"Br-brother Zhang Ruoshui, I-I don't have any thoughts like that at all!" The boy cried until his glasses fogged up. "I just invited her to see the science exhibition. I'm the top student in our class, and she's the top student in hers. I thought since we both love studying, we could progress together..."
Ning Heng wasn't wrong.
Even just standing there, Sheng Yuxiao's privileged and sharp demeanor, combined with his adult male physique, was enough to easily make the boy cry.
Sheng Yuxiao frowned.
But once the crying started, it took all the fight out of the situation.
Not even one punch thrown, and he's already crying this hard.
What else could he do?
"Stop crying," Sheng Yuxiao said through gritted teeth, forcing out the words, "Going to the science exhibition is fine."
The kid already said there was nothing else to it. If he actually punched him, what if no one wanted to be friends with Little Duck anymore?
This was really damn annoying.
Sheng Yuxiao turned and left without looking at the boy again.
Another school day arrived.
When Zhou Xiaoshu got to class, a classmate poked their head in saying, "Someone left you a gift, it's in your desk."
Zhou Xiaoshu nervously fidgeted with her hands, wondering if someone had a secret crush on her.
She quickly pulled the gift out from her desk.
"You also get a growing-up gift — Little Duck"
Zhou Xiaoshu instantly teared up again. Sure enough, only Little Duck loves me the most!
Meanwhile, Little Duck returned to her own classroom and gave An Ying a bag as she passed by her seat.
"What's this?" An Ying was startled.
"A growing-up gift."
An Ying was touched and surprised: "I... I..." Yesterday only Zhou Xiaoshu had cried with envy, she hadn't said anything, but Little Duck had prepared something for her too!
"I talked to my dad on the phone last night, he's sending me gifts too. My uncle and grandfather are also buying me presents," Little Duck had her own logic, "They buy things for me, so I buy things for you."
Little Duck doesn't lack love anymore.
She now has love to share with others.
"Mm." An Ying nodded firmly.
Thank you, Little Duck, she said quietly in her heart.
She really liked her.
She wanted to be friends with her forever!
Across the ocean.
Wei Wenyi was attending a party with Wei Wenjun.
When the waiter poured her a glass of red wine, Wei Wenyi stared at it for half a minute.
Wei Wenjun was startled by her intense gaze, almost thinking her condition had returned, and quickly grabbed her hand asking, "What's wrong?"
Wei Wenyi looked up, her cold expression changing, with tears gathering in her eyes: "I remembered what I forgot - when I left, I forgot to teach Little Duck about menstruation."
Wei Wenjun was dumbfounded. He really hadn't thought about that!
Wei Wenyi knocked her own head: "We were too careless!"
She immediately felt homesick and quickly called Little Duck: "Don't be scared, Auntie will come back to be with you."
"You're all making too big a deal of this, I'm really not scared at all," Little Duck's tone even seemed a bit troubled, "Grandfather is being very careful, and Sheng Yuxiao won't even let me walk. Auntie, are you going to come hover around me too? You have your own things to do, that's not good."
That finally convinced Wei Wenyi to stay.
Though this did result in two more gifts.
On Friday, the school organized volunteer work.
Coincidentally, Little Duck's period had also ended.
Zhou Xiaoshu walked beside her, chattering away: "It's so strange, why did we start and end at the same time? I'm supposed to be a bit older than you."
Little Duck didn't know, she could only shake her head.
They hadn't walked far when someone's steps faltered nearby.
Zhou Xiaoshu looked up and said: "I think those are ninth graders, why are they here for volunteer work too? That one... looks kind of familiar."
Little Duck tilted her head and said: "Mu Bai."
Zhou Xiaoshu jumped in surprise: "Oh wow, the one who used to always give you stuff... how did he suddenly get so big? He grew so much taller. And he's so handsome now."
The young man had completely shed his childish features from elementary school, growing tall and lean, with the air of a school heartthrob.
Meanwhile, a junior was saying: "Mu-ge, aren't you going to say hello?"
Mu Bai: "...Later."
After speaking, he stared at his junior. He should let him take a couple punches from Zhang Ruoshui, then he wouldn't be so eager, and everyone would know Zhang Ruoshui's true nature.
The junior shuddered: "Mu-ge, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
For this volunteer activity, it was mainly two classes from seventh and ninth grade. They had different assignments - the ninth graders went to the neighboring orphanage, while the seventh graders went to the nursing home.
So Little Duck only briefly crossed paths with Mu Bai's group before they went their separate ways.
Everyone stayed busy from one in the afternoon until dusk.
"I'm so tired, Little Duck how are you not tired at all?" Zhou Xiaoshu mumbled quietly.
"I'm used to it from when I was little." Little Duck turned on the faucet and washed her hands thoroughly.
"You're really amazing, you were everyone's favorite among all the grandpas and grandmas today. I saw Grandma Cheng even sneaking cookies into your pocket..." Zhou Xiaoshu continued to marvel.
But then some very low voices of discussion drew near.
"These schools must be sick in the head, always organizing these activities just to make their resumes look pretty."
"Yeah, once they leave, those old folks will just complain that we're not as good as those young ones. Hmph, they only come once, how can they compare to us? We've been working here for years, who wouldn't get tired?"
"No worries, if those old folks dare to complain, we'll just let Brother Jin teach them a lesson. When they soil their beds and no one changes them, they quickly learn to behave."
"Aren't you afraid they'll tell these student volunteers?"
"The elderly sent here are either senile, sick, or have lost all their children... These kids are just strangers after all, just here to complete a task. They all have their own grandparents, how could they treat these people like real family? They wouldn't dare complain either, in the end don't they still rely on us for care?"
Zhou Xiaoshu's eyebrows shot up and she was about to rush out.
Little Duck grabbed her wrist.
Zhou Xiaoshu lowered her voice: "What they said... was too cruel."
Little Duck remained calm: "No rush."
Zhou Xiaoshu had to hold back: "Okay, I'll listen to you."
An Ying finally spoke up: "First we need to find out who this Brother Jin is."
Little Duck turned to look at her, smiled at An Ying, then nodded: "Right."
Zhou Xiaoshu felt a bit jealous and mumbled quietly: "Fine, you two are in sync again, I'm stupid, I don't understand."
Dinner was arranged at the nursing home, having hot pot.
The courtyard was hung with string lights, and children's nursery rhymes could be heard from next door.
The elderly showed various expressions - confused, delighted, or bittersweet smiles.
"Brother Jin, where should I put this?" someone called out.
"In the storage!" a man answered hoarsely.
Little Duck glanced over - it was a man in his forties, less than 170cm tall, who smiled at everyone.
Little Duck looked down at her own hands.
Hmm, she could take him in a fight.
But that alone wouldn't be enough.
Little Duck suddenly stood up and walked outside.
"Little Duck, where are you going?" Zhou Xiaoshu called after her.
Zhou Xiaoshu's voice was so sharp that even Brother Jin turned to look.
After sizing them up, Brother Jin walked to a corner. Two nursing home staff immediately came over to chat with him.
Brother Jin lit a cigarette and said thoughtfully: "This batch is different..."
"How so?"
"Most of them are rich kids."
"Even if they're rich, what can we do? We can't exactly kidnap them, can we?"
Brother Jin laughed and punched the person: "What nonsense are you talking about? How could we kidnap anyone? A gentleman gets wealthy through proper means. We'll find a way to get these kids to do some charity work, donate some money."
While they were chatting in the corner,
Little Duck walked towards the neighboring orphanage.
"Mu Bai!" she called out loudly.
Mu Bai turned around in a daze.
The small young girl stood under the dim lights, seeming to steal even the moonlight's radiance.
At this moment, the junior pushed Mu Bai: "Mu-ge, Mu-ge! She actually came to find you herself!"
Mu Bai slowly stood up, his expression a bit stiff.
This had never happened before...
Probably nothing good.
He walked towards Little Duck under everyone's watchful eyes: "What..."
Little Duck said seriously: "I need you."
Mu Bai stammered: "N-need me for what? Why ask me? Can't others help?"
