🍼 Day 13th of Anniversary Celebration 🍼
The first to step down was a middle aged man wearing a black down jacket, with a trench coat casually draped over it. His steps were steady and measured, each footfall firm and audible.
Right behind him came a woman dressed in a white cashmere wool coat. Her hair was swept up and pinned at the back of her head, revealing a slender, fair neck. Her features were gentle and graceful and every movement she made carried an unmistakable air of refinement and poise.
The husband and wife both had exceptionally handsome features. Standing side by side, they looked like a perfectly matched couple, as though they had been made for each other.
Holding Jiang Ci in his arms, Lu Shiying watched them quietly for a moment before lowering his head and speaking softly to the little one in his embrace. “Say hello to Uncle and Auntie.”
Old Zhang came over and exchanged a greeting with Lu Shiying before going off to park the car himself.
Several servants were already carrying large and small gift boxes and toys inside in a steady stream. The logos printed on the boxes looked more expensive and prestigious than the last, each one seemingly more valuable than the next.
Ye Manyu looked around the surroundings and only then did she notice that thick, plush carpets had been laid throughout both the inside and outside of the villa. They were soft and yielding beneath one’s feet, while every corner had been pressed and arranged neatly. It was obvious that they were regularly maintained and carefully looked after. Heaven knew how much thought, effort and money had gone into keeping the place this way. She withdrew her gaze, a trace of surprise passing through her eyes.
“Shiying.” Lu Mingyu smiled as he walked over. He crouched down and opened his arms toward Jiang Ci. “Xiao Ci, do you still remember me? Uncle saw you several times when you were little. Do you remember?”
Jiang Ci lifted his face and took a careful look at him. The husband and wife looked kind and familiar, their expressions gentle and warm but no matter how hard he searched his memories, he simply could not match them to anyone he knew. In the end, he instinctively shrank back behind Lu Shiying, only shaking his little head.
Lu Shiying patted him gently on the shoulder. “Don’t be afraid.”
Only then did Jiang Ci cautiously peek half of his little face out from behind him. In a soft, delicate voice, he said, “Hello, Uncle and Auntie.”
Lu Mingyu laughed. He reached out, wrapped an arm around the little boy and easily lifted him into his arms, giving him a light weigh. “Oh my, the little treasure has some weight to him. When I saw you at the funeral last time, you still looked so thin. Has your big brother been bullying you at home?”
Jiang Ci shook his head but his eyes remained fixed on the man’s features, studying them from one angle and then another. He turned his head to look at Lu Shiying, then back at Lu Mingyu. The more he looked, the more astonished he became.
The two men looked remarkably alike. The only difference was that one was still a young man, while the other had already reached middle age. How strange.
“Come, let me hold the child for a while.” Ye Manyu also held out her arms and Jiang Ci was securely transferred into them.
A six year old child was not particularly heavy, so holding him was no trouble for her. She lowered her head with a smile. “He’s much lighter than Shiying was when he was little. When Shiying was six, he was tall and chubby, just like a little calf. Then, starting from the age of eight, he suddenly began losing weight like crazy and now look at him, he’s so thin that he’s practically nothing but skin and bones.”
She lowered her eyes to the child in her arms, her gaze turning tender and her voice becoming even softer. “Baby, do you remember me?”
“You’re the auntie who looks familiar…” Jiang Ci lowered his head and pondered, his little brows furrowing tightly. He thought about it over and over for quite a while, scratching his head in frustration. Finally, he asked in a small voice, “Mommy’s friend, Auntie Xiaoyu?”
Ye Manyu laughed softly, her voice gentle and warm. “Mm and now I’m Mommy too.”
She held Jiang Ci’s little hand and carefully traced three characters across his palm, writing them stroke by stroke: Ye Manyu. Her kind and affectionate gaze rested on the little boy’s face, overflowing with indulgent fondness.
“A Yu, this little fellow’s eyes look exactly like Old Jiang’s. They’re so bright and limpid. Just looking at him makes you feel sorry for him.”
“Mm. Poor child. I suppose this can also be considered our way of repaying the kindness he showed us. From now on, we’ll treat this child well. Old Jiang was deeply devoted to me, so we must treat Xiao Ci like our own son and take good care of him.”
When Lu Shiying heard those words, he thought to himself, Please, don’t.
“When Shiying was just born, I even asked you whether you wanted to have another child. Wouldn’t that have been wonderful?” Ye Manyu continued to gently pinch Jiang Ci’s little cheeks. “Such a good little baby. You smell so sweet.”
Lu Shiying stood several steps away, staring at the sight of the three of them huddled closely together, his expression calm and indifferent. After a moment, he suddenly turned around and walked back into the living room. One hand came to rest against the edge of the dining table, his knuckles protruding sharply as though he were exerting every ounce of restraint he possessed, almost as if he wished he could crush the solid wood table beneath his hand.
What did they mean by repaying a debt of gratitude?
And what did they mean by having a second child?
He was the one who had fed the child bite by bite until he had filled out. He was the one who had cooked for him every single day, constantly changing the dishes and coming up with different ways to nourish him. What did any of this have to do with them?
Ye Manyu unpacked the gifts and toys she had brought back from abroad one by one and handed them to Jiang Ci to play with. Then, from the small handbag she had brought with her, she took out a golden longevity lock.
It was a customized piece from an internationally renowned luxury brand, with an exquisite piece of emerald green jade embedded in it. Once it was fastened around the little boy’s neck, the golden lock gleamed brightly against him.
Jiang Ci lowered his head and looked at the glittering golden lock. He reached up with his little hand and touched it, then suddenly raised his head and said, “Auntie, this is something expensive. Xiao Ci doesn’t want it.”
“Oh my,” Ye Manyu was stunned for a moment before her smile softened into something warm and gentle. “What a sensible little baby. It’s all right. Auntie bought it for you, so now it belongs to Xiao Ci.”
Ye Manyu also did not force him to call them Mommy and Daddy. After all, they had only just met.
She crouched down and adjusted the lock around his neck, making sure it sat properly before asking, “When is your birthday? Let’s see if we have time to celebrate it a little early for you.”
Jiang Ci remembered it very clearly. His childish voice answered crisply, “May first.”
“So it’s Labor Day,” Ye Manyu said, lightly patting her forehead. “What’s wrong with my memory? I used to visit the Jiang family and even brought you birthday presents. It’s been so long that I actually forgot.”
Lu Mingyu stood nearby. His gaze casually swept across the living room and only then did he notice that something was wrong with his son’s mood. The young man was sitting at the dining table, his expression dark and heavy.
He nudged Ye Manyu with his elbow. The two exchanged a glance before turning their eyes toward their own son.
Lu Shiying sat at the dining table while Auntie Chen had already poured the red wine and arranged the bowls and chopsticks. The young man’s expression was cold, his jawline taut with tension. He did not say a single word. He merely lowered his eyes and stared at the dark red liquid in his glass, as though he were deep in thought about something.
Ye Manyu set the little boy down on the floor. The instant Jiang Ci’s feet touched the ground, he immediately went pattering over and threw himself straight into Lu Shiying’s arms. He tilted his little face upward and excitedly tugged at the small golden lock around his neck to show it to him, as though he had obtained some extraordinarily precious treasure.
“Gege, it’s pretty.”
Lu Shiying lowered his head and gently stroked his hair, his fingertips slipping through the soft strands. “As long as you like it.”
His heart was as clear as a mirror. If they raised one more child, naturally, half of his parents’ affection would have to be divided away.
Yet after spending all these days together, he had never once felt even the slightest trace of regret.
Compared with that inexplicable, difficult to describe barrier between himself and his parents, he much preferred spending time with Xiao Ci.
At least when his little brother looked at him, the love in those eyes was overflowing and complete.
Ye Manyu walked over and took out another gift box. Inside was a similar necklace, this one shaped like the animal representing his zodiac sign. Before she could even take it out, Lu Shiying spoke first.
“No.”
Jiang Ci looked up at him in confusion.
“I know you don’t like these vulgar trinkets but since Xiao Ci has one, I bought one for you too. You have a life free from worries about food and clothing and a family fortune worth tens of thousands of gold. There’s nothing you’re lacking, either.”
Ye Manyu sat down across from him at the dining table. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke. “Shiying, are you blaming Mom and Dad for not coming back to be with you during your college entrance examination?”
Lu Shiying did not even raise his eyelids. His voice remained indifferent, giving away none of the emotions hidden beneath it. “No.”
Lu Mingyu also took his seat. He picked up the red wineglass on the table and took a small sip, his gaze sweeping across the dishes covering the entire table.
There was steamed grouper, braised spare ribs, blanched shrimp and all kinds of other dishes. Most of them had been prepared in a distinctly homestyle manner yet the presentation was by no means careless. Every dish had been arranged neatly and thoughtfully.
He picked up a piece of spare rib and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly. Then he picked up a meatball and nodded. “The food is pretty good. Which chef made all this? Though the ribs are a little tough.”
The chopsticks in Lu Shiying’s hand paused for a moment.
“I made it.”
Lu Mingyu and Ye Manyu both froze at exactly the same time, their eyes widening in unspoken astonishment.
Their son had grown up surrounded by fine clothes and delicious food. He had always been accustomed to having everything brought to him the moment he asked for it and he had practically never even stepped into the kitchen.
Yet he could actually cook?
There were so many chefs employed by the family. Why would he need to cook for himself?
Jiang Ci sat beside Lu Shiying, his short little legs dangling loosely beneath the table. He was already perfectly capable of using chopsticks and his chubby little hands kept moving without pause. One peeled lobster morsel after another went straight into his mouth, before he reached over to pick at the grouper meat that had already been mashed into small pieces.
He was eating with such obvious enjoyment that his cheeks were practically puffed up.
He couldn’t understand what the adults were talking about, so he simply focused on eating as hard as he could.
Lu Shiying also lowered his head and picked up a few pieces of food with his chopsticks before carefully removing the bones from a piece of spare rib for Jiang Ci.
“Stop shaking your legs.”
Both of Jiang Ci’s little legs immediately went still. He obediently leaned over the table and continued eating.
Lu Shiying used his chopsticks to carefully separate the meat from the rib, making sure there were no tiny fragments of bone left behind. Only after confirming that the meat was fresh, tender and plump did he place it into the little boy’s bowl.
His movements were so practiced and natural that it looked as though he had performed the same task hundreds or even thousands of times.
“Yummy, yummy.”
Jiang Ci immediately became happy again and his little legs started shaking uncontrollably beneath the table.
Lu Shiying said coldly, “Tomorrow I’m taking you to get your legs checked. We’ll see why they keep shaking all the time.”
Jiang Ci instantly stopped moving again.
Even his toes became tense, rubbing nervously against one another.
He didn’t understand why he wasn’t allowed to shake his legs while eating. Whenever he became excited or happy, he simply couldn’t help doing it.
Lu Mingyu and Ye Manyu were both staring in stunned silence.
Where did this look like a relationship between brothers?
They looked much more like father and son.
It seemed that Lu Shiying did not need the two of them at all. He was perfectly capable of raising the child well all by himself.
“Shiying… You’ve become so capable now.” Ye Manyu stood up and ladled a bowl of soup for him, carefully placing it in front of him before smiling. “You’re not even an adult yet but you already act like a grown up. Even Mom doesn’t know how to cook yet you actually learned.”
Lu Shiying did not respond. He remained silent, merely lowering his head to take another sip of red wine before continuing to pick food for the little boy.
Ye Manyu’s hand paused in midair for a brief moment before she quietly withdrew her chopsticks.
She also lifted her wineglass and took several sips. There was an indescribable bitterness and sourness lodged in her throat, a feeling she could not suppress no matter how hard she tried. It lingered there for a long time, refusing to settle.
Just then, a soft, languid meow came from the doorway.
Xiao Mi walked in with elegant little steps, her tail held high in the air. She made her way over to Jiang Ci’s feet and rubbed herself against them before tilting her head up and letting out two soft cries.
“Meow~ Meow~”
Ye Manyu was stunned. Her gaze moved back and forth between the cat and her son.
“Shiying, weren’t you allergic to cat fur? How did you end up raising a cat?”
Jiang Ci immediately raised his little hand and hurried to answer before anyone else could.
“It’s me! She’s my Xiao Mi… She grew up with me. I wanted to bring her here and raise her, so don’t be angry with Gege. If you want to scold someone, scold Xiao Ci instead…”
“I’m not angry. I’m just a little surprised.”
The woman smiled as she answered him.
Only then did Ye Manyu remember that the Jiang family really had raised a cat.
Before she could say anything else, Lu Shiying’s cold voice followed.
“Antibiotics work. I’m not allergic anymore. It’s almost completely cured.”
Ye Manyu opened her mouth but the words that had reached her lips were swallowed back down.
They weren’t biological brothers yet he could dote on the child to this extent.
She had originally been worried that the considerable difference in their ages would cause them to have incompatible personalities, that they might not get along well with each other but now, it seemed that she and Lu Mingyu had simply been worrying unnecessarily.
After talking with him today, it was obvious that their son had spoken considerably more than he usually did.
It seemed that having a child by his side really had been helpful after all. Having someone to keep him company meant that he would not be so lonely.
“Shiying, I know. Ever since you were little, you’ve always felt unhappy inside. You thought Mom and Dad were too busy with work, that we gave you too little attention and care, that we never worried enough about you, didn’t know how you were doing in school, didn’t know your grades and didn’t even know that you had learned how to cook… I understand that what happened when you were little is still a shadow in your heart. That’s why we’ve never been able to enter your world and you’ve never been able to move past it either.”
Lu Shiying poured a glass of milk for Xiao Ci. His tone remained and indifferent as he said, “I forgot about it a long time ago.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator deserves a little treat too, don’t you think? (´꒳`)♡
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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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