“Grandpa said that all he wants is to raise you safely until you grow up. There’s no need to worry about anything else.”
“All right, then I’ll listen to Grandpa.” Jiang Ci raised his head in confusion, the spoon hovering motionlessly over the edge of his bowl. “Xiao Ci doesn’t understand. Why does Gege want to be so nice to me? I don’t even know you.”
“A debt of gratitude.” Lu Shiying uttered only those two words, having no intention of explaining further. Besides, this little one was cute, well-behaved, and easy to take care of.
This baby’s mind was still far too young. There was no need to stuff too many things into it. It would be enough to let him slowly forget those painful memories.
His father had spent many years doing business overseas and had run into quite a few troubles when he was younger. Once, while he was away from home, he was caught in a robbery. By coincidence, Jiang Ci’s father happened to be in the area on a business trip at the time.
Jiang Ci’s father was quick and agile, with solid skills in both boxing and martial arts. That day, the two men joined forces and beat several robbers so badly that they fled with their heads in their hands.
Only then did the danger finally pass, allowing the couple to escape unharmed while also protecting several important contracts and a large sum of cash inside the briefcase.
Afterward, the two men became sworn brothers who had been through life and death together, and their friendship grew deep and unshakable.
亿。His father often said that Uncle Jiang was the benefactor fate had sent him. If it had not been for that incident, if the documents and money had not been saved that day, the businesses that followed might have suffered losses amounting to several hundred million.
Lu Shiying’s gaze fell upon Jiang Ci’s beautiful eyes.
The child’s parents were both dead, leaving him with no one to rely on. Behind him stood relatives who were all watching him with covetous eyes, each one waiting for an opportunity.
A child this obedient and well-behaved, if he truly fell into their hands, would probably not even be left with scraps of bone.
After his father told him everything, he suggested bringing the other man’s child home and raising him himself. Lu Shiying had not objected in the slightest.
There were some bonds of loyalty and gratitude in this world that money could never measure.
After dinner, Lu Shiying returned to his book.
Jiang Ci lay in the middle of the enormous bed, rolling around from one end to the other. The luxurious bed was a full three meters wide, and with his tiny body, he could roll around on it without the slightest obstruction. The Maine Coon followed him around, leaping and tumbling alongside him.
“Hahaha…hahaha…”
A string of bright laughter drifted through the room, one burst following another. Lu Shiying lifted his eyes and glanced toward the little boy making a racket on the bed. In the end, he could no longer sit still.
He closed his book, hung his jacket over the back of the chair, then picked up the Maine Coon and tossed it onto the floor.
“Go to sleep. You stay up late every single day. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see your new kindergarten. The school you went to before is too far away from mine.”
The moment Lu Shiying lay down, Jiang Ci immediately crawled over to his side and wrapped both arms around his brother’s arm. He obediently closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling lightly as he asked in a small voice, “Then will Gege come pick me up and take me home every day?”
“I will.”
“Yay!”
Jiang Ci was exceptionally well-behaved today. He wanted to be a good, obedient little boy. That way, he wouldn’t be thrown out of the house.
He snuggled deeper into Lu Shiying’s arms and soon fell asleep.
Lu Shiying gently stroked his head, then reached out and lightly pinched his round, soft cheek. He stared at him quietly for quite a while.
The age gap between them was far too large. Originally, Lu Shiying had thought they would have trouble getting along, and that having a child around every day would only make him feel irritated and bothered.
Yet he had never expected that the more he looked at Jiang Ci, the more pleasing the child became to his eyes.
Jiang Ci’s arrival seemed to have brought a little color into his own life as well, turning what had once been a dull and stagnant pool of water into something no longer quite so lifeless.
“Mm…”
When Jiang Ci woke up, he rubbed his sleepy eyes. Outside the window, everything was shrouded in darkness. The window had not been closed, and the night breeze poured into the room, making the air feel cool and chilly.
He could feel his pajamas sticking damply and uncomfortably against his body. He slowly sat up, reached down to touch his bottom, then began inching toward the side with small, careful movements, trying not to make the slightest sound.
The bed was equipped with a sensor function. As soon as someone sat up, the bedside light automatically switched on, its warm yellow glow spreading softly across the quilt.
The little boy lowered his head and took one look.
A large patch of the bed was wet.
His eyes widened, and he immediately covered his mouth with both hands.
Oh no.
He had wet the bed.
Jiang Ci’s shoulders began trembling nervously. His brother’s bedroom was fragrant and quiet, and the bedsheets were softer and more comfortable than the ones at home. If he had made them dirty, would his brother be angry?
Lu Shiying was a light sleeper. Half-asleep and half-dreaming, he vaguely felt the quilt being moved, and then noticed light shining into his eyes. He slowly lifted his eyelids and saw the little child beside him climbing toward the floor.
Was he sleepwalking again?
He pulled back the quilt and sat up, but his brows twitched when he saw the large wet patch on the bedsheet. Looking again, he realized that the little boy had already crawled underneath the bed.
So he had wet the bed and hidden himself.
“Xiao Ci.”
Jiang Ci gave a frightened little shudder. He curled himself up underneath the bed and did not dare come out. He was afraid that his brother would drag him outside and throw him away. He was afraid of being sent back to that house, where he would once again have to listen to his relatives shouting at one another and throwing things around.
He did not want to be thrown away.
Lu Shiying got out of bed and crouched down, looking underneath it. The little boy was lying flat on the floor, his round eyes gazing timidly at him, looking just like a frightened little hamster.
“Gege……”
Lu Shiying opened his arms. “Come out.”
Jiang Ci slowly crawled out.
In a luxurious mansion like this, there was not even a speck of dust to be found. The space underneath the bed was cleaner than a person’s face.
The little boy himself was still completely clean, with the only exception being his cheeks, which had turned bright red with embarrassment. He lowered his head and immediately buried himself in Lu Shiying’s arms.
“I’m sorry.” Jiang Ci obediently admitted his mistake. His two little fists were clenched tightly, chubby and round like two tiny steamed buns, as he muttered in distress, “Xiao Ci didn’t do it on purpose.”
Lu Shiying gently stroked his head, deliberately keeping his voice soft. “Is your brother really that scary? A five-year-old child wetting the bed isn’t something to be ashamed of. You don’t need to hide underneath the bed.”
Jiang Ci tightened his grip on his clothes, his voice muffled against him. “Because I’m not familiar with Gege……. We’ve only known each other for a few days, so I was afraid you would throw me out. I want to be a good and obedient baby.”
Lu Shiying was both amused and helpless.
How could there be such an adorable child?
He picked Xiao Ci up into his arms. “First, I’ll give you a bath. As long as you’re living here, you’re my little brother. It doesn’t matter whether we’re familiar with each other or not. I won’t make things difficult for you.”
Jiang Ci had never met such a wonderful brother before.
Lu Shiying carried him into the bathroom, washed his little bottom, and applied something fragrant to his skin. In the end, he watched as Lu Shiying rolled up the mulberry-silk bedsheet and threw it away before replacing it with a completely new set. From beginning to end, Lu Shiying did not scold him even once.
When they finally lay back down on the bed, Jiang Ci leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
“You’re the best brother in the whole world. Thank you.”
Lu Shiying looked into his eyes and gently pinched his soft, chubby cheek. “You’re welcome. Now go to sleep.”
Jiang Ci lay nestled in his arms. After spending these past few days together, he had already become certain that Lu Shiying was a good person.
With that certainty in his heart, he rubbed his little body against Lu Shiying’schest, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Lu Shiying lowered his head and looked at the little child nestled in his arms. He was truly tiny, so small that when he curled himself up, he looked like a round, plump little lump of durian—soft, squishy, and impossibly adorable.
There were countless children in this world, but very few were as obedient as this one.
He thought to himself that since he had already decided to take responsibility for the child until the very end, then in the future, he would have to take care of every aspect of his life as well, his schooling, his relationships, his marriage, even his children.
Only then could it be considered a complete responsibility. In any case, he absolutely could not allow anyone to bully him.
Before long, the time came when the results of the national college entrance examination could finally be checked.
Lu Shiying was studying in the study. His private tutor had come the previous week, and the lessons were still continuing. Old Zhang knocked on the door from outside before entering and told him that his score had been blocked from public view.
Lu Shiying did not pay much attention to it. It was within his expectations.
He simply lowered his head and continued reading.
Out in the living room, Jiang Ci was crawling all over the floor after the cat. He chased a little toy truck back and forth, the vehicle stuffed full of the small toys he had put inside himself.
Teacher Yuan smoothed her long hair back, her entire face filled with a gentle smile. “Young Master Lu, your learning ability is truly exceptional. With the integrated undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral program, you’ll definitely be able to complete your studies before you turn eighteen. Do you have any plans to study abroad in the future?”
After finishing two questions, Lu Shiying answered in a calm, indifferent voice, “There’s no need. I only want to complete my studies as quickly as possible and take over the company. If I can help Mom and Dad manage all of the family’s businesses in the country, they won’t have to work so hard or spend all year traveling back and forth between the two places.”
“You really are far too sensible.”
Teacher Yuan was his private home tutor. Every winter and summer vacation, she would come to teach him, and she even had lessons scheduled for weekends and public holidays.
There were some words she had been holding back for a long time, but she could no longer keep them to herself.
“Young Master, actually, you don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself. My son is fourteen years old and has only just graduated from junior high school, while you’re already about to enter university. Let me tell you something honestly, as your teacher—the Lu family has more than enough wealth and businesses to comfortably support three generations. Why work yourself this hard?”
Lu Shiying raised his head and glanced at her. His tone remained polite, yet distant. “Thank you for your concern, Teacher. There are some things I don’t want to talk about too much.”
Teacher Yuan understood and did not say anything further.
The little toy truck on the floor squeezed through the crack beneath the door and began driving around the study in circles.
Jiang Ci chased after it and ran into the room, carrying a cup of tea. He hurried over and stood on tiptoe, stretching his little arms out to offer the cup to Teacher Yuan.
“Teacher, have some water.”
Teacher Yuan immediately broke into a delighted smile. She reached out and rubbed the top of his head before accepting the cup. When she lowered her eyes to look at it, she discovered that there was barely any tea left. Most of it had spilled along the way, leaving a trail across the floor.
Aunt Chen hurried in from outside. She quickly scooped the little boy into her arms and repeatedly bowed in apology.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Young Master. It’s my fault for not keeping an eye on him. I only looked away for a moment, and Little Young Master had already run in.”
Lu Shiying usually had his lessons in the study, and he hated nothing more than people entering without knocking and disturbing him. He liked absolute silence. In the past, an employee had even been fired for doing exactly that.
The servants in the Lu family estate were always extremely careful whenever they worked, constantly afraid of accidentally provoking the young master and being punished.
Yet ever since this little child had appeared, the teenager’s usually cold and distant temperament seemed to have softened considerably.
Jiang Ci wriggled in Aunt Chen’s arms, swinging his little legs and twisting his small body around as he tried to get down.
For once, Lu Shiying’s voice was not nearly as cold as usual.
“It’s fine. Put him down and go outside.”
Aunt Chen froze for a moment.
Perhaps because she had expected to be scolded and had not been.
The servants of the Lu family estate always did everything with extreme caution, terrified of offending the family’s precious heir. But ever since the arrival of this child, even Young Master Lu seemed to have become noticeably more tolerant.
Aunt Chen put the little boy down.
The moment Jiang Ci’s feet touched the floor, he immediately took off running again and threw himself straight into Lu Shiying’s arms.
Lu Shiying reached out and pinched his cheek.
“You run around like this every day. Aren’t you tired? Go look at Teacher’s cup and see if there’s any water left.”
Jiang Ci obediently ran over to take a look. There was only a shallow mouthful remaining in Teacher Yuan’s paper cup.
He scratched his little head, then lowered it dejectedly.
“Teacher, I’m sorry.”
Teacher Yuan’s voice was gentle and warm. “It’s all right. How old are you this year, Xiao Ci?”
Jiang Ci held up one little hand and showed her five fingers. “I’m five years old!”
Teacher Yuan reached over and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in the hem of his clothes. With a bright, affectionate smile, she said, “You’re already this sensible at five? You even know to pour water for your teacher. You really are a little genius!”
“Hehe, what’s a little genius?” Jiang Ci tilted his face upward, his large, dark eyes filled with bright, curious light.
Teacher Yuan felt that she probably shouldn’t talk too much about personal matters in her employer’s home. After all, Lu Shiying had never liked his own affairs being brought up for discussion.
She gently rubbed the top of Jiang Ci’s head and casually explained, “It just means a very smart child.”
Jiang Ci obediently nodded, but inwardly, he had already made up his mind that he wanted to become a smart child too.
Unfortunately, reading books and learning characters was truly troublesome. It made his little head ache.
Perhaps he really was just a little silly.
Teacher Yuan continued giving Lu Shiying his lesson, while Jiang Ci obediently sat beside them and listened.
However, he could not understand even a single word of what they were discussing. Halfway through the lesson, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. In the end, he simply lowered his head onto the table and fell asleep.
Lu Shiying lowered his head and looked at him.
The little boy had curled himself into a tiny bundle, his breathing even and peaceful, while his long eyelashes cast faint, delicate shadows across his cheeks.
At Jiang Ci’s current level of learning, there was simply no need for him to study at this intensity. It would be enough for him to maintain decent grades and learn at a comfortable pace. After all, Jiang Ci would still be around to accompany him for a very long time.
The lesson ended at five in the afternoon.
Teacher Yuan packed up her things and left.
Lu Shiying stood alone on the balcony, quietly gazing at the sunset outside the window.
For an ordinary family, having their college entrance examination score blocked from public view was a threshold that could be difficult to cross. But for someone with Lu Shiying’s status, finding out the result was an effortless matter.
When Old Zhang entered, his expression was solemn, though the barely concealed delight in his eyes betrayed his excitement. He handed the results he had managed to obtain directly to Lu Shiying.
Lu Shiying lowered his head and glanced over them.
Chinese: 140
Mathematics: 150
English: 150
Physics: 100
Chemistry: 100
Biology: 100
Total Score: 740
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
This translator has been caught working for free again. Scandalous.
☕ 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