Chapter 99
Outside, the wind was in chaos, and rain pattered steadily against the tent.
The two brothers spread out the waterproof mat and pulled out their uncles’ sleeping bags.
Not long after, Shen Zheng and Yi Qi jogged back and ducked into the tent.
Yi Qi wiped the rainwater from his face and quickly zipped the flap shut, afraid the rain might seep in.
A bright camping lamp hung from the tent wall, so the inside was far from dim.
Guanguan rummaged around, found two towels, and toddled over. “Uncles, dry off!”
“Oh, thank you, our little Guan.” Shen Zheng took a towel and rubbed his hair dry with a smile. “Good thing we helped your Teacher Xiao Mei get her tent set up, or all their luggage and sleeping bags would’ve gotten soaked.”
“Guanguan, look what this looks like.” Yi Qi didn’t use the towel to dry his face. Instead, with just a few quick folds, he shaped the white towel into something else.
Guanguan’s eyes lit right up. “Wow, a roast chicken that tastes like towel!”
“Hahaha, towel-flavored? Come on, hands up.”
Yi Qi gently placed the towel chicken into Guanguan’s palms. “Take it and play.”
Guanguan carefully carried the towel chicken back to his brother. “Brother, look!”
Yi Qi stole a glance at the two kids studying the towel chicken, then quietly leaned his wet head against Shen Zheng’s chest, his tone full of flirtation and shamelessness. “Aiya, I don’t have a towel anymore. Uncle Shen, dry me too.”
“You’re spoiled rotten.” Shen Zheng said that, but he still smiled and used his own towel to dry Yi Qi’s hair. When he finished, he pinched Yi Qi’s ear and said softly, “Soft ears.”
Yi Qi raised his head and gave a smug little snort. “That’s what people call being whipped by your wife.”
“Guanguan doesn’t whip salt. The salt is all with Brother!”
A babyish voice suddenly popped up between them.
Shen Zheng lowered his head and burst out laughing. “Hahaha, Guanguan, why are you back again?”
Guanguan held the now-loose towel creation and wore a troubled little expression. “The chicken turned back into a towel.”
Shen Zheng picked him up and kissed his chubby face. “Come on, Uncle will fold you another one.”
Wrapped around Shen Zheng’s neck, Guanguan waved at Yi Qi. His dark eyes were incredibly serious. “One Uncle, Guanguan really doesn’t have any salt.”
Yi Qi barely held back his laughter and waved him off. “Okay, okay, we won’t ask baby for salt.”
Yi Qi helped Wei Cheng tidy up the tent, while Shen Zheng and Guanguan turned everything foldable into roast chickens.
“Guanguan.”
Wei Cheng walked over and saw that even his towel and sweater had somehow become multicolored roast chickens. Helpless and amused, he said, “Grey Cub and Little Apricot are in the safe house. Let’s go in and check on them.”
At the mention of the dogs, Guanguan shot to his feet. “Okay, okay!”
The moment the brothers entered the cozy little home, a fluffy gray shadow launched itself at them.
“Grey Cub!”
Guanguan landed hard on his butt, his whole round little body wobbling three times.
The child didn’t care that it hurt. He wrapped both arms around Grey Cub and Little Apricot’s necks and smiled until his eyes curved into crescents. “Grey Cub! You’re so fat!”
Grey Cub’s beautiful glacier-blue eyes shifted, and he barked twice at the big black dog beside him.
Blackie made him fat! It was Blackie’s fault!
Guanguan rubbed his cheek against the fluffy dog head and whispered, “That’s true. Guanguan got fat because of Brother too.”
“Hm? I heard that.”
Wei Cheng had come close enough to hear. He patted both dogs evenly and smiled. “Not bad. While we were away, the two of you were taken very good care of.”
Little Apricot had fully grown into a steady, imposing dog, with sleek black fur, a powerful build, and strong shoulders. Standing up, he was already taller than Wei Cheng.
That was exactly why they hadn’t dared bring Little Apricot with them.
Wengming Mountain was full of all kinds of shady people. No one could say whether someone might set their sights on a dog as big as Little Apricot.
“Guanguan can play with the dogs. Brother is going to make our food and the dogs’ food.”
“Brother, does Grey Cub need to lose weight?” Guanguan hugged Grey Cub and patted his belly. His little brows furrowed with worry. “Guanguan is fat, and people say Guanguan has to slim down. Does Grey Cub need to too?”
Grey Cub twisted his plump little body and wriggled free, yapping twice in an adorably fierce way.
Your malice has been received! This dog does not need to lose weight!
Wei Cheng picked Grey Cub up and bounced him in his arms. “He is a little chubby. When we get back to the farm, we’ll ask Uncle Yi to check him over. For today, let’s just feed him normally.”
Though if Yi Qi saw him now, he would definitely call him a little meatball dog. After all, he used to say the same thing about Guanguan.
With Brother off making food for humans and dogs alike, Guanguan and the two dogs had a blast in the living room.
At first, it was all harmonious, but later Grey Cub started trying very hard to prove he wasn’t fat, gleefully chasing Guanguan around. And Guanguan, determined to prove he had successfully slimmed down—he had not—started dodging around clumsily every time the dog chased him.
The black wolf dog was stuck in the middle, not knowing which one to mediate with.
Some time later, the smell of food drifted out from the kitchen. One dog and one child had ended up collapsed side by side on the rug, little heads touching, both sound asleep.
When Wei Cheng came back in carrying two dog bowls, Little Apricot was in the middle of dragging a blanket off the sofa to cover Guanguan.
“Little Apricot, your food is here.”
Wei Cheng patted Little Apricot’s black head and smiled. “Go eat. Brother will take care of Guanguan.”
Apparently the word food was deeply embedded in both Grey Cub’s and Guanguan’s souls.
The two little ones’ legs twitched at the same moment, and they woke up together.
Grey Cub leaped up with a heavy thump and shot straight toward his bowl.
“Brother, where’s Guanguan’s food…” Guanguan hugged the little blanket and rubbed his eyes. “Then where’s Guanguan’s food…”
“Yours is ready too.”
Wei Cheng wrapped the sweaty little chub in the blanket and carried him into the kitchen.
The rich aroma made Guanguan’s eyes widen. “It smells so, so good.”
Wei Cheng turned off the heat and used his chopsticks to poke at the cooked rice cakes in the pot. “It’s ready. Let’s carry the pot out and eat.”
Sukiyaki was simple to make: heat the pot, add onions and scallions, melt in butter, stir-fry a box of sliced fatty beef until it changed color, then add whatever vegetables and mushrooms you liked, and finally pour in ready-made sweet-savory sukiyaki sauce with a little hot water.
Guanguan slapped the fridge twice. “Want juice. If no juice, baby will throw a fit.”
At some point, this little brat had learned to warn adults of the consequences before causing trouble.
Just yesterday in the car, Guanguan had squeezed into his lap, tilted up his little head, and grumbled, “Wei Chengcheng, hug Guanguan. If no hug, Guanguan will cry until the instant noodles are done.”
In Guanguan’s system of time, “until the noodles are done” meant five minutes.
“So, would a little orange juice be okay? Your mouth has been dry these last two days.”
Wei Cheng opened the fridge and took out a few round oranges. “How about that?”
Guanguan folded his little arms and thought. “Baby also wants strawberry juice!”
“Our strawberries are too sweet. If you drink too much strawberry juice, you won’t be able to eat dinner.” Wei Cheng bargained with him. “How about we put two strawberries into the orange juice?”
Guanguan had learned to negotiate now. “Three!”
Wei Cheng raised a brow. “One.”
“Three!”
Wei Cheng pulled out his big-brother authority. “Then maybe tomorrow.”
Guanguan clutched his little arms and panicked. “Two! Two!”
Wei Cheng patted his head with a laugh. “You really have grown up.”
Back when he was three, he’d been a silly little Guan. He was still a silly little Guan now, but every so often, something he said sounded almost like a little grown-up.
So this was what made raising a child so interesting.
Watching him go from clueless to knowing everything under heaven.
Guanguan hauled out his little stool with great effort and drooled as he stared at his brother cutting oranges.
Once the juice was made, the brothers each carried a cup of orange juice, and one of them carried the little pot out of the safe house.
Shen Zheng and Yi Qi hurried over to take the things from them.
“How are Little Apricot and Grey Cub?”
Wei Cheng smiled. “They’re great. One is fatter than the other. Grandpa and Aunt Su Min have been taking really good care of them.”
Outside, the wind and rain were maddening, and cold drafts slipped into the tent from every direction.
Luckily, they had a little heater from the safe house. Eating hot vegetables and beef from the pot, it all felt a lot more bearable.
That evening, Shen Zheng and the others were worried the two children’s bodies wouldn’t handle the damp mountain cold, so they told them to hurry into the safe house and not worry about the adults.
Wei Cheng, however, didn’t dare sleep yet. He stayed by the window of the cozy little house, watching the conditions outside.
If there was a flash flood, he needed to warn everyone in time.
Fortunately, past midnight, the downpour eased and the howling wind stopped. Only then did Wei Cheng finally relax enough to go back to bed.
The next day, the group packed up the tents and prepared to head for Wengming Mountain.
Everyone looked worn out except Guanguan.
Wei Cheng had stayed up late. The two uncles had barely slept because of the storm. The women from Rose Garden had it even worse: they had no heater, and both their tents and sleeping bags were of mediocre quality. By morning, quite a few of them were hoarse and listless.
Zhou Qing had also given up her stylish, intimidating black overcoat. Wrapped in a thick down jacket, she smoked and said, “Everyone take your fever medicine. Once we enter Wengming Mountain, they’ll definitely be taking temperatures first thing.”
“Little brat.”
Guanguan was squatting obediently nearby with his little dog cup, waiting for his brother and uncles to finish packing up the tent.
When he heard someone call him, he turned around and saw the pretty auntie.
Zhou Qing had already put out her cigarette and beckoned to him. “Come here.”
Guanguan stayed where he was. “Guanguan can hear Auntie talking from here.”
Zhou Qing laughed and pulled a lollipop out of her pocket. “Here, this is for you.”
Guanguan stretched his neck to look. Wow, green apple flavor!
But lately he wasn’t allowed to eat candy.
“Brother won’t let me.” Guanguan rubbed his plump cheek and said very seriously, “Brother says too much candy makes your teeth hurt!”
Zhou Qing walked over. “It’s okay. Eat it secretly. I won’t tell your brother.”
Guanguan shook his head firmly, making the fuzzy pom-pom on his hat bob. “You’re a grown-up. You can’t spoil children like that!”
Zhou Qing couldn’t hold back her laughter. “How are you this cute? No wonder they all want to hug you.”
“Guanguan.”
Wei Cheng turned around just in time to see Zhou Qing standing that close to him. He set down the schoolbag and strode over.
“Brother! Squat down!” Guanguan cupped his hand around Wei Cheng’s ear and tattled in a tiny whisper.
“Mhm, Brother knows. Guanguan resisted the temptation of candy. That deserves praise.”
Wei Cheng patted the little guy’s head, then looked at Zhou Qing. “Miss Zhou, I’m taking my little brother over first.”
Zhou Qing only smiled and waved at them.
“Boss Qing, what’s wrong?” Xiao Qiu’s voice was hoarse, as if knives were scraping her throat.
After thinking for a moment, Zhou Qing said, “Tell the girls that once we enter Wengming Mountain, they should keep some distance from the farm people.”
Their relationship with the farm was purely one of mutual benefit. When the people from Watchtower Community showed up, there would be no need for Rose Garden to get dragged into the mess.
Xiao Qiu opened her mouth to speak, then finally just said, “All right.”
After the downpour, the mountain roads were slick. From morning until afternoon, the group finally reached the foot of Wengming Mountain.
The hillside was fenced in with steel mesh. Iron barriers ran along both sides of the mountain road, and an army-green pickup truck was parked at the side.
A few people jumped down from the truck. The one in front had the face of a refined, scholarly man.
The man’s gaze passed over Shen Zheng and the others before settling on round-headed little Guanguan.
He let out a strange chuckle. “Manager Shen? You’re still alive?”
This man was none other than General Manager Qin from the Highland Shelter.
