◎The King with Donkey Ears◎
When the child’s crying echoed throughout the restaurant, Cheng Yun was earnestly placing several pieces of freshly cooked beef tripe into her husband’s bowl.
At first, she didn’t pay attention, but the wailing became increasingly familiar, and several waiters were rushing over there, so she got up to check the situation.
This one glance left her heart in chaos.
Across several booths, a burly man with tattooed arms stood there, shouting irritably everywhere: “Whose kid is this? Can someone manage him?”
And her precious son sat on the ground, face red with tears streaming down.
A female waitress who had come over at the sound pulled him up to stand.
Yuan Youchuan immediately cried even more fiercely.
Cheng Yun pushed her husband, wanting him to let her pass. Yuan Yi glanced at her, not knowing what was wrong. When she said it was Chuan Chuan crying, he quickly put down his chopsticks and went over together.
She took three steps as two, shouting “excuse me” while pushing through the onlooking crowd.
Seeing this, Yuan Ye arrived unhurriedly.
Cheng Yun pulled her son in front of her protectively, asking gently: “Chuan Chuan, why are you crying?”
Seeing his mother, Yuan Youchuan became even more aggrieved, pointing accusingly at the man: “He hit me.”
Hearing this, Cheng Yun panicked, crouching down to examine the child’s body everywhere, asking where he had been hit.
Yuan Youchuan didn’t answer.
Cheng Yun showed hostility like a mother wolf protecting her cub: “You hit him?”
The woman at the man’s table exploded with sound: “Who hit him? We just pushed him a little. Can your kid stop making false accusations?”
“So pushing a child is right?” Cheng Yun glared at her: “How can you randomly push a child?”
The tattooed man laughed angrily: “So what if I pushed him? I should be considered nice for not hitting him.”
Cheng Yun took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling: “Hey, what kind of way is that to talk?”
The tattooed man said, “That’s how I talk, so what? Your kid wiped his dirty hands all over someone else, and you think you’re in the right? If you can’t manage children, don’t bring them out to embarrass yourself and cause trouble for others.”
The woman in the black camisole immediately chimed in: “Exactly! My boyfriend spoke nicely to him at first, but he wouldn’t listen. Are we supposed to just sit there and let this brat mess with us? Even the Goddess of Mercy wouldn’t have such a good temper.”
She threw over two dirty tissues that rolled to Cheng Yun’s feet.
With evidence and witnesses present, Cheng Yun was stumped. Stammering, she suddenly remembered she was missing a key figure and looked around.
Yuan Ye appeared before her eyes at the right moment.
“I’m sorry,” the boy’s clean voice spread out, instantly diluting the tense atmosphere: “It’s my fault for not watching my little brother properly.”
“I apologize to you.”
“I’m truly sorry.”
He lowered his eyebrows submissively, his attitude humble.
The woman looked at him more closely, seeing his clothes were even more of a mess, and couldn’t help but speak sarcastically: “Ha, no wonder. If you can make your own family like this, what can you expect in terms of manners toward strangers?”
Just as Cheng Yun was about to retort, her arms became empty.
Yuan Yi, who had been staying aside without intervening, seeing nearby diners raising their phones, quickly grabbed Yuan Youchuan and threatened: “Stop crying! Apologize to the uncle and aunt!”
Dad’s face was fierce, and Yuan Youchuan immediately stopped crying, his mind blank, only able to comply.
Sobbing, he wiped his face while mumbling: “Uncle, Aunt, I’m sorry…”
Yuan Yi continued teaching: “I shouldn’t have wiped on you.”
Yuan Youchuan repeated: “I, sob, I shouldn’t have wiped on you…”
Yuan Yi noticed the stain on the man’s sleeve and remedied: “Sir, I’m truly sorry. It’s my fault for not teaching my son properly, letting him get your clothes like this. Should we compensate you or…?”
The man glanced at him disdainfully: “No need. Looking at your wife’s unconvinced expression, I don’t want to be falsely accused of extortion later.”
Yuan Yi’s brow tightened slightly as he turned back with a warning look.
Cheng Yun gritted her teeth, angry but not daring to speak, only pulling the child back in front of her.
Seeing this, the waitress quickly came forward to mediate, saying children are young and don’t understand, that harmony brings wealth. The couple stopped pursuing the matter and sat back down to continue eating.
Cheng Yun carried Yuan Youchuan back to their seats, softly comforting him.
Yuan Yi wore a stern face, saying nothing.
Yuan Ye followed behind, walking leisurely. After a moment, he turned his face aside and breathed out lightly.
—
What should have been a harmonious meal became extremely depressing due to this unexpected incident.
In the second half, Yuan Yi ate without tasting, drank several cups of barley tea, and said he was full, asking his wife when they should leave.
Cheng Yun was thin-skinned and naturally didn’t want to stay longer either, saying: “Let’s go now.”
Yuan Yi nodded, looking at Yuan Ye: “Will you stay home tonight?”
Yuan Ye politely declined: “I have a lot of homework this week, and I didn’t bring much back. I’d better return to the rental. I’m afraid I won’t finish it.”