Chu Yigui walked past Wan Qiu and opened the refrigerator.

Wan Qiu suspected that Chu Yigui was really hungry, and thought that there was plenty of food in the refrigerator, so it wouldn't take long to cook something simple.

However, Chu Yigui simply took out a fruit he was very familiar with from the refrigerator; it was bright orange and a very beautiful mango.

After dinner, Wan Qiu received a fruit salad, which included mango chunks and was sweeter than the ones he had eaten before.

Wanqiu loves sweet things, and sourness can enhance the sweetness. She simply can't resist the texture and taste of mangoes.

Chu Yigui took a knife and began to cut the mango. The mango was cut into small pieces with excellent knife skills and placed on a small plate with small toothpicks inserted. It was then placed in front of Wan Qiu.

"Have some fruit, then go to sleep." Chu Yigui noticed that Wan Qiu's condition had clearly stabilized.

Wanqiu brushed her teeth last night; her teacher had taught her that she shouldn't eat anything after brushing her teeth.

Eating at night is also not good, Wanqiu doesn't have that habit, and besides, he's not hungry.

Chu Yigui, who had always been keenly observant of Wanqiu's life, was well aware of Wanqiu's concerns.

"Just rinse your mouth after you finish eating. There's no rule about when you have to eat." Chu Yigui was relaxing the rules that Wan Qiu had heard from others.

Wan Qiu wouldn't refuse in the first place, especially after smelling the unique fragrance of mangoes, the sweetness seemed to have already permeated his mouth and tongue, making him unable to stop his mouth from watering.

"Eat."

Chu Yigui's voice was calm, yet it resonated with Wan Qiu's inner struggle, offering the greatest temptation.

Wanqiu used a small toothpick to put a piece of mango into her mouth and chewed it carefully. Perhaps because she was enjoying it, her lips looked softer than usual, and her complexion was rosier.

After the transition from tension to calm, the sweetness upon tasting felt like it seeped into my very being, relieving the fatigue from my constantly tense nerves. The heavy weight on my body seemed to melt away with the sweetness.

Therefore, those subtle joys seem to gradually become more apparent due to the relaxation of the body.

Chu Yigui still remembered the mango that Wan Qiu had given him when she quietly pushed him out the door.

That was probably the most delicious fruit for Wanqiu.

Chu Yigui quietly and silently looked at Wan Qiu, unconsciously thinking to herself.

If every moment Wanqiu is by my side is accompanied by the joy and comfort of being immersed in sweetness.

Could this cause Wanqiu, who isn't particularly bright, to develop a conditioned reflex-like dependence and joy?

After eating one piece, Wan Qiu did not eat a second one.

Chu Yigui received a look from Wan Qiu as she raised her eyes to gaze at him.

Chu Yigui only put a small toothpick in the plate, and Wan Qiu was clearly not smart enough to understand that this was meant for Wan Qiu only.

Perhaps they know, but disagree?

Chu Yigui did not refuse. Using the small toothpick that Wan Qiu had used, she put a piece of mango into her mouth. It was very sweet, and the rich juice filled her mouth. The refreshing sweetness was the best taste she had experienced all day.

Chu Yigui handed the small toothpick to Wan Qiu, who then took a second bite. Chu Yigui then went to get a second toothpick, and they shared the food bite by bite.

Chu Yigui could see Wan Qiu's small, soft, cotton candy-like satisfaction.

And a unique fragrance lingers between one's teeth.

Chu Yigui unconsciously stroked his lips; he didn't actually like mangoes that much.

The fact that he secretly ate mangoes with Wanqiu at night gave him a feeling that he might never forget the sweetness of that night.

Chu Yigui narrowed her lips, unwilling to think about it any further.

"Go back to sleep, don't rush." ​​Chu Yigui shifted all her attention back to Wan Qiu. "You'll have plenty of time to slowly, little by little, adapt."

Wan Qiu looked at him and nodded.

Wanqiu's expression showed complete trust.

As a friend and brother, Wan Qiu trusted Chu Yigui implicitly.

The unease did not dissipate as a result.

But that boundless, restless anxiety that disturbed the tranquility of the autumn did not continue.

"Wanqiu, Wanqiu?! Wanqiu, where are you, Wanqiu!" Suddenly, Yang Xiaoyu's terrified voice, searching for someone, echoed throughout the silent villa.

Wan Qiu put down the plate he had just washed in the water and rushed towards the direction from which the sound came without hesitation, quickly brushing past Chu Yigui.

Chu Yigui followed Wan Qiu's retreating figure, watching Wan Qiu's frail figure stand at the top of the stairs, and called out, "Mom."

Wearing a silk nightgown and with her long hair down, Yang Xiaoyu suddenly came down the stairs and hugged Wan Qiu tightly.

Wan Qiu's frail body was insignificant compared to Yang Xiaoyu, a woman; Yang Xiaoyu's embrace almost completely enveloped Wan Qiu.

Chu Yigui saw Wan Qiu raise his head, his slender hands hanging at his sides, and place them loosely on Yang Xiaoyu's back, as if he could be easily embraced by anyone.

"Why aren't you in your room? Why are you running around like this?" Yang Xiaoyu was still in shock, her eyes filled with barely concealed panic.

He cupped Wanqiu's face in his hands, examining her closely, as if to confirm that Wanqiu was truly standing there, and not suffering from hysteria.

Yang Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to the bewildered Wan Qiu, Yang Xiaoyu seemed to look worse.

Looking at the flustered Yang Xiaoyu, Wan Qiu's observation told him that his mother was very unhappy.

"I won't leave my room casually anymore," Wan Qiu said, tentatively trying to analyze Yang Xiaoyu's expression.

Chu Jianshu, who had come downstairs to comfort the two, stopped in his tracks, and Yang Xiaoyu was also taken aback.

Yang Xiaoyu's expression stiffened, then she suddenly forced a smile: "No, baby, that's not what Mommy meant, Mommy just... just..."

Chu Jianshu stood beside Wan Qiu, his warm, thick hand stroking his hair, and said, "Mom was just a little worried when she saw you weren't here. It's not that you can't leave your bedroom."

Knowing Wan Qiu's mental state, Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu had to be even more meticulous and careful when dealing with him, as any word they uttered could affect him.

Wan Qiu looked at Yang Xiaoyu. Although Yang Xiaoyu was not 'happy', her 'unhappiness' seemed to have dissipated.

Wanqiu had a strange feeling.

Whether it was Yang Xiaoyu's embrace or Chu Jianshu's caress, Wan Qiu felt strange. It wasn't unhappiness, but rather a feeling that carried a certain warmth, yet was unfamiliar...

It's not about asking him to do something exactly as instructed, but rather about asking him to give an answer.

Wan Qiu recalled what Chu Yigui had just said.

Slowly.

Little by little.

"What's wrong? What happened?" A maid who lives here came out in her pajamas, seemingly having heard the commotion.

They are neighbors, and they are disturbing the neighbors.

Wan Qiu's body instinctively wanted to step forward and apologize, but Chu Yigui's words confused him.

Chu Yigui said, "This place, this very, very big place, is all home."

Are all these people relatives?

"It's alright, go back to sleep." Chu Jianshu had obviously noticed Wan Qiu's condition and said to the people around him, "Go to sleep, Wan Qiu won't feel comfortable with too many people around."

"Yes, sir." Several servants who had opened the door returned to the room.

However, this little incident did allow the stagnant air to start moving again.

“Mom and Dad aren’t angry.” Chu Jianshu stared intently into Wan Qiu’s eyes, squatted down so Wan Qiu could better observe his expression, and placed Wan Qiu’s little hand on his face. “Look, Mom and Dad aren’t angry.”

The touch was unfamiliar, and Wan Qiu's hand remained stiff, afraid to make any move.

However, judging from Wan Qiu's attitude, this is not rejection.

This was the first time in Wanqiu's life that he had felt so close to his family; he had never touched his father's face before.

What kind of tactile sensation is it?

Wan Qiu tried to move his fingers to feel it, but he was so stiff that he could only lift his hand with Chu Jianshu's support.

"It's too late, Wanqiu should go to sleep too." Chu Jianshu knew that many things couldn't be rushed, so he quietly reached out and gently patted Yang Xiaoyu's back a few times. "You must be very tired today."

“Sweetie, how about you sleep with Mommy and Daddy tonight?” Yang Xiaoyu said.

Yang Xiaoyu had already made this request that evening, and Wan Qiu would not refuse, but Chu Jianshu did.

Chu Jianshu believed that Wan Qiu had received too much information today and needed some private time to adjust his state.

However, Chu Jianshu now clearly sensed that, compared to Wan Qiu, who needed to be dealt with gradually, his wife was obviously still in an unstable state, and this time he would not stop her.

Wanqiu, however, would not refuse any request.

Chu Jianshu watched as Yang Xiaoyu led Wan Qiu upstairs, said goodnight and sweet dreams to Yang Ze who had been watching, and then disappeared back into the room.

Chu Jianshu then turned his attention back to Chu Yigui, who had been silent from the beginning and seemed to be non-existent.

"Yi Gui, are you alright?" Chu Jianshu asked.

"Why would Dad ask that?" Chu Yigui tilted her head. "Do I look bad?"

Chu Jianshu narrowed his eyes, but in the end he just smiled and said, "It's just because your mother didn't talk to you. I was afraid you would feel unbalanced, so I wanted to tell you not to mind it too much."

"It's alright, Dad, I don't mind." Chu Yigui said calmly, as if nothing had affected him at all.

Chu Jianshu did not answer immediately.

However, Chu Yigui took the initiative to say, "I heard Wan Qiu open the door and was a little curious about what he wanted to do. I didn't expect to see him looking at the refrigerator when I followed him. The way he looked at the refrigerator was like he was looking at a treasure."

Mentioning Wan Qiu's eyes, Chu Yigui smiled. His cheerful and clear smile made the already handsome young man even more uniquely dashing.

"Really?" Chu Jianshu felt much more relaxed upon seeing that smile.

“He has always liked refrigerators, or rather, he likes the feeling of having plenty of food. The refrigerator at home must make him feel very safe.”

Chu Yigui sighed, her tone gentle and soft, with a lingering smile.

“I cut him a mango, and he not only ate the flesh but also ate the pit clean. Seeing that, I wanted to cut him another one.”

Chu Jianshu remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "Thank you for always taking care of Wanqiu."

Chu Yigui said, "Wanqiu is my parents' child, and he is my older brother."

Chu Jianshu said goodnight to Chu Yigui and watched Chu Yigui leave.

Chu Yigui has always been a smart, cheerful child who doesn't get stuck on trivial matters, so Chu Jianshu has always been very at ease with her.

When Wan Qiu was being pulled by Yang Xiaoyu, he was looking at Yang Xiaoyu's wrist.

Wan Qiu has been pulled many times so far, but only Yang Xiaoyu makes him feel soft.

It felt like squeezing a sponge, sitting on a sofa, stepping into sand, or sinking into a soft bed—a feeling of being unable to exert any force.

Lying in the middle of the huge bed, Yang Xiaoyu lay beside him in the darkness.

"Baby, have you ever slept with someone else before?" Yang Xiaoyu's voice sounded much more reassured than before. She placed her hand on Wan Qiu's wrist, and the feeling of skin against skin gradually calmed Yang Xiaoyu's heartbeat.

“Yes,” Wan Qiu said.

Yang Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised: "With whom?"

"Grandma," Wan Qiu said, referring to Wan Xiaohua.

Mentioning the crazy woman who took Wanqiu away, Yang Xiaoyu felt a surge of resentment, but she couldn't cut off Wanqiu's contact like she had with Ning Hai and Ning Qiaozhen, since the woman was already dead.

She really didn't want to mention Wan Xiaohua at all, but for some reason, she felt a bit competitive.

"Does the baby prefer to sleep with Mommy or Grandma?"

Wan Qiu did not answer.

In the dark room at night, Wan Qiu couldn't see Yang Xiaoyu's expression, and he couldn't answer such a question.

Yang Xiaoyu didn't receive a reply from Wan Qiu, and she knew why.

Yang Xiaoyu wanted to know whether that crazy woman named Wan Xiaohua, who stole Wan Qiu and took her home, had ever treated Wan Qiu well, even for a tenth of the time.

“Be nice to Mom.” However, Yang Xiaoyu suddenly received this answer.

Wan Qiu was nervous.

He needs to be smarter.

Will Mom be happy with this answer?

"Haha, okay, Mommy also loves sleeping with you, baby." Yang Xiaoyu was amused by Wan Qiu's words and suddenly smiled, casting aside all her gloomy thoughts. "Baby, would you like Mommy to sing you a lullaby?"

Yang Xiaoyu couldn't see the tiny, fleeting joy in Wan Qiu's eyes in the darkness at successfully making Yang Xiaoyu laugh.

Yang Xiaoyu began to sing slowly.

Wan Qiu lay flat on the bed and heard Yang Xiaoyu's lullaby.

Yang Xiaoyu's singing voice is very beautiful, as if you are by a spring in a village, where the quiet mountain spring water is gurgling and the leaves are rustling softly.

All of these sounds would calm him down.

As Yang Xiaoyu sang, the bedroom door opened and closed again, and Wan Qiu felt a tall figure lie down on his other side.

That's Chu Jianshu.

"Wanqiu, close your eyes." Chu Jianshu's steady male voice was even deeper because of the night, and together with Yang Xiaoyu's lullaby, it was like a soothing melody that brought dreams. Wanqiu closed his eyes.

Chu Jianshu rhythmically patted Wan Qiu's bedding, as if he were treating an infant, one pat, one pat, one pat...

Wanqiu listened to these sounds until she fell into a deep sleep.

A sound like nature itself.

It was as if the voice was always there beside him.

Wanqiu finally quietly released her hand, which had been curled up in the quilt.

Even Ning Qiaozhen didn't sleep with him.

Perhaps today's parents are a little different from those of the past.

He might not be as disliked as he was before.

Wanqiu opened his eyes on time the next day.

But this morning, I had to breathe more rapidly than usual.

He had a very bad dream.

My dream contains snowy landscapes and scorching heat, half of it is icy cold and half is scorching hot.

He walked alone, walking and walking, until he shattered.

It was a dream.

Thankfully it was just a dream.

In his dream, the pain, like fine needles piercing his body, seemed to have spread to the present moment when he opened his eyes.

Summer mornings always come especially quickly, but the heavy blackout curtains block out most of the light, almost perfectly blocking the morning sun from entering the room.

The air didn't feel stuffy this morning; the summer heat seemed unable to affect this room at all.

There was an unfamiliar breathing sound in my ear.

Wan Qiu turned his head to look beside him and immediately saw Yang Xiaoyu.

Even without makeup, Yang Xiaoyu is very beautiful. At this moment, she is leaning against Wan Qiu's arm, as if she is deliberately holding Wan Qiu's arm next to her cheek.

Wan Qiu looked at Chu Jianshu, who was also quietly closing his eyes and breathing calmly.

Wan Qiu blinked and suddenly thought of Wan Xiaohua.

He slept with Wan Xiaohua because there was only one bed in that dilapidated house.

Wan Xiaohua was a restless sleeper and snored frequently at night. She never brushed her teeth and rarely took a bath. In addition, elderly people always had a special smell, as did the musty smell in the air, the smell of poultry manure, and the unique smell of the earthen house, which were the familiar smells to Wan Qiu.

But now...

The incredibly soft bed that Wanqiu found unbelievable, the faint scent of plants in the air, and the quiet breathing of her parents as they slept soundly all gradually washed away the trembling that Wanqiu had felt from her dream.

Can two homes feel so different?

Wan Qiu tried to sit up; he never stayed in bed too long. But suddenly, an arm pulled him into a tight embrace.

Wan Qiu turned his head to look at Yang Xiaoyu, who was half asleep with her eyes closed, and heard her drowsy murmur of dissatisfaction: "Baby, sleep a little longer."

Wan Qiu was held in Yang Xiaoyu's arms.

Yang Xiaoyu then made another request.

Even though she was still a little dazed, Wan Qiu relaxed her body and nestled quietly in Yang Xiaoyu's arms, but her eyes were wide open as she stared intently at the magnificent chandelier in the room.

Ten minutes later, Wan Qiu suddenly heard Chu Jianshu say from the side, "Aren't you sleepy anymore?"

Chu Jianshu's voice was no longer sleepy; he watched Wan Qiu for as long as she had her eyes open.

Wan Qiu turned to look at Chu Jianshu, and Chu Jianshu was looking at him in return.

"Sleep a little longer. You went to bed very late last night. Children need enough sleep to grow up healthier." Chu Jianshu's voice was soft and reassuring.

Even though Wan Qiu always gets up on time, no matter how late she goes to bed, she still closed her eyes after listening to Chu Jianshu's words.

However, Wanqiu could obey any request, but he couldn't accurately control his sleep; he simply couldn't fall asleep.

Lying still while fully conscious and doing nothing is a very tiring experience.

Small things that you wouldn't normally pay attention to, minor physical discomforts, are magnified when Wanqiu closes her eyes, making her feel very uncomfortable.

But Wanqiu just stood there, stiff and motionless.

These minor discomforts are nothing to be ashamed of.

However, Wan Qiu heard Chu Jianshu sigh: "Silly child, I'm not saying you have to sleep. If you can't sleep, there's no need to force yourself."

Chu Jianshu could feel Wan Qiu's stiff body and his restless, slightly trembling eyelids; it was clear he couldn't sleep at all.

"Silly baby," Yang Xiaoyu whispered in Wanqiu's ear. She was still very sleepy. After all that trouble, she finally felt at ease bringing Wanqiu home, but she still couldn't get a proper rest. The thought of Wanqiu waking up beside her made it impossible for her to fall asleep.

Wan Qiu opened his eyes, looking completely bewildered.

Yang Xiaoyu held Wanqiu's head in her arms. Although she couldn't fall asleep, she still couldn't open her eyes. Instead, she was more interested in chatting about the morning.

Is your baby having trouble sleeping because they're not used to it?

Wan Qiu said, "Adapt."

"The baby woke up so early?"

“I wake up at this time every day.” Wan Qiu doesn’t even need an alarm clock; he will always wake up.

"My darling is so amazing, how did she develop such a habit?" Yang Xiaoyu murmured as if in a dream.

“At my grandma’s house, I have to get up early to do farm work; at my mom’s house, I have to get up early to cook and go to school. I don’t have an alarm clock,” Wan Qiu replied, giving only the most basic reasons.

Wan Xiaohua wouldn't buy Wan Qiu an alarm clock, and Ning Qiaozhen didn't even remember.

Wanqiu, who never makes requests, never thought she would need an alarm clock.

Yang Xiaoyu took a while to react; it was just a murmur between sleep and wakefulness.

But now she's frowning and her eyes are wide open.

I can't sleep.

Wanqiu's IQ is not high.

He has to put in more effort than the average person to remember many things.

But what made Wanqiu remember these things was not only the effort, but also survival and life.

Survival forced Wanqiu to become obedient and self-reliant.

But Yang Xiaoyu felt it was better to stay under his wing and be a happy little fool.

Yang Xiaoyu hugged Wan Qiu's hand tightly and wouldn't let go.

I wanted to say something to comfort Wanqiu, but I realized that nothing I said would make any difference.

Even with language, Wanqiu could only hear the most superficial level. She couldn't understand Wanqiu's heartache and sadness; she could only feel uneasy.

Chu Jianshu sat up, lowered his eyes, and ruffled Wan Qiu's hair: "Good morning, Wan Qiu."

Wan Qiu struggled to turn around from Yang Xiaoyu's embrace: "Good morning, Dad."

As she spoke, Wan Qiu pursed her lips, blinked, and a small spark ignited in her clear eyes.

Chu Jianshu thought for a moment, could it be that saying "good morning" made him so happy?

"Go wash up quickly. Dad and Mom will go back to your room to wash up. After you're done, Wanqiu can go to the dining room to wait for Dad and Mom." Chu Jianshu was very gentle. He bent down and kissed Wanqiu on the head, and then kissed Yang Xiaoyu.

Wan Qiu blinked, sat on the bed, and watched Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu leave.

The spot on my head where my dad kissed me still feels a little hot; it's very noticeable.

Wan Qiu touched it with her fingers, but it didn't feel very hot. She pursed her lips and blinked in confusion.

The blankets still held the warmth of my parents, but they quickly cooled down again under the air conditioning.

Standing in the huge, luxurious, and spacious bathroom, Wan Qiu looked at herself in the mirror with a toothbrush in her mouth.

In the extremely bright mirror, Wan Qiu carefully examined himself.

Her skin was dull and yellowish, which clashed with her pretty and comfortable pajamas, making her look even worse in the morning than she did the night before.

Wan Qiu felt somewhat disappointed, and Chu Yigui's image involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

Chu Yigui is really good-looking.

If the person standing in the mirror wasn't yourself, but Chu Yigui, that strange, incongruous feeling would disappear.