This trip was even further than going to Chu Jianshu's house, as Yang Xiaoyu's parents rarely lived in the city.
Unlike Chu Jianshu, who has already taken complete control, Yang Xiaoyu has siblings.
The Yang family has a wider reach and is involved in more industries. In order to keep their children stable, and because their ambition to work has not waned, the Yang parents still have not left their jobs.
I'm back now solely to see Wanqiu.
Mr. and Mrs. Yang received a call from Yang Xiaoyu the night before, during which Yang Xiaoyu repeatedly gave them instructions.
If you don't like it, leave. Don't show your disgust in front of Wanqiu.
Since you've come to see Wanqiu on your own initiative, don't put on airs.
Yang Xiaoyu's tone was quite impolite, like a tiger protecting its cubs, fiercely baring its fangs.
Mr. and Mrs. Yang went out to greet Wanqiu. Among a group of their tall children and grandchildren, they noticed the child first.
His short stature made him stand out from his brothers and parents. He held the hand of the person next to him and raised his head.
His bright eyes looked at them intently, just as they were observing him.
In a daze, Yang's parents felt they saw Yang Xiaoyu as a child.
"Grandpa, Grandma." The young boy stood before them, his bright, clear eyes carrying a hint of unfamiliarity, yet utterly unguarded.
The boy's cheeks flushed slightly, revealing a hint of anticipation and excitement.
"Happy New Year."
"Welcome, Wanqiu." Yang's mother smiled slightly. "Happy New Year."
Perhaps because her grandparents hadn't been very affectionate at Chu Jianshu's home, Wan Qiu was already overwhelmed with gratitude even though her maternal grandparents hadn't shown much intimacy.
"Grandpa and Grandma!" Chu Zhang stepped forward and warmly hugged the two elderly people. "Did you miss me?"
"Oh, of course our Ah Zhang wants to." Yang's mother couldn't stop smiling when she saw Chu Zhang.
Wan Qiu looked up at Yang's parents, who always wore smiles.
Happiness was evident in both of them, like a soft caramel pudding, with a subtle yet sweet aroma.
It feels different from what I felt with my grandparents.
Wan Qiu quietly took Chu Yigui's hand. When Grandma noticed their clasped hands, she gave them a slight smile.
Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Zhang seemed quite casual, occasionally showing off Wan Qiu, making Wan Qiu feel as if she was quite popular here.
“I didn’t invite anyone else today, just you guys.” Yang’s father glanced at Wan Qiu intentionally or unintentionally, then turned to Chu Yigui. “Yigui, have you grown taller again? You’ve really grown a lot at this age.”
Yang's father kept asking about Chu Zhang's current job, as well as whether Yang Ze's work was going smoothly, and also about Chu Yigui's grades.
When Wan Qiu caught Yang's father's gaze, he stared wide-eyed, as if a student had been called on, waiting for Yang's father to ask a question.
Yang's father's emotions were also subtle. Chu Yigui and Wan Qiu, who were almost the same age, sat together, showing a huge gap between them.
The Yang family was large and powerful, with many branches. Even Yang's parents couldn't determine what kind of people were involved or whether they were scheming against each other.
Human hearts are wrapped around flesh and blood, covered layer by layer beneath the skin, and even dressed in clothes and covered with a mask.
But Wanqiu reminded Yang's father of the jellyfish in the aquarium, so transparent that you could see everything, displaying unique and beautiful colors under countless colorful lights, like a blessing spirit that has nothing hidden.
Is it because of low IQ?
If there were less backstabbing and infighting, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing.
"You..." Mr. Yang thought for a moment and asked, "Did you do your winter vacation homework today?"
Wan Qiu shook his head: "It hasn't been done yet."
Mr. Yang: "You didn't bring any with you either. Are you going to cook this at home tonight?"
Wan Qiu nodded.
Mr. Yang: "Is there a lot of homework?"
Wan Qiu shook his head: "I'll only write one diary entry."
Jiang Chengfeng didn't assign Wan Qiu much homework, and since he could contact her by phone, he could occasionally give her some assignments, so it wouldn't put too much pressure on her.
After asking the question, Yang's father fell silent.
As someone who usually deals with thoughtful people, I'm at a loss when faced with someone who doesn't understand anything.
Yang's mother chimed in, "Wanqiu, is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll have the kitchen prepare it for you."
Wan Qiu discreetly observed the expressions of those around her before answering, "I eat everything."
Yang's mother hesitated for a moment: "Is there anything you don't like?"
"No." Wan Qiu shook his head.
Chu Zhang suddenly pulled Wan Qiu aside: "Grandpa and Grandma, our Wan Qiu is really not picky about food at all, she eats everything, but she especially likes to eat fruit. Is the fruit at home fresh?"
Mother Yang's expression softened as she replied, "Of course, I've prepared a lot of fresh ingredients especially for you."
“The servants who work today will get triple pay,” Chu Zhang said, raising an eyebrow.
Mr. Yang gave a light snort, not as a reproach: "Do you need to worry about such a small amount of money?"
"What about the New Year's money that Grandpa prepared for Wanqiu? It must be quite a lot, right? We've given Wanqiu so many New Year's money over the years, so it's probably just a little bit."
Yang's father sighed; he was quite used to Chu Zhang's straightforward personality.
"It'll be a lot." Mr. Yang glanced at Mrs. Yang, who then called over a servant.
"Our Wanqiu is going to get a big red envelope." Chu Zhangban hugged Wanqiu and looked at everyone with a grin. "What is Grandpa going to give Wanqiu? A house? Buying a car now is too early. If possible, he can also give Wanqiu some shares."
"Give cash." However, Yang Xiaoyu, who was standing to the side, answered Chu Zhang's question directly, "Nothing is better for the baby than cash."
Wan Qiu looked up at Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Zhang, who were arguing, and then at Chu Jianshu and Yang Ze, who were watching from the side.
Finally, her gaze settled on her maternal grandparents standing in front of her.
Wanqiu was very happy.
Because everyone else is showing signs of happiness right now.
It felt so warm and cozy, like soaking in a bathtub, with the warm water seeping into your skin, making you feel comfortably drowsy.
Wan Qiu received a large sum of cash.
This amount of cash was simply the most unimaginable amount of money Wanqiu had ever received.
The New Year's money given by Wanqiu's grandparents was already an amount that was beyond his reach, but this new sum has had a huge impact on Wanqiu's world.
Everyone else looked at him and laughed.
Even Wan Qiu noticed that Chu Yigui, who had been silent all along, looked at him with a different expression than usual.
Wan Qiu quietly hugged the thick wad of cash.
He simply couldn't imagine how long that money would last.
With so much money, if any family member becomes unemployed in the future, he can use it to support them for a very long time.
Wan Qiuguang felt extremely at ease just holding this money.
Looking at Wan Qiu's greedy appearance, Yang's father turned to Chu Jianshu and secretly asked, "Son-in-law, don't you usually give Wan Qiu money to spend?"
“Here you go.” Chu Jianshu would transfer a sum of money to Wan Qiu’s personal card every month. “It’s all transferred to the card, but Wan Qiu only knows how to use cash and has no opportunity to use the card.”
Yang's father glanced at Wan Qiu several times, watching as Wan Qiu, at Chu Zhang's urging, put the red envelopes into the small backpack he had brought, his expression very complicated.
"You're satisfied with just this little bit of money?" Yang's father murmured, but immediately received a glare from Yang Xiaoyu and changed the subject, asking Chu Jianshu, "Has Wan Qiu met with your family?"
"I've seen him," Chu Jianshu replied.
"Do they like Wanqiu?" Yang's father asked.
Chu Jianshu didn't hide anything: "They're not interested in Wan Qiu."
It wasn't a matter of disinterest, dislike, or liking; Wanqiu's abilities weren't enough to attract their attention.
Yang's father nodded and didn't say anything more in front of Chu Jianshu.
As Wan Qiu glanced at him occasionally, Yang's father gradually became somewhat uneasy and couldn't help but ask Chu Jianshu again, "Why does Wan Qiu keep looking at me?"
"Wanqiu is testing your emotions, and he will respond accordingly."
However, upon hearing Chu Jianshu's answer, Yang's father frowned: "How could our family have a child who has to be subservient to others? Shouldn't it be others who have to be subservient to us?"
Chu Jianshu neither confirmed nor denied it.
Yang's father glanced at Chu Jianshu and said with dissatisfaction, "It's been more than half a year since we brought him back, how come he still hasn't changed?"
Chu Jianshu responded: "This is not something that can be done overnight."
Mr. Yang snorted coldly: "Next time you come, at least let me see some results of your education."
Chu Jianshu nodded in agreement.
Yang's father was not unaware of Wanqiu's past life and the influence of his environment, so it was not surprising that Wanqiu would develop such a personality.
Just looking at it makes me feel suffocated.
They work hard all their lives just to earn this kind of face, but their children and grandchildren can't enjoy such benefits. This is even more painful than being looked down upon.
Wan Qiu's occasional glances made him very uncomfortable.
He wanted to talk to Wanqiu, but his daughter gave him a warning look, so he stood up and went elsewhere, feeling frustrated.
For Wanqiu, her maternal grandparents' house was very big, although it wasn't as big as her own home.
But it's very beautiful.
His maternal grandparents didn't talk to him much either, but he wasn't upset.
and……
It was very quiet here, with only the grandparents and other servants present. At the dinner table, Chu Zhang was the one who kept talking.
Wan Qiu occasionally saw Chu Zhang go up and put his arm around his maternal grandparents' shoulders, chattering away in their ears, which would make his grandparents look amused.
Wan Qiu kept watching.
Wan Qiu thought back to the times he spent with Wan Xiaohua, but he never felt this kind of atmosphere.
Wan Qiu will not hug Wan Xiaohua, and Wan Xiaohua will not take the initiative to be intimate with Wan Qiu.
Wan Xiaohua had never smiled at me so intimately before.
Is it because he's not their biological child?
But even now, Wanqiu doesn't feel that she can be close to her maternal grandparents.
Those past experiences, which may not have been normal, blurred Wanqiu's concept of normalcy.
Wanqiu couldn't be sure whether this intimacy in front of him was normal or not.
Before leaving, Wanqiu went to the restroom, but when she came out, she saw her grandmother waiting at the door.
Grandma's long, gray hair was tied back, her clothes looked fashionable, she was in good spirits, always had a smile on her face, and looked very healthy.
"Grandma." Wan Qiu stood in front of Yang's mother, somewhat reservedly putting his hands behind his back, staring intently at her, hoping to discern her feelings and what she wanted him to do.
"Wanqiu, how have you been since you got home?" Yang's mother asked Wanqiu in a gentle voice.
“Very good,” Wan Qiu said.
Do you like your current home?
"Um!"
After hearing Wan Qiu's unwavering answer, Yang's mother relaxed slightly and continued to ask, "Then do you still want to go back to your old home?"
Wan Qiu shook his head.
"Why don't you want to? Is it because your previous home made your life difficult, right?"
Wanqiu listened to Yang's mother's words, but couldn't understand what she really meant.
It wasn't just unhappiness in Yang's mother's eyes, but something far more complex, something Wan Qiu couldn't understand...
"I heard you refused the psychologist," Yang's mother asked Wan Qiu earnestly. "Why?"
What kind of personality does Wanqiu have?
Coming from such a family, how could one not be tainted in any way?
Will he resent losing him and causing him to suffer things he shouldn't have?
Yang's mother was worried.
"I heard you were always hungry and cold at your old home, and that you were bullied." Yang's mother, who had been quietly resting her hands on her stomach, quietly tightened her grip and asked, "Do you hate your parents?"
She knew very well that the Yang family members were somewhat vengeful.
He is petty, prone to getting stuck on trivial matters, and has all sorts of flaws.
Wanqiu could vaguely sense her adoptive mother's worried feelings.
"Grandma, what do you think I'm going to say? Why are you bringing up these serious things with Wanqiu?"
Chu Zhang suddenly appeared behind Yang's mother and stepped forward to hug Wan Qiu's shoulder.
“Our Wanqiu is an angel, how could the things you’re worried about happen?”
When Yang's mother saw Chu Zhang, she sighed and said, "I'm just a little worried. Maybe I'm overthinking it. I just hope that after Wanqiu comes back, the relationship between your family members can ease up a bit."
Wan Qiu's eyes slowly widened. From this long sentence, Wan Qiu seemed to have extracted information that surprised him.
However, Chu Zhang was straightforward and unpredictable, and he had already considered Wan Qiu's thinking.
"Grandma, what are you worrying about? Mom and Dad are already this old, and I've been an adult for a long time. Why are you still worrying about this?" Chu Zhang pinched Wan Qiu's cheek.
Yang's mother also showed a helpless expression to Chu Zhang: "Yes, yes, you are right."
"Grandma, don't overthink it." Chu Zhang smiled and stepped forward to put his arm around Yang's mother's arm. "Our Wanqiu is still very timid. You'll scare Wanqiu if you do this."
"Do I have to apologize to him?" Yang's mother showed a hint of anger at Chu Zhang's disrespectful behavior, but there was no real anger in her eyes.
Yang's mother knew that Chu Zhang had arrived, and that was the end of the matter.
I've heard that Wan Qiu isn't very intelligent, so he might not be able to answer these complicated questions.
However, just as she was about to return to the living room with Chu Zhang, she was suddenly pulled by a small force that she could almost ignore.
But Yang's mother remembered the direction from which the force came, and turned around to look at Wan Qiu.
Wanqiu looked up at Yang's mother and said, "I love my dad and mom, my older brother, my second older brother, and my younger brother. I love them very, very much."
Even if Wanqiu doesn't know how to judge other people's love for her.
But Wanqiu never misunderstands himself.
He loves his family very much.
I love it so much.
Yang's mother was stunned, looking at the thin boy, whose clear eyes revealed a completely pure white world.
That expanse, revealing the deepest, most subtle emotions, is like a transparent diamond, displaying its flawless core to everyone around it.
Suddenly, Yang's mother seemed to understand why Yang's father had been indifferent to Wanqiu's affairs.
Was it because he saw those eyes earlier?
"I apologize for my poor attitude just now. Welcome home, Manchukuo."
Yang's mother smiled, a kind smile tinged with gentleness.
Wan Qiu's eyes slowly widened, and he suddenly became flustered.
Yang's mother took something out of her pocket, opened her hand, and placed it in front of Wanqiu: "This is for you."
Wanqiu looked at Yang's mother with suspicion and saw something unfamiliar in her hand.
He took it from Yang's mother's hand and waved it in the air. Was this a necklace?
"It's a safety amulet." Chu Zhang reached out and took the item from Wan Qiu's hand, then walked around to Wan Qiu's side and put it on her wrist. "It's something to keep you safe, a talisman. Hmm, the quality of this... tsk tsk tsk. Grandma, do you know what it means to say one thing but do another?"
Wan Qiu didn't know what Chu Zhang was talking about, but he could see Yang's mother laughing and scolding Chu Zhang.
When the safety buckle was placed around her neck, Wan Qiu lowered her head and grasped it with her fingers. It was warm, probably because it still retained the body heat of Yang's mother.
Wanqiu gently rubbed the safety buckle with his fingers.
In a daze, I seemed to sense something subtle, something from Yang's mother, constantly being transmitted through the safety buckle.
Chu Zhang looked at Wan Qiu's expression, which, though calm, seemed to show a greater degree of surprise.
Wanqiu was certainly happy to receive the gift.
Chu Zhang glanced at Chu Yigui, who was watching them from a distance, out of the corner of his eye.
Chu Yigui rarely spoke to him, but this time she took the initiative to tell him that Yang's mother had gone to find Wanqiu.
Chu Zhang pursed his lips and shivered. This feeling of being seen clearly from behind at all times was truly awful.
Wanqiu watched as they happily said goodbye to the others.
They got into the car and went home.
The eldest brother was making a fuss, saying that Wanqiu didn't stay up all night yesterday, so he had to stay up all night today.
After being severely reprimanded by Yang Xiaoyu, Wan Qiu finally lay down in the soft quilt, finding some peace and quiet in the warm room.
Wanqiu's fingers gently stroked the peace buckle; its smooth texture felt comfortable to hold.
Wan Qiu, however, pondered in the darkness and finally vaguely saw the suspicion in Yang's mother's mind.
It's as if they're worried about the words that surface in Wanqiu's memory.
Did Grandma see those subtle, dense feelings of hatred revealed in the words of memory?
Why did Grandma say she hoped the relationships within the family could improve?
Everyone in the family gets along very well, doesn't that mean?
In his half-dreaming, half-awake state, the words he remembered seemed to be mocking him.
Laughing...
He's the abnormal one.
He is the most unreal person, the one who shouldn't be in this environment.
——
The servants in the house were all given a holiday during the few days of the Lunar New Year. They originally planned to spend the New Year at another house, but they never expected to end up spending it at their own house.
Having no choice but to clean and cook for himself, Wanqiu volunteered to take on both cooking and cleaning duties.
But unexpectedly, it was Chu Yigui who was cooking.
Wan Qiu stood beside Chu Yigui and saw Chu Yigui roll up his sleeves, revealing his strong forearms as he chopped vegetables.
Chu Yigui's knife skills were excellent, almost like those of a skilled chef.
Wan Qiu stared blankly to the side, utterly astonished by Chu Yigui's abilities.
Chu Yigui's cooking skills were truly excellent. The incredibly delicious aroma wafting from the pot made Wan Qiu feel that his skills were almost on par with those of the head chef at home.
After arranging a dish on a plate, Chu Yigui saw Wan Qiu looking on expectantly, picked up a piece with her chopsticks and held it to Wan Qiu's mouth: "Try it and see if it's salty enough."
Wanqiu opened her mouth, and the tender stir-fried beef tasted delicious. As she chewed, she compared it with the taste of the chef's previous dishes.
“It’s exactly the same as what the chef made,” Wan Qiu said.
Chu Yigui nodded: "I learned it from the chef."
Looking at the messy pile of seasonings, Wan Qiu felt envious of Chu Yigui, who could make such a delicious dish despite not having spent much time with the chef.
"Isn't my younger brother good at everything he studies?" In Wan Qiu's eyes, there were almost no flaws in Chu Yigui.
“If it’s just a matter of repeating the cooking steps, my brother can do it very well too,” Chu Yigui said while chopping vegetables.
Wan Qiu watched Chu Yigui's skillful movements; he didn't even have a chance to assist.
Chu Yigui always said that anything he could do, anyone could do.
Is it really possible for everyone to do that?
"Little brother." Wan Qiu stood behind Chu Yigui, raising his head high but only seeing Chu Yigui's back turned to him.
Compared to his older brothers' less robust shoulders, Chu Yigui's broad shoulders prevented Wan Qiu from constantly seeing his expression.
"What's wrong?" Chu Yigui's hands were moving quickly, but she still managed to take a moment to answer Wan Qiu's question.
"Is the relationship between our family members bad?" Is it because of him?
This question is too straightforward.
Chu Yigui did not stop moving, but he had already guessed where Wan Qiu's worries came from.
Although Wanqiu is not intelligent, he possesses a very unique instinct.
He always manages to grasp the information in words.
Even if you can't figure it out at the time, you will definitely understand it later.
So what Yang's mother said yesterday did affect Wanqiu after all.
Chu Yigui thought for a moment and said, "The definition of whether a relationship is good or bad is very complicated. It's too early for my brother to explore these things."
"Too early?" Wan Qiu tilted his head, even though Chu Yigui couldn't see it.
"Mm," Chu Yigui simply replied.
Wan Qiu knew that if it was Chu Yigui's consideration, then it must have made sense.
Just like learning, Teacher Jiang always says that if he hadn't learned that part himself, he wouldn't understand it even if it were explained now.
but……
Wan Qiu stared at Chu Yigui's back. Amidst the noisy sounds of cooking in the kitchen, the seed of doubt that had been dormant in Wan Qiu's heart still stubbornly tried to sprout.
Even without turning around, Wan Qiu's silence made Chu Yigui realize his thoughts.
Chu Yigui thought for a moment and said, "Brother, there are many things in this world that may not be as simple as you think, but they are not necessarily as complicated as you think either."
"What do you mean?" Wan Qiu asked.
"Human relationships, like the world itself, are inherently complex. Whether they gradually become more complex or become simple again, it's all normal."
After Chu Yigui reheated a dish, he turned around.
The boy's handsome face showed both seriousness and reassurance.
"No matter what you see, there's no need to worry. It's proof that your brother is growing up."
Chu Yigui's hands were still busy cooking, so she couldn't touch Wanqiu.
But he bent down and touched his forehead to Wanqiu's forehead.
"We can take it slowly, little by little. I will stay by your side and help you understand."
In Wan Qiu's round eyes, Chu Yigui, who was so close, was reflected.
He could see his own reflection in those pupils, which were a deeper color than his own.
Even though it's in pitch-black pupils, it seems to contain all colors.
It is a very safe place.
This is how Chu Yigui placed it in the world.
Wan Qiu nodded.
As Chu Yigui was about to leave, Wan Qiu suddenly reached out and grabbed Chu Yigui's collar. Chu Yigui instinctively bent over, and the two heads bumped together.
Wan Qiu was stunned. Chu Yigui straightened up, her forehead a little sore, and her expression quite bewildered.
Wan Qiu looked at Chu Yigui, who was unusually bewildered, and suddenly laughed.
“My younger brother is growing up too,” Wan Qiu said.
Chu Yigui was stunned for a moment, then realized that Wan Qiu was referring to their conversation just now, and for a moment he felt a little helpless and amused.
"Yes, perhaps," Chu Yigui said.
"It's okay, I'll stay with my brother too." Wan Qiu's forehead gradually turned red, just like Chu Yigui's.
"Yes, I believe you." Chu Yigui touched Wan Qiu's forehead with her wrist. "It hurts so much, it must be true."
Wan Qiu rubbed his own forehead and then rubbed Chu Yigui's forehead as well.
Chu Yigui turned back to cooking, and Wan Qiu followed behind him, waiting for Chu Yigui to instruct him to help.
Even in the end, Wan Qiu did not get involved.
However, the various sarcastic words that kept appearing in his dream, which had been troubling his thoughts since morning, dissipated considerably because he was with his younger brother.
Wan Qiu felt that he was probably really stupid.
That's why his younger brother said he would accompany him as he grows up.
So if the younger brother spends more time with him, while he doesn't spend enough time with his younger brother, then that's not fair.
He wanted to be better to his younger brother.
We should protect our younger brother properly.
"I will protect you," Wan Qiu said.
Chu Yigui didn't turn around, but simply hummed in response.
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