After Descending the Mountain, Seven Big Brothers Spoil Me - Chapter 643

Chapter 643: Shutting Oneself In
This was perhaps the most formidable threat to a child. Feeling afraid? Well, Ma Hao indeed felt a bit apprehensive.

It wasn’t so much about fearing Zhouzhou herself, but rather the thought of her ignoring him. The little girl was quite amusing, endearingly soft and cute, and sometimes a bit of a little comedian.

Life would be much less enjoyable without her presence. Seeing the little one getting anxious, Ma Hao ceased teasing her and gently patted her small head. “Alright, alright, I won’t say anything.”

Only then did Zhouzhou breathe a sigh of relief, turning her head to look at Grandma Qin and the others, who wore expressions of curiosity, clearly eager to know.

Suddenly feeling tangled, she nervously asked, “Grandma, Dad, can I not say it?” She didn’t want to deceive them, but if she spoke… they would definitely laugh at her!

Just like those uncles and older brothers did back on the island, laughing almost to the point of shaking!

“Alright, alright, you don’t have to say it,” Grandma Qin didn’t press further, seeing her granddaughter so distressed.

Later, when they coaxed her back to her room, Grandma Qin immediately approached Ma Hao. “Quick, tell me, what milk and who is ‘Xinbao’?”

“Xinbao is a panda, and milk is the milk that Xinbao drinks. Because Xinbao grows fast, Zhouzhou thought it was because of the milk and wanted to grow taller, so she sneaks to drink milk at night.”

“…” Grandma Qin, Qin Lie, and the rest of the Qin family burst into laughter.

In the room, Zhouzhou’s face froze. That familiar laughter, they must have found out! Uncle Ma is bad, he promised not to say anything. Deceiving children.

Zhouzhou buried herself in the bed, her face hidden in the covers like a quail. She decided that from today onwards, she wouldn’t leave the room!

As long as she didn’t see anyone, she wouldn’t embarrass herself. Yes, that’s what she’d do!

With that in mind, Zhouzhou’s little head burrowed deeper into the covers.

As soon as Qin Lie entered, he saw Zhouzhou curled up in the bed, wriggling under the covers. He raised an eyebrow. “Zhouzhou, what are you doing? Aren’t you hot?”

Upon hearing his voice, Zhouzhou froze, then immediately pressed down on the corners of the blanket. Her voice came from under the covers. “Dad, I’m not hot. From now on, let’s talk through the blanket, okay?”

“Why?” Qin Lie furrowed his brow.

This time, Zhouzhou didn’t speak. With her chubby face pressed against the blanket, she felt gloomy.

After a while, Qin Lie still hadn’t received a response, and he couldn’t help but feel worried.

He approached to pull the blanket away, but Zhouzhou, like a startled bird, clutched the blanket tightly, “No, no, I don’t want to see Dad anymore.”

Qin Lie tried to tug the blanket, but the little girl’s strength surprised him. He didn’t want to hurt her, so after a moment’s thought, he simply scooped her up along with the blanket.

Zhouzhou’s head popped out all of a sudden. She blinked in surprise, then realized Qin Lie’s presence and immediately tried to grab the blanket.

But Qin Lie was one step ahead, holding her chubby little hand. His brow furrowed. “You never want to see me again? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, no,” Zhouzhou shook her head repeatedly. “It’s because I’m stupid. Waaah, you must all know about me sneaking to drink Xinbao’s milk, and you’ll all laugh at me.”

At this point, Zhouzhou shrunk back into the blanket. Now Qin Lie finally understood what was going on.

So, it turned out the little girl was growing up and starting to care about her image. It wasn’t a big deal after all, and he felt relieved.

He pinched her chubby cheek and said, “How could that be? Our Zhouzhou is the smartest. You’re so young yet already skilled in medicine and metaphysics, a talent sought after by all families. I’ve never met anyone smarter than you.”

Hearing this, Zhouzhou’s eyes sparkled, and her head lifted. “So Dad won’t laugh at me for sneaking to drink Xinbao’s Pot Milk?”

“Of course…”

Qin Lie intended to say “of course not,” but suddenly, an image flashed in his mind, and he couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Zhouzhou’s face immediately fell.

She knew it! Everyone laughed at her. She, Qin Caicai, at such a young age, had already accumulated so much embarrassing history.

Clutching the blanket, Zhouzhou quietly covered herself again. “Dad, you should go. I’m too ashamed to see anyone.”

Hearing this, Qin Lie couldn’t help but smile again. This little kid, so concerned about her image.

He gave Zhouzhou’s little pigtails a gentle squeeze through the blanket and slowly asked, “So, you’re planning to stay in this room from now on? We can bring food and drinks right to your door, but if you do that, you won’t be able to fight anyone, you won’t be able to go out and play, and you won’t become a little rich lady. Are you okay with that?”

As soon as she heard the word “rich lady,” Zhouzhou’s lucky buns twitched.

Right! She hadn’t become a little rich lady yet!

No, no, she had to work hard to make money.

With that thought, her little head popped out from under the blanket, but then, remembering that everyone had laughed at her, she hesitated again.

Seeing her about to shrink back, Qin Lie quickly tossed the blanket aside and scooped the chubby little girl into his arms.

Gently patting Zhouzhou’s back, Qin Lie spoke softly, “A blanket’s got nothing on Dad’s embrace.”

“Zhouzhou, you don’t need to worry so much. Everyone has their past embarrassments. We laugh about it and move on. No one will keep remembering it.”

Zhouzhou lay in his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, feeling safe. Her short legs kicked lightly. “Does Dad have embarrassing history too?”

“Of course.” Qin Lie nodded calmly, recalling, “When I was a child, I watched martial arts dramas and wanted to learn the light-footed techniques. So, I stood on the wall and tried to jump down.”

At this point, Zhouzhou’s heart tightened. “And then?”

Qin Lie shrugged. “Then I broke my leg. I lay in the hospital for over a month. Your uncles would mock me after school, and your grandmother gave me a good scolding.”

Zhouzhou was dumbfounded. She never imagined that her mature and steady father had been such a mischievous child.

Well, she was her father’s daughter, so having a bit of a shady past was normal. Like father, like daughter!

With that thought, Zhouzhou felt much calmer.

“Dad, can you put me down now?”

“Do you feel better?”

“Yeah!” Zhouzhou patted her little chest. “Sure, it’s nothing. I’m going to be a little rich lady in the future. What’s a little incident like this? I’m not afraid at all.”

Indeed, she was his daughter.

Qin Lie nodded approvingly, bent down, and put Zhouzhou on the ground.

Zhouzhou, head held high, swung her chubby arms and crab-walked out of the room.

As soon as she opened the door, everyone in the living room turned to look at her. Even though they didn’t say anything, the words “Pot Milk” were written all over their faces.

Zhouzhou hesitated for a moment, then abruptly changed direction and ran back into her room. She slammed the door shut, threw herself onto the bed, and buried herself in the covers again.

Sigh… still too embarrassed to face the world!