Ning Hai's schedule has always been chaotic; he always comes home in the middle of the night.
The silence of the night seemed to amplify Ning Hai's voice, making him seem like the very embodiment of clamor.
The sound of banging hard on the security door, or the heavy slamming of the door after entering, the sound of shoes being kicked off and clattering against the shoe cabinet, the sound of keys being thrown on the dining table.
These sounds, louder than an alarm clock, always startled Wanqiu awake from his sleep.
“When Dad comes home at night, he will... wake me up, sometimes he won’t.”
If Ninghai calls Wanqiu, Wanqiu will immediately get up and come to Ninghai's side.
However, sometimes Ninghai would go directly to his room to sleep, while Wanqiu would just lie down.
Chu Yigui understood.
After Ninghai returns home, two completely random paths will unfold for Wanqiu.
This is unpredictable and depends entirely on Ninghai's mood.
In a world where everything is black and white, no effective judgment can be made about something that has no pattern.
Wan Qiu chose to stay awake, listening to Ning Hai's voice and waiting for Ning Hai's instructions.
And the act of 'playing' can produce random consequences depending on the circumstances.
Some parents dislike their children playing all the time, while others are willing for their children to play. This, like Ninghai's feelings, is something that Wanqiu cannot predict.
Wanqiu's approach to random events is to treat them all as things that will happen and to take serious precautions against them.
For example, as long as it's not asleep, it can immediately react to Ninghai's movements.
For example, as long as you don't get addicted to playing games, you won't be disliked by your parents.
Chu Yigui remained silent, lost in thought, gazing intently.
Before him, the fragile, sensitive Wanqiu timidly watched the unpredictable events unfold.
"Brother, do you like pineapple?" Chu Yigui asked.
Wanqiu could almost taste the pineapple—sweet and sour, with a rich aroma, and bursting with juice as she bit into it…
Wanqiu's memories of fruit have always been quite clear.
Seeing Wan Qiu's reaction, Chu Yigui asked, "Does your mouth hurt when you eat pineapple, brother?"
Chu Yigui's words were somewhat unexpected for Wan Qiu. After thinking back for a moment, he seemed to remember that he did indeed feel pain.
It stings, not very painful, but uncomfortable, as if there's an invisible little crack on your tongue that you'll notice.
Wan Qiu nodded.
“Eating pineapple can cause pain.” Chu Yigui tapped her lips with her slender finger. “Will you refuse to eat pineapple because you’re afraid of the pain?”
Wan Qiu shook her head. Although it would hurt, it wouldn't hurt too much, and it tasted delicious.
“After you eat the pineapple, the pineapple will punish you.” Chu Yigui paused, waiting for Wan Qiu to understand before continuing, “If the pain isn’t unbearable, you can continue, right?”
Wan Qiu looked at Chu Yigui and felt that it seemed to be true, but it also seemed not to be true.
It was a strange metaphor, but what Chu Yigui said was absolutely correct, causing Wan Qiu to nod blankly and acknowledge Chu Yigui's logic.
"Then let's try a few more times," Chu Yigui said. "Whether it's more joy or more pain, it's like eating a pineapple."
Wan Qiu blinked, a hint of fear welling up in his eyes. He wasn't afraid of pain, he just didn't want to be punished.
Everyone was unhappy when he was punished.
"Wanqiu, Ninghai is gone." Chu Yigui tried to calm Wanqiu down. "Now you have new parents."
Wanqiu's eyelashes trembled slightly, reflecting the light under the bright lights of the night, but unable to penetrate into those dark pupils.
Wanqiu was fearful.
However, the seeds of trust in Chu Yigui, under Chu Yigui's diligent cultivation, gradually took root in the soil, sprouting tender green shoots and innocently exploring the world.
The tiny leaves nodded in agreement with the hardworking gardener.
Wanqiu washed his hands and finished eating.
But next to him was placed a freshly cut apple.
Wan Qiu has always had a thing for fruit.
"Did Mom hold your hand properly today?" Chu Yigui seemed to have already finished the conversation; this time it was just casual chatting.
"No," Wan Qiu answered honestly.
"Were you scared when you let go?" Chu Yigui thought for a moment, then rephrased, "What did it feel like?"
Wan Qiu racked his brains, searching for words that could express his thoughts at the time: "Gray...no sound, can't see much...can't move...can't do anything..."
Chu Yigui knew that all the adjectives Wan Qiu used expressed 'fear'.
“But…” Wan Qiu unconsciously touched the bracelet on her wrist. The loose bracelet looked somewhat out of place on her slender wrist.
Wan Qiu pursed her lips slightly, and under the bright incandescent light, her subtle smile was clearly visible.
“You said this would help me find you, that I wasn’t lost.” The small bracelet gave Wan Qiu a sense of security. “You said you could find me even without the bracelet.”
These two sentences became a calming agent to soothe Wanqiu's emotions.
The thought that he would never be abandoned again stabilized Wanqiu's precarious nerves regarding the possibility of being abandoned.
They will be found.
Someone will find him.
This idea was incredibly precious to Wanqiu.
The unassuming epiphyllum, whose blooming moment is difficult to capture, suddenly bloomed before Chu Yigui's eyes in the dead of night, fleeting yet leaving behind a moment of stunning beauty.
Chu Yigui looked closely, not missing a single detail.
Therefore, I was attracted by the details.
He taught Wanqiu to smile, but he never expected to receive such an excellent assignment from his student on this ordinary evening.
Chu Yigui consciously covered half of her face with one hand and looked away.
Excellent students can give teachers a sense of accomplishment, but sometimes they can also put pressure on them.
For example, right now.
Chu Yigui's mood, in the end, could no longer maintain its usual composure, revealing a slight, almost imperceptible fluctuation.
——
Chu Jianshu, who was leaving the study to return to his bedroom, noticed that the kitchen light had suddenly been turned off.
He saw Wan Qiu emerge from the kitchen from the shadows and turn the corner back to his room.
Chu Jianshu lowered his head and could see that Chu Yigui was not in a hurry to leave.
He returned to the living room, picked up the thick foreign language book again, but just stood there frozen.
Chu Jianshu could only see Chu Yigui's back, but not his expression.
Chu Jianshu couldn't guess what had happened between the two children.
Chu Yigui seemed to sense the movement. She turned around and was still the excellent and composed child that Chu Jianshu knew.
"Yi Gui." Perhaps because it was late at night, and because he hadn't spoken for several hours due to work, Chu Jianshu's voice was deeper than usual. "Interested in talking?"
It was too late, so Chu Jianshu wasn't wearing his formal daytime clothes. His silk black loungewear had a softer look under the night light, making him less stiff than he had been during the day.
Chu Yigui went to the kitchen and poured Chu Jianshu a cup of tea. The gentle aroma of tea filled the living room, soothing the dark atmosphere.
“I’ve been so busy with Wanqiu’s affairs lately that I haven’t had a chance to have a proper talk with you.” Chu Jianshu looked at Chu Yigui in the dim light. “Thank you for your hard work and dedication all this time.”
“Helping my parents is something I should do,” Chu Yigui replied.
Chu Jianshu knew what kind of answer Chu Yigui would give, and he didn't pay much attention to such a polite response.
"Yi Gui, how many years have you been living in this family?"
“This is the seventh year,” Chu Yigui said.
"Has it been that long?" Chu Jianshu said with some emotion, "Although you are an adopted son, you are more like my child. You are excellent, ambitious, and meet all my requirements for a child. You are truly impeccable."
Although Chu Jianshu stopped, Chu Yigui did not answer immediately.
Chu Jianshu gave a wry smile: "I guess it's because I'm getting older, and my perspective on things has changed. After bringing Wanqiu back, I feel that maybe I've been too harsh on you."
Chu Yigui smiled and said, "It's already very good for me and my brothers that Dad can think this way now."
Chu Jianshu did not answer immediately, but instead picked up his teacup. The aroma that filled his mouth made him feel more relaxed.
This is calming tea, specially selected by Chu Yigui.
“Yi Gui, when I adopted you, I didn’t hide anything from you. I named you Yi Gui. Don’t you have a lot of grievances?” This time, Chu Jianshu didn’t want to hear Chu Yi Gui’s polite words, so he looked directly into Chu Yi Gui’s eyes.
Chu Yigui received the serious signal and pondered for a moment: "At first, I was indeed a little uncomfortable."
Chu Jianshu fell silent. Chu Yigui's words were not too definitive, as if she were saying, "I don't care anymore," or as if she were expressing, "I've gotten used to it."
“But now, you are not a substitute for us,” Chu Jianshu said.
At this moment, Chu Jianshu looked up and saw Chu Yigui smiling. Her smile was gentle and she seemed quite happy. In the dim light, she looked much more real than during the day.
"Whether I feel uncomfortable or not, I am truly grateful to my parents for adopting me," Chu Yigui said.
Chu Jianshu put down his teacup, the slight clinking of glass and porcelain breaking a slight stagnation in the slowly flowing atmosphere.
"Yi Gui, you are our child, you have the right to express your dissatisfaction." Chu Jianshu said earnestly, hoping to get a good look at Chu Yi Gui's true thoughts. "Do you have any complaints about us?"
Chu Yigui shook her head without any hesitation: "Dad, I'm not lying to you."
Chu Jianshu knew very well that Chu Yigui was close to them, or rather, even closer to them than Chu Zhang and Yang Ze.
This closeness, more as a son than as a source of comfort for Yang Xiaoyu, played a significant role in comforting her.
He has always grown up in accordance with their expectations for children.
The reason Chu Jianshu adopted Chu Yigui was because this child was unique among children of the same age.
“Yi Gui, I have a question.” Chu Jianshu decided to finally voice what had been on his mind all along. “When Ning Hai and Ning Qiaozhen returned home, why didn’t you say anything to us during those few hours at the Ning family’s house?”
Chu Yigui fell silent.
The silence, which didn't immediately answer the question, made Chu Jianshu realize something.
Chu Yigui knew that Wan Qiu was injured and also knew what had happened at that time. Now Chu Jianshu wanted to know why Chu Yigui chose not to say.
However, the silence did not last long. Chu Yigui spoke up: "I took it upon myself to do this, and I am truly sorry."
Chu Jianshu ignored the apology and instead asked, "Yi Gui, I want to know what you're thinking?"
Chu Yigui lowered her eyes, her tone becoming much calmer: "I just feel it's not suitable."
"Unsuitable? What?" Chu Jianshu pressed for details.
"Dad hopes that my brother can completely sever his relationship with his adoptive parents, so that no matter what happens, he won't change his mind."
Chu Jianshu couldn't refute Chu Yigui's words; it was indeed true. Even after witnessing Wan Qiu's injury with his own eyes, he hadn't gone back on his word.
"Mom isn't feeling well. What would have happened if she had known about this beforehand?" Chu Yigui closed her eyes, as if she could already see what would happen after the failure.
Whether Chu Jianshu would ultimately decide to submit to Yang Xiaoyu and try to influence Wan Qiu again in the future, or simply suppress Yang Xiaoyu, the two disagreed but endured it and continued.
Neither of these options is a good decision.
Neither of these approaches is fair to Wanqiu.
Chu Yigui chose to conceal it from the beginning, thus eliminating this dilemma altogether.
Chu Jianshu is ruthless.
His status and position would not make him kind.
The connection between Wanqiu and her adoptive parents cannot be severed. Given the greed of those adoptive parents, it is entirely foreseeable how much impact this will have on Wanqiu's future.
Wan Qiu was very stubborn and obsessively trusted Ning Qiaozhen without any doubt.
Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai could use this little bit of leverage to tightly control Wan Qiu, which would harm Wan Qiu and threaten the Chu family.
Chu Jianshu would not allow such a thing to happen.
Moreover, as time continues to drag on, no one can say for sure what Chu Jianshu will do, or what Ning Hai and Ning Qiaozhen will do.
Chu Jianshu remained silent for a long time.
After understanding Chu Yigui's thoughts, he suddenly realized that it was not so much Chu Yigui's own judgment, but rather the 'most predictable' judgment made by Chu Yigui after considering the current situation.
Even now, Chu Jianshu still thinks Chu Yigui is an outstanding child.
However, Chu Jianshu's views are gradually wavering, and he is realizing that his influence on the children may not be entirely positive.
This strange sense of collapse persisted even after I truly reconnected with Wanqiu.
Now, having heard Chu Yigui's thoughts, Chu Jianshu truly saw through Chu Yigui the coldness in his own approach to educating his child.
Chu Yigui grew up in the way he wanted, but now he actually doubts whether his educational approach was correct.
"What...do you think of Wan Qiu?" Chu Jianshu asked after a long time.
The silence of the night is more unbearable than that of the day.
Chu Jianshu waited quietly for Chu Yigui's answer, and he bluntly brought up the topic.
Chu Yigui's attitude towards Wan Qiu is enough to show whether he resents what he and Yang Xiaoyu did to him.
Chu Jianshu vaguely felt that he had become less strong in a short period of time.
The more he looked at Wan Qiu and Chu Yigui, the more he realized how much he, as a father, had been inconsiderate.
When Chu Yigui spoke, Chu Jianshu was unusually nervous.
"I just... can't let go of my brother..." Chu Yigui lowered his eyes, only able to see the shadows of his eyelashes under the dim light, but not his emotions, "I just... can't let go of him."
Chu Jianshu considered every possibility, but he didn't understand what 'can't let go' meant.
However, Chu Yigui's words came to an abrupt end there, and no matter how long Chu Jianshu waited, he could not get any further information.
“I’m sorry, Dad, I might not be able to express myself well right now.” Chu Yigui broke the silence first, making the silence between father and son less oppressive. “But maybe it’s not as complicated as you think.”
Chu Jianshu sighed: "If you have anything to say, Dad will listen to you."
"Thank you," Chu Yigui said with a smile. "Since finding my brother, Dad has become much more humane."
Chu Jianshu, however, said with a stern face, "It seems I really don't have much of a human touch usually."
Chu Yigui laughed, a laugh that was clear in the darkness, yet not noisy.
Under the dim light, it seems to be a loving parent and child having a warm and comfortable conversation.
Chu Jianshu told Chu Yigui to go to sleep and watched her leave.
The tea on the table had gone lukewarm, but Chu Jianshu showed no sign of leaving.
He had always been very satisfied with Chu Yigui, whether it was Chu Zhang or Yang Ze. Chu Yigui was a child he was very proud of.
He always thought he was standing on a high wall, looking down on his children and controlling everything about them.
But now Chu Jianshu realized his own arrogance.
Chu Yigui is like an iceberg submerged in water. Standing atop the high walls of the icy plain, he will never know how much of this iceberg is hidden beneath the surface, or how much he can actually see.
Or perhaps Chu Yigui himself didn't know.
Chu Yigui returned to her room, closed the door, quietly washed up, and went back to bed.
It was as if this sudden conversation had not brought about any change in him.
Lying in bed, Chu Yigui opened her eyes.
How did he view Wanqiu?
Even Chu Yigui himself couldn't give a definite answer.
But he would always recall that night when Wan Qiu opened the wardrobe, and in the dim light of the building across the street, he saw Wan Qiu's eyes.
He was wounded, and his blood, darker in the night, stained the pure with evil.
Only those eyes were clear, transparent, and empty.
But at that moment, he was enveloped in Wanqiu's eyes, and those eyes were looking at only him.
It was just him.
In his dreams, in his leisure time, those eyes lingered in his mind, becoming clearer and clearer with each passing moment.
——
Yang Xiaoyu has been having a very happy time these past few days.
Her third son, Wanqiu, is very cute. Although he doesn't talk much, he always does adorable things.
However, Yang Xiaoyu has also been in some pain these past few days.
She abandoned all her work to find Wanqiu, and now she only wants to give Wanqiu all her time. But now her work is constantly pressuring her.
"What's with the rush? Does the company have to stop running without me?!" Yang Xiaoyu received another phone call during breakfast and angrily slammed down her chopsticks. "I already told you I'm busy, don't these people understand what 'busy' means?!"
Wanqiu subconsciously looked at her angry mother, seemingly trying to find a reason to appease her.
However, Wan Qiu was also well aware that it was not his place to interfere in work-related matters.
"You can go back and handle it. We'll take care of Wanqiu here," Chu Jianshu said. Yang Xiaoyu spends almost all her time with Wanqiu, so the time they can spend with Wanqiu is practically zero.
"But I haven't spent much time with my baby yet. What if he forgets me in this short time?" Yang Xiaoyu was genuinely worried and didn't quite trust Wan Qiu's memory.
“Wanqiu isn’t that fragile, before…” However, Chu Jianshu’s words did not continue.
Everyone present knew what Chu Jianshu meant: even without Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai by his side, Wan Qiu could live on his own and still be so devoted to Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai.
Yang Xiaoyu ran her fingers through her long, curly hair: "This is so annoying, otherwise I'll take my baby with me."
Chu Jianshu frowned: "Wan Qiu isn't very familiar with this place yet. Going to even more unfamiliar places will be very confusing."
Yang Xiaoyu looked at Wan Qiu, who sat quietly in his seat, the breakfast on the table untouched.
Chu Jianshu continued, "If necessary, I can take Wan Qiu to the company, but..."
Yang Xiaoyu raised her eyes with an unfriendly expression, wanting to hear what Chu Jianshu had to say.
Chu Jianshu, who was already used to his wife's volatile temper, continued, "Yi Gui is still on summer vacation, so she can take care of Wan Qiu during this time. If all else fails, the housekeeper can also help take care of her."
The butler, Bai, bowed respectfully, clearly willing to take on the task.
Yang Xiaoyu turned her head to look at Chu Yigui.
There is no doubt that Chu Yigui and Wan Qiu have always gotten along very well.
However, it seems that Chu Yigui is not particularly concerned about taking care of Wanqiu.
Wan Qiu, who was at the center of the incident, did not understand what was being discussed.
Everyone was speaking very fast, so he could only catch less information.
Knowing only that the matter being discussed concerned him, Wanqiu unconsciously began to feel anxious.
"Yi Gui, do you have any suggestions?" Chu Jianshu suddenly turned the topic to Chu Yi Gui.
“Perhaps we should give my brother some time of his own.” Chu Yigui’s tone was always slow, and Wan Qiu could always understand what Chu Yigui meant more clearly. “If my brother is all alone, he will have his own ideas.”
Yang Xiaoyu remained silent for a few seconds.
During this time, Wan Qiu had been by her side, always following her lead.
Even though Yang Xiaoyu believed she was doing what Wan Qiu liked, she didn't know if Wan Qiu was truly willing.
But just as Chu Yigui said, Wan Qiu had his own ideas.
For example, he once chose to make a living by collecting garbage, and he would contribute by doing housework at home.
And it cannot be denied that the work there really needs her.
Yang Xiaoyu refused to leave, hoping that Wanqiu could soon feel a sense of belonging here.
Perhaps by stepping away from me for a while, Wanqiu could have more time to think for himself.
Here, you don't have to worry about Wanqiu being bullied, not being able to afford the food she wants, or not being able to do anything.
Yang Xiaoyu cupped Wan Qiu's face in her hands and saw that Wan Qiu's eyelashes trembled slightly, a sign of unease.
"Baby, Mommy will be leaving for a while, is that okay?" Yang Xiaoyu knew that Chu Jianshu and Yang Ze would take good care of Wanqiu even if she left for a while, but she was still reluctant to leave.
“Mm,” Wan Qiu replied.
However, Yang Xiaoyu could only manage a bitter smile.
Wan Qiu answered the question by looking into her eyes. His agreement was not an expression of his own opinion, but rather a reading of her certainty that she was determined to leave.
"Baby, Mommy will come back soon to watch cartoons with you." Although Wan Qiu was watching cartoons next to her during this time, she was working remotely.
Wanqiu didn't understand why she had to go out to work and why she had to mention herself.
He has no necessary connection with his work, but his work is more important than him.
There's nothing to hesitate about, so why doesn't Mom want to go?
For Wanqiu, no matter where her mother is, as long as she eventually comes back, she will return here.
Then he would have nothing to fear.
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