10. They must be starving!
Jin Qizhi put his arm around Jin Lanyue, and she inexplicably fell down as well.
Jin Lanyue struggled to turn over, landing on her back with all her might, and climbed onto her brother's chest. Seeing his lifeless expression, she panicked a little.
"Big brother... Gege, what's wrong?" Jin Lanyue placed her two small hands on his face and waved them back and forth. "Brother, are you alright, brother..."
"You..." Jin Qizhi began with difficulty, "Why...did you...eat ice?"
"Because Yue'er wants to eat iced bowls..." Jin Lanyue cried, "I'm sorry, big brother, Yue'er will never eat them again, waaaaah..."
"It's okay, it's okay..." Jin Qizhi propped herself up and sat up again. "It's my fault, I didn't prepare food for you."
Jin Qizhi instructed his servants to bring some food, and they quickly brought over a gilded food box.
As soon as the food box was opened, a sweet aroma immediately filled the air.
"It's almond shortbread!" Jin Lanyue's eyes lit up, her little nose twitching like a kitten smelling dried fish.
Although she doesn't know many characters and sometimes can't even speak clearly, she can accurately name all the delicious foods.
Jin Qizhi hurriedly pushed the snacks towards her, saying, "It's all my fault, I forgot to prepare snacks for you."
He slapped his forehead in frustration, his face full of guilt: "On such a hot day, you must have been starving to touch those ices."
The little dumpling had already grabbed a piece of almond shortbread and was taking small bites, the flaky crust crumbling off.
She tilted her little face, covered in crumbs, and mumbled, "Big Brother is so nice~"
Jin Qizhi then took out a small celadon jar: "This is chilled plum juice."
He carefully poured out a small cup: "Drink slowly, don't choke."
Xiao Jinlanyue gulped down most of the tea in her teacup, and a brown "mustache" immediately appeared around her mouth.
She licked her lips, still wanting more, and let out a small burp.
"And this sweet lotus root with osmanthus..."
The little dumpling cheered, its stomach, which had just been full, now had room again.
She watched eagerly as her older brother untied the lotus leaf.
The sweet fragrance of osmanthus mixed with the delicate aroma of lotus root wafted towards her. She poked the glistening, translucent lotus root with her little finger: "So beautiful!"
Jin Qizhi felt both sorry for her and amused by her greedy look.
He took the silver chopsticks and carefully divided the sweet lotus root into small pieces: "Eat slowly, it's all yours."
Little Jin Lanyue picked up the biggest piece with her little hands, stood on tiptoe, and brought it to her older brother's mouth: "Big brother, you can have some too~"
Jin Qizhi was stunned, and subconsciously opened his mouth to catch it.
The sweet but not cloying flavor melted on his tongue, and he realized that he was also a little hungry.
When the little dumpling saw him eat, it immediately lit up with a smile and picked up another piece to feed him.
"Alright, alright, you eat by yourself." Jin Qizhi gently pressed her small hand down. "I'll have the kitchen send over some more snacks."
Just as he was about to call for help, he saw that Xiao Jinlanyue had already climbed onto his lap and was happily eating a piece of almond shortbread.
The sleeves of her light purple gauze dress slid down to her elbows, revealing two sections of fair, delicate arms, just like tender lotus roots fresh from the water.
"Big brother~" she suddenly looked up, her lips still smeared with icing sugar, "Shall I sing you a song?"
Before anyone could answer, the little dumpling started babbling: "Rock-a-bye baby, rock-a-bye to Grandma's bridge~"
The childish, stilted singing was still completely off-key; after singing for ages, it was just the same lyric being sung in different off-key ways.
Jin Qizhi couldn't help but laugh, and took a round fan to gently fan her.
"Young Master, Madam has asked us to bring some chilled fruits." A maid's voice came from outside the door.
Four maids filed in, carrying crystal goblets.
The cup contained sliced watermelon, cantaloupe, and peeled lychees, all emitting a slight chill.
The head maid said, "Madam heard that the eldest young master has to take care of the young lady and do her homework, which is really hard on him. She asked us to bring some food and also asked me to tell him that it's hot and he should take care of himself. He should rest when he needs to and not overexert himself."
Upon hearing this, Jin Qizhi felt even more guilty.
His mother cared for him so much, yet he failed in his responsibilities as an older brother, even letting his younger sister go hungry and eat ice cream...
He silently hugged his younger sister tighter in his arms, and secretly vowed in his heart: he must take good care of his sister and never let his mother down!
However, Jin Lanyue, who was in his arms, had a very simple idea—
"Wow!"
Jin Lanyue's eyes sparkled as she looked at the chilled fruits. She leaned forward, almost slipping off her older brother's lap.
Jin Qizhi snapped out of her daze, quickly helped her up, and took a cup of lychees: "You can only eat a few, too many will cause you to get a sore throat."
The little dumpling nodded obediently, but its little hand couldn't wait to grab a crystal-clear lychee.
She first held it to the older brother's lips: "Big brother, you eat first~"
Jin Qizhi felt a warmth in his heart and opened his mouth to catch it.
Only then did Xiao Jinlanyue begin to enjoy her portion with satisfaction, her little mouth bulging as juice dripped down her chin.
"Eat slowly." Jin Qizhi gently wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. "No one's going to take it from you."
Jin Lanyue happily ate her snacks, swinging her little feet, when suddenly she exclaimed, "Ah!" "Big brother's homework!"
She struggled to get down.
"It's alright." Jin Qizhi pressed her back onto his lap. "You'll stay with Yue'er today."
The little dumpling blinked its big eyes: "Then Yue'er will fan the wind for big brother!"
As he spoke, he grabbed a round fan and started waving it vigorously.
Unfortunately, her little hands were too small and the fan handle was too long, so she almost let the fan slip from her hand, and then she frantically tried to grab it back.
Jin Qizhi couldn't help but chuckle, and together they held the round fan: "You should fan like this."
A gentle breeze carries the fresh scent of fruits.
After eating and drinking her fill, Jin Lanyue gradually started to yawn, her little head nodding, and finally she fell asleep completely in her older brother's arms.
Long eyelashes cast shadows on her face, and a sweet smile lingered on her lips.
-
As dusk settled, the light in the study dimmed.
Jin Qizhi gently pinched the little dumpling's cheek in his arms: "Yue'er, wake up, it's time for dinner."
Little Jinlan rubbed her eyes sleepily, yawned, and mumbled in her childish voice, "Big brother... Yue'er still wants to sleep~"
"Sweetie, Mother specially asked the kitchen to make your favorite egg custard." Jin Qizhi tidied her messy hair. "If you don't get up, your second brother will eat your share too."
Upon hearing the words "Second Brother," the little dumpling immediately became more alert.
She scrambled down from her older brother's lap, her little feet stumbling as she touched the ground: "Second brother, does your bottom still hurt?"
She was whipped so badly by her father that she was covered in welts. She looked so pitiful.
Jin Qizhi smiled and knelt down to help her put on her embroidered shoes: "He doesn't remember the pain anymore."
Just then, a burst of playful noise came from outside the door.
Second brother Jin Lizhi rushed in, holding a cricket: "Yue'er, look! I just caught a 'Great General'!"
Jin Lanyue scrambled back onto her older brother.
She...she's still a little afraid of bugs.
Especially her second brother's bugs, each one was as big as her palm.
"Respect him!" Jin Qizhi frowned and scolded.
The second brother stuck out his tongue and stuffed the cricket into his sleeve: "Let's go! Time to eat!"
The dining hall was brightly lit, and Marquis Beiding and Jiang Xiyue were already seated in the main seats.
Seeing the children come in, Jiang Xiyue immediately reached out her hand to Jin Lanyue: "Yue'er, come to your mother."
The little dumpling had just rushed into her mother's arms when Jin Qizhi suddenly knelt down: "Father, Mother, your son is at fault. I failed to take good care of my sister today, and she caught a cold."
The dining hall fell silent instantly.
Jiang Xiyue was stunned: "You child... what happened?"
Jin Qizhi said, "I forgot to prepare food for my sister and failed to keep an eye on her. Before I knew it, she ate the ice from the ice basin."
"What?" Jiang Xiyue quickly touched her daughter's forehead. "This is not something you can eat! Yue'er, do you feel unwell anywhere? Do you have a fever?"
Marquis Beiding's face darkened, and he slammed his chopsticks heavily on the table: "Qizhi! As the eldest son, you can't even take care of your younger sister?"
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