Pampered by Short-Lived Bigshot

Chapter 1566: Chapter 905: Master of Balancing, Wolves in the Water vs. Playing in the Mud? (Part 2)

"I know you want to make it up to them, but you need to find the right way."

...

Huo Qinqi listened carefully and understood that children shouldn’t be spoiled.

So the next day when he took the little surprise to the kindergarten, and the little guy asked for various snacks, his request was heartlessly denied.

The little fellow pouted:

Uh-oh, does Daddy not love me anymore because my little sister’s back?

He wasn’t like this a few days ago!

When Little Surprise arrived at kindergarten, he was a bit withdrawn, and Jiang Xiaowai, who was on good terms with him, immediately noticed his unusual behavior, "Uncle, what’s wrong with you?"

"Am I not cute enough?"

"..." Jiang Xiaowai was taken aback by the question.

"Or is it because I don’t have long hair?"

Jiang Xiaowai was even more bewildered; everything was fine yesterday, what happened today?

Usually, the two little rascals at kindergarten were quite mischievous, so when one suddenly became downcast, the teacher naturally paid extra attention and even took Little Surprise aside for a talk, asking if something was wrong.

"Nothing’s wrong." Little Surprise shook his head.

"If there’s anything, you can tell the teacher. The teacher will help you."

"I’m just a bit sad."

"..."

A half-grown kid, sad?

But Little Surprise’s sadness only lasted for a few hours. By evening, when Huo Ran came to pick him up, he was so happy he almost jumped on him.

Among the uncles at home, only he would play with him, so Little Surprise naturally liked him.

"Uncle, you look so handsome today." Little Surprise commented as he sat in the car, observing him.

In the past two years, Huo Ran teamed up with his friends to start a trendy brand, which wasn’t expensive. Jiang Chengsi even helped promote it, and over the years, he saved quite a bit of money, changed several cars, and reportedly dated a girlfriend, but nobody knew the specifics.

Lately, he broke up and was quite gloomy, drowning his sorrows in alcohol with Jiang Chengsi, until the older brothers in his family dragged him back for a scolding.

"It’s just a breakup, who hasn’t dated a few people?"

Huo Ran was quite angry, "I was sincere!"

"So when you date, it’s for real, and we’re just playing around?"

"Are you implying that when you date, it’s genuine, and we’re just fooling around?"

"With your current state, no girl would fancy you, wasting away over a breakup as if you’re still a teenager? Maybe the girl thought you were just immature and irresponsible!"

Huo Ran wilted.

"If she dated you, she must have liked something about you. Don’t degrade yourself to worthlessness."

"Think it over, if you really like her, find a way to win her back. Don’t keep getting drunk at the bar. What is this, performance art? Think you’re cool? A day or two is fine, but over time, you’ll become a laughing stock!"

...

The Huo Family was a formidable bunch, steeped in military life. Each was tough, just short of dragging him out for a thrashing.

The words probably struck a nerve with Huo Ran, and after that, he changed a lot.

Once fond of dyeing his hair, he used to mimic Jiang Chengsi’s style in dressing. Now he sported a cropped haircut and developed his own fashion sense. This odd one out from the Huo Family had finally grown up and matured.

When Huo Ran heard the little guy praising his handsomeness, he just smiled, "Am I only handsome today?"

"No, you’re handsome every day!" Little Surprise laughed. "Uncle, when are you taking me out to play? How about this weekend? Let’s go to the water park."

"Sure."

Huo Ran readily agreed.

But when he faced Huo Qinqi, he immediately reverted to his old self.

He was utterly docile.

Little Surprise watched in shock:

Uncle, you weren’t like this just now!

"Brother..." Huo Ran was busy serving tea to Huo Qinqi, being excessively fawning.

"Come with me to the study; I need to ask you something."

Huo Ran’s heart tightened; he had been behaving well for the past two years, hadn’t caused any trouble. What did his brother want now?

Little Surprise sighed:

Uncle’s changed, become such a coward, how disappointing!

Huo Ran still had his heart in a flutter, and when Huo Qinqi entered the study, he handed him a pen and paper.

He was even more confused, what on earth?

Without saying anything, just asking him to write a reflection?

"Brother?"

"I heard you’re good with both kids and that they enjoy playing with you. Write down their likes for me."

Huo Ran finally breathed a sigh of relief, but he forgot how to write the characters: "Brother?"

"What is it?"

"How do you write ’model’?"

"..." Huo Qinqi shot a sharp glance that made Huo Ran shiver.

When Huo Qinqi received the list of their likes, his eyelid twitched twice, and Huo Ran dared not use his phone to look up words; he ended up writing several pinyin on it.

"Brother, how is it? Can you read it?" Huo Ran grinned, trying to curry favor.

"I understand, but..." Huo Qinqi raised an eyebrow at him, "Your handwriting is as ugly as ever."

"..."

"You should talk to me in detail about the kids." Huo Qinqi looked at him.

Huo Ran frowned. This situation wasn’t right. His brother asking him about the kids should mean he needs advice to get along better with them, essentially asking for help, right?

But why was he still the one feeling weak and small?

So accustomed to being bullied, under certain "intimidation," Huo Ran didn’t dare to say much, and explained everything.

When they went out for a meal, Shen Shuci casually asked, "What were you brothers talking about in the study for so long?"

Huo Qinqi: "Haven’t seen him in a while, so he caught up with me."

Huo Ran: "..."

His brother’s methods were as sneaky as ever.

But since Huo Ran promised to take Little Surprise to the water park, he wouldn’t break his word. However, he claimed to have an upset stomach on the day and asked Huo Qinqi to take the kids instead.

Little Surprise was very worried about his uncle and specifically asked Huo Qinqi to buy medicine to check on him before going to the water park.

But when they got to Huo Ran’s place, they found him actively playing video games at home.

The scene became extremely awkward.

Huo Ran later complained to Huo Qinqi, "Why didn’t you let me know you were coming over, so I could prepare?"

"Brother, I think you’re being unfair. Look, I’ve even set up all the plans for you, you just needed to go accompany the kids, and you...

...turned the tables on me?"

...

Huo Qinqi just said expressionlessly, "I thought you were really feeling unwell."

Huo Ran almost wanted to split himself open in front of him, his brother being as devilish as ever throughout these years.

But coaxing the kids was simple; there was nothing a KFC meal couldn’t solve, and if one wasn’t enough, then two would do.

**

Getting to go to the water park made Little Surprise very excited, and he especially asked Jiang Xiaowai if he wanted to go play with him.

This made Jiang Xiaowai a bit frustrated. Little Uncle could go to the park on the weekend, but he had to follow his parents to the Fan Family to visit the great-grandfather, a plan decided days ago.

At the moment, he was wearing a small hat, carrying a little bamboo basket, under the big sun, following Tang Wan to pick vegetables in the garden.

When Jiang Jinsang came over, he deliberately said, "Dad, Little Uncle and the others went to the water park."

His subtext being: I want to go too!

"Really?" Jiang Jinsang just smiled.

"It must be a lot of fun, and they can play with water guns."

Jiang Jinsang nodded, "No problem, you can play with mud."

"..." There’s a faint sadness.