Eating Melons in the Police Station-Chapter 84

Zhong Jin started the charcoal fire and placed the foil containers over the flames. Soon, the aroma of the dishes inside wafted through the air. He then took out marshmallows and arranged them in a circle around the fire.

Qiu Sheng went to fetch Little Tong and Miao Qingyue for lunch. Stepping out of the pavilion, she noticed a group of children gathered by the long corridor, likely playing with the little chick.

As she drew closer, Qiu Sheng overheard their conversation.

Lu Xingxing said, "Zhong Yuntong, I'm Sang Biao's child, right?"

"Ah, yes," Little Tong replied, squatting on the ground with a grin.

Lu Xingxing continued, "Then what you said earlier—that Sang Biao is just an ordinary fried chicken chick—isn’t right, because she’s actually my mom."

Little Tong raised a finger, her dark eyes wide with seriousness as she explained:

"Sang Biao is an ordinary chick, but we still love her. Just like I’m a silly kid, but my mom and dad still love me."

Lu Xingxing hesitated, "But... but..."

After stammering for a while, she gave up and abruptly ended the conversation.

Qiu Sheng called Little Tong and Miao Qingyue back for lunch. The two children stood up from the ground, with Little Tong cradling the chick and toddling over on her short legs.

Qiu Sheng felt a warm pride hearing Little Tong say, *"Sang Biao is just an ordinary chick, but I still love her."*

But another remark made her heart clench: "Sweetheart, who told you you’re a silly kid?"

Little Tong answered calmly, "Because I can’t do math. Uncle got so mad he left. Doesn’t that mean I’m a silly kid?"

"No, it doesn’t," Qiu Sheng quickly reassured her. "You’re still little. Math is hard at your age—it’s normal not to get it yet. Even Miao Yueyue, who’s the same age as you, can’t do math either."

Miao Qingyue lifted her delicate little face. "Auntie, I *can* do math."

Little Tong immediately leaned her round head toward Miao Qingyue, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yueyue, then do you know what 3 plus 5 is?"

Miao Qingyue thought for a moment. "It’s 8."

"And 5 plus 3?"

Miao Qingyue blinked. "Still 8."

"Wow!" Little Tong gasped in awe. "Yuebao, are you a *genius*?"

Suddenly called a genius, Miao Qingyue stammered nervously, "I... I don’t think so."

Letting go of Qiu Sheng’s hand, Little Tong skipped around her to grasp Miao Qingyue’s other hand, chattering excitedly, "Why don’t you be my uncle’s kid instead?"

Miao Qingyue hesitated. "That might not work... because I’m actually my parents’ child."

Little Tong sighed in disappointment, but her spirits quickly lifted again, as if simply knowing her friend was smart filled her with pride.

Sometimes, Qiu Sheng truly couldn’t follow a child’s logic.

Still, even if Little Tong misunderstood herself as a "silly kid," she accepted it wholeheartedly—firmly believing that her parents would love her no matter what.

That kind of outlook was remarkable. Most adults couldn’t even be that wise and unbothered.

*

A few days after their winter garden outing, Christmas approached.

Qiu Sheng’s grandparents were overseas Chinese, and many of her relatives still lived abroad, so her family had always celebrated Christmas.

Days before the holiday, Qiu Sheng’s mother, Tao Siyuan, called to remind her to come home for Christmas—her uncle and aunt would be flying back from overseas.

But this was Little Tong’s first Christmas in the world, and Qiu Sheng wanted to spend it with her. She made an excuse to skip the family gathering.

While expressing her disappointment, Tao Siyuan casually shared some family gossip:

"Your brother—I think he’s secretly raising a child outside. Rumor has it he’s hired a tutor for a toddler and bought a ton of toys and books."

Qiu Sheng sighed. "It’s probably a friend’s kid. Don’t jump to conclusions."

She and Zhong Jin had agreed not to tell her parents about Little Tong just yet. They planned to visit Jing City during Zhong Jin’s New Year break and reveal the news in person.

Who knew her brother would accidentally stir up speculation first?

Before Tao Siyuan could pry further, Qiu Sheng hurriedly ended the call. She wasn’t good at lying, and any more talking risked giving things away.

As Christmas drew nearer, the streets and malls glittered with red and green decorations.

The plaza where Little Tong had ridden the mini train in summer now held a towering Christmas tree, draped in twinkling lights and tiny ornaments.

Little Tong hadn’t known about Christmas before, but now she cheerfully (if off-key) belted out *"Merry Christmas"* along with the songs playing everywhere.

When Qiu Sheng told her Santa Claus would deliver presents, Little Tong grew impatient, kneeling by the floor-to-ceiling window every day, scanning the skies for his sleigh.

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Sang Biao, clueless but loyal, squatted beside her.

Now a half-grown chick, Sang Biao had hit an awkward phase—its adult feathers not yet fully grown, its baby fluff patchy and shedding. The result was a scraggly, balding chick.

Qiu Sheng found its awkward stage too hideous to bear, so she sewed it tiny outfits to salvage some dignity.

On Christmas Eve, the kindergarten held a celebration, and Little Tong was performing.

Qiu Sheng and Zhong Jin sat in the audience with a camera. Spotting Little Tong—taller than the other kids—Zhong Jin quickly raised the camera to film.

Little Tong played the role of a Christmas tree, wearing a cake-shaped skirt with branches sticking out from her green hat. Tiny lights sewn into the hem flickered as she twirled, hands cupping her cheeks.

Though she’d inherited Zhong Jin’s lack of dancing talent, her serious expression and stiff, almost militaristic movements had a hilariously earnest charm.

After the show, Little Tong changed out of her costume. Wearing a red Santa hat and a reindeer-patterned sweater, she carried a small basket with three wrapped apples—one for each parent, and one to give Aunt Liang the next morning.

Back home, even after her bath, Little Tong refused to sleep.

With her hair loosely hanging down to her chin and dressed in a one-piece Christmas-themed fleece pajama, Little Tong knelt by the window, peering outside. Spotting distant lights approaching, she excitedly thought Santa Claus had arrived.

She quickly stood up and shouted, "Santa! I’m Zhong Yuntong! Please don’t forget my gift!"

But as the lights drew nearer, she realized it was just a car driving by.

Disappointed, Little Tong sighed and plopped back down, resuming her patient vigil by the window.

She murmured to Sang Biao, "Santa will come through the window, like a little typhoon, flying right in. But don’t be scared—typhoons are naughty home-wreckers, while Santa is a nice grandpa who brings gifts."

Zhong Jin and Qiu Sheng watched from the hallway before retreating to their room to strategize.

Zhong Jin whispered, "You’ll have to coax her to bed first, so I can pretend to be Santa."

Qiu Sheng gave him an "OK" sign and headed to the living room to persuade Little Tong. "Sweetie, Santa usually comes when you’re asleep. Let’s go to bed, okay?"

Obediently, Little Tong stood up, took Qiu Sheng’s hand, and took a few steps toward the bedroom before pointing at the snacks by the Christmas tree.

"Mommy, if I fall asleep, remind Santa to have a snack, okay?"

Teacher Luo had told the children that when Santa visits, families should leave out milk, cookies, and carrots so he can recharge before delivering gifts to the next child.

So Little Tong had piled up snacks by the tree.

After much cajoling, Qiu Sheng finally got Little Tong to bed. Meanwhile, Zhong Jin changed into a Santa costume—complete with a hat and fake beard—preparing to sneak from the kitchen balcony to the living room.

The outfit had originally been a gift from Xiang Ruicheng.

A couple of years ago, Old Xiang had worn it to play Santa for his son, but now that Xiang Zimo knew the truth, the costume had been collecting dust.

Zhong Jin was taller and leaner than Xiang Ruicheng, so the sleeves and pant legs were too short while the torso sagged awkwardly.

As the faux Santa tiptoed into the living room, Sang Biao pounced over, letting out a few confused chirps.

In the bedroom, Little Tong lay with her eyes shut but wasn’t asleep. At the faintest sound, she flipped over, slid backward off the bed, and scampered on her short legs into the living room.

Bathed in the glow of streetlights outside, she saw a Santa hauling a sack, stealthily placing gifts.

Covering her mouth, she whispered, "Excuse me… are you a Santa?"

Afraid of blowing his cover, Zhong Jin stayed silent and simply nodded.

Little Tong waddled closer, noticing the too-short pant legs that revealed Zhong Jin’s gray socks.

The chubby toddler planted her hands on her hips, sniffed the air, then declared loudly:

"Dad."

Zhong Jin: "......"

Caught red-handed.

His expression was three parts flustered, seven parts sheepish as he fumbled through the sack for gifts, mentally chanting: *Just grab something, quick!*

Little Tong clutched his arm, kneeling beside him and resting her round head against his sleeve.

"Dad," she whispered, "did you get a part-time job as Santa?"

Zhong Jin: "......?"

With a knowing look, she continued, "Is raising me too expensive? Do you need extra work?"

"So there’s no real Santa… just workers pretending, right?"

Realizing the jig was up, Zhong Jin sighed and nodded. "Yeah."

Little Tong pushed herself up, toddled to the coffee table, and lugged back a giant 1-liter bottle of milk, plopping it at his feet.

"Then eat up! You’ll need energy to deliver gifts to other kids."

Under her expectant gaze, Zhong Jin unscrewed the cap and took a swig.

She then fetched cookies and carrots, piling them before him. "Eat!"

Zhong Jin: "......" He nibbled a cookie half-heartedly.

Little Tong shoved a carrot into his face. "Eat!"

Crouched on the floor, Zhong Jin crunched the carrot noisily while Little Tong stood beside him, fiddling with the fluffy white pom-pom on his Santa hat and launching into a rapid-fire interrogation.

"Is Santa’s workplace a company? Does Santa CEO pay you?"

"How many kids does one Santa deliver to?"

"I’m so lucky it’s you delivering my gift!"

"Does the company give you reindeer? Can you really fly?"

Her imagination ran wild, and Zhong Jin had no idea how to answer without ruining the magic.

Like a bewildered donkey, he kept munching carrots.

Once ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍he finished one, Little Tong patted his arm. "Okay, you’re full now. Hurry to the next kid—they’re waiting!"

Zhong Jin wondered how to make a Santa-appropriate exit. Would walking out the front door kill the vibe?

Luckily, Qiu Sheng intervened, taking Little Tong’s hand. "Sweetie, it’s bedtime. If you stay here, the reindeer won’t come for Santa."

After Qiu Sheng led her back to bed, Zhong Jin sneaked into the master bedroom, changed out of the costume, folded it, and stuffed it into the highest corner of the closet.

He predicted Little Tong would sneak in later with a headlamp to check if he was there—if she found him asleep, the Santa ruse would collapse.

So he grabbed bedding, tiptoed into Qiu Sheng’s studio, locked the door, and made a makeshift bed on the floor.