Chapter 845 - 843: Poor Kid

On the first floor, Candy was a little fidgety on the sofa.

She rubbed the back of her head, feeling as if a chilly draft was blowing directly at it. She looked up at the central air conditioner, but the vent’s airflow didn’t reach where she was sitting.

"Zero, do you feel a little cold?"

Hearing this, Zero glanced over at Candy, who just had to show off and then ended up embarrassing herself. Of all people to butt heads with, she’d picked the boss. Poor kid, she still hadn’t realized that the boss really was going to take her to get a shot.

That’s right, she wasn’t sick. But who said you can only get shots when you’re sick?

Vaccines are all about prevention, after all, heh heh.

Zero really wanted to laugh, but for the sake of Candy getting a peaceful night’s sleep tonight, he said, "Maybe it’s because your feet are bare and you’re not wearing socks. There’s this saying that feet are a person’s second heart."

"Really?" Candy scratched her head, not entirely sure. But her little feet were indeed a bit cold. After thinking about it, Candy put her socks back on.

Meanwhile, Mo Jingchun flipped open the child vaccination booklet and, looking at the line-by-line record of shots, nodded in satisfaction. As a first-time older brother and stand‑in mom, Mo Jingchun had absolutely no experience raising a child. He was totally feeling his way across the river stone by stone. Following the reminders in the booklet, every time a vaccine was due, he never dared slack off and always took Candy to get her shot on time.

First, at birth: intramuscular BCG and hepatitis B vaccine (completed, wailed on the spot).

Second, at one month old: hepatitis B vaccine (completed, wailed on the spot).

Third, at three months old: trivalent oral polio vaccine (completed, she cried).

Fourth, at five months old: DTaP combination vaccine (completed, she cried).

Fifth, at six months old: hepatitis B vaccine (completed, cried hard).

Sixth, at eight months old: live attenuated measles vaccine (completed, bawled her head off).

Seventh, at seven years old: measles vaccine and adsorbed refined diphtheria–tetanus bivalent toxoid (about to be administered, expected to cry).

In short, Candy’s history with shots could be summed up in one phrase: a history of crying her eyes out.

After putting the vaccination booklet away on the bedside table in the bedroom, Mo Jingchun nodded to himself. This way he wouldn’t forget to bring it tomorrow morning.

With the first ray of morning sunlight shining through the hole Bun had scratched in the curtain and landing right on Candy’s eyelids, Candy was forced to wake up before the alarm.

She turned her head a bit and quietly stared at that not‑too‑big, not‑too‑small little hole with just the right amount of sunlight coming through. Candy decided she really needed to increase Bun’s exercise regimen.

What kind of cat goes around scratching curtains! And even scratched a hole in them.

While Candy sat there, face full of distress and questioning the meaning of life, Zero, sitting casually on the bedroom sofa, said offhandedly, "Your sister’s really good at crafts. Have you forgotten?"

"Just buy a little flower and embroider it over. Problem solved."

"Right! How did I not think of that!" Candy slapped her thigh excitedly. Back in kindergarten, when her backpack tore, wasn’t it her sister who embroidered a little red flower on it?

"Zero, you’re the smart one."

"You flatter me, you flatter me. You and I are about the same."

"Since you’re awake, get up. Your sister’s boiling corn."

In less than ten minutes, Candy had changed clothes, quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth, and dashed downstairs. She saw her brother and sister each holding a corn cob, talking about something.

Seeing Candy come down, Mo Jingchun and Zhou Yaling exchanged a look and, in tacit agreement, didn’t bring up anything about vaccinations.

"You’re up? How come you got up earlier than usual today?"

Candy picked up a corn cob from the plate and said gloomily, "Don’t mention it, Brother. It’s all because of Bun. He scratched a hole in the curtain, and the sunlight shone right into my eyes."

As she said this, Candy didn’t forget Zero’s reminder back in the bedroom. She looked at her sister with a grin and whined, "Sis, my good sis, can you patch that hole for me? Just like you fixed my backpack?"

Hearing that, Zhou Yaling immediately burst into amused laughter. So this little rascal did have times when she needed her.

With the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, Zhou Yaling smiled and said, "Beg me. You beg me and I’ll patch the hole for you."

"Sis, I’m begging you."

So spineless! Zhou Yaling rolled her eyes. Boring. This kid’s brain works differently, just like her big brother’s.

"Fine, I’ll grudgingly agree."

Off to the side, Mo Jingchun secretly nodded. Nice, that’s another little bit of money saved.

After breakfast, Candy, as cheerful as a little sparrow, raced Zero to see who could get in the car first. Zero didn’t even try; as always, he ended up getting in first without any suspense.

"You lost again, Candy."

"I’ll win next time."

"You say that every single time."

Seeing Zero say this with a straight face, Candy said irritably, "So what am I supposed to do? It’s not like you ever let me win."

"Ahem, this is a test for you. You need to know that aside from family, no one out there will go easy on you."

As the cars drove out of the complex and turned right straight away, Candy, sitting in the car, had a puzzled look on her face.

Isn’t the route to the company supposed to be turning right after exiting the gate? Why are we going this way today? Candy didn’t think too much of it—many roads lead to Rome. This route was just a bit longer, so she figured her brother was probably taking a detour to run some errand.

Candy thought of plenty of possibilities, except anything that had to do with her.

In the car ahead, Zhou Yaling couldn’t hold back her laughter.

"Hahaha, Bro, you’re so mean."

Stuffing the vaccination booklet into his pocket, Mo Jingchun gave a dismissive little snort, not denying it in the least.

"Acting like you just figured that out today."

"Respect!" Zhou Yaling raised her thumb in admiration.

Then Zhou Yaling sighed and said, "I’m just wondering what kind of expression Candy will have when we get to the hospital."

"Expression?" Mo Jingchun chuckled. "Believe it or not, if you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, Candy won’t realize what’s going on until the moment they’re about to give her the shot."

"Now that you’ve said that, I’m actually kind of looking forward to it."

Just as Mo Jingchun and Zhou Yaling predicted, ten‑odd minutes later, Candy hopped out of the car with a head full of question marks. She looked up at the big characters reading "County Hospital" and couldn’t figure out what her brother had come here to do.

Was he here to visit a patient?

A second later, Candy dismissed the idea. Who visits a patient empty‑handed?

"Weird, Brother and Sis don’t look sick either. Even if it was Sis, it’s not that time of the month."

As they say, the person in the middle of things is confused, while onlookers see clearly. It never occurred to Candy to think anything might be about herself—after all, if her body wasn’t doing well, surely she’d know.

"Brother, wait for me!"

Seeing her brother and sister striding straight into the hospital, Candy hurried after them.

Behind her, closely following, Zero muttered under his breath, "Poor kid... one day she’ll get sold off and still be happily counting the money."