One morning, Lilah cheerfully went to the window and drew back the curtains.
Looking down, she saw little Zhan Yuxi holding a toy shovel, having completely dug up the new plants Lilah had just planted in the garden.
"Zhan Yuxi!"
Lilah called out, opening the window. "Didn't I tell you not to touch those flowers anymore?"
Below, the little girl squatted on the ground in her denim overalls, her hair tied into two pigtails reaching skyward.
Her chubby hands held a pink shovel as she looked up, her face lit up with a bright smile.
"Good morning, Mommy! You look even more beautiful today.
Tangtang really likes and loves you!" she exclaimed.
Lilah was speechless, her heart was completely overwhelmed with warmth under the charm of her daughter's sweet words.
Behind her, Gerard joined her at the window, also looking down at their daughter.
Just moments ago, Richard had called, asking Gerard to buy another batch of koi fish, which are considered symbols of good fortune, for the pond at the family estate.
The reason was simple:
Tangtang was too curious and had fed the fish so much that they all ended up belly-up.
Richard was heartbroken, but one look into Tangtang's big, innocent eyes, and his resolve softened.
He had asked Gerard to replace the fish, letting the matter slide without further mention.
Though Tangtang was mischievous, she never crossed any moral lines.
Lilah tried several times to correct her behavior, but each attempt ended in failure.
Eventually, she and Gerard decided to embrace their daughter's nature, wondering who in the future would be able to handle her spirited personality.
When Lilah was five years old, she had already become the unofficial boss of her kindergarten class.
Her adorable appearance and lively, mischievous personality made her exceptionally popular among the other children.
She was also more than willing to help the teachers discipline the unruly kids.
Even those kids who usually used their family's influence to get their way found themselves outmatched by Lilah. If they went home to complain, their parents would often scold them instead of the teachers.
Because of this, Lilah's class quickly became one of the most well-behaved, and the teachers were especially fond of her.
Whenever Lilah's mother or grandparents attended school events, she always made them proud.