Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 401 - 212: Shi Tou’s Mother’s Kindness

Seeing the tiny little tyke calling someone else "baby," Juhua couldn’t help but laugh. She told him, "The baby’s legs are still weak. It’ll be a while longer before she can walk. Laishou, you’re the smartest. Talk to the baby, and teach her how to say people’s names."

Letting the two toddlers interact would also help improve Laishou’s verbal skills.

So Laishou stood before the little girl, his mouth chattering away as he tried his best to coax her into saying "big brother," "mama," and "dada." When she didn’t respond, he tentatively reached out and touched her soft cheek, finding it smooth and nice to feel.

He looked up at Juhua with a curious smile. "This is fun! Big Sister, you feel it!"

Juhua chuckled. "A baby’s face is so soft, of course it’s fun to touch. But Laishou, you can’t keep touching it. If you do it too much, she’ll start drooling."

Seeing that Laishou had been trying to get a response for a while and his sister only smiled without making a sound, Little Shitou frowned in disappointment. "My sister can’t talk yet," he said. "I’ve tried teaching her so many times. She can’t even say ’mama’."

Juhua comforted him, "Babies start talking at different times. Qing’er isn’t even a year old yet. Just teach her patiently. Who knows, one day she might just start calling you ’big brother’."

Little Shitou nodded and pulled over a small stool to sit down. He leaned in and whispered to Juhua, "That old hag got a beating from Gou Dan’s mom, so now she’s hiding at home, too scared to go out. Big Sister Juhua, if Brother Changming moves in over here, she’ll start visiting her son all the time. She’ll probably try to make trouble for you, so you’d better be careful."

Juhua knew he was talking about Granny Hua. ’That old woman still has it in for me,’ she thought, a glint flashing in her eyes. "There’s no hurry," she said. "If she leaves me alone, then fine. But if she comes looking for trouble, I won’t let her off the hook this time."

She suddenly looked at Little Shitou and let out a soft laugh.

’She was remembering what Granny Hua looked like when she’d seen her a few days ago. The old hag’s crooked nose and gapped teeth had given her quite a shock—oh, my! Her appearance was just so... so much like a buffoon. If she were to go on stage to play a comic role, she wouldn’t need any makeup at all. And it was all Little Shitou’s masterpiece!’

Her laughter made Little Shitou feel a bit embarrassed. He thought she was laughing at him for not focusing on his studies and instead dwelling on that old hag.

Just then, Mrs. Wang came over with her sewing basket and sat down. Looking at Little Shitou, she asked, "What a likable child. Whose family is he from? He seems a little younger than Laicai."

Juhua smiled. "He’s from Uncle Zhao San’s family in the village. He’s incredibly bright and quick-witted, and a good student, too."

It dawned on Mrs. Wang. "Oh! So this is the Little Shitou you’re always telling Laicai about? Goodness me, he really is a sharp one. Much more endearing and likable than Laicai. Is this his sister?"

Juhua nodded. "Little Shitou already knows how to look after his little sister. That’s why I always tell Laicai that it’s okay for a kid to be naughty, but he can’t be causing senseless trouble all the time."

’Just look at Little Shitou. He dealt with Granny Hua so quietly that no one even suspected a thing.’

Hearing them praise him, Little Shitou’s face flushed red. He felt a warm glow inside, realizing that Big Sister Juhua was complimenting him in front of others. His dark eyes sparkled brightly.

Laishou tried to get a reaction from Zhao Qing for a little longer, but when the baby only smiled without making a sound, he lost patience. He ran over to Mrs. Wang and leaned against her, calling out to Juhua, "Big Sister, tell a story!"

Just as Juhua was about to speak, Zhao Qing began to squirm in her arms, kicking her legs and waving her arms. She turned her head toward Laishou, straining to get closer to him.

Juhua found holding her to be a real effort and grumbled, "Raising a child is no easy task. Forget about all the diapers and messes—when they’re this little, they’re just so difficult to manage."

Mrs. Wang chuckled at her complaint. She got up, went inside, and returned with a reed mat, which she spread on the ground. "Put her down on the mat," she told Juhua, "or she’ll have you breaking out in a sweat."

Juhua quickly nodded and set the little one down on the reed mat, letting her crawl around on her own. Only then did she rub her arms and ask Little Shitou, "How do you all manage her at home?"

Shi Tou replied, "Except for when she’s sleeping, my mom carries my sister on her back while she works."

’That must be so hard,’ Juhua thought. Just as she was about to say something, she heard the faint chirps of baby swallows from a nest under the eaves. A moment later, a fully feathered fledgling fell out with a soft THUD, giving her a start.

Little Shitou darted over in a flash and cupped the unfortunate fledgling in his hands. "It didn’t die from the fall," he told Juhua. "It’s still breathing."

"It’s grown so big," Juhua said quickly. "Even if it can’t fly yet, a fall like that won’t kill it so easily. Let’s figure out a way to get it back into the nest."

When Laishou saw the baby swallow, he got very excited. He came running over, his feet going PATTER-PATTER, and demanded to play with the little bird.