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“Hòugē!” That familiar, loud, obnoxious snort of a pig disturbed the family’s peaceful moment of meditation. Who else if not Zhu Bajie? Sun Wukong’s—much to his own dismay, closest, despite claiming Ao Lie as his favourite—pilgrim brother.
Wukong wasn’t complaining, however. It’d been quite some time since he last met his master and pilgrim brothers. The five of them had been too busy with their own duties; the most they could do was to send letters occasionally every 15 celestial days or so, for a meet-up—it was merely impossible.
For Bajie to suddenly appear meant something was up, but Wukong sensed it was nothing serious—simply peculiar.
And unexpected.
“Zhu Shūshu!” Chenxiang and Nezha chimed cheerfully as they got up and ran towards the pig spirit and gave him a hug.
“Ah, my Zhízi! Where is your Bàba? I need massive help before he finds me.” Bajie said anxiously.
“Before who finds you, Bajie? What’s wrong?” Wukong stepped out of the hut with Erlang and Quan. “And what’s that noise?”
They heard stepfoots creeping towards the water-curtain cave. Before Nezha could even ask if he could check, a girl, whose physical age couldn’t be older than two, lunged into the cave, landing on him.
“HI!” The little girl yelled cheerfully, standing on Nezha’s stomach. “Hehe, I won again!”
“Xiaotian! What did I tell you about entering someone’s home?” Bajie scolded the girl, surprising Quan and making him bark. “Not you, Quan. Her.” Bajie countered, picking the toddler off from Nezha.
“Sorry, Papa!” The girl, whose name is Xiaotian, said, her bright eyes beaming innocently. “Sorry for landing on you.” Xiaotian turned to Nezha, who was gasping for air.
“She’s heavy as a rock.” Nezha mouthed to his brother and parents, then turned back to his uncle. “Where did you find her?”
“And did she just call you ‘Papa’?” Erlang added.
“Bajie, did you just…”
“Yeah, I got adopted by this kid.”
…
“WHAT?!”
.
.
.
“So, let me get this straight.” Wukong placed the cup of tea on the ground. “This kid lingered around Gao Village, stumbled upon you, you took care of her and all for a bit, started to proclaim you as her Papa, so now you’re her father?”
Bajie nodded. “Not before she followed me around like a chick following her mother hen and then telling all temple visitors, ‘Zhu Bajie is my Papa,’ of course.” The pig chuckled. “So, congratulations. You’re both uncles, and Chenxiang and Nezha now have a little sister to look out for.”
Both Wukong and Erlang were stunned by this acknowledgement.
They now have a niece.
And Bajie became a parent.
But as stunned as Wukong was, this wasn’t, not by a single bit, a surprising revelation. He remembered when they were in the Kingdom of Women, how Bajie was immediately doting on his child, affectionately calling him ‘Little Piggy’. Something Wukong, who ironically became a parent before Bajie, took longer to accept the baby’s presence. One might assume it was due to the pig’s attachment to the ideal image of a family, but Wukong can tell that wasn’t the case.
The way Bajie affectionately looked at his daughter, playing by the pond with Nezha, Chenxiang, and Quan.
When Bajie cooed, “She’s the cutest, isn’t she?” as the little girl hugged Quan, indicating she was adoring the celestial dog.
That smile the idiot put on from her infectious laughter, after she and Chenxiang pulled a trick on Nezha and pushed him into the pond.
The underlying concern he felt when Xiaotian attempted to get into the water. “Xiaotian, no!” The pig immediately jumped into the pond and took her out, scolding her to never repeat that stunt and reminding his nephews to never let Xiaotian into the water unattended.
“Phew! She’s only two, but she’s got so much energy.” Bajie said.
“Her speech is quite intelligible for a two-year-old. And her motor skills…” Wukong looked impressed as Xiaotian attempted a cartwheel. “Not even I can do that, and I was five when I popped out of my stone egg.”
“Tell me about it. I don’t have to worry about her adapting because she picks things up fast!”
The rest of the afternoon and all the way to the evening hour was spent with the children and Quan playing around the valley, with the parents sitting on the soft grass sipping on tea and eating sweet treats Bajie had kindly brought. The pig did most of the talking, telling Wukong and Erlang of his initial days raising Xiaotian as his daughter and how much the girl brought joy to him, a joy he hadn’t felt in so long since parting ways with his pilgrim brothers.
“Congratulations to you, Ershixiong, for becoming a father. I wish for nothing but happiness and prosperity for you and little Xiaotian.” Wukong wished.
“Same as me, Xiǎoshūzi. Happiness for you and your daughter.” Erlang joined his spouse.
“Thank you, Hòugē. Thank you, Jiěfū.” Bajie said contently.
“Papa,” Xiaotian waddled towards Bajie, a flower crown made of wildflowers within the valley—which Wukong already assured were safe and not poisonous—in her tiny hands. “Look.” She put the flower crown on Bajie.
“Thank you, Xiaotian. It’s beautiful. I feel like a pretty celestial princess now.” Bajie smiled, causing Xiaotian to giggle all the way.
“She’s an energy furball, that’s for sure.” Chenxiang panted in Wukong’s lap. “I don’t know how Shūshu handled her.”
“That’s how your mother and I felt when handling you when you were younger.” Wukong said, making Chenxiang pout. “I say your little sister is nowhere near as rambunctious as you two.”
“Hey, I’m not THAT rambunctious, especially compared to your younger years, Bà.” Nezha glared upon sitting next to Erlang. “Right, Diēdiē?” He sweetly smiled.
“I beg to agree to disagree. You were a nightmare to handle. Your Gūgu can attest to that.” Erlang chuckled. “So, will you tell them?”
“Tell who?”
“Our master and brothers, duh?” Wukong raised a brow. “Master will be thrilled he got himself a granddaughter. Wujing will definitely not stop gushing over how cute she is and Ao Lie will spoil her with all those fabulous clothing pieces- You’re going to pull this stunt all over again?”
“Why not? It’s funnier to show up unannounced with a little girl in your arms than to sending out a letter of some sort-” No one was impressed with this. “Okay, I’ll write them letters later… In front of you guys, of course. I’m joking, okay? Right, Xiaotian?”
“Papa, who are Wujing and Ao Lie?” Xiaotian looked at Bajie.
“They are your Shūshu, Xiaotian. They live quite far from our home and are always busy, like your Wukong Bófù, so we can’t always visit them. Someday, we will.” Bajie assured, gently petting his little girl’s head. “Speaking of home, we need to get home soon. I have a very busy day tomorrow.”
Xiaotian was disappointed at this news. “But—but—but, Pa! I wanna stay and play more.” She whined, starting to cry even.
“I’m sorry, Xiaotian. But your father is right. Even all of us have a packed schedule, we need to work on it. But you can always come and visit with your father- If he’s free enough, of course.” Wukong soothed Xiaotian, who then smiled and nodded vigorously.
“Promise, Pa?” She turned to her father.
“Yes, my Tiny Heaven. Promise.”
They bid farewell to the father and daughter, watching as their figures faded towards where the sun was setting. While Wukong was still in awe at today’s discovery, he felt a soft kiss being placed on his cheek. “Hey!” He yelped, glaring fondly at Erlang with the teasing smirk on his face. “What are you smiling about, love?”
“Nothing, I just adore that doting face of yours. Besides, it’s fascinating to see how much Tian Peng has changed, from a lustful pervert to a devoted father. It’s pleasant to see.” Erlang said.
“Well, 700 years is a lengthy period for one to repent and change for the better, especially when they are surrounded by people who love and believe in them.” Wukong said, laying his head on Erlang’s shoulder. “Like you and me.”
“Like us, huh?” Erlang wrapped his arm around Wukong’s shoulders.
“Yup. And I cherish every single moment of it.” Wukong said, contentedly.