Chapter 97 Ji Sicheng Tests His Stepfather
Chapter Ninety-Seven
Ji Zhi Qiu had long wanted to take her family on a picnic or vacation, but unfortunately, she couldn't find a suitable opportunity.
They are now in the eye of the storm, and every move they make will be magnified. He doesn't want to become an open-air press conference with cameras pointed at his face.
The location for an outing must be secluded and private enough for them to completely relax.
Ji Zhi Qiu searched online for a long time, and was so anxious that she sighed when Lu Yu Nian suddenly handed her an invitation.
Ji Zhi Qiu examined the invitation repeatedly, finding it exceptionally beautiful and even carrying a faint fragrance. "Where is this place? Is it far from us? Are there many people there?"
Lu Yu chuckled lightly, reassuring him, "Don't worry about it so much, leave everything to me."
Lu Yu Nian has always been reliable, so Ji Zhi Qiu cleared her mind and stopped worrying.
He loved this feeling so much; it was like facing a surprise, and all he had to do was get into the best state of mind to have a precious and happy memory.
Ji Yanyan is always busy. She usually bounces around like a little ball of flesh at home. Now that she heard she could go out to play, she happily jumped onto Ji Zhiqi. Ji Zishen immediately agreed. He needed to write a weekly journal entry and planned to use this as the topic.
The hardest one to coax is Ji Sicheng. Every time I get Ji Sicheng to go out, I have to outwit him and make a bunch of promises to win him over. But this time, Ji Sicheng nodded and agreed directly. Under Ji Zhi Qiu's surprised gaze, he turned around expressionlessly and plunged into his study to do his scientific research, trying to leave enough time for him.
Ji Zhi Qiu scratched his head, wondering when Ji Si Cheng had become so sensible and considerate. He hadn't refused either of Ji Si Cheng's two requests.
The next day finally arrived amidst everyone's anticipation, and Lu Yu-nian even specially rented a private car for them.
Ji Zhi Qiu had no knowledge of cars and couldn't tell the brand from the logo. He just felt that the car was understated yet luxurious and had an exceptionally spacious interior.
He wanted to ask Lu Yu Nian, but every time he got on a vehicle, he felt like he was under a drug, his eyelids became very heavy, and he slept soundly. When he woke up again, two hours had passed, and the scenery outside the window had changed drastically.
In winter, vegetation is generally sparse, but the resort took this into account and planted some evergreen plants in special areas, which created a great picnic atmosphere and improved the mood.
Ji Zhi Qiu was amazed and finally realized that this vacation spot was unusual. She took out her phone to search for it.
There is very little information online, except that it is a high-end membership venue. Such places require not only a lot of money, but also a lot of effort and patience, and advance reservations are necessary.
In other words, Lu Yu Nian had already prepared everything.
When Ji Zhi Qiu sensed his seriousness, her emotions almost overflowed, and she couldn't help but snuggle closer to Lu Yu Nian.
He leaned forward, but couldn't reach Lu Yunian's shoulder; it was as if there was an oval-shaped object sandwiched between them.
Ji Zhi Qiu squeezed again and found that the thing sandwiched between them was quite soft and elastic. He was surprised for a few seconds and couldn't figure out what it was. He stared blankly and lowered his head.
Ji Sicheng looked up at him with a blank expression, his small face tilted back, his eyes fixed on him. The clear sky reflected his foolish expression.
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
He immediately suppressed his ambiguous thoughts about you, sat up straight, looked down at his nose and mind, and acted as if nothing had happened.
But he was very flustered, and his attention was on Ji Sicheng. He secretly glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.
After a few seconds, Ji Sicheng looked away, crossed his arms, closed his eyes to rest with a sullen face, looking like a little adult with a deep grudge.
Ji Zhi Qiu suddenly felt an itch to pinch his cheek, and Ji Si Cheng opened his eyes wide, dumbfounded.
“You’re only six years old this year, don’t act like a sixty-year-old man!” Ji Zhi Qiu tugged at the corner of Ji Si Cheng’s mouth: “Come on, give Dad a smile, be innocent and naive.”
Ji Sicheng gave a deathly smile, like an evil scientist.
The father and son faced off for a few seconds, then Ji Zhi Qiu silently withdrew his hand and let out a long sigh.
The minor villain is indeed too strange.
He was afraid that Ji Sicheng would retaliate against him, so he pretended to be focused on looking at the scenery outside and refused to turn his head, not giving Ji Sicheng a chance to make his move. But he could feel a short, thick finger poking his lower back.
Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't take it anymore and stiffly turned his head. He thought he would be facing the little villain's wrath, but Ji Si Cheng's lips twitched and he forced a smile at him. "Is this alright now? An innocent smile."
Before Ji Zhi Qiu could answer, Ji Yan Yan, who was sitting in his lap, opened her eyes groggily, glanced at her brother, gasped, and then closed her eyes tightly again, not wanting to face this cruel world.
Ji Sicheng: "..."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
Ji Zhi Qiu pinched Ji Yan Yan's little face, "Yan Yan, what are you doing?"
"Brother is going to eat me, I'm so scared..." Ji Yanyan shrank into Ji Zhi Qiu's arms, as if she was hiding from a demon. "Yanyan doesn't taste good at all, how about eating Daddy instead?"
Ji Zhi Qiu poked the filial son in anger: "You have such delicate skin and are the most delicious. Your brother will definitely eat you."
Ji Sicheng: "..." Is that the crux of the matter?! I don't eat people!!
He lowered his dead fish eyes and angrily withdrew his gaze, like a steaming glutinous rice ball in a fit of rage.
Ji Zhi Qiu winked at Ji Yan Yan, who obediently crawled to the side, giving up her father's embrace. Before Ji Si Cheng could react, Ji Zhi Qiu hugged the little one.
Ji Sicheng didn't like being so close to people, even his father, who was the most special person to him, and he tentatively struggled a few times.
Ji Zhi Qiu hugged him tightly; she had a special scent about her, as warm as sunshine.
"It's all Dad and Brother's fault. Sicheng is very cute, and his smile is so innocent. We hope he can smile more often in the future. We love to see him like that."
Ji Yanyan, like a little puppy, grabbed her father's clothes and nodded vigorously.
Ji Sicheng's gaze swept over the father and son, and he snorted disdainfully twice, his expression very unnatural, as if he were embarrassed.
Ji Zishen looked back at the three men, father and sons, who were making a ruckus, and sighed silently in his heart, as if he were the calm and composed head of the family.
Time flew by as they played around. When the car stopped, Ji Zhi Qiu saw the scenery outside and her eyes lit up with surprise. She immediately got out of the car, stretched out her arms, and took a deep breath.
After jumping out of the car, Ji Yanyan stood at her father's feet, mimicking his movements. She carefully savored the smell and said, "Dad, the air smells like green apples!"
Children always come up with strange and wonderful metaphors. Ji Zhi Qiu knew that he wanted to praise the freshness of the air, so he smiled and patted Ji Yan Yan's head, "Yan Yan, breathe in as much as you like."
Ji Yanyan nodded heavily, sniffing and inhaling deeply. Seeing this, Ji Sicheng mercilessly retorted, "Are you a little pig?"
Ji Yanyan didn't make a fuss, but nodded vigorously, "I'm a little pig, so my brother is a little pig too!"
Ji Sicheng: "..."
Ji Zishen was originally walking this way, but fearing he would be implicated, he immediately circled around and silently walked away.
The three minor villains grew closer and started bickering with each other in the back, while Ji Zhi Qiu and Lu Yu Nian walked in front, looking for a suitable campsite.
"This is a wonderful place. The scenery is beautiful, and most importantly, there are few people. We haven't seen a single stranger along the way."
Lu Yu Nian smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it."
Ji Zhi Qiu knew Lu Yu Nian's intention, and looked back at the three children. "Uncle Yu Nian is very conflicted. Come over and help him choose."
Ji Yanyan had long regarded Lu Yu Nian as her stepfather, and immediately ran over, wanting a hug affectionately. Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng exchanged a glance, not objecting.
The three kids unanimously chose the tent.
The tent is very spacious and fully equipped, with a professional barbecue grill outside and amusement facilities in the distance.
Ji Zhi Qiu and Lu Yu Nian sat side by side, taking out the ingredients they had prepared in advance from their bags.
"It's only nine o'clock now, there's no need to prepare so early."
Ji Zhi Qiu said mysteriously, "I just learned a trick online, I'll make you a special drink."
Lu Yunian smiled and nodded. Although he didn't know what Ji Zhi Qiu was planning to do, he stayed close to her and offered to help.
They were very natural with each other, like an old married couple. After the drinks were mixed, Ji Zhi Qiu looked at Lu Yu Nian with starry eyes. Lu Yu Nian teased him on purpose before giving an affirmative evaluation.
Ji Zhi Qiu also prepared drinks for the three kids, putting them in cute little bottles, and winked at Lu Yu Nian.
He still remembered the purpose of this trip: to help Lu Yu Nian and the three children deepen their relationship, get to know each other, and accept each other's existence, so that their relationship could take a step further and perhaps they could really become a close family.
Ji Zhi Qiu was very confident about this and had also done some homework for Lu Yu Nian. Lu Yu Nian was meticulous in his work and even made a table for this purpose. The table showed the personality preferences of the three children and their favorite way of getting along.
While the two adults were plotting amongst themselves, little did they know that Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng were also watching them.
Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng were not ordinary innocent children; they had long since discovered the special nature of their relationship, but they cooperated with Ji Zhiqi and did not bring it up.
As time went by, they watched as Ji Zhi Qiu grew increasingly fond of Lu Yu Nian. When Lu Yu Nian appeared in front of him, Ji Zhi Qiu would unconsciously smile, and his entire demeanor would change.
They could sense that Lu Yu-nian had brought about positive changes for Ji Zhi-qiu. In fact, they would have accepted it as long as Ji Zhi-qiu had asked.
The father and son in the family both like Lu Yu Nian so much, but they are just adopted children and have no right to make decisions.
But they never heard Ji Zhi Qiu speak. Ji Si Cheng originally thought that Ji Zhi Qiu wanted to test Lu Yu Nian again, but now he realized that it was all because she was considering their feelings.
After realizing this, Ji Sicheng also seriously considered the issue.
To be honest, he is not interested in most people in this world, and the few people who do interest him are only people with whom he has brief interactions and who can make money.
The only special case is Ji Zhi Qiu.
So it doesn't matter whether he likes Lu Yu Nian or can accept this stepfather, nor does it matter whether Lu Yu Nian likes him or treats him well. He only cares about Ji Zhi Qiu's feelings. As long as Ji Zhi Qiu is happy and likes it, he will accept it.
This is the only evaluation criterion, and Lu Yu Nian's daily performance has passed the test, but human nature can only be revealed in the most extreme situations.
Ji Sicheng had been waiting for this opportunity.
Just then, Ji Yanyan couldn't stay idle. Seeing the small boat in the distance, she pestered Ji Zhi Qiu to play with her.
As expected of father and son, Ji Zhi Qiu, though he seemed a little hesitant, immediately brightened up. After pretending to refuse a few times, he picked up Ji Yan Yan and strode towards the small boat.
Lu Yu Nian stayed behind, wanting to spend time alone with them.
No matter how well Lu Yu Nian performed, he couldn't get the slightest bit of interest from Ji Si Cheng. He kept looking in the direction Ji Zhi Qiu and the others had left. After half an hour, he made an excuse and walked towards the lake.
He gazed at the calm lake for a while, his expression serene, like a finely crafted porcelain doll. No one could imagine how ruthless the idea in his mind was.
A few seconds later, a strange light appeared in his eyes. The aura of a child prodigy had vanished, and he looked like an ordinary, frightened child, crying out in a trembling voice, "Help! Daddy fell down!"
He deliberately faced Lu Yu Nian's direction, and only half a minute later, Lu Yu Nian rushed over.
Ji Sicheng was stunned.
He had calculated Lu Yu Nian's speed based on various factors, but Lu Yu Nian's actual speed was more than ten seconds faster, which shows that he exceeded his physical limits because he cared too much.
However, this made Ji Sicheng's preparations less thorough. He had thrown a pebble into Lu Yu Nian's blind spot beforehand. In his original calculations, Lu Yu Nian would only see ripples and bubbles on the water when he rushed over, but Lu Yu Nian arrived too early. Although he didn't see the pebble, the scene wasn't realistic enough.
With Lu Yu Nian's shrewdness and ability, he should have been able to see it, but his concern clouded his judgment. He didn't think much about it, and he didn't even consider that Ji Yan Yan should be with Ji Zhi Qiu at this moment. He jumped down without thinking.
Ji Sicheng had specially studied human psychology and micro-expressions, carefully observing Lu Yu Nian to confirm that his concern and worry were genuine. The scene of Ji Zhi Qiu and Lu Yu Nian spending time together reappeared in his mind, showing that affection would be revealed in one's eyes.
Lu Yu Nian wouldn't drown if he jumped into the lake, but the weather was too cold, and he might catch a cold, which worried Ji Zhi Qiu. Considering Ji Zhi Qiu's feelings, Ji Si Cheng paused before speaking in a condescending manner, "I was just joking, Dad didn't fall into the water."
Lu Yu Nian almost lost his balance. Although he heard Ji Si Cheng's words, he was still worried. After staring at the water for a while, he finally let out a long breath.
Ji Sicheng stood there expressionless, looking at him without showing any guilt or panic after doing something wrong, nor was he afraid of Lu Yu Nian's blame.
He wasn't an ordinary child, and Lu Yu Nian wasn't an ordinary adult either. After a few seconds of eye contact, the two of them tacitly understood each other's thoughts.
"I will be good to Qiuqiu. I will never let go of him in a crisis. Most importantly, I will not let him encounter a crisis like this."
Ji Sicheng's heart skipped a beat. If Lu Yu Nian had emphasized what abilities and resources he had, he would have scoffed at it. But these words struck a chord with him.
It's a good guarantee, but...
Based on his understanding of his father, Ji Zhi Qiu was sometimes reliable, and sometimes unpredictable, even under Lu Yu Nian's thorough protection and care. He might also...
Ji Sicheng suddenly had a bad feeling. Just as he was about to speak, a small boat suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision.
Ji Zhi Qiu and Ji Yan Yan sat on a small boat, looking at each other with worried expressions. As they drifted with the gentle ripples of the current, they came to this small lake. Upon seeing two familiar figures, Ji Zhi Qiu stood up excitedly, almost bursting into tears.
He frantically waved to the two people on the shore, one big and one small, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Help! We both wanted to row, but we accidentally lost our grip and the oars fell in. We're stuck here, waaaaah!"
Ji Yanyan also stood up but couldn't say anything long, only stammering "brother" and "uncle" repeatedly.
Ji Sicheng remained silent for a few seconds, having already guessed the truth of the matter. Both father and son were incredibly childish and playful, both wanting to row the boat, but in their struggle, they made a mess of things and lost their oars.
With his dead fish eyes half-open, he gestured for Lu Yu Nian to proceed.
Come on, this is a rare opportunity.
Please keep your promise.
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