"Brother, this dish is so fragrant, it's delicious." At the dining table, Wang Shiyu's small mouth was greasy, and her chubby little hands, not very skilled with chopsticks, held a piece of chicken as if it were a treasure. The big meal her brother promised to make for her was indeed fantastic, even better than she had imagined.
Quietly sitting beside her and wiping her mouth with a napkin, An Jing smiled and said, "Take your time; no one is competing with you."
"But, brother's dishes are too delicious. If I don't eat quickly, my stomach will be filled up." Wang Shiyu earnestly explained, causing both Ye Chui and An Jing to burst into laughter.
Ye Chui smiled and called out, "An Jing, you should eat too. If it gets cold, the taste will change."
"Okay." An Jing nodded, but she first picked up a piece of chicken for Ye Chui before starting to use her chopsticks. After taking a bite, she showed an expression of enjoyment and then looked at Ye Chui with surprise. "Brother, I've never eaten something this delicious before. What is this dish called?"
"It's called Big Plate Chicken." Ye Chui grinned. Of course, he didn't forget to conceal his identity and continued, "I recently learned how to make it. If you like it, eat more. This dish is even more delicious when served with noodles or rice."
The three siblings finished their lunch. Wang Shiyu's little belly was now full, but being an energetic child, she was probably meeting her friends at school for games. She put down her chopsticks and eagerly prepared to leave.
An Jing stayed behind to help Ye Chui with washing the dishes and, later, preparing lamb skewers for the evening. It had become a habit for her to assist with the skewers, so she didn't join Wang Shiyu in going to school. The distance to the school was only two blocks away, so there was no need to worry about any accidents.
Before Wang Shiyu left, An Jing gave her some thoughtful advice, "Be careful on the way, don't play anywhere else, and don't accept things from strangers..."
"Sister, I know all that. No need to remind me." Wang Shiyu smiled and said, "If I meet a bad person, I'll recognize them."
"Alright, you're quite clever." An Jing smiled and patted her little head.
Wang Shiyu grinned, and then she ran off, calling out, "Goodbye, sister. Goodbye, brother."
While the three were finishing up with the dishes, they began preparing the lamb skewers. Bamboo sticks were bought specifically for this purpose, and although they were quite cheap – only around twenty yuan for a thousand – making a thousand skewers for the evening required effort. An Jing wanted to help Ye Chui, so she stayed behind.
Meanwhile, on the street, Wang Shiyu, carrying her schoolbag, skipped toward her school, still savouring the taste of the Big Plate Chicken she had earlier. However, if she could have a lollipop right now, it would be perfect. Unfortunately, when she touched her small pocket, she realized her pocket money had already been spent yesterday...
Just as she was about to sigh, she suddenly heard a man's voice next to her.
"Little girl, do you want a lollipop?"
Looking up, she saw a chubby man in his thirties blocking her path, holding a lollipop in his hand. He had a very kind smile and said to her very amiably – this man was none other than Tian Xiaodu.
Wang Shiyu raised her head, her eyes fixed on Tian Xiaodu's face for a while before shifting to the lollipop in his hand. After glancing back and forth a few times, she suddenly burst into a sweet smile. "Yes."
Seeing Wang Shiyu accepting the lollipop without any suspicion, Tian Xiaodu felt pleased. Children were usually less guarded, so he considered using this little girl as a breakthrough, building a good relationship with her, and then approaching her brother. He couldn't believe that he, with his friendly and approachable face, couldn't win the other party over and get the recipe willingly.
Thinking about this, Tian Xiaodu continued to speak kindly to Wang Shiyu, "Are you going to school? Shall I accompany you?"
Wang Shiyu nodded vigorously, "Okay, uncle, you are a really good person."
"Hehehe..." Tian Xiaodu smiled happily. Being praised by a seven-year-old girl felt quite comfortable, and he continued, "Then tell me where your school is, and I'll show you the way."
"It's over there, uncle. I'll guide you." Wang Shiyu sweetly replied.
So, with Wang Shiyu leading the way, Tian Xiaodu followed her towards the school. Along the way, Tian Xiaodu tried his best to show his kind and friendly side. Passing by a small supermarket, he even pulled Wang Shiyu inside to buy a bunch of snacks. Wang Shiyu didn't hesitate and bought all the things she usually wanted to eat but couldn't due to insufficient pocket money. When they left the small supermarket, her hands were full of heavy bags.
Although Tian Xiaodu didn't mind spending this small amount of money, seeing Wang Shiyu's sweet smile, he also felt quite satisfied. He thought that approaching her brother through this little girl was definitely a success. Listening to the sweet sound of the girl calling him 'uncle' was so pleasant... Hmm, where have they arrived?
Lost in thought, Tian Xiaodu suddenly froze when he found Wang Shiyu had stopped walking. However, this wasn't a school; it was...the West District Police Station?
Perplexed, he saw a mischievous smile appear on Wang Shiyu's cute face. Then, this little girl suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs, "Police uncles, come quickly, help me! A weirdo is trying to abduct me..."
Tian Xiaodu's face turned pale, and he hurriedly grabbed Wang Shiyu's shoulder, "You... What are you saying?"
Two policemen who had just finished lunch rushed over upon hearing Wang Shiyu's shout. Vigilant, they quickly pulled Tian Xiaodu away, "What are you doing!?"
"I...I didn't try to abduct her; I just..." Tian Xiaodu panicked and began explaining.
"Police uncles, I don't even know this weirdo. He gave me a lollipop without my consent and bought me so many things. He must have bad intentions...Sob, police uncles, I'm so scared." Wang Shiyu started wiping her eyes while speaking.
This adorable little girl's act was irresistible. Seeing her in this state, the hearts of the two policemen softened. One of them quickly comforted her, "Don't be afraid, little girl. The bad guy has been caught by the uncle."
"Misunderstanding, this is all a misunderstanding..." Tian Xiaodu hurriedly tried to explain.
"You better be honest!" The other police officer was less polite and gave him a stern look. "Giving lollipops for no reason, and buying so many snacks? Your intentions are clear, you bastard pedophile. Let's see how we deal with you later!"
"I...I...I'm really innocent..."
Tian Xiaodu's chubby face showed an indescribable sense of injustice. The police officers, without any hesitation, pushed him into the police station. When he turned around in a panic, he happened to see Wang Shiyu's face revealing a sweet smile. She hadn't shed a tear after crying so pitifully just now. She proudly shook the bag of snacks she was holding, as if flaunting her spoils – this little devil! Tian Xiaodu immediately confirmed this in his heart.
At six in the evening, Ye Chui helped his two younger sisters prepare dinner and was ready to set up the stall. As they reached the entrance of the residential area, Ye Chui saw An Jing bringing Wang Shiyu back from school. When Wang Shiyu spotted Ye Chui, she happily ran over, triumphantly telling him, "Brother, brother, I caught a weird uncle today!"