CHAPTER 199: CHAPTER 199: TEACHING A LESSON TO A NAUGHTY CHILD

199 Teaching a Naughty Child A Lesson

Three paper airplanes were held by Sun Daqing, Sun Daji, and Zhao Zhitong respectively.

All the other children’s eyes were glued to the paper airplanes, unable to look away.

Sun Xiaoxue blinked her eyes and tugged Sun Daqing’s sleeve, asking in a childish voice, "Brother, Brother, can you let me fly it later, please?"

Sun Daqing immediately guarded the paper airplane, shouting, "No way! I’m going to play with it first before I even think about letting you have a turn!"

Sun Xiaoxue’s eyes instantly dimmed, and she retracted her small hand in disappointment.

At this moment, Zhao Zhitong walked over, gave Sun Daqing a light smack on his small head, and said indignantly, "Cousin, you can’t be like that! We need to learn to share, whether it’s toys or food. Only by sharing can our happiness be doubled. If you don’t share and keep everything to yourself, I won’t be friends with you anymore, hmph!"

Sun Daqing was always most receptive to his little cousin. He immediately scratched his head with a smile, feeling embarrassed.

Seeing his little cousin still looking stern, he reached out to tug Zhao Zhitong’s small hand, coaxing her, "Alright, don’t be angry, little cousin. I admit I was wrong. I’ll let Xiaoxue play with it first, okay?"

Zhao Zhitong finally nodded happily. "That’s more like it. Let’s all play together. There are three paper airplanes, so everyone can have a chance to fly them~"

Sun Xiaoxue clapped her hands in excitement. "Wow, that’s awesome~ Little cousin is the best~"

After more cheering, the little kids ran to the entrance of the courtyard and found a spot without puddles to play.

Instantly, the children’s joyful laughter and excited shrieks echoed throughout the alley, soon attracting many other children to come and watch.

When they saw the novel toys Zhao Zhitong and the others were playing with—toys that could actually fly—they were all incredibly envious.

Granny Guan’s two grandsons, Gou Dan and Tie Zhu, also ran over, eyeing the flying toys with great envy.

Gou Dan couldn’t help but ask, "Hey, Sun Daqing, what kind of toy is this? Where did you buy it?"

Sun Daqing, his face beaming with pride, bragged exaggeratedly, "You can’t buy this toy anywhere! My little cousin made it for us, and there are only three of them in the whole world!"

After speaking, he tilted his small face upward, looking utterly triumphant and radiant.

"Wow! That’s amazing!"

"It looks so fun, I really want one."

"Me too."

Instantly, a fresh wave of envious voices arose from the crowd.

With such a lively scene on their side, Chen Xiaofeng from next door curiously came out. Standing at Granny Guan’s doorway, he craned his neck to look their way, and his eyes lit up when he saw the flying toys.

He immediately ran over and said rudely to Zhao Zhitong, "Hey! Give me your toy, I want to play with it!"

Zhao Zhitong hmphed, hid the paper airplane behind her back, and retorted with a pout, "Well, who do you think you are? Why should I let you play with it?"

After speaking, she gave Sun Daqing and the others a look. They quickly put away their paper airplanes and ran back into the house, afraid Chen Xiaofeng would try to snatch them.

Chen Xiaofeng, seeing the toys disappear, was about to burst into tears. "WAH, WAH, I’m going to tell my mom you won’t let me play!"

Zhao Zhitong hmphed again. "These are our toys. Why should we let you play? If you want to play, go home and make one yourself!"

Zhao Yu quickly chimed in, "Sister, don’t even bother. Paper swallows need paper to be made, and how could Chen Xiaofeng possibly have paper? HA HA HA."

As he spoke, he deliberately let out a mocking laugh.

Sun Daji and the others also chimed in, "Exactly, exactly! Only my little cousin has paper; he definitely doesn’t have any."

This remark successfully made Chen Xiaofeng forget his tears and instead ignited his competitive spirit. He immediately stuck out his neck and roared, "Who says I don’t have any? We have plenty of it at my house!"

Sun Daji continued to taunt, "Even if your house has a lot, it belongs to your father, not you! Your father would never let you play with it!"

"That’s right, that’s right!" Zhao Yu added. "Our paper was given to my younger sister by her Teacher when she was at school. It’s such good paper! Not everyone has it."

Chen Xiaofeng was furious and yelled defiantly, "Who says so? My mom told me that everything in our house is mine! As long as I want something, my dad and mom will give it to me, hmph!"

Sun Daji said disdainfully, "Oh, listen to you brag!"

After speaking, he made a face at Chen Xiaofeng, which successfully enraged him. Pointing at Zhao Zhitong and the others, Chen Xiaofeng shouted, "You just wait! I’m going to get some right now!"

"We don’t believe you, you big talker," Sun Daji added fuel to the fire, then turned to Zhao Zhitong. "Oh, by the way, little cousin, can paper swallows fly no matter what kind of paper they’re made from?"

Zhao Zhitong deliberately raised her voice, speaking in a childish tone, "Of course not! Paper that’s too soft won’t fly. The harder the paper, the higher it flies. Book paper is the best."

Every word of this reached Chen Xiaofeng’s ears.

Shouting that he would definitely get the paper, he stormed back home in a huff.

Seeing him run off, Zhao Zhitong immediately dragged her brother and cousins back home as well.

When they got home, they didn’t go to their rooms. Instead, they crouched behind the wall adjoining Granny Guan’s house, listening to the commotion next door.

Before long, Chen Xiaofeng’s pig-like squeals of pain, Sun Ying’s defensive cries, and Scholar Chen’s furious voice erupted from the neighboring house.

"You unfilial son! You rebellious brat! How dare you tear your father’s books! See if I don’t beat you to death today!"

Then came Chen Xiaofeng’s wails; clearly, he was really being hit, and not lightly either.

This was immediately followed by Sun Ying’s sobbing. "Husband, stop hitting him! You’ll hurt the child! BOO HOO HOO!"

Scholar Chen seemed furious and continued to scold Chen Xiaofeng. For a while, it was utter chaos next door.

Hearing this, Zhao Zhitong and the others exchanged glances, then covered their mouths, stifling giggles as they scurried away.

Their success in getting the naughty child punished was largely thanks to their gossip-loving Aunt.

She had once complained to Sun Mei about Scholar Chen, saying that he was over forty and still only a scholar, unable to pass the higher imperial examinations, yet incredibly arrogant.

Every time he visited Granny Guan’s house, he would pretentiously bring his books and often sit in the courtyard, poring over the text. Aunt had encountered him like this several times. At first, she thought Scholar Chen was truly a diligent man of letters.

But later, after seeing this display many times, she felt he was just being pretentious. On one such occasion, she complained about it to Sun Mei, and coincidentally, Zhao Zhitong overheard.

And so, this plan was hatched.

It could only be said that Chen Xiaofeng was thoroughly spoiled by his father and mother. Tempted by Zhao Zhitong’s group, he actually went back and tore up his father’s books.

In the eyes of scholars, books are precious. This was especially true for Scholar Chen, a self-important and rather pedantic man, who valued his books all the more.

Daring to touch his books was unacceptable, even if it was his doted-on son.

The little ones ran to the center of the courtyard before they finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs.

Sun Mei and the two aunts were in the kitchen cooking. Seeing the children in the courtyard roaring with laughter, they curiously asked what was going on.