Dinner was loud again 🍽️
Plates clinked 🥄
Rice disappeared mysteriously 🍚
Someone complained about salt 🧂
Someone else added more salt out of spite 😤
Pure family chaos. ✅
Candy suddenly looked up, eyes serious in the way only children manage 👀✨
"Uncle," she asked solemnly,
"are mermaids real?" 🧜♀️❓
The table froze.
Laddu didn't even look up from his food.
"Yes." 😐
💥 Dead silence.
Candy's eyes went galaxy-wide 🌌
"REALLY?!" 😲
"I've seen one," Laddu added calmly.
"But a male one." 🧜♂️
Cousin slammed her spoon down.
"Stop lying." 🙄
Laddu finally looked up, offended.
"I don't lie about aquatic creatures." ⚖️🌊
Mother sighed deeply.
"Here we go." 😮💨
🏊♂️ The Legendary Math Merman
"My village," Laddu began, already in story mode 🎭,
"has a river nearby."
Father nodded.
"Flood season." 🌧️🌊
"Yes," Laddu said.
"During heavy rain, whole village fills with water.
Roads become rivers.
Houses become boats." 🚣♂️🏠
Candy leaned forward.
"Then?" 😯
"One day," Laddu continued,
"school got flooded.
We were all on the roof, taking bath like rich people." 🚿😌
Cousin muttered,
"Budget swimming pool." 🏊♀️💸
"And suddenly," Laddu lowered his voice 😨,
"I saw something cutting through the water."
✂️🌊
"Fast. Powerful. Like a shark."
Candy gasped.
"SHARK MERMAID?!" 🦈🧜♂️
"It crashed through the water," Laddu said seriously,
"then stood up…
and walked out." 🚶♂️💦
Everyone stared. 👁️👁️👁️
"And?" Candy whispered.
Laddu pointed his spoon dramatically 🍴
"It was my math teacher."
💥💥💥
Maya and Cousin exploded laughing 🤣
"A MERMAN WITH HOMEWORK!"
Cousin groaned.
"I hate you." 😩
Father shook his head.
"That explains your fear of numbers." ➗😨
Mother covered her mouth, laughing.
"He did come swimming every day." 😂
Candy clapped wildly.
"Math merman!" 👏🧜♂️
Laddu nodded solemnly.
"He came out of water.
Shirt stuck to body.
Hair slicked back.
Chalk still in pocket." ✏️😐
Mochi stared.
"So the mermaid was… a teacher?"
"Yes," Laddu said.
"That day I learned something important."
Candy tilted her head.
"What?" 🤔
"Never trust rivers," Laddu replied.
"And never underestimate math teachers." 📐⚠️
Ben barked in agreement 🐶✔️
Dinner resumed, louder than before 🔊
Candy whispered, awed,
"I believe you." 🥹
Laddu smiled.
"Good. Truth needs faith." 😌
📚 Indian Teacher Lore (Advanced Level)
Laddu wiped his mouth and added casually,
"That's an average Indian math teacher."
Everyone looked at him. 👀
"My math sir," Laddu continued, dead serious,
"was getting married at 11:00 a.m." 💍⏰
Candy froze mid-bite.
"…Then why school?" 😨
"He was taking class at 10:50 a.m." 😐
💀 Silence.
Cousin blinked.
"TEN MINUTES?!"
"Yes," Laddu nodded.
"Full attendance." 📋✔️
Maya screamed.
"THIS IS A CRIME." 🚨
Mother laughed.
"Dedication or madness?" 😂
Father sighed deeply.
"Indian teachers are built different." 🧠💪
"And," Laddu added,
"he was wearing wedding kurta under his sweater." 👕🎉
Candy gasped.
"Sir multitasking!" 🤯
"He solved two problems," Laddu said proudly.
"One on the board.
One in life." 🧮❤️
Mochi covered her face.
"So after class?"
"He closed the register," Laddu replied,
"said 'revise chapter'
and ran." 🏃♂️💨
Maya clapped.
"LEGEND." 👑
Cousin laughed.
"Did he reach wedding on time?"
"Yes," Laddu said confidently.
"Because Indian math teachers respect time more than love." ⏱️💔
Candy nodded seriously.
"Math teacher = superhero." 🦸♂️
📞 Jalabie Enters the Chat
Plates still on the table 🍽️
Laddu suddenly grabbed his phone 📱
Put it on loudspeaker 🔊
Mochi frowned.
"…Why are you calling him?"
Laddu sighed dramatically.
"Because your big brother blocked my number." 😑
The call connected instantly.
Jalabie's voice blasted through the room.
"What do you want, earthworm?" 🐛
Maya choked on water 💦
Candy giggled 🤭
Father pretended to be deaf 🙉
Laddu blinked.
"…What is happening with you?"
"My boss says she wants me in her arms," Jalabie replied flatly.
"…Why?" Laddu asked.
"Her leg got twisted." 🦵
Mochi jumped in immediately.
"And if you get hurt?"
Pause.
Then Jalabie said calmly,
"Laddu's wife…
I once had a car accident." 🚗💥
The table went quiet.
"My whole car smashed.
I broke the door myself.
Full blood.
Went to hospital."
Candy's eyes widened 😳
Maya stopped laughing.
"And?" Mochi asked softly.
"I didn't make a sound," Jalabie said.
"Because pain makes me weak."
Silence. 🕯️
Laddu stared at the phone.
"…You're crazy."
"Yes," Jalabie replied.
"Functional crazy." 🧠⚙️
Mochi shook her head.
"That's not strength."
Pause.
"…Maybe."
Then Jalabie added,
"Why did you call, earthworm?"
Laddu leaned back.
"Just checking if you're alive."
"Unfortunately." 😐
📴 Call ended.
Maya exhaled.
"This family needs therapy." 🛋️
❄️ Dating Disaster Arc
Laddu announced casually,
"Okay, Jalabie got a girlfriend."
💥
"WHAT?!" Maya yelled.
Phone buzzed again 📱
Jalabie:
"I went on a date."
"And?" Laddu asked.
"She wore very small clothes," Jalabie said.
"I told her to wear full clothes."
💥💥💥
Maya snapped.
"You cannot decide what a woman wears!"
Mochi spoke calmly.
"Concern is not control."
Jalabie replied flatly,
"We were in snow.
Minus temperature.
Frozen lake.
Wind cutting skin." ❄️🥶
"She later asked for my coat."
"…Did you give it?" Laddu asked.
"I did," Jalabie said.
"But I was angry."
"That," Laddu said gently,
"is the problem."
Pause.
"I don't know dating rules," Jalabie admitted.
Mochi said softly,
"You warn once.
After that, coats are shared.
No lectures."
Jalabie replied,
"No dating. No problem. Solved." ✅
📴 Call ended.
"Seven-foot coat man say should we take them
Jalabie say no
Dinner ended with laughter 🍽️😂
Stories stacked higher than rice.
Some nights teach philosophy 📖
Some teach survival 🧠
And some just remind everyone—
This family is never boring.