The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 111

Tian Xiaoman’s shout made little Tuanzi receive everyone’s intense attention. In an instant, all kinds of eager voices filled the air:

“Little Tuanzi, call father!”

“Call Amu!”

“Little Tuanzi, call Amu.”

Even Le Ge’er joined in, “Little Tuanzi, call brother!”

Surrounded by everyone, Little Tuanzi took a deep breath and said a single word, “Qi!”

Everyone, “…”

Little Tuanzi’s wish went unfulfilled. He didn’t get any zongzi from the big pot, and, even worse, he was about to embark on the difficult journey of learning to speak.

During meals, Tian Xiaoman would encourage, “Little Tuanzi, do you want some delicious egg custard? Call Amu, and you can have it.”

When playing with toys, he would tempt him, “Little Tuanzi, do you want the cloth tiger? If you want it, call Amu and I’ll give it to you!”

Little Tuanzi would respond with an exaggerated “Waaah—aaah—aaah!”

Under Tian Xiaoman’s relentless coaxing, Little Tuanzi quickly learned that calling Amu was the key to getting what he needed.

But that wasn’t enough for Tian Xiaoman. He was determined that Little Tuanzi should crawl. At nine months old, he should be more mobile. 

Since the weather was warm, Tian Xiaoman dressed Little Tuanzi in a thin spring shirt and placed him on a large mat in the yard, his bare bottom exposed to the air. 

Tian Xiaoman positioned himself at the far side of the mat, clapping his hands to get Little Tuanzi’s attention.

Little Tuanzi lay there, disinterested, as Le Ge’er shook a rattle nearby. Tian Xiaoman sighed and decided to use his trump card.

“Little Tuanzi, look! What’s this?”

In Tian Xiaoman’s hand appeared a white, tender cake with a sweet fragrance. He pretended to take a bite, “Ahhh!”

Little Tuanzi’s eyes immediately lit up.

“Do you want it? If you want it, crawl over here, hurry up! Otherwise, I’ll give it to Le ge’er!!” Tian Xiaoman tempted him.

“Ahhh!” Little Tuanzi raised his arms and tried to crawl toward the cake. His limbs were still weak, though, and he fell backward, crying out in frustration.

“It’s okay! Come here, Little Tuanzi is so brave!” Tian Xiaoman cheered.

Motivated, Little Tuanzi tried again, moving a little, but quickly collapsed onto the mat once more. 

He looked up at the unreachable cake, his eyes welling with tears, looking utterly pitiful.

Tian Xiaoman’s heart softened, but he held firm. He refused to give in. “Come here quickly, I’ll give it to you! Otherwise, I’ll give it to Le ge’er!!”

Tian Xiaoman broke off a piece of cake and handed it to Le Ge’er, who, having plenty of cake already, ate it dramatically in front of Little Tuanzi.

Now frantic, Little Tuanzi made another attempt, rolling and tumbling all the way toward Tian Xiaoman. Finally, he reached him and extended his hand, asking for the cake.

Stunned, Tian Xiaoman and Le Ge’er watched in amazement. How had he managed that? 

Tian Xiaoman handed him the cake, dazed by what had just occurred. He watched as Little Tuanzi skillfully turned over and sat up, holding the cake in both hands and nibbling it with his little teeth.

Tian Xiaoman’s plans for his crawling were a complete failure.

When he told Li Wenxuan about it later, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Our son is truly a treasure!”

Tian Xiaoman, however, was not amused. He thought Little Tuanzi must be as “stupid” as he was, considering how long it took him to crawl.

But Little Tuanzi was far from stupid. 

One day, while Tian Xiaoman worked in the yard, he left Little Tuanzi on the mat, playing by himself, assuming no one was watching. But then, Little Tuanzi threw a small bell outside the mat and, seeing no one coming to help him, crawled over to retrieve it. Without even realizing it, he had mastered the skill of crawling.

When Tian Xiaoman turned around and saw him missing, he panicked and nearly had a heart attack. However, the yard door was closed, so there was no way he could have been taken away. 

After calling for him, he found him behind a tree, and the long diaper trailing behind him reassured his that he was safe.

He picked him up and gave his little bottom a few light taps. “Little rascal,” he muttered, “You don’t know when to stay still, do you?”

Little Tuanzi, however, didn’t seem to mind. He raised his little hand to show his “prize” to his Amu— a fat cabbage worm— and proudly bounced it in his hand.

Tian Xiaoman was so startled that he almost threw him in the air. 

He quickly grabbed the bug and crushed it underfoot, then put Little Tuanzi back on the mat. 

The little guy, now upset, cried as his “toy” had been destroyed.

In a huff, Tian Xiaoman returned to the house and came back with a long cloth rope. He tied one end around a tree and wrapped the other end around Little Tuanzi twice, tying a slipknot. “Let’s see you run now!”

Little Tuanzi, sitting listlessly on the mat, looked as if he had lost all energy. His fat little body drooped, and he resembled a squishy meatball from a distance.

Tian Xiaoman fetched water and cleaned his little paws, and to cheer him up, he brought him a piece of cake.

When the others returned from work and saw Little Tuanzi tied to the mat, they were confused.

“Where’s your Amu? Why are you tied here?” Li Wenxuan asked, squatting down as Little Tuanzi crawled toward him.

“Ah, Amu!” Little Tuanzi looked back toward the kitchen, signaling both parents to come and cook for him.

Li Wenxuan untied him and carried him into the kitchen to find Tian Xiaoman. 

“You’re back,” he greeted, glancing at the pot.

“Yeah, what’s cooking? It smells so good!” Li Wenxuan peered into the pot, and Little Tuanzi’s eyes immediately locked onto it.

Tian Xiaoman picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and leaned it toward him. 

Little Tuanzi opened his mouth wide, waiting, but just as the meat was about to reach him, it flew over his head and landed straight into his father’s mouth.

Li Wenxuan chewed with a grin. “Delicious, Xiaoman. You should try it too.”

Tian Xiaoman took a piece and shared it with him, while the two smiled affectionately. 

Poor Little Tuanzi, however, reached up to Li Wenxuan’s mouth, his hand searching for the place where the meat had disappeared.

Li Wenxuan smiled and said, “Son, eat the egg custard. You can’t eat this meat.”

Little Tuanzi grumbled, disappointed, but Tian Xiaoman couldn’t help but laugh at the adorable scene.

The drought wasn’t too severe this year, and with taxes reduced, people’s lives were not as hard. 

The Li family was not greatly affected since they didn’t rely on farming for income. While it did affect Tian’s parents slightly, they had solved their two major issues at the beginning of the year, making their lives easier. 

Instead of toiling in the fields, they simply packed up and went to help out in Tian Fu’s restaurant.