All the young lads from the Ruan Family had gone to school, and the Ruanlin Family had left early in the morning to clean up the building at the head of the village, leaving only Ruan Jiaojiao and Xiu Xi at home.
Ruan Jiaojiao believed she couldn’t outdo Liu Mei, so she frowned as she listened to her wail while eating her own breakfast. After filling up, she hugged Meatball and took Xiu Xi out through the back door, walking along the path to the head of the village, leaving her to continue her wailing.
The building was already finished, with a yard enclosed in front and at the back, occupying a large area, and was the most impressive structure of the team. Every day, people would come to check it out. Ruanlin Family was chatting with some folks when she saw Ruan Jiaojiao approaching and hurriedly went to greet her.
"Grandma, the aunt from next door is sitting at our doorstep crying, demanding compensation from us," Ruan Jiaojiao let Meatball down to get accustomed to the surroundings while updating the Ruanlin Family on the situation at home.
The Ruanlin Family scoffed and said grumpily, "Don’t bother with her; she’s just a crazy woman!"
With that, she led Ruan Jiaojiao with a smile to the group she had been talking to earlier. These were villagers who got along well with the Ruanlin Family and knew what she liked best. Naturally, they showered Ruan Jiaojiao with compliments, making her somewhat embarrassed, while the Ruanlin Family beamed happily.
After seeing off those few people, the Ruanlin Family checked the sky outside, estimated the time, and called out to Ruan Jianguo, who was discussing window measurements with the carpenter upstairs: "Jianguo, it’s getting late; we should head to the town."
They had agreed yesterday that today they would go to the town and the city to buy a batch of furniture.
"Right, I’m coming," Ruan Jianguo answered and spoke two more sentences with the carpenter before coming down from upstairs.
"Our precious girl is up! Come on, let’s go to the town for a stroll and buy some nice things for our precious girl," Ruan Jianguo exclaimed, picking up Ruan Jiaojiao.
"Are we going today?" Ruan Jiaojiao’s little face wrinkled, and she covered her mouth with her small hand. Having been to the town last time, she had grown fond of going there and enjoyed shopping, but she didn’t really feel like going now— she had lost a tooth! How embarrassing would it be if others saw?
Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao’s expression, the Ruanlin Family knew what she was thinking and laughed as she picked her up, telling Ruan Jianguo to get the tricycle ready. She spoke softly to Ruan Jiaojiao, coaxing her in front of the house: "Why can’t you get over that hurdle? Haven’t we said that no matter what, our Jiaojiao is the prettiest? Otherwise, ask Xiaoxi, right, Xiaoxi? Xiaoxi, what do you say??"
Xiu Xi immediately chimed in, with an expression of utter seriousness: "Yes!" He even nodded vigorously, as if worried Ruan Jiaojiao might not see him.
One was a grandchild-doting fanatic, the other an obsessive fanatic, and soon there would appear another girl-doting fanatic. She believed none of it!
However, she wasn’t a fussy cat, and since everyone was trying so hard to coax her, she would be unreasonable to keep refusing. She nodded her little head.
"That’s more like it. Summer’s here; we’ll buy several more dresses. Dressed up nice and pretty, when it’s time to go to school in September, we will be the most beautiful little fairy in the entire school!"
Thinking of such a scene, the Ruanlin Family became somewhat restless, eager to hop on the tricycle with Ruan Jiaojiao in her arms.
The tricycle’s rear seat had a few benches specifically for sitting.
The Ruanlin Family sat down, pulling Ruan Jiaojiao into her lap, while Xiu Xi climbed in on his own, sitting conscientiously beside them. Meatball, beneath the tricycle’s wheel, wagged its little tail wildly, excitedly hopping on its short legs, also wanting to climb aboard. But after Xiu Xi gave it a stern look, it immediately drooped its little head, pulling back.