All Chapters of Adopting a Firecracker: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

Jessica Dawson, the female lead of this tragic show, suddenly froze in place, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment."You want… To eat the stew I made?" she asked me. When I thought of the fragrant stew, my eyes lit up like lightbulbs had been switched on in them, shining brightly!"Yeah! Missy, be my mom! I've taken a shine to you," I said. She hadn't even replied to me yet when a barrage of comments flooded before my vision, becoming even more frenzied."Holy shit, holy shit! I'm dying of laughter! This kid is at most five or six years old, yet she's talking in a full-on Southern accent, calling the female lead 'Missy' like that! She's way too extroverted!""This scene was supposed to be the childhood sweetheart humiliating the tragic female lead for failing to adopt a child, and the male lead would rub salt in her wounds in a heart-wrenching move. But now, a Southern brat appears wanting to go with her! How will the story even continue?""Exactly! What kind of dumb pl

"Jessica, don't you agree? We can't really let her dress like a princess, right? That would just look ridiculous," Serena said with a sneer.Jessica's expression darkened. She wanted to speak up, but Xander's cold glare stopped her."Serena is right. The kid should know her place and not fantasize about things that don't belong to her. Giving her this much is already enough," Xander remarked.…During dinner, at the long dining table, Xander sat at the head. Serena sat right beside him, acting like the lady of the house. Mom and I sat at the farthest end from them.The dishes on the table looked exquisite, but the portions were pitifully small, without even a single hearty dish."Eat up, brat." Serena smiled sweetly, picked up a piece topped with caviar, and placed it on the small dish in front of me.She added, "This is yummy. Try eating it with the salad. Don't disappoint your infertile mother who went through so much trouble to bring you home."The mockery in her tone was pr

Mom nodded instinctively. "I will.""That's settled, then! As long as there's food to eat, I'd be happy to follow ya!" I threw my arms around her and rubbed against her cold neck. "Mom, don't stay here and let people bully you anymore. My heart aches so much for you. They're so cruel, always bullying you."Mom suddenly burst into tears, then pulled me tightly into her arms."Alright, I'll take you away."Her scorching hot tears ran down my neck as she cried.That night, it was like a new beginning for Mom. I, too, received a new name—Sally Dawson.…The next morning at breakfast, the atmosphere at the dining table felt suffocating. Xander demanded that Mom apologize to Serena.Mom raised her head and kept her gaze calm as she looked at Xander at the head of the table and said, "Xander, let's get a divorce.".The air seemed to instantly freeze, and Xander snapped his head up. "What did you say?""I said, let's get a divorce."Mom didn't speak loudly, but her words were exce

Mom gripped the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She looked up at the gray sky, then back toward the orphanage, as if she could see my hopeful face through the walls.She took a deep breath before speaking clearly and firmly. "Xander, listen carefully. Even if I can't find a job and have to set up a food stall, I'll never step one foot into the McNeil residence ever again! Sal and I won't starve! Stay away from us!"After saying that, she hung up right away and blocked his number.…A few days later, a small stall was set up outside the orphanage's big iron gate. An old cart, a blazing coal stove, and on top of it stood a shiny big iron pot!Mom wore a faded apron and had her hair neatly tied up. She began selling some authentic Southern delicacies—country-fried chicken, flapjacks, and hearty macaroni and cheese. And what was the most eye-catching was the pot bubbling away with…Although it wasn't finished yet, the rich aroma of gumbo forcefully drifted through th

Xander looked at Mom's back as she turned and kept working with that resolute posture of hers. It finally made him realize he had completely lost her.…Mom's business flourished. With her hard work and good cooking skills, she saved enough money to rent a small storefront on a street not far from the orphanage.A red sign with yellow characters was hung up—"Jelly's Stew Shop."The tiny shop had just a few tables, and a huge iron pot always simmered on the stove, stewing all sorts of meats. The rich aroma filled the whole street, and business was booming.Smiles appeared more often on Mom's face, and she looked more energetic.She was no longer the pale and melancholic "Ms. Dawson" from the McNeils, but the lively owner "Ms. Jessica".With a steady income and a home, Mom gathered her courage again and submitted another adoption application to the orphanage.In the orphanage, the person in charge looked at the papers and frowned, seemingly troubled."Ms. Dawson, we understand y