Chapter 93

*At the Very, Very End — Tuan-tuan’s Three Thousand Mischievous Questions.*
My name is Tuan-tuan, okay? My full name is Xie Mingqing—“heart as clear as a hanging mirror, eyes as bright as the starry river.” My nickname is Tuan-tuan, just like the giant panda Tuan-tuan. We’re equally famous, you know~
My dad is an aerospace engineer. I don’t really understand what an aerospace engineer is, but I know Dad is a very amazing person. The things he understands, the knowledge he has, is way more than Teacher Chen from Little Flower Class.
Why is my name Tuan-tuan?
Great-grandpa said it was because when I was born, I was a little chubby dumpling. The “fetal body” was too big. I looked fair and chubby, so he gave me the nickname Tuan-tuan.
It means “reunion and wholeness”—all together, safe and sound.
I asked Dad what “fetal body too big” means.
Dad said, “It means Tuan-tuan was bigger and sturdier than ordinary little kids. It also means Mommy suffered a lot bringing you into this world. She had to work even harder to give birth to you. So in the future, Tuan-tuan must treat Mommy very well and love Mommy very much.”
I nodded really hard. Of course! The person I love most in this world is Mommy. My Mommy is the most beautiful Mommy in the whole world.
Little Fat’s mom and Xiao Yu-mao’s mom are not as pretty as my Mommy.
Grandma (Mommy’s mom) says my Mommy used to be a big star. I asked Grandma what a big star is. Is it a star in the sky?
Grandma said, “Yes, your mom is the brightest star in the sky.”
Wow! So Mommy used to be a star.
Then doesn’t that mean I’m a little star?
I asked Dad, will Tuan-tuan also shine twinkle-twinkle like the stars in the sky someday?
Dad thought for a while before he answered. “If Tuan-tuan also wants to shine, then you have to grow up well, grow taller quickly, and work hard to become a mature and responsible grown-up.”
Yay! Then Tuan-tuan has to grow up fast.
I asked Dad how I can grow very, very fast—like Monkey King’s golden staff, whoosh, and grow tall just like that.
Dad said, “Then Tuan-tuan must not secretly pour out his milk in the morning anymore, and you must not be picky about food. Isn’t Tuan-tuan’s favorite cartoon Popeye the Sailor? What does Popeye eat every day?”
No!
Spinach is what I hate the most.
I asked Dad if there was a way to grow up without eating spinach.
Dad said, “There is. But then Tuan-tuan will grow very, very slowly. Maybe by the time you grow up, Mommy and Daddy will already be old.”
Old? What does “old” mean?
I didn’t understand.
Is it like Great-grandpa, with white hair and a white beard?
Dad nodded. “Tuan-tuan is really smart. In the future, Daddy will also get old like Great-grandpa.”
I don’t want that.
I definitely don’t want Mommy and Daddy to get old.
Dad said, “If Tuan-tuan doesn’t want Mommy and Daddy to get old so fast, then you have to be good and listen—eat your meals properly, don’t be picky, and don’t give your own food to An-an and Sebastian anymore.”
Fine.
Tuan-tuan is a mature grown-up.
It’s only a little spinach. Tuan-tuan can overcome it.
But Teacher clearly said that we have to learn to share. Kids who always hog food and don’t share are bad kids.
I really, really don’t want to be a bad kid.
Sebastian and An-an are both my good friends.
Good friends should share with each other.
Dad laughed. “Then has Tuan-tuan ever gotten any food that Sebastian or An-an shared with you?”
Um.
No. Tuan-tuan has never gotten food that Sebastian and An-an shared.
Dad nodded. “Tuan-tuan, it’s not wrong for good friends to share with each other. But if only you keep giving and they never give back, that’s not sharing—it’s unconditional spoiling.”
I asked Dad what “spoiling” means.
Dad said, “Spoiling means too much pampering and protection. If it goes on too long, Sebastian and An-an will lose the ability to handle setbacks because of your unrestrained spoiling.”
Dad also said, “Tuan-tuan should first understand what your friends actually want, and then decide whether to share. If you blindly share things you don’t need yourself, that’s not sharing—that’s selfishness.”
I asked Dad what “selfish” means.
Dad said, “Selfish means greedy, stingy, and overbearing. Didn’t you say Little Fat from Little Flower Class always steals your teddy-bear cookies after he finishes his own? That’s called selfish.”
So that’s how it is.
Then selfishness really is a very, very bad thing.
Dad asked me, “Does Tuan-tuan want to become a selfish kid?”
Of course not! I absolutely don’t want to become like Little Fat.
The person I dislike the most is Little Fat from Little Flower Class.
I definitely don’t want to become a selfish kid.
But Tuan-tuan still couldn’t figure it out. How can I understand what Sebastian and An-an want?
Sebastian is a big golden retriever dog. An-an is a stray cat Mommy brought home.
I can’t understand what they’re saying.
Sebastian always barks, “woof woof,” and An-an never pays attention to me. It clings only to Mommy every time.
Dad raised an eyebrow. “Then you’ll have to rely on your own observation. Tuan-tuan, if you want to understand what your friends need and want to live together for a long, long time, you’ll have to use your heart to treat them.”
Using your heart is so hard.
Making friends is actually this hard.
I secretly asked Mommy whether Dad also understands Mommy very well, and that’s why Mommy lives with Dad.
But Mommy said, “That’s not right, Tuan-tuan. Daddy doesn’t understand Mommy at all.”
Then why does Mommy still live with Daddy?
Mommy smiled so hard her eyes curved. “Because Daddy loves Mommy, and Mommy loves Daddy.”
What is love?
Mommy smiled. “Love is like your teddy-bear cookies. If you don’t get to eat them every day, don’t you miss the taste a lot?”
Yes! Teddy-bear cookies must be the most delicious thing in the whole wide world.
Mommy smiled. “To Mommy, Daddy is Mommy’s teddy-bear cookies. That’s why Mommy loves Daddy very much.”
Then is it the same for Daddy? What about for Tuan-tuan?
Mommy’s voice was very soft and gentle. “Of course it’s the same. Otherwise how could there be a Tuan-tuan? Mommy and Daddy must have loved each other very much for you to come into this world. You are the crystallization of Mommy and Daddy’s love.”
Then Tuan-tuan loves Daddy and Mommy so, so much too! Even more than teddy-bear cookies!
Um… so, can Tuan-tuan still have teddy-bear cookies today?
Mommy smiled, shaking her head as she turned down my sneaky request. “Nope. Tuan-tuan, you hooked pinkies and stamped a seal with Mommy, remember? A real man can’t break his word.”
Then can I not be a big man, and just be a little man? Is that okay?
Mommy still shook her head. “Tuan-tuan, you have to keep the promises you make yourself. You can’t play rogue. If you go back on your word, you’ll turn into Pinocchio. Pinocchio’s nose grows longer and longer. Does Tuan-tuan want to grow a long nose?”
Definitely not.
That would be way too scary!
If my nose grew really, really long, the other kids in Little Flower Class wouldn’t play with me, and Xiao Yu-mao wouldn’t like me anymore either.
Mommy smiled as she asked, “Is Tuan-tuan that afraid Xiao Yu-mao won’t like you?”
Of course! If Xiao Yu-mao stopped liking me, I’d be super sad.
Mommy made a meaningful “oh.” “Then if Xiao Yu-mao turned into a long-nosed Pinocchio, would Tuan-tuan still like Xiao Yu-mao? Would you still want to be friends with her?”
Why wouldn’t I like her? No matter what she turns into, Xiao Yu-mao is still Xiao Yu-mao. It’s just that her nose is a little longer. What’s the big deal?
Teacher said that classmates should help each other, and also tolerate each other, and be united and loving.
Tuan-tuan will like Xiao Yu-mao forever.
Just like I like teddy-bear cookies.
Um…
Okay, maybe a little bit more than teddy-bear cookies~
Shh! You’re not allowed to tell anyone!
This is Tuan-tuan’s little secret. Hee-hee.
2025