57. Jealousy
Jiang Xiyue pinched Jin Lanyue's little face, feeling both amused and annoyed: "He doesn't even want to hug you, and you're still praising him?"
The little dumpling tilted its head and said definitively, "He's shy!"
“You…” Jiang Xiyue was still somewhat resentful: “Why were you so cold to Yue’er? Our Yue’er is so lovable…”
Marquis Beiding chuckled: "That's just his nature, it's not directed at Yue'er."
Jiang Xiyue snorted: "But you can't just not even give her a hug, can you? Our Yue'er is so cute!"
Like every mother, Jiang Xiyue has a strong maternal bias, firmly believing that her own child is the most obedient, cutest, and most beautiful in the world!
Helpless, Marquis Beiding put his arm around her shoulder: "Alright, you see, he hasn't said much to us, has he? It's clear he's not targeting anyone, he's just a bit cold. That's just his personality, we can't force him, can we?"
Jiang Xiyue sighed and said nothing more.
-
Dinner.
The whole family gathered together, but Xie Wenling, unsurprisingly, did not attend.
The little dumpling sat on the chair, swinging her short legs. When she saw her second brother arrive, she immediately waved excitedly: "Second brother! Brother Xie is so handsome!"
The second brother pouted and plopped down: "Hmph, no matter how good-looking they are, they can't compare to my dashing good looks..."
Marquis Beiding coughed lightly: "Lizhi, eat your meal properly."
The second brother immediately wilted and lowered his head to eat his rice.
The little dumpling took a bite of the chicken leg, squinted its eyes contentedly, and puffed out its cheeks like a little hamster eating.
After swallowing, she suddenly said, "Brother Xie smells so good..."
Jiang Xiyue raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What scent?"
"Like...like flowers!" the little dumpling tried to describe, "It smells so good!"
She leaned closer; she could smell it.
Brother Xie is not only as handsome as a flower, but also as fragrant as a flower.
The second brother couldn't help but ask, "What flower?"
The older brother exclaimed in alarm, "You can't go over there and smell the guests! You can't!"
Marquis Beiding laughed heartily, while Jiang Xiyue shook her head helplessly.
-
early morning.
It's another pleasant day off!
Jin Lanyue, carrying her small food box as a gift, ran to the gate of Xie Wenling's courtyard.
The food box contained osmanthus and chestnut flour cakes that the kitchen had just made this morning.
She tried it, and it was delicious!
Brother Xie will definitely like it!
"Thank you, brother! Thank you, brother?" The little dumpling knocked on the door with her tiny hands.
After a moment of silence, a cool voice rang out: "What is it?"
"I'm bringing cakes to Brother Xie!" the little dumpling exclaimed happily, her little nose almost touching the crack in the door. "They're so delicious!"
The door creaked open.
Xie Wenling wore a plain white undergarment, his black hair was not tied up, and his expression still carried a hint of morning weariness.
Looking down, he saw a tiny little bundle of joy standing at the doorway, barely reaching his waist. He frowned slightly and said, "No need."
The little dumpling had already squeezed through the tiny crack in the door, proudly holding up the food box like a treasure: "Thank you, brother, for showing me!"
Xie Wenling took a half step back, looked at this uninvited little guest, and said in a flat tone, "I don't need breakfast."
"Are you hungry, duck?" The little dumpling looked up, its round eyes full of anticipation. "This cake is so sweet!"
I'm not hungry.
"Is the mud thirsty? I still have some sweet water!"
"No need."
"Then let's eat cake!" The little dumpling enthusiastically stood on tiptoe and held the small food box high above his head for him to see.
Before long, her chubby little legs became unsteady, and Xie Wenling, seeing her swaying, subconsciously reached out to support her.
"Be careful, don't fall."
Upon hearing this, the little dumpling immediately withdrew her hand, turned around, and opened the food box as if presenting a treasure: "Then thank you, brother, for the cake!"
Xie Wenling looked at the various shapes of pastries in the food box, which had obviously been carefully selected.
He was silent for a moment, then finally reached out and took it: "Thank you."
Seeing that he was willing to accept it, the little dumpling's eyes lit up, and she immediately followed him around like a little tail: "Thank you, brother, thank you, brother, what do you want to make today?"
"Read a book."
"Can we watch the moon together?"
"It's not suitable for you."
"Oh...are you going out?"
"Um."
"Can Yue'er come play with me?"
“…I didn’t go out to play,” Xie Wenling put down the food box, turned to look at the persistent little dumpling, and said tactfully, “You should go find your mother.”
The little dumpling tilted its head and thought for a moment: "Mother is busy, she has to manage the household."
“…Then go find your brother.”
"Second brother wants to practice martial arts and become a great hero," the little dumpling blinked, as if realizing something, and lowered its head somewhat dejectedly, "Is it because he thinks Yue'er is too noisy?"
Xie Wenling paused for a moment: "...No."
"Yay!" The little dumpling immediately raised its head, its face beaming with joy, and took a few steps closer. "Let's play together!"
Xie Wenling took a half step back without changing his expression: "I should go out now."
"Are we going out?" The little dumpling didn't understand the hint at all; instead, she jumped up excitedly. "Yue'er, go change your shoes! Yue'er wants to go out and play!"
"..."
-
Fifteen minutes later, Xie Wenling stood outside the mansion gate, followed closely by a little tail.
He stopped and turned around.
Having learned from his previous experiences of trying to politely see guests off but having the opposite effect, he this time said bluntly, "It's windy outside, you should go back."
It's currently the peak of the autumn heat wave, and the wind is blowing very strongly.
The little dumpling then buried its face in its little cloak: "The moon isn't cold!"
"...The road is long."
“Moon can walk!” As she spoke, the little dumpling even jogged a few steps to prove that what she said was true.
Xie Wenling frowned slightly as he looked at the stubborn little dumpling.
He pondered for a moment, then came up with a new excuse: "Children cannot go to the places I'm going."
Why?
"There's a monster."
The little dumpling stared wide-eyed, its mouth agape.
Just when Xie Wenling thought he had finally scared her away, he saw her suddenly grab his sleeve and say seriously, "Then Yue'er must protect Brother Xie!"
Xie Wenling: "..."
He stood at the gate of the mansion, looking at the little dumpling that he couldn't get rid of no matter what, and finally gave up struggling.
He no longer hoped to persuade her, but instead prepared to try a different approach...
He turned slightly to the side, his gaze fixed on the distance, letting the little dumpling chatter around him like a little sparrow.
"Brother Xie, have you ever tried candied hawthorn? It's so sweet!"
"Um."
"Brother Xie, do you know how to fly a kite?"
"Won't."
"Brother Xie, you..."
Xie Wenling's answers were always brief and indifferent, but the little dumpling was not affected at all. She still looked up with great interest, her eyes sparkling, as if she could hear some interesting story from his few words.
Just as the little dumpling was standing on tiptoe, about to ask something else, a huffy voice suddenly came from behind—
"Little sister! Why don't you come play with me?!"
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