Chapter 57: Third Uncle, This Isn't Tasty!

Everyone in the room was chatting and laughing, discussing Li Xiangdong's first day of reporting for work.

"What are you all talking about that's making you so happy?"

Second Aunt Li walked in, pulling along Li Xiaohai, who had already washed up and was wearing clothes a size too big for him.

Seeing the comical look of his son, Li Xiangdong chuckled and said, "My, that little dress you're wearing is really pretty!"

"Dad, I'm not wearing a dress. This is Xiaobo's big brother's clothes. Big brothers don't wear dresses, only big sisters wear dresses."

Li Xiaohai still didn't understand that his father was teasing him and was still trying hard to explain.

Li Xiaomei and Li Xiaolan were lying on the kang, dividing their respective milk candies and stuffing them into their pockets.

A pocket full looked like a lot, but in reality, it wasn't much.

In those days, when making clothes for children, pockets were intentionally sewn small and shallow to save on fabric.

Seeing the last piece of milk candy left on the kang, Li Xiaomei picked it up, ran over to Li Xiaohai, helped him unwrap the wrapper, and popped it into his mouth. "Little Six, does it taste good?"

Li Xiaohai held the milk candy in his mouth, nodded happily, and said incoherently, "Mmm! Mmm! Tashtes good!"

"Mom, this one's for you. It's super delicious, Third Uncle gave all of these!"

Li Xiaomei took another piece of milk candy out of her own pocket, placed it in Second Aunt Li's hand, and patted her own pocket.

Second Aunt Li looked at the milk candy in her hand. "My, isn't this the White Rabbit creamy candy? They sell these at the Wangfujing Department Store, the exact ones with a rabbit drawn on them."

She unwrapped the wrapper, popped the milk candy into her mouth, and smiled. "It really is delicious. Third Brother, your second sister-in-law here is basking in your light today, getting to have White Rabbit creamy candy too."

Old Mrs. Li smiled and said, "Mostly it's because our Dongzi has made something of himself."

Second Aunt Li nodded and walked over to sit beside Old Mrs. Li.

"Third Brother certainly has made something of himself! Grandma, you have no idea, people say it takes a whole mug of milk just to make these 7 White Rabbit creamy candies."

Old Mrs. Li asked in astonishment, "Is that so?"

Second Aunt Li nodded. "That's what everyone says, and besides, this stuff sells for an exorbitant price at the department store, and they're always out of stock!"

Old Mrs. Li's heart now ached for the candy. She looked at her two great-granddaughters beside her and asked, "How many milk candies do you two have in your pockets?"

Li Xiaolan replied, "I have 9 milk candies."

Li Xiaomei said, "Great-Grandma, I have 8. I just gave one to my mom."

Old Mrs. Li's wrinkled hand stroked Li Xiaomei's head, pulling her into her arms as she smiled. "Among all the children in the family, you're the most sensible. You mustn't eat all the milk candies your third uncle gave you at once, understand?"

Li Xiaomei and Li Xiaolan obediently replied, "We understand."

Holding his daughter, Li Xiangdong stood nearby and fed her some sugar water. Watching the heartwarming scene of elderly benevolence and youthful filial piety, he didn't interrupt, but instead made funny faces to amuse the daughter in his arms.

Having finished the milk candy in his mouth, Li Xiaohai ran over to Zhou Yuqin, hugged her leg, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Mom, I want more! Give me another milk candy!"

His loud roar was like poking a hornet's nest.

Li Xiaojiang and the other two boys, who were still out in the courtyard dividing up dates, came flying inside.

"What milk candy?"

"Little Six, where is the milk candy you're talking about?"

"Oh! Third Uncle, why do you have so many milk candies?!"

The three mischievous monkeys ran to the edge of the kang and saw a net bag full of White Rabbit creamy candies, but in front of the adults, none of them dared to directly reach out and take any.

Through years of relentless beatings, the three brothers had figured out one truth.

If they were greedy and grabbed extra, their parents might only hit them lightly or moderately when disciplining them.

But if they took things without asking, the feather duster would be beaten bare before the beating stopped!

"Third Uncle, can you let me taste one?!"

"Third Uncle, won't you give us one to eat?"

Li Xiangdong nodded and said, "Sure, why not? Could your third uncle be so stingy that he wouldn't even let you have a single piece of milk candy?"

As good as his word, he walked over, took three pieces of milk candy, called Li Xiaojiang and the other two over to him, and handed each of them one.

Looking at the lonely piece of milk candy in his hand, Li Xiaojiang was dumbfounded. "Third Uncle, you're really only giving us one?"

He still wanted to squeeze a few more out of Li Xiangdong, but Eldest Aunt Li chimed in to scold him, "How much more do you want of such a good thing?!"

"Mom, you and my third uncle are both biased!"

Feverish with the desire to get another milk candy, Li Xiaojiang blurted out a retort to his mother.

He pointed at the two sisters, Li Xiaomei and Li Xiaolan, who were sitting by the edge of the kang playing with candy wrappers. "Xiaomei and Xiaolan's pockets are bulging, so what's wrong with me wanting just one more?"

Hearing her own son dare to talk back to her, Eldest Aunt Li stood up, ready to teach him a lesson.

Just as she took two steps, she was smilingly pulled back by Second Aunt Li. "Oh, they're just kids, who wouldn't act like this when they see something good to eat?"

Pushed back into her chair by her sister-in-law, Eldest Aunt Li glared angrily at Li Xiaojiang. "Don't think I can't beat you just because there are a lot of people around. You just wait and see tonight!"

Seeing Li Xiaojiang already starting to shiver, Li Xiangdong smiled and said, "If you get a beating, you mustn't hold a grudge against Third Uncle. You were the one who said just now that you only wanted one."

"Hmph!"

Li Xiaojiang's stubborn temper flared up, and he turned on his heel to head out the door.

Zhou Yuqin, who was busy stuffing milk candies into her son's pockets, hurriedly grabbed a handful, intercepted Li Xiaojiang, and shoved them into his pocket. "Your third uncle was just joking with you. You're not big, but your temper sure is something."

Eldest Aunt Li's anger hadn't subsided yet. "You little brat! Take your milk candy and get out of here right now, don't be an eyesore in front of me!"

With his pockets now stuffed with milk candy, Li Xiaojiang was just about to slip away when Li Xiaotao chimed in, "Big Brother, can you share a few with me?"

Li Xiaojiang looked at his younger brother and asked, "Will you take the beating for me tonight?"

Li Xiaotao snorted defensively, "Why should I take a beating for you? Mom didn't say she was going to hit me."

Li Xiaojiang glared at him. "Then why should I share the milk candy I earned through a beating with you? Xiaobo, come with me, let's go play in the courtyard, I'll share some milk candy with you."

Hearing that his eldest brother was going to share milk candy with him, Li Xiaobo cast a stealthy glance at his second brother Li Xiaotao, who wore an unhappy expression. Not daring to speak up, Li Xiaobo quietly hugged the wall and slipped outside.

"Wait for me."

Pressing his hands against his pants pockets bulging with milk candy, Li Xiaohai ran out after them.

Of the four mischievous boys in the family, only Li Xiaotao was still lingering in the room without leaving.

Seeing Li Xiaotao's eyes fixed steadily on him, Li Xiangdong asked, "Why are you looking at me?"

Frowning, Li Xiaotao said, "Third Uncle, the milk candy you gave me doesn't taste good."

Li Xiangdong looked at him with a smile. "That shouldn't be. Everyone else says it's delicious, and besides, this is the best milk candy in our whole country. How could you possibly think it doesn't taste good?"

He was extremely curious about what strange train of thought was running through the unique brain of this dim-witted second nephew of his.