she was pressing herself closer to the bag of snacks too, as if she could somehow absorb the whole thing just by being nearby. The child’s face was full of innocent curiosity, but everyone in the room could see the real goal very clearly. She wanted the food. Badly.

The little dumpling was a bit shy, tugging at Bai Li’s skirt with her tiny hand, and asked in a soft, sweet voice, "Auntie, what’s in here?"

That question was asked so softly that it almost sounded polite enough to be completely innocent, but Yan Cijin, watching from the side, already knew better. The little girl had quite a few tricks up her sleeve. She looked sweet and harmless, but the moment snacks were involved, she became far more focused than any adult in the room. Yan Cijin could not help smiling at the sight. She knew exactly what was going on. Lili was not really asking because she did not know. She was asking because she wanted to hear the answer from Bai Li’s mouth herself. That way, the excitement would feel more real. Children always had a strange little logic like that. Bai Li, for her part, was calm as ever. She looked down at the child, and instead of brushing her off, she simply lowered the bag slightly, making it easier for Lili to see.

Yan Cijin, watching from the side, couldn’t help but laugh. The little one had quite a few tricks up her sleeve; her ultimate goal was that bag of snacks. She smiled gently at Bai Li, the little glutton.

The phrase fit perfectly. Lili was absolutely acting like a little glutton right now, though in the most harmless and adorable way possible. She was not greedy in a mean sense. She was just the kind of child who could not hide her love for food, and that made her even more lovable rather than less. Yan Cijin smiled gently at Bai Li too, like she was silently apologizing for the tiny strategic monster clinging to Bai Li’s leg. Bai Li did not seem bothered though. If anything, she looked a little more relaxed than before, like the child’s open enthusiasm had pulled her into a softer mood. She bent down just enough to set the large bag of snacks near Yan Cijin’s side and said it plainly.

Bai Li placed the large bag of snacks next to Yan Cijin, "These are all snacks for you. See if you like them."

The second those words landed, the room changed. Lili’s eyes widened so much that for a second she looked like she had forgotten how to breathe. Then she made a tiny excited sound and immediately rubbed herself against Bai Li again before letting go. To a child, that much food was almost like seeing treasure. She reached out with both hands, opened the large plastic bag, and the very first thing she saw made her let out a wide eyed, breathless little "Wow!" Her whole face lit up in total delight. The bag was packed full. It was not just one or two small things either. It was a mountain of treats, enough to make any little girl think she had walked straight into a festival.

"Ah! Auntie gave them to me!" The little dumpling excitedly rubbed against Bai Li again before letting go. Curious, she reached out and opened the large plastic bag, then exclaimed "Wow!"

"So many delicious things!" The little glutton’s eyes widened, but she was too shy. She ran to Yan Cijin’s side and shyly hugged Yan Cijin’s leg. "Mommy, can I have some of Auntie’s delicious food?"

Even after seeing the snacks, Lili still had that shy little habit of retreating back to her mother whenever she got too excited. That was probably what made her so adorable. She could be brave enough to run forward, but the moment her joy got too big to hold alone, she would scamper back to Yan Cijin and cling to her leg for comfort and permission. Yan Cijin pinched her cheek with a smile and looked down at her like she was looking at a tiny treasure that had learned how to talk. The little girl’s whole face seemed to shine whenever snacks were involved. She was still young enough that candy and drinks felt like the greatest possible gift in the world, and right now she was standing in the middle of a very successful dream.

Yan Cijin pinched the little one’s cheek and smiled, "You little glutton, just accept what your auntie gives you. What do you want to say to your auntie?"

The little girl blinked up at Bai Li, then looked back at the snacks, then back at Bai Li again, as if she was carefully choosing the right level of gratitude to show. For a child, she was oddly good at this kind of dramatic timing. She was obviously very happy, but she still remembered her manners enough to speak sweetly. Lili knew that adults liked polite children, and she had already figured out that politeness often got her more goodies. That tiny bit of strategy made the adults laugh again. Bai Li crouched down a little more so she would be at the child’s eye level, and her expression softened in the way it only ever seemed to when she was around small children or someone she trusted. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Thank you, Auntie." The little one blinked and tried to charm Bai Li.

Bai Li smiled at the little one, squatted down, and poked the little one’s cheek. "You’re welcome."

That moment was small, but it had a very warm kind of feeling to it. Bai Li’s finger poked Lili’s soft cheek lightly, and the little girl responded instantly by grinning back and leaning into the touch like a tiny happy cat. Bai Li, who had come in looking so calm and serious, now had this odd softened edge to her expression that made Yan Cijin watch her a little more carefully.

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To be continued.