[Zhongyingmei] How difficult is it to become a reliable adult

Aprile didn't mean to eavesdrop at the door.

She had been watching Ladybug Girl with Stephanie in the living room.But Stephanie was leaving just before lunch, and she had a lot to do and couldn't stay at the estate for long.

Alfred is preparing lunch, and Aprily walks Stephanie to the door.

With one hand on the door frame, she said sheepishly to Stephanie, "May I know your Facebook account?"

She pursed her lips, but still gave Stephanie a shy smile, "I want to chat with you online."

There was something cute about this scene, and Dick would be jealous of her.Stephanie pinched Aprily's soft face happily, "Of course, Ella."

She and Ai Puli added Facebook, and Ai Puli's empty friend list had an extra profile picture of a purple flower.

"Now I'm your first friend." Stephanie said with satisfaction, she looked at April with a smile, "Do you want someone else's Facebook account?"

Ai Puli looked forward to it, "Can you?"

"No," Stephanie flicked her forehead lightly, and smiled, "You have to find them yourself."

She pointed upstairs, "They're not in the living room, they might be in the study on the second floor."

Ai Puli waved to Stephanie who was leaving at the door. She waited until Stephanie's figure was engulfed by the tree shadows outside the mansion before closing the door and trotting upstairs.

She wanted Dick's Facebook account, and Jason's and Bruce's.She doesn't know if Ah Fu uses Facebook, if so, she also wants to add Ah Fu's friends.

The sound of people talking intermittently came out from the door of the study, and Ai Puli stopped in her tracks, wondering whether she would disturb the adults' conversation by going in.

Maybe she should go downstairs and see if Alfred needs her help in the kitchen, where she makes cereal and cereal rings and uses the microwave.

Occasionally, a few words leaked from the crack of the door, and Ai Puli turned her feet.She was a very bright child, and quickly understood the content of the conversation.

They seem to be discussing April's abilities.Ai Puli breathed lightly unconsciously, she bit her lip nervously, and slowly recovered.

She had already heard that the three people inside didn't hate Aprily because she was a superpower.

Unlike the first couple who adopted her, they will not abandon her for it.They accepted her, with her uniqueness.

Ai Puli crouched on the ground like a little furball growing on the ground, flicking the fur on the carpet.

It's wrong to eavesdrop on someone's conversation, and it's dirty to poke a carpet.But the subject of their discussion is April, and she can be a little self-willed.

As Ai Puli listened, the tone inside gradually became more intense.She heard Dick and Bruce arguing.

She stood up and approached the door quietly.The carpet muffled the sound of her moving, and the people inside were so focused on arguing that no one noticed that she was debating whether to open the door and go in.

She was still thinking about it when the door of the study in front of her suddenly opened and almost hit April's head.

Ai Puli wanted to say hello to them in embarrassment, her lips trembled, but she didn't say anything.

Three pairs of eyes stared at her.

Dick still had lingering anger on his face.Bruce pursed his lips.Only Jason raised his eyebrows at her with a surprised expression.

The dull atmosphere in the room spread through the action of opening the door, like a ball of melting butter gushing out from the crack of the door.

April took a step back, swallowing what she wanted to say.

Dick's suppressed expression turned to panic, and he hurriedly explained, "We're not discussing your affairs..." Halfway through the speech, he realized that April had probably listened to the whole thing outside, and changed his words, "This has nothing to do with you , is our business."

After finishing speaking, he immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing again, and held his forehead angrily, "It's not your fault, it's our problem."

Bruce tried to keep his voice in a gentle range. "Get out," he said to April. "We have a little disagreement for now."

He wanted to change the subject and draw Ai Puli's attention to another aspect, "Ah Fu is preparing lunch in the kitchen, are you going to take a look, we don't know what you like to eat yet."

April wanted to squat down, she wanted the pile of the carpet to grow a little longer, and then a little longer, until it covered her.

Her toes rubbed against the fur on the carpet, and she said in a low voice, "You are discussing my affairs, I know."

She opened her mouth to say that she didn't care about this, but she couldn't say it.She was used to hiding it, and for a moment she didn't know how to be honest with others.

Jason glared at Dick and Bruce, "What's the matter with you, no one notices such a big kid squatting outside the door?"

He confidently kicked himself out of the "undiscovered" crowd.

Jason sneered, "I knew we would screw up." He rubbed April's head with his big hand, "Go to Afu, little girl, and wait for the stupid adults to come up with a result, and then come to you explain."

Grown-up decency is a strange thing, and they expected to quarrel and rage in Aprile's absence.When Aprile appeared in front of them, they immediately began to maintain a false peace.

Jason was about to close the study door, and a hand came in to block it.

Ai Puli sneaked into the room nimbly, she was small and agile, and she got under Jason's arm in one fell swoop.

All three people present looked at her.She whispered, "I can say, it's okay."

She herself didn't quite understand what she could do, all she knew were some very mysterious things.

April tried to describe to them the state she was in.

She opened her mouth, unable to speak.

It was as if a pair of invisible, slender hands were pinching her face.Cold fingers climbed down her throat along her mouth.

A person blocked her throat and covered her mouth to prevent her from speaking.Because Ai Puli is not an obedient child, obedient children must learn to be silent.

The familiar fear and powerlessness of being dominated controlled her, and the fishy-sweet smell in her throat became stronger and stronger, almost to the point of nausea.

Wayne Manor is no longer a safe place, and she may be chased by a huge phantom anytime, anywhere.

During the timeout, amidst all kinds of doubtful, concerned, and flustered inquiries, a person quickly approached her.

Bruce half-kneeled in front of April, cupping April's chin with his hand.He quickly covered Aprily's head and let her lean into his arms.

"Don't talk, don't think, just close your eyes."

The decisive and neat instructions opened up a breathing space in the filth.The firm and strong embrace cuts off a safe zone.

The hand retreated silently, leaving only the discomfort remaining in the mouth.

Fog came up from the depths of my mind little by little.Aprily tugged at Bruce's shirt.

She wants to talk, and the things she wants to say are many and complicated.

But weariness took hold of her spirit, something drained her of it all.Opening the eyes became a difficult thing.

Bruce patted her on the back, "Sleep, you'll be fine when you wake up."

Ai Puli relaxed herself obediently, and fell into a dream.

This sleep was not peaceful, and Ai Puli couldn't remember what happened in the dream, and she woke up in a cold sweat.

April realized she wasn't in Haven's cramped bedroom, and then she remembered where she was now, her father's house in Gotham's Wayne Manor.

She settled down, and a hand reached out and pressed the back of it to her forehead.

Dick asked softly, "You're awake, do you want some water?"

April blinked her eyes, and she held Dick's wrist with both hands, "I seem to be a little thirsty, can I trouble you to pour me a glass of water?"

Dick laughed, "If you don't let me go, how can I pour water for you?"

The little girl's face poked out from behind his palm, "I don't really want to drink water anymore, are you angry?"

"No."

"But you had a fight with Bruce."

Dick sighed. "We just disagree."

He withdrew his hand, "You take a rest first. I'll pour water for you."

Dick left the room. Not long after, the door of the room was pushed open again, and Jason came in generously with a tray.

He put the tray on the bedside table next to Aprily, and showed her the sweet cookies and steaming milk on the tray.

"Afutuo, I brought it up. You slept through lunch, little princess. It's a pity, Afu made a good meal."

As soon as he sat on the sofa, he put his feet up on the coffee table, "But you will definitely be able to catch up with dinner. If you don't try Ah Fu's craftsmanship, you will definitely regret it on the day the world ends."

Ai Puli looked left and right, but didn't see the person she was looking for.Her stomach became weak with belated hunger, Ai Puli picked up a small biscuit and stuffed her cheeks, "Where's my dad?"

"He ran away," Jason replied leisurely, "next to it is the water he asked me to bring to you. They have this problem, they like to be deserters when it comes to such messy things."

He unscrewed the cap of the Coke bottle and took a sip, "My suggestion is, don't talk to them, just be happy. This is the experience of my predecessors."

He smiled lightly and laughed at himself, "Anyway, the next time they need to stand together to face a crisis, the Cold War will be over."

"The situation here is very complicated," Jason shrugged, "It's not all because of you, so don't worry about it."

Ai Puli lowered her head and squeezed the cup in her hand, "Is reconciliation a shameful thing for adults?"

"Maybe a little bit," Jason shook the Coke bottle, the bubbling bubbles rushed out of the burnt brown sugar water, and were blocked from freedom by the bottle cap, "Everyone is quarreling, fighting, and then encountering a crisis , reconciled in the end, and quarreled again someday."

He pretended to be relaxed, "Sorry, I broke your fantasy. Our family atmosphere seems not as harmonious as you imagined."

"Did you drink soda?" April asked an irrelevant question.

Jason was taken aback, and he shook the bottle in his hand, "You mean this?"

"I've never had this," April said. "Can you describe to me what it tastes like?"

Jason couldn't believe it. He only had the most common and ordinary bottle of Coke in his hand. There would be at least twenty bottles on the shelves of a small convenience store. "Haven't you tried it?"

"The nun has only given us the kind that is mixed with water from the liquid in the big bottle, but I have never drunk this kind of bottle." Ai Puli gestured with her hand, "Will they taste different?"

"If you say that, I feel sorry for you." Jason moved his butt up to prevent himself from sliding off the sofa, "I also drank that kind of Coke with water when I was a child. When I first drank When I get regular Coke, I swear it's all in my veins."

He stood up, "I'll go to the kitchen to steal a bottle for you, don't tell Ah Fu."

Ai Puli immediately allied with him, "Okay, thank you!"

Jason left like a hero, and April retreated under the covers and rolled on the soft big bed.

Rolling over and back, she spread herself flat on the bed, looking at the ceiling.

She hadn't asked for the Facebook accounts of Dick, Jason, and Bruce yet.Grown-ups only think about fighting and fighting, while kids only want to add their Facebook friends.

April thought, she might like them a little bit, she likes this home.Just like in the orphanage, she wanted to stay, she didn't want to run around anymore.

She thought a lot, Jason hadn't come up yet, the bed in Wayne Manor was big and soft enough, Aprily turned around and turned herself into the quilt.

The door knocked twice.Ai Puli hadn't gotten out of the quilt yet, and said sullenly, "Please come in!"

"I brought the Coke back," Jason said, "and your dad."

Ai Puli emerged from the quilt with a black-haired messy head, saw Jason holding a Coke in one hand, and pulling Dick's collar with the other hand, and gave Ai Puli a villainous smile, "Promised the children Those who fail to do so will be punished with justice by the Red Hood."

He stuffed the Coke into Dick's hand, kicked the timid Dick into the room mercilessly, closed the door, and even locked the door with a key.

The justice executor, Red Hood, retired and left gracefully, leaving only the father and daughter looking at each other in the room.

so terrible.thought Dick.

It's too bad.He's the worst parent in the world, Dick thought.

First of all, Ai Puli hid outside the door, and I don't know how long she had listened to their quarrel.Batman, Nightwing, and Red Hood, none of the three found out. All of them should call back and retake the investigation course.

Worse still was Dick himself.He didn't realize he was a deserter until Jason ripped him off the roof.

Dick remembered the scene before April fell asleep.

She got into the study and stood at the door, as if she wanted to say something to them.She is only a six-year-old child, but she is braver than all of them present.

April's lips moved, but no sound came out.

After this, she was like a rusty robot, clicking to close, but the gears were rusted together and could not move.

Dick's heart shrank, and he was about to say that April didn't have to force himself.Bruce reacted one step ahead of them.

"Someone wouldn't let her speak."

His father completely half-rushed and hugged his daughter.

Dick suddenly realized that no matter how much they complained about Bruce, he was still a father.He took on this responsibility much earlier than Dick did.

Dick was immature compared to him, and he was still learning how to handle his emotions in front of his daughter.

Fortunately, after Bruce comforted her, April soon fell asleep in his arms with a peaceful expression.They sent Aprile back to her bedroom.

Bruce's expression became more and more tense, he walked directly towards the study without saying a word.The grandfather clock in the study led directly to the Batcave, and they knew he had a clue.

Dick sat for a while in April's room.Regret and fear rose from the bottom of his heart.

He's not doing well enough.

He may need to be quiet for a while, alone, and reflect on himself.

The escape mentality prompted him to do stupid things. He handed Jason the water and asked him to bring it to April. He squatted on the roof of Wayne Manor by himself, letting his thoughts rush past his head one after another.

He was on the roof for 10 minutes.Jason sneered unceremoniously from behind, "Look at this fluffy bird."

The ruthless younger brother dragged Dick off the roof, "You don't think you're doing worse than Bruce, do you? Please, be a little bit pursuing," Jason snorted, "I thought your goal was at least superhuman."

So things became like this, he was stuffed into the room like an octopus into a shell by Jason without saying a word, and he appeared stiffly in front of April.

Dick licked his lips nervously, "Do you still want a drink?"

"But you didn't help me pour the water." Ai Puli pointed out, she looked at her father who broke his promise inscrutably, and said sharply, "It doesn't count if you ask others to bring it."

She really wanted to show her little temper, and after thinking about it, she didn't want to be treated as an arrogant child, so she rolled up the quilt and curled herself up in the corner of the bed.

The sound of footsteps, the mattress next to her sagged slightly.

Dick leaned against the head of the bed, with a slightly bitter voice, "Sorry, I don't seem to be a very good father."

The quilt ball moved and rolled back, blue eyes on Dick's face.

Dick smiled wryly, "Now I'm a terrible parent too."

Aprile didn't speak, she curled up even more.One of her hands sneaked out of the quilt, not daring to go to Radek, only to grab Dick's cuff.

"But you are already my best dad," she whispered, "I don't have a second dad."

Dick couldn't tell how he was feeling at the moment.He felt both sour and comforted.

Here is the anchor, and the hook, and the string for the kite, and the net which the cunning little spirit casts to catch his game.

Ai Puli is very small, and there is a large space on the bed when she lies down.Dick lay down too, against the corners of her quilt.

"Are you disappointed in me?"

Aprile slyly throws the question back, "Are you disappointed in Bruce?"

Dick froze.A smile quickly appeared in his eyes.

He raised his hands on his stomach and put them behind his head, "Is my competitor Bruce now? I will do better than him."

"Then you have to work hard." April said, she pulled Dick's cuff hand back, "Can I have a Coke?"

"Dinner is coming soon, no." The novice father said ruthlessly.

Aprile pursed her lips, "Will Bruce let you drink Coke?"

Dick was hard-hearted, "...that won't work either."