Back to Three Years Old: Crushing Scumbags on a Parenting Reality Show 259

Chapter 259

The four at the mahjong table, initially playing to stave off sleepiness, were now fully engaged in the game.

The opening door drew their attention, even though the game was nearing its end.

But group activities had their drawbacks, one couldn’t just abandon the game, even if they were eager to… observe the newcomer.

They simply sped up, Wei Chengli, glancing at the newcomer, Cheng Tingyan, laden with bags, discarded a tile.

Useless gifts, a waste of time! He Rongzheng thought, discarding a tile, his gaze fixed on the game, but his peripheral vision on the newcomer. What was with all those gifts?!

He Rongzheng’s eyesight was still sharp, while Wei Chengli, craning his neck, couldn’t even see clearly, He Rongzheng had already identified the contents of the bags in Cheng Tingyan’s right hand: tea, wine, ginseng, skincare products, and a large fruit basket…

She was strong, carrying all that with one hand, even He Rongzheng’s hand ached just looking at it.

And what was the meaning of this?!

They lived so close, they had known each other for years, Cheng Tingyan often brought gifts, but they were usually homemade food, or small, thoughtful items, even for holidays, it was never this extravagant.

This was like…

He Rongzheng glared at Wei Chengli.

Like his own foolish behavior after he found his daughter, showering them with gifts, all for show, not as useful as the snacks he brought over these past few years.

Wei Chengli, waiting for Zhao Can’s turn, was inexplicably glared at by his father-in-law.

But it was just a fleeting glance. He Rongzheng, watching his granddaughter help Cheng Tingyan with the bags, her eagerness to please, now had someone else to criticize.

And the other hand also held several bags and boxes.

Her intentions were clear!

Zhao Can, meanwhile, was eager to end the game and confront that… villain, and demand, “Why didn’t you reply to my messages?!”

But…

She had such good tiles, just one more, and she could win!

She hadn’t won a single round yet!

Zhao Can, mentally strangling the villain, carefully discarded a tile.

Zhang Shilan, having won a few rounds, wasn’t as invested in this one, she was one tile away from winning, she was also watching the two by the door, she casually discarded a tile without even looking at it.

Then she saw her husband, half his body twisted, staring at the two, his expression full of gossip.

Remembering his laughter last night, Zhang Shilan kicked him under the table. “Focus on the game.”

Wei Chengli looked at her, she mouthed, “Stop dreaming!”

His wife was still angry… Wei Chengli hesitated, then discarded the tile Zhang Shilan needed.

“I win!” Zhang Shilan said, her face brightening, winning was always nice!

Wei Chengli, sacrificing himself for his wife’s happiness, had effectively ended their mahjong game.

But…

Zhao Can, clutching her chest, checked Wei Chengli and He Rongzheng’s discarded tiles, then the two remaining tiles in the deck, seeing the one she needed, she wailed, “Uncle Wei, you discarded your tiles! You gave her the winning tile!”

She had been so close to winning! A winning hand she could have bragged about online!

Zhang Shilan, hearing her, checked the tiles, then lightly hit Wei Chengli. “Are you an idiot?”

“Ah, you caught me…” Wei Chengli said, chuckling awkwardly.

Zhao Can, watching their interaction, sighed, so this was the life of a single dog… even kicked under the table during mahjong!

“Don’t be angry, Xiao Can, I’ll punish him for you, he’ll make you sweet and sour prawns for lunch.” Zhang Shilan said, hitting Wei Chengli again.

Under He Rongzheng’s tutelage, Wei Chengli was no longer the culinary disaster he was during “Where’s Baby Going,” although lacking talent, he had mastered a few dishes through sheer effort.

Zhao Can, thinking about the sweet and sour prawns, she hadn’t had them since…

Her sadness slightly lessened, but single dogs had to eat their fill to avoid being force-fed dog food!

“I also want shredded pork in Beijing sauce, with those thin pancakes, not tofu skin.” She said.

“He’ll make it for you, I’ll tell Auntie Zhou to buy the ingredients.” Zhang Shilan said, messaging their housekeeper.

“And squirrel fish.” Zhao Can added, her voice less confident now.

“I haven’t made that in five years! You’re killing me! Let’s just replay that round, I’ll take back my tile!” Wei Chengli said dramatically, clutching his chest.

“I was just… saying…” Zhao Can said, a bit embarrassed.

It was delicious, but she hadn’t wanted to trouble him…

“He’ll make it, he’ll make everything.” Zhang Shilan said, hitting Wei Chengli. “Make it for her!”

“Yes, dear!” Wei Chengli said, sitting up straight.

He Rongzheng, unable to bear his son-in-law’s spinelessness, wheeled himself towards the two by the door.

Wei Chengli, although foolish and whipped, he was good enough for his daughter, and Yan Yan, although she grew up under his care, the same standard applied!

“Grandpa.” Cheng Tingyan said, noticing his approach, she stood up quickly.

She was dressed in a simple, elegant dress, her appearance refined and polite.

But He Rongzheng wasn’t fooled.

That little trick…

She usually called him “Grandpa He,” where was the “He” now?

But he, who had told Wei Chengli to call him “Father-in-law,” couldn’t bring himself to correct her.

Fine, she was different, she grew up under his care.

But… listen, you fool, Maomao! Listen!

He watched as his granddaughter, after a brief glance, continued unpacking the bags, completely oblivious to the subtle change in address, he was getting anxious.

Was there gold in those bags?!

He was right here!

No gold, just…

Just as He Rongzheng was about to lose his patience, Wei Maomao turned around.

“Grandpa, want some?” she asked, offering him a large, flatbread-like pastry. “It’s still hot.”

He Rongzheng: “…“ Worse than gold.

He wouldn’t be swayed by such a small bribe!

But… wait…

He Rongzheng, about to refuse, saw the words on the oilpaper wrapping the pastry and froze, he took it.

Holding the hot pastry, he looked at the small print, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “Isn’t this guokui stall only open after 4:30 PM?”

He immediately regretted asking.

“You even know this? Have you had it before?” Wei Maomao asked, taking a bite of the pastry Cheng Tingyan offered her. “Mmm, it’s delicious! You’ve become bad, Grandpa, forgetting your starving granddaughter!”

“Don’t accuse me, I haven’t had it.” He Rongzheng said, glancing at Cheng Tingyan.

“I asked them to make it earlier this morning.” Cheng Tingyan explained quickly.

He Rongzheng: “…“ Did he ask? He didn’t!

Cheng Tingyan then took out a small container of soup. “This beef soup goes well with the guokui, try some, Grandpa.”

He Rongzheng: “…“ Why was she telling him this? Was it for him?

She held the soup with both hands, her posture polite and sincere.

He Rongzheng, unable to say anything harsh, said, “Just put it on the table.”

Cheng Tingyan nodded obediently and carried the bags to the dining table.

Seriously…

He Rongzheng, looking at his granddaughter, who was also carrying a bag to the table, still munching on the pastry, couldn’t help but kick her lightly. “All you think about is food!”

“Yan Yan said to eat it while it’s hot…” Wei Maomao said, her cheeks puffed out.

He Rongzheng chuckled, lowering his voice. “Don’t you find anything… strange?”

Wei Maomao: “…“

Of course, it was strange, bringing snacks was normal, but all those gift boxes… like a New Year’s visit, it made her anxious, guilty, like a fraud, unworthy of Yan Yan’s kindness. That’s why she wanted to eat, to feel more… grounded, so she could face her bad grandpa!

He Rongzheng, observing her, saw only awkwardness and a hint of helplessness… no shyness, no joy…

What was going on? Was he truly mistaken, were they really just friends?

No…

He Rongzheng, looking at the “landmines” on the floor, decided his granddaughter was just a fool.

“My dear granddaughter, open your eyes! This guokui, only available at night, and this beef soup, only available in the morning, they only overlap for half an hour, from 4 to 4:30 PM.” He Rongzheng held up the pastry and pointed at Cheng Tingyan, who was placing the soup on the table, he then rummaged through the other bag. “And these, takoyaki, taro cakes, cream puffs, egg pancakes? Don’t you find anything strange? Have you lost your memory?”

Wei Maomao, finally realizing something, but… could it be…?

“These are from that street near the university…” she mumbled.

“Oh, so you haven’t lost your memory.” He Rongzheng said, leaning back in his wheelchair, he mentally kicked himself.

What had he just said?! He had just… helped them!

He was trying to prove his granddaughter was a fool, and he ended up… assisting the enemy!

“The street we couldn’t finish eating, with that unlimited budget card…?” Wei Maomao said, looking at the bags on the floor.

“Yes, she said she would take you there next time. Although you only went there once, the cameras filmed every stall, maybe for a collaboration.” He Rongzheng said, amused, he held up the guokui. “You don’t remember anything else, but you don’t remember this guokui? You had the beef soup, the owner said it went perfectly with the guokui next door, but their opening hours didn’t match, and you even said it was a pity.”

Wei Maomao: “…“ Did she?

Honestly, ever since they left the villa, she had been too focused on Yan Yan, on their changing dynamic, on that dreamlike closeness, everything else seemed… distant, like behind a veil.

But now that he mentioned it…

Didn’t the owner also say that the guokui stall shared the space with a steamed bun stall?

Then… this guokui…

Wei Maomao looked down at the fragrant pastry.

Yan Yan…

Because of her words…

A pang of… something, like jealousy, tightened her chest, she looked towards the dining table.

Then…

She saw Zhao Can dragging Cheng Tingyan away.

Wei Maomao: ???

Zhao Can, discarding all pretense of politeness, Cheng Tingyan, offering no resistance, they quickly disappeared into the… kitchen.

“Why didn’t you reply to my messages?! I sent you a hundred and eight messages!” Zhao Can demanded, although angry, she didn’t dare to actually grab Cheng Tingyan.

“I replied. And… it was seventy-eight, not a hundred and eight.” Cheng Tingyan said.

She was sure of it, seventy-eight unread messages before she opened the chat window.

“You replied, my ass…” Zhao Can said, taking out her phone.

Okay, she did reply, just two minutes ago… when Cheng Tingyan just arrived.

[Cheng Tingyan: I was wrong, I’m sorry.]

Zhao Can: “…“

Why apologize so quickly?! How was she supposed to continue her interrogation?!

“Do you need me to apologize again, in person?” Cheng Tingyan asked patiently.

“Forget it…” Zhao Can said, deflated.

“Then… don’t tell Maomao about yesterday, okay?” Cheng Tingyan said, glancing at the sausages on the counter. “I’ll make you sausage rice for lunch tomorrow?”

“No need.” Zhao Can said, she already had a long list of dishes from Wei Chengli. “I get it, you’re not sorry, you’re just afraid I’ll tell Maomao!”

“Well… I didn’t expect you to come here.” Cheng Tingyan admitted, a bit helplessly. “But I didn’t say anything, just… expressed my concern, you insisted it was impossible, I thought we were done, I fell asleep.”

And then she saw even more denials this morning, and that diary… she didn’t want to reply at all.

Zhao Can: “…“

Yes, Cheng Tingyan had only talked about Wang Zhiqing.

But the key was! Wang Zhiqing was right there!

And Cheng Tingyan kept talking about her, she had to reply, she even offered to switch to voice or video call… she had to reply, right in front of Wang Zhiqing! She couldn’t explain why Wang Zhiqing was at her place so late at night!

And after Wang Zhiqing finally left, she was about to confront Cheng Tingyan, but Cheng Tingyan disappeared! Leaving her alone with her sleepless night!

“Why did you even care about us?!” Zhao Can asked, frustrated.

“I’ve told you, I care about my friends.” Cheng Tingyan said soothingly. “Okay, I know it’s impossible now… look at your dark circles, you didn’t sleep well because of my questions? But… it’s impossible now, why couldn’t you sleep?”

Zhao Can: “…“ Was it too late to sign up for martial arts classes?