Chapter 112: Spiritual Guidance (1/2)
Calvin found himself somewhere deep in the night.
The familiar smell of mold as well as the noisy creaking of the bed frame and the whispers of the drug addicts out on the street and the coquettish moans of the whores and strumpets made it clear that Calvin was in the Northern Borough.
He stared right at the ceiling and found that there was no ceiling.
Yes, there was no ceiling.
For above him was the upper bed of the bunk bed where he was laying.
A pair of footsteps rang out...
What followed afterwards was a small click and the gas lamp soon emanated an orange light that illuminated the dimly-lit hut. Calvin turned to look at the source of light, then glanced at Grandma Elsa.
Elsa was asleep with her back turned to Calvin.
Calvin slowly got out of bed and he was greeted by the sight of Charlotte and Cecilia. The little girl was naked at this moment, she was being carefully wrapped by her mother in a yellowish cloth.
”Stop moving so much, Cecilia...” Charlotte scolded.
Upon realizing that Calvin was looking at them, Cecilia's eyes immediately brightened.
”Daddy! You're finally awake! Hehehe, I'm done taking a bath! It's the first bath that I had after mommy took me to the public bathhouse a few weeks ago! Daddy should come with us next time!”
Cecilia rushed up to Calvin and snuggled to his embrace.
Calvin let out a smile, ”All right... I'll go with you next time. By the way, does that public bathhouse allow girls and boys to bath together?”
”Girls and boys bath together...?” Cecilia looked up to Calvin in confusion, ”No! It doesn't... Girls and boys don't bath together. Mommy told me that it's not good if they bath together. But if daddy wants to bath together with mommy, then I think it's okay!”
Cecilia unknowingly sold out her mother to Calvin.
”You... Cecilia! What are you saying?”
”Hahaha...”
Charlotte immediately flushed red as she rushed at Cecilia and took her from Calvin's embrace, ”You need to wear your sleeping clothes now. It's already too late...”
”We will continue studying in the morning. Hmmph, if you still don't know how to count up to a hundred, then you will have those black bread for breakfast!”
”Nooo... I don't want to eat those black bread... I want chicken soup!” Cecilia puffed her cheeks and started pouting.
Charlotte saw the pitiful look on her face and her expression immediately softened, ”All right... I'll get you a bowl of chicken soup tomorrow. Just stay here for now. I'll get your clothes outside.”
”Yaaay!” Cecilia jumped up in joy.
Charlotte glared at her once more which instantly stifled her excitement. Afterwards, Charlotte then turned around and walked outside of the small hut to fetch Cecilia's clothes that she hung out to dry under the sun early in the morning.
Calvin turned to look at Cecilia and said, ”Cecilia, you're being too naughty...”
”Now, I'm wondering as to how your mother remained sane for so long taking care of such a naughty girl like you.” He pinched her nose and Cecilia immediately gave her protest, ”I'm not being naughty, daddy! Mommy is just too gullible!”
”If you beg her and make a pitiful face like this, she'll immediately give in to your wishes! You should try it too, daddy. If you do it, I think mommy will let you come with us to the bath!” Cecilia even gave a demonstration and assumed her pitiful-looking facade.
Calvin was rendered speechless.
To think that a daughter would deliberately manipulate her mother like this!
He didn't know what to say.
Fortunately, Charlotte came to save the day.
It was an understatement to say that any street in the Northern Borough was dangerous.
Charlotte came out, but she returned in under a minute.
Judging from the look on her face and the glistening sweat on her forehead. It was obvious that she dashed towards the clothesline and made a break for it back to the house.
”Huff... Puff...” Charlotte was still trying to catch her breath.
”Cecilia... Come here, and wear your clothes... You need to sleep now so we can start studying early in the morning.”
Cecilia puffed her cheeks, but she still replied, ”Mkay...” Cecilia finally obeyed her mother without saying any complaints as she stood up and wore her clothes. Afterwards, she was carried by her mother to the upper bed.
But before Charlotte could tuck in Cecilia so that she could sleep...
Calvin's voice suddenly rang from underneath.
”Tomorrow, get her a bowl of chicken soup and an ice cream.”
”What?”
Charlotte uttered in shock.
Cecilia, on the other hand, exclaimed, ”Yaaay!”
”Shhh! Keep it down! Granny Elsa is sleeping!”
”Oops...” Cecilia swiftly covered her mouth and surreptitiously glanced at Elsa.
Grandma Elsa may be a kind-hearted grandma, but she was a demon whenever her sleep was interrupted.
”D-Did she woke up?”
”No, it's okay... She's still sleeping... And what did I tell you about making noise so late at night? Keep that up, and I won't give you your bowl of chicken soup and ice cream tomorrow!” Charlotte threatened and Cecilia immediately buckled under the pressure of potentially losing her reward.
She snuggled into Charlotte's embrace and soon, no noise could be heard in the room anymore apart from her soft breathing.
Realizing that Cecilia was now asleep.
Charlotte spoke up in a soft whisper, ”Calvin, you're spoiling her too much! A bowl of chicken soup costs two pesos, and an ice cream delivered from the Southern Borough to here costs three pesos including the delivery fee! That's five pesos in just a single meal! That's a week's worth of wage!”
”It's fine, It's fine... Didn't you say that I am her father now? Having been away from her for so long, spoiling her this much shouldn't be that excessive, right?”
”Sigh... Whatever you say... But Cecilia will eat anything, you know?”
”That doesn't mean that we should give her anything. All the food that she must eat from now on must be sufficiently nutritious. Especially, you! You also need nutritious food so get yourself a bowl of chicken soup, including that ice cream too!”
”What?! That's ten pesos!”
”It doesn't matter...”