Cherry?!

Ian’s eyes flew open abruptly. Light even shone in his usually listless eyes. He looked straight at the little Mia, who lowered her head and said, “Grand-uncle Ian, I know I shouldn’t be borrowing money from you, but my money is all with Mommy. She doesn’t let me ask Daddy for money, either. Brandon has a loose tongue, so he’ll definitely tell Mommy if I borrow money from him. After thinking about it, you’re the only one I can ask.”

Mia glanced at him in embarrassment and said, “But if you don’t have any, it’s okay…”

As soon as she said that, Ian smiled and said, “I do. I’ll give my little Mia some.”

Mia’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Grand-uncle Ian!”

Ian then asked, “Can you tell me about this classmate of yours?”

Mia nodded. With a look of admiration on her face, she said, “Cheryl Smith is amazing! Not only can she turn into a little boy, but she can also turn into a little girl!”

Ian, “?”

“She also dances really well. Sinead Lowe was originally the lead dancer for the dance in the school’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. She’s really unlikeable and often bullies everyone in school!”

Ian asked, “Does she bully even you?”

Mia shook her head. “She doesn’t dare to bully me because I’m a Smith. She doesn’t dare to make trouble for me, but she doesn’t talk to me either. She started bullying Cherry the moment she came to the school, but Cherry’s Mommy is really amazing. She got Ms. Tanya Turner over, so Cherry became the lead dancer after that.

“Cherry also became Brandon’s boss. He follows her around every day and serves her water. He also asked her when she can become a little boy again.”

At this point, Mia added softly, “I also hope that Cherry will become a little boy.”

Ian was taken aback. “Why?” He asked.

Mia smiled gently and timidly. Her small oval-shaped face was adorable and delicate. She answered, “Cherry is very cool when she’s a boy. I like talking to him.”

Ian felt like he understood what she was saying, but also not really at the same time. He casually transferred $150,000 to Mia’s bank account and then closed his eyes.

Mia left quietly when she saw that he wasn’t talking to her anymore.

Grand-uncle Ian wasn’t in good health. Daddy had told her earlier that she shouldn’t disturb him…

In the evening, Joel came over to visit Ian as usual after he knocked off from work. However, when he did, he saw Ian, whose eyes were always half-lidded, seated upright on the bed as if he was waiting for him.

Surprised, Joel asked, “Is something the matter, Uncle Ian?”

Ian cast his eyes down and said unhurriedly, “Is Mia’s school holding their 50th-anniversary celebrations soon?”

Joel nodded. “Yes, I’ve already received an invitation.”

He wasn’t planning to go. After all, it didn’t really matter whether he went to an event like that or not. Besides, Mia was timid and frail, so she wasn’t performing, either.

While thinking about it, he heard Ian say, “I want to go and have a look.”

Joel was surprised. “What?”

Ian repeated, “I want to go and have a look.”

Joel was a little in disbelief, but he nevertheless said, “Okay, I’ll make the arrangements.”

After leaving Ian’s bedroom, Joel looked back at the door and frowned.

A moment later, he asked the caretaker, “Did something happen at Uncle Ian’s today?”

The caretaker stood up straight. Although Joel seemed friendly and approachable, she treated him with ever-increasing respect. “I think Ms. Mia was here.”

At the mention of Mia, Joel’s expression softened.

“I see.”

It seemed like Uncle Ian was going to the kindergarten because of Mia. He would also go with him, then.

—

The next afternoon.

After dealing with work matters in the Hunt Corporation, Justin left his office. However, he didn’t go home. Pete was at the Quinn School of Martial Arts today, but when he got in the car, he didn’t instruct the chauffeur to head to the school.

“Where would you like to go, sir?” asked the chauffeur.

“To the Golden Sunshine Kindergarten.”

“Yes, sir.”

At the kindergarten.

It was the 50th-anniversary celebrations soon, so the twenty children participating in the opening ceremony dance had to practice for an hour more than usual.

At four o’clock in the afternoon.

Cherry and her friends entered the dance studio and stood in line.

Sinead was next to Cherry. Even though she had been warned not to provoke Cherry, she was pouting and glaring at her from time to time today.

In the past, even though Sinead was bad-tempered, everyone was afraid of the dance teacher, so they were very tolerant of her.

But now, everyone was playing with Cherry and ignoring her instead.

After putting up with it for several days, Sinead finally couldn’t stand it anymore. She suddenly reached out her arm and pushed Cherry.

Cherry stumbled backward a couple of steps. She looked at her in surprise and asked, “What are you doing, Sinead the Doggy?”

Sinead yelled, “You’re the dog, Cherry the Doggy! I’m not Sinead the Doggy!”

Cherry said, “But you were barking like a dog that time! Like this!”

She bent over into a different pose from what Sinead had done the other day and called out, “Moo, moo~”

Sinead immediately scoffed and said, “You’re doing it wrong! It should be like this!”

She imitated a puppy’s pose again and stuck out her tongue while saying, “Woof! Woof!”

A giggling Cherry straightened her back and said, “Great job, Sinead the Doggy!”

Sinead stood up straight and raised her chin.

However, the children around them suddenly burst out laughing.

After a while, Sinead finally realized what had happened. She immediately became so angry that she placed her hands on her hips. Then… she let out an ear-piercing wail and started crying.

Cherry clapped her hands over her ears and looked at her wryly.

Was she crying just because she couldn’t win the argument?

While she was thinking about it, Whitney walked in and heard Sinead crying. She frowned and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Sinead pointed at Cherry and said, “She’s bullying me!”

Cherry shook her head and said, “I’m not.”

The rest of the students also testified and said, “Cherry didn’t bully Sinead. It was Sinead who pushed her.”

During this recent period of time, everyone could tell that Whitney was unusually scared of Cherry, just like how she was also scared of the two children from the Smiths.

Therefore, she definitely wouldn’t dare to bully Cherry.

But unexpectedly, Whitney suddenly shouted, “Cherry, apologize to Sinead immediately!”

Cherry was taken aback for a moment. Then, she shook her head and said, “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“How dare you be so unrepentant! Come out here with me!”

Whitney grabbed Cherry by her arm and dragged her out of the dance studio. As she did, she said fiercely, “Cheryl Smith, I’ve already figured it all out. Mr. Hunt only has a son; he doesn’t have any daughters at all! How dare you lie to me for so long! I’m going to teach you a good lesson today! As punishment, you are to stand in the sun for two hours and give up your center position in the dance!”

Then, she dragged her over to a corner of the wall and threw her there. Her fierce appearance frightened Cherry so badly that her eyes widened. The little fellow, who had never allowed anyone to give her the short end of the stick, hastily said, “My father really is Justin Hunt!”

Whitney scoffed derisively and said, “What a stubborn girl you are. If your father is really Justin Hunt, then why don’t you give him a call and have him pick you up from school?!”