Chapter 77: Chenchen is Really Smart

Chapter 77: Chenchen is Really Smart

The two kids played for a bit before Su Taotao asked them to take a break and wash their hands.

After they washed up, she had the two children sit side by side, giving each of them a peanut crisp and a small bowl of coconut water.

The two kids swung their short legs back and forth, like two little squirrels hugging acorns, nibbling away and occasionally sharing their thoughts on the taste, looking super cute.

Chenchen even remembered to share with his buddy, saying, “Coconut water's sweet~~ And cool~~”

Dongdong nodded vigorously, “Yum yum yum, so delicious…”

Xia Zhiqiu also loved the refreshing coconut water. The more she looked at Chenchen, the more she liked him:

“You’ve really raised Chenchen well. At home, Dongdong refuses to wash his hands and won’t sit still. But now, he’s learning from Chenchen.”

Speaking of Chenchen being such an angelic kid, Su Taotao never denied it.

Instead, she worried that he was too perfect. When he started school and she couldn’t watch him all the time, what would happen if he was bullied?

With Dongdong as a new playmate, she could feel a little more at ease.

Since the cake still needed time to rise, Su Taotao suggested a trip to the supply and marketing cooperative, taking the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the route.

“On our island, we can buy most daily necessities. Fish, meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables are all regularly supplied. You can cook your own meals or grab food from the cafeteria.

Chenchen and the others prefer the meals I cook. When I have time, I usually cook myself.”

Su Taotao felt a little guilty saying this. Since she got to the island, she hadn’t made breakfast. It was always Fu Zhengtu who went to the canteen to bring it back. Sometimes, when she didn’t feel like cooking dinner because it was too hot, she’d ask Fu Zhengtu to bring it back on his way home.

“Old Zhang mentioned it, but we’re not completely set up yet. This morning, he went to the canteen for breakfast and said he’d bring lunch back too. I’ll go to the supply and marketing cooperative with you.”

Both Su Taotao and Xia Zhiqiu were people with a strong sense of boundaries.

Su Taotao and Fu Zhengtu, and even Fu Yuanhang and Chenchen, preferred quiet. They weren’t the type to gather friends often. Especially Fu Zhengtu, who really valued his personal space and preferred to be with family, disliking disturbances from outsiders.

So Su Taotao didn’t ask Xia Zhiqiu’s family to stay for lunch.

In fact, she knew that even if she had invited them, Xia Zhiqiu would have politely declined.

Su Taotao was someone who believed in aligning her actions with her words. High emotional intelligence sometimes required saying one thing but thinking another.

Even if you didn’t want to do something, you’d say the right thing to save face.

She didn’t want to be that kind of person.

When you hoped someone would come, you sincerely invited them. If not, you simply didn’t bring it up.

Xia Zhiqiu had noticed Chenchen’s “ride” earlier, thinking it was just a toy for home use. Seeing how easily Su Taotao pushed it aside, she asked:

“Where did you buy this cart? Can it be taken out? It looks very convenient.”

Su Taotao replied, “It wasn’t bought. Fu Zhengtu made it himself, to make it easier to take Chenchen out. I haven’t used it yet. He said it wasn’t hard to make, but the wheels underneath were difficult to find.”

Xia Zhiqiu realized this too and immediately gave up the idea of asking Zhang Chuncheng to make one for Dongdong.

Dongdong was also envious but didn’t make a fuss about wanting one.

Su Taotao was even more certain that he was a well-mannered child, and Xia Zhiqiu’s family was also very nice.

Su Taotao chose not to push a stroller and instead let the two kids hold hands and walk slowly.

This was also Dongdong's first time seeing the ocean. He might have still been in a daze after arriving yesterday.

Today, upon seeing the ocean, he couldn't stop exclaiming "wow wow wow."

Chenchen taught him about seagulls, coconut trees, lighthouses, and everything else he knew.

Chenchen pointed at a coconut tree and said the "green green water" they had drunk came from it. Dongdong found it fascinating, and the two kids tilted their heads back to search for coconuts.

When Chenchen saw Dongdong approaching the railing, he immediately stopped him, saying "Danger!"

It was unclear whether Dongdong fully understood, but he didn't go near the railing again.

The more Xia Zhiqiu watched, the more impressed she was. She couldn't believe how a two-year-old who barely spoke could know and remember so much.

"Chenchen is really too smart," Xia Zhiqiu marveled. She had thought Dongdong was smart for his age, but seeing Chenchen made her realize there's always someone better.

Su Taotao had never met a child smarter than Chenchen and only smiled. "Chenchen is a bit precocious compared to his peers, but he started talking later than others."

Xia Zhiqiu said, "My mother used to say that the smarter the child, the later they speak. But I don't think that's the case with Chenchen. In another half year, he'll probably speak more fluently than Dongdong."

A journey that should have taken ten minutes took half an hour because of the two curious kids.

Unlike Auntie Zhong, Su Taotao wasn’t one to chat with just anyone. She preferred to shop quickly and leave.

Because of her earlier 'reputation' and Mo Gong’s 'tough' image, few people dared to strike up a conversation with Su Taotao, even though some were curious about the people she brought.

Auntie Zhong, who had been there for nearly an hour and loved chatting, was talking to Huang Po about melon seedlings.

Spotting Su Taotao, she smiled broadly and approached. "Little Su, the crops in our field are settled. Huang Po is giving me melon seedlings and sweet potato vines."

She then looked at Xia Zhiqiu. "Are you the new family who moved into No. 1, Lane 2? You're from the Zhang family, right?"

Su Taotao introduced them. "Yes, this is Zhang Gong's wife, Xia Zhiqiu, and their son, Dongdong. This is Auntie Zhong, who lives next door in No. 2, Lane 2. She's Mo Gong's wife."

Auntie Zhong had heard the commotion yesterday and knew someone had moved into No. 1. She had asked Mo Gong and learned it was Zhang Chuncheng, but she wouldn't just drop by unannounced.

Xia Zhiqiu’s personality clicked well with Su Taotao’s. She wasn't the type to be overly familiar and smiled as she exchanged greetings before continuing to shop with Su Taotao.

It was Xia Zhiqiu's first time trying coconut water, and she loved it immediately. Seeing her interest, Su Taotao advised, "These are heavy. You should wait for Zhang Gong to carry them."

Xia Zhiqiu nodded. "I won't buy them now. I'll ask Old Zhang to buy more next time."

Even though Dongdong had Chenchen to walk with, he was still young and needed to be carried occasionally. Xia Zhiqiu only bought a few light daily necessities.

When Chenchen was with her, Su Taotao always consulted him before buying anything.

"Chenchen, would you like big shrimp or crab today? It's your birthday, and I want to make you a seafood noodle dish. You can choose between shrimp and crab, and then pick a type of shellfish."

Chenchen didn’t hesitate and pointed at the shrimp. "I want shrimp and a big shellfish."

The big shellfish was a scallop, which Su Taotao had steamed with garlic and vermicelli once, and Chenchen loved it.

In the end, Su Taotao bought a pound of each and some tofu and greens, which was about enough.

Their family's habits were different from others. These days, most people focused on dinner, but Su Taotao's family had a slightly better lunch and a simpler dinner.

They especially enjoyed eating seafood fresh at lunch and rarely saved it for dinner.

Sometimes they would marinate some offal for dinner or steam some egg custard with minced meat. In short, their lunches were always more sumptuous than dinners.