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“Sister Wisteria said they’re called blue star flowers,” Yu Yu explained, still holding out the bouquet.
‘Hurry and take them, Brother! My arms are getting tired!’
“Thank you.” Jiang Gu accepted the flowers reluctantly.
“What does this system mean?” He pointed at the floating screen before him.
“Yu Yu doesn’t know either. Probably Hua-hua’s doing?” She scratched her cheek, recalling Father had a similar screen.
“Who’s Hua-hua?” Jiang Gu grew more intrigued. Some kind of mystic?
“Hua-hua is my good friend! She asked me to help Brother!” Yu Yu beamed up at him.
‘Hehe, Brother is very handsome… though not as handsome as Father. Father will always be number one in my heart!’
“Help me? I don’t need help.” Jiang Gu rose and set the flowers aside.
No one could help him.
Yu Yu studied his pale sleeping robes, the way his dark hair fell listlessly around his despondent face.
“Brother, Hua-hua says people who insist they don’t need help are usually the ones who need it most.”
“I said I don’t need help. Don’t be presumptuous.” His gentle features darkened with irritation. “You’re being nosy.”
“Whoever sent you—I don’t want to see you again.”
“Okay…” Yu Yu’s whole little body seemed to wilt.
“Sorry for bothering you. Have good dreams, Brother.”
Jiang Gu watched the dejected child disappear, her small shoulders slumped.
“I don’t want saving,” he murmured to the melancholy blue blossoms.
Jiang Gu had chosen his ruin willingly. No rescuer required.
—
‘‘Yu Yu’s Bamboo Cottage’’
The crestfallen girl trudged home.
Administrator Hua’s heart ached seeing her like this.
[It’s alright, Yu Yu.]
[Your brother’s brain got squished today—he’s not acting normal. Don’t take it to heart.]
“Yu Yu knows it’s not Brother’s fault. Brother is sick.” Her eyes reddened, but she bore no resentment. “He had… so many cuts on his arms.”
‘He must be in so much pain.’
[Don’t cry! We’ll take it slow, okay?]
“Okay.” She sniffled.
[Good girl, rest now.]
Yu Yu curled under her blue quilt, hugging her knees.
Administrator Hua sighed. Jiang Gu was indeed a tough case—poor Yu Yu.
‘Maybe assign someone else?’
But the system binding was irreversible.
‘For now, let’s observe. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll request a reassignment.’
—
‘‘The Next Morning’’
Yu Yu rose on schedule, shouldered her pack, and set off for work—though her usual bounce was absent.
“Yu Yu, you seem down today. What’s wrong?” The breakfast auntie noticed her unusual quietness.
“Thank you for caring, Auntie. Yu Yu’s fine.” She accepted her steamed buns listlessly.
Even the juicy pork filling couldn’t lift her spirits.
“Yu Yu! Morning!” A neighborhood boy waved enthusiastically.
“Morning…”
“You upset?” He tilted his head.
“A little.” She pinched her fingers to show just how little.
“Here—to cheer you up!” He presented a gorgeous iridescent feather.
“Thank you!”
“My family’s pastries will be ready soon. Can you deliver some to Grandma later?”
“Mm-hmm!” She carefully tucked the feather into her pouch, mood slightly improved.
Passing Wisteria’s flower stall, Yu Yu gazed longingly at the vibrant blooms.
Noticing her gloom, Wisteria snipped a yellow plum blossom and tucked it into Yu Yu’s hair.
“For better days ahead.”
“Thank you, Sister!” Yu Yu touched the flower shyly. “Can you save red plum and peach blossoms for me?”
“Of course.” Wisteria ruffled her hair.
—
‘‘(A/N: Even the sun has cloudy days. But our little sunshine will keep shining! 🌞)’’
“Thank you, Sister! Yu Yu is off to work now.” Yu Yu waved at her sister.
Wisteria watched her figure disappear into the distance before turning back to tend to her little flower stall.
By noon, Yu Yu had finished her work and went to find her father.
Feng Xiaohan sat at the dining table waiting for her, peeling an orange in his hands.
“Father, I’m here~” Yu Yu’s voice rang out.
Feng Xiaohan didn’t respond, but his body instinctively turned toward the sound.
Yu Yu, dressed in a pale green ruqun, appeared with a bundle of red plum blossoms in her arms.
“These are for you, Father.” She handed the flowers to him.
“Mmm.” Feng Xiaohan nodded with his usual aloofness.
“Let’s eat.”
“Father, did you wait especially to have lunch with Yu Yu?” Yu Yu asked happily, gazing at him.
“Not especially. I always eat at this time.” Feng Xiaohan stubbornly refused to admit it.
He definitely hadn’t waited for her. He always had lunch at this hour.
“Oh…” Yu Yu’s little head drooped in disappointment.
So Father hadn’t waited for her after all.
Seeing her dejected expression, Feng Xiaohan wondered if he had been too harsh.
‘Ahem.’ “You look… quite nice today. The flower in your hair is pretty.” He awkwardly tried to cheer her up.
“Really?” Yu Yu’s eyes lit up with delight.
Hehehe, Father had just complimented her!
“Mmm.” Feng Xiaohan nodded.
“Let’s eat.”
“Yay!” Yu Yu scrambled onto her chair.
“Sit here.” Feng Xiaohan pointed to a specially raised stool beside him.
Now she wouldn’t have to stand on tiptoe to eat.
“Thank you, Father!” Yu Yu happily climbed onto the stool prepared just for her.
“Wow, this stool is so tall!” She swung her short legs excitedly.
“That’s because you’re short,” Feng Xiaohan teased.
Yu Yu immediately stood up in protest.
“Father, I’m very tall!”
‘”Heh.”‘ Feng Xiaohan scoffed.
Yu Yu: “……” ‘Mean Father!’
“I’ll grow even taller!” Yu Yu declared proudly.
By the time she was grown up, she’d definitely be two meters tall!
“Oh.” Feng Xiaohan responded indifferently.
Yu Yu huffed at him and focused on her meal.
“Father, I want a chicken leg.”
Feng Xiaohan picked one for her.
“Father, I want shrimp.”
Feng Xiaohan peeled one for her.
“Father, I want eggs too.”
……
Watching Yu Yu eat so heartily, Feng Xiaohan found himself eating a little more too.
“What kind of work have you been doing lately?” he asked casually.
Hopefully, she wasn’t hauling bricks again. That kind of labor wasn’t suitable for a tiny thing like her.
Besides, she was a girl. If she were a boy, it might’ve been different—boys were sturdier.
“I deliver things for Big Brother, bring medicine for Physician Brother, and help Uncle at the tavern serve dishes.”
Yu Yu recounted her jobs.
‘Ahem.’ “No one’s taking advantage of you because you’re small, right?” Feng Xiaohan glanced at her, concerned that people might bully her for being a child.
“Nope! Everyone’s super nice. They all like Yu Yu!” She beamed at him.
Everyone adored her.
“Mmm.” Feng Xiaohan acknowledged.
After the meal, Yu Yu stayed by her father’s side.
“Father, did you take the medicine I gave you? Are you feeling better?” Yu Yu asked worriedly.
“I took it. I’m a little better.” Feng Xiaohan nodded.
Hearing that his health had improved, Yu Yu giggled happily.
Feng Xiaohan watched her silly grin and couldn’t help but smile slightly himself.
“You… won’t leave, will you?” Suddenly, Feng Xiaohan looked at her with a hint of unease.
She had appeared so abruptly in his life—what if she vanished just as suddenly?