Ch. 21Don't touch my Little Wallet!
Key events
- Tang Tang, a month-old baby with an adult mind, tells Tang Xiancheng to stop eating so much ice cream. Embarrassed, he asks his older brother, Tang Xianqi, to finish it for him.
- Tang Xiancheng offers to hold Tang Tang, but her teasing thoughts make him feel rejected. Tang Xianqi reassures him by guiding Tang Tang’s hand to his, and she lets him hold it.
- Tang Tang reflects that Xianqi has died young in all her past lives. She feels little attachment to most of the family, but pities Xianqi and wants to spend time with him while she can. Her baby’s limitations soon tire her out, and she falls asleep.
- When Tang Xiancheng tries to move the pouch Tang Tang is lying on, she wakes and fiercely protects it. He explains he was only trying to keep it from making her uncomfortable; Tang Tang realizes she misunderstood, though her apology is less than convincing.
- Tang Dongcheng returns with a Peace Talisman from Taoist Master Yunlong and puts it on Xianqi, following instructions to keep it near him at all times. He says the master believes it can help avert Xianqi’s calamity.
- Tang Dongcheng adds that the master said Tang Tang does not need a talisman and left a message for her. Tang Tang eagerly waits to hear it, but the chapter ends before the message is revealed.
Character developments and interactions
- Tang Tang is sharp-tongued, protective of her belongings, and secretly concerned about Xianqi’s fate. Her teasing unsettles Xiancheng, though she also plays along when Xianqi tries to bring them closer.
- Tang Xiancheng shows consideration by offering to hold Tang Tang and later trying to move the pouch for her comfort, but he remains sensitive to her imagined criticism.
- Tang Xianqi patiently mediates between the siblings and is amused by Tang Tang’s mischievous nature.
- Tang Dongcheng and Su Xiajing are relieved that Xianqi may be protected. Dongcheng credits Xiancheng’s nightmare—and Tang Tang’s information—for prompting him to seek help.
Significant themes
- Family care and connection: Small gestures reveal the siblings’ growing bond, even amid teasing and awkwardness.
- Foreknowledge and fate: Tang Tang’s memories of past lives and the talisman offer hope against Xianqi’s recurring early death.
- Contrast between appearances and inner thoughts: Tang Tang looks like an ordinary baby, while her thoughts are perceptive, blunt, and unusually self-aware.