TLWR CH.3: Lazybones Trouble Maker

Winter snow melted, spring breeze brushed the willows, and in the blink of an eye, the apricot trees in the yard were blooming again.

"Ah Lan, Ah Lan, where are you?"

Shu Wan finished preparing lunch and took a moment to lift the door curtain and glance inside the house, only to find that her younger sister, who should have been sleeping on the kang, had vanished. She quickly searched every place where someone could sleep, both in the east and west rooms.

Her younger sister had been quiet and well-behaved since childhood, unlike other people's children who were always crying and fussing. But she had one flaw—she was incredibly lazy, spending all day sleeping. No matter how much you scolded her, she wouldn't listen. And as for hitting her? Facing those big, watery eyes as black as grapes, that chubby, rosy little face, even their strict mother couldn't bear to raise a hand, let alone their gentle, smiling father. As a result, her sister grew lazier and lazier, to the point where she could fall asleep anywhere.

Unable to find her sister, Shu Wan grew frantic. The sun was almost directly overhead, and her father, mother, younger brother, and Uncle Xiao's family were all busy planting peanuts in the fields, waiting for her to bring them lunch!

Not in the house—had she gone out to play?

Though Shu Wan found it hard to believe that her bone-lazy sister would voluntarily go out, she still stepped into the yard to take a look. The sight immediately left her dumbfounded.

The family yard was enclosed by a wicker fence. On the west side stood two apricot trees, each as thick as a bowl, covered in pinkish-white blossoms. And right between the two trees, a small willow-woven basket had somehow appeared—about four feet long and over a foot wide. Normally, these baskets were used in pairs on a handcart, one on each side. But now, instead of holding the medicinal herbs her father gathered from the mountains, the basket cradled a little doll lying on her back, warm sunlight filtering through the blossoms and bathing her in a dreamlike glow.

Shu Wan didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her sister's "new bed." Normally, she might have teased her, but today was too pressing for such games. Walking quickly to the apricot tree, she reached for the handkerchief covering her sister's face and lifted the child out. "Ah Lan, wake up! We need to take lunch to Dad and the others!"

Just calling out wouldn't wake her—Shu Wan, seasoned by experience, simply used the damp handkerchief to wipe her sister's face, cleaning the drool from the corner of her mouth. At last, Shu Lan opened her eyes.

"Sis, is it time to eat?"

"You, you only know how to sleep and eat! Did you forget we're planting peanuts today? Come on, let's go take lunch to Dad—we'll eat in the fields." Shu Wan smoothed her sister's slightly wrinkled pants, locked the door, and, holding her sleepy-eyed sister by one hand and a basket of food in the other, hurried south toward the fields.

"Ah Wan, heading out with lunch?" the villagers called out cheerfully as they greeted her.

Shu Wan responded with a sweet smile, calling one "Uncle Li" and another "Aunt Zhang," never missing a beat all along the way.

"Look at Ah Wan—she's the same age as you, and she already knows how to cook and look after her little sister. You can't do anything! Even washing a single piece of clothing frightens you!" One married woman used Ah Wan as an example to scold her own child. The reprimanded girl pouted and ran off.

Such scenes were common in the village. Shu Wan remembered that her mother often praised the cleverness of the Xiao family's little boy to scold her mischievous brother Shu Zhan. As for her sister, their mother had long since given up—what was there to say? You could talk until you were blue in the face, and the girl would just curl up and fall asleep...

After about a quarter of an hour's walk, they finally reached the edge of their family's peanut field.

"Dad, Mom, Uncle Xiao, Auntie—time to eat!"

At Shu Wan's call, everyone working in the fields put down their tools and gathered around.

Shu Wan spread a blue coarse cloth on the ground, laid out two large bowls of dishes, portioned out the rice, and, once everyone was present, handed each person their bowl and chopsticks.

Mrs. Lan, wearing a blue headscarf, looked at Shu Wan, who had grown into quite the young lady, and praised her sincerely: "Sister-in-law, I'm so envious of you. Ah Wan is so well-behaved and sensible—everyone who sees her has something good to say. If only I had a daughter like that."

Hearing her daughter praised, Mrs. Qin felt a swell of pride. But the moment her gaze fell on her younger daughter, who was practically eating with her eyes closed, that smile turned into a helpless sigh. She served Xiao Lang a bite of food before saying, "What's so great about having a daughter? If you had one like Ah Lan, you'd be the one worrying. Tell me, how can two children born on the same day have such different temperaments?"

"Your Xiao Lang could walk at six months, spoke clearly at one year, and by two, he was already helping to treat animal hides... Now he's even helping with planting. And look at our Ah Lan—she didn't walk until nearly two, and didn't start talking until three. There's just no comparison!"

The subject of this criticism showed no reaction whatsoever, but her older brother couldn't stand it. Shu Zhan put down his bowl and chopsticks. "Mom, even if my sister is a bit lazy, she doesn't make you worry, does she? If she'd snuck off to the mountains at four like someone else, you'd have been frantic!" He shot a glare at Xiao Lang.

"Exactly, exactly!" Mrs. Lan chimed in eagerly. "Ah Lan is so well-behaved. Not like ours, he disappears in the blink of an eye. I have no idea where he runs off to every day. And on top of that, he's such a quiet, brooding child—he won't talk to strangers, and even with us, he only speaks when absolutely necessary!"

The women continued exchanging compliments about each other's children, while Xiao Shouwang and Shu Maoting, long accustomed to this ritual, simply ate and smiled.

"Mom, I'm full," Xiao Lang said, setting down his bowl and rising to head back into the fields.

Mrs. Qin quickly grabbed him. "Good nephew, you've been busy all morning. Leave the rest to your sister Wan. After you finish eating, take your little sister home first—either to our place or yours, it doesn't matter. Just don't let her sleep on the ground, alright?"

Xiao Lang lowered his head and glanced at Shu Lan, who was dozing off after finishing her meal. He nodded reluctantly.

Mrs. Qin couldn't help but plant a kiss on Xiao Lang's slightly tanned little cheek.

The crisp smack of the kiss finally made Shu Lan lift her eyes. She wobbled over and threw herself into Mrs. Qin's arms. "Mom, kiss me too!"

Holding the soft little body in her arms and hearing that sweet, childish voice, Mrs. Qin's heart melted like water. She promptly gave her jealous, attention-seeking daughter two big kisses on the face, then tapped her on the nose and said, "Be good and listen to your brother when you go home, okay?"

Shu Lan nuzzled against her mother's chest. If she hadn't been suddenly pulled away by someone, she would have fallen asleep right there in that familiar, warm embrace.

Xiao Lang took Shu Lan's hand and said in a low voice, "Mom, Auntie, we're going now."

"Go on, but no running off on your own!" Mrs. Lan called after them worriedly.

Xiao Lang's mouth twitched. When had he ever run off? He only went to the mountains to train his body. This body of his was far inferior to his original one—no fangs, no sharp claws. He had to strengthen himself in other ways to master formidable offensive power.

Lost in thought, he was suddenly pulled back by a voice all too familiar at his side. Looking down, he saw Shu Lan twisting her arm vigorously, trying to break free from his grip. "It hurts! Let go of me! You're walking too fast—I don't want you holding my hand!"

What a spoiled little thing!

Xiao Lang released her hand disdainfully. Unexpectedly, Shu Lan, caught off guard, stumbled backward and fell flat on her bottom.

Her little rear end smarting from the fall, Shu Lan didn't even look at Xiao Lang. She covered her face and wailed, "Boo-hoo! Mom! Brother Lang is bullying me!"

Watching the little girl sitting on the ground, tears streaming down her face, her mouth wide open enough to see straight down her throat, Xiao Lang gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath: Trouble maker!