The Main Characters Won't Stop Pampering Me!-Chapter 104: Did You Have Fun?

He realized, with a start, that his grandfather, the man he feared and admired most, actually enjoyed his life.

He enjoyed the tea, the gardens, and the "exemplary" work of Luo Ming. His grandfather didn’t rule by being a statue; he ruled by being a man who knew the value of everything, including a good dessert.

Huaijin watched him out of the corner of her eye. She saw the way he was actually eating now, not just performing.

He’s still a mystery, she mused. But at least he’s a mystery with a blood-sugar level that won’t lead to a nervous breakdown. In her past life, she had never seen this side of him. She had never seen him messy, or embarrassed, or human. By shoving that sweet into his mouth, she hadn’t just given him a snack; she had cracked the shell he was hiding in.

She felt a surge of warmth. This trip to the Manor, which had started with the threat of Xu Meilin and the pressure of the Chairman, was turning into something else entirely. It was a reclamation. She was reclaiming her father’s peace, Yuanying’s joy, and perhaps, even Song’s childhood.

"Huaijin," Song said quietly, his voice catching her attention.

"Yes?"

"Don’t tell Father about the... the ’shoving’ part," he said, looking away, his face turning a deeper shade of red.

Huaijin grinned, her eyes sparkling with a secret mischief. "Don’t worry, Song. What happens in the library stays in the library. As long as you agree to come to the picnic and participate in the scavenger hunt without acting like a marble bust."

Song paused, the strawberry macaron halfway to his mouth. He looked at Yuanying, who was nodding vigorously.

"I... I suppose I can adjust my schedule for a strategic outing," he conceded.

"Perfect!" Huaijin cheered.

She leaned back in her chair, feeling like the most successful six-year-old in the history of the world. She had a bag full of rare books, a belly full of premium cake, a grandfather who was currently investigating her enemy, and two cousins who were finally starting to act like her friends.

Life as an "extra" was, quite frankly, turning out to be much more fun than being the main character.

The library was very quiet again, but it was a happy quiet now. It wasn’t the scary, cold quiet that made your tummy feel tight.

Instead, it smelled like vanilla sugar and chocolate, and the air felt warm, like a big hug. Huaijin sat back in her chair, her legs swinging back and forth, feeling very, very proud of herself.

She had finished her "mission" to fill her cousins’ tummies with the bestest treats in the whole world, and now she could just be a little girl again.

She watched Yuanying lick a tiny bit of pink frosting off her thumb with a big, silly grin.

And even Song, who always tried to act like a boring grown-up, had a tiny chocolate smudge on his cheek and didn’t look so grumpy anymore.

’Yes!’ Huaijin thought.

’Just like that, eat well, live well, and take care of your mental health! You guys are gonna be the pillar to my safe escape route late on after all!’

While her cousins started to look at their big, heavy books again, Huaijin reached into her little bag and pulled out her favorite box of bright crayons and a stack of white paper. She didn’t want to read about old kings or boring numbers anymore.

Her brain was tired from being so smart, so she decided to do what six-year-olds do best: draw a very messy picture.

She grabbed a black crayon and started making big, wiggly loops.

"This is a big, mean snake," she whispered to herself, thinking about that lady Xu Meilin. She gave the snake pointy hair and a frowny face.

Then, she took a bright yellow crayon and drew a big, glowing sun right over the snake’s head to make it go away.

Next, she drew a tall man with a messy head, who was her Daddy!

She gave him a purple cape because he was the strongest hero. Beside him, she drew a tiny circle with pigtails and a big, toothy smile, that was her!

She made sure to draw a giant cupcake in her hand, bigger than her whole head.

She was so busy coloring outside the lines on purpose that she didn’t even notice the big doors opening.

Mr. Shen, the teacher, walked back into the room with his glasses sliding down his nose. He expected to see the usual: Chi Yuanying looking worried and Chi Song looking like a statue. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Usually, teaching the Chi children was like trying to teach sunshine to stay in a box, it was all rules and no fun.

But when he looked at the table, he blinked.

"Oh my," he murmured.

Yuanying wasn’t chewing her lip or looking like she wanted to cry. She was actually humming a little tune while she wrote down her history notes!

And Song?

Song was sitting tall, but his shoulders weren’t up to his ears. He looked... relaxed. Like he had just had a really good nap.

Mr. Shen walked over, his shoes making soft tap-tap sounds on the rug.

"Well now," he said with a kind little laugh. "Did a fairy visit the library while I was gone? You two look like you just won a gold medal!"

Yuanying looked up, her eyes sparkling like stars.

"Mr. Shen! We had the special sweets!" she chirped, her voice high and happy. "The ones Luo Ming only makes for Grandpa! Huaijin shared them with us! I had a macaron that tasted like a flower, and it was so, so yummy!"

Song didn’t say anything, but he nodded his head and gave a tiny, shy smile.

Mr. Shen was very surprised. He knew how strict the rules were in this house. The exclusive sweets were like secret treasures that children weren’t allowed to touch.

He looked over at the little "ball of happiness" sitting at the end of the table.

Huaijin was leaning over her paper, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth as she worked very hard on a blue dragon. She looked so small and so sweet, like a little doll.

’Is it because of her?’ Mr. Shen wondered.

He had taught many children, but he had never seen a six-year-old change the "weather" of a room so fast.

Usually, Yuanying was always comparing herself to others and feeling sad because her daddy was so stern. But today, she wasn’t jealous. She was just... happy to be with her cousin.

She’s like a little sun, Mr. Shen thought. She shines on everyone, and then they start to shine too.

Mr. Shen watched Huaijin for a minute. He noticed that while she was drawing "childish" things, she was doing it with a lot of focus. She wasn’t just scribbling; she was telling a story on that paper.

He remembered how she had talked earlier. She used big words, but in a way that sounded like she really understood them.

She was cleverer than the older kids, and it wasn’t just because she was a "genius." It was like she knew exactly how to make people feel better.

It must be her father’s genes, the teacher mused. Professor Yuanfeng is a giant in the world of science, but this little girl... she has a different kind of smarts. She understands people’s hearts.

He felt a little sad thinking about the big, scary Chi family. This little bird was so bright and free. He wondered what she would become if she could just keep soaring without anyone trying to clip her wings.

He hoped she would never have to grow up too fast, even though she already seemed to know so much.

Just then, a very familiar voice echoed from the hallway.

"Is my little dragon ready to go home?"

Huaijin’s head popped up like a little prairie dog. "DADDY!"

She scrambled out of her chair, her drawing fluttering to the floor, and ran toward the door. Yuanfeng was standing there, looking a bit tired from his "boring meeting" with Grandpa Chi.

He looked like a normal, messy professor in his slightly wrinkled shirt, but to Huaijin, he was the King of the World.

Yuanfeng caught her as she flew into his arms, lifting her high and spinning her around. Huaijin giggled, her high-pitched laughter filling the library and making even the old books feel younger.

"Did you have fun?" Yuanfeng asked, kissing her forehead.