The still-drowsy little cub rubbed her eyes and finally realized that what she had been talking to wasn’t her brother—it was a large potted plant about the same height as him.

Yu Yuanyuan let out a big yawn, hugging her little lion plushie as she wandered back toward her bedroom in a daze.

Not long after, the freshly washed and brushed cub appeared at the top of the stairs, gripping the handrail as she carefully squatted down, descending step by step in preparation for breakfast.

At first, the housemaids and Yu Mingxi used to rush over to pick her up, worried she might fall.

But Yuanyuan insisted on walking by herself. Every time she made it down the stairs on her own, she’d proudly ask for praise. Over time, everyone stopped intervening and simply kept a watchful eye, ready to catch her in case she stumbled.

Despite her seemingly clueless demeanor, Yuanyuan was surprisingly smart in some ways. She knew her little feet weren’t that stable, so she held onto the handrail for support, inching her way down the stairs in a steady, careful manner.

“Good morning, big brother! Good morning, second brother!” Yuanyuan chirped as soon as she reached the dining table, her voice full of energy.

Yu Mingxi smiled and greeted her in return, while Yu Yingze gave her a quick glance before resuming his breakfast, unfazed.

Yu Jinxiao was already seated, scrolling through his phone. He waited and waited… Something was off. Why hadn’t she greeted him?

“Yuanyuan…” Yu Jinxiao, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, finally asked, “Why did you only say good morning to your brothers?”

Aunt Chen had just placed the food on the table, and Yuanyuan had already taken a big bite out of her steaming hot bean paste bun, biting off its head. With her mouth full, she chewed for a while before finding space to reply, “I already talked to Daddy this morning, so I can’t say good morning again.”

Yu Jinxiao: “…? And who made that rule?”

“Yuanyuan’s rule.”

Once again, he’d been successfully outmaneuvered by the little cub.

After breakfast, Yu Mingxi and Yu Yingze were both set to leave for school, while Gao Zhou would be coming to pick Yu Jinxiao up for work.

As one person after another prepared to leave the house, Yuanyuan suddenly realized that today… she’d be all alone at home!

No big brother, no second brother, no daddy!
There would be no one to play with her, meow.

The driver for Yu Mingxi and Yu Yingze had already arrived. Standing beneath a blooming pink rose bush by the gate, Yuanyuan, dressed in a white princess dress, waved frantically in front of the car.

“Big brother, think of Yuanyuan! Second brother, think of Yuanyuan too!” she called out. But as she spoke, her bright expression dimmed with sadness. “Yuanyuan will be good and wait at home for you to come back…”

Yu Mingxi, seeing her pitiful expression, didn’t want to go to school at all. He rolled down the car window, holding onto Yuanyuan’s little hand, trying to comfort her.

Meanwhile, Yu Yingze, who didn’t want to make this farewell too dramatic, sat on the other side of the car with his headphones in, doing his best to ignore the little cub’s babyish voice.

But after what seemed like forever with the car still not moving, he finally couldn’t take it anymore. Removing one earphone, he glanced over toward the window—

Yuanyuan, too short to properly see inside the car, was standing on her tiptoes, stretching her arms up just to hold onto the window ledge. Her fluffy little head bobbed up and down, her furrowed brow and wide, pleading eyes visible above the car door.

Her mouth was hidden behind the window, but she kept talking to Yu Mingxi, determined to maintain the conversation.

The sight instantly reminded Yu Yingze of the “door-clinging Shiba Inu” meme he had seen online the night before.

“Yuanyuan, come here for a second,” Yu Yingze called, motioning her over with a wave of his hand, looking serious.

The little cub who had been clinging to Yu Mingxi’s window obediently shuffled over to Yu Yingze’s side.

“Second brother, second brother, what do you want to tell Yuanyuan?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity as she strained to peer up at him through the window.

Her fluffy head bumped against the car window, bobbing up and down—up close, she was even cuter!

“Nothing, I was just messing with you,” Yu Yingze replied, satisfied after getting a closer look, and promptly rolled up the window.

The driver slowly started the car, and soon the vehicle’s speed left the tiny figure standing forlornly behind in the driveway.

Absentmindedly, Yu Yingze glanced back through the window. When he saw that small figure standing there all alone, looking so pitiful and dejected, an unexpected surge of guilt rose up within him.