WASFIL Fanfics Part 1: The General Addresses The Troops

Awww I love the little side stories and epilogues that Ding Mo always releases in her books, and now we have a take from one of our translators on the future with Xu Xu and Ji Bai and their children haha. It’s so adorable. Really love how the writing style almost exactly matches up with how Ding Mo writes! The description in the setting and in the events is really good~

This was written by shl for our WASFIL fanfic event which is now over~ It’s really amazing!

More fanfics will be coming out the next few days so stay tuned~ 🙂

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The General Addresses the Troops

Lin City in autumn. The air held a tinge of the winter to come, but was still pleasantly cool and especially refreshing after a humid summer. The trees were beginning to don their coats of many colours. In the early morning, the sounds of the city humming to life resounded in all corners.

Several people sat around the breakfast table, tucking into their bowls of hot rice porridge. Dishes of boiled groundnuts, fried anchovies and crunchy pickled lettuce stems were also on the table, to be eaten with the porridge as desired. There was little conversation, mostly contented slurps.

Ji Bai was scanning through the morning papers, holding them with one hand while wielding his spoon with the other. He looked up as Xu Xu entered the room and placed a cup of hot coffee in front of him, and smiled his thanks.

“Third Brother, Mu Tong mentioned last night that the strange sound from the car undercarriage has changed in pitch, and she thinks it might be something serious. I’ve called Old Li at the garage, and he says you can stop by anytime today.”

“En. I only have a few meetings today, and no big cases to deal with. I’ll stop by on my way home from work.”

“Can you also pick up a bottle of wine for Yao Meng and Shu Hang’s anniversary celebration?”

“Sure.”

Xu Xu nodded and turned to place two glasses of milk on the table from the tray in her hands.

“Thanks, mum,” murmured two voices in unison.

In another 10 minutes, Ji Bai had finished his breakfast. He got up and walked back into the bedroom for a brief moment, then came back out to kiss Xu Xu before picking up his jacket from the clothes rack and slipping on his shoes.

“I’ll give you boys another 5 minutes,” he announced, then walked out.

“Lao Da (老大 – common term for the eldest in the family),” Xu Xu said quietly. The older boy looked up from his bowl and met his mother’s eyes. Both pairs of eyes were similar in the intensity of their gaze, and some kind of secret exchange of understanding passed between the two.

“I’ve been thinking. Those worms and beetles in your pencil case . . . I think they are Min Xin’s doing.”

“I’ve been thinking about that as well, mum. That is my conclusion as well.”

“She likes you, doesn’t she?”

“Yes. I suspect so. She hangs about me a lot, and is always on hand to help me up when I trip or drop things.”

“So, do you like her?”

“Hmmm. That’s hard to say, mum. We get along very well, and I like her, but I’m not sure if I want her to be my girlfriend or anything.”

“Do you want to try? Because, what you decide determines your next step in this operation.”

“Well . . . we’re only 9 years old, but I suppose it would be useful to gain some experience in this area. It would serve me well in future, especially if I want to work in criminal psychology like you.”

“All right. Then, your next step should be to do indicate your interest in her.”

“Yes, I’ve thought about that. What should I do? Should I reciprocate by filling her pencil case with worms as well?”

Xu Xu sighed in exasperation. “No, you silly boy. She knows you like to grub around in the dirt, so she’s giving you things she thinks you really like. It must have been very difficult for her to dig those worms out, but she did it for you.”

“Ah, I see. Then, I should think about what she likes?”

“Yes, indeed. Give it some thought, but don’t take too long. One should strike when the iron is hot.”

“I have been observing her for a while, mum. I believe a close observation today should be sufficient to decide what to give her.”

“Very well.”

Next, Xu Xu turned to her younger son. “Lao Er (老二 – second oldest in the family),” she said. “Yes, mum,” he replied, peering over the edge of his bowl. His black eyes, so like Ji Bai’s, looked at her beseechingly.

“Is that bully still harassing you?”

He swallowed his mouthful of porridge and nodded. “But, I am not afraid of him,” he declared stoutly.

“That’s right. Bullies are just cowards who are taking out their anger at their lack of power on someone else. You must show them that you do not fear them.”

Xu Xu gazed thoughtfully at the elfin, fair-skinned boy seated before her. With his small size, it was not surprising that the bully had chosen to flex his muscles by picking on him. However, he had picked the wrong victim.

“May I suggest that if he approaches you today, you tell him . . .” Here, Xu Xu leaned over and whispered something into her son’s ear.

The boy immediately burst into laughter. “What is it? What is it? I want to know, too!” demanded his older brother. The younger boy whispered into his brother’s ear, and a huge grin spread across both their faces.

“Can I really say that, mum?” he asked.

“I don’t see why not. You are merely pointing out a hypothesis. Bullies are actually cowards, and naturally, one’s smallness of courage (胆小 – cowardice) may well be reflected in aspects of one’s physiology. Tell him so, and let me know how he reacts. Then we can plan the next step in our campaign.”

Still chortling softly, the small boy said, “I will do so.”

Just then, Xu Xu’s cellphone rang three times, and stopped.

“There, your father is waiting for you downstairs. Wipe your mouths and go.”

The two boys obeyed, then picked up their school bags and jackets before heading out of the door to put on their shoes.

“Goodbye, mum! See you later! Goodbye, little sister (小妹)!”

Xu Xu watched them drive off from the window before stacking the crockery and bringing it to the sink to wash up. When all was tidy, she retreated to the bedroom, just in time to see a pair of small fists waving around in the air from the cot beside the bed.

She picked up the little bundle and settled into the armchair for a feed. “Well, small one,” she said softly, “we’ve settled the men for the day. Now, it’s just you and me.” Xu Xu closed her eyes and smiled contentedly.

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Written by our very own shl!

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