By common sense, she should have established a good relationship with all the families in the compound.
However, Feng Qingxue was not an overly enthusiastic person. She did not go door-to-door to visit everyone. Thus far, the families she was familiar with consisted of Guo Cui, Huang Xiuzhi, and Jin Zhuzhu Du Xiaotao. She recognised and had even been visited by others, but there were also those whom she had never met before, like Lu Zhaodi now facing her.
After hearing Lu Zhaodi’s words, Feng Qingxue casually said, "Girls have their own charms, whereas boys tend to be mischievous."
"As long as they are boys, even if they’re raucous, I’d still consider them good youngsters!" Lu Zhaodi commented, her gaze chasing after Xibao, "So plump, so handsome, if only he were my son."
Feng Qingxue glanced at Huang Xiuzhi who shook her head in ignorance; she too had no idea about Lu Zhaodi’s kind of personality.
However, Feng Qingxue immediately felt the need to be cautious.
No matter what, she couldn’t afford to let her son interact with Lu Zhaodi. Who knew what someone longing for a son like her might do to Xibao? She might seem affectionate towards Xibao now, but who could predict whether her envy might one day turn into resentment, inciting her to do something to ease her own feelings of frustration? The human heart is unfathomable, it’s always best to prevent problems before they occur.
"Sister, you continue chatting, I’ll go watch Xibao," Feng Qingxue promptly said.
Huang Xiuzhi laughed, "Alright, go ahead! If Little Stone refuses to play with Xibao, feel free to smack him. I won’t feel sorry for him."
"I can’t do that! It’s not right to discipline the kid using violence!" Feng Qingxue responded in amusement, before quickly heading towards Xibao who was playing happily with the girls. She stopped at a distance but didn’t interrupt.
Xibao saw her and shouted, "Mom!"
Running over like a cannonball, he took her hand and led her over to the girls. With the hand not clutching Feng Qingxue’s, he pointed at her and said to them, "Mom, my mom!"
The eldest of the girls exclaimed, "Auntie, you are so pretty, just like Xibao!"
"Hello, and thank you for playing with Xibao and looking after him." Feng Qingxue didn’t take it for granted that they would play with Xibao just because they were kids. Her respect earned her the girls’ approval immediately.
Xibao’s mom was really nice, gentle, and beautiful, and she treated them like equals instead of dismissing them as children.
She had heard that there were only nine girls among the thirty-plus children. All of them were present now. The oldest girl introduced herself, "Auntie, my name is Ding Lanlan, and I’m thirteen years old. Is Xibao his name? Not a baby?"
Feng Qingxue chuckled: "Hello, Lanlan. Xibao is his nickname. His full name is Lu Tianmao, but he only knows to call himself ’baby’."
Xibao was still unable to pronounce his own name properly.
"Mom, mom!" Little Tubby began rummaging through Feng Qingxue’s handbag.
"What’s wrong, baby?" Feng Qingxue squatted down, protecting her stomach, and balanced the handbag on her knee. "Do you want some water?"
Xibao shook his head, kept slapping her handbag, "Candy, candy! Mom, candy!"
Feng Qingxue then realised what he wanted. She opened up her bag. As soon as she pulled out her water bottle, two chubby little hands reached in, pulled out two milk candies, and handed one each to Ding Lanlan and another girl nearby. The rest of the girls, green with envy, stared at the candies. Despite being children of military families, a lot of them led restrained lives, with candies being something of a luxury.