Chapter 1069: His Magnificent Wife
Chapter 1069: His Magnificent Wife
The Su family mobilized like a well-oiled machine for the great rosemary rescue mission. After all, Gu Zi was the heart and soul of this household, and anything that concerned her was nothing short of a national priority.
Even little Su Le got involved, determinedly lugging a watering can far too large for her tiny frame.
Thankfully, the ever-loyal Big Yellow trotted beside her, using his nose to nudge the bottom of the can, relieving some of the weight.
Once the hard work was done, Su Le immediately broke off a piece of biscuit and fed it to Big Yellow, patting his head solemnly. “Big Yellow, from now on, we’re a golden duo, okay? I promise to share all my good snacks with you, and you have to listen to me the most.”
Gu Zi watched from the side, unable to hold back her laughter. This little girl—so young yet already knew how to win over allies. She liked this clever streak in Su Le. Anyone with half a brain could tell that in the future, no one would dare bully this little one.
Seeing that the crisis had been managed, Gu Zi gathered the family in the living room for an announcement. “Your dad and I just discussed something,” she declared. “From now on, we’ll be implementing a little red flower reward system. If you do well, you earn a red flower. Collect ten red flowers, and you can make a wish. However—” She paused for dramatic effect. “If you misbehave, a red flower will be deducted.”
With that, she pulled out a thick stack of red flower stickers from her bag. Su Li’s eyes widened. They were exactly the same as the ones at school! He had to have them. He would work hard and collect as many as possible! Without missing a beat, he rushed to Gu Zi, eager to claim his first reward.
“Mama! I carried all the soil from the backyard! Brother didn’t do anything. I worked the hardest. Don’t you think I should get a red flower?”
Gu Zi’s smile faded. Her expression turned serious as she looked at Su Li. “Actually, we do need to settle the matter of the broken flower pots.” She turned to Su Bing. “First, a special commendation for Su Bing. He remained calm and methodical, a true big brother of the family. You get two red flowers!”
She had only learned upon returning that while they were out, Su Bing had immediately moved the remaining rosemary plants to a safe place, watered them, and carefully collected the broken pots instead of discarding them. He had even told her, “Mom, I know you love these pots. Even if they’re broken, you should be the one to decide whether to throw them away or keep them.”
Hearing that had warmed Gu Zi’s heart. Truly, the eldest was the most reliable! Then she turned to Su Le. “And our little Le Le, you did great too! Not only did you memorize two poems this morning, but you also held a stance for fifteen minutes! And when we left, you didn’t cry or fuss. That’s worth a red flower.”
Su Li watched in growing despair. Surely, his turn was next? He looked at Gu Zi expectantly. “Mommy… what about me?”
Gu Zi regarded him for a long moment before finally speaking. “Su Li, as the younger sibling, you shouldn’t be pointing fingers at your elders. Yes, your father accidentally broke the flower pots, but that doesn’t mean you can call him careless. And as for your brother, what do you mean he ‘did nothing’? He just didn’t brag about it.”
She let the words sink in before delivering the final blow. “So, Su Li, no red flower for you this time. In fact, I’m deducting one. The next time you earn a red flower, it’ll go toward clearing this one off first. Consider this a lesson—you must respect your father and brother. Do you understand?”
Gu Zi understood Su Li well. She knew that he wasn’t truly disrespectful—he just liked being praised a little too much. Lately, he had been getting spoiled, basking in compliments and growing a tad too full of himself. It was time for some discipline. Su Shen was right: children needed to know that even within the family, rules existed.
Su Li froze. He felt utterly abandoned by the world. His gaze shifted to his father, whose lips were curved into an unmistakably smug smile.
Ah-ha! This was all his dad’s doing! Before Mom had left, she had praised him for being sweet and considerate. But now? Now she had completely changed her tune. His dad must have whispered something to her.
Still, at the end of the day… he had no one to blame but himself. His shoulders slumped like a deflated balloon.
Su Shen, on the other hand, found his son’s disappointment incredibly amusing. His grin widened. Ah, his wife was magnificent.
But just as he was basking in victory, Gu Zi turned to him.
“Su Shen, I completely agree with your suggestion,” she said sweetly. “But don’t you think we adults should also set a good example?”
Su Shen immediately sensed danger. Wait—this wasn’t part of the plan! When they discussed this outside, Gu Zi had never mentioned anything about holding him accountable too!