The child’s voice was clear and tender, carrying the soft innocence of his young age. Like a little bird, he chattered endlessly beside his ear, pouring out all the things he normally never dared to say aloud.
In truth, he was usually an exceptionally well behaved child. He was always smiling, bouncing around with cheerful energy and never dared to let anyone see the grievances he kept buried in his heart but today, he had finally clung to his big brother completely, shamelessly relying on him as though he had decided that, just for today, he was allowed to show every bit of his hurt.
Lu Shiying pulled him a little tighter into his arms. He gently rested his chin against the child’s soft, fluffy hair, his voice warm and tender as he answered, “Okay. Big brother promises you. From now on, I’ll take you with me whenever I go out.”
“Mm!”
Jiang Ci rubbed himself vigorously against his chest. His tears and runny nose smeared all over Lu Shiying’s clothes. He noticed it himself and immediately panicked, hurriedly raising the little hand that did not have the needle in it and using his sleeve to wipe his brother’s clothes clean.
Lu Shiying pulled out a tissue and lowered his head to wipe the front of his clothes. A quiet laugh escaped him.
“You little messy kitten.”
As he spoke, he stood up and brought over the powdered milk that had already been packed up. He poured it into the cartoon decorated oversized cup, added warm water, inserted the straw and then shook it vigorously until everything was thoroughly mixed. He brought it to Jiang Ci’s lips.
“Finish this and then go to sleep.”
Jiang Ci immediately turned his head away, deliberately angling his face to the side.
Lu Shiying raised an eyebrow.
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
Jiang Ci put on a solemn little expression and declared with complete seriousness, “I’m a big kid now. I don’t drink milk.”
Lu Shiying was instantly rendered both amused and helpless. He sat down beside the bed and reached out to gently pinch and rub the child’s round, chubby cheek.
“A big kid who’s six years old? You haven’t even graduated from kindergarten yet. This is children’s milk powder. It helps with calcium supplementation. Your constitution is too weak and you’re not very tall. Children from four to twelve years old can drink it. No one is going to make fun of you for drinking it.”
Jiang Ci still shook his little head. His eyes blinked innocently, his expression both obedient and stubborn.
“I’m not drinking milk.”
Lu Shiying’s eyelids lowered slightly and his gaze fell upon him, quiet and faintly stern.
Jiang Ci immediately lost his nerve.
He hurriedly stretched out the little hand without the needle, grabbed the big bellied cup in one swift motion, hugged it tightly against his chest, lowered his head, clamped his mouth around the straw and began gulping down the milk.
Glug, glug, glug.
Milk stains trickled down from the corner of his mouth and dripped onto his chin. As he drank, he secretly lifted his eyes, carefully sneaking glances at his brother’s expression, clearly checking whether he was still displeased.
The corners of Lu Shiying’s lips curved upward slightly. He gave a low chuckle, pulled out another tissue, bent down and carefully wiped the milk from the corner of the child’s mouth.
“It would be nice if you stayed this obedient even after you grow up.”
A knock sounded at the door.
Lu Shiying stood up and walked over to open it.
A woman dressed in a gorgeous qipao entered the room. She was adorned with gold and jewelry, her hair swept up high at the back of her head. Her slender high heels clicked against the floor as she walked in, bringing with her a strong fragrance of perfume, so heavy that it was almost choking.
She carried several large bags filled with various things in her hands and looked around the room with a smiling expression.
“Shiying, I came to see Xiaoci. You’ve been here looking after him this whole time?”
Lu Shiying narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the woman standing before him.
It was Jiang Linglan.
There was no trace of disrespect on his face. He merely gave her a淡 greeting.
“Vice President Jiang.”
Ever since something had happened to Jiang Ci’s parents, the Jiang Group had been managed on his behalf by Jiang Linglan. However, her shareholding was relatively small, so she held only the position of vice president and had limited decision making power. Quite a few shareholders did not take her seriously or accept her authority.
All this time, she had been secretly coveting the inheritance belonging to Jiang Ci.
Ever since something had happened to Jiang Ci’s parents, the Jiang Group had been managed on their behalf by Jiang Linglan. However, her shareholding was relatively low and she was only the vice president, so her authority within the company was limited. Quite a few of the shareholders did not take her seriously or recognize her authority. Deep down, she had always been keeping an eye on the inheritance under Jiang Ci’s name.
Jiang Ci was still hugging the big bellied cup, drinking the milk with great enthusiasm. The milk was almost gone, so he sucked hard two more times before finally lowering the cup. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and obediently called out,
“Auntie.”
Jiang Linglan placed the fresh flowers she had brought on the table. She then set a bag of children’s calcium tablets, several small toys and some snacks beside them before sitting down. She took Jiang Ci’s little hand in hers, her tone gentle and affectionate.
“Baby, how did you manage to be so careless? When Auntie used to look after you at home, I never let you get hurt like this.”
Jiang Ci grinned foolishly and laughed twice.
“It’s because Xiaoci was running around by himself and fell.”
Jiang Linglan gently rubbed the top of his head. Her voice became even softer, carrying a coaxing, persuasive quality as she carefully tried to lead him toward the answer she wanted.
“The Lu family is a very dangerous place, you know. There are so many bad people there. Look at you, you’ve only been here for a year and you’ve already gotten hurt. Do you want to go home? Come stay at Auntie’s house. Auntie can take care of you too and you’ll have your older brother and sister to play with.”
Jiang Ci did indeed have a male cousin and a female cousin but he was not particularly close to either of them in his daily life.
His constitution was weak and he fell ill at the slightest provocation. Everyone was afraid to play with him too roughly, worried that something might happen and they would end up being blamed for it.
Standing behind them, Lu Shiying let out a silent, disdainful scoff.
She certainly had quite some nerve, trying to poach someone right in front of him.
His gaze fell upon Jiang Ci and he waited to see what answer the little fellow would give.
Jiang Ci shook his head and answered without the slightest hesitation.
“No. I don’t want to go home. Xiaoci wants to stay with Big Brother. Big Brother has so much delicious food here and there are lots of things I’ve never even eaten before!”
Jiang Linglan’s smile stiffened for a moment before she quickly forced a more attentive smile onto her face.
“What do you like to eat? Auntie can buy those things for you too.”
Jiang Ci lowered his head and thought about it. His little brows furrowed as he tried hard to remember. After quite some time, he finally said,
“I can’t remember the names… Anyway, they’re really, really delicious.”
From behind him, Lu Shiying calmly picked up the conversation.
“The dishes are different every day. The ones he repeatedly asks for are French foie gras, premium blue lobster, finely shredded abalone sauce rice, Iberian ham, top grade Australian king crab, imported A5 Wagyu beef and hibiscus shrimp. Would you buy all that for him?”
After hearing the list, Jiang Linglan actually froze for a moment.
Who could afford to raise a child like this?
The Jiang family was also worth billions but they had never eaten with such meticulous extravagance and judging from the names of these dishes, they were all freshly prepared by professional chefs.
Just what kind of life was this young master living?
She quickly found herself a way out and adopted a serious, earnest tone.
“Children shouldn’t be eating these kinds of things. They’re far too nourishing. Too much of a good thing can become harmful and it can affect their stomach and intestines. You should let him eat more ordinary home cooked food. Three light, simple meals a day are what truly help a child grow healthy.”
Jiang Ci hurriedly interrupted her.
“Auntie, Xiaoci likes eating crab and shrimp! I only taste a little bit each time and the chef even weighs out the exact number of grams for me. It’s delicious, delicious!”
Lu Shiying’s voice was cold and he was already becoming impatient.
“He only needs to eat less, not stop eating it altogether. A child’s digestive system is weak, so he shouldn’t be excessively nourished. Most of the time, he eats nutritionally balanced meals. Just ordinary food.”
Jiang Linglan sighed. She reached out and gently cupped Jiang Ci’s little face between her hands. Even through her palms, she could still feel a faint warmth lingering against his skin.
Those eyes were almost exactly like her younger brother’s.
A pang of sadness welled up in her heart and she tried persuading him again.
“Xiaoci, why don’t you come home with Auntie? The Lu family are outsiders, after all. If you stay with Auntie, then you’ll be with your own family.”
Jiang Ci tightened his grip on the corner of the blanket, biting his lip as he lowered his head.
For several seconds, he remained dazed and silent.
Then, once again, he gently shook his little head.
During the period when Big Brother had not yet come into his life, Auntie had always been busy running around with one thing or another. She never accompanied him to play, never cooked for him and would constantly bring relatives over to the house to argue.
Every single day, she would lock him inside his room and refuse to let him go outside.
How could anyone possibly treat him as well as Lu Shiying did?
“You’re such a child. Why won’t you listen?”
Jiang Ci blinked. Then, all of a sudden, he lifted his little face and answered back in a clear, crisp voice, “Big Brother said I’m very obedient.”
Jiang Linglan froze. When had this usually cheerful, giggling, well behaved child learned to talk back to an elder? In the past, whenever anyone scolded him, he had never dared to say a word.
Lu Shiying spoke up at just the right moment, his voice already turning cold. “Vice President Jiang, please leave. Otherwise, the bodyguards will escort you out. Xiaoci doesn’t like you. Can’t you tell?”
“You…” Jiang Linglan raised her eyes and met his gaze. The moment she encountered those cold, stern eyes, her confidence faltered.
Knowing perfectly well that she was in the wrong, she did not continue arguing. She rose from her seat and walked out on her high heels, the sharp clicking of each step echoing through the room.
Lu Shiying had both power and influence. She was no match for him.
The moment the door closed, Jiang Ci’s eyes immediately widened. He slapped his little hand against the edge of the bed, his voice brimming with excitement. “Big Brother! Was I just really-”
Lu Shiying tucked the blanket neatly around him, a smile in his eyes. “Very cute. You did very well. Is your head still dizzy? Do you want to go to sleep?”
Jiang Ci smiled even more brightly after being praised. He waved his left hand in the air and asked in his clear, pleasant voice, “I want to sleep with Big Brother. Is that okay?”
“Mm.” Lu Shiying lifted the blanket and lay down on the spacious hospital bed. Carefully avoiding the hand where Jiang Ci had the IV needle, he gently pulled the little boy into his arms.
“Mm… Big Brother…”
Jiang Ci leaned his head against his chest. Wrapped in his warm body heat, he soon fell into a deep sleep.
Lu Shiying gently patted his back as he glanced at the medicine still remaining in the IV bag. He silently calculated what needed to be done. Something like this absolutely could not happen a second time. He would have to send more people to stay by Jiang Ci’s side, guarding him without leaving him for even a moment.
He suddenly took out his phone and dialed his private doctor’s number.
“Young Master Lu.” The doctor on the other end answered respectfully.
Lu Shiying’s voice was calm and devoid of any fluctuation. “Your monthly salary will increase by one hundred thousand. From now on, stay with Xiaoci every day. Guard him together with the bodyguards at the school entrance.”
“Ah?” Doctor Nie was clearly put in a difficult position. Even when he was not busy, he still had to make trips to the hospital. Whenever the Lu family called, he had to rush over immediately.
He had worked as a private doctor for many years, always remaining on call whenever needed. His monthly salary was seventy thousand and with another hundred thousand added to it, that meant one hundred and seventy thousand a month. Although such a job would inevitably make him somewhat disconnected from ordinary society, who could possibly refuse that kind of money?
Lu Shiying continued, “I’ll open a clinic near the villa and have a fully equipped medicine room installed. Register the clinic under your name and stay there permanently. Stock all the commonly used medicines. If anything happens to Xiaoci in an emergency, you must be able to handle it immediately, stop any bleeding and get him to the hospital.”
Doctor Nie hesitated for only a few seconds before readily agreeing. The salary was far better than working a regular job. Besides, the threshold to enter the Lu family’s circle was not something just anyone could cross.
…….
Jiang Ci stayed in the hospital for three days. Once his wounds had scabbed over and he was eating, drinking and running around again, his entire person had returned to his usual lively self.
Lu Shiying had taken three days off from his classes and stayed by Jiang Ci’s side without leaving, personally taking care of him every step of the way.
Lu Shiying had taken three days off from his classes and stayed by Jiang Ci’s side without leaving for even a moment, personally taking care of him throughout.
On the day Jiang Ci was discharged from the hospital, Lu Shiying carried the little boy all the way out in his arms, not letting his feet touch the ground even once. He was afraid that the child might accidentally bump or knock himself against something, even in the slightest.
Old Zhang was driving. He glanced at them through the rearview mirror as he turned the steering wheel and said, “Young Master, we’ve found the culprit. He’s a construction worker and a relative of the chief financial officer of Zhuoyu Group. Because he was dissatisfied with the way you handled the company’s finances, he had his eyes on you as far back as six months ago. He even tampered with some of the plans you designed.
“He didn’t want you to inherit Zhuoyu. He thought you were too young and that you handled things too recklessly. On top of that, Chairman Lu never thought particularly highly of him either. He’d been holding all that resentment inside for a long time, so he decided to take it out on the Young Master.”
Lu Shiying held Jiang Ci securely in his arms, with the little boy sitting on his lap. Jiang Ci peeled open a soft candy and popped it into Lu Shiying’s mouth, then unwrapped another one for himself. He chewed away happily while perking up his ears and listening attentively to their conversation.
But he could not understand any of it.
“Has it been dealt with?”
Old Zhang nodded.
“Yes. The director involved has been suspended and placed under investigation and the person who carried it out has been taken into custody as well.”
“Has the villa been renovated?” Lu Shiying asked.
“It’s finished.”
Jiang Ci did not understand what they were talking about, nor did he ask any further questions. It was not until the car entered the Lu family estate, passed through one mansion after another and finally stopped in front of the villa that he froze completely.
The entire front yard, inside and out, had been covered with thick artificial grass.
It was beautiful.
The stone paving and cement paths that had once been rough and uncomfortable underfoot were now completely covered, every inch layered with soft, lush green carpeting that looked almost like grass.
From a distance, the entire place looked like a magnificent castle standing in the middle of an endless green meadow.
When Jiang Ci stepped onto it, the surface felt soft and springy beneath his feet. It was clean, level and perfectly even.
Just keeping such a huge area this clean alone must have required a considerable number of people.
…………
Author’s Note;
Xiaoci: A Dreamy Castle
Young Master is so generous, Young Master is so rich, Young Master is tall, handsome and wealthy.
As for the dishes Little Lu mentioned, children in real life should also eat them sparingly. They really are too rich and nourishing. They do occasionally eat ordinary home cooked meals as well.
A six year old child can eat these foods but they should not be treated as everyday meals. The choices and portions need to be carefully controlled; otherwise, they can place a considerable burden on a child’s digestive system and kidneys.
Allergies should also be tested for. When it comes to crab, shrimp and other seafood, the child should only have a small taste to try the flavor. Since a young child’s immune system has not fully matured, it is best to start with just a single bite. If there is no reaction after eating it, then they can have a little more.
(Anyway, this is a fictional novel, so there’s no need to scrutinize the details too deeply.)
The Young Master’s household has a private doctor who can monitor his daily food intake, so even though he can enjoy plenty of delicious food, they will still pay attention to how much he eats.
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Fleurveil
[Translator]
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← 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