Chapter 262: Secret to Growing Taller?
“Comrade Li?”
Ning Qingyuan and his sister were surprised to call out as the person walked in.
They really didn’t expect that Aunt Shen’s little uncle would turn out to be Comrade Li. This really proved the saying true: life is full of surprises and coincidences.
What a coincidence! Twists and turns in relationships… could this be the power of family connections in China?
“Comrade Xiyue, Brother Qingyuan, long time no see.”
Li Feng smiled and nodded. He wasn’t surprised to see familiar faces here. From the moment he met Li Xiaodong, he had already heard that someone named Xiyue and someone named Qingyuan were coming. Even if the names weren’t unique, two siblings with overlapping names had to be people he knew.
Ning Qingyuan was delighted by today’s coincidence: “Brother Li, what a surprise! It’s really amazing that we meet while visiting. I didn’t expect this at all.”
“I thought I was imagining things,” Ning Xiyue admitted. Hearing the familiar voice, she almost thought she’d misheard.
“You know each other?”
Shen Qingxia’s gaze moved curiously between the three of them.
“Yes, we’ve known each other for a long time. Aunt Shen, isn’t this fate? You’re Aunt Lin’s friend, Comrade Li is a friend of my brother and me, and Comrade Li is your little uncle. Isn’t this just an incredible coincidence?”
“It is fate. And there are even more amazing coincidences,” Shen Qingxia murmured softly, something the others didn’t quite catch.
“What? Mom, what did you say? When’s dinner? The food’s almost cold.”
Li Xiaodong reminded them, eyes glued to the table filled with cured meat and dumplings, focused entirely on the meal. No coincidence could compete with food.
“That’s right, let’s eat first. Afterward, we can sit down and chat,” Li Chunlai, an outsider, looked around, unsure where to interject. Hearing his son, he immediately called everyone to the table.
“Shall we stir-fry some of this beef?” Comrade Li held up the meat for everyone to see.
“You eat first, I’ll cook it,” Shen Qingxia said, standing to take the meat.
Ning Xiyue, seated beside her, gently grabbed her arm and guided her back to her seat.
“No need, Aunt Shen. There’s plenty here already. Let’s all sit and eat dumplings. I’ve been looking forward to the dumplings we made today.”
“Yes, Aunt Shen, no trouble at all,” Ning Qingyuan nodded sincerely.
“All right, let’s eat. No need to fuss. Everyone try this — the cured meat was brought by these two little ones, and the dumplings were made together.”
Once convinced, Shen Qingxia sat down and started serving the food, introducing each dish. After an afternoon of preparation, they finally got to enjoy the meal.
The two children ate most seriously, paying no attention to adult conversation, quietly enjoying their dumplings, meat, and vegetables. Not a bit distracted.
The other adults chatted occasionally but mostly focused on eating. Being among familiar people, everyone relaxed — fulfilling Ning Qingyuan’s wish for everyone to enjoy themselves.
After dinner, no one left. They sat together chatting. Li Xiaodong quietly approached Ning Xiyue and Ning Qingyuan:
“Brother, sister, do you have any way to grow taller? Could you tell me? I want to grow taller too.”
This sister was nearly a head taller than his mom, and this brother was even taller. If he could grow as tall as this big brother, he could ignore the teasing of others entirely with his height.
Li Xiaodong was lively and carefree, but he had one insecurity: his height. At twelve, he was 1.35 meters tall — not short, but not very tall either. Compared to peers, he was a few centimeters shorter. Some kids teased him about it. He pretended not to care, but he took it to heart, secretly searching for a way to grow taller.
If anyone said a certain food or method could make him taller, he’d try it — no matter how unpleasant — just to prove the bullies wrong. Seeing Ning Xiyue and Ning Qingyuan tall from the moment they entered, his little scheme began forming in his mind.
“You’ll grow taller too,” Ning Qingyuan smiled, “When I was twelve, I was about your height. Look at me now.”
“Really? I can get that tall too? There’s really no secret?” Li Xiaodong looked up at Ning Qingyuan with some doubt, wondering if he could really grow that tall.
Ning Xiyue immediately recognized his desire to grow taller and said confidently:
“Yes, I have a whole bunch of secrets for growing taller.”
“Xiyue, can you tell me? Not too many, just one or two secrets are fine.”
Li Xiaodong’s eyes sparkled, eager to learn. He wanted to grow as tall as Brother Qingyuan, to blind the eyes of those who secretly mocked him and get his revenge!
