Chapter 371: A Reward in Kindness
Qiong Xing thought it might help buy her a little more time.
And because of the argument that morning, he doubted Petra would be able to apologize honestly without some kind of opportunity.
Hopefully, this would provide one.
Using the apple cake that had originally been prepared for snack time, Qiong Xing gathered some jam, nuts, and other toppings and told the children they could decorate it however they liked.
Partway through, Lian and the others decided they wanted to join in as well.
The children happily decorated the cakes together.
Then, just as they were finishing, a voice called out from the entrance.
"Hello?"
Petra’s mother had come to pick him up.
"It turned out wonderfully. Come on, let’s go show your mom together."
"...Do you think Mom is still angry?"
"If you apologize properly, she’ll forgive you. And besides, it turned out so delicious-looking. I’m sure she’ll be happy."
While holding the boy’s hand, Qiong Xing headed toward the front door.
When they arrived, the boy’s mother bowed her head apologetically for being late to pick him up, but Qiong Xing only smiled and shook his head.
"Alright, do your best."
He handed the plate holding the cake to the boy.
Clutching it carefully, the child walked over to his mother with his head lowered.
"...This is for Mom and Dad... Thank you for everything... and... I’m sorry about this morning."
"..."
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Then, apparently overwhelmed with emotion, she covered her mouth with her hand and looked toward Qiong Xing.
When he nodded, silently encouraging her to accept it, she knelt down and took the plate with a grateful smile.
"You made this for us, Petra?"
"Yeah. Mom likes strawberries, so I put lots on it."
"I see... I see... Thank you. Thank you, Petra. I’m so happy. And I’m sorry for getting angry this morning too."
It seemed the two had successfully made up, which was a relief.
As parent and child, they likely would have reconciled eventually even without Qiong Xing’s involvement.
Still, he had hoped they could part with smiles, both able to say they were glad things had worked out.
"Qiong Xing, thank you so much as well."
"It’s nothing. My children had fun too, so it helped me as well. Also, if you don’t think you’ll need it, feel free to throw this away, but..."
As he handed over a small notebook, both mother and son tilted their heads in confusion.
"I use these with my own children. It’s a reward journal. Whenever they help with chores or do something I’ve asked them to do, I mark down one stamp. Once they’ve collected a certain number, they can exchange them for a reward of their choice."
This was the sort of thing that depended heavily on the household.
Some families might find it troublesome or feel it simply did not suit them.
Qiong Xing had no intention of forcing the idea on anyone.
For now, he simply explained how it worked and said that if Petra seemed interested, they could try it.
"Even small tasks make a difference when someone helps with them. Little things can be surprisingly helpful. And the time you save can be spent playing with your child instead. If you think it might work for your family, give it a try."
Qiong Xing would never claim that he never became irritated while doing housework.
There were certainly times when small chores frustrated him more than larger ones.
After all, it was often the little things that made him wonder why no one else had done them in the first place.
To help reduce a mother’s burden, even if only a little, and to create more opportunities for her to praise her child and say "thank you."
"That’s a wonderful idea. Thank you."
The mother accepted the notebook with a smile.
She said she would talk about it with her husband after returning home and Qiong Xing watched as the parent and child walked away hand in hand.
There was no single correct answer to raising children.
That was precisely why so many different kinds of people existed in the world and why some people got along while others did not.
The way parents chose to raise their children did not always align with the way those children wished to grow and develop.
For now, Lian and the others rarely pushed back against Qiong Xing.
But there was no guarantee that would last forever.
Tomorrow they might suddenly declare that they hated Mama.
Qiong Xing could only hope that a rebellious phase would never come.
...
"...Ears."
"They’re huge..."
"A tail."
"It’s so big. Looks strong."
Qiong Xing could not help smiling wryly at the children’s reactions to Leander.
"Welcome, Qiong Xing. It’s been a long time."
"It’s good to see you again. I came today because there was something I wanted to discuss."
The children peeked out from behind their grandmother’s back.
They were obviously curious, stealing glances at the visitors whenever they thought no one was looking.
Qiong Xing greeted the elderly woman who welcomed them with a warm smile.
After introducing Leander and the twins, who were both clinging tightly to Qiong Xing’s legs, he followed her invitation and entered the house.
The twins were not usually shy around strangers.
However, the local children were clearly standing at a distance and whispering among themselves while staring at them.
That was probably why the twins seemed so wary.
Since it was difficult to walk with both children attached to his legs, Leander picked up Rui while Qiong Xing lifted Yue into his arms before heading inside.
"Mama... scary..."
"They’re only surprised because it’s their first time meeting you. It’s alright. Mama and Papa are both here, so there’s nothing to be afraid of."
Although they were still young, the town children had likely grown up hearing about beastmen and had at least some understanding of what they were.
The fearful glances directed at Leander who was far taller and more imposing than any ordinary human had clearly frightened the twins as well.
Bringing the twins along may have been a mistake.
