Jiang Ci stretched out his short little fingers and pressed down on the piano keys. One wrong note followed another and his sense of rhythm was wildly off but Lu Shiying did not say a single harsh word. He simply corrected him patiently, gently taking hold of his little fingers and moving them to the keys where they were supposed to land.
“Big brother, Xiao Ci sounds so terrible when he plays.”
Lu Shiying laughed. It really did sound terrible. He was still too young and there were still another two years before he could properly start learning musical notation, so for now, Lu Shiying would just teach him some basic fundamentals.
“It’s okay. We’ll take it slowly.”
The beautiful piano in front of Jiang Ci looked like nothing more than a giant toy. The little boy hummed an off key tune under his breath while randomly pressing down one key after another.
Whenever Lu Shiying felt that the sound had become truly unbearable, he would catch hold of the little boy’s hand and place it together with his own on the keys, playing along with him.
After they practiced for a while, Lu Shiying took him back to his room before turning around and heading to the master bedroom’s bathroom to take a shower.
Jiang Ci hopped down from the bed, his feet landing on the soft floor mat and scampered over to the desk. He opened the cabinet underneath it and began rummaging around for snacks.
In the end, his fingers found a piece of cheese candy. He peeled off the wrapper and popped it into his mouth, slowly chewing as he dug around again and pulled out a large bag of dried mango.
Dried mango with just the right amount of sweetness was the best. It was not overly sweet and it was soft and tender, with a pleasantly chewy, almost glutinous texture in his mouth.
“So yummy. I love dried mango the most.”
The little boy also liked to mutter to himself while eating. He stuffed one slice of dried mango after another into his mouth.
“Ah, ow!” Jiang Ci suddenly cried out, covering his mouth. One of his white baby teeth had fallen out. When he caught it in his hand, he saw that there was still a faint trace of blood clinging to the root.
Jiang Ci’s heart tightened. Big brother had told him before that he must not bleed. He immediately abandoned his snacks and ran to the bathroom door, knocking on it.
Fortunately, when the Lu family ran the bath water, they used showerheads with a very fine spray. The water flowed gently and quietly, making very little noise. Soon, Jiang Ci heard the sound of water stop, followed by hurried footsteps.
Lu Shiying quickly dried the water from his body, threw on a white winter bathrobe and hurried to the door before opening it.
The moment he looked down, Jiang Ci rushed over and wrapped both arms tightly around his leg.
“Xiao Ci, what happened?”
Jiang Ci opened his mouth, then spread his palm and held up the baby tooth for him to see. “It’s bleeding.”
Lu Shiying’s pupils suddenly contracted. He immediately took out his phone and called Dr. Nie.
Ever since Dr. Nie had come over to stay close by, he had been living in the empty villa directly across from them. The black electronic wristband he wore allowed him to answer calls twenty four hours a day. Only a few minutes later, Dr. Nie hurried over.
Jiang Ci lay on the bed while Lu Shiying folded a piece of sterile gauze into a small pad and placed it against his gums, gently applying pressure to stop the bleeding. He did not dare loosen his hold even for a moment.
When Dr. Nie arrived, he opened his medical kit and supported the little boy. “Young Master, let me take over.”
Lu Shiying released his hand. When he saw the blood on his fingertips, his vision went black for a moment. Anxiety and panic surged through him. He had completely overlooked this problem. Jiang Ci had reached the age when he would start losing his baby teeth. Baby teeth naturally became loose and fell out and sometimes there could be a small amount of bleeding.
What was he supposed to do……? In this kind of ordinary, peaceful life, there was no way he could guarantee that Jiang Ci would never bleed, not even once.
“Mm……” Jiang Ci squeezed his eyes shut in discomfort. Dr. Nie took a piece of ice and placed it against the side of his cheek. The cold compress could constrict the blood vessels and help with the bleeding. He then took out thrombin and carefully applied it little by little to the bleeding area with a cotton swab.
Fifteen minutes later, the bleeding finally stopped.
Dr. Nie slowly released his hand and gently cradled the little boy’s soft, delicate face. His skin felt cool beneath his palm. The child neither cried nor fussed, obediently lying there with his mouth open, not daring to move even the slightest bit.
“Young Master, it’s all right now. It was only a baby tooth falling out naturally. The wound is very small, so there’s no need to be overly nervous. The rest of his baby teeth may gradually fall out as well. During this period of changing teeth, he should eat fewer sweets. For the next couple of days, give him soft, well cooked foods so we can avoid any cavities developing. If he gets a cavity that requires extraction, then he’ll have to go to the hospital for surgery.”
Lu Shiying sat beside the bed and glanced toward the desk.
The two bags of snacks were still lying on the floor, the bag of cheese candies and the large bag of dried mango.
Those were the little one’s favorite snacks. He was still too young to understand these things and there was nothing strange about wanting something to eat. This was not his fault.
“Dr. Nie, the side courtyard of the villa is empty. Tomorrow, move your things over and stay in the villa next door, a little closer to us. I’ve realized……I can’t control this. A child can’t possibly go his entire life without ever bleeding. I’ve already been extremely careful……”
The more Lu Shiying spoke, the less confidence there was in his voice. He stood frozen where he was. He had originally thought that he could protect Xiao Ci so thoroughly that nothing could possibly go wrong but only now did he understand that no matter how carefully everything was arranged, there were still many things he simply could not prevent from happening.
And that meant that Jiang Ci would be in danger of losing his life for the rest of his life.
Dr. Nie answered, “All right. If the wound is still oozing blood after twenty four hours, let me know and I’ll give him an injection of clotting factors. There’s no need for an injection for such a small wound. Children are naturally afraid of needles, so as long as I can deal with it another way, I’ll make sure it’s taken care of properly.”
“Thank you.”
Lu Shiying had never been someone who spoke much. Even with the employees he hired, he rarely exchanged more than a few words. This time, however, the gratitude in his voice was completely sincere, reserved and restrained yet unmistakably polite.
Dr. Nie was stunned for a moment.
When he left, he stood at the doorway for quite some time, lost in thought.
He had originally been hired by the old master as Lu Shiying’s private physician, responsible for managing Lu Shiying’s stomach problems and overseeing his dietary health.
Now, it seemed that he was serving only the little young master. The older one had hardly called for him when he was ill a few times. Fortunately, Dr. Nie was highly experienced and something of an all rounder. There was very little he did not know how to handle.
Jiang Ci remained completely still, his mouth held open, both hands resting on his stomach and his two little legs stretched straight out. His round, dark eyes darted back and forth as he watched Lu Shiying without making a sound.
Lu Shiying was amused by the little boy’s foolish expression and let out a helpless sigh before saying, “It’s all right now. You can talk. Don’t lick your gums.”
“Mm……” Jiang Ci was a little afraid to move. There was still a medicinal taste lingering in his mouth and his lips formed a tiny O. Saliva slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Lu Shiying suddenly reached out and caught the drool in his palm, preventing it from running down onto the boy’s neck. He then helped the child sit up and lean against his own chest before taking a tissue and gently wiping the corner of his mouth.
Jiang Ci’s little tongue moved slightly as the medicinal taste slowly faded. When he realized that his saliva kept spilling out, he finally closed his mouth.
Lu Shiying did not show the slightest bit of disgust toward him. He did not even go wash his hands, merely wiping his palm casually before lowering his eyes to look at him.
“Does it hurt?”
Jiang Ci shook his head, his eyes innocent as he raised his little face slightly to meet Lu Shiying’s gaze.
Big brother clearly loved being clean. Saliva was so dirty, so why wasn’t he disgusted by him?
“Big brother……I’m sorry. I did something bad again. The dried mango was so delicious, so……so I couldn’t resist. My tooth……” Jiang Ci touched his cheek. The missing tooth felt extremely uncomfortable, leaving him with an odd, empty sensation where it had been.
“Don’t be scared. Every child has to go through the stage of losing their baby teeth and new teeth will grow in.”
Lu Shiying gently rubbed the top of his head.
“It’s not your fault. It’s because the dried mango was too hard. I’ll throw it away for you later.”
Jiang Ci’s eyes widened.
That dried mango had been so delicious. He didn’t want it to be thrown away.
But……it seemed that he couldn’t eat it anymore.
Most other dried mango products were candied fruit, packed with sugar and concentrated syrup, making them extremely sweet but the imported dried mango Lu Shiying had bought was originally produced overseas. It contained absolutely no additives and was made simply by drying whole, fresh mangoes. It was neither too sweet nor greasy and was soft, tender and delicious while also providing vitamins.
Aunt Chen had said that each of these mangoes cost nine hundred and eighty yuan. There were at least three or four mangoes in this large bag, which meant that the whole bag was worth roughly three or four thousand yuan.
Jiang Ci had already begun learning elementary school lessons in his senior kindergarten class. Lu Shiying had also taught him mathematics before, so he knew that several thousand yuan was a very, very large amount of money.
“Big brother, don’t throw it away.” Jiang Ci tugged at his clothes, his expression pitiful and aggrieved. He sniffled twice, his voice carrying a hint of reluctance. “It’s expensive. It costs a lot of money. It would be wasteful……”
Lu Shiying answered, “I won’t throw it away. I’ll eat it.”
Jiang Ci pouted. Although he was still very tempted by the dried mango, he obediently replied, “All right……”
Lu Shiying lifted the covers and climbed into bed. The moment he was met by the little boy’s fleshy, chilled feet, his eyebrows lifted.
“Why are your feet so cold? Did you go outside barefoot and play again? Even with the air conditioning on, how can it be this cold?”
Jiang Ci stacked his two little feet together and rubbed them against each other, then gave a sheepish little laugh.
“I’ll wear shoes next time.”
Lu Shiying had no way of dealing with him. He picked the little boy up again and carried him into the bathroom. Sitting down on a chair, he poured some warm water into the bathtub and placed Jiang Ci’s two little feet inside to soak.
“It’s hot.” Jiang Ci immediately lifted his feet, his fair toes curling up as he twisted around, trying to escape. “I don’t like soaking my feet.”
“You have to soak them. Don’t move.”
“How is it hot?” Lu Shiying put his hand into the water and tested the temperature. He wondered whether it was because the little boy’s skin was especially delicate, so he added a little more cold water.
“In winter, you’re supposed to soak your feet in hot water. Your constitution isn’t very good, so you catch a chill very easily. I’ll turn up the central heating a little more later.”
“But if the air conditioning is set too high, Big brother will get hot and sweat all over. It’ll feel stuffy.” Jiang Ci tilted his little head back and looked up at him.
“It’s fine. Sweating is good for your body.” Lu Shiying was only worried that he would catch cold.
Jiang Ci shook his head. He thought about it for a long time before remembering a phrase his teacher had taught him.
“Big brother, love is mutual.”
Lu Shiying froze.
He was only six years old yet he had already learned things like this. In just half a year, so many things had somehow been stuffed into that little head of his.
“I have to love Big brother too and understand Big brother.” Jiang Ci wrapped both arms around his arm and rubbed his little head against it twice.
Lu Shiying’s heart softened into a warm, helpless mess.
“Mm. Love is mutual.”
After soaking his feet, Jiang Ci’s little feet finally became warm. They were fair, plump and soft and when Lu Shiying held them in his hands, they were both supple and springy. They were simply too adorable.
Lu Shiying tucked him into the blankets, then gently pried open his mouth to take another look. The wound had already dried into a blood clot and scab and there was nothing wrong with it. Only then did he finally relax and pull the little boy into his arms.
“Go to sleep.”
“Good night, Big brother.”
Just as they were about to close their eyes, the Maine Coon outside came running in. It jumped onto their quilt, curled itself into a little ball, let out a soft “meow,” and then settled down right between them, curling up and falling asleep.
The next day.
It was New Year’s Eve. Outside the window, the wind was dry and bitterly cold. Inside the villa, however, the warmth of the heating mingled throughout the rooms, keeping the chill completely outside and leaving the entire house filled with warmth and harmony.
Jiang Ci woke up sometime after eight.
He raised both hands and rubbed his sleepy eyes, then yawned. His hair was fluffy and tousled, sticking out in every direction. The moment he climbed out of bed, he went looking for his big brother.
Here, the New Year’s Eve reunion dinner was eaten in the morning.
The moment Jiang Ci stepped outside, he could smell the delicious aroma of food.
Inside the living room, the chef was preparing the meal, Aunt Chen was mopping the floor and the servants were arranging flowerpots.
Lu Shiying and Lu Mingyu were talking about work. Neither of their expressions looked quite as unpleasant as they had the previous day.
Jiang Ci carefully made his way downstairs. The moment Lu Shiying looked up and saw him, the little boy ran over and pointed at his own mouth.
“Big brother, can I brush my teeth?”
“You woke up pretty early. Let me take a look.” Lu Shiying gently opened his mouth and inspected it for a couple of seconds before picking him up and carrying him toward the bathroom. “I’ll brush them for you. We’ll only brush the left side and I’ll be gentle.”
“Okay.”
Lu Mingyu stood up and went to see what Ye Manyu was doing in the kitchen.
The woman also wanted to learn how to cook, so the chef was standing beside her and guiding her. When she became distracted for just a moment, the knife slipped from her hand and clattered loudly onto the floor with a sharp “clatter,” startling the chef so badly that he shuddered twice and hurriedly stepped aside.
Ye Manyu said that even her son knew how to cook, so she wanted to learn as well.
Lu Mingyu watched her for quite a while before finally realizing that she was still only suited to being a pampered wife who enjoyed the good life. She still wasn’t even as capable in the kitchen as he was.
……..
Author’s Note :
He ate dried mango and lost a tooth.
Xiao Ci: I shouldn’t have eaten the dried mango.
Big brother: It’s the dried mango’s fault. It’s the dried mango’s problem. What does it have to do with my precious baby?
✦ ✧ ✦
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