The clerk who manned the loss report window and the teller Xiao Wu stayed behind under the guise of being involved in the incident. In fact, they actually wanted to hear the gossip… or rather, they told themselves it was their duty to understand the situation along with the manager.
Thus, Xia Mian vividly narrated how the Zhang couple had an affair, how they caused her sister’s death, how they conveniently benefited from Xia Chun’s demise by securing jobs and money, and how they abused Xiao Feng. When she got to the part about the abuse, she gently lifted Xiao Feng’s shirt to reveal the shocking bruises as the most direct evidence.
The clerk, a mother herself, clenched her fists as she listened to Xia Mian’s story, cursing in anger, “They’re beasts!”
“No wonder she refused to give me the passbook,” Xia Mian sighed helplessly. Then she turned to the manager, “Is this considered theft? Can the police arrest her for this?”
“Of course,” the clerk immediately responded. “They obviously didn’t have good intentions when taking you in. Even if money is needed to put you into the school, there is no reason to take the passbook from you. That’s outright suspicious. They’re clearly after your money, little girl. You should report this to the police right away!”
After a moment of silence, Xia Mian looked up at the manager, “Brother, can I ask you for a favor?”
The manager, a middle-aged man with a protruding belly and receding hairline, chuckled at being called ‘brother’ and said amiably, “What do you need?”
“Since I’ve formally reported the loss, could you call the police the next time she tries to withdraw money with the invalidated passbook?” Xia Mian pleaded pitifully, “I’m afraid my brother-in-law will accuse me of framing her again. Just like yesterday, he found someone he knows to intercede, and the police treated my nephew’s abuse as a family dispute, and that woman was let go immediately.”
“If I report her again, it will end up the same way, and then I’m afraid not only will I not get my money back, but my nephew and I will have an even harder time…”
“That’s outrageous!” the clerk exclaimed.”
“It’s theft!” Xiao Wu interjected, “Right, Manager?”
“Indeed,” the manager agreed, “It’s our duty to act in such situations. If someone tries to withdraw money using a reported lost passbook and can’t answer basic security questions, we definitely need to call the police.”
“Don’t worry!” Xiao Wu quickly assured with a smile, “I remember her clearly. If she dares to come again, we’ll help you call the police!”
It was certain Huang Xiaojuan would dare to come again, as she lacked precautions.
“Thank you, thank you, big brother and sister!” Xia Mian expressed her gratitude profusely.
“This girl sure knows how to sweet-talk,” the clerk couldn’t help but laugh. Glancing at Xiao Feng, who had been quietly leaning against Xia Mian’s leg, she felt a wave of pity, “Ah, what a sin. Take good care of your little nephew from now on. Tidy up your hair and focus on your studies!”
Xia Mian touched her hair embarrassedly, “I know I didn’t look great like this. I’ll get a haircut today and set a good example for Xiao Feng from now on.”
When she left the bank, Xia Mian held a haircut coupon in her hand, a gift from the bank manager. Touching Xiao Feng’s head, she mused, “There are still many good people in the world. How come you didn’t encounter them sooner?”
Xiao Feng hugged her leg, looked up, and smiled, “I met Auntie!”
“Right,” Xia Mian bent down, tickled his chin, and lifted the cheerful boy into the air, “Meeting Auntie is Xiao Feng’s biggest fortune!”
The child’s laughter was pure and untainted, prompting Xia Mian to also burst into a radiant smile. If this bizarre transmigration was meant to save this child, then it was all worth it!
…
“Hello, hello? Brother Ning, what are you up to? Do you have a bad signal?”
“It’s fine, I can hear you.” Ning Shaobai returned to his senses. In his hand was a compact mobile phone, a model that hadn’t been released to the public.
“Oh, I thought there was something wrong with your phone,” the voice coming from the other end said teasingly. “So, what were you doing just now? Saw a pretty girl?”
Ning Shaobai raised an eyebrow, “No, I saw a Monkey King.”
The person on the other end didn’t catch that, “Huh? A monkey? Are there street performers there? Is it fun?”
Ning Shaobai didn’t bother to explain, merely curving his lips into a smile, “It’s alright, quite amusing.”
“How amusing can a monkey be?” the person on the phone wondered.
…
It was nearly eleven o’clock. After playing with Xiao Feng for a while, Xia Mian was drenched in sweat. She eyed the ice cream freezer on the roadside, craving the familiar milk tea, iced soda, popsicles…
Glancing at Xiao Feng, Xia Mian took out two White Rabbit Creamy Candies from her pocket, unwrapping one for Xiao Feng and eating one herself. Alas, now she could empathize with the struggles of child-rearing: her conscience wouldn’t allow her to indulge while making him watch.
“When Xiao Feng gets better, Auntie will let you have an ice cream every day!” Xia Mian declared loudly.
Xiao Feng had only seen Xuanxuan eat ice cream before. He looked forward with anticipation but sensibly said, “Xiao Feng won’t eat.” He had watched the exchange in the bank and understood that his auntie’s money had been stolen by his stepmother; Auntie had no money left.
“That won’t do,” Xia Mian boldly stated, “With Auntie, you must have the best of everything!” She then squatted down to touch Xiao Feng’s stomach, “Are you hungry? How many meals a day should a child have, four or five?”
A voice from above intervened, “Xiao Feng is malnourished due to prolonged hunger, so he needs frequent small meals.”
Such an enchanting voice… Xia Mian sighed internally. Sadly, despite his voice and appearance, the person himself had bad eyes for people.
Xia Mian looked up and, sure enough, she met the gaze of Doctor “Monk Tang” Ning.
“Thanks for the reminder,” Xia Mian offered a forced smile, “Dr. Tang.”
Ning Shaobai raised an eyebrow, “You’re welcome, Miss Monkey.”
Xia Mian: “…”
Staring at his departing figure, Xia Mian could only stomp her foot in frustration, vexed at her own lack of words: “Ah!!!! This is infuriating!”
Listening to the vexed voice behind him, Ning Shaobai shook his head and chuckled, amused by the girl’s fiery temper.
“Auntie, don’t be angry,” Xiao Feng hugged Xia Mian’s legs, his eyes filled with concern.
“Right, not angry!” Xia Mian lifted the boy, “Let’s go eat something delicious! After eating, Auntie will get a haircut!”
Xia Mian meant to soothe Xiao Feng, but once they started enjoying the delicious dumplings, she forgot all about the annoying people.
“Do you like it?” Located near a residential area, this roadside eatery not only offered generous portions but also exceptionally tasty dumplings. Xia Mian pinched open a dumpling for Xiao Feng, emulating how she saw a neighbor aunt feed her grandson. The aroma of mushrooms and pork, oozing with juice, was irresistibly appetizing.
Xiao Feng chewed, his eyes sparkling as he nodded vigorously.
Xia Mian patted his belly, “Then let’s have two more!”
Xiao Feng’s eyes crinkled with joy, his little legs shaking adorably.
After finishing the dumplings and sipping some egg soup, Xia Mian eagerly headed to the hair salon with Xiao Feng.
When she opened the door and found a room full of strikingly colorful heads, Xia Mian was stunned. For a moment, she thought she had entered a den of peacocks—oh, wait, this was the era where punk culture was popular.
When the salon staff saw Xia Mian, his eyes lit up, and he greeted her like an old friend, “Hello, beautiful. Wanna dye your hair? We just did a green yesterday that would totally suit you. Let our Master Tony, who’s just back from training in Hong Kong, do it for you. You’ll look absolutely stunning.”
Xia Mian: “…”
Green, really? She suspected they wanted to use her as a guinea pig. Aside from punk enthusiasts, who would dye their hair green?
It was only upon seeing the moving expanse of green hair did Xia Mian realize her naivety: the skill level of these hairstylists seemed to be ranked by the boldness of hairstyles and color, with ‘Master Tony’ being their tribal king.
“I want to dye it black and straighten it,” Xia Mian didn’t want to waste any more words and cut straight to the chase, “School’s starting soon, and my current hair could get me expelled.”
Mentioning school left even Master Tony without argument. “You’re so pretty, so your hair should be personalized to match. Why does school have to meddle with hairstyles?” He sighed regretfully.
Nonsense! Xia Mian wanted to argue. Her thick bangs nearly covered half her face; how could anyone see her beauty? She hadn’t even seen it clearly herself!
Before washing her hair, Xia Mian held onto Xiao Feng, worried he might get frightened by the ‘peacocks’ in this den of punk. However, the little guy seemed quite comfortable and was curiously looking around.
Puzzled, Xia Mian asked, “What are you looking at?”
Gazing at Xia Mian’s head, Xiao Feng declared, “Auntie is the prettiest!”
Xia Mian: “…”
No way! What was going on with his aesthetic sense? Was Xiao Feng’s destined path as a genius painter going to be derailed by her influence?
…
Under Master Tony’s non-stop chatter, Xia Mian’s hair was safely dyed back to black and got a refreshing cut befitting a good student. After drying her hair, she finally took a serious look at the appearance of her current body—her previously outrageous hair had been too much for her eyes, causing her to avoid the mirror to maintain her sanity.
The new girl in the mirror now bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to her previous body. The thin bangs finally revealed her full forehead, showcasing her almond-shaped eyes, delicate nose, and oval face. Xia Mian nodded in satisfaction. Finally, she regained her little angel look!
Master Tony, who had initially lamented Xia Mian’s decision to dye her hair, ceased his complaints and became very enthusiastic. He kept chatting with her, inquiring where she lived and which school she attended. “Oh, by the way, we offer a student discount. If you have a student ID, you get 20% off.”
See? This was the treatment for an angel. Xia Mian smiled, said nothing, and simply paid and left.
Stepping out of the hair salon, Xia Mian lifted Xiao Feng, who was still earnestly examining her, and asked, “Does Auntie look good now?”
Without hesitation, Xiao Feng replied, “Pretty!”
Xia Mian smiled, “Which Auntie do you think is prettier, the one before or the one now?”
Xiao Feng put her arms around Xia Mian’s neck and said, “They are all good-looking, but Auntie is the prettiest.“
Xia Mian breathed a sigh of relief. Though slightly off, the little guy’s aesthetic sense might still be salvageable. “Xiao Feng is also very handsome.” She gave him a serious look and couldn’t resist kissing his cheek.
The haircut took a while, so while Master Tony was fiddling with her hair, Xia Mian had Xiao Feng sit beside her and get a haircut too. Huang Xiaojuan never cared for Xiao Feng’s cleanliness, let alone his hair. Still, even Huang Xiaojuan was afraid of the risk of lice from unclean, long hair, so she preferred to shave it off as it was less troublesome. Whenever Xiao Feng’s hair grew a bit, she’d simply use clippers to shave it all off.
Currently, Xiao Feng’s hair is at an awkward length, slightly longer than a typical boy’s hair, showing the slight natural curls he inherited from the Xia family. After being styled, it looked incredibly charming, except for a tuft near the forehead that stubbornly stuck up no matter what.
Xia Mian couldn’t resist trying to smooth the rogue tuft down with her hand. The tuft obediently lay flat under her fingers, only to spring back up soon after, just like the hair of popular manga characters…
Xia Mian was thoroughly amused, and, seeing her happy, Xiao Feng’s eyes curved like crescents, melting anyone’s heart.
On the other side, due to the morning incident, not only was Huang Xiaojuan thoroughly humiliated, but Zhang Qiming was also called by the union early in the day. Unable to swallow this anger, the couple was plotting to move up their plans against Xia Mian.
Huang Xiaojuan stayed at home, eagerly waiting for Xia Mian’s ‘friends’ to come to her.
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Thanks for the chapter ❣️
Thank you!
Hope the Friends will be handled properly!
Wait, what friends?! She just moved there, how could she have any friends already?!
…unless she is reffearing to the neighbours?
Thanks for the chapter!
I love the interactions between Ning Shaobai and Xia Mian! Considering she’s still a child in school and he’s already graduated and working, I’m pretty sure he’s not the ML, but he would certainly be a good “big brother” figure for her. I wonder how he’ll respond seeing her new look, lol.
Thanks for the chapter! 😀