It was a sunny afternoon in the peaceful countryside where little Lala, the mischievous and clever baby monkey, lived with her caretakers. Thuy, a kind and gentle girl, had always taken good care of Lala—feeding her, bathing her, and playing with her all day long. They were best friends, and everyone admired their bond. But today, Lala had a secret plan, and Thuy was not supposed to know about it.
Earlier in the morning, Lala had noticed something wonderful—Thuy had brought home a bag of colorful candies. They were hidden inside the kitchen cupboard, but Lala had sharp eyes. She had watched carefully as Thuy placed the candies into a jar and tucked it away behind the rice sack. Thuy had told herself, “These are for later. I’ll give Lala one or two pieces after lunch.” But Lala was impatient. She wanted to try those sweet treats now.
After lunch, while Thuy went outside to hang the laundry, Lala decided it was her chance. She tiptoed around, looking left and right to make sure no one was watching. Her little hands moved quickly as she climbed onto the kitchen counter using a stool. She gently pushed aside the rice sack and spotted the glass jar full of candies. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
With a cheeky grin, she opened the jar, took a handful of candy, and jumped down without making a sound. Instead of eating them in the kitchen and risking getting caught, she tiptoed quietly into the back garden where she had her secret hiding spot—a small space behind the old water tank, surrounded by banana trees and tall grass. No one ever went there. It was Lala’s favorite spot to nap and play alone.
She unwrapped a piece of candy and popped it into her mouth. The sugary sweetness made her eyes light up. “Mmm!” she murmured in delight. One piece turned into two, then three. Lala leaned back, her mouth full of candy, and stared at the blue sky, humming happily to herself. For a while, everything felt perfect.
But little did Lala know—Thuy had noticed the open cupboard. When she returned from hanging the laundry, she saw the rice sack had been moved slightly. Curious, she opened the cupboard and gasped. The candy jar was open and a bunch of pieces were missing!
“Lala!” Thuy called out. “Lala, where are you?”
Lala froze behind the water tank. She knew that tone of voice. It wasn’t angry, but it was suspicious. Lala tried to stay completely silent, hoping Thuy would give up and go back inside. But Thuy was clever too. She began looking around the yard, checking behind flowerpots, under the porch, and even inside the tool shed.
As Thuy walked past the banana trees, she suddenly heard the crinkling sound of a candy wrapper. Her ears perked up. She stepped quietly toward the sound, careful not to alert Lala. As she peeked around the water tank, she saw the baby monkey sitting with both hands full of colorful wrappers and a mouth full of sugar.
“Lala!” Thuy said, half laughing and half surprised.
Lala’s eyes went wide. Busted!
In a panic, she tried to hide the remaining candy behind her back. She gave Thuy her best innocent look, hoping to charm her way out of trouble. But Thuy crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
“You thought you could trick me, huh?” she said, stepping closer.
Lala lowered her head in embarrassment. She gently offered a piece of candy to Thuy, trying to make peace. Thuy chuckled and took the candy.
“You know I would’ve shared it with you, right? But too much candy isn’t good for you. You could get a stomachache!”
Lala nodded slowly, realizing her mistake. Thuy sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around the little monkey. “You’re lucky I found you before you finished the whole jar.”
The two sat quietly for a moment. Thuy helped Lala pick up the wrappers and clean the secret hideout. Then she said, “Let’s make a deal—no more sneaking around, okay? If you want something, just ask me. We can enjoy things together.”
Lala squeaked happily and gave Thuy a big hug. She had learned her lesson. From that day on, she stopped sneaking treats and instead waited patiently to enjoy them with Thuy.
Later that evening, Thuy surprised Lala with something special. “Since you love sweets so much,” she said with a smile, “I made us some fruit pops with real bananas and strawberries. Healthier and just as tasty!”
Lala’s eyes lit up. She clapped her hands excitedly and ran to the kitchen. The two of them sat on the porch, enjoying the sunset and their frozen treats, laughing about the earlier adventure.
News of Lala’s little candy heist spread quickly through the neighborhood. Uncle Phong, Auntie Lan, and even the kids from nearby houses heard the story and teased Lala lovingly. “Don’t forget to check your candy jars!” Uncle Phong joked. “Lala might be sneaking around again!”
But Lala didn’t mind. She knew she was loved, even when she got caught. And Thuy, as always, remained by her side—patient, caring, and full of laughter. Their bond only grew stronger with every adventure, every lesson, and every sweet treat shared.
And although Lala still had her mischievous moments, she never forgot the day she got caught with candy in her cheeks, and the warm hug Thuy gave her afterward. Because sometimes, even when you’re caught, the love that follows makes everything sweeter.
