Jiang Ci climbed down from the bumper car and Old Zhang took his hand before leading him toward the Ferris wheel again.
They had already been playing around the amusement park for several hours yet Lu Shiying was still sitting beneath the pavilion with his head lowered over his tablet. His fingertip would occasionally slide across the screen. There was a canopy of trees overhead, casting cool shade beneath the pavilion and every so often, a gentle breeze drifted past. Sitting there quietly and reading was actually rather peaceful.
Jiang Ci eventually grew tired from playing and wanted an ice cream, so Old Zhang bought him the smallest one.
He took it from him, then raised his head and asked, “What about Brother’s?”
Old Zhang patted him on the head. “Young Master doesn’t eat things like that.”
Jiang Ci shook his head and insisted on getting one for Brother as well. Old Zhang could do nothing about his stubbornness, so he turned around and went back to buy a deluxe version. Only then did Jiang Ci happily break into a smile, his eyes curving into two crescent moons.
Lu Shiying was lowering his head and reading when an ice cream suddenly appeared in front of him, accompanied by a small, fair fist. The deluxe version was piled high with cream, topped generously with a thick layer of matcha powder and chopped pecans.
Jiang Ci’s hands were too small. His five fingers barely managed to wrap around the bottom of the cone, leaving the ice cream wobbling precariously in his grasp. It looked rather comical, as though it could slip from his hand and tumble to the ground at any moment.
While licking the small ice cream in his own hand, Jiang Ci said, “Brother, it’s so hot today. Eat some ice cream.”
Lu Shiying frowned and lifted his head to look for Old Zhang, only to discover that the man had already slipped away. He was now mixed in with the distant crowd of visitors, pretending to be interested in watching the fountain. 1
“Thank you.” He sighed and reached out to take the cone from him. He had never particularly liked sweets and after hesitating for a moment, he finally lowered his head and took a bite. “Thank……”
Jiang Ci immediately grinned happily. “You’re welcome.”
It was the first time Lu Shiying had ever eaten something like this. The cream melted in his mouth, its sweetness rich and almost cloying. He chewed it twice and reluctantly swallowed it before looking up at Jiang Ci again. “Don’t eat too much. Eating too much can easily give you diarrhea. Children have delicate stomachs.”
Jiang Ci stuck out his tongue and licked the cream from the corner of his mouth. He blinked his eyes innocently. “Uncle Zhang bought me the smallest one. It won’t make my tummy hurt.”
Lu Shiying took another bite.
It was honestly difficult to swallow but the little boy was eating his own ice cream with great enjoyment, cream smeared all around his mouth while his bright, sparkling eyes remained fixed on him.
Lu Shiying did not want to waste it, so in the end, he slowly finished the entire ice cream cone. 1
Jiang Ci licked his lips, then rubbed himself against Lu Shiying’s arms before tilting his little head up and saying, “Brother, this ice cream is really delicious.”
“Mm.” Lu Shiying casually picked him up and held him in his arms. “Is this your first time coming to an amusement park?”
Jiang Ci nodded. “Yes! Before, Daddy and Mommy said I was too little. There were lots of things at the amusement park that I couldn’t play because they were dangerous. They said they would take me to a children’s amusement park during this year’s summer vacation but then they never came back……”
As he spoke, his voice gradually became quieter.
He remembered what Lu Shiying had told him, that his father and mother had become stars, shining high up in the sky, in a place so very far away.
He tilted his head upward and looked at the sky.
It was still daytime, so there was nothing he could see.
“Brother, why don’t you play bumper cars?” he suddenly turned his face back toward him, his eyes narrowing into a bright, flower-like smile. 1
Lu Shiying casually came up with an excuse. “Brother has homework to do. If I can’t finish it, I won’t be able to go to school next year.”
Jiang Ci nodded in sudden understanding, then lowered his head and continued licking the ice cream in his hand.
Jiang Ci nodded in sudden understanding, then lowered his head again and continued licking the ice cream in his hand.
He ate incredibly quickly. In the end, he stuffed the entire cone into his mouth and crunched it noisily, chewing it with a series of crisp little sounds before licking his fingers clean.
Lu Shiying reached into his pocket and took out a pack of wet wipes. He pulled the little boy over and carefully wiped his hands. Jiang Ci’s skin was tender and Lu Shiying had not quite controlled his strength. By the time he finished, the back of the child’s hand had turned red. He paused for a moment, then gently rubbed it twice more.
“Brother, let’s go home. Hurry up and finish your homework, otherwise your teacher will hit you.”
The corners of Lu Shiying’s lips curved slightly. He reached out and pinched the child’s cheek. It was soft and plump beneath his fingers. Then he picked the little boy up and carried him toward the exit.
A black Bentley soon pulled up outside the amusement park entrance. Two Mercedes were parked side by side behind it, while quite a few people had gathered across the road, holding up their phones and pointing toward them as they whispered among themselves. Judging by the imposing formation, it was obvious that whoever was inside was someone important yet none of them knew exactly who it was.
Lu Shiying rarely appeared on television or in the media. His family had protected him extremely well but paparazzi occasionally managed to photograph him and post the pictures online and there were always people who recognized him.
As the sole heir to Shiying Group, his safety had always been the highest priority.
Jiang Ci sat inside the car, his eyes widening curiously as he stared at the people gathered outside, listening to their animated discussions. He then turned around and looked at the bodyguard vehicles following behind them.
A thought slowly began to form in his little head.
Had he found himself a super, super rich brother?
Lu Shiying sat on the left side of the car. The air-conditioning was running at a steady, comfortable temperature and the cool air spread evenly throughout the spacious interior. He took his book out again and lowered his head to continue reading, the pages making a faint rustling sound whenever he turned them.
Jiang Ci shifted his little bottom around before suddenly slipping into Lu Shiying’s arms and settling himself on his lap. Looking at the book with curiosity, he asked, “Brother, can I learn this book?”
Lu Shiying had been strictly educated since childhood. Even during summer and winter vacations, he had private tutors teaching him. As far as he was concerned, there had never been such a thing as a real holiday.
The book in his hands was material on economic law, one of the core professional subjects he was studying on his own. Business administration, mathematical tools and all the other complicated concepts contained within it were nothing short of an incomprehensible heavenly text to a five-year-old Jiang Ci.
Still, Lu Shiying handed the book over to him.
Jiang Ci held the book seriously and studied it with great concentration. His eyes moved back and forth across the pages and his long, slightly raised eyelashes fluttered every now and then. He did not recognize a single character. In the end, he honestly returned the book to him.
“Which character do you recognize?”
“Not a single one……” 1
Looking at his embarrassed little expression, Lu Shiying could not help the slight smile that appeared at the corners of his lips.
Jiang Ci also followed along and smiled foolishly. After observing Lu Shiying for the past few days, he had noticed that Lu Shiying was extremely fierce toward the servants below him. He was always cold and stern and his attitude toward everyone else was rather intimidating. It was only toward him that Lu Shiying was a little gentler.
It must have been because he was well-behaved.
So he had to become even more well-behaved.
When they returned to the Lu family estate, darkness had already settled over the sky. The evening clouds were painted in brilliant, multicolored hues and even the clouds themselves had taken on a soft pink color.
Jiang Ci had spent the entire day outside playing and was thirsty. He gulped down two cups of cool boiled water in quick succession, the droplets spilling from the corners of his mouth and running down his chin.
Then he rose onto his tiptoes, trying to reach the juice on the dining table.
Auntie Chen came out of the kitchen and immediately scooped him up into her arms. “Young Master, I’ll take you to have a bath first. Once you’re finished, you can come out and eat.”
Jiang Ci’s little legs swung gently in the air. Once Auntie Chen set him down, he tipped his head back and said, “Auntie, I can wash myself.”
Auntie Chen laughed twice. “Really?”
Jiang Ci nodded vigorously, then obediently ran into the bathroom. Before closing the door, he even turned around and waved at her.
Lu Shiying sat on the sofa, watching the small figure disappear into the bathroom. The back of the little boy’s head was perfectly round as he began taking off his clothes by himself.
The bathtub in the house was enormous. With those two short little legs of his, he probably could not even climb into it by himself.
As the sky grew darker and darker, Lu Shiying remained seated in the living room, turning through his book one page at a time. The sound of the pages rustling was soft and faint.
Inside the bathroom, Jiang Ci sat in the tub taking a bath by himself. He squeezed out his own shower gel and rubbed it all over himself until his entire face was covered in foamy bubbles.
Auntie Chen was afraid he might accidentally choke on the water, so she helped wipe his face while laughing. The little boy, however, insisted on doing everything himself, mumbling stubbornly, “I’m a grown-up too.”
Auntie Chen was practically beaming with laughter. She had worked at the Lu family estate for more than ten years but she had never felt this happy before. This little child was simply far too adorable.
“Auntie, later, tell Brother that I can wash myself.” Jiang Ci’s little hands busily moved about in every direction as he spoke, rubbing his skin until it had turned red.
Auntie Chen nodded and answered, “Okay.”
By the time Jiang Ci finished his bath and came out, dinner was ready as well.
There were quite a few people gathered in the villa today. Confused, Jiang Ci ran over to Lu Shiying and called out, “Brother.”
Lu Shiying casually took the dry towel Auntie Chen handed him and covered the little boy’s head with it, rubbing his hair twice. A muffled “Wuwu” came from underneath the towel as the child was rubbed from side to side, his head wobbling like a rattle drum. His little head was round and adorable. 1
Lu Shiying pointed toward each person and introduced them to him. “Old Zhang is the butler and also the driver. Auntie Chen is the housekeeper who takes care of your daily needs. Sister Shu is the maid responsible for cleaning. There are three chefs: one for Chinese food, one for Western food and one for breakfast. There’s also a pastry chef. These are all the people who work in the villa. Remember them. Other than them, don’t pay any attention to strangers.”
The little boy’s round head swayed from side to side. He raised his face and honestly admitted, “I can’t remember.”
Old Zhang suddenly pulled out his phone and took a picture of everyone standing in a row. He then printed it out in color, found a pen, carefully marked each person’s name on the photograph and placed it in Jiang Ci’s hands.
“Young Master, look at it every day. Once you learn these characters, you’ll recognize everyone.”
Jiang Ci lowered his head and looked at the unfamiliar faces in the photograph, then raised his head and compared them with the real people standing opposite him. He carefully tucked the picture into his pocket and even patted the pocket afterward.
Sometimes Jiang Ci could not quite understand it. Living in the Lu family seemed to mean that he had to be careful about everything he did, as though there were always many strangers who might try to harm him.
Were there really so many bad people in this place?
Lu Shiying gathered everyone together and gave them a few simple instructions before dismissing them all.
The servants normally lived in the small villa area diagonally opposite the main house after finishing their work but they were always on call whenever they were needed.
Lu Shiying carried Jiang Ci over to the child’s chair and fastened the bib around him. The little guy happily waved his hands. “Brother, next time I’ll tie it myself.”
“Okay.”
Lu Shiying’s manner was calm and courteous as he sat down opposite him and began eating. He ate very quietly, so quietly that the sound of his chopsticks was almost impossible to hear.
Jiang Ci stared curiously at the dishes spread across the dining table, examining each one with undisguised interest. His family had never hired a private chef before, so this was the first time he had ever seen such exquisite dishes. Not only did they look beautiful, they tasted delicious as well.
The porcelain plates on the table were delicate and elegant, filled with all kinds of carefully prepared delicacies. There was deep-sea grouper, pine-leaf crab meat, water celery with sliced tofu skin and bird’s nest in clear broth, each soup portion already served individually. The fish had been carefully deboned and placed neatly on a small plate and there was also a serving of squid and shrimp salad. Waves of enticing fragrance drifted through the dining area and every bite was rich, fresh and bursting with flavor. <2
Compared with the refined dishes placed in front of Lu Shiying, Jiang Ci had been given a complete children’s meal. The fish had been minced into tiny pieces, accompanied by truffle mixed-grain rice, fluffy scrambled eggs with shrimp prepared without salt and a small serving of fragrant, crispy mashed potatoes. Perhaps because he felt that his own food was too plain, he kept using his spoon to scoop food from the dishes in front of Lu Shiying.
“Brother, there are so many dishes today. They’re so delicious.” Jiang Ci scooped up another bite with his spoon and happily stuffed it into his mouth, chewing away. Because the food was simply too tasty, his short little legs dangling beneath the table swung back and forth without stopping.
Seeing how young and small he still was, Lu Shiying said, “Eat more.”
Ever since the little boy had come here, he had been able to eat two bowls of rice every day and every meal left his little stomach full and round.
Lu Shiying cut the foie gras into small pieces and placed them into his bowl. The little guy had a healthy appetite and could eat and drink well; he was simply a little picky. He did not like green vegetables or carrots, so he had picked them all out and neatly piled them together on the side.
“Being picky about food isn’t good for your health. It’s a bad habit,” Lu Shiying said.
Jiang Ci immediately jolted, then quickly stuffed the neatly piled vegetables into his mouth before he could be caught. He really had no interest in carrots, so he hurriedly came up with an excuse to brush the matter aside. “Xiao Mi likes eating carrots. I’m saving these for it.”
Lu Shiying raised his eyes.
Across from him, the little guy was smiling so brightly that the corners of his eyes curved into little crescents. He was small, obedient and charming, with such a soft and endearing appearance that it made something inside one’s heart melt completely.
“Xiao Ci, you’ve been staying here for several days now. Are you getting used to it?”
Jiang Ci nodded vigorously. “I am. Every day, the dishes are things I’ve never seen before. I just don’t know……can we bring Grandpa here too?”
Lu Shiying picked up the tissue beside him and gently wiped the corner of his mouth before answering him. “I already spoke to Grandpa Jiang before. He only wants to live out his retirement peacefully by himself.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The Realm accepts your wallet. The translator accepts coffee. ✦
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Even He, an outsider, couldn’t stand itChapter 2 · DaddyChapter 3 · Thank you for the gift!Chapter 4 · Do You want to sleep with your brother?Chapter 5 · Smart BabyChapter 6 · Life in a Wealthy FamilyChapter 7 · Genius BrotherChapter 8 · Brother’s giftChapter 9 · Xiao Ci was injured.Chapter 10 · ThoughtfulChapter 11 · Treat as treasureChapter 12 · Only recognized oneChapter 13 · Lu family coupleChapter 14 · A closed heartChapter 15 · Understanding my brotherChapter 16 · Reluctant to hitChapter 17 · UneasyChapter 18 · PossessiveChapter 19 · Teenage RebelChapter 20 Part 1 · The car accidentChapter 20 Part 2 · The car accidentChapter 20 Part 3 · The car accidentChapter 21 · My heart is racingChapter 22 · Physiological Knowledge