Bai Da smiled, took the bowl, and pinched a piece of potato. Mm, it was cooked. Although it wasn't as delicious as Bai Zhi's cooking, it was indeed cooked.
"Really tasty ah, Xixi is amazing. To make it this tasty on your first try. When Bai Zhi first did it, it was so burnt it couldn't be eaten. In the end, it just had to be rinsed repeatedly in water before it could barely be eaten."
How old was Bai Zhi back then? She seemed to be six, right? They weren't home, and little Bai Zhi was alone, standing on a stool and trying to cook, doing household chores.
"Really?"
Xixi raised her head, her big eyes shining brightly, seeming to regain confidence because of Bai Da's words.
She trusted Bai Da so much.
Bai Da felt a warm feeling in his heart watching her. Xixi would always be like a little cotton-padded jacket, making his heart feel warm.
"Definitely, Xixi made really tasty food. And, this fish mint, weren't you going to sell it? Why did you use it to make a cold dish? You all work so hard; you can't do this next time."
Bai Da felt a pang of heartache. The fish mint which the three children had dug up under the scorching sun, just to be eaten, he found it too pitiful!
Xixi picked up some meat with her chopsticks for Bai Da, along with plenty of fish mint, her mouth curving into a sweet smile.
"Dad, giving you food doesn't hurt at all. Dad works hard to make money. Tomorrow, we're going to sell the fish mint to buy dad some wine to drink, and maybe get something tasty for sister. She's hurt and needs nutrition."
Xixi's well-behaved demeanor made Bai Da even happier, and he ruffled her little head until her hair was all messy.
Xixi looked somewhat sullen, pouting her lips in a pitiable manner.
"Dad, you've messed up my hair. Dad, please go bring sister back. It's because of me that she got hurt, I feel so bad, and I miss her so much."
Xixi sat beside Bai Da, holding his hand, blinking her eyes expectantly at him.
Bai Da felt troubled. He knew his father's temperament; once a decision was made, it wouldn't change. And Xixi was being so good, even saying she missed Bai Zhi...
"Dad, Bai Zhi should come back. Otherwise, we can't manage everything at home, nor can we dig up fish mint. Even if she doesn't help us, she should at least tidy up the house, right? The money we make is still going to be spent on snacks for her."
Bai Ye snorted coldly, eating his meal and speaking through clenched teeth.
He was very angry with Bai Zhi this time. It was clearly her fault, and yet she had caused such trouble, making even Xixi feel aggrieved.
Which one of them hadn't fallen when they were young?
Who hadn't got up after being battered and bruised? Only she was so precious, not only going to grandpa's, but also getting two hundred yuan from dad—that was their tuition fee.
"Bai Ye!"
Bai Da slammed his chopsticks down onto the bowl with a snap, startling Xixi so much that she quivered.
"Dad, you scared little sister!"
Bai Yu frowned and looked at Xixi with immense tenderness.
Xixi quickly shook her head and tugged at Bai Da.
"Dad, don't be angry. Brother didn't mean that. He just feels for you, we all understand, how you earn money every day carrying cement. Dad, I can stop going to school. Please don't carry cement anymore."
Tears shimmered in Xixi's eyes as she looked at Bai Da with deep concern.
For Xixi, having dad bring her home, giving her a new home, and her brother being so good to her, she was truly happy and wanted to do something for them. If it meant that her dad had to work so hard because of her, she would rather not go to school.
"What nonsense is Xixi talking about? Education is a must. All three of you children need to study. Only through education can you make something of yourselves, find stable jobs, and not have to worry for the rest of your lives. Dad's got plenty of strength and isn't afraid of hard work."
After consoling Xixi, Bai Da's gaze turned to Bai Ye, his eyes glaring angrily at him,
"Bai Ye, you're also responsible for Bai Zhi's injury. You should know that your sister had to get several stitches on her forehead. It's only right that she gets nourishment. How could you say such things? Yes, she did something wrong, and you could tell me, but you shouldn't speak to her like that. She's your sister, understand?"
Bai Da didn't want there to be any estrangement between the siblings. Indeed, Bai Zhi was at fault this time, but that wasn't a reason for Bai Ye to talk to her in that way,
It was his responsibility as a father to pay their tuition fees,
Whether it was Bai Ye, Bai Yu, or Xixi, it was the same for all,
"Also, Bai Zhi is taking care of Grandpa, who is getting old. I can't take care of him, and to not do so is unfilial. Bai Zhi helping me in this regard is a good thing, got it?"
He hoped his children wouldn't become estranged because of the past incident. Since when did siblings hold grudges overnight?
They are the closest people to each other!
"Oh..."
Bai Ye responded indifferently, not wanting to continue this topic any longer. Both father and son were unable to persuade each other. He knew one thing – if it weren't for Bai Zhi, Dad wouldn't have to carry cement every day, and they wouldn't have to waste time cooking at home, which would allow them to earn more money.
"Brother, eat quickly,"
Xixi, in her innocent charm, was serving him food, and slowly, Bai Ye's face began to show a bit of warmth,
Perhaps this slightly burnt meal was actually quite delicious – wouldn't it be nice to change tastes occasionally?
...
Bai Zhi, of course, had no idea about Bai Ye's grievances against her, and even if she did, she wouldn't take them to heart.
She was destined to reach the pinnacle of life and protect the female protagonist forever, so it had nothing to do with her.
What she was looking forward to now was... well, getting up early tomorrow, then frying some French fries, selling all the Green Bean Cakes and fries, and if she sold everything, she would definitely buy a duck to eat.
She saw the ducks at the neighbor's house and they looked pretty good. As a food lover, how could she not try them?
Why earn money? Of course, to be able to buy more delicious food!
...
Upon waking up, Bai Zhi didn't know what time it was, only that it wasn't bright yet, but it must be close since the roosters were already crowing.
It's really inconvenient not to have a watch. Nowadays, watches, whether wristwatches or digital, must be expensive. But she would get used to it.
Later, when she earned money, she'd buy a digital watch to check the time.
Ah, there are so many things she wanted to buy but just didn't have the money for. It really was poverty!
Nevertheless, after lying in for a while, Bai Zhi got up quickly to set up the stove, put oil in the pan, and start frying French fries. Then she packed them into paper bags one by one.
When Bai Dan got up, Bai Zhi had already packed everything and was now dozing off on the small dining table in the kitchen. In the pot was her prepared breakfast: noodles with tomato and egg. One egg and one tomato were cooked into a soup, and then the noodles were put in,
The noodles fully absorbed the flavor of the tomato and egg soup, making them especially delicious. She then topped it with a handful of chopped green onions, and it tasted fantastic.
Bai Dan felt a pang of heartache. How early had Xingxing gotten up? She had slept deeply last night because she was tired. She wouldn't be able to do this in the future.