Using Marriage as Bait : Extra 9
Extra 9
Satisfied with her brother's response, little Lu Wantang happily skipped back to her classroom.
Lin Xiyu arrived at the kindergarten on time to pick up her daughter and bumped into Zhang Minmin’s mom at the entrance. Since their daughters were close friends, the two mothers had become well-acquainted.
As they chatted at the door, the two little girls walked out hand in hand. After seating her daughter in the car, Lin Xiyu quickly noticed the injury in her hand.
“How did you get hurt?” Lin Xiyu asked.
Xiao Wantang recounted the day’s events in her own way. While her story lacked a strong sense of logic, Lin Xiyu, familiar with her child’s speaking style, could piece everything together.
When she finished, the little girl hesitated and asked timidly, “Mom, did I do something wrong?”
Lin Xiyu replied, “No, you did the right thing. But if you encounter this kind of situation again, you must first learn to protect yourself, understand?”
The little girl looked at her mom, confused. Lin Xiyu added, “It means that if someone tries to trouble you, it’s okay to back down first and then discuss it with your brother afterward.”
Xiao Wantang nodded, somewhat understanding. Lin Xiyu gently ruffled her hair and said, “But you did a great job today, helping a classmate who was being bullied.”
Xiao Wantang then said, “My brother even bought me a lollipop and helped put a bandage on my hand.”
Lin Xiyu thought of how her son had stood up for his sister, and the more she thought about it, the prouder she felt. She smiled and said, “Your brother did well, too, knowing how to protect his little sister.”
Suddenly, Xiao Wantang seemed to remember something and asked, “Mom, what is a rapist?”
Lin Xiyu’s expression instantly darkened upon hearing the question. “Where did you hear that word?” she asked.
Xiao Wantang replied, “They said that boy’s dad is a rapist. What does that mean?”
Faced with her daughter’s curious gaze, Lin Xiyu thought for a moment and answered, “It’s a very bad person, a criminal.”
“So, is that boy’s dad a bad person?”
“Not necessarily. Just because people say something doesn’t make it true. Unless you see it for yourself or have evidence, you shouldn’t believe everything you hear, okay?”
“Okay.”
The injury on Xiao Wantang’s hand wasn’t serious. Once they got home, Lin Xiyu disinfected it and wrapped it with gauze. However, when Lu Junting returned and heard that his precious daughter had been hurt, he immediately flew into a rage.
Grabbing his phone, Lu Junting said, “I’m going to call the school right now and find out who dared to bully my daughter!”
Lin Xiyu quickly stopped him. “What are you doing? Kids play rough sometimes; it’s normal to have bumps and scrapes. The boy even apologized. Don’t bother the teachers about such a minor issue. You’ll make a big deal out of nothing, and then people might think our daughter is too delicate to play with. Who would want to befriend her then?”
Lu Junting couldn’t understand. How was he making a big deal out of it? His beloved daughter had been injured! But with his wife holding him back, he refrained from calling right away. Once he returned to his study, however, his anger simmered, and he couldn’t resist contacting the kindergarten.
Unlike Lin Xiyu, who was forgiving and kind-hearted, Lu Junting was vengeful. If someone harmed him, he would retaliate. Someone had bullied his daughter, and as a fiercely protective father, he couldn’t let it slide.
After learning the general details of the incident, Lu Junting called his assistant, and within minutes, the boy’s family background was in his hands.
Families at this prestigious kindergarten’s affiliated nursery school were either wealthy or influential. The boy’s family was newly rich, having recently moved to the city to expand their business. However, compared to Lu Junting, a well-established local with deep roots and connections, they were far from his level. Giving them a lesson to stand up for his daughter would be an easy task for him.
The next morning, as Lin Xiyu took Xiao Wantang to school, she received a call from the principal asking her to stop by the office. Thinking the principal wanted to discuss Wantang’s school performance, she decided to go, bringing her daughter along since it was still early.
Unexpectedly, there were already people in the principal’s office: a slender woman and a boy who seemed slightly older than Xiao Wantang.
After Lin Xiyu and Xiao Wantang entered, the principal asked them to sit. He then turned to the woman with a troubled expression and said, “Your son has hurt others, and the parents aren’t happy about it. They’re saying he’s violent and have gathered other parents to voice their concerns. I have no choice but to ask you to take him home for now and bring him back after some time.”
The woman, with her plain face and simple clothes, nodded lightly, her expression unchanged. “Understood. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take him and leave.”
“Alright, you can take him now,” the principal said.
Without another word, the woman turned to leave, not even holding her son’s hand. The boy quietly followed her.
Lin Xiyu found it odd. Normally, when a parent hears such accusations about their child, they would either argue or explain, but this woman remained calm and detached. Her attitude toward the boy seemed cold, almost unmotherly.
The principal noticed Lin Xiyu’s curiosity and explained, “That’s Jiang Zhouming from the middle class and his mother. Their family situation is a bit complicated.”
So they were indeed mother and son, but their dynamic was strange.
Lin Xiyu nodded. She wasn’t one to pry into others’ affairs, so she didn’t ask further.
“Why did the dean want to see me?”
The principal then smiled and said, “Actually, there’s nothing serious.”
Before he could finish, a loud, enthusiastic voice interrupted, “Sorry, sorry, I’m late!”
Lin Xiyu turned to see a woman adorned with gold jewelry rushing in, holding a little boy’s hand. The boy had a bandage wrapped around his head.
The woman greeted Lin Xiyu warmly. “You must be Mrs. Lu! I’m so sorry!”
Unsure of what was happening, Lin Xiyu glanced at the principal, who explained, “This is Liang Yuan and his mother. Yesterday, Liang Yuan had a small altercation with Lu Wantang, and his mother came to apologize.”
Understanding the situation, Lin Xiyu realized this must be the boy who had bullied Xiao Wantang the day before. She glanced at the boy’s bandaged head, remembering that Wantang had said her brother had taken her away after the apology. Clearly, the boy’s injury wasn’t her son’s doing.
The woman stepped forward, clasping Lin Xiyu’s hand apologetically. “I’m terribly sorry! My son is too naughty.” She looked at Xiao Wantang and stroked her head. “This must be Lu Wantang. Oh, what a sweet child!”
Turning to her son, she scolded, “What are you standing there for? Apologize!”
This little Liang Yuan was really not in a good mood. He had his head smashed and was scolded by his parents after he went home. Now, he has to apologize to the other despite the injury on his head.
“Sorry.”
The apology was filled with grievance.
The woman added, “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Lu,” then she took out a red gift box from her bag, opened it, and presented it to Lin Xiyu. “This is a little token from our family to Lu Wantang. It’s our apology gift.”
Inside the box lay a pure gold bracelet with a clasp shaped like a toad.
Lin Xiyu had pretty much guessed the situation. Thinking back to Mr. Lu’s fiery reaction yesterday, she figured he must have secretly called the kindergarten behind her back. That’s probably why the principal gathered the parents today to clarify the situation.
Lin Xiyu was speechless. She couldn’t understand why Mr. Lu had to make things so complicated.
Lin Xiyu said, “It’s normal for kids to have little conflicts when they play together, and the other child has already apologized. There’s no need for a gift.”
The woman replied, “Mrs. Lu, you must accept this gift; otherwise, I’ll feel uneasy.”
The principal also tried to mediate, leaving Lin Xiyu no choice but to accept the bracelet. After leaving the principal’s office, she escorted her daughter to her classroom. Lin Xiyu opened the red box and asked the little girl, “This is for you. Do you like it, Tangtang?”
Tangtang, being brutally honest, shook her head. “I don’t like it. It’s too ugly.”
Alright then. It seemed her daughter’s sense of aesthetics was still intact.
“Mom, I want to tell you a secret.”
The little girl suddenly leaned in mysteriously.
Lin Xiyu quickly bent down to listen, and her daughter whispered, “Mom, that little boy just now—they say his dad is the one who committed… you know, that crime.”
“Hm? Was it the boy we met earlier?”
Lu Wantang nodded.
Lin Xiyu said, “That’s someone else’s family business. It’s enough that you tell Mommy. Don’t share it with anyone else, okay?”
The little girl nodded. “I only told Mommy.”
Lin Xiyu thought about what she had just seen—the aloof woman with a bare face who looked indifferent, and the boy who kept his head down without saying a word.
The children attending this kindergarten weren’t from ordinary families. A family like that produced… a rapist of such nature? Sure, crime is a crime, and anyone can commit it regardless of status. But someone with a solid background wouldn’t stoop to that level—it would ruin their reputation. That part puzzled Lin Xiyu.
That evening, Lu Junting worked overtime for a bit. When he returned home, it was already dark. He went straight to the bedroom and immediately noticed the hideously designed bracelet on the table. He picked it up and examined it—it was pure gold and felt quite heavy. Lu Junting was baffled. How had his wife’s taste suddenly become so poor?
Lin Xiyu had just come out of the bathroom after a shower when Lu Junting asked, “What made you buy such an ugly bracelet?”
He shouldn’t have asked. The question irritated Lin Xiyu. She said, “This is all because of you! I told you it’s normal for kids to have little conflicts, but you had to blow it up. Now look, this is the apology gift from the other parent. Our daughter thought it was ugly, so I took it. You figure out what to do with it.”
Lu Junting tossed the bracelet back into the box. The boy’s father had come to see him at work today, knowing how to handle the situation appropriately.
“I can’t believe this. What was a small issue had to be made public. I don’t understand why you like making such a big deal out of things.”
Lu Junting didn’t feel he’d done anything wrong. “My daughter got hurt. Can’t I ask about it?”
“Let the kids resolve their own conflicts. It wasn’t a big deal. Why should adults get involved? Don’t you think that’s childish?”
Lu Junting felt deeply misunderstood. Not only did his wife fail to understand him, but she also criticized him. He grew frustrated and felt wronged. Wasn’t he doing it all for their daughter’s sake? How was he being childish?
Lin Xiyu could clearly tell Mr. Lu was sulking. Ever since she’d called him out, he hadn’t spoken to her. After showering, he went straight to bed, pointedly lying with his back to her. Usually, before sleeping, this man would cuddle her and act all affectionate.
Staring at his back, Lin Xiyu thought, This isn’t normal. Something’s definitely off.
She poked him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just sleeping.”
But she could tell from his tone he wasn’t okay. It was as if he was on the verge of outright saying, ‘I’m sulking.’ Lin Xiyu thought Mr. Lu was being ridiculously childish. She tugged on his clothes and said, “Are you upset because I scolded you?”
Lu Junting ignored her. Lin Xiyu found it amusing. His behavior was just like a child throwing a tantrum—needing someone to coax him.
With two kids at home, Lin Xiyu had plenty of experience comforting people. Applying those skills to her husband wasn’t much different.
She propped herself up and glanced at his face. He was clearly pretending to sleep. Suppressing a smile, Lin Xiyu said, “Oh, don’t be mad. I know you care about Tangtang, and we just handle things differently. I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.”
Lu Junting wasn’t truly angry; he just felt misunderstood. Since his wife softened her stance, he let it go. He turned around, wrapped his arm around her waist, and said, “I work so hard for you all. I just don’t want anyone to bully you.”
“Yes, yes, yes,”
Lin Xiyu said as she cupped his face, playfully squishing his lips into a duck shape. The contrast between his usual demeanor and this goofy look was adorable. She kissed him twice and added, “It’s not your fault. We just have different approaches. You wanted justice for our daughter, while I didn’t want to escalate a minor issue. But I shouldn’t impose my way on you—that’s just your way of showing love.”
After being kissed and hearing her sweet words, Lu Junting instantly felt better. He flipped her onto her back and said, “Now that you’ve admitted your mistake, how about making it up to me?”
“Make it up to you? How?” Lin Xiyu teased. “Don’t tell me you want a third child?”
Why did she jump to that?
“Do you?” Lu Junting asked.
“No, I’m happy with one son and one daughter. But if you want more, I’ll give you as many as you want.”
He wasn’t that greedy. Originally, he thought one son was enough. She wanted to give him a daughter, so they had one. Now that they had both, he was perfectly content.
Whether she said it to cheer him up or not, her words made him happy. In a good mood, Lu Junting cuddled her and kissed her tenderly for a while. Lying beside her, holding her close, he said, “No more. This is just right.”
Watching the smile he couldn’t hide, Lin Xiyu thought, Not bad. My husband isn’t hard to please. A few words and he’s already cheered up.
She’d just discovered another skill: how to coax her husband.
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