Chapter 10: Backhand Grab!

"Xiaotao, grab two mugs and put these two milk ice pops in them. When your great-grandpa and great-grandma get back, they can have some sweet syrup."

Li Xiangdong's grandparents were old and couldn't handle cold things, but sweet syrup would be just right.

"Got it, Third Uncle," Li Xiaotao replied.

"Where's Li Xiaohai?"

Looking around, Li Xiangdong realized his son was missing—no wonder it felt like someone was absent.

Li Xiaomei answered, "Third Uncle, Xiaohai's being punished by Third Aunt, standing in the room."

Hearing about the punishment, Li Xiangdong figured his son must've caused trouble.

Thinking of how Li Xiaohai grew up with a hunched back like a little old man, he considered reminding his wife to make him stand against the wall properly.

Seeing his mom heading back inside, Li Xiangdong quickly grabbed a cream ice cream and handed it to her.

"Well, look at that, one for me? I didn't help with your work. Besides, I'm not meant for cream ice cream—a regular ice pop's fine."

Mother Li loved to play it off, saying no while secretly delighted. Her son's thoughtfulness made her eyes crinkle with a smile.

"You're my mom—how could I forget you? Enjoy it slowly, I'm going to check inside."

Li Xiangdong grabbed the paper bundle and headed out, eating an ice pop. He ran into his sisters-in-law, also eating ice pops, who thanked him.

After a quick exchange, he finished his ice pop in a few bites and tossed the stick into the courtyard.

Inside, he saw Li Xiaohai facing the wall, head down.

His wife sat on the kang, nursing their daughter, who had tear stains at the corners of her eyes.

He gently pinched his daughter's cheek. "Why the tears? Tell Daddy who bullied you, and I'll go beat them up."

Li Xiaozhu lifted her head from her mom's chest, squinting and pouting, pointing a tiny finger. "Daddy… beat… beat brother."

Then she buried her face back to nurse. His wife had plenty of milk—his daughter, at one and a half, was still breastfeeding.

Li Xiangdong looked at his wife. "What's this about?"

Zhou Yuqin, patting their daughter's back, said, "Your son came in while I wasn't looking, woke his sister, and told her you went to the co-op to buy ice pops, so she shouldn't sleep and should wait with him."

So that's what happened.

Li Xiaohai, just over three, thought of his sister when there was something good to eat. That deserved praise.

Though his method needed work, he was still young. This time, Li Xiangdong let it slide—no wall-standing for now.

"Son, come here."

Li Xiaohai shuffled over, looking pitiful. "Daddy, I didn't mean to make Sister cry. I was worried the others would eat all the ice pops, so I woke her."

Li Xiangdong patted his son's head. "Daddy's not mad."

He pulled an ice pop from the paper bag. "This is yours. Eat it quick."

Li Xiaohai held the ice pop but didn't eat. "Daddy, I want to play with the others."

"Go ahead, they're in the living room."

Kids loved eating together. He also wanted to shoo his son off—his hovering was getting annoying.

"Wife, this one's for you."

Once his son left, Li Xiangdong handed the last cream ice cream to Zhou Yuqin. "Eat it quick before it melts."

"I don't want it. You eat."

Zhou Yuqin saw his little gesture and felt a flicker of warmth.

"I already ate. Everyone else got theirs—this one's for you."

"Then save it for Xiaohai."

"Didn't I just give him one? You never let yourself have anything."

Li Xiangdong tore open the wrapper and held the cream ice cream to her mouth. "How is it? Sweet, right?"

"Mm."

Zhou Yuqin took a bite, her mouth filled with creamy sweetness. It was sweet on her tongue and in her heart.

"Eat… eat…" Li Xiaozhu saw her mom eating, her big eyes fixed on the ice cream. She stopped nursing, reaching out to grab it.

Zhou Yuqin swatted her daughter's hand. When she kept fussing, she warned, "You're too little to eat this. It'll give you a tummy ache, and the doctor will have to give you a shot."

Hearing about a shot, Li Xiaozhu quieted down, sitting calmly in her mom's lap, drooling.

"Daddy will melt some syrup for you later, okay?"

Li Xiangdong grabbed a cloth from the kang's edge, wiped her drool, and teased, "Such a greedy mouth, eating milk and still wanting more. If you don't want the milk, Daddy's gonna eat it."

"Daddy… Daddy… eat…"

"My girl's so sweet, looking out for her dad."

Zhou Yuqin savored her cream ice cream. Growing up in the countryside, she'd rarely had ice pops, let alone time to deal with her shameless husband's nonsense.

But when he leaned toward her chest, she dodged, blushing. "Are you crazy? In front of our daughter? Have you no shame? I do!"

Li Xiaozhu thought her parents were playing, shakily standing in her mom's lap, swinging her hands at Li Xiangdong. "Beat… beat you… giggle…"

"Not only does my wife misunderstand me, but my daughter's hitting me too. You two, no conscience at all."

Li Xiangdong, misjudged by his wife and smacked by his daughter, stormed out in a huff.

Two steps out, he spun back, reached into his wife's lap, gave a quick, precise pinch, grabbed the fan, and bolted out under her stunned gaze.

"Third Uncle, where'd you throw the ice pop stick?"

Li Xiangdong pointed. "Over there."

Following his finger, the kids rushed over. Li Xiaotao, the fastest, stomped on the stick, picking it up smugly under his siblings' envious eyes and pocketing it.

Li Xiangdong went to the water tank, rinsed the fan under the tap for a cool breeze, and asked casually, "You're collecting these to trade for ice pops, right? How many sticks for one now?"

He remembered collecting used sticks as a kid to trade for an ice pop, scouring the streets after school instead of going home.

Li Xiaojiang said, "Third Uncle, 200 gets you one ice pop."

"That many now?"

Back in his day, 100 was enough. Guess times were better now—more people eating ice pops.

"Your Third Aunt's got one too."

"No stealing it! I'm getting it from Mom!"

Li Xiaohai ran inside on his little legs, only to return dejected.

Li Xiaotao jogged over. "Xiaohai, got it? Hand over the stick—we're a team."

"Mom didn't give it to me. Xiaoqi's playing with it."

"No worries. When Xiaoqi's done, go ask your mom again."

"Okay, Xiaotao Brother, got it."