Wanqiu returned home and sat in his large bedroom.

The suitcase she had brought back was at her feet, but Wanqiu did not start immediately today.

Wan Qiu was still in a daze, not yet realizing that he had already left Chu Zhang's side.

But then his phone rang; it was Yang Xiaoyu.

"Mom?" Wan Qiu's voice rang out in the empty room.

"Honey, are we home yet?" Yang Xiaoyu asked Wan Qiu.

Yang Xiaoyu called back from abroad just to confirm that Wanqiu had arrived home safely.

"Mmm," Wan Qiu replied, and before Yang Xiaoyu could speak, she asked, "Mom, do you like your little brother?"

Yang Xiaoyu answered without hesitation, "Of course I like it, why do you ask that, baby?"

Wan Qiu said, "Isn't the younger brother a substitute?"

Yang Xiaoyu paused for a moment, then said, "Mom will never confuse Yigui and Baobei."

"Is that really not it?" Wan Qiu asked.

"Of course, trust Mom. Yi Gui is Yi Gui, and Bao Bao is Bao Bao. Mom can tell the difference very clearly."

Wan Qiu was much happier because of Yang Xiaoyu's affirmation.

Wanqiu said, "My older brother told me that my parents never abandoned me."

Yang Xiaoyu's voice sounded almost imperceptible on the other end of the phone; Wan Qiu couldn't tell if it was a soft laugh or a sigh.

"Yes, we've been looking for the treasure."

Wanqiu sat on the bed, looking around the room.

He has two rooms, one here and the other next to his parents' room.

It is said that these two rooms were prepared for him, and were originally his rooms.

"Thank you, Mom," Wan Qiu said.

Yang Xiaoyu, on the other end of the phone, smiled and said, "Thank you too, darling."

After Yang Xiaoyu hung up the phone, her smile faded, but it didn't disappear completely.

Although Chu Zhang is always cunning and slippery in his dealings, he is always serious when facing Wan Qiu.

She should occasionally praise her eldest son.

Yang Xiaoyu thought to herself.

Wan Qiu and Chu Yigui spent the summer vacation together. Wan Qiu entered the sixth grade, while Chu Yigui entered the third year of junior high school.

Although it was only junior high school, it was a school that placed great emphasis on education and grades, and Chu Yigui became extremely busy starting from the third year of junior high.

Chu Yigui's studies became increasingly heavy. Even though Chu Yigui learned very quickly, she still had to do pre-reading, reviewing, and other similar tasks every day.

When Jiang Chengfeng was tutoring Wan Qiu in sixth grade, he couldn't help but sigh, "Even though no one else was forcing him to pursue perfection, Chu Yigui is really the most self-disciplined student I have ever seen."

Wan Qiu also felt that Chu Yigui was really working very hard, in light of what Jiang Chengfeng said.

There were many more exams in the third year of junior high school, and Wan Qiu also looked at Chu Yigui's test papers, which were basically all full marks.

Even with Jiang Chengfeng's tutoring, Wan Qiu only managed to pass.

His younger brother is really amazing.

"I wonder which high school he'll go to. If Chu Yigui's grades are good, he'll probably go to a really good high school."

When Wan Qiu looked up at him, Jiang Chengfeng also asked Wan Qiu a question.

"When Chu Yigui goes to high school, she may not be in this school anymore. Will Wan Qiu be disappointed?"

Wan Qiu was stunned.

"Won't they be together?" This was the first time Wan Qiu had come to realize this.

“There are several high schools in the city, right? Your current school only has an elementary and junior high section. You’ll definitely have to go to another school for high school,” Jiang Chengfeng said to Wan Qiu.

Wan Qiu lowered his head, gripped the pen in his hand, and unconsciously spun the pen tip in circles on the workbook, but couldn't write anything.

His assignments were mostly blank.

Chu Yigui's homework was very different from his.

It was clean and neat, full of pages, but it was homework he couldn't understand.

He and his younger brother are different.

He's so stupid, stupider than anyone else.

His younger brother is very smart, smarter than anyone else.

Will he and his brother be separated because of this?

"You two must be very happy to be together like this every day."

Jiang Chengfeng also felt somewhat emotional.

"As we grow older, we inevitably go our separate ways with our childhood playmates."

Jiang Chengfeng was simply reminiscing about his past.

Unbeknownst to them, Wan Qiu's handwriting became slightly messy after hearing those words, compared to his usual seriousness.

Wan Qiu thought about it a lot.

He took the initiative to find Chu Yigui and talk about further education.

Chu Yigui said, "I will attend the high school that my eldest and second eldest brothers attended."

After all, it was a high school arranged by the Chu family, so it must be the best.

Moreover, Chu Yigui's grades allow her to choose any high school at will.

Wan Qiu counted on her fingers: "I'm in sixth grade, so my brother is in ninth grade. When I'm in junior high, my brother will be in high school. When I'm in high school, my brother will go to university..."

Wanqiu looked up blankly at Chu Yigui.

Does that mean we can never be together?

“Even if we don’t go to the same school, we’ll still live together, right?” Chu Yigui said without any resentment. “I have never planned to separate from my brother.”

Wan Qiu asked eagerly, "Really?"

Chu Yigui smiled and said, "I never lie to my brother."

"What about university?" Wan Qiu asked. "Professor Jiang said the university we were going to was in another city, so we won't be together then?"

“I plan to take the entrance exam for a local university, and I will still stay with my brother.”

Wan Qiu hesitated, somewhat bewildered.

Chu Yigui spoke very casually.

It seems like a good thing.

But Wanqiu also felt that this might not be a good thing.

Jiang Chengfeng said that with Chu Yigui's grades, she would definitely be able to get into a very good university. Although the local universities are good, they are still different from other well-known universities.

Wanqiu could not clearly understand the difference between ordinary and well-known.

But he knew that when buying groceries, if he had enough money, he would definitely choose the freshest and best ones.

Is what my younger brother is doing now—choosing less-than-ideal ingredients?

I don't know why.

I feel a blockage in my heart.

During Jiang Chengfeng's evening tutoring session, Wan Qiu told Jiang Chengfeng about Chu Yigui's plans.

Jiang Chengfeng was also surprised: "If Chu Yigui can maintain such grades, it would be a waste of her talent to attend a local university."

Wan Qiu opened his mouth.

Jiang Chengfeng confirmed his guess.

"This is my choice." Suddenly, Chu Yigui's voice broke into their conversation.

Jiang Chengfeng and Wan Qiu turned around together and saw Chu Yigui standing at the door, his expression calm.

Jiang Chengfeng, with a bit of an adult's mindset, said: "But don't you want to pursue higher education? The better the school, the better the resources."

Chu Yigui said, "I don't have such lofty ambitions. This is the best choice for me."

Jiang Chengfeng's feelings were somewhat complicated. He asked, "Did your family ask you to do this?"

Chu Yigui did not answer.

Jiang Chengfeng glanced at Wan Qiu and couldn't help but ask, "Could it be because of Wan Qiu?"

Wan Qiu was taken aback.

However, Chu Yigui said, "This is my personal matter, Teacher Jiang, please don't pry into my privacy."

Jiang Chengfeng ran into a snag and touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed.

This was probably not a very important conversation; it was very brief.

But Wanqiu thought about it for a long time.

Finally, one day, Wan Qiu took the initiative to find Jiang Chengfeng and said that he wanted to study hard so that he could skip a grade.

Jiang Chengfeng was both amused and exasperated; Wan Qiu's desire to skip a grade was probably just a pipe dream.

However, when Jiang Chengfeng told Chu Jianshu about this, he unexpectedly received a different answer.

"If he can get half the marks, let him skip a grade," Chu Jianshu said.

However, Jiang Chengfeng felt that this was not a good idea.

“Wanqiu is not very smart and learns slowly. Now, doing homework already fills up Wanqiu’s evenings. Adding new courses would be too much of a burden for him.”

“Let him do what he wants. As long as he’s willing to put in the effort, let him give it a try,” Chu Jianshu said. “Success or failure doesn’t matter.”

Jiang Chengfeng had no rebuttal.

Wanqiu is a child of the Chu family, and the Chu family can protect him for life.

Chu Jianshu was more indulgent towards Wan Qiu.

However, given the performance requirements, there should be some expectations.

Following this discussion, Wanqiu gained several new teachers, and in addition to the dance class, Wanqiu also added courses covering junior high school content.

Chu Yigui remained calm after seeing the tutor Chu Jianshu had invited on the first day.

But on this day, while Wanqiu was studying, Chu Yigui was always by her side. She didn't do her homework, nor did she preview or review the material.

After the tutor left, Wan Qiu was organizing his study materials for the day when suddenly a hand pressed down on his textbook.

Long, slender, and beautiful fingers on a white sheet of paper covered with text.

The fingers gripped the textbook tightly, pressing down hard and leaving indentations and wrinkles on the paper.

Wan Qiu's gaze followed the arm, then he looked up at Chu Yigui.

Under the lamplight, Chu Yigui's face seemed somewhat indistinct.

"Why does my brother suddenly want to learn junior high school material ahead of time?" Chu Yigui asked.

Wan Qiu answered honestly as always: "I want to be in the same grade as my younger brother, so we can be together in high school and in college."

Chu Yigui lowered her eyes and looked at Wan Qiu under the lamplight.

Even without Wan Qiu saying it, Chu Yigui already knew that this would be the reason.

Chu Yigui's silence made Wan Qiu think that he had not given Chu Yigui a satisfactory answer.

"I should be in the same grade as my younger brother, or even a grade higher, but I'm just too stupid."

“I could have gone to school with my younger brother.”

"My younger brother can also get into a better university."

Chu Yigui listened as Wan Qiu intermittently recounted his inner thoughts.

He withdrew his hand from Wanqiu's book and quietly curled it into a fist in the shadows where the desk lamp couldn't reach.

“Brother, even if you go straight to the third year of junior high, we might not go to the same high school or the same university,” Chu Yigui said.

Wanqiu looked up, speechless for a moment.

“Brother, there’s no need to force yourself,” Chu Yigui said.

In Wanqiu's pupils, Chu Yigui, reflected in the darkness, was observed and scrutinized.

Chu Yigui finally softened her voice: "Do you want to come with me?"

"Yes," Wan Qiu replied honestly.

"Me too."

Chu Yigui lowered her eyes, gazing at Wan Qiu's face as the lamplight shone more clearly on it, sketching her features.

"So I'll figure something out, brother."

Chu Yigui no longer wanted Wan Qiu's efforts for him.

It's like a basket that's already full; there's no room left for even a single sweet tangerine.

But seeing those fresh, plump, and brightly colored tangerines that couldn't be gathered, the basket was extremely anxious.

"I'll think of something too." Wan Qiu lowered her head. "It's always my younger brother who comes up with the solutions."

Chu Yigui opened her mouth, but didn't say anything.

Wanqiu is gradually developing self-awareness and habits, and he cannot deny Wanqiu.

Wan Qiu simply couldn't understand what these unintentional acts of care and small gestures were actually bringing him.

“Little brother…” Wan Qiu tentatively looked up, “Why are you unhappy?”

Chu Yigui sighed.

In the end, he just smiled and said, "I just hope my brother can have an easier time. The junior high school curriculum is much more difficult than the primary school curriculum, so it will probably be difficult to skip a grade."

"I know," Wan Qiu said matter-of-factly.

Chu Yigui did not ask any further questions.

The topic ended there, and Chu Yigui returned to his usual self.

However, instead of studying alone all the time, Chu Yigui would occasionally attend Wan Qiu's private tutoring classes to guide Wan Qiu.

Surprisingly, Wan Qiu's learning progressed very quickly once Chu Yigui was guiding him.

It seemed that Chu Yigui was born knowing how to make Wan Qiu understand, and Chu Yigui also said that this method could consolidate his learning.

Although Jiang Chengfeng has basically lost the opportunity to tutor Wan Qiu, he still comes here often to assist other teachers.

As Jiang Chengfeng watched from the side, he suddenly realized that Chu Yigui seemed to spend more time tutoring Wan Qiu than a private tutor.

They are truly two studious children.

When Wan Qiu actually went to junior high school, his mission was over.

I'm a little...reluctant to part with it.

During this year, Jiang Chengfeng witnessed Wan Qiu's rapid growth.

People are always changing through continuous learning and changes in their environment, and Wanqiu is no exception.

With the winter break approaching, Wan Qiu and Chu Yigui discussed dedicating the entire break to studying junior high school material.

Jiang Chengfeng, who wouldn't normally come during the holidays, also inexplicably showed up.

Sixteen-year-old Wan Qiu seemed to have grown taller since the summer vacation.

Her already beautiful eyebrows and eyes now possess an added touch of heroic spirit.

Wan Qiu also secretly changed his voice.

From its original childlike, androgynous voice, it has evolved into a gentler tone.

She's probably still going through puberty, and her voice sounds a bit ticklish to the ears.

The doctor told Wanqiu to take care of his voice and to speak as little as possible.

Jiang Chengfeng looked at Wan Qiu, and heaven knows why he felt like he was watching a tender infant suddenly grow up.

Chu Yigui doesn't seem to have changed much; she's always looked the same.

Since Chu Yigui was already quite tall and hadn't grown much taller, Jiang Chengfeng felt that this was normal growth.

Wanqiu is growing up too fast, probably because she's in a good mood and taking good care of herself.

Even though she was studying during the winter break, Chu Yigui wasn't as diligent as she usually is; she spent most of her time with Wan Qiu.

Chu Yigui seems to enjoy learning everything, and even tries to learn the teaching methods of Wanqiu's tutor.

Chu Yigui kept her eyes on Wan Qiu, while Wan Qiu focused on her studies.

One day, Chu Yigui suddenly received a call from the director of the orphanage.

"Yi Gui, it's been a while since we've heard from you," the dean said to Chu Yi Gui in a gentle, slightly amused voice.

Chu Yigui responded with a light smile, "I have been in contact with you, just less frequently."

The dean usually chats with Chu Yigui a lot, but today, after greeting him, the dean suddenly fell silent.

"What's wrong? Dean, what happened?"

Chu Yigui didn't pay much attention, guessing that he might need money, so he was hesitant to ask.

"Yi Gui, are you all alone right now? Is there no one with you?" the dean asked.

Chu Yigui lowered her eyes, stood up, and took her phone to a more distant place where no one would easily hear her: "That's it now."

The dean sighed deeply, while Chu Yigui frowned slightly.

"Yi Gui, how are you doing now?" the dean asked.

"I'm doing very well," Chu Yigui replied.

"You're in your final year of junior high, isn't the workload quite heavy?" the dean asked.

"It's alright, not too difficult."

The dean hesitated for a long time, but Chu Yigui sensed something and said, "I will go and visit during the Spring Festival this year."

If there's anything I can help with on my way back, I can let you know now.

The director understood Chu Yigui's subtext and then said with some hesitation, "A man came to our orphanage saying he was looking for a child."

Chu Yigui's expression subtly darkened upon hearing these words.

“What he said is very similar to the situation when we found you back then,” the dean said.

"Are you saying that he might be my biological father?" Chu Yigui asked directly.

The dean also sighed, and Chu Yigui understood.

“You were adopted through proper procedures, and he shouldn’t be looking for you now. But he says you were lost by someone else and he didn’t know you existed back then. Now he really wants to be reunited with you.”

The dean's voice came through the phone, as gentle as ever.

Chu Yigui leaned against the wall, her expression slightly cold.

"If he really is your father, would you like to come to the orphanage and see this man?" the director asked hesitantly.

Chu Yigui countered, "Did the dean tell him about me?"

“Well, I had no reason to hide it, but I didn’t tell him where you were, after all, you now…” The dean’s voice paused briefly, “you now have a very good family.”

Chu Yigui's voice remained calm as he continued, "Have you told my parents about this?"

“I was originally going to tell them directly, but after thinking about it, I decided to ask you first.”

"Director, please don't tell my parents about this yet. I'll consider whether to visit the orphanage during the Chinese New Year, and I'll contact you again afterward."

"You are a very opinionated child, don't get too hung up on things."

The dean's implicit message after hearing this was that he would consider whether or not to meet with her.

"Thank you, Dean," Chu Yigui replied.

Chu Yigui hung up the phone and looked out the window.

The streetlights outside the villa in winter illuminate the snow piled up along the roadside, making the whole night bright.

The weather is great tonight; it's neither snowing nor cloudy.

Chu Yigui pushed open the window, and the icy cold air instantly invaded his body, wantonly stealing his warmth like a demon devouring it.

Chu Yigui stood in the cold air and exhaled a puff of white mist.

Suddenly a hand grasped his, warm, an oddity against the chill of the winter night.

"You'll catch a cold," Wan Qiu's voice came from behind.

Chu Yigui turned around, and Wan Qiu's tutor was still not far away.

Chu Yigui closed the window and said, "It's getting late, we should take the teacher home."

"Hmm," Wan Qiu said.

"If you still want to learn, I can teach you."

“Okay,” Wan Qiu replied.

Chu Yigui knew that Wan Qiu was watching him.

In the end, Chu Yigui said nothing.

Chu Yigui did not visit the orphanage during the Chinese New Year.

They had a happy and lively New Year together.

A few days before the start of the semester, Chu Yigui called the dean.

Upon hearing that Chu Yigui was going to the orphanage, Wan Qiu naturally assumed that he would go as well.

Having learned from my previous experience, I've managed to pack my own luggage this time.

Chu Yigui looked at the small box that Wan Qiu had already packed and a slightly amused expression appeared on his face.

He told Wanqiu that he wouldn't be gone for long this time and that there was no need to pack so much.

Wanqiu was bewildered and took out quite a few things.

When the director learned that Chu Yigui was going to the orphanage, he specifically asked Chu Yigui whether he wanted to inform his biological father.

Chu Yigui also asked why the dean kept mentioning that man.

The dean said that the other party seemed very sincere.

Chu Yigui could not determine what kind of expression the so-called 'earnestness' was.

While sitting in the car, Chu Yigui instinctively looked at Wan Qiu.

Wan Qiu had no idea who he would meet this time.

He seemed no different from usual, and was even quietly reciting the texts he needed to memorize in junior high school.

Chu Yigui would occasionally offer hints about things Wan Qiu hadn't remembered, and the atmosphere inside the car was no different from usual.

Upon arriving at the orphanage, Wanqiu greeted the familiar director and caregivers.

Everyone was happy because of their arrival, including the children.

They brought candy, toys, new clothes, and other things that children love...

Wanqiu noticed that a few more children seemed to be missing, and there were more unfamiliar faces.

The extra faces are the ones that have been lost.

The children who are missing...

"Was she adopted?" Wan Qiu murmured.

Chu Yigui knew which children were missing.

We also know which ones were adopted and which ones didn't survive the illnesses.

However, Chu Yigui did not intend to tell Wan Qiu.

The dean quietly leaned close to Chu Yigui's ear: "He'll be here today. Does your brother know about this?"

Chu Yigui shook her head: "I don't know."

"So you're planning to let your brother know?" the dean wondered. "If your brother already knows, then you should tell your parents too."

"Just give me a space to talk to that person alone," Chu Yigui said.

The dean looked at Chu Yigui's retreating figure with some concern.

Chu Yigui appeared far too calm.

Every child will have mixed feelings when facing their biological parents.

The dean did not consider Chu Yigui to be an exception.

While Chu Yigui was playing with the children nearby, she noticed Wan Qiu's gaze.

Those mirror-like eyes seemed to be digging into the emotions buried beneath his calm exterior.

Chu Yigui did not run away; he smiled at Wan Qiu.

He will not run away from Wanqiu, nor is there any need for him to.

Chu Yigui, who was playing with the children, heard the dean calling his name.

Chu Yigui stood up and walked towards Wan Qiu.

While Wanqiu and the other children were building blocks, he squatted down next to Wanqiu.

Wan Qiu turned around to look at him.

Chu Yigui rested her shoulder on Wan Qiu's shoulder.

Wan Qiu blinked, then turned her head and leaned on Chu Yigui's shoulder.

Chu Yigui also leaned against Wan Qiu's head.