Wanqiu doesn't quite remember the first time she came to the school.
All he remembered was that Ning Qiaozhen took him there.
Ning Qiaozhen held his hand with a smile.
Even in a completely unfamiliar place, as long as Ning Qiaozhen was by his side, Wan Qiu was able to suppress his fear.
Now that I'm with my dad, wouldn't he be afraid in an unfamiliar place?
"Dad... are you scared?" Wan Qiu asked without realizing it.
Chu Jianshu looked slightly taken aback.
No one ever tried to find out what Chu Jianshu was afraid of, and no one would ask him such a question.
But when Chu Jianshu met Wan Qiu's gaze, he saw his reflection reflected in it.
He was genuinely worried about trivial matters that he couldn't even imagine.
Chu Jianshu sighed, a subtle feeling washing over him, like a gentle stream of water dripping onto his heart, bringing a tingling itch.
Chu Jianshu squatted down and lowered his voice: "Yes, Dad is scared. Can Wanqiu take me with him?"
This is the limit that Chu Jianshu can do.
He could no longer match Wan Qiu's expression more vividly, making a very frightened face.
However, Wan Qiu quietly grasped Chu Jianshu's sleeve, as if wanting to pass on her small bit of courage to Chu Jianshu.
"No... I'm not afraid." Wan Qiu's voice trembled.
Wanqiu, who had never taken on the emotional burdens placed upon him by others, was filled with fear of the unknown when it came to this kind of unknown responsibility.
However, when Chu Jianshu asked for help, the fearful Wan Qiu did not choose to run away. Instead, she clenched her small fists tightly, trying to become his guide.
"Hmm..." Chu Jianshu seemed to be stepping on a gentle breeze, and was actually carried lightly into the sky by the breeze, drifting, with the hem of his clothes held by the clouds, "I'll leave it to Wan Qiu."
Wan Qiu held Chu Jianshu's hand as they moved forward.
Wan Qiu was just casually strolling around the school area, but she somehow ended up looking like she was having a hard time.
If it were an ordinary person, they would probably find it cute.
What Chu Jianshu saw, however, was responsibility.
Chu Jianshu looked at Wan Qiu's slender figure, and his back, which seemed unable to bear anything, yet was the one that truly carried the heavy burden for him.
If he grows old and loses the benefits he can extract, this child will surely stay by his side.
It wasn't because he made an effort for the child, but because that's just his nature.
Chu Jianshu didn't know how much he had to give to deserve such love and trust from this child.
Wan Qiu was indeed very familiar with this place. He remembered every detail around him, and his memory would sometimes surprise Chu Jianshu.
Wan Qiu's descriptions of things are simple, but the things he depicts are so vivid that Chu Jianshu can immediately picture them in his mind.
When Yan Hua was talking to them, she mentioned a possibility.
—Wan Qiu may be very smart, but his intelligence is not the same as the common definition.
Wan Qiu brought Chu Jianshu along; in fact, it was the first time for both of them to enter an unfamiliar store.
The dazzling array of beautiful things that attracted the students' interest, and the very pure colors that attracted Wan Qiu, Wan Qiu looked around for a while, but then went back to look at Chu Jianshu.
They wanted to treat Chu Jianshu better so that he wouldn't be so afraid.
Wan Qiu only had notebooks, mechanical pencils, and various unused erasers he had found, so he couldn't judge which items in the store were the best or which were suitable for Chu Jianshu.
If it were a familiar, used item, Wanqiu could still pick and choose, but the items here were unfamiliar and unique.
Wan Qiu secretly observed Chu Jianshu's expression, trying to find out Chu Jianshu's preference for a certain item.
This time, Chu Jianshu did not refuse.
Just as Yan Hua said, when Wan Qiu was testing their preferences, he was actually making a decision.
The difference lies in whether Wanqiu was forced to make the decision or made it out of his own conscience.
Chu Jianshu always felt that Wan Qiu was always cautiously watching other people's expressions, which was not in line with his educational habits.
But now I suddenly realize that all of Wanqiu's tests were actually subtle expressions of love.
He didn't need these things, that's what he told Wanqiu.
As always, Chu Jianshu would not go against his own wishes to obey his child, but he was willing to give Wan Qiu the right to choose.
In the end, Wanqiu bought nothing.
They instinctively obeyed Chu Jianshu's wishes.
After the last sip of mung bean soup from the small kettle was drunk, Chu Jianshu looked at the empty cup of mung bean soup he had brought.
Wanqiu is indeed not suitable to be a leader who enjoys shopping, nor is this place suitable to be a shopping destination.
Chu Jianshu hasn't used stationery in a long time, nor would he casually walk into a roadside snack street; nothing here interests him.
This was Wanqiu's first time entering the shops along the road to school, and the beautiful, brightly colored items were very attractive to her.
Wanqiu was attracted, but had no intention of obtaining these things.
For things he wouldn't use, Wan Qiu's curiosity was already at its limit if he just glanced at them.
In the end, both of them were left with nothing.
The two had been wandering around for a while during the late summer day. Chu Jianshu's unbuttoned shirt could no longer keep him cool, and the long hours spent in the sun and dry streets made him uncomfortable.
Wan Qiu noticed Chu Jianshu's fatigue.
Let it cool down.
I need a place to rest.
Where is a place where you can cool off and rest?
A cool place, a place to rest.
Wan Qiu suddenly grabbed Chu Jianshu's hand.
Chu Jianshu followed Wan Qiu's footsteps, and having received the other's consent, Wan Qiu confidently began to walk.
This is a place Wanqiu is familiar with.
These are the countless places Wanqiu has visited.
In Wanqiu's memory of this place, there is a spot where one can feel a chill.
Wanqiu stopped in front of a small shop.
This shop is really small, located in a narrow alley. There is no sun or wind, but there are two or three sets of tables and chairs in the alley.
Wan Qiu intentionally had Chu Jianshu sit at the table that looked deeply stained with oil.
Chu Jianshu was a little bit clean, though not to the point of being obsessive-compulsive, but it was indeed a long time since he had sat in a place like this.
However, Chu Jianshu still sat down, not letting Wan Qiu notice his resistance.
Wan Qiu loosened Chu Jianshu's sleeve.
Chu Jianshu's gaze followed Wan Qiu, who then entered the shop next to the small table.
"School hasn't started today, why are you here?" Suddenly, a middle-aged woman's voice came from inside the shop. Chu Jianshu subconsciously wanted to get up to check on Wan Qiu, but then stopped.
Wan Qiu seemed not to speak, but the middle-aged woman's voice came again.
"Nobody's eating today, where am I supposed to get you a bottle... Hey, you brought money? Where did you get so much money? Did you steal it?"
After another moment of silence, Chu Jianshu could even picture Wan Qiu's panicked expression.
"Dad... gave it to me." Wan Qiu's weak voice was so soft that only a few words could be clearly heard.
"Your dad? Your dad gives you money?" The middle-aged woman was clearly surprised. "Alright, what do you want to eat?"
Chu Jianshu thought of the shop owner who had bought Wanqiu's scrap metal, and the security guard who had been paying attention to Wanqiu. This time, it was a restaurant owner.
Despite being a child who struggles to speak clearly in front of people, she unexpectedly receives kindness from those around her.
"Where do you want to sit?" The woman's voice seemed to be gradually approaching the door, probably brought out by Wan Qiu. When Wan Qiu and the middle-aged woman arrived at the shop entrance, the woman's eyes widened suddenly when she saw Chu Jianshu. "Holy crap, is this your dad?"
"Hello." Chu Jianshu always respected those who had shown Wan Qiu kindness. He stood up and said, "I am the father of this child."
"You...your dad...you..." The middle-aged woman was clearly stunned, seemingly never imagining that Wan Qiu's father was such a man.
The woman placed the cold noodles and cola in front of Chu Jianshu, with some small ice crystals in the cold noodles.
The Coke bottles, fresh from the refrigerator, had condensation forming on them in the sweltering air, which then slid down onto the table.
"Strange things happen every year, but today is especially strange. Are even poor people dressed up like this nowadays?" The female boss rambled on, but didn't speak too loudly so that Chu Jianshu could hear everything.
The female shop owner sat at the shop entrance, fanning herself with a fan that was being given away for free and printed with an advertisement. She kept glancing over, looking at Chu Jianshu with great curiosity.
Wan Qiu handed Chu Jianshu chopsticks.
Her bright eyes stared straight at Chu Jianshu.
Suddenly, a gentle summer breeze swept through the alley, bringing a touch of coolness and dispelling some of the summer heat from Chu Jianshu.
There was only one serving of cold noodles and cola, so Wan Qiu only bought Chu Jianshu's serving.
Chu Jianshu wanted to say something, but he didn't.
Under Wan Qiu's expectant gaze, Chu Jianshu casually stirred the cold noodles a few times with the somewhat worn-out chopsticks, then lowered his head and ate a few bites.
The strong, mixed flavor of spices, along with the crumbs of ice, brought a refreshing coolness to the mouth. There was no sun, no crowds, and no cars constantly passing by.
Even though it's dark, cramped, poorly ventilated, and has a musty smell, it's definitely a reassuring and cool place.
Did Wan Qiu notice him sweating?
Did Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai also enjoy Wan Qiu's wholehearted attention in the past?
Chu Jianshu ate a few bites, finding the strong flavor of the cold noodles somewhat unpalatable, but he still ate as much as he could.
Wan Qiu looked at the cold noodles that Chu Jianshu had left.
For the first time, Chu Jianshu felt guilty about eating leftovers. However, the strong smell that lingered in his mouth made him feel uncomfortable, and he unconsciously pushed the cold noodles away slightly.
Wan Qiu seemed to know that Chu Jianshu wouldn't eat anymore.
Sitting opposite Chu Jianshu, he stretched out his hands and pulled the cold noodles in front of him, using the chopsticks that Chu Jianshu had used to pick up the noodles.
Chu Jianshu instinctively tried to stop him, overwhelmed with indescribable shock, but he clenched his fists and did not intervene.
He left everything to Wanqiu, and could no longer interfere.
Wan Qiu ate Chu Jianshu's leftovers without any hesitation, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Chu Jianshu looked at the cola, got up and got two cups, poured the cola into the two cups, and used the sweetness to suppress the taste of the seasonings and onions and garlic.
The female boss glanced sideways at Chu Jianshu's actions and silently curled her lip.
Wan Qiu probably isn't very good at eating spicy food; her cheeks were bright red from eating. Her skin, which had become quite fair during her time at the Chu family's house, looked rather cute.
Chu Jianshu pushed the cup full of cola next to Wan Qiu.
"How did you bring me here?" Chu Jianshu asked. Wan Qiu seemed unfamiliar with every shop he entered before, so how did he have an impression of this place and even know about cold noodles?
Wanqiu wouldn't do anything beyond his understanding, which clearly indicates he had encountered such things before.
"I've eaten." Wan Qiu chewed on cold noodles with his cheeks puffed out, the cucumber inside making a crunching sound as he bit into them.
"You bought it?" Chu Jianshu was a little surprised. Wan Qiu would buy food too?
Wan Qiu shook his head.
“Why would he buy anything? How much money could he possibly have for a bowl of noodles?” The female shop owner next to him said loudly, “He helped me once, so I treated him to a bowl of noodles.”
"Help?" Chu Jianshu raised his voice to speak with the female boss.
“A few people were fighting in front of my shop and broke a lot of bottles. He happened to be there. While I was arguing with them, this kid, for some reason, secretly cleaned it all up for me. I was originally planning to make those people pay me back.”
The female boss spoke loudly, but there was a hint of amusement in her voice.
“I asked him what he wanted, and he just wanted my wine bottles. They weren’t worth much, so I gave them all to him. From then on, he would come and take my bottles every day whenever school started.”
Chu Jianshu could not deduce Wan Qiu's mood when she was cleaning from these few words.
Is it because you're used to cleaning?
Or was it because it was a wine bottle that broke that triggered Wan Qiu's habit of cleaning up Ning Hai's mess?
Although Chu Jianshu knew that Wan Qiu would be picking up trash during the summer vacation, he didn't expect that she wouldn't give up picking up trash even during the school term.
"Are you his father? Did you teach him to collect bottles?" the female boss asked.
"No." Chu Jianshu didn't intend to explain to others. "Don't pick up trash anymore."
Wan Qiu was drinking cola when he heard this, so he put down his cup and said, "Hmm."
Wanqiu stopped collecting bottles after her refrigerator was always full.
Wan Qiu also knew that Yang Xiaoyu didn't like it, and neither did Chu Jianshu.
Wan Qiu secretly observed Chu Jianshu, although he seemed slightly 'unhappy'.
But he looked much better. The sun was too oppressive, and Dad seemed to have been feeling unwell from the beginning.
"Dad..." Wan Qiu looked up, pursed his lips, "Are we going home?"
Chu Jianshu raised an eyebrow.
This was a rare instance of Wan Qiu 'taking the initiative' to say something.
"Okay," Chu Jianshu replied.
He could see Wan Qiu secretly observing him.
He also knew that Wanqiu was instinctively worried about him.
That evening, Yang Xiaoyu asked Chu Jianshu if anything interesting happened during their outing together.
Indeed, there isn't one.
Wanqiu is not suited to take initiative in doing anything.
but……
"I ate cold noodles and drank cola." Chu Jianshu still remembers the strange taste that assaulted his taste buds in his mouth, and it even lingered in his mouth for a long time.
"How could you eat these?" Yang Xiaoyu knew that Chu Jianshu's diet was always light and bland.
"Wan Qiu bought it," Chu Jianshu said.
Yang Xiaoyu's eyes widened immediately, and she suddenly grabbed Chu Jianshu's collar, her eyes red with jealousy: "How did you coax him into buying you things? I haven't received anything from him in so long. Did you use some tricks? How could you steal my beloved's first time?!"
Chu Jianshu helplessly reached out to squeeze his wife's hand.
"Why? Why can't I do it? What did you do? Did Yan Hua give you any advice?"
His wife kept asking Chu Jianshu questions behind his back, but Chu Jianshu inexplicably didn't want to go into too much detail.
Frustrated at not getting an answer, Yang Xiaoyu went to the sofa to text Yan Hua to inquire about the situation, her resentful gaze occasionally drifting over. Chu Jianshu coughed lightly and went to the bathroom.
Although the strong flavors of seasonings, scallions, garlic, and chili oil lingered in his mouth, creating a memorable taste, what Chu Jianshu truly remembered was a different flavor altogether.
It's the gentle breeze that occasionally wafts through a quiet alleyway in the sweltering heat of late summer, the cool crushed ice on your palate, the refreshing bubbles in a sweet cola, and...
The boy sitting in front of him looked relieved after seeing his condition improve.
In his bright, clear, and pure gaze, there was no sense of gain or loss, no deliberate attempt to please; only the reflection of his comfortable expression in the translucent, colorful glass.
He could somewhat understand why Yang Xiaoyu always liked to stick to Wan Qiu alone.
The feeling of being completely alone in the world, having nothing but oneself, is something that would fascinate anyone.
There will still be children like this.
It's like...
It's as if his world has been favored.
——
Yang Xiaoyu was very unhappy.
Wan Qiu actually bought something for Chu Jianshu.
This is truly the first great honor bestowed upon Wanqiu in this family.
He doesn't show any initiative to care about Wan Qiu at all... The little bit of care he occasionally shows is taken away by Chu Jianshu.
She asked Yan Hua, who said she didn't give Chu Jianshu any advice; she always discussed things with the couple together.
No matter how Yang Xiaoyu thought about it, she believed that Wan Qiu bought it for Chu Jianshu because he was in a good mood after returning to a familiar place.
Moreover, given Chu Jianshu's personality, he would never ask for it willingly; it was definitely Wan Qiu who gave it to him.
She wants it too, okay?!
Yang Xiaoyu sat in front of the dressing table, determined to give herself a beautiful makeover and dazzle Wan Qiuqian's classmate's parents.
Yang Xiaoyu looked at herself in the mirror. It didn't matter if she was recognized; her precious child was the son of a former big star!
Yang Xiaoyu had tried on many dresses the night before. At first, she wanted to choose a plain dress that wasn't too flashy, but after hearing Chu Jianshu say that Wan Qiu was often bullied at school, Yang Xiaoyu directly chose a flamboyant burgundy long dress.
She also had special skincare treatments and a full-body beauty treatment.
She also carefully selected a dazzling outfit for Wanqiu. Wanqiu wanted diamond hair clips and clothes that were not custom-made, but all designer brands that could be recognized by everyone.
If the child weren't so young, Yang Xiaoyu would have even wanted to do Wan Qiu's makeup.
When Butler Bai saw Yang Xiaoyu, his eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but smile, saying sincerely, "Madam looks absolutely stunning today."
"Of course, I put in a lot of effort." Yang Xiaoyu checked her nails for any imperfections. "I can't even remember the last time I dressed up this carefully."
"Would you like me to take you?" Butler Bai asked, asking whether Yang Xiaoyu's personal assistant should come or if the gentleman should take her.
"I'll take you there, Xiaoyu," Chu Jianshu said.
However, Yang Xiaoyu suddenly rolled her eyes at her: "I sent my assistant, along with a bodyguard car."
When Yang Ze came down and saw the radiant Yang Xiaoyu, he was stunned. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he remained silent and did not say anything. Instead, he glanced at Wan Qiu, who was staring blankly at Yang Xiaoyu, and finally showed a helpless and submissive smile.
Wan Qiu was stunned.
Wanqiu thought that only people on TV could be so beautiful.
Can people who appear on TV really come into the real world?
Shoes with such high, thin heels...
Is it really possible to walk as if on flat ground?
Because Yang Xiaoyu was dressed so beautifully, Wan Qiu briefly forgot that she was his mother.
When Yang Xiaoyu saw Chu Yigui come down, she suddenly grabbed Chu Yigui and asked, "Yigui, what do you think? Are there any parents your age who are prettier than me?"
Chu Yigui looked Yang Xiaoyu up and down, recalling the parents of the other students she had met at the parent-teacher conference, and gave her a very confident answer: "Mom is definitely the most beautiful."
Yang Xiaoyu was still a little hesitant: "Wouldn't I be going a bit too far?"
"How could that be? No matter how old you are, everyone wants their mother to be the most beautiful," Chu Yigui said with a smile.
“That’s true.” Yang Xiaoyu flicked her stray hair, brimming with confidence in her beauty, and looked at Wan Qiu, even winking at him.
Wanqiu was overwhelmed by her mother's beauty.
"Madam, would you like something to eat this morning?" Butler Bai asked.
"I'm not eating anymore, I need to maintain my figure." Yang Xiaoyu had just finished speaking when she suddenly noticed that Wan Qiu seemed to have secretly glanced at her. Yang Xiaoyu felt inexplicably guilty and looked away. "But... I'm hungry, let's eat something."
Wan Qiu watched as Yang Xiaoyu turned and went to the restaurant.
Not eating is very uncomfortable, and Wan Qiu doesn't want Yang Xiaoyu to go hungry.
"Mom looks beautiful today, doesn't she?" Chu Yigui suddenly said to Wan Qiu while she was lost in thought.
Wan Qiu hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. He was very certain that his mother looked absolutely stunning today.
“Mom will definitely have a lot of people looking at her today,” Chu Yigui said to Wan Qiu with a smile, her tone almost teasing. “It’s because Mom is very beautiful that everyone will be looking at her.”
Wanqiu looked at Chu Yigui with a blank expression.
"Does your brother like how beautiful Mom is?" Chu Yigui asked.
Wan Qiu thought for a moment, glanced at Chu Yigui again, pursed his lips, and nodded.
"Hmm," Chu Yigui replied, as if this was just an ordinary conversation between brothers that wasn't that important. "Brother, no matter what happens, there's nothing to be surprised about."
"?" Wan Qiu looked at Chu Yigui with a bewildered expression.
"Mom will be good to my brother," Chu Yigui said to Wan Qiu with a gentle smile.
Wan Qiu nodded.
Even though Wanqiu never doubted that her mother would treat her badly.
“Brother.” Chu Yigui smiled and poked the hair clip in Wan Qiu’s slightly longer hair with her finger. “You look very handsome today too.”
The diamond hair clip, designed by a famous artist and suitable for both men and women, seems to be there only to add color to the unique clarity of this world.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
