Using Marriage as Bait : Extra 6
Extra 6
When Lin Xiyu was pregnant with her second child, she wasn’t as strict with her diet as she had been with Chengmao. This time, she indulged her cravings, and Lu Junting spoiled her too, letting her eat whatever she wanted.
When she was pregnant with Chengmao, she had gained 20 pounds, but with her second child, she gained 40 pounds. The baby grew so large that natural birth was impossible, and she had to undergo a C-section.
Lin Xiyu didn’t see her baby until the next day. The anesthesia had worn off, and she was in pain, but she still wanted to see her little one. The doctor had told her it was a girl. Although she had always believed that having a boy or a girl was the same, since she already had a son, she had been hoping for a daughter this time. She was thrilled to find out she had one.
However, when she finally held her baby, she nearly fainted.
She finally understood why the baby couldn’t be delivered naturally—her head was too big. The baby’s face was so large that her facial features seemed squished and distorted.
Lin Xiyu hadn’t expected to give birth to such an unattractive child. When she had Chengmao, he had been a tiny, pink, adorable little thing. She had assumed her daughter would be just as cute. So why was she so chubby?
Looking at her baby daughter, Lin Xiyu even started mentally calculating how much money she might need for cosmetic surgery in the future.
Lu Junting stood beside her, watching her expectant smile fade and her expression turn into one of doubt as she stared at the baby.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Overwhelmed by how cute your daughter is?”
Cute? Not even close!
With a bitter expression, Lin Xiyu looked at Lu Junting. “Is she really mine?”
Lin Xiyu thought she wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but she did have some good looks. She’d been praised as cute when she was young. Her husband, on the other hand, was undeniably handsome and charismatic. So why did their daughter look like this?
Lu Junting didn’t like the tone of her question and replied firmly, “Of course, she’s yours.”
“Then why is she so ugly?”
“...”
Now Lu Junting was even more displeased. “She’s not ugly at all. She’s adorable.”
Lu Junting genuinely felt offended. He thought his daughter’s chubby, round face and tiny mouth were incredibly cute. Where did Lin Xiyu see anything ugly?
He had entirely forgotten that when Chengmao was born; he had secretly found him ugly too.
However, Lin Xiyu’s distaste didn’t last long. After some reflection, she realized she hadn’t been careful with her diet during this pregnancy. Her daughter’s appearance was partly her responsibility. She decided she had no right to criticize her daughter, as she had been the one who caused it.
On the second day after the baby’s birth, Chengmao came with Lu family elders to visit his new sister. Zhang Yao held the baby, and the entire family gathered around to admire her, showering her with compliments.
Grandma Lu had three sons and only one granddaughter, Lu Yuan, in Lu Junting’s generation. When Lin Xiyu was pregnant, everyone had been hoping for a little princess, and now that she had arrived, they were delighted.
Chengmao, being small, couldn’t see his sister and stomped his feet impatiently.
“I want to see my sister! Let me see her!”
The room erupted in laughter. Zhang Yao smiled and said, “Alright, alright, I’ll let you see her. You’ve been talking about her all the way here.”
Zhang Yao sat down, and little Chengmao eagerly leaned over. His sister was asleep, undisturbed by the noisy crowd.
Looking at her, he thought she was so tiny—much smaller than him.
“Sister, sister,” he called softly, imitating the adults’ gentle tone.
Lin Xiyu watched from the side, feeling a surge of warmth in her heart. She said, “Your sister is asleep now.”
“I want to touch her. Can I touch her?” The little boy looked at the adults with wide, expectant eyes.
“Of course, you can,” Lin Xiyu replied.
Chengmao slowly reached out and gently touched his sister’s face twice before quickly pulling his hand back. His eyes sparkled with excitement. “Sister is so soft!”
Zhang Yao teased him, “Your sister is so soft and tiny. As her big brother, will you protect her in the future?”
The little boy clenched his fists and replied seriously, “She’s my sister. Of course, I’ll protect her.”
His earnest expression made everyone in the room burst out laughing.
Since Lin Xiyu had a C-section, she stayed in the hospital for a long time. Gradually, she got used to her daughter’s large face. She could only hope the old saying was true—that babies grow into their features.
However, looking at her daughter’s face, Lin Xiyu didn’t expect much.
To her surprise, three months later, her daughter’s chubby face slimmed down considerably. Her plump, fair, and rosy cheeks turned out to be even cuter than her brother’s when he was a baby.
The little girl’s name, Lu Wantang, had been chosen by Lu Junting early on. Lin Xiyu gave her the nickname ‘Tangtang.’
Tangtang grew into a healthy, lively, and incredibly adorable baby. She was strong, clever, and loved by everyone in the family, especially Lu Junting.
Lu Junting doted on his daughter to the extreme. Whatever Tangtang wanted, he gave her. If she cried, he became more anxious than anyone else. Even during work, when he didn’t like being disturbed, he would let her paint his nails or style his hair into little pigtails.
This was the same man who had resisted wearing a dinosaur costume for days but happily let his daughter draw a turtle on his face.
Lu Junting admitted he adored his little girl, especially since she reminded him so much of a younger Lin Xiyu.
Although not a replica, Tangtang’s expressions and gestures were strikingly similar. With a miniature version of his beloved Xiyu bouncing around, how could he not be smitten?
Lin Xiyu had talked to Lu Junting several times about not spoiling their daughter so much. While he always agreed to be more mindful, he continued to indulge her, and Lin Xiyu eventually gave up.
Fortunately, Tangtang didn’t become selfish or domineering. Instead, she grew up independent, confident, and thoughtful.
Lin Xiyu even discovered a little secret of Tang Tang’s one night when the girl cuddled up to her.
That night, when the child slept with her, she held her neck and whispered in her ear. “Mommy, do you know? You’re the person I love the most.”
Lin Xiyu asked, “Did you tell your daddy the same thing?”
“No, no, I only told you. I love Daddy, but I love you more.”
Such a confession wouldn’t thrill whose parent? Lin Xiyu held back her laughter and asked, “Your daddy spoils you so much. Shouldn’t you love him more?”
Tangtang clung to her neck and softly replied, “But Mommy worked so hard to bring me into this world, so I have to love Mommy the most.”
At only three years old, Tangtang could say such sweet and thoughtful things. Lin Xiyu’s heart melted. She hugged and kissed her little darling, calling her ‘Mommy’s little treasure.’
Tangtang wasn’t just sweet but also had a strong and protective side, likely inherited from her father.
For example, one day, Lin Xiyu was cooking in the kitchen when a spider crawled along the wall. She screamed and froze, holding a spatula, too scared to move.
Hearing the commotion, Tangtang ran over with her milk bottle. The spider, startled by Lin Xiyu’s scream, scurried toward the door.
Terrified, Lin Xiyu shouted, “Stay back! Don’t come over!”
But Tangtang, holding her bottle, calmly stepped on the spider with a squish. She lifted her foot, looked at the flattened spider, and declared, “It’s dead.”
Lin Xiyu: “...”
Her heart still racing, Lin Xiyu rushed over, scooped her daughter into her arms, and checked her over from head to toe. “I told you to run! Why didn’t you? What if it had bitten you?”
Tangtang shook her head confidently. “It wouldn’t bite me. I’m very strong. I can stomp it flat.”
She didn’t know where her family little girl got her temper from, she was very courageous. Lin Xiyu patted her chest in relief. “That was close.”
Tangtang took a sip from her milk bottle and then patted her mother’s head with her chubby hand, comforting her. “Don’t be scared. I’ll protect you.”
Lin Xiyu felt completely disarmed, leaning against her daughter and rubbing her chubby little belly. “It feels so good to be protected by my Tangtang.”
Tangtang hadn’t started preschool yet, but Lin Xiyu planned to send her after summer break. Meanwhile, Chengmao, now six and a half, was preparing to start first grade. Even though it was summer vacation, Lu Junting had enrolled him in several extracurricular classes, so he was out most of the time.
Every day at 5 p.m., her older brother would come home. Xiao Wantang had figured out his schedule and would wait by the door early, eagerly anticipating his return. As soon as she saw the familiar car pulling into the driveway, even before spotting her brother, her tiny legs would start bouncing with excitement. When her brother stepped out of the car and walked over, the little girl would dash over with her short legs, wrap her arms around him, and hold him tight.
Xiao Wantang adored her brother. Whenever she played with her friends, she’d proudly declare, “I have a brother, and he’s amazing!”
Though she was bold, independent, and confident when with others—practically the leader of the pack—she became a little drama queen around her brother. She would exaggerate even the tiniest grievance when she shared it with him, hoping to gain his affection.
Lu Chengmao had grown quite a bit, with his features now resembling their father, Lu Junting, more and more. His personality, too, was taking after their father—calm and reserved.
Though he had been a cheerful and lively child, over the past two years, he had become quieter and less inclined to speak with others.
But he treated his little sister differently. She was soft, sweet, and irresistibly cute when she smiled. She always saved him tasty treats, and he had adored her since she was born. Whenever he saw her, he felt like a responsible big brother protecting his precious little sister. So, when she hugged him, he couldn’t help but gently ruffle her hair and ask, “Were you a good girl at home today?”
“Yep, I was very good. I helped Auntie hang clothes and even helped Mom tidy up!”
“So capable?”
Xiao Wantang nodded with a proud expression.
Chengmao praised her, “Very impressive.”
“Hehe.”
The little girl, blushing from her brother’s compliment, buried her face in his chest and giggled.
“Alright, let’s head inside.”
Reluctantly letting go, Xiao Wantang took her brother’s hand, and they walked into the house together.
“Brother, are you going to do your homework now?” she asked expectantly.
Seeing her eager expression, Chengmao smiled and replied, “I can play with you for a little while first.”
The girl jumped up and clapped her hands in excitement. “Yay!”
Lin Xiyu, their mother, noticed Xiao Wantang trailing behind her brother as they went upstairs. She reminded her daughter, “Tangtang, don’t disturb your brother. He still has homework to do.”
The little girl protested, “Brother has been at school all day. He needs to rest too!”
Lin Xiyu: “......”
Lin Xiyu knew better than to argue when this little girl was defending her brother. Fine, let them play, she thought.
Later, Lu Junting came home, walking in just as Lin Xiyu was sorting laundry. He took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie with a deliberately casual air, giving her a mischievous look.
She couldn’t deny it—despite being a father of two, this man still had a certain charm about him.
“Did you miss me?” he asked.
Lin Xiyu was speechless. Why is this man, the father of two children not serious at all? As he got older, Mr. Lu didn’t look old but became more and more attractive. Although she had been married to him for many years, Lin Xiyu’s face started to get hot when he teased her like this.
Lin Xiyu rolled her eyes. “Can’t you say something less cheesy the moment you walk in?”
Lu Junting loved the way her eyes sparkled with a mix of coyness and shyness. Just as he was about to steal a kiss, a loud thud came from Chengmao’s room.
The sound came from Chengmao’s room. The two children were in the room. The couple looked at each other, not wanting to be affectionate and hurriedly went to the next room to check on the situation.
Chengmao had been playing with blocks with his sister. Wanting to make him happy, Xiao Wantang had snuck into the storage room to fetch his beloved toy train, which their father had forbidden him to play with. She ran back with it but tripped upon entering the room. The train flew from her hands, and the engine separated from the carriages upon hitting the floor.
Xiao Wantang was unfazed by her own tumble. Her immediate concern was the train. Seeing it broken, she exclaimed in a panic, “Oh no! The train’s broken! What do we do?”
Chengmao didn’t even glance at the train. He immediately went to help his sister up, but their father entered the room first.
Seeing his daughter on the floor, Lu Junting quickly scooped her up. Then he turned his gaze to the broken train, his expression darkening. His voice became a few degrees colder when he spoke. “You come home and don’t do your homework? Are you playing with toys instead? And you didn’t even take care of your sister? How did she end up falling?” His voice grew colder with each sentence.
Chengmao, standing there with his head lowered, remained silent and didn’t defend himself.
Xiao Wantang, however, was quick to intervene. Despite her scraped knees, she wriggled out of her father’s arms and stood protectively in front of her brother. Her chubby little body was like a tiny shield as she declared, “Brother was playing with me! I’m the one who took the train out for him! Don’t be mad at him!”
Lu Junting stared at his two children. The little girl, much shorter than her brother, stood her ground with a determined expression, ready to defy him for her brother’s sake.
This soft, sweet daughter of his, who always melted his heart, had once again chosen to side with her brother.
Lu Junting was so frustrated he felt like his liver hurt—not because the eldest wasn’t doing his homework properly, but because the younger one was defying him to defend her brother. He thought about how he usually treated this little girl, cherishing her as if she were a fragile treasure, protecting her from the slightest harm. Yet the moment he scolded her brother, she would immediately turn on him and side with her brother without hesitation.
Lin Xiyu, who had just entered the room, chuckled at the sight of her husband and daughter locked in a staring contest. “What’s going on here?”
Lu Junting straightened up, his hands in his pockets, and glared at the children. Seeing him move, Xiao Wantang pressed herself closer to her brother, as if shielding him from an attack.
Lin Xiyu scooped up her daughter. “It’s okay. Daddy won’t scold your brother anymore. He’s already played with you; let’s leave him to do his homework now.”
Lin Xiyu tugged at Mr. Lu as she spoke, but he was still upset and unwilling to relent. He deliberately shrugged her hand off and turned to leave.
Lin Xiyu patted Lu Chengmao’s head and said, “Go ahead and work on your homework. I’ll have the nanny clean up later.”
The little boy nodded, and Lin Xiyu carried Lu Wantang out of the room.
Once everyone had left, Lu Chengmao squatted down to pick up the broken train. It was his most cherished toy, and perhaps only he cared that it was broken.
As Lin Xiyu carried Lu Wantang out of the room, the little girl suddenly had a thought and wriggled out of her mother’s arms.
“What are you doing?” Lin Xiyu asked.
“I’m going to check on Brother. I’ll be right back.”
Without waiting for a reply, the little girl dashed off toward her brother’s room, her tiny feet pitter-pattering on the floor. Lin Xiyu quickly followed to see what was going on.
When Lu Wantang entered the room, Lu Chengmao was holding the broken train, about to put it back into the toy box. Hearing the sound of her entering, he turned and saw his little sister. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
The little girl ran straight to him and hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry I broke your train. I’ll buy you a new one, okay?”
It wasn’t true that no one cared—his little sister still remembered.
“Do you have money? Trains are very expensive.”
The little girl quickly replied, “I do, I do! I’ve saved up a lot of my New Year’s money!”
Looking at his sister’s adorable face, Lu Chengmao couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle her hair. Though he did feel sad about the broken train, seeing his sister now made him feel much better.
He wrapped his arms around her soft, little body and said, “It’s okay. Your brother is all grown up now and doesn’t need toys anymore. You should save your New Year’s money to buy pretty dresses, the kind Tangtang likes.”
The author has something to say:
Haha, the chubby, adorable little sister has arrived. This is a pair of siblings who love and spoil each other.
----------
If you like my translation, please support me by buying me a coffee:
Previous Chapter | Table of Content | Next Chapter
0 comments: