Chapter 44: The Village Bullies
The arrival of Ren and Jada created quite a stir in the small village.
After all, in a village, any small disturbance can quickly become the talk of the neighbors, and before long, the entire village knew that Ren had returned with his wife and daughter in a fancy car, reportedly a luxury model worth millions.
Neighbors unfamiliar with them pretended to pass by their front door to sneak a peek, while closer relatives knew to come over for a visit.
Jada greeted the visiting relatives with a smile.
Ms. Dong, Third Brother, Fourth Uncle, Second Uncle-in-law—the names were confusing, and eventually, Ren, seeing Jada's overwhelmed expression, simply took her to the backyard.
"It must be tough for you," Ren said apologetically. "There's no helping it; people in the village love visiting each other."
"It's alright, I think it's lively and fun," Jada replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Her thoughts, however, drifted to herself. Before Ren came into her life, she had never experienced such liveliness, the closest being her company's annual parties. But even then, the employees would act unnaturally in her presence.
She hadn't felt this sense of lively community since her parents passed away.
Sensing Jada's sadness, Ren patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, this is also your home now. You can come here whenever you want."
"Wah!!! Daddy, save me!!!"
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by chaos nearby.
Little Yueyue was seen running for her life, her little shoes clacking rapidly, crying as she sprinted. Chasing her was a goose, wings spread wide as if to peck at her.
Jada quickly scooped up her daughter.
City dwellers might not understand the combat prowess of a goose. Jada had thought the goose would flee upon seeing an adult.
Instead, the fearless goose switched targets and charged at her.
Another round of chaos ensued, much to Ren's amusement.
"Ren!!" Jada's scream could have shattered glass; Ren instinctively covered his ears before intervening. He grabbed the goose by the neck, lifted it, and locked it in a cage.
"Wu wu wu wu." Yueyue sniffled, her eyes teary.
"What's going on? Why is our Yueyue crying?" Attracted by the commotion, Xavier and Quinn came rushing over.
Seeing her tear-streaked face, the grandparents were heartbroken.
"It was our goose; somehow, she managed to upset it," Ren explained.
The village had its three bullies: the goose, the fighting rooster, and the yard dog, with the goose being the most formidable.
Many village children, including Ren, had been terrorized by geese. Seeing Yueyue's plight reminded him of his own childhood sprints under the setting sun.
"I... I heard that swans dance beautifully and wanted the goose to dance for me," Yueyue said in her defense. "But then it chased me!"
Quinn was furious. "That wretched goose! Yueyue wanted it to dance, and it chased her instead? We'll stew it tonight!"
"Ah... Mom, there's no need," Jada quickly intervened.
"Don't be silly, girl." Quinn waved her off. "You've never tasted a real tough goose; it's delicious. I'll make it for you today..."
Eventually, however, Jada convinced Quinn not to cook the goose, and they instead focused on cheering up Yueyue.
Before long, she was smiling again.
"Yueyue, how about Grandpa shows you the puppies? We've got a lot of little dogs," Xavier, feeling a bit jealous of the attention his wife was getting, chimed in.
"Puppies?" Yueyue's eyes lit up. "Yes, yes!"
She followed her grandfather.
Jada, intrigued, joined them.
Ren's dog, a Chinese rural dog named Bailey, was similar to a Shiba Inu but sturdier and with distinctive fur patterns.
Bailey, having just given birth, was initially wary of the strangers, baring her teeth at Yueyue, who quickly hid behind Ren.
"Bailey, this is my granddaughter, your little mistress. Don't scare her," Xavier coaxed, patting the dog's head to calm it.
After a few reassuring pets from Xavier, Bailey relaxed and wagged her tail.
"Come see, Yueyue, but don't get too close," Xavier advised. "The mother dog is protective of her pups."
Xavier could easily pet the puppies, but it was too risky for Yueyue, given the dog's unfamiliarity with her.
"Okay!" Yueyue crouched down to look. She saw several tiny bundles
suckling energetically, occasionally pushing each other away in a cute display of sibling rivalry. They looked utterly defenseless, endearing themselves to Yueyue, who clasped her face in delight, "So cute~~~"
"Yueyue, if you like, Grandpa can give you one. How about it?"
"Really?" Yueyue looked at Xavier, excited, then turned to her mom, "Mom, can I?"
"No," Jada said, shaking her head.
While she liked dogs, caring for one was a different matter.
Yueyue was disappointed, her excitement dashed. "Stingy!" she pouted, losing interest in the puppies.
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