Lu Xiao happily held the child in his arms, thinking how obedient and well-behaved his little cousin was. Those big, watery eyes, that confused expression, and that well-mannered demeanor…

Wait, something didn’t seem right.

Lu Xiao suddenly froze. Wasn’t his cousin supposed to be a little mixed-race boy?

The real mixed-race child was standing at the door, letting out a sound that Lu Xiao would remember for the rest of his life.

Lu Xiao could never quite describe the exact nature of that sound, only that it felt like it struck his skull directly, sending a shiver down his spine.

Following the noise, the butler spoke cautiously, “Young Master Lu Xiao, the child you’re holding isn’t the young master. That’s his friend.”

“…”

“Young Master Arno is behind you.”

“…”

Lu Xiao dumbfoundedly looked down at the confused and innocent Jiang Yi in his arms, then turned his head to see the furious, wild-haired mixed-race boy, Arno, standing at the door with a chessboard in his hands, glaring at him.

Arno’s bristling hair wasn’t an exaggeration—it was like a fiercely protective dog whose food had been stolen, baring its teeth like an angry little wolf cub.

Lu Xiao froze in place.

Jiang Yi wiped the slobber off his face, his eyes tearful as he desperately needed to use the bathroom. Seeing Lu Xiao, who spoke Chinese, Jiang Yi couldn’t even care about the loud kiss he had just received. Stammering, he told Lu Xiao he needed to use the restroom.

Arno angrily tossed the chessboard aside and rushed into the room, spouting off a barrage of English phrases like a machine gun. Unfortunately, Jiang Yi couldn’t understand a word. His face flushed as he tugged on Lu Xiao’s pants, his voice choked with tears as he repeated his need to go to the bathroom.

Lu Xiao, still processing everything, heard the small, doll-like child in his arms urgently saying he needed the bathroom. He scrambled to take Jiang Yi to the restroom, but Arno stubbornly blocked his way, refusing to let him leave.

The room quickly descended into chaos, and the butler hurriedly called Arno out of the bedroom.

After much effort, the butler managed to explain to Arno that the man wasn’t trying to bully Jiang Yi or force him to leave, but that Jiang Yi just needed to use the restroom. Only then did Arno reluctantly let go.

However, even after letting go, Arno still stared intensely at Jiang Yi, unwilling to let go of Lu Xiao’s hand.

Two minutes later.

In front of the toilet, Arno was stubbornly trying to help Jiang Yi pull down his pants, insisting, “If you don’t ask him, I can take you to the bathroom.”

Jiang Yi, on the verge of tears, nodded his head, his face red with urgency.

Arno stubbornly continued to help, determined not to give up until he succeeded, saying seriously, “You have to trust me.”

Jiang Yi, feeling utterly defeated, let go and allowed Arno to finish helping him with this task. Only after this was done did Arno, feeling triumphant, leave the bathroom, satisfied that he had defended his territory.

Outside the bathroom, Lu Xiao coughed awkwardly, then plastered a warm smile on his face and greeted the now wary Arno.

Arno ignored him, focusing entirely on guarding the bathroom door, determined to be the first person Jiang Yi saw when he came out.

Lu Xiao, still smiling, thought to himself, “…”

Unfazed, Lu Xiao called Arno’s name again, trying to catch his attention.

But Arno didn’t even lift his head, remaining steadfast in his mission to stand guard at the bathroom door.

Lu Xiao, refusing to give up, tried again, but Arno didn’t spare him a single glance.

Finally, Jiang Yi finished in the bathroom, carefully pulling his pants up as high as they would go before opening the door.

Perhaps because he was startled by Arno’s earlier overzealous attempt to help with his pants, or maybe because he felt safer with someone who understood Chinese, Jiang Yi cautiously chose to sit next to Lu Xiao.

Arno watched in confusion as Jiang Yi deliberately distanced himself from him.

Lu Xiao was amused. He pulled out a handful of toys that he had originally brought for Arno and began playing with Jiang Yi at a leisurely pace.

Sure enough, Arno, who had previously ignored Lu Xiao, immediately grabbed the chessboard and squeezed onto the sofa, glaring at Lu Xiao multiple times.

Lu Xiao sat cross-legged on the floor, deliberately engaging with Jiang Yi in a friendly and playful manner.

Jiang Yi, naturally curious about everything around him and lacking much interaction with peers his age, quickly warmed up to Lu Xiao.

Lu Xiao told him jokes, folded paper airplanes and frogs, and soon had Jiang Yi smiling, showing off the dimples in his cheeks and bright, happy eyes.

Despite the warm and cheerful atmosphere, Arno felt left out. He couldn’t understand a word of the Chinese being spoken, and could only watch helplessly as the two bonded. Occasionally, he would hastily say something in English, but had to rely on Lu Xiao’s “kindness” to translate it for Jiang Yi.

Although the three of them were sitting on the same sofa and playing the same game, Jiang Yi spent most of his time talking with Lu Xiao rather than Arno.

Frustrated, Arno paced back and forth around Jiang Yi, making as much noise as possible, but it was all in vain.

Arno was getting increasingly annoyed.

When Jiang Yi wanted to fold another paper airplane, Arno deliberately grabbed Jiang Yi’s hand, refusing to let go. When Jiang Yi noticed, he simply rubbed his hand gently and asked Arno to be more gentle, but Arno remained silent and sullen.

A little later, when Jiang Yi tried to get Arno’s attention by poking him, Arno, still sulking, continued to ignore him.

Jiang Yi, unaware of why Arno was upset, patiently poked him again and called his name.

His voice was soft, with a slight nasal tone, making it sound endearing, like a little tail. It was especially nice when he called Arno’s name.

Wanting to hear it a few more times, Arno tried hard to maintain his stern expression. Finally, on the third call, he looked at Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi puffed up his cheeks and blew on a crooked paper airplane that he had folded himself.

The paper airplane wobbled and landed on Arno’s collar.

Jiang Yi smiled, revealing his dimples, and happily said that his first airplane was for Arno.

When Lu Xiao translated this for Arno, he was taken aback.

He looked down at the paper airplane resting on his collar. It was poorly made, crooked, and a bit rough around the edges.

Arno seemed to understand why Jiang Yi had said that.

Because Lu Xiao had added, “He hopes this paper plane will take you to the places you want to go.”

“Even back home to England.”