Chapter 17: The Vicious Aunt is So Beautiful When She's Not Being Fierce

Zhanzhan and Momo glanced at Jiang Yuan, asking cautiously, "Is it really okay?"

Their clear, innocent eyes were filled with trepidation, yet hidden within was a glimmer of hope.

Jiang Yuan nodded earnestly. "Of course it is."

Hearing the answer from their "wicked aunt," Zhanzhan and Momo's eyes instantly lit up, and they huddled together excitedly to discuss it.

"Mama, Auntie, can sister and I eat coconut chicken?" Representing the two, Zhanzhan tilted his small head up, his childish face full of anticipation. "Because the coconut chicken soup is so delicious!"

"Okay, let's go eat coconut chicken then." The corners of Jiang Yuan's mouth curled upward. Looking at the children's chubby little faces, she suddenly felt an urge to pinch them.

She reached her hand out toward Zhanzhan, but the boy thought she was going to hit him. Terrified, he scrambled backward and hid behind Jiang Die.

Jiang Yuan's hand froze mid-air.

"Zhanzhan, why are you hiding?" Jiang Die frowned slightly at her son's reaction.

Zhanzhan looked up, peering timidly at his mother and aunt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Jiang Yuan's eyelashes trembled slightly, a pang of sadness hitting her heart.

She pursed her lips and gave a light laugh. "It's fine. I'll look up which coconut chicken hotpot place is the best right now."

**

After finishing the coconut chicken hotpot, Jiang Yuan suggested going to the claw machine arcade.

Jiang Die was worried about wasting money and originally disagreed, but seeing how joyful Zhanzhan and Momo were, she didn't say anything more.

While playing the claw machines, Momo's attention was captured by a small puppy in a nearby pet cage.

Seeing this, Jiang Die reminded her not to run off.

Momo obediently complied.

It was Zhanzhan's first time playing the claw machine, and he was full of enthusiasm for the game, his grape-like dark eyes fixed intently on the machine.

"Zhanzhan, you give it a try." Jiang Yuan handed him two game coins.

Looking at the coins in his aunt's hand, Zhanzhan desperately wanted to play, but he didn't dare reach out to take them. "I... I might not be able to catch anything."

He was afraid that if he failed, his aunt would scold him.

"It's okay." Jiang Yuan placed the coins in his hand. "I can't catch anything either."

Zhanzhan hesitated for a moment before asking in a small voice, "Then... will you hit me or scold me?"

Jiang Yuan: "..."

She knelt down in front of the little guy, her expression solemn. "Zhanzhan, Auntie promises that I will never hit you or your sister again."

The boy's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Re... really?"

Jiang Yuan nodded with a serious face. "Really."

Even though she was certain, Zhanzhan didn't dare fully believe her. Adults were very good at lying.

Zhanzhan gripped the two coins tightly and turned to call his sister to play, only to find she was playing with the small puppy alongside other children.

"You play first." Jiang Yuan saw through the little one's thoughts. "I have plenty of coins here. There will be more for Momo later if she wants to play."

Only then did Zhanzhan feel at ease. His small hand dropped the coins into the slot, and he manipulated the joystick and pressed the button.

The claw loosely hooked onto the arm of an Ultraman plushie.

Zhanzhan's eyes suddenly brightened, his fair little face filled with excitement.

But in the next second, the claw suddenly released, and the Ultraman plushie fell back down.

Zhanzhan's raised brows slumped in disappointment, and he pursed his small lips sadly.

"It's okay, try again." Jiang Yuan inserted more coins.

Zhanzhan turned to look at her and called out softly, "Auntie..."

A gentle smile surfaced in Jiang Yuan's eyes. "Go for it."

The child's expression went blank, and his pale cheeks instantly flushed red. He stammered, "I... I'll try my best."

Zhanzhan suddenly realized that when his "wicked aunt" wasn't being mean, she was actually very beautiful.

With Jiang Yuan's repeated coin insertions and encouragement, Zhanzhan finally caught the Ultraman plushie he liked. His childish features were filled with excitement and surprise.

"Auntie, look! I got it!" He held the plushie high to share his joy.

Jiang Yuan's lips curled, and her heart suddenly felt incredibly soft. "You're amazing."

She reached out wanting to rub his little head, but pulled her hand back halfway.

Unexpectedly, in the next instant, that fuzzy little head leaned toward her.

Jiang Yuan froze in place.

Zhanzhan looked up at her, his little face flushed. "Did Auntie want to touch my head?"

"Yes. Is that okay?"

He nodded obediently.

Jiang Yuan's hand trembled slightly as she slowly rested it on the child's soft hair.

A child's hair was truly fine and soft.

Jiang Yuan suddenly had the perverse urge to nuzzle her cheek against it.

But just as the thought surfaced, it was interrupted by a childish cry.

"Momo, what's wrong?" Jiang Die knelt beside Momo, looking at her slightly reddened left cheek with worry and heartache. "What happened?"

Momo's little face was covered in tears, her eyes shimmering with grievance. With a trembling lip, she sobbed, "Mama, she said I'm a bad girl."

"You *are* a bad girl! You bullied my puppy!" A girl with two small pigtails pointed at Momo aggressively. "My puppy is bleeding because of you!"

"I didn't!" Momo shook her head vigorously. "I didn't hit the puppy!"

At that moment, a chubby little boy with curly hair spoke up: "You're lying! We all saw you hit the puppy until it bled! You're so mean!"

Other children chimed in as well, accusing Momo of bullying the puppy.

Being falsely accused by so many people made Momo extremely heartbroken; her tears fell like broken pearls.

"Mama, I really didn't." She looked at Jiang Die for help. "Mama, please believe Momo, okay?"

"We definitely believe Momo." Jiang Yuan walked over, leading Zhanzhan.

Hearing this, Momo stared blankly at Jiang Yuan, even forgetting to cry.

Auntie actually believed her!

Jiang Yuan patted her little head and comforted her softly, "Momo is a good girl, not a bad one."

Zhanzhan nodded like a little chick pecking grain. "Auntie is right!"

The commotion alerted the parents dining in the nearby restaurant.

After hearing her child's side of the story, a middle-aged woman with dyed burgundy hair, wearing a mink coat and possessing a heavy build, said haughtily, "Your child injured my pet dog. An apology and compensation are non-negotiable."

The woman sized up Jiang Die and Jiang Yuan's attire, a flash of disdain crossing her eyes. "My pet dog wasn't cheap. I'm afraid you won't be able to afford the compensation."

At that moment, another slightly younger woman with short hair added, "Sister-in-law, even if they can't afford it, they have to pay!"

Jiang Die looked at the two of them and frowned. "My daughter said she didn't bully your dog."

"Heh." The middle-aged woman sneered. "Just because your daughter says so, it's true? Then explain to me how my pet dog ended up bleeding?"

Jiang Die replied, "Then let's check the surveillance footage to find out."

The mall manager arrived at the scene. After checking the footage, they discovered that unfortunately, the area where the children were playing happened to be a blind spot for the cameras.

"Just pay up. I don't have time to waste on poor people like you." The middle-aged woman was arrogant, even rolling her eyes at Jiang Die.

"You are being unreasonable!" Jiang Die's eyes reddened with anger.

"Sister, let me handle this." Jiang Yuan rolled up her sleeves and stepped in front of the middle-aged woman.