Chapter 11

Xu Zhao quickly covered the little guy’s mouth, fearing he might say something even more troublesome. Faced with the child’s angry eyes, he felt both speechless and helpless, though also amused.

The sibling’s bond was strong. In just a moment, the younger brother was already defending his sister.

Xu Zhao frowned, wracking his brain to come up with a way to explain things that Jiang Leyun could accept. “Your sister and I just met for the first time today, so we’re not familiar with each other yet. As we spend more time together and get to know each other better, everything will naturally fall into place. You’re still young, and it’s normal not to understand adult matters. Your sister and I will discuss everything seriously, so you don’t need to worry. Right now, the most important thing for you is to eat well and grow up strong.”

It was the first time Xu Zhao had ever discussed whether he liked a girl with a seven-year-old child. He felt incredibly awkward, but he didn’t brush off the child just because of his age. His attitude was sincere.

But honestly, are kids nowadays really this mature? Talking about whether or not someone likes another person? When he was Leyun’s age, he spent his days with a wooden toy gun, roughhousing with other kids in the courtyard, never having enough time to play. He certainly didn’t have the mental space to think about such complicated matters.

Jiang Leyun scratched his head, thinking for a second or two, then waved his small hand dismissively, half-understanding: “Anyway, I don’t care. I’ll ask you one more time—do you like my sister? If you say you don’t, I’m going to tell her, and we won’t go with you. You can go by yourself.”

He felt that Xu Zhao was just making excuses, trying to stall for time. Saying things like “you’ll understand with time” didn’t directly answer his question.

His sister was such a good person, and she deserved to marry someone who liked her. He didn’t want his sister to live with someone who didn’t care for her, as it would make him feel like she was sacrificing everything for him. Even if that wasn’t entirely the case, it was certainly a large part of it.

But if his sister didn’t marry Xu Zhao, what would happen if she encountered someone like Comrade Qin again in the future? Who would protect her then?

He glared at Xu Zhao with frustration, wondering why this person didn’t like his sister.

Of course, Xu Zhao had no idea that in just a few seconds, Jiang Leyun’s mind had been racing, thinking all sorts of things. The more he thought, the more his little eyebrows furrowed, clearly troubled.

Xu Zhao couldn’t understand why the child was so insistent on getting a specific answer, one that had to meet his expectations without any other possibility.

Such a domineering attitude at such a young age—was this how his father raised him? Or was it influenced by his sister’s upbringing?

Seeing that he wasn’t getting the answer he wanted, the child became increasingly unreasonable. Xu Zhao was at a loss. He wanted to explain that liking someone wasn’t a simple matter, but seeing the child’s stubborn expression, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

He must be out of his mind, thinking he could reason with a seven-year-old. Winning wouldn’t be an achievement, and losing would be even more embarrassing. Besides, he doubted the child even understood what “liking” meant. He was probably just repeating something he’d heard.

In the end, Xu Zhao gave up and decided to say whatever would get him through this. His ears turned bright red as he mumbled, “I like her.”

“Huh?” Jiang Leyun was stunned, staring at Xu Zhao in disbelief. He even rubbed his ears, “Did I hear that right? Did you say you like her?”

Since he had already embarrassed himself, Xu Zhao didn’t care anymore. He just wanted to end this quickly. With a stern expression, he replied, “You heard correctly.”

Jiang Leyun, now satisfied, grabbed Xu Zhao’s wrist and shook it excitedly, his eyes sparkling with joy. “Wow, Brother Xu, you like my sister! I knew it! How could anyone not like her? My sister is the best girl in the world—anyone who doesn’t like her must be blind!”

It was clear that this child adored his sister and had a bit of a double standard. Now that Xu Zhao had admitted to liking her, the child was calling him “Brother Xu,” while earlier, when he wasn’t getting the answer he wanted, he’d been using the less respectful “you.” His thick-skinned behavior was quite amusing.

“What are you two talking about? What’s all this about liking or not liking?” Jiang Suihan walked out of the kitchen, seeing Xu Zhao and Jiang Leyun talking. The child looked very excited, and she even heard the word “like” mentioned.

A grown man and a little kid—what on earth could they be talking about that would make the child so excited? She was curious.

Jiang Leyun was eager to share, “Sister, Brother Xu said he…”

Before he could finish, Xu Zhao quickly covered his mouth, shooting him a warning glance. “It’s nothing. We were just joking around.”

Jiang Suihan looked at them suspiciously, not entirely convinced. “Really?”

Jiang Leyun caught the hint in Xu Zhao’s wink, pushed his hand away, and said, “This is man-to-man talk. You women don’t need to know. When the time is right, we’ll tell you.”

“How old are you, calling yourself a man? You’re just a boy,” Jiang Suihan teased, pinching his cheek. Clearly, the two of them were hiding something from her.

It hadn’t even been a full day, and these two were already getting along so well. She hadn’t expected Xu Zhao to be so good at handling kids.

Finally, with the situation diffused, Xu Zhao crouched down slightly, “Let’s make a deal—you can’t let your sister know about our conversation. Can you do that?”

Jiang Leyun nodded vigorously, a bit excited. “Of course! A man’s word is his bond. I swear I won’t tell my sister. Even if she asks, I won’t say a word.”

Who did he think he was underestimating? He wasn’t someone who went back on his word.

He leaned in closer, grinning cheekily, “I know—you’re just shy and too embarrassed to tell my sister.”

The little guy had a smug look, as if he had seen through Xu Zhao’s thoughts.

Xu Zhao was left speechless, mimicking Jiang Suihan’s earlier gesture and pinching the child’s cheek. “Aren’t you clever.”

Jiang Leyun tilted his head up proudly, even more pleased with himself.

There was only one room in the house, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for Xu Zhao to stay the night. A man and a woman alone in the same house would lead to rumors that could damage Jiang Suihan’s reputation.

Xu Zhao picked up his luggage, “I’ll stay at a nearby guesthouse. Lock the doors and windows tonight. Don’t worry about breakfast tomorrow—I’ll bring it over.”

Jiang Suihan waved him off, “Be careful on the way.”

The Jiang family was currently living on an old street, where they had to fetch water from a well at the end of the street for daily use. It was very inconvenient. They had a water jar at home, and Xu Zhao had filled it to the brim while Jiang Suihan was taking her afternoon nap.

Finally, they could enjoy a proper bath. With so much going on last night, the siblings had only managed to wipe themselves down quickly. The hot weather made skipping a bath unbearable, leaving their bodies feeling sticky and, combined with the smell of ointment on their foreheads, quite unpleasant.

Worried about her wound getting wet, Jiang Suihan decided against washing her hair.

Before bed, she asked Jiang Leyun, “Are you asleep yet?”

Jiang Leyun, almost drifting off, opened his eyes groggily when he heard his sister’s voice and yawned, “Almost.”

So, he wasn’t quite asleep.

Jiang Suihan tried to probe, “What were you and Xu Zhao talking about this afternoon? You two were so secretive, keeping it from me. Is there something I shouldn’t know?”

Still half-asleep, Jiang Leyun remembered his promise and stubbornly replied, “Can’t tell.”

Jiang Suihan continued her questioning, “I’m your sister, the closest person to you in this world. Your business is my business. Are you feeling like you’re grown up now, that you don’t need your sister anymore, that I’m being too controlling? I’m hurt.”

She pretended to be sad while keeping a close eye on him.

Jiang Leyun quickly defended himself, “No, that’s not it at all! I don’t think you’re too controlling.”

With their parents gone and their uncle’s family long severed ties with them, his sister was his only close family. He liked being looked after by her.

He wanted to secretly tell his sister about Xu Zhao liking her but didn’t want to break his promise either. His little face showed how conflicted he was, not knowing what to do.

He repeated, “Can’t tell.”

Jiang Suihan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. It had only been a day, and they already had secrets from her that they wouldn’t share.

“Fine, if you can’t tell, then don’t. It’s not like I must know. Let’s sleep.”

“Are you mad?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

Since they had gone to bed early, Jiang Suihan woke up early. After a couple of days without washing her hair, it had become oily and stuck to her scalp, making her uncomfortable. She got up and heated a pot of water.

Jiang Leyun, sitting on a stool and helping pour the water, reminded her, “The doctor said not to get your wound wet. If it does, you’ll have to go to the hospital again. It’s a hassle.”

A hassle that would also cost money. They had no money left and still owed Xu Zhao.

He was very reluctant to go to the hospital, as his mother had passed away there, and his father had gone there for treatment but hadn’t recovered, later passing away as well. He preferred to avoid hospitals whenever possible.

Unaware of her brother’s thoughts, Jiang Suihan bent over, letting her hair down. “Got it, little housekeeper. The water’s a bit hot, go add some cold water.”

The water was too hot, making it uncomfortable to pour over her head.

Washing her hair took half an hour, but afterward, Jiang Suihan felt much better. The heaviness was gone, and she felt light and comfortable.

Two words: Pure bliss.

As she ran her fingers through her long hair, she considered getting it cut. It had been a while since her last haircut, and now it reached her waist. The ends were dry and starting to split.

**