My Family Is Very Odd

1//Li Xiao Gui

Li Xiao Gui was the apple of her parents' eyes. They fell in love young, got married, and naturally, had their precious Xiao Gui. As a child born of love, Xiao Gui was doted on from a young age.

The Li family was well-known and wealthy in the city. They had everything they could ever want, and as their beloved little princess, Xiao Gui never had to experience hardship. Whether she wanted the stars or the moon, her parents would find a way to get it for her.

It was also the first time that Xiao Gui's parents were parents. Xiao Gui was cute and lovable, with sparkling amber eyes and soft, mochi-like cheeks. They showered her with all their love, not knowing the meaning of restraint.

However, even though Xiao Gui grew up surrounded by overflowing honey, she never turned out spoiled. Her sweetness and understanding seemed to be innate.

Perhaps that was why Xiao Gui's parents rarely refused her anything. After all, she never asked for anything excessive!

2//The Sandbox at the Park

Little Xiao Gui, wearing a yellow cap and a small yellow backpack, sat on the steps in her overalls, carefully tying her shoelaces. Her set of sandcastle tools lay beside her.

"I'm going out!" Xiao Gui said with a smile as she stood up, picked up her tools, and pushed the door open.

Xiao Gui skipped along the familiar path to the small park where she often went with her parents.

She passed a row of stone benches. Opposite the last bench was a sandbox where she loved to play.

As Xiao Gui walked past, she noticed a young boy dressed in a neat black suit sitting on the last bench.

He looked younger than her but was engrossed in a thick, black book. A black umbrella leaned against the bench beside his dangling feet.

A chubby little boy was already playing in the sandbox, building something that resembled a square.

Xiao Gui put down her tools and joined him.

She skillfully dug into the sand with her shovel, using her little truck to transport beautiful, oddly shaped pebbles from one side of the sandbox to the other. Then, she gathered clumps of moist sand and carefully sprinkled them over her sandcastle, creating a shimmering effect.

Xiao Gui was ambitiously building her own little mountain. As she piled the sand higher and higher, she glanced at the boy building next to her.

The square shape had transformed into a magnificent castle.

It was tall and intricately designed.

Xiao Gui gasped in awe.

The boy looked up and flashed her a bright, cheerful smile, revealing his small canine teeth. "Pretty, isn't it?"

Xiao Gui, never one to hold back praise, nodded enthusiastically. "It's beautiful!"

The chubby boy beamed. "Want me to teach you?"

Xiao Gui was taken aback. "Huh?"

"Let me teach you, okay? What's your name?"

"My name is Xiao Gui," she replied instinctively.

The boy's smile widened, his canine teeth gleaming in the sunlight. "Xiao Gui, Xiao Gui, call me big brother, and I'll teach you how to build a castle, okay?"

Xiao Gui's face flushed. "Huh?"

"Okay?" The boy seemed a little anxious when Xiao Gui didn't answer immediately. He jumped to his feet and walked towards her, his shoes sinking into the sand with each step.

He pulled out a lollipop from his pocket and offered it to her. "Here, I'll even give you a lollipop. Just call me big brother, okay?"

His hands and clothes were covered in sand, and he held the lollipop out with a goofy grin on his face.

Seeing the boy standing right in front of her, Xiao Gui stood up too, instinctively dusting the sand off her hands.

Standing up only made the situation more awkward.

The boy who wanted her to call him big brother…

Was shorter than her.

"…" Xiao Gui struggled to find the right words. After a moment of hesitation, she finally whispered, "But… you're shorter than me. I think… I'm older than you!"

The boy froze. "…"

Just as things were getting awkward, a little girl approached them. "Big sister, what are you doing? Can I play with you?" she asked.

Her familiar words made one wonder if she had been inspired by the boy's earlier attempt.

Xiao Gui turned to look at the girl. She was wearing a beautiful, clean white dress that revealed her delicate ankles.

Xiao Gui's gaze lingered on the girl's pristine dress. She felt a little slow-witted, as if she had been spacing out this whole time.

Hesitantly, she said, "But your dress will get dirty if you squat down. It'll drag on the ground."

Without a word, the girl immediately squatted down. However, Xiao Gui reacted even faster, pulling her back up and quickly dusting off her dress with her small hands.

Their actions were perfectly in sync—one as if playing together depended on how quickly she could squat, and the other as if swiftness could prevent the sand from staining the girl's dress.

"It's okay. I want to build a sandcastle with you, big sister," the girl said, standing obediently with her innocent eyes wide.

Xiao Gui looked at the girl, then at the boy, her little head struggling to process this predicament.

Xiao Gui's head was spinning, her mind blank. She didn't know what to do.

Finally, she told the girl that they wouldn't be building sandcastles today but promised to play with her tomorrow at the same time.

Then, under the boy's eager gaze, she accepted his lollipop and, with a hesitant "Big brother," fulfilled his wish.

Even though the boy looked no older than four or five, while Xiao Gui was already ten.

Feeling obligated after receiving a gift, Xiao Gui decided to give him something in return. She reached for his hand, intending to take him to wash their hands before buying him a treat.

The boy's eyes widened in surprise, but then a wide grin spread across his face, his canines on full display.

Seeing this, the girl also slipped her small hand into Xiao Gui's.

Hand in hand, the three of them went to find a place to wash their hands.

3//Sunflowers

The three of them lined up, rinsing their hands under the cool, clear water.

After drying her hands, Xiao Gui took out a handkerchief from her little yellow backpack and wiped them clean. Looking up, she saw the two little ones staring at her with curious eyes, water still dripping from their hands.

Gently, she took their hands one by one and dried them with her handkerchief.

As they walked along the path, they passed a mother and daughter carrying flowers.

The daughter glanced at Xiao Gui in passing, then stopped abruptly. Tugging at her mother's sleeve, she whispered, "Mommy, Mommy, that girl's eyes are so pretty. They look like sunflowers."

The woman was surprised. "Really? Where?"

"Over there, she's already gone. Mommy, can I give her a sunflower?"

The woman, rarely hearing her quiet daughter speak so much, readily agreed and handed her the bouquet of sunflowers.

The girl carefully selected the brightest sunflower from the bunch and ran after Xiao Gui. Finally catching up, she tugged on Xiao Gui's sleeve, panting softly.

"Huff… huff… why are you walking so fast?" The girl, a head shorter than Xiao Gui, spoke in a soft, melodious voice.

Confused, Xiao Gui asked, "Hi? What's wrong?"

"This is for you," the girl said, holding out the sunflower.

Gazing at Xiao Gui's amber eyes, she added, "Your eyes are so pretty, just like this."

Xiao Gui was caught off guard, unsure whether to accept the gift. "Thank you, but… but I don't have anything to give you in return."

She instinctively reached for the only thing in her bag—the lollipop—but then remembered it was from the "big brother."

The girl simply pushed the sunflower into Xiao Gui's hand. "Oh, no need, no need! I wanted to give it to you."

Flustered, Xiao Gui took the sunflower. After a moment of thought, she offered, "Um, do you like candy? Can I buy you some?"

The girl's face lit up as their hands touched. "Yes, please!"

"But… but I don't have any right now. Can you come with me to the store?" Xiao Gui asked sheepishly, embarrassed that she had offered candy but needed the girl to accompany her to buy some.

The girl's eyes sparkled. "Okay! But I need to tell my mom first!"

4//Mom and Dad + Black Suit

"I want to be the dad! You be the kid!"

"No! I want to be the mom, you be the kid!"

"You be the kid!"

"You be the kid! I don't care! I'm the mom! I want to be the mom!"

Two children bickered outside the store, seemingly engaged in a game of pretend. Noticing someone approaching, they paused and looked up.

There were four children in total, with an adult following a short distance behind.

One of the children, holding a sunflower, had the biggest, most captivating amber eyes. Her skin was as white as the rabbit-shaped jelly sold in restaurants.

She looked so soft and sweet.

Just like a child should. The boy and girl who were arguing exchanged a knowing glance, seemingly having found their roles for their pretend play.

Xiao Gui picked out snacks for all three children and went to the cashier.

Behind the counter stood a young boy in a black suit, holding a book in one hand and a long, black umbrella in the other. His brow was furrowed, and his lips were pursed in a tight line.

A small bag of candy sat on the counter.

"Little man, did you forget your money? How about you come back another time? This kind uncle will keep it safe for you," the cashier said awkwardly. It was just a bag of candy, and he was about to offer to pay for it himself—it wasn't a big deal, and the child looked so pitiful.

However, the little man in the suit shook his head resolutely, refusing the offer.

Unaware of the previous exchange, Xiao Gui saw the pitiful sight of the boy seemingly without money. Blinking her large eyes, she placed her own items on the counter and said in a sweet voice, "Mister, I'll pay! For me and my little brother."

The boy in the suit was shorter than her, so Xiao Gui naturally assumed he was younger.

At the word "brother," the boy's frown deepened.

Despite having just refused the cashier's kindness, he took a step back, allowing Xiao Gui to pay.

The cashier, initially hesitant, understood the situation when he saw the stern-faced boy step aside. Relieved, he quickly scanned the items and calculated the total.

Once the candy was paid for, Xiao Gui picked it up and handed it to the boy.

He took it, only to immediately offer it back to her. "This is for you."

He had bought it for her. If he hadn't realized he'd lost his money at the last minute, that is.

The thought had occurred to him back on the bench when he saw the boy with the buzz cut trying to talk to Xiao Gui with a lollipop.

"I'll bring the money to the park tomorrow. Is that okay?" the boy in the black suit said impassively.

"Huh?" Xiao Gui was confused.

"I want to build sandcastles with you too," he explained.

Understanding dawned on Xiao Gui, and she nodded. "Okay! But you don't have to pay me back! It's a gift! I'll only have one candy!"

The boy nodded curtly, unwrapped the bag, and offered her a piece.

As Xiao Gui popped the candy into her mouth, her cheek bulging, the boy said, "I'll give you another one tomorrow."

Xiao Gui tilted her head. "Hmm?"

The cashier couldn't help but smile at the adorable interaction between the children. "Alright, your total is 37 yuan," he said, his voice unconsciously softer.

Suddenly, two children burst through the door, yelling, "No need to pay, no need to pay!"

Xiao Gui turned to see a boy and a girl. The boy was thin, while the girl had a round face, captivating cat-like eyes, and slightly upturned corners of her mouth. She was very pretty.

"No need to pay, no need to pay! Play with us, and you don't have to pay! I'll be the dad!" the boy shouted.

"I'll be the mom!" the girl chimed in.

The cashier was speechless.

Xiao Gui was confused.

5//Everyone Assembled

The next afternoon, the sandbox was bustling with even more adorable children.

The girl in the white dress from the day before was now wearing comfortable shorts, building sandcastles and playing pretend with Xiao Gui and the others.

Xiao Gui and the little girl, both playing as children, were busy building a sandcastle together.

The boy with the buzz cut and canine teeth, who had wanted to be Xiao Gui's older brother, wasn't building a castle today. Instead, he had decided to "cook" for Xiao Gui using leaves.

The siblings who wanted to be her parents were showering Xiao Gui with affection—hugging her, stuffing her with snacks they had brought from home, wiping away nonexistent sweat, and insisting on cleaning her hands even though she needed them for building.

The thin boy who wanted to be her dad even picked her up from one part of the sandbox and plopped her down in another, declaring that he was taking her to school.

Each time, Xiao Gui would play along, pretending to be carried.

His insistence on physically carrying her often resulted in both of them tumbling into the sand.

Then there were the two children who had claimed the roles of her grandparents, as all other positions in the "family" had been taken.

Xiao Gui didn't understand why they wanted to be her grandparents.

But there they were. The girl who wanted to be her grandma was surrounded by flowers, weaving a crown for Xiao Gui.

And the boy in the black suit, the cool and collected one who had wanted to build sandcastles with her, was sitting in the sand… reading his book.

6//Indulgence

Every child here was younger than Xiao Gui, yet they were all so eager to be her elders. Xiao Gui had no choice but to indulge them while looking after them.

They even made plans to visit her house next time.

Bathed in the warm sunlight, Xiao Gui pondered what she should buy at the supermarket to treat them.

What should she get?

Maybe several bottles of milk?

Author's Note:

Extra: You took care of me in our past life. This time, I'm older, so it's my turn to take care of you.

(Xiao Gui is the Young Ghost, the girl in the white dress is the Female Ghost, the boy with the buzz cut is the Burly Ghost, the girl with the sunflower is the Ghost Granny, and the boy in the black suit is the Ghost Grandpa.)

I wasn't planning on writing a reincarnation extra because I felt that when the little ghosts grew old, everything would come to an end.

The orphaned ghosts had already lived a long and happy life together.

But some angels wanted to see an extra about the ghosts, so I thought about it and decided to write a sunny extra about them reincarnating, drawn to each other, and meeting again.

You can imagine the heartwarming story of Big Li and the little ghosts growing up and accompanying each other under the sun~

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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