticed something odd. The little boy who usually clung to Yueyue wasn't there.

Come to think of it, Ren hadn't seen him for a while. Initially, he thought the boy might have had a falling out with Yueyue or found new friends. But missing the spring outing entirely...

"Yueyue, where's that boy who always sticks with you?" Ren asked.

"He hasn't come to school for a long time," Yueyue replied after thinking for a moment.

"I heard he's sick," Xixi added.

Sick?

No wonder. But for him to be gone this long, it must be something serious.

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