Chapter 236: The Magic Shoulder Strap
Xia Yu and Xia Ling only bought a single hoodie, and after that, they were remarkably well-behaved and didn’t ask for anything else.
Xia Ling already had more clothes than she could fit in her wardrobe, and buying more would just make her closet explode! After all, she had amassed a ridiculous amount of clothing over the years and just couldn’t bear to throw any of it away.
As for Xia Yu, she knew so well how many outfits Jiang Kekai had gifted her—plenty of both boys’ and girls’ clothes. She truly didn’t need any more. She was no longer the little ditzy Xia Yu who could only wear her older brother’s hand-me-downs, after all.
Since both Xia Yu and Xia Ling agreed not to buy anything more, Xia Hong wouldn’t force them to, so he turned around and led them to go grocery shopping in preparation for lunch. And that’s when Xia Yu’s nightmare began.
Of course, grocery shopping meant carting around bags. In Xia Hong’s eyes, Xia Yu was still a boy, so naturally, she got the honor of being the family’s pack mule. They were justifying it as “exercise,” of course.
Cabbage, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, fish, shrimp, tofu, and pork—yup, that was quite the haul!
Xia Yu could only lug around so much because her arms were practically at their limit. Wang Wenjuan, knowing Xia Yu’s physical condition, felt a bit guilty and wanted to help share the load.
But Xia Hong chimed in, “No rush, honey. We’ve got plenty to buy. Why else would I bring you both here?” Wang Wenjuan frowned in displeasure, “Are we really going to eat all this before it goes bad?”
“We’re not just feeding ourselves! I’ve invited some of my friends over for dinner tonight. Trust me, we’ll need it.” Well, since Xia Hong said so, Wang Wenjuan didn’t have much choice in the matter.
Those “friends” were Xia Hong’s elementary school buddies from the village, and although they hadn’t seen each other much, they still maintained a solid friendship, often bonding over meals.
Sure enough, before long, Wang Wenjuan found herself lugging a hefty portion of field snails and a big bag of lobsters…
Xia Ling, however, was the exception. Having just had her arm out of a cast, Xia Hong wouldn’t let her do any heavy lifting. He didn’t want her to get hurt again.
So while Xia Ling didn’t have to carry anything, she still felt a bit off, like she was cheating or something. Meanwhile, Xia Hong went and bought a roast duck, a bag full of oysters, and a heavy bag of fresh fish balls.
He insisted on carrying these himself until he genuinely had no more hands left. Only then did he lead his wife and kids back to the car to drop off the goods. But just as Xia Yu thought they’d wrap it up, Xia Hong declared, “We’re not done yet! Let’s keep going!”
Wang Wenjuan: “…”
Xia Yu: “…”
Xia Ling: “…”
Despite a thousand protests bubbling in their minds, Xia Hong was still Xia Hong, so they reluctantly followed him.
This time, however, they were not heading to some chaotic market but rather to the supermarket where Xia Yu had once been unceremoniously captured. Luckily, it wasn’t far from where they parked.
Who knows if they put up the security because of Xia Yu’s last mishap, but two burly security men in uniforms lounged at the entrance, keeping an eye on things. Xia Hong had a mission as he entered the supermarket, and his pace quickened, making Wang Wenjuan, Xia Yu, and Xia Ling hurriedly keep up.
Soon enough, they arrived at the beer section, where Xia Hong decided it was time to load up. “Wenjuan, Xia Yu, grab a case each!”
“Isn’t that too much alcohol?”
Seeing her husband so eager to stock up on beer left Wang Wenjuan feeling helpless, knowing she couldn’t control Xia Hong’s drinking habits. Right on cue, he grinned and replied, “No biggie! It’s a celebration—might as well drink it up!” Well, she couldn’t argue there; Xia Hong never got drunk, at least… not that she knew of.
So, Wang Wenjuan begrudgingly helped him with a case, and seeing this, Xia Yu had no choice but to grab one for her dad too, the tension in the plastic handles making her hands ache. On their way back, they passed a bubble tea shop.
Xia Hong halted and turned to Xia Ling, “Little Ling, go buy three cups of bubble tea for you, your mom, and your second brother. Don’t worry; I’ll reimburse you later.” Unexpectedly, Dad was treating them to bubble tea! Xia Ling’s gloomy mood perked up instantly.
But she remained a little hesitant, looking over at her dad, “What about you, Dad? You don’t want any? Should I get a cup for Big Brother too?” “I’m not a fan of that overly sweet stuff. And as for your brother, he didn’t come to help carry anything, so he doesn’t get any.”
Xia Hong was adamant and a bit heartless. But Xia Ling loved this twist, thinking, “Well, serves him right for not helping!” Without hesitation, she darted into the bubble tea shop to place the order.
Of course, making bubble tea takes time, especially when you’re ordering three cups, so they had to wait a few minutes.
Xia Hong dropped the two cases of beer for a moment, signaling to his wife and youngest son to set down their bags too. “Let’s take a breather until Little Ling is back.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Yu finally put down her load and let out a sigh of relief. Those beer cans were seriously heavy for a sixth grader!
But then Xia Hong spotted her puffing and suddenly burst into laughter, teasing, “Xia Yu, what’s wrong? You need to hit the gym more! Look at those puny arms and legs—just like your sister!”
Though Xia Yu knew he was joking, Wang Wenjuan frowned a bit, feeling uncomfortable since Xia Yu was no longer just a little girl—did she really need to be compared to her brother?
To everyone’s surprise, Xia Yu mustered up some courage and quietly retorted, “But… Sister Little Ning likes me just the way I am.”
At that, Xia Hong perked up, grinning as he decided to engage in a friendly chat, “So, Xia Yu, do you really like your Sister Little Ning?”
Blushing and stealing a shy glance at her father before averting her eyes, Xia Yu mumbled, “Yeah.”
Xia Hong was somewhat prepared for that answer, but it still sent a whirlwind of mixed feelings through him. Was his little son really going to marry that girl? What was so special about her?
With a heavy sigh, Xia Hong added, “Look, I’m not against your relationship, but I’m not necessarily supporting it either. You’re growing up and need to handle some things on your own.”
With that, he pulled her in for a gentle pat on the shoulder. Then he accidentally brushed against Xia Yu’s shoulder strap…
That’s right, thanks to Jiang Kekai and Wang Wenjuan’s gentle persuasion and training, Xia Yu had developed a habit of wearing little tank tops. Plus, the ones she wore were custom-made by Jiang Kekai, with wider straps and shaped for modesty. That’s why, even in the scorching heat, no one noticed her outfit beneath her short sleeves, including Xia Le, Xia Hong, and her friends. But as luck would have it, that little pat made Xia Hong realize something felt distinctly different…
Sure enough, while not super obvious, those straps were definitely there, and he was suddenly all too aware of Xia Yu’s tank top. Uh-oh, his little son is growing up too fast!
No wonder she didn’t want to cut her hair before—Xia Hong immediately thought, “What a strange phase!”
But just as he was about to voice his concerns, Xia Ling returned, triumphantly holding three cups of bubble tea.
Glancing between Xia Ling and Xia Yu, Xia Hong sighed. He honestly had no idea how to talk to Xia Yu about this, and this didn’t seem like the right moment either.
So, Xia Hong shrugged it off, determined to put off the conversation for later, thinking maybe in the future he’d figure out how to guide Xia Yu better. And perhaps once Xia Yu was over this phase, they’d be able to talk about it safely without worrying about a meltdown.
And just like that, Xia Hong led his wife, Wang Wenjuan, along with Xia Yu and Xia Ling back to the car.
In just a matter of two short hours, they had managed to haul all these items back home. It was a successful trip, and thankfully, their little car managed to hold everything. “Alright, is there anything else you guys want to buy? If not, let’s get back and whip up some lunch!”
Of course, there wasn’t anything else they wanted to get. If they had, they would’ve bought it during their supermarket run, right? So now it was just Xia Hong driving them home.
As they passed a barbershop, Xia Hong couldn’t help but cheekily ask, “Xia Yu, how about a haircut?”
Xia Yu quickly shot him a very displeased look, “No way!”
“Alright, sweetie. If she doesn’t want to cut her hair, just let her be. Long hair looks great on her! I like it this way.” With that, Xia Ling affectionately hugged Xia Yu by her side, showcasing their sisterly bond.
Through the rearview mirror, Xia Hong raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Xia Yu, you see? Your sister is treating you like a younger sister. Are you really not considering it?”
Xia Yu: “No way!”
