IBO -Chapter 64 The Toddler Meet-and-Greet

This novel contains sensitive and taboo content like R*pe, Mu**er etc. Read only if you are comfortable.

Song Yiran carried Song Yang to the doorway of the toddlers’ dormitory.

The dorm door was wide open, and all three toddlers were already dressed.

As soon as they saw Song Yiran arrive, they crowded around him to greet him. “Good morning, big brother!”

Song Fu immediately noticed Song Yang in Song Yiran’s arms.

He asked in surprise, “Big brother, is there a new baby? Is it a little sister or a little brother?”

Among the children at the childcare center, Song Fu ranked at the very bottom—Song Buli and Song Xiuhu had both arrived earlier than him, so he could only come after them.

But even so, he still wanted to be a big brother at least once.

Song Yiran gently put Song Yang down on the floor, then squatted and introduced him. “His name is Song Yang. You can call him Yangyang. He’s your little brother.”

“Yangyang’s legs aren’t very convenient, so he might run into some small difficulties in daily life.
If you notice Yangyang having trouble, please come and tell big brother. Big brother will come help Yangyang.”

Song Fu tilted his head and thought for a moment, then leaned over and promised Song Yiran,
“Mm… big brother! I think we can take good care of Yangyang. I can help Yangyang overcome difficulties, and Lili and Huhu can help together too!”

“Mm-hmm! Big brother, we’ll take good care of Yangyang!” Song Buli echoed happily, wagging his tail.

“And me! I’ll take good care of little brother too! Big brother, you can leave him to us!” Song Xiuhu also made his promise.

Song Yiran smiled and patted the toddlers’ heads, then gently declined.

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I’m not asking you to take care of Yangyang.”

“Taking care of children is an adult’s responsibility. Big brother is an adult, and also your guardian, so big brother can take care of you.”

“You don’t need to take on extra responsibility for Yangyang. Taking care of you is big brother’s job. If Yangyang runs into trouble, just come find big brother, and big brother will help him.”

“Okay then…”

After that, Song Yiran didn’t intervene anymore and let the toddlers get to know each other on their own.

Four fluffy little ones gathered together on the floor like small dumplings, chattering away in childish voices.

Ah, what a beautiful scene.

Song Yiran looked at the scene before him with quiet satisfaction.

Xiao Zhong’er asked in confusion, “Why not let them take care of each other? Wouldn’t that make things easier for you? And I think these toddlers are pretty reliable—they should be able to take good care of Song Yang.”

“Xiao Zhong’er, the children are still too young. They might not be able to tell whether they truly want to help a companion, or whether they’re doing it just to please me.”

“So for now, it’s better to draw a clear line. When they grow up and understand right and wrong, I won’t stop them from wanting to take care of their companions.”

“Children often want to please their parents and gain more favor. So they might do things against their own wishes just to earn that favor.”

“For example, they might actually love eating snacks, but pretend they don’t like snacks to make their parents happy.”

“They’re still just children. I can’t let one child take care of another child. The one who should take responsibility for them is me.”

Xiao Zhong’er felt his head starting to spin.

Why were relationships between intelligent beings so complicated?

He asked again, “I still don’t understand. Why would doing that earn a parent’s favoritism?”

Song Yiran gave another example. “Xiao Zhong’er, suppose you have two children.”

“One child is always helping you take care of the other, and the other child is very well taken care of.”

“So you only need to look after one child, which makes things much easier for you.”

“Now tell me—do you like the child being taken care of more, or the child who helps you take care of the other one more?”

Xiao Zhong’er found the example strange.

He replied, “Aren’t they both my children? Of course I’d like them equally!”

“That way of thinking is very good. But unfortunately, in the situation I just described, most parents would end up liking the child who helps take care of the other one more.”

“That child would be praised as a ‘good child,’ a ‘well-behaved child,’ a child who understands how to share the family’s responsibilities.”

Xiao Zhong’er tilted his head. “Isn’t that pretty good? They get lots of praise.”

Song Yiran sighed inwardly. “No. That praise isn’t born of love.”

“It’s because that child’s behavior brings benefits to the parent.”

“Because that child takes care of the other one, the parent’s burden becomes lighter.”

“Over time, the parent grows used to exploiting that child.”

“That child’s caregiving is taken for granted.”

“And the moment something goes wrong, the child gets scolded.”

Xiao Zhong’er was shocked by the way those parents thought.

“Why? Isn’t it a good thing for children to help share responsibility? Why is it treated as something that’s only natural? And if they don’t do well, why scold them?”

Song Yiran gave a bitter smile in his heart. “Because many people simply aren’t fit to be parents.”

Xiao Zhong’er curled his lips. To him, the parents Song Yiran described were clearly bullying their own children!

He despised parents who bullied their children!

“Intelligent beings are so strange. Why are they so harsh on their own children? I don’t get it.”

“Yeah, it’s so strange. They’re all their own children, yet they’re only harsh toward one of them.”

“I get it now! It’s favoritism!

“Isn’t it because of favoritism? Those parents’ hearts were already biased, so no matter how well that child did, they’d still find reasons to blame them.”

“Because those parents never liked that child in the first place!”

“The parents like the other child, so that child gets favored without having to do anything!”

Xiao Zhong’er felt like he had discovered a blind spot and excitedly shared his thoughts.

“Xiao Zhong’er, you’re very smart.”

Xiao Zhong’er puffed out his chest proudly. “Hmph! Of course! I’m a high-tech system!”

“But even I, an outsider system, can see this—so wouldn’t the unfavored child have noticed it long ago?”

Song Yiran fell silent for a moment, then said, “…That’s a good question. I don’t know the answer either.”

“I’ve never experienced something like that myself.”

“What I’m talking about is something I once saw in others.”

“If you ask me, parents like that should just be thrown away!

They’re useless anyway—doing nothing all day except bullying their own kids.”

The moment Xiao Zhong’er thought of those awful parents, he got angry.

He stretched out his tiny little hands in midair, gesturing as he ranted, “I’m so mad!

If I ever ran into people like that, I’d give them a left hook, then a right hook, and beat those parents until their teeth were scattered all over the ground!”

Meanwhile, things were going very smoothly on the cubs’ side.

Song Fu was the first to move up to Song Yang.

He stretched out one paw and boldly patted his own fluffy chest, then declared heroically, “Little brother, my name is Song Fu!

From now on, I’m your big brother!

If anyone bullies you, just come find me—big brother will help you beat them back!

And big brother doesn’t just look after you alone!

No matter who gets bullied, big brother will help beat them back!

In the future, I’ll definitely grow super tall and super strong. When that happens, I’ll protect everyone in the nursery!”

To make his words sound more convincing, Song Fu stretched his paw out in front of Song Yang and showed off the “solid muscles” on it.

But what muscles could a little kid have? It was really just ordinary baby fat.

“Song Yang” complained internally, *“What’s wrong with this guy? Why is there no fur on his head or neck?

And he looks so stupid!

Congrats, idiot—this guy looks even dumber than you. You’re finally not the dumbest one anymore.”*

Song Yang politely thanked Song Fu. “Thank you, big brother!”

“Song Yang” rolled his eyes in disgust and mocked, “Two idiots getting together—this is hilarious! Hahahaha!”

Song Buli also came over. “Hello! Little Yangyang, my name is Song Buli. You can call me Brother Lili.

From now on, I’m your big brother too! If you run into any trouble, you can tell me, okay!”

“Okay! Thank you, Brother Lili!”

“Hello! My name is Song Xiuhu! I think your eye color is really pretty!” Song Xiuhu greeted Song Yang with a smile.

It was the first time anyone had ever praised his eyes. Song Yang replied shyly, “Thank you, big brother! Your fur color is really pretty too!”

“Song Yang” switched back into mockery mode. “Kids are just kids—say a few nice words and you’re already completely fooled!

You don’t seriously think these guys will really treat you kindly, do you?

How naïve!

Just wait until big brother leaves—then you’ll see.

These guys will definitely show their true colors!”

Song Yang suddenly noticed a blind spot and asked in surprise, “Huh? You started calling him ‘big brother’ too?”

The “him” referred to Song Yiran.

“Ahhh! You sweet idiot! Why are you so annoying!

I don’t want to talk to you anymore!

Just you wait—these guys will definitely show their true colors later!

They’ll absolutely bully you and mock you!

Just wait till then—you’ll be crying your eyes out!”

After saying all that, “Song Yang” covered his ears and curled up.

I’m not listening, I’m not listening—he doesn’t want to hear the sweet idiot talk anymore!

He hasn’t taken that guy as his big brother at all!

This is just a temporary measure!

That’s right—when you’re under someone’s roof, you have no choice but to lower your head.

He’s not sincere at all!

…Okay, fine. Maybe just a little bit. Just a tiny, tiny bit—only the tiniest pinch of sincerity.

He was just a little curious—could a sweet idiot really receive love?

Just a little curiosity!

Absolutely not supporting the sweet idiot at all!

He hated sweet idiots the most!

After the cubs became familiar with each other, Song Yiran waved his hand and scooped all four fluffy little cubs into his arms, then carried them toward the kitchen.

However, they had barely gone halfway when Song Yiran started to struggle.

On the surface, he looked completely at ease, but inside he was already screaming wildly.

“Aaaah! My arms! My arms are so sore—so sore they’re killing me! Xiao Zhong’er, I feel like I’m about to give out, my arms can’t hold on anymore!”

“Huh? If you can’t hold on, you can just put the four little ones down,” Xiao Zhong’er said, a bit confused.

“Oh, right—there’s also Song Yang. You can keep holding Song Yang and put the other three cubs down. That way it’ll be much easier.”

“No. If I treat only Song Yang differently, he might feel sad inside.

So I have to hold all the cubs together—that way no one is special.”

“Then I’ll help support you a bit.”

Xiao Zhong’er flew over and held up Song Yiran’s arm.

And just like that, with Xiao Zhong’er’s help, Song Yiran successfully carried the cubs all the way to the kitchen.