Xu Qingfan took the leftover food, along with the bones and scraps, downstairs to feed the dogs. A few dogs that were loitering nearby swarmed over as soon as they saw someone bringing them food.
These dogs used to guard the factory gates, and after the factory closed down, they were transferred to guard the residential compound. Over the years, there had never been a single theft reported.
A few dogs took turns sniffing the food waste Xu Qingfan had poured out. Except for a notably larger yellow dog that started eating, the others went back to their resting spots.
Xu Qingfan was very pleased, "Dahuang is the best, what's with the others!"
When passing by Xia Xiaoxiao's house again, the little girl was sitting at the table, concentrating on her homework.
"Hello, Aunt Lin," Xu Qingfan greeted Xia Xiaoxiao's mother with a smile.
"Ah! Qingfan, come in and have some grapes, I just bought them," Xia's mother called out warmly.
"Okay," Lin Jing had always treated him like a son in his previous life, so Xu Qingfan agreed without hesitation.
Speaking of which, it was all a product of the times. The Xu family had always wanted a daughter, and the Lin family had always wanted a son, but both households had urban registration and could only have one child.
"First, go wash your hands."
Xu Qingfan, as if he were in his own home, scurried into the kitchen to wash his hands. After coming out, he grabbed a bunch of Kyoho grapes and started eating.
"Xiao Xiao, take a break for a while. Watch TV with your Brother Fan. Mommy will go correct the homework," Xia's mother said.
Xia Xiaoxiao glared fiercely at Xu Qingfan, who had already grabbed the remote to watch TV, and reluctantly nodded her head.
Lin Jing was a primary school Chinese teacher and had been the homeroom teacher of Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao for two years in his previous life.
Xu Qingfan changed the channel to the Hong Kong station, just in time for the 8 o'clock prime-time slot, and the theme song of "A Step into the Past" sung by Louis Koo filled the room from the TV.
As the pioneer of time-travel dramas, even after twenty years, this TV series still captivated him.
Ever since Xu Qingfan had entered the house, Xia Xiaoxiao acted as if she were very angry, waiting for someone to coax her.
However, Xu Qingfan's attention was entirely on the TV show; he didn't even glance at her, leaving the little girl feeling utterly ignored and upset.
Xu Qingfan looked at Xia Xiaoxiao, but she just glared at him and said nothing.
He then returned his attention to the TV show.
"Hey!" This time her voice was louder.
Xu Qingfan's body twitched, almost triggering a muscle memory reflex.
"What is it?" he turned and asked.
"Chicken and rabbit in the same cage, teach me!"
Xu Qingfan stared at her. The girl immediately put on an expression of both shyness and annoyance.
"I can teach you, but you have to fetch water for me in the future," Xu Qingfan remembered how he had fetched water for her all those years in his previous life and voiced his condition.
No sooner had he mentioned fetching water than Xia Xiaoxiao recalled asking the little rascal to fetch water for her last week, only to receive a retort of "What, are your legs broken or your hands?".
Xia's mother had said if a child suddenly became naughty, it meant they were hitting their rebellious phase. The little girl had made up her mind to straighten out Xu Qingfan's rebellious attitude!
[Turn off the TV? No, that won't work. He'll just watch it at his house.]
[Tell Aunt Yao he's bullying me!]
Xia Xiaoxiao's little brain was working rapidly, and soon, a brilliant idea popped into her mind.
The innocent Xu Qingfan received no response from the little girl and started watching the TV drama with intense focus again.
Suddenly, a purse for holding change was stuffed into his hand by Xia Xiaoxiao.
Xu Qingfan looked down and saw that it was Xia Xiaoxiao's wallet, which he had duped into being empty in just a few weeks since his rebirth.
Thinking about it, he felt somewhat embarrassed. Originally it should have been plump, but he had tricked the little girl into thinking Dahuang, the dog downstairs, was sick and needed medicine for treatment.
The 5-year-old girl, no matter how clever, had limits to her understanding and, believing him, cried a river before handing over all her change to Xu Qingfan, which he then proceeded to spend on bubble tea and grilled skewers.
"Dahuang, don't die... sob... Xiao Fan, save Dahuang... I'll give you all my money!"
Remembering the day when he conned Xia Xiaoxiao, who limped around in distress, Xu Qingfan couldn't help but laugh. He tilted his head and asked, "What's up?"
"Big liar! Dahuang was never sick; you stole my money!" The little girl furrowed her brow in anger, as though she had been wronged immensely.
"Don't talk nonsense, I used the money to buy medicine!" With the reasoning of an adult, Xu Qingfan wasn't the least bit flustered, acting as if he was unfazed by boiling water.
"Mommy! Xu Qingfan lied to me... mmm..."
Xu Qingfan swore he had never moved so fast.
In the blink of an eye, he had hidden the wallet and covered Xia Xiaoxiao's mouth with two quick movements.
He had calculated everything, but he never ever expected that Xia Xiaoxiao would actually tell her parents!
Lin Jing heard the noise and came out of the bedroom, but the two individuals in the living room were at that moment sitting side by side very amicably, munching on snacks. Xia's mom glared at her own daughter and then returned to her room.
"If you don't teach me, I'll tell Uncle Xu and Aunt Yao that you're a big bully, deceiving me of my little money!" Xia Xiaoxiao crossed her arms and declared haughtily after her mother had left.
"When have I ever deceived you of your little money? Big Yellow Dog got sick; all the money was used to buy its medicine!" Xu Qingfan's heart was still pounding, and letting Aunt Lin know that he had tricked a child out of money would be totally social suicide.
"You...you dumped...Big Yellow's water, and it's sticking its tongue out because it's thirsty, not sick. Don't think I don't know that, Xu Qingfan!" Xia Xiaoxiao glared at him furiously, almost blurting out the coarse word 'bullshit'.
"Pfft—" Xu Qingfan couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, "Hahaha, so you knew all along? I thought you had no idea."
Xia Xiaoxiao blushed slightly at being laughed at. Of course, she knew, but she kept quiet because she felt so foolish for being deceived by such a thing.
"I originally had thirty-eight yuan and fifty-two cents in my little wallet, and you've tricked me out of thirty yuan. If you don't teach me, then give the money back!" She raised her head again, demanding confidently with outstretched hands.
Xu Qingfan had no money, as those stolen from his mother were reserved for emergency staking.
"Alright, alright, I'll teach you, okay? Just don't tell the adults. Tattling is something only bad children do," he said promptly, his tone softening as he had been outmaneuvered.
"You first assume there are X rabbits and Y chickens, so are all the rabbits not..." Xu Qingfan explained patiently.
"Don't understand." Xia Xiaoxiao's mood visibly improved, the corners of her mouth curling into a barely there smile.
"Which part do you not understand?"
"Why are they X and Y?" Xia Xiaoxiao asked, pointing at the two letters.
"I like XY, is that a problem?"
"Oh," the little girl haughtily put away her draft paper and pencil.
"So, you understand?"
This time, it was Xu Qingfan's turn to be unsettled; he had only explained it once!
Xia Xiaoxiao glanced at Xu Qingfan but said nothing, continuing to pack up her stationery.
"I don't think you understand; I'll give you a problem to solve."
Xia Xiaoxiao seemed a bit indignant. She handed the pen and draft paper to Xu Qingfan and, tilting her head up, signaled him to set a question.
Xu Qingfan didn't believe in curses. It took him several days in junior high to grasp the leap from single-variable to double-variable equations, and Xia Xiaoxiao was only five—how could she understand it just like that?
He refused to believe it!
Xu Qingfan set a problem accordingly: There are 49 chickens and rabbits in total, with 105 legs altogether. But since one of the chickens broke a leg playing basketball and had it amputated, how many chickens and rabbits are there each?
After looking at the problem, Xia Xiaoxiao commented, "Since when do chickens play basketball?"
"Never mind that, just do it! I don't believe..."
Xia Xiaoxiao thought about the example he had just explained and after pondering for a moment, she wrote with her pen:
Xu Qingfan was completely convinced now; she actually knew to subtract one!!!
"Got it, four rabbits, forty-five chickens!"
Xu Qingfan stared at Xia Xiaoxiao as if she were a creature from another planet—had she also learned how to calculate?
"What are you looking at? Don't think you're something special just because you can do it; I can do it too!" Xia Xiaoxiao declared proudly, puffing out her little chest.
Having figured out the math problem that had been troubling her for over a week, Xia Xiaoxiao was evidently delighted.
[I'll forgive you for snatching my remote control this time. We'll see if you dare to bully me again!]