『Host, a task is here.』
Shu Xian, who had been a little drowsy at first, was instantly roused by 006’s voice.
『What task?』
『Say to Li Wu, “My parents are on your side, so you’re pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you?”』
Fine.
Not that outrageous. Acceptable.
That really did sound like something he would say in his current identity.
“Father.”
Shu Xian had only ever called the dean “Father”; this was the first time he had ever called someone else that.
“Mm, you understand much more now after not seeing you for a while.”
This kid was actually taking the initiative to call him that.
“Buy whatever you like.”
Shu Zhen put the black card in his hand.
“Thank you, Father.”
Hehe, a black card!
Shu Xian was thrilled.
“The day after tomorrow is Li Wu’s birthday banquet. I hope you don’t cause any trouble there.”
“Dad, what do you mean by that?”
Wasn’t that basically saying he would make trouble?
Though he really would cause trouble.
“How can you talk to the child like that?”
Qi Yue rebuked Shu Zhen.
“Shu Shu is very well-behaved now; he won’t cause trouble like you said.”
Qi Yue spoke up to smooth over the tense atmosphere.
“Dad, you have to trust brother.”
Li Wu also said from the side.
Now was the time. Shu Xian found his chance.
“My parents are on your side, so you’re pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you?”
“Heh, who asked you to speak up for me?”
After saying that, Shu Xian got up and ran upstairs.
“Stop right there and come apologize!”
Shu Xian completely ignored Shu Zhen’s shouting from behind him, ran back to his room, and locked the door.
Hehe, perfect~
『Congratulations, host. Task completed.』
Exhausted after a long day, Shu Xian lay down and fell asleep at once.
A peaceful night’s sleep.
Li Wu probably wouldn’t be mad at him. Shu Xian prepared himself to be scolded by his parents and went downstairs for breakfast.
“Did you sleep well, sweetie?”
Ms. Qi affectionately called to her son.
“I slept very well.”
Shu Xian nodded.
“Hah, the only one who slept well is him.”
Shu Zhen snorted coldly.
“Enough, stop talking.”
Ms. Qi cut him off.
“Sweetie, don’t mind your dad.”
“Come, have a bowl of the porridge Mom made.”
Shu Xian obediently nodded and took it, then took a sip.
“Thank you, Mom. It’s delicious.”
It was warm, fragrant, and tasted like home.
“Good, if it’s tasty, drink more.”
Ms. Qi’s favoritism and affection instantly made Shu Xian’s eyes turn red.
Where his parents couldn’t see, he wiped away his tears.
“Brother…”
Li Wu noticed and called him softly.
“It’s fine.”
Shu Xian lowered his head and continued eating breakfast.
The meal was fairly harmonious.
Shu Xian and Li Wu sat in the living room.
“Brother, don’t be sad. I’m here with you.”
Just now, when he saw Shu Xian with red-rimmed eyes, his own heart ached.
“Mom and Dad both love you very much.”
Li Wu comforted him again.
“Mm, thank you, little brother.”
Shu Xian ruffled his hair.
Little Li Wu was far too kind. What would he do if he got bullied later on?
“Don’t be so kind in the future. If someone insults you, insult them back. If someone hits you, hit them back ten times harder.”
“Did you hear me?”
“I heard you, brother.”
“Brother, I will protect you in the future too.”
Li Wu said to him seriously.
“Hehe, okay. You protect me.”
Ms. Qi came out of the kitchen and was very happy to see how well the two were getting along.
Look at that. How nice this is, the two brothers supporting each other.
With Li Wu helping Shu Xian in the future, everyone in the Shu family could feel at ease.
That child, Li Wu, had a good heart. Even though he wasn’t a biological brother, he took very good care of Shu Xian.
“Brother, did you go buy me a gift yesterday?”
Li Wu looked at him happily.
Shu Xian knew it had to be that big-mouthed Gu Tingyuan.
“Yes. I picked a gift that suits you very well. It’s especially pretty.”
A platinum-silver necklace would look wonderful around Li Wu’s fair neck.
“I’m really looking forward to the gift brother is giving me.”
“Hehe, just wait and see.”
Soon it was the next day.
『006, how many tasks are there today?』
Shu Xian stood on the second floor, looking at the servants busying themselves and the many guests.
Today he was going to make a complete fool of himself in front of all these people.
He held his forehead and laughed bitterly. He really had it tough.
Wuwuwu.
『Host, do the first task first.』
006 did not dare say everything at once, afraid Shu Xian would go on strike.
『Say to Li Wu, “Gu Tingyuan came because of me, because of the Shu family, not because he wants to attend your birthday banquet.”』
…
Might as well die.
Shu Xian closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out again.
Just then, Li Wu came over.
“Come here.”
Shu Xian waved him over and found a corner with fewer people.
“What is it, brother?”
After glancing left and right, Shu Xian said:
“Gu Tingyuan came because of me, because of the Shu family, not because he wants to attend your birthday banquet.”
『Congratulations, host. Task completed.』
Yes! Temporarily off work.
“Hehe, how do you know I came to attend because of you?”
A familiar, obnoxious voice sounded from behind him.
Shu Xian turned around and clearly saw the person in front of him, and he froze.
Gu Tingyuan smiled wickedly and stared straight at him.
“You guessed right. I really did come because of you.”
Shu Xian lowered his head awkwardly, his toes starting to curl.
So embarrassing.
But at least only the three of them were here.
Just as Shu Xian was thinking about digging a hole to crawl into, Ms. Qi called him over.
“Shu Shu, come over to Mommy for a moment.”
“Coming.”
Shu Xian ran happily toward Ms. Qi.
Ms. Qi really was his savior.
“The words are exactly the same, aren’t they?”
Gu Tingyuan said while looking at that cheerful back.
“Mm.”
“You don’t seem surprised? What else do you know?”
Gu Tingyuan shifted his gaze to Li Wu.
This Li Wu was calm beyond reason.
“That’s true. He must have been giving you plenty of sarcasm and ridicule at home, right?”
After a long silence, Li Wu said:
“Shu Xian, you can’t touch him.”
“Heh, I like him too much. How could I bear to touch him?”
Gu Tingyuan automatically ignored the other meaning in Li Wu’s words.
“Brother is mine.”
Li Wu declared his claim directly.
“Heh, that’s a pity. I like him a lot too.”
“Shu Xian, I’m getting him no matter what.”
Gu Tingyuan was no less willing to back down.
Their eyes met, undercurrents surged, and the atmosphere was frighteningly still.
But in Shu Xian’s eyes, they were exchanging flirtatious glances.
Shu Xian sat with one leg crossed, cracking sunflower seeds, wearing an auntie-like smile.
Not bad at all.
Perhaps sensing the scorching gaze from afar, the two of them both turned toward the source of the stare.
What a well-matched pair. Shu Xian couldn’t help raising both thumbs, then pressed the two thumbs together and kissed them, signaling for them to continue.
Neither of them wanted to be misunderstood, so they both walked toward Shu Xian.
Shu Xian didn’t want to be a third wheel, so he stood up and ran to Ms. Qi’s side.
“Mom, I want to stay with you.”
Shu Xian hooked his arm through Ms. Qi’s.
“All right, be good and help Mommy entertain the guests. Li Wu, you come too.”
Ms. Qi pulled Li Wu and Shu Xian along.
Gu Tingyuan shamelessly followed behind them.
“Isn’t it crowded?”
Shu Xian turned back and said.
“Not crowded. My world only has you and me. Not crowded at all.”
Gu Tingyuan said in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Shu Xian punched him straight away.
Li Wu is right here, and he’s still being so shamelessly flirtatious.
“Shu Shu, you can’t treat a guest like that.”
Ms. Qi just happened to turn around and see Shu Xian’s action.
“He deserves it.”
“Right, Shu Shu is right. He deserves it.”
Gu Tingyuan said with a smile to Ms. Qi.
So it was just roughhousing. Ms. Qi let them be.
“Who gave you permission to call me that?”
His skin was crawling.
“Oh? I can’t? I think it sounds pretty nice.”
“Shu Shu” sounds very well-behaved.
“No way. Even our Li Wu has never called me that. What business is it of yours?”
“Brother!”
Li Wu, who had originally been a little jealous seeing Shu Xian and Gu Tingyuan messing around, instantly felt his mood brighten when he heard Shu Xian say, “our Li Wu.”
Seeing Li Wu staring at him blankly, Shu Xian was charmed again.
He reached out and gently patted his head. He had styled it today, so he didn’t want to mess it up.
“Happy birthday, little Li Wu.”
Shu Xian took out the necklace.
“Tada! Do you like it~?”
“I like it. Thank you, brother.”
“Let me put it on for you.”
“Okay.”
Shu Xian wrapped both hands around his neck, fastened the necklace, and then straightened the pendant on his chest.
“It looks really nice.”
“It’s because brother has good taste; the one you picked out is really beautiful.”
Li Wu fiddled with the necklace on purpose or not, showing it off to Gu Tingyuan.
“Shu Shu’s taste really is good. The watch he picked for me is especially nice too.”
Gu Tingyuan raised his hand slightly. The movement pulled his clothes back, and when he withdrew his hand, the watch was just revealed.
Then he lowered his head and fiddled with it.
“This one was pretty expensive; it cost Shu Shu a month’s allowance.”
“Yours seems cheaper.”
Brother bought him a watch?
Li Wu became a little unhappy. He tugged at Shu Xian’s sleeve. “Brother?”
“Ignore him. The main reason I bought yours was that that day happened to be his birthday, so I bought it as well.”
If Gu Tingyuan keeps talking like this, he’ll really be headed for a wife-chasing crematorium in the future.
He’s beyond saving.
“Oh, so it was bought as a side thing.”
Li Wu nodded and curved his lips.
He didn’t even need to think to know Gu Tingyuan must have coaxed brother into buying it.
Something obtained through coaxing isn’t sincere.
Heh, and he still wants to compete with him.
“Shu Shu helped me try it on for a long time, chose from a lot of them, and finally picked this one.”
“It’s really nice, right?”
Gu Tingyuan reached out and waved his hand in front of Li Wu’s eyes.
“Enough, you’re really putting on a show.”