Hearing those words, Yun Su felt a pang of sadness.
She knew that Gu Yan lacked a sense of security right now.
If she left, he wouldn’t have a single familiar person by his side. Gu Yan had become very dependent on her.
For a five year old child to go through something so traumatic, he had already been incredibly brave.
All Yun Su could do was reassure him over and over again.
“I’m not leaving. I won’t leave.”
Holding the little crybaby Gu Yan in her arms, Yun Su finally managed to calm him down after considerable effort.
Perhaps Gu Yan himself felt a little embarrassed by his behavior. In the past, he had never been this prone to tears.
Pursing his lips, Gu Yan wiped away his own tears before jumping down from Yun Su’s embrace.
Then he walked over, took Yun Su’s hand, and said in a soft, sweet voice, “Let’s go eat.”
Leading Gu Yan to the table, Yun Su opened the meal containers.
“I didn’t know what you liked to eat, so I just bought a little bit of everything.”
“I’m not picky.”
In the past, Gu Yan had considered himself fortunate just to have enough food to fill his stomach. Naturally, he had never been in a position to complain about whether something tasted good or not.
Even he didn’t know what foods he liked or disliked.
Yun Su understood this well. In the kind of family environment Gu Yan had grown up in, he could only learn to be sensible. He had never been given the privilege of being picky about food.
However, while they were eating, Yun Su noticed that he seemed to prefer sweeter dishes.
Although Gu Yan sampled every dish, he reached more often for the sweet and sour pork and the tomato scrambled eggs.
Yun Su quietly took note of his preferences.
Everyone had things they liked.
The question was simply whether anyone cared enough to notice.
After they finished eating, Yun Su began thinking about Gu Yan’s future.
At present, Gu Yan was only staying with her temporarily while he recovered emotionally.
Eventually, he would still have to be sent to an orphanage.
Pulling Gu Yan in front of her, Yun Su asked, “Xiao Yan, do you still want to go to kindergarten?”
Gu Yan didn’t show any resistance at the mention of school. Instead, he asked, “Can I still go?”
“Of course. If you want to, Sister will take you there in a few days. You should rest for now.”
Yun Su felt that what had happened recently had undoubtedly left a huge emotional impact on such a young child. It would be best to give him some time first.
Gu Yan asked, “Then will Sister come pick me up every day? Will someone else take me away?”
“Yes, Sister will pick you up. Your uncle and aunt have already been arrested by the police. If anyone else comes to pick you up in the future, don’t go with them.”
Relieved by her answer, Gu Yan nodded.
“Okay. I’ll listen to Sister.”
Watching the unusually obedient child before her, Yun Su couldn’t help recalling how aloof and indifferent he had seemed when they first met. The contrast was oddly amusing.
That, in turn, reminded her of the sight of Gu Yan holding the dagger.
The memory still made her heart race.
She felt that she needed to have a proper conversation with him about it.
Lowering her gaze, Yun Su asked softly, “Xiao Yan, were you afraid when you picked up the knife yesterday?”
Gu Yan thought back on it, his expression growing solemn.
“I was… I was really afraid that Sister would get hurt.”
“Xiao Yan was very brave, but don’t do something that dangerous again in the future, okay?”
“Sister came to save me. I couldn’t drag Sister down.”
Gu Yan’s gaze remained stubborn as he pressed his lips together before continuing.
“I can protect you too.”
Yun Su felt touched by his words and gently patted his head.
“Then when Xiao Yan grows up, you can protect Sister. But right now, Xiao Yan needs to protect himself and grow up well.”
This was the second time Gu Yan had heard Yun Su say those words.
Protect yourself! Grow up well.
With determination shining in his eyes, Gu Yan replied, “I will.”
The very next day, Yun Su rented a house.
After all, continuing to stay in a hotel wasn’t a long term solution, especially with Gu Yan living with her.
The house had two bedrooms, a living room, a balcony, and a fully equipped kitchen.
When Yun Su brought Gu Yan to view the apartment, his eyes sparkled with excitement, and Yun Su instantly knew that he liked it very much.
Neither of them had many belongings to pack. Once the paperwork was completed, Yun Su moved in with Gu Yan immediately.
Since the move had been rushed, they only bought the daily necessities they needed.
Their bedrooms were next to each other, and Yun Su first helped Gu Yan organize his room.
His room was connected to the balcony, where there was a wicker swing.
Yun Su thought that in the future, they could grow some flowers and plants there.
It finally started to resemble a real home.
As for the days that followed…
They consisted entirely of shopping with Gu Yan.
Everything Gu Yan owned had to be bought all over again.
His backpack was old.
Replace it!
Yun Su chose a little bear backpack and was extremely satisfied with it.
It was adorable!
He hadn’t brought any clothes with him.
Buy new ones!
Spring, summer, autumn, and winter outfits were purchased all at once, enough for him to wear something different every day.
Not enough stationery?
Sweep the entire stationery store clean!
For the first time in her life, Yun Su experienced what it felt like to shop like an overbearing CEO.
Having money really was amazing!
Yun “Overbearing CEO” Su carried so many shopping bags that she could barely hold them all.
As for Gu Yan…
His tiny frame wasn’t even taller than some of the bags, so no one expected him to carry anything.
Thinking about it, Yun Su decided she might as well buy a car too.
President Yun wasn’t exactly short on money.
As soon as the idea crossed her mind, Yun Su went to pick up a car that very afternoon.
Driving home, Yun Su seated Gu Yan in the back seat since he was still too young.
The entire journey felt refreshingly pleasant.
Once their new home had been more or less settled, Yun Su remembered the matter of Gu Yan’s schooling.
“Xiao Yan, have you rested enough these past few days? How about your sister takes you to kindergarten in a few days?”
After a brief pause, she added, “It’ll be a different kindergarten, not the one you attended before.”
Many of the parents at his previous kindergarten had been Gu Jian’an’s neighbors and were familiar with Gu Yan.
Yun Su didn’t want him to encounter those people again or hear any more hurtful remarks.
A new environment could help Gu Yan begin a new chapter in life.
Gu Yan didn’t particularly care.
Blinking his large eyes, he replied, “Okay, Sister. Anywhere is fine.”
To him, it truly didn’t matter where he went.
After all, he had never taken those people seriously.
The boys who had thrown away Gu Yan’s school bag had long since been frightened into leaving him alone.
On the day he returned to school, Gu Yan had caught several earthworms and tossed them directly onto the boys.
He warned them that if they ever provoked him again, he would throw something at them every single time.
This time it had been earthworms.
Next time, it might be centipedes.
Watching them scream in fear and desperately beg for forgiveness, promising never to bother him again, Gu Yan had found the whole thing rather boring.
They were far too easy to scare.
Earthworms didn’t even bite people.
What was there to be afraid of?
Gu Yan kept those thoughts to himself and didn’t tell Yun Su.
A change of environment wasn’t a bad thing.
As long as my sister picked him up every day, that was enough.
Seeing that Gu Yan had no objections, Yun Su began making arrangements the very next day.
She contacted one of the best kindergartens in the area and scheduled the enrollment date.
Early that morning,
Yun Su dressed Gu Yan in brand new clothes and helped him put on his adorable little bear backpack, which was stuffed with all kinds of new stationery.
Looking at this newly transformed little Gu Yan, she couldn’t help feeling that he had become even more adorable.
This precious little cutie had been styled by her own hands.
The sense of accomplishment she felt was immense.
Who would have thought that at only twenty one years old, she would already be experiencing life as a parent?
Surprisingly, it was quite refreshing.