Chapter 170: Spicy or Fragrant

"What’s the point of reinforcing the walls again for no reason? They seem pretty solid already."

Bai Zhengxuan looked puzzled, striding over to Uncle Wang and Uncle Liu, reaching out to grab some milk powder biscuits with them.

Bai Yifan turned his head away from the milk powder biscuit box, feeling pained.

Trivial, all so trivial.

He wanted to be invisible.

To avoid getting beaten.

"Today a mutated giant python attacked the safety base, and Kung Fu Panda also kicked two big holes in the base wall, so we need to reinforce the walls," Liu Jing said eerily.

"Is it that exciting?"

Uncle Wang was slightly regretful.

Missing such an eventful thing was truly a pity.

"This stuff doesn’t fill you up!" Bai Zhengxuan frowned at the nearly empty milk powder biscuits and smacked his lips.

He’s been out having fun all day and is now hungry.

"Isn’t this cooked already?"

Uncle Wang smiled, squinting at the pots of cooked meatballs in the kitchen, which hadn’t yet been stir-fried into spicy hot pot.

Uncle Wang isn’t picky; as long as it’s food, he’ll eat it!

Then he cheerfully headed to the kitchen, ready to wash dishes.

"Uncle, it hasn’t been stir-fried yet! It will be done soon!"

Bai Yifan whispered, then quickly shuffled into the kitchen, gently pushing Uncle Wang out.

He will handle all the chores.

He wanted to use his hardworking hands to ensure Dad wouldn’t beat him today.

"Alright then! Xiao Fan is such a good kid."

Uncle Wang cheerfully shook his hands, grinning at the pot full of hot pot meatballs.

He works in environmental sanitation, earning very little. The most indulgent thing he’d usually buy is a small bottle of liquor and a plate of pork and onion dumplings.

He doesn’t usually eat spicy hotpot much.

But since crashing a few meals at the Bai Family, he fell in love with this flavor.

Heavy on the chili and spices, his favorite!

"Why did you hit Uncle Wang for no reason?"

Bai Anhai shouted, watching Bai Yifan’s little hands pushing Uncle Wang.

Uncle Wang was baffled.

"Huh? Who hit me?"

Uncle Wang scratched his head. If anyone dared to hit him, they must be seeking death.

Bai Yifan shrank his neck.

Here it comes; it finally came.

The classic case of adults looking for reasons to beat kids.

Not saying why, but making a big deal out of something trivial!

"Dad, I was just asking Uncle Wang to rest, not hitting him. I wouldn’t dare hit him."

Bai Yifan whispered his defense, his eyes desperately signaling to Bai Xiqin.

Dear sister, I need backup!

Bai Xiqin pretended not to see.

You deal with the consequences of your actions.

"Are you daring to yell at me?"

Mr. Bai looked at Bai Yifan calmly, squinting his eyes dangerously.

Bai Yifan: ??!!

Who yelled at you?

"Sorry, excuse me for a moment, my child is too naughty, I need to discipline him a bit."

Bai Anhai nodded gently at Uncle Wang and Uncle Liu, then strode towards Bai Yifan.

"Don’t be too harsh! Just enough is fine!"

Uncle Wang couldn’t help but say.

Mr. Bai disciplining his kid wasn’t anything new; it happens.

But just don’t be too harsh; it’s almost dinner time, and the spicy hotpot isn’t done yet!

"I’ll try my best."

Bai Anhai nodded elegantly, continuing towards Bai Yifan.

"Big sis, big sis!"

Bai Yifan desperately signaled Bai Xiqin, quietly calling out to his sister.

In Dad’s raging mode, nobody could hold him back.

"The stars in the sky are so bright!"

Bai Xiqin turned to look out of the window, her voice trailing off.

Bai Yifan glanced at the pitch-black window; even the moon wasn’t out, let alone stars!

Big sis isn’t a real sister anymore.

Bai Yifan watched his dad getting closer, still calling for backup.

"Mom, mom!"

Requesting support!

Wang Yiyun followed Bai Xiqin’s gaze out the dark window, calmly saying, "The stars are beautiful, just as pretty as my daughter’s eyes!"

Bai Yifan: ???

Your daughter is blind, and you also...?

This kind of thing is hereditary?

No time to complain!

The purple lightning in Mr. Bai’s hand was about to hit him in the face.

"Grandpa, Grandma!" Bai Yifan frantically blinked at Bai Zhengxuan and Liu Jing.

His eyes were about to pop out.

"What?" Liu Jing calmly snatched the last milk powder cookie from Bai Zhengxuan’s hand, "Let my son hit his son, I won’t hit my son!"

No time to figure out the tongue twister.

Bai Yifan looked at Bai Zhengxuan for help.

Mr. Bai doted on him the most; he was the only boy in the family.

Old folks always have favoritism for boys over girls.

Anyway, every time he went back to the countryside with his sister, Grandpa always gave a fruit to his sister, then stuffed a basket full of fruits to him.

This was the manifestation of old folks favoring boys over girls.

To not undermine his older sister, Bai Yifan had never spoken about it and silently bore the heavy love from the old couple.

Bai Yifan, with a not-so-sharp mind, never considered that the old couple simply wanted him to carry the basket.

Favoring boys over girls, the favored boy carries, and the lesser-given girl carries.

"Don’t call me, I’m in a bad mood," Bai Zhengxuan silently looked at the empty plate, feeling slightly depressed.

The milk powder cookie, gone.

Joy, gone.

"Brother Zhang gave me two cans of super luxury milk powder, I’ll give you one!" Bai Yifan began bribing openly.

No time to care anymore; Mr. Bai was wrapped in dense purple lightning.

If it weren’t for the fear of igniting the bus, Mr. Bai would have gone all out with dual abilities.

"Oh, you have two cans, huh!" Bai Zhengxuan grinned, the wrinkles on his face deepened, "Then remember to give me one after you get beaten."

Playing the age card was Bai Zhengxuan’s forte.

If Bai Yifan didn’t give it to him, he would hit his son.

"Ah!"

Before Bai Yifan could seek help from the invincible Uncle Wang, he felt a surge of pain.

Bai Anhai’s hands were wrapped in dense purple lightning, punching Bai Yifan directly.

Physical and magical double attack, a dual pain to the soul and flesh.

Bai Yifan tried to protect himself with the Gold Ability, but as soon as a bit of yellow glow appeared, it was dissipated by Mr. Bai’s punch.

A Second Rank Superpower User battling a First Rank Superpower User.

This First Rank Superpower User dared not fight back.

Mr. Bai had an absolute advantage.

Bai Yifan wailed in utter misery.

In the pitch-black night, there was a hint of tragic comedy.

This brutal beating was the most heartbreakingly painful since Bai Yifan was born.

It hurt him so much that tears flowed from his eyes, mouth, and nose.

Half an hour later, Uncle Wang spoke.

"Enough, enough, stop hitting him; he’s still a child." Uncle Wang waved his hand, wrapping Bai Yifan in a dense golden glow, blocking Bai Anhai’s fists.

Bai Yifan wiped his tears, looking gratefully at Uncle Wang.

There is true compassion in this world!

"You rest for a while, then beat him after dinner!"

Uncle Wang glanced at the various ingredients that were cooked but not yet stir-fried into a spicy hot pot.

Who can relate to old folks going wild outside, feeling hungry?

Bai Yifan: ...

"...Okay then."

Bai Anhai touched his own stomach.

Indeed, he was hungry.

Then let’s rest and beat the kid later!

"What are you standing there for? Go cook!"

Bai Anhai glared at Bai Yifan, shaking his sore arms, and collapsed onto the sofa.

Beating the kid, exhausted!

Bai Yifan leaned against the bus wall, hobbling as he carried the basin to start cooking.

"555..."

Bai Yifan quietly whimpered and wiped his tears with his sleeve.

Damn, it hurt!

Bai Yifan, tears in his eyes, began stir-frying the spicy hot pot in a miserably comedic fashion.

"Brother Leng, do you want it spicy or mild?"

Bai Yifan wiped his tears and turned to Leng Yebai.

"A quarter extra numbing, no spicy; a quarter extra spicy, no numbing; a quarter extra garlic, no onion; a quarter extra onion, no garlic." Leng Yebai replied calmly.

"...Oh."

Bai Yifan wiped away a tear and began stir-frying the spicy hot pot.