Chapter 420| Chapter 421| Chapter 422
Chapter 420: Suddenly Realizing That Time Is Running Out
“You guessed it. That’s actually more exciting than just picking up money.”
“Let me guess—Political Commissar Xie came by today?”
Hearing his deduction, Sheng Wanyan smiled warmly. No wonder he knew exactly why she was so happy. It turned out he had already pieced together that Xie Zheng was the one delivering the funds. Gu Tingxiao privately mused that he should invite the Political Commissar over more often if it meant keeping his wife in such high spirits every day.
Following that financial windfall, time marched quickly into November.
True to her word, Sheng Wanyan finished the custom canvas backpack she had promised Yiyi. She embroidered a fluffy little white rabbit on the front, framing it with a delicate border of colorful wildflowers. The toddler was absolutely thrilled with the design, hugging her new bag tightly.
When Gu Tingxiao returned from work at the end of the week, he handed over his earnings from the previous month. “Wife, here is last month’s salary.”
His monthly pay had officially risen to 150 yuan. In this era, that amount was more than enough to support a family of three in absolute comfort, even if Sheng Wanyan chose to indulge in luxury imports. She systematically used his salary to cover all the daily household expenses. Her philosophy was practical: if a woman doesn’t spend her man’s money, some other woman eventually will. Doing so was a matter of principle, leaving no room for outside temptations.
Sheng Wanyan handed him back his usual ten yuan for pocket money. Gu Tingxiao rarely spent a single cent of this allowance on himself; he almost always saved it to buy her vanishing cream, pick up treats for their daughter, or fill Yiyi’s red envelopes during the Lunar New Year.
“Oh, by the way,” Sheng Wanyan noted, pulling a folded paper from her apron. “My parents wrote to us.”
She quickly smoothed out the pages. The letter was a joint update from her mother and father. Because they hadn’t been able to travel north to Bing City for the holidays last winter, they were entirely out of the loop regarding her and Pan Yue’s academic plans. Now that they knew both women were entering the gauntlet of the college entrance examination, the elders had already applied for an extended leave from work. They were currently aboard a northbound train, eager to arrive early and take over the childcare duties so the candidates could study for the upcoming December exams in absolute peace.
It was a perfect opportunity for the extended family to celebrate the New Year together. However, Sheng Wanyan and Gu Tingxiao had originally planned to take Yiyi back to the capital this winter. By then, the little girl would be two and a half years old—robust enough to handle the long train ride back to the Capital without causing too much logistical chaos.
Sheng Wanyan ran the math in her head. If she successfully passed the exam, she would be required to report to her university campus by early March. That meant if they traveled south for the New Year, she wouldn’t have enough time to return to the Bing City afterward. The timeline simply didn’t allow for endless back-and-forth travel.
On the other hand, Gu Tingxiao’s official military transfer wouldn’t clear immediately. She would have to take Yiyi to the Capital ahead of him, buy a private courtyard house, and get their domestic life organized before classes commenced.
With these logistics weighing on her mind, Sheng Wanyan decided to sit down and discuss the timeline thoroughly with her husband. “Tingxiao, are the university enrollment dates officially set for early March?”
“Yes.” Gu Tingxiao nodded, immediately anticipating where her thoughts were heading. He knew that if they spent the Spring Festival in the Capital, his wife wouldn’t be returning north to the base. With the holiday falling on February 7th, the window between the celebrations and the start of the academic term was far too narrow.
“I’ll look into taking a block of extended leave when the time comes,” he offered gently. “That way, I can personally escort you and Yiyi to the Capital and get you both settled. My main concern is that once your classes start, you’ll be stretched too thin to manage a toddler alone. During the day, we can leave Yiyi at my grandfather’s place. The compound has dedicated guards and household aunties who can look after her.”
Sheng Wanyan didn’t immediately agree. In her heart, she felt it was improper to simply dump Yiyi at the main Gu family residence. That estate belonged to Eldest Brother Gu and his wife, and the two old elders were getting frail. Her plan was to purchase an independent courtyard house near her future campus; she had no intention of encroaching on the extended family’s living space. More importantly, she wanted Yiyi by her side. Children belonged with their parents during their formative years. If she shuttled the toddler to the military compound every morning, the girl would eventually feel uprooted and resentful.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to move in with your brother and sister-in-law,” she stated plainly. She hadn’t raised this point earlier because the resumption of the exams hadn’t been set in stone. Now that the policy was official, she laid out her blueprint. “I want to buy a small courtyard house close to the university grounds and set up our home there. That way, Yiyi won’t have to grow up feeling like an abandoned child.”
Gu Tingxiao wasn’t surprised by her independent streak; he knew his wife’s character inside out. “But wife, almost all the major universities in the Capital are currently situated in the outer, undeveloped districts. Are you sure you want to buy a property out in the countryside?”
Sheng Wanyan nodded confidently. It might be considered the rustic countryside in 1977, but she knew that in a few decades, those exact locations would become prime, high-value suburban hubs. “Since it’s right by the campus, it’s the most practical choice for our daily life. However, we’ll also purchase a secondary courtyard house within the city center. That way, we can easily split our time and bring Yiyi to visit her grandparents and relatives on the weekends.”
“But how will you manage her safety during the week?” Gu Tingxiao asked, his brow furrowing. He understood her desire to keep their daughter close, but a full university course load was demanding. Who would watch the toddler while she was in lectures? The campus was far too distant from the main military compound for a daily commute.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” she replied thoughtfully. “If all else fails, we can look into enrolling her in a local nursery. Yiyi will be two and a half by then, which is a great age to start socializing with other children.”
Yiyi was a naturally vibrant, extroverted little girl, but her life within the regiment’s staff quarters had been somewhat isolating. The neighboring families mostly had much older children. Because of the vast age gap, the neighborhood kids rarely included her in their games; they spent their days running wild over the hills, leaving their clumsy, toddler sister behind. Even her cousin, Huzi, who was nearing three, was an aggressive, high-energy boy who preferred exploring on his own. Huzi was still a baby himself, entirely incapable of supervising an infant, so it was unrealistic to expect him to act as her constant guardian.
Gu Tingxiao conceded the point. Sending Yiyi to a professional nursery was a viable fallback. Still, he harbored reservations; the daycares of this era were purely custodial, often packing too many children into confined spaces. With that many toddlers under one roof, chaos, crying, and squabbles were inevitable.
“Let’s finalize our departure for the end of January,” Gu Tingxiao said, calculating the remaining weeks on his fingers. He realized their timeline was shrinking rapidly. “We need to hit the ground running and secure a property the moment we land. I want to ensure you and Yiyi are perfectly settled before my leave ends and I have to return to active duty.”
He paused, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes. “My father sent a dispatch regarding my formal transfer back to the capital command. The bureaucratic reviews will take some time—roughly half a year before the paperwork clears.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded understandingly. She had already anticipated the political delays. A high-profile transfer like Gu Tingxiao’s would inevitably draw scrutiny from rival factions. Father Gu was already laying the groundwork to gradually pass the reins of the family’s military legacy to Eldest Brother Gu over the next few years. Gu Tingxiao’s return needed to be executed flawlessly so that his brother could maintain absolute authority, ensuring the Gu family kept its ironclad foothold in the capital’s military hierarchy.
“How much leave do you actually have banked?” she asked, worrying he might face reprimands for staying away too long, especially since he had already spent several months recovering from his battlefield injuries.
“Combining my remaining balance from last year with this year’s allocation, I have exactly four months of approved leave,” he reassured her.
Four months was an incredible luxury. It meant he could provide total logistical support through the winter and keep her company during her final two months of intense preparation.
“Perfect.”
They locked in January 25th as their official departure date for the Capital. However, Sheng Wanyan knew she had to handle one critical administrative loophole before they boarded the train. The following morning, she traveled into the city’s central registry office to officially update her mailing address. She didn’t want her university acceptance letter delivered to the Bing City base, which would force her parents to risk mailing the irreplaceable document across provinces.
From her knowledge of the era, the grading and admissions process for this specific winter exam would run notoriously behind schedule. Many candidates wouldn’t receive their official acceptance notices until the eleventh hour, forcing them to pack their entire lives into suitcases overnight.
Worse still, the late 1970s were rampant with academic corruption; without centralized digital tracking, it was dangerously easy for well-connected individuals to intercept a regular citizen’s acceptance letter and steal their hard-earned university slot. She was taking no chances with her future.
Chapter 421: Father and Mother Sheng Arrive
Ultimately, it was always safest to have crucial documents sent to a location where you could receive them in person.
Sure enough, it took only two days for Father and Mother Sheng to arrive in Bing City. Sheng Wanze had naturally received their travel itinerary beforehand and left early that morning to pick them up from the station.
Back at the house, Sheng Wanyan was getting her daughter ready. “Yiyi, your grandpa and grandma are arriving today. Do you remember them?”
Yiyi didn’t actually remember them at all, but she knew very well that many of her favorite toys and treats had been bought and sent by them.
“When Grandpa and Grandma walk through that door, you need to be a polite girl and greet them, okay?”
“Okay~” Yiyi agreed happily, her eyes shining with anticipation as she looked toward the door.
Sheng Wanyan neatly tied the toddler’s hair into two small, adorable buns, pinning back the stray baby hairs at the front with barrettes.
“Mommy~ I want the stars~” Yiyi pouted slightly as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, feeling a little dissatisfied. Her absolute favorite ornaments were her star-shaped hairpins.
Sheng Wanyan smiled, unclipped the cherry hairpins she had just put in, and replaced them with the requested stars. “There you go.”
Utterly satisfied, Yiyi wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and planted a grateful kiss on her cheek, completely melting Sheng Wanyan’s heart.
“Come on, let’s put on our winter coats and go see if the car has arrived.”
By November, the heavy snow had already set in across the Bing City. Inside the house, sitting on the heated kang bed in just a sweater and trousers was perfectly warm, but going outside required bundling up. Sheng Wanyan pulled a pair of thick, loose pants over Yiyi’s legs, layered her clothing, and finally zipped her into a plush, furry winter coat.
“Now, put on your own shoes.”
Yiyi plopped down onto the floor and focused on her boots. As long as she took her time, she was perfectly capable of putting them on herself. The boots were lined with thick fleece to ensure her feet wouldn’t freeze outside. Once she managed to get them on, she trotted eagerly into the living room and sat down, waiting obediently.
However, the air outside remained quiet. There was no sound of an approaching car; her grandparents hadn’t arrived yet.
“Mommy~ want a drink~”
Sheng Wanyan prepared a warm bottle of milk for her. Yiyi sat in the living room, happily nursing her bottle with her ears pricked up, listening closely for any sign of arrival.
Eventually, the waiting grew tedious for a two-year-old. She fetched her drawing kit and began to color, deciding she wanted to paint a beautiful picture to welcome her grandparents.
Sheng Wanyan also checked the clock from time to time. It was only five in the afternoon, which meant there was still another hour before they were expected. She walked down into the root cellar and brought up a slab of cured bacon. They were slated to have dinner across the hall at her brother’s place tonight, and she felt awkward turning up empty-handed.
“Are you finished with your drawing, baby?” Sheng Wanyan asked, walking back into the room. “If you’re done, Mommy will take you over to play with your brother. I need to help your aunt cook dinner, too.”
Yiyi carefully placed her brush back into her new tin pencil case. “All done~” She carried the tin into her bedroom, placing it neatly in its designated spot on her small desk. “Let’s go~”
Sheng Wanyan picked up the slab of bacon, settled a warm hat and scarf onto Yiyi, and led her out into the courtyard.
By now, the snow outside had piled up to Yiyi’s calves. The little girl squealed with delight, instantly dropping to her knees to play in the fresh powder.
“Yiyi, did we come out here to play in the snow, or are we going somewhere?” Sheng Wanyan reminded her gently.
“Going to Huzi’s house~”
“That’s right. We’re going to your brother’s house now. You can play over there.”
Hearing this, Yiyi obediently dropped the snow from her mittens, took her mother’s hand, and walked across the courtyard. “Mommy~ Yiyi was wrong.”
She looked up nervously, but Sheng Wanyan simply rubbed her winter hat affectionately. “It’s alright, sweetheart. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. As long as we correct ourselves when we realize it, we’re still good children.”
Yiyi tilted her head, a bit confused by the big words, but she took the lesson to heart nonetheless.
“Brother~” she called out as they reached the door.
“I’m coming!” Huzi’s voice rang out instantly. He sprinted to the door and flung it open. “Sister!”
The moment the two children united, the courtyard became a whirlwind of noise as they began running wild through the snow together. Sheng Wanyan handed the cured bacon to Pan Yue and stepped into the kitchen to help with the preparations.
“Wanyan, you’re here,” Pan Yue said, looking at the slab of meat with a disapproving frown. “Why do you always insist on bringing things over?”
Sheng Wanyan smiled, rolled up her sleeves, and began washing her hands. “It’s just a piece of bacon we had left over. We don’t have anything else fancy at home, so please don’t turn it down, Sister-in-law.”
Pan Yue knew exactly what she was doing. Sheng Wanyan was simply using a polite excuse to ensure the gift was accepted. If the food in the Gu household wasn’t considered “fancy,” then every other family in the entire military housing estate was practically starving. Still, she appreciated the tactful gesture.
“Who in their right mind would turn down meat?” Pan Yue laughed, accepting the bacon.
With the two women working together, the multi-course meal was prepared in record time. Just as they were plating the final dishes, the booming voices of Father and Mother Sheng echoed from the front gate. Mother Sheng’s bright, joyous laughter carried all the way into the backyard kitchen.
Out in the front yard, Huzi and Yiyi were still completely engrossed in their snow castle. The moment Father and Mother Sheng stepped through the threshold, their eyes locked onto the long-awaited grandson and granddaughter they had been pining for.
“Grandpa! Grandma!” Huzi cheered, running forward.
Seeing Yiyi standing frozen in a daze, Huzi quickly introduced her. “Yiyi, look! These are your grandparents!”
Yiyi felt a sudden wave of shyness wash over her, but she remembered her promise to her mother. She took a timid step forward and called out cutely, “Grandpa~ Grandma~”
“Oh, my sweet girl!” Mother Sheng’s heart practically soared. She rushed forward, scooped both children into her arms, and rained kisses down on their rosy cheeks, one after the other.
She was nearly weeping with joy. It had been a year and a half since she last laid eyes on them, and her longing had been a heavy ache in her chest.
Just then, Gu Tingxiao returned from work. Seeing that his parents-in-law had successfully arrived, he quickly jogged back to his own house to fetch a few premium bottles of wine before heading back over.
“Mom, Dad,” he greeted them warmly.
Hearing his deep voice, Mother Sheng looked up, her face instantly radiant with smiles. “Xiao Gu! You’re home from work?”
Gu Tingxiao nodded politely. Sensing the bitter chill in the air, Grandpa and Grandma Sheng quickly ushered the entire group inside. “Come inside, come inside where it’s warm! You’ve all been traveling for hours in this freezing weather; you need to sit down and rest.”
“Hurry along inside,” Grandma Sheng added, shooing the children. “Huzi, bring your sister inside too. No more playing in the snow for today.”
The children had been running around outside for over half an hour; any longer and they would certainly catch a cold. With the arrival of their grandparents, the children willingly abandoned their snow fort, lured in by the mouthwatering aroma of hot food wafting from the dining room.
Sheng Wanyan and Pan Yue emerged from the kitchen carrying the final serving platters, coming face-to-face with the newly arrived elders. The entire family was finally gathered under one roof.
“Mom, Dad!” Sheng Wanyan called out.
“Wanyan! Xiaoyue!”
The moment Mother Sheng saw the two young women, her smile grew so wide her eyes crinkled shut. She forgot all about holding Huzi, stepping forward to clasp their hands tightly. She inspected their faces meticulously, and seeing their bright, healthy complexions, a profound sense of relief settled over her.
“Good… everything is so good.” Overwhelmed with happiness, Mother Sheng couldn’t find any grand words; she could only repeat how wonderful it was to see them.
“Mom, Dad, let’s sit down and eat first,” Sheng Wanyan suggested gently.
“Yes, exactly,” Grandma Sheng agreed, guiding them to the table. “You’ve been on a grueling train ride all day. Fill your stomachs first, and then we’ll have all the time in the world to chat.”
“Alright, alright,” Father Sheng smiled, pulling out a chair. “Let’s eat.”
The family took their seats. Yiyi, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden influx of unfamiliar faces, shrank back and hid securely in Gu Tingxiao’s lap. Sheng Wanyan walked over with a soft laugh, scooping up the timid little quail.
“Yiyi, are you being a shy girl today?”
Yiyi nodded solemnly, wrapping her arms tightly around her mother’s neck while sneaking cautious glances at Father and Mother Sheng from the safety of her shoulder.
Father and Mother Sheng’s attention had been pinned on the toddler from the moment they sat down. Seeing how she kept curling into her father’s embrace, they knew she was simply feeling bashful. But their hands were practically itching to hold her; they hadn’t even had a proper chance to interact with their precious granddaughter yet.
“Yiyi, remember all those beautiful gifts and clothes Grandpa and Grandma sent to you?” Sheng Wanyan coaxed softly, smoothing the girl’s hair. “Didn’t Yiyi say she missed them, too?”
“Look over there. Grandpa and Grandma are looking at Yiyi right now because they love you very much and want to give you a big hug.”
Chapter 422: Give Face One by One
Yiyi listened to her mother’s words and looked over at her grandparents. Seeing the pure affection shining in Father and Mother Sheng’s eyes, she instantly felt much more at ease.
Sheng Wanyan had always been aware of how perceptive Yiyi was. The little girl was deeply sensitive and could pick up on other people’s underlying emotions toward her in an instant. If she ever sensed that someone didn’t genuinely welcome her, she would shrink back in fear and look for her parents’ protection. But around people she knew truly loved her, Yiyi was always a chatty, cheerful little spark plug.
Seeing that Yiyi had relaxed a bit, Mother Sheng walked over, gently took her tiny hand, and spoke in a soothing voice. “Yiyi, look, Grandpa and Grandma brought you your absolute favorite toys. We really, really love you.”
As Yiyi looked up into her grandmother’s warm face, the last trace of nervousness and worry in her little heart melted away.
“Come along, let Grandma carry you over to eat.” Mother Sheng reached out her arms, and this time, Yiyi happily leaned forward, settling obediently into her grandmother’s embrace.
“What a good girl, let’s go~” Mother Sheng cooed. “Grandma is going to feed Yiyi all kinds of delicious food.”
Mother Sheng couldn’t even express how much she doted on this little granddaughter. Now that Yiyi was two years old, she looked exactly like Sheng Wanyan had when she was a baby—the same bashful little gestures, the same funny expressions, and those exact same watery, expressive eyes. Looking at Yiyi was like getting a second chance to see her own daughter as a child, and Mother Sheng secretly wanted to pour all the love into Yiyi that she had missed giving to Sheng Wanyan.
Yiyi sat contentedly on Mother Sheng’s lap, while Father Sheng, who was holding Huzi, leaned across the table to playfully interact with her. Before long, the grandfather and granddaughter were giggling and playing together. Father Sheng was incredibly gentle and polite with the little girl, which completely hit the mark for her. Yiyi decided she liked him very much.
“Waiwai~” Yiyi babbled.
“Grandpa,” Huzi interrupted, his chest puffing out. “You have to say Grandpa.”
Now that Huzi could speak with perfect fluency, he loved correcting Yiyi’s pronunciation. He wanted to act like a little adult, educating his younger sister the exact same way his mother always educated him.
“Grandpa~” Yiyi repeated obediently.
Huzi proudly clapped his hands together. He felt so accomplished having just taught his little sister a new word.
“Hey, what a smart girl!” Father Sheng beamed. If it weren’t currently dinner time, he would have scooped his granddaughter up right then and there to march around the compound, showing everyone how beautifully she could call him grandpa.
“Sister, say Grandma~” Huzi urged, riding the wave of his first success. “Call her Grandma.”
Yiyi didn’t disappoint Mother Sheng. She looked up and called out in a sweet, milky baby voice, “Grandma~”
“Oh my goodness, you are just the brightest girl!” Mother Sheng squeezed her tightly and planted a big kiss on her cheek. This granddaughter truly had a way of turning anyone’s heart to mush.
“And our Huzi is wonderful, too. You’re an excellent teacher for your sister,” Mother Sheng added, making sure to praise the boy as well. Huzi’s smile stretched from ear to ear.
“Well, that’s perfect,” Sheng Wanze chimed in, looking at his son with a rare look of satisfaction. At least the boy had inherited his sharp wits. “From now on, the official task of teaching your sister to speak is all yours.”
“Your father used to teach your aunt how to speak the exact same way,” Mother Sheng reminisced, a nostalgic smile playing on her lips. “When your aunt was a toddler, she used to speak in complete gibberish and loved to repeat every word twice. I never expected our Huzi to take after his father so perfectly.”
Mother Sheng recalled that when Sheng Wanyan was little, all the adults in the house worked demanding hours, so the responsibility of watching her often fell onto Sheng Wanze’s young shoulders. Even as a young boy, Sheng Wanze had been incredibly patient. He didn’t just babysit his little sister; he meticulously taught her how to talk. Later, when she was old enough to hold a pen, he was the one who taught her how to read and write, step by step.
It wasn’t until Sheng Wanyan got married that her parents truly realized how much they had missed out on during her childhood. While they had provided her with plenty of food, clothes, and the opportunity to go to school, she hadn’t actually learned many life skills from them directly. By the time they finally had a spare moment to teach her, her older brother had already taught her everything.
This had always lingered as a quiet regret for Father and Mother Sheng. After all, when Sheng Wanze was a child, he had been doted on and meticulously raised by four elders in the family. Fortunately, their daughter hadn’t gone astray; Sheng Wanze had simply passed down every lesson the elders had instilled in him to his little sister.
Sitting quietly at the table, Gu Tingxiao listened intently. It was rare for him to hear stories about his wife’s childhood, and he found himself deeply fascinated. It turned out his daughter had inherited all her quirky traits directly from her mother—not just her beautiful face, but her entire temperament.
The thought of essentially watching a mini-version of his wife grow up filled him with a profound sense of satisfaction. He couldn’t help but wonder if his daughter would grow up to be just as independent, strong, and confident as her mother.
Meanwhile, Huzi was over the moon to hear that he was just like his father had been as a boy. No matter how much he bickered with him daily, his father was still the person he admired most in the world. His dad was a great hero who defended the country! How impressive did that sound when he told his playmates?
“Just leave it to me~” Huzi proclaimed, slapping his chest confidently. The entire table burst into laughter at his bravado.
“Alright, it’s a deal. The job is yours,” Pan Yue smiled, refusing to dampen his high spirits. It was always a good thing for a child to have a sense of purpose.
Sheng Wanyan caught her sister-in-law’s eye and smiled. Wanting to build on the boy’s sudden wave of confidence, she leaned forward. “Come here, Huzi. Now Auntie is going to give you a special assignment.”
Huzi perked up instantly, leaning in with immense interest.
“Today, the task of getting your little sister to eat her egg yolk is completely up to you.”
Yiyi was an incredibly picky eater when it came to eggs; she loved egg whites but absolutely despised egg yolks. She could tolerate a smoothly steamed egg custard, but she flatly refused to touch the yolk of a hard-boiled egg.
Huzi became incredibly excited by the challenge. He snatched up a hard-boiled egg from the platter, cracked it, peeled the shell off with absolute concentration, and dropped it right into Yiyi’s small bowl. “Sister, eat up!”
Yiyi’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the egg. She picked it up with her chubby fingers and began taking hearty bites.
Watching her eat so readily, Huzi grinned, thinking his mission was a total success. But as he kept watching her progress, his smile slowly faltered, and his eyes widened.
His little sister was operating like a precise, ruthless egg-white-peeling machine. Within seconds, she had cleanly devoured every single scrap of the white, leaving a perfectly round, untouched yellow yolk sitting dead center in her bowl.
Yiyi looked up at him, holding the naked yolk in her hands, her expression entirely innocent.
Huzi stared at her in disbelief. “Sister… is this seriously how you eat eggs?”
He questioned reality for the first time in his three years of life. Weren’t the white and the yolk supposed to be chewed together?
“Hehe~” Yiyi flashed him a sweet, dimpled grin.
Refusing to accept defeat, Huzi began using all his rhetorical skills to coax her. “Sister, eating egg yolks will make you grow big and tall.”
Yiyi didn’t budge.
“Sister, eating egg yolks keeps you safe from getting sick.”
Yiyi remained completely unmoved, ignoring his logic entirely. Her daddy had told her before: boys were the absolute best at tricking girls, so she had to stay on her guard.
Seeing her stoic expression, Huzi finally resorted to desperation. He looked at her with watery, pleading eyes. “Sister… save your older brother’s reputation, please!”
Hearing his pathetic tone, Yiyi blinked her big eyes. She propped her chin up with her small hands and let out a heavy, dramatic sigh, looking exactly like an adult weary of the world. “Sigh~”
The adult world was just too complicated. Over a single egg yolk, they had actually deployed her pitiful older brother to manipulate her. And her brother’s world was clearly complicated too; he was willing to do anything just to win a compliment from the adults.
Ultimately, Yiyi’s heart softened. She decided she had to give her brother some face in front of the family. Grudgingly, she picked up the yolk and took a couple of bites.
Seeing her actually chew it, Huzi looked as though he might cry tears of joy. Even though she really only took two bites before setting the rest down, it was more than enough. After all, Huzi had just accomplished what no one else in the house could—he had made the stubborn little Yiyi make an exception for him.
