A faint aroma wafted from the kitchen in the morning as the chef busily prepared breakfast. Breakfast would be served soon.
As the chef was frying eggs, a sudden chill ran down his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. He felt as if something was staring intently at him.
Although he felt it was unlikely that anyone would come to the kitchen at this hour, the strange feeling wouldn't go away. He tentatively turned around and suddenly met a pair of eyes. The chef was so startled that he jumped and almost dropped the spatula.
After calming down, they realized it was their little master who had just been brought home yesterday.
How come you've been standing here so quietly?
Wanqiu stood in the kitchen, a tiny spot in comparison. For the first time, the chef realized just how big the kitchen actually was.
The chef wiped away his cold sweat, calmed his frightened heart, and tried to smile kindly: "Is the Third Young Master hungry? Breakfast will be ready soon. You can wait in the restaurant."
The chef faced Wan Qiu, who, after hearing his words, did not leave the kitchen but instead walked to his side.
"What's wrong, Third Young Master?" The chef looked at the young man beside him with a puzzled expression.
"Third Young Master?" Wan Qiu clearly didn't realize that 'Third Young Master' was being addressed to him.
The chef paused for a moment, then, remembering Wan Qiu's intellectual disability, immediately changed his form of address: "Wan Qiu, you can go to the dining room and wait a bit; breakfast will be ready soon."
Upon hearing this, Wanqiu obediently... returned to her original spot.
The chef was cooking, but he was very uneasy while cooking.
He was just found, and Wan Qiu, the head of the Chu family, has been keeping a close eye on him.
That look made the chef feel uneasy, and his hands became hesitant.
Finally, the chef glanced at Wan Qiu helplessly, but just that one glance made Wan Qiu seem to receive some kind of command and return to the chef's side.
The chef was startled. What... what exactly is this going to do?
"Are you hungry? How about I prepare something to eat for you first?" The chef felt a little uneasy being stared at like that. Had he unintentionally offended Wan Qiu? Or had he made something that Wan Qiu didn't like to eat?
However, Wanqiu lowered his head and shook it.
The cook complained incessantly, refused to eat, and wouldn't leave. What was he doing just staring at him like that?
The chef caught sight of Yang Ze appearing by the door out of the corner of his eye and immediately cast a pleading look his way.
But Yang simply shook his head, indicating that he should continue talking to Wan Qiu.
The chef was in a terrible predicament.
"What can I do for you?" Wan Qiu asked, probably noticing that the chef hadn't moved for a long time.
The chef paused, then, as he looked, suddenly realized something.
He thought Wan Qiu wanted to make a request but didn't know how to communicate, so he kept staring at him. He never expected that Wan Qiu was a well-behaved and considerate child who was hesitating about how to help him with his work.
"No need, it's alright. You don't need to do anything, I can handle it. Just wait for your meal." The chef was flattered.
However, Wan Qiu did not leave; he simply took two steps back and stood a short distance away.
Quiet, obedient, and always ready to be ordered around.
The chef raised an eyebrow, and Wan Qiu immediately lowered his head, refusing to look at the chef.
The chef's expression froze. Had he scared the person?
Yang Ze finally came from behind Wan Qiu through the kitchen door while the chef was suffering, and put a hand on Wan Qiu's shoulder: "Third brother, good morning."
Wan Qiu raised his head, looking up at Yang Ze with a bewildered gaze, and said, "Good morning, Second Brother."
Yang Ze's hand, which was on Wan Qiu's shoulder, hung in mid-air, not daring to exert any force, even feeling that the weight of his arm could crush the thin boy.
"Why are you standing here?" Yang didn't dare to speak too loudly, but the noise of various kitchen utensils made him have to speak loudly. He was secretly worried that his expression might be too serious, and that speaking too loudly would frighten Wan Qiu.
But Wanqiu didn't seem to care. He simply replied, "Waiting for someone to help me cook."
"Wanqiu, cooking is my job. You just wait to eat. I really don't need your help." The chef chuckled and immediately stated his position.
Wan Qiu blinked and stared intently into the chef's eyes.
He doesn't help or pay, so why should he be allowed to eat the chef's food?
Ning Qiaozhen would occasionally cook, and Wan Qiu would eat the food she cooked. However, if Ning Qiaozhen cooked and Wan Qiu wasn't there to help, Ning Qiaozhen would definitely get angry.
You have to do something to earn the right to eat.
He can do nothing to help, but he can't leave this place.
Yang hesitated.
When facing Wanqiu, he never understood what Wanqiu was thinking, nor could he guess the reason why Wanqiu insisted on staying here.
I want to offer advice, but I don't know what to say. I'm caught in a dilemma.
When Chu Yigui returned from her morning exercise, she went to the restaurant first and found the three people who were locked in a stalemate in the kitchen.
"What's wrong?" Chu Yigui wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel, lowered his eyes, and glanced at Yang Ze's hand on Wan Qiu's shoulder. Wan Qiu was also looking back at him.
"Young Master, it's like this, Wan Qiu said he would help me cook, but I don't need his help." The chef was sweating anxiously. It was good that he wanted to help, but he was also in a bit of a dilemma if he kept asking for help.
He was paid a high salary and yet he still had his employer cook for him, which was against the rules.
Moreover, Wanqiu's body doesn't look like it can help. What can those thin arms do?
He doesn't knead the dough hard enough, he's afraid of cutting himself while chopping vegetables, and his height makes it easy for water to splash when washing vegetables.
In the chef's eyes, Wan Qiu was a complete young master who wouldn't do such things.
Chu Yigui understood the current situation.
Chu Yigui fixed her gaze on Wan Qiu: "Brother, you don't need to help me. You don't need to do anything. You can eat."
Wanqiu's eyes slowly widened.
The chef's eyes widened. What did that mean? Was he implying that Wan Qiu felt he couldn't eat without cooking something?
Yang moved his lips, seemingly shocked by the reason, but couldn't say anything.
“Brother.” Chu Yigui reached out and tugged at Wan Qiu’s sleeve. The slight curve of the sleeve being pulled made Yang Ze unconsciously release his hand from Wan Qiu’s shoulder. “These are the clothes you wore yesterday. You can change into something else. All the clothes in your room are yours. You can wear them.”
Yang Ze's fingers trembled involuntarily as he realized that Wan Qiu was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
"Second brother, why don't you take me to change into a new set of clothes?" However, while Yang Ze's complicated gaze was fixed on Chu Yigui, Chu Yigui continued, "Second brother has prepared a lot of clothes, it would be a shame if we didn't wear them."
Yang opened his mouth, realizing that Chu Yigui was giving him and Wan Qiu a chance to spend time together.
Yang looked down at Wan Qiu again and asked, "Wan Qiu, are you coming with your second brother?"
Wan Qiu was looking at him, and Yang unconsciously swallowed. He would get nervous when Wan Qiu was watching him.
Fortunately, Wan Qiu nodded and followed Yang Ze.
Watching Yang Ze leave with Wan Qiu, the chef, who had been feeling a chill run down his spine from being stared at, breathed a sigh of relief: "It was quite uncomfortable for me to be stared at like that all the time."
"It's alright, it shouldn't happen again after this time." Chu Yigui was well aware that Wan Qiu wouldn't repeat the mistake of being stopped.
The chef continued cooking with peace of mind, but unconsciously glanced at Chu Yigui, who was standing in the kitchen and hadn't left immediately.
My cheeks, which had just returned from exercising, still had a faint blush from the workout, but now it had completely faded, and my face even looked a little pale.
He slightly covered his mouth and nose with a sports towel, so you couldn't see his face expression, but his eyes were looking down at the ground.
He turned around and left quietly.
These few glances made the chef feel that Chu Yigui was as if he had just been in the crowd, but had suddenly been left behind. Both his emotions and his persona seemed too ethereal.
Deep down, Yang Ze felt a slight anxiety. He couldn't understand Wan Qiu's meaning or know how to get along with her like Chu Yigui did.
Yang Zeming clearly wanted to work on getting to know Wan Qiu better, but it was as if he was holding a fragile crystal, lacking even the courage to polish it a little.
Yang Ze led Wan Qiu to the dressing room in the bedroom. Looking at the clothes, he hesitated for a moment: "This was specially prepared for you by your second brother. Don't you like it?"
Does she only like the clothes her mother gives her?
But judging from Chu Yigui's words, it wasn't that she didn't want to wear it, but rather... she didn't dare?
Looking at the rows of clothes that filled the entire fitting room, Wan Qiu's eyes showed confusion, as if asking, "Are these mine?"
Yang understood this signal of confusion.
Chu Yigui's judgment was correct; he could deduce Wan Qiu's behavior simply by observing that Wan Qiu was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
Yang Ze had always known that Chu Yigui was outstanding, but he never expected that his excellence would extend to every aspect of life.
“These are all for you, Wanqiu, they’re for you.” Yang Ze slowed his speech, mimicking Chu Yigui, and sat on the bench in the fitting room, saying to Wanqiu who was looking at him, “I didn’t know what you liked, so I prepared a lot. Wear these for now, and you can buy more if you find something you like later.”
Wan Qiu stared at Yang Ze.
The beautiful eyes reflected Yang Ze's figure, but also revealed Yang Ze turning his head away, showing a faint resistance as he avoided Wan Qiu's gaze.
"Shall your second brother pick out some clothes for you?" Yang Ze stood up and found his preferred style from a whole row of brand-new clothes in the wardrobe, without asking Wan Qiu's opinion again.
A matching outfit was placed on Wan Qiu, obscuring the eyes that had been observing her. Wan Qiu heard Yang Ze's voice: "Can you dress yourself? Do you need my help?"
Wanqiu pulled the clothes off her head. The clothes smelled nice, and the feel of them against her face was pleasant. However, Wanqiu handled them carefully, as if afraid of tearing them.
Beautiful, comfortable, and expensive clothes, as everyone knows, feel like fragile pieces of paper when held in one's hands.
However, the next second Yang Ze took the clothes from Wan Qiu's hands: "Raise your hands."
Upon hearing Yang Ze's words, Wan Qiu subconsciously raised his hands, and Yang Ze immediately took off Wan Qiu's clothes.
Wan Qiu belatedly realized that these were all his clothes, clothes that his second brother had prepared for him.
So many, so many...
He's about to put on one of the outfits.
It's a waste to give him so many clothes. If he gets these nice clothes dirty, won't my second brother be unhappy?
Are these all the clothes he'll ever wear? Even so, it's still a lot. He has to cherish them and wear them carefully.
When Yang dressed Wanqiu, he felt as if he were manipulating a lifeless toy. He could make the toy into any position he wanted, but he would never get a response from the toy.
He helped Wanqiu put on a shirt, stood behind Wanqiu facing the mirror and helped Wanqiu straighten her clothes. When he saw that Wanqiu's hand was still raised, he pressed Wanqiu's hand down with one hand.
However, this sudden turn of events left Yang somewhat stunned.
With one hand, he easily grasped both of Wan Qiu's wrists.
Wan Qiu was so thin he didn't look like a boy.
Yang suddenly realized that Wan Qiu was so easily controlled that he had no basic resistance when faced with any forceful actions.
Just like now, he can do whatever he wants with me.
Even with Wanqiu's intelligence, he probably wouldn't understand the meaning of resistance.
Thinking of the scars covering Wan Qiu's body, Yang Ze's expression turned slightly gloomy.
Will I be able to protect Wanqiu in the future?
Yang Ze's thoughts were in disarray, filled with many strange ideas, but he inadvertently saw the mirror in front of them.
Two figures, one large and one small, overlapped in the mirror, like tiny pine trees surviving at the foot of a massive mountain—slender, straight, and lush, yet so fragile that they would break at the slightest touch.
Wan Qiu was looking at him.
Even through the mirror, Yang Ze could not look Wan Qiu in the eye.
His perception and thoughts about Wanqiu were more complex than he had imagined.
"Thank you, Second Brother." A clear voice suddenly shattered the black ice that was gradually spreading in Yang Ze's heart.
Yang suddenly snapped out of his reverie and met Wan Qiu's eyes in the mirror. The eyes were bright, full of life and color, completely out of place with the filth.
Wanqiu, whom he thought was like a doll, actually possessed a lively and intelligent soul.
Yang responded and distanced himself from Wan Qiu.
It wasn't Wan Qiu who started overthinking when he didn't get a response; it was probably him. Yang Ze felt helpless about himself.
"Honey, why haven't you come down yet?!" Yang Xiaoyu's impatient voice came from outside, and she suddenly opened the fitting room door.
Yang Xiaoyu noticed Wan Qiu's clothes and raised an eyebrow.
Yang chose a very simple and plain outfit: black and white wide-leg pants and a loose short-sleeved shirt. Wan Qiu was already thin, and she looked quite cute wrapped in the loose clothes.
However, it was indeed too big. Although Yang had bought the clothes according to Wan Qiu's height, he didn't know the exact measurements.
Wanqiu is too thin; his clothes don't fill out properly, and they look loose and baggy, as if his pants are about to fall down.
"Aze, although you share my surname, your taste is really far behind mine." Yang Xiaoyu made no attempt to hide her contempt for Yang Ze's aesthetic sense. "Wan Qiu is very pretty and thin. She would be even cuter in a neutral style."
When Yang Ze saw Yang Xiaoyu, he immediately composed himself: "Indeed, Mom is better at dressing up."
Yang Xiaoyu pushed Yang Ze out the door: "Alright, go eat breakfast and get to work. I'm going to be with Wanqiu all day. I can decide what Wanqiu wears, since you won't be able to see it anyway."
Yang was pushed out of the fitting room, the door behind him closed, and he stood at the door, scratching his short hair, feeling irritable and annoyed.
Wanqiu has returned, but it seems that he still has no contact with him.
The feeling of being separated from Wan Qiu made Yang Ze very reluctant.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
Yang was eating breakfast. Because of Wanqiu's matter, his morning was quite rushed, and he needed to get to his father's company as soon as possible.
The breakfast of Chu Jianshu, Yang Ze, and Chu Yigui was silent at the table, as Yang Xiaoyu, who often travels for work, and Anjing's younger brother, who had just been found, were absent.
Yang glanced at Chu Yigui, who was quite a bit older than him but the youngest brother of Wan Qiu, who was the same age as him.
The scene of Yang Ze getting Wan Qiu to understand and obey him with just a few words in the kitchen kept replaying in his mind.
When Wan Qiu returned to the restaurant, he did not change out of the clothes Yang Zexuan was wearing.
However, Yang Xiaoyu changed the style of her.
Yang Xiaoyu tied her oversized short-sleeved shirt around her waist with a thin black belt, while her black wide-leg trousers were irregularly rolled up and clipped with small clips, revealing her delicate calves, which were hidden in white socks and black leather shoes.
Perhaps because it was summer vacation, Wanqiu's hair hadn't been cut and had grown quite long, so Yang Xiaoyu tied it into a small tail.
So cute.
Yang chuckled; their fashion-forward mothers always knew better than them how to dress.
only……
Yang looked at Wan Qiu, while Wan Qiu looked up at Yang Xiaoyu.
Wan Qiu seemed oblivious to the fact that he was dressed up nicely; he paid far less attention to himself than to others.
"Have you all finished your breakfast?" Yang Xiaoyu asked, holding Wan Qiu's hand, as if she wanted to urge them on. "Then you should hurry up and go. I'll take my baby to have breakfast slowly."
Chu Jianshu chuckled, feeling helpless at his wife's blatant attempt to drive him away.
Standing in the entryway, Wan Qiu looked at what she had thought was the entrance to the building, which had now become her home's entrance.
Chu Jianshu was dressed in a casual suit, his suit was sharp and his posture was upright. Standing next to him was Yang Ze, and his younger brother was also dressed in the same style.
Chu Jianshu and Yang Ze are very similar; their temperament, posture, and appearance all reveal a resemblance.
The words "father and son" came to Wan Qiu's mind.
My father and second brother look very similar when they stand together.
Does the ugly self in the mirror bear any resemblance to my father and brother?
"Third brother... Wanqiu." As if to be more intimate, Yang called Wanqiu by name, "Is there anything you want? I'll bring it to you after get off work tonight."
Wan Qiu looked at Yang Ze, who gave him permission to make his request.
But given the lack of any instructions, Wanqiu could only ponder the matter on his own.
Seeing Wanqiu's silence, Yang was about to say something to prompt him, perhaps Wanqiu wanted toys, snacks, new clothes, he could satisfy any request.
Time ticked by, but there seemed to be no response from Wanqiu.
But Yang suddenly heard Wan Qiu's voice: "Pull the cart, summer homework."
What is pulling a cart?
"Do you want a toy truck?" Yang Ze frowned in thought, and besides, summer homework... Does Wan Qiu like doing homework?
"No, I don't want them." However, Yang Xiaoyu suddenly interrupted Yang Ze's thoughts, "What would we do with those things?"
Yang Xiaoyu was so angry at the thought of that little cart that she gritted her teeth.
Summer homework was still in that disgusting rented room, and she hadn't even had time to ask someone to clean it up. Yang Xiaoyu was so disgusted by everything in that rented room that she didn't want to bring even a single thing back to Wan Qiu.
Yang Xiaoyu's tone was really not good. If it weren't for the fact that she was facing her child who had just returned home, and that being too emotional would affect Wanqiu's mood, Yang Xiaoyu would probably be more than just having a bad tone.
Yang subconsciously looked at Wan Qiu, only to see Wan Qiu glance up at Yang Xiaoyu, then lower her head without saying a word, showing no anger or reluctance.
Yang bent down slightly and said to Wan Qiu, "If Wan Qiu doesn't know what she wants, can your second brother decide what to buy for her?"
After getting Wan Qiu's consent, Yang straightened up and began to think about what kind of gift he should give Wan Qiu.
Chu Jianshu stood in front of Wan Qiu, smoothing out the slight wrinkles on his clothes before asking, "Wan Qiu, Dad and your brother are going out to work. Is there anything you want to say?"
Wanqiu was confused. What did he want to say?
"You could say something like 'Take care on the road,' 'Good luck at work,' 'Goodbye Dad and Brother,' or 'I love you all,'" Chu Jianshu suggested.
Wanqiu said obediently, "Be careful on the road, do your best at work, goodbye Dad and brother, love you."
Wanqiu spoke very slowly, but he made sure every word was clear, which made it quite difficult to remember such a long sentence.
Chu Jianshu smiled, reached out and ruffled Wan Qiu's hair. His fingers unconsciously brushed past the little prickly hair tied at the back of Wan Qiu's head. Although the hair was a bit prickly, it felt very soft when he actually touched it.
“Just say one sentence,” Chu Jianshu said. “Wanqiu should also have fun at home with her mother.”
After Chu Jianshu and Yang Ze left, Chu Yigui said, "Mom, the tutor should be here soon. I'll go and preview today's lessons first."
"Want to play together today?" Yang Xiaoyu asked, holding Wan Qiu's hand. "There's no need to study every day during summer vacation, right?"
Chu Yigui refused: "I haven't been studying lately, and I've stood up my teacher for many days. Mom probably wants to spend some time alone with my brother too. I'd better go study first."
Yang Xiaoyu said with a hint of helplessness, "Fine."
Seeing that Chu Yigui had already gone upstairs, Yang Xiaoyu looked down at Wan Qiu, but Wan Qiu's eyes were fixed on Chu Yigui's back.
"What's wrong? Are you lonely because your brother is gone?" Yang Xiaoyu teased.
Wan Qiu looked at Yang Xiaoyu's hand, which was gripping his tightly, and asked, "Aren't I going to study?"
Wanqiu spends her time either cleaning housework or studying.
Ning Qiaozhen also liked him to study.
"What's there to learn?" Yang Xiaoyu refused outright.
She remembered Wanqiu's summer homework; he barely got any questions right in the entire workbook. It was more of a waste of time than a learning experience.
They will hire special education teachers for Wanqiu to provide one-on-one tutoring.
Learning without any progress is not as effective as playing.
Thinking about this made Yang Xiaoyu feel frustrated. She even doubted whether Wan Qiu had been taught the meaning of "playing" at all during Wan Xiaohua and Ning Qiaozhen's teaching.
During the time that Yang Xiaoyu and Wan Qiu got to know each other, she did not see Wan Qiu engage in any 'playful' behavior.
Shouldn't a child learn to play first without being taught?
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