Jiangjiang pounced on his food like a hungry wolf, taking bigger and bigger bites with each bite. His eyes shone like little light bulbs as he ate, making satisfied humming noises. The syrup from the brown sugar buns smeared all over his cheeks and mouth.
"Pfft... Jiang Jiang, how did you get yourself into this state?!"
Yangyang and Yueyue couldn't help but laugh.
"Jiangjiang looks like a little kitten!"
"That's right, little kitten! Are you about to meow?"
Jiang Jiang looked up somewhat blankly, raised her little hand to touch her face, and then found it sticky. She gave an embarrassed "hehe" laugh.
"Grandma Stone's cooking was so delicious, I didn't even notice."
The little guy grinned, looking silly and adorable.
Xie Mingzhu, who happened to be standing at the door, couldn't help but be amused by the child.
Jiang Jiang usually seems quite clever, but this sudden silly grin creates a striking contrast that's rather endearing.
Xie Mingzhu couldn't help but step forward and gently and carefully wipe Jiang Jiang's mouth with a damp handkerchief.
"Even if you're in a hurry to eat, you shouldn't let your face get like this. If you were at school, your classmates would laugh at you!"
Jiang Jiang held a brown sugar bun in one hand and scratched the back of her head shyly with the other. Her small eyes were fixed on Xie Mingzhu, and her gaze seemed brighter than before.
Even after Xie Mingzhu wiped his face, Jiang Jiang was still in a daze, his little eyes blinking as he stared at her, unable to look away.
Xie Mingzhu chuckled and pinched Jiang Jiang's fair and soft little face.
"Why do you always stare at me? Do you like me that much?"
Jiang Jiang didn't hear the first half of the sentence clearly, but after hearing the second half, she kept nodding.
"Mmm! I love Auntie so much!"
My aunt is like a mother to me.
Xie Mingzhu wanted to tease the child, so she went along with the question and asked further.
"How much do you like it?"
Describing the degree of liking is still a bit difficult for young children.
Jiang Jiang frowned and thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook the brown sugar bun in her hand.
"I like it even more than Jiangjiang's favorite brown sugar buns!"
"Many, many brown sugar buns combined are not as good as Auntie!"
Jiang Jiang looked unusually serious, his eyes fixed intently on Xie Mingzhu, as if afraid that Xie Mingzhu wouldn't know how much he liked her.
Xie Mingzhu had never seen such a genuine expression of liking on the face of a child of this age.
Moreover, the child's serious expression didn't seem like he was joking.
Thinking about it, it seems like this isn't the first time Jiang Jiang has said he likes her...
While Xie Mingzhu was still in a daze, she heard footsteps outside the courtyard.
"Jiangjiang, you're home."
Xie Mingzhu looked up suddenly and saw Gu Yanjun standing at the door.
He met Xie Mingzhu's gaze and simply nodded politely.
"My child is bothering you."
Xie Mingzhu was still a little dazed, but she nodded reluctantly.
"It's okay, the children had a lot of fun together."
Thank you for taking care of me.
"It's okay."
After exchanging a few polite words, Jiang Jiang reluctantly walked away from Xie Mingzhu and towards Gu Yanjun.
In just a few steps, the little guy turned around five times. It was as if Gu Yanjun wasn't there to take him home, but rather to forcibly deprive him of his happiness and prevent him from being near the person he liked.
Gu Yanjun stared at Jiang Jiang with a hint of helplessness.
"It's time to go home for dinner."
Jiang Jiang pouted.
"By the time you cook for me, I'll probably be starving to death!"
"Little Stone's grandma made us super delicious sweet buns, and Aunt Mingzhu also gave us fragrant flower tea. I'm not hungry anymore!"
Gu Yanjun said expressionlessly, "Even if you're not hungry, you have to go home. You can't keep bothering others."
Jiang Jiang snorted and pouted.
"Little Stone's grandma and Aunt Mingzhu often give us delicious food, why don't you ever bring us anything good to eat? All you do is call me home?"
Jiang Jiang clenched her little fist and slammed it down on the table beside her like a little judge—
"Grandma Stone is nice, Aunt Mingzhu is nice too, but Gu Yanjun, you're bad!"
Gu Yanjun: ...
Xie Mingzhu watched from the side and couldn't help but laugh.
This child is so lively and adorable.
Yangyang and Yueyue in her family are both well-behaved and sensible. She also likes Jiangjiang's personality very much. He says what he thinks and doesn't hide anything.
Gu Yanjun rubbed his temples, then looked at Xie Mingzhu and said, "I'm sorry."
"It was my oversight."
Xie Mingzhu quickly waved her hand with a smile.
“It’s alright. Jiangjiang is Yangyang and Yueyue’s best friend. We all live in the same compound. I know you soldiers are very busy with work. It’s only right that we help each other out and look after the children.”
“The kids often play here, and I like to cook delicious food for them. It’s all very easy and not troublesome at all, so let’s skip the formalities.”
Yangyang and Yueyue nodded in agreement.
"Jiangjiang and Brother Shitou are our best, best friends!"
Jiang Jiang had never been affirmed like this before, and she immediately pouted, moved to tears, and took Yang Yang's hand.
"Waaah, Yangyang, you're the first person to consider me their best friend. I declare that I, Jiangjiang, love you the most!"
Yueyue tilted her head, frowned, and went forward to take Yangyang's hand.
"No way! My brother can only love me first, and Jiang Jiang can be second!"
Jiang Jiang, unconvinced, put her hands on her hips.
"Why not? You're my best friend too, so why can't I be Yangyang's number one and best friend?"
"No way! Jiang Jiang can only be second; I'm number one!"
"I'm number one!"
"It's me!"
The two little brats started arguing back and forth, and they actually got into a little competition.
Gu Yanjun simply couldn't bear to look.
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