Seeing her adorable little face, Xiao He reached out and scooped Luoluo up into his arms before hurrying after his second brother.
When they entered Xiao Shan’s room, they saw him lying on the bed with a little turtle perched proudly on his chest, staring straight at him with its neck stretched high.
The scene almost made them laugh.
Ever since his injury, Xiao Shan had maintained this cold, distant image—but now that image completely shattered.
After so long caring for Xiao Shan at home, Xiao Lu and Xiao He were already extremely familiar with his routines and needs. The moment he called for them, they knew he needed help relieving himself.
Xiao Lu strode over to the bed, grabbed the little turtle without ceremony, and tossed it onto the floor before helping Xiao Shan sit up and moving his legs toward the edge of the bed so he faced outward.
The turtle was so frightened that it instantly shrank its head into its shell.
Even after landing upside down on all fours in the air, it refused to poke its head back out for a long while.
“Little Turtle!”
Seeing the turtle lying motionless on its back, Luoluo immediately struggled down from Xiao He’s arms in alarm, rushed over, and picked it up to comfort it.
Perhaps because Grandma always backed her up now, Luoluo was no longer quite as afraid of Daddy as before.
She puffed out her little cheeks and looked accusingly at Xiao Lu.
“Daddy bad! Little Turtle hurts!”
Even Xiao Shan looked disapprovingly at Xiao Lu.
“Couldn’t you be gentler? Why do you always have to be so rough? What if you killed her little turtle?”
The moment he finished speaking, he noticed Xiao Lu and Xiao He staring at him like they’d seen a ghost.
“What are you looking at me like that for?” Xiao Shan snapped irritably. “Wasn’t I right? Xiao Lu, why are you bullying a little child?”
Then he gently rubbed Luoluo’s head, switching instantly into a completely different, much softer tone.
“Luoluo, can you take Little Turtle outside to play for a while and wait for Eldest Uncle, okay?”
“Okay!”
Feeling that Eldest Uncle was much gentler than Daddy, Luoluo’s affection toward him immediately deepened. Hugging the turtle, she happily skipped toward the doorway.
But when she reached the door, she suddenly seemed to realize that Daddy and Uncle were helping Eldest Uncle because they had something very important to do.
So she turned around, clenched her tiny fist seriously toward Xiao Shan, and encouraged him loudly:
“Eldest Uncle, fighting! You can do it!”
Xiao Shan, who was desperately holding in his pee while waiting for her to leave: “……”
He was just trying to pee. What exactly was he supposed to “fight” for?
“Pfft—”
Xiao Lu and Xiao He burst out laughing at the same time.
Rarely seeing his elder brother rendered speechless, Xiao Lu grinned wickedly and, while helping him relieve himself, deliberately copied Luoluo’s tone.
“Big Brother, fighting! You can do it!”
Xiao Shan: “……”
Couldn’t they let him pee in peace?
When Luoluo said it, it sounded adorable.
When Xiao Lu said it, it only made people want to punch him.
Beside them, Xiao He had already collapsed laughing onto the bed.
Seeing Xiao Lu’s punchable grin, Xiao Shan couldn’t help laughing too as he lightly punched him once.
“Get lost. Still laughing? Where exactly did you find such a treasure?”
Xiao Lu instantly became smug.
“My biological daughter. What, jealous? Want me to hand her over to you and let her be your daughter instead?”
Xiao Shan punched him again, this time more seriously.
“What nonsense are you talking now? Since you brought her home, then raise her properly. Stop fooling around all the time. If you’re a father now, then act responsibly.”
Seeing his elder brother suddenly lecturing him again, Xiao Lu clicked his tongue but didn’t argue.
At that moment, he actually felt that maybe the silent, black-faced version of his brother who lay in bed all day wasn’t so bad after all.
Watching his lively elder brother and the long-lost warmth between the three brothers, Xiao He’s eyes couldn’t help reddening.
Just this alone made him feel that his mother was right.
Luoluo truly was their family’s lucky treasure.
Thinking about the soft, fragrant little bundle he had held in his arms earlier, he finally understood why his eldest brother had changed so much.
Faced with such a soft and adorable little girl staring at you with clear eyes full of dependence and concern—
Who could possibly resist her?
Meanwhile outside, the moment Luoluo stepped out carrying the turtle, Lu Suzhen immediately scooped her up and kissed her several times.
“Our little treasure must be hungry after waking up. Grandma will take you to eat.”
Holding the turtle in one arm and wrapping the other around Lu Suzhen’s neck, Luoluo deliberately lowered her voice and whispered into her ear:
“Grandma, Luoluo wants to tell you a secret. Don’t tell Daddy, okay?”
Lu Suzhen cooperated fully, leaning closer and whispering back:
“Okay, sweetheart. What secret? Grandma promises not to tell him.”
“Eldest Uncle smiles the prettiest. Even prettier than Daddy. Luoluo likes Eldest Uncle.”
Luoluo spoke in what she believed was an extremely tiny whisper.
Unfortunately, it was still loud enough for anyone nearby to hear clearly, making Lu Suzhen burst into laughter at her adorable seriousness.
The old woman and child continued whispering conspiratorially as they headed toward the kitchen.
Since the kitchen was a bit dark, Lu Suzhen simply moved a small stool outside into the courtyard for Luoluo to sit on while eating.
This was Luoluo’s first proper meal in their home, so Lu Suzhen had specially steamed a bowl of egg custard for her.
The smooth golden custard was topped with bright green chopped scallions.
The sight instantly made Luoluo drool—only for her to loudly slurp the drool right back in.
“Grandma, the eggs smell sooo good…” Luoluo’s eyes sparkled brightly as she beamed happily. “It smells just like what Nanny Wang makes!”
Nanny Wang?
Lu Suzhen raised her brows slightly.
That sounded like the way wealthy households referred to servants. She had heard similar titles before.
Their little treasure’s previous family clearly wasn’t just ordinarily rich.
Looks like she really was the daughter of some wealthy household.
And yet such a wealthy family had no place for a three-year-old child.
That He family really was…
Forget it.
Now that her son had brought the child home, Luoluo belonged to their family.
From now on, she would cherish her properly.
Thinking this, Lu Suzhen felt even more heartache for the child.
“Come on then, little treasure, eat your egg custard.” She placed the spoon into Luoluo’s small hand and urged her to hurry and eat.
Luoluo scooped up a trembling spoonful of custard—
But instead of putting it into her own mouth, she offered it to Lu Suzhen instead.
“Grandma eat, ahhh—”
Looking at the spoon being offered to her, hearing that soft childish voice and seeing Luoluo obediently opening her own mouth wide as if demonstrating, Lu Suzhen’s heart melted completely.
Such a good child belonged to their family now.
What a blessing.
Following Luoluo’s hand, she ate the spoonful and smiled warmly.
“Little treasure should eat. Grandma already ate earlier.”
“So yummy~ Luoluo likes it!”
The silky egg custard melted instantly in her mouth, making Luoluo’s eyes light up at once.
Only after hearing Grandma say she had already eaten did Luoluo finally begin eating properly herself, one bite after another.
She ate the bowl spotlessly clean, carefully scraping every bit from the sides with her spoon before licking the spoon happily afterward.
Looking at the empty bowl and her granddaughter’s satisfied little face, Lu Suzhen smiled so widely her eyes nearly disappeared.
“Good, good! A child who eats well is blessed. Our little treasure will definitely grow up strong and healthy.”
Just then, the half-closed courtyard gate creaked open slightly.
A nosy woman from next door, Auntie Li, poked her head inside.
“Suzhen! Finished eating yet? Going to gather pig grass on the back hill? Oh? Where’d this little girl come from?”