Yan Xiao was feeling very pleased with herself.

She was certain she had successfully racked up three solid waves of dislike points. And all in just one afternoon! This efficiency was off the charts. At this rate, wouldn’t she be maxed out and on her way home in no time?

The thought made her downright giddy. To celebrate, she unzipped her little backpack and pulled out a marshmallow to reward herself.

Peeling off the wrapper, she took tiny, delicate bites, happily swinging her short legs as she munched.

But mid-snack, she felt someone staring at her. Not just looking—staring. Puzzled, she turned her head—

And there he was: a little boy sitting next to her, eyes locked on the marshmallow in her hand, licking his lips like a puppy outside a bakery.

Yan Xiao: “……”

She froze for a second. Then—panic mode engaged—she quickly stuffed the rest of the marshmallow into her mouth in two bites, chewed frantically, and swallowed.

Once it was safely down, she looked him dead in the eye and said solemnly, “I already finished it!”

The boy’s gaze drifted toward her backpack.

Yan Xiao: “!!!”

Her whole body tensed like she was under siege. In a flash, she yanked her backpack behind her back and covered it protectively. With the utmost seriousness, she declared, “There’s none left in here either. I ate it all.”

The little boy’s eyes filled with unmistakable disappointment. In the end, he had no choice but to reluctantly look away.

Even though he wasn’t staring at her backpack anymore, Yan Xiao didn’t dare let her guard down.

That backpack was her lifeline.

She loved marshmallows. Loved them more than anything. And while the Yan family certainly didn’t lack for sweets, her parents and aunt were convinced that too much sugar would ruin her teeth. So they only allowed her one marshmallow a day. One!

She had protested, of course—loudly. But it was no use. Not only did they refuse, they even went so far as to hide the stash on the top shelf of the fridge and—this was the truly outrageous part—install a security camera pointed right at it to stop her from sneaking any extras.

In response, she launched a hunger strike. Half a day later, her aunt finally caved and came to negotiate: ten marshmallows per week, and Yan Xiao could decide when and how to eat them. If she gobbled them all up in a day, then tough luck—she’d have to go without for the rest of the week.

Yan Xiao had always believed her aunt was her natural nemesis—born to keep her wild little self in check.

And this method? Diabolical.

Not only did it limit her intake, it also sneakily trained her to develop self-control and planning skills.

High-level stuff.

In the end, Yan Xiao agreed to the deal.

Because she knew—if she didn’t, those precious three extra marshmallows would be revoked, and she’d be left with just seven. Total loss.

Fine. Ten it is. She only lost out because she was still little. When she grew up and had her own money, she’d buy marshmallows every single day and eat as many as she wanted!

But right now, she was still small. She couldn’t buy her own marshmallows yet. Which meant the ones in her backpack were her entire world.

She’d already given one to Qiu Li for the sake of gaining dislike points. If she gave out another one, she’d be down two this week.

What was the point of living then?!

Just as Yan Xiao was quietly sneaking her backpack from behind her back to her front to keep it hidden, Qiu Zhan and his friends walked into the studio.

Qiu Zhan was carrying an enamel fruit tray. He didn’t even blink at the studio packed like a sardine can with little kids—clearly used to the chaos. He walked over to his younger brother and said softly, “Xiao Yan, take a break. Have some fruit.”

Qiu Yan, who had been completely absorbed in his painting, finally paused at the sound of his brother’s voice. He glanced at the fruit tray, where big, glistening cherries were piled high.

“Just flown in,” Qiu Zhan said with a warm smile, his tone equally gentle. “I washed them for you. Take a short break and eat a little before you keep painting.”

Qiu Yan set down his brush and gave a serious little nod, his expression still perfectly composed.

Honestly, with that face of his—even when he was stone-faced and silent—he was just too cute. Yan Xiao couldn’t help but sneak a few extra glances.

Qiu Zhan placed the fruit tray on the table, picked up a damp towel, and began gently wiping his little brother’s hands like a full-time nanny.

Not that anyone found it strange—after all, who in Rong City didn’t know that the eldest son of the Qiu family, Qiu Zhan, was a legendary big-brother type?

Yan Xiao had seen them together a few times during past visits to the Qiu house. Back then, she had no idea the world she lived in was actually a novel. She’d just thought Qiu Zhan was a really good older brother, and Qiu Yan seemed incredibly lucky—born into a wealthy family, a gifted prodigy, doted on by his parents, and with a brother who treated him like treasure. He looked like the very definition of someone winning at life.

But now, watching this scene unfold again…

She was starting to think a little differently.

Qiu Zhan hated his father, Qiu Chengyi.

In his eyes, Qiu Chengyi had betrayed them. The affair, the mistress showing up at their door with an illegitimate child—it had all played out in the public eye, a scandal that left a deep scar on his young heart. For a long time after that, his mother—consumed with bitterness toward her husband—redirected that resentment onto him. He had been just a child, confused and helpless, terrified that his mother would hate him forever. And if that happened, he’d have no one left.

So, he ended up hating Qiu Li with everything he had.

If it weren’t for Qiu Li and his mistress of a mother, their family would’ve stayed happy. Whole.

Later, when Qiu Yan was born, Qiu Zhan clung to his new little brother like a drowning man finding a lifeline. He poured all of his love, all of his longing, into Qiu Yan.

In Qiu Zhan’s world, Qiu Yan was his world.

Originally, with generations of wealth and legacy behind them, the Qiu family should’ve been untouchable. A single Qiu Li couldn’t have taken them down—not on his own. Maybe he could have caused a few ripples, but to drive the family into bankruptcy, to push Qiu Chengyi to suicide? That took help.

And Qiu Zhan played no small part in that.

He hated his father. Started rebelling as soon as he hit adolescence, and it only got worse as he grew older. Qiu Chengyi couldn’t tolerate the defiance, and their relationship became one of constant cold war. But Qiu Zhan was still the eldest son. He was expected to inherit everything. And that—that opened the door for Qiu Li.

You could say Qiu Li’s descent into darkness was built, in large part, on Qiu Zhan’s shoulders.

And Qiu Li’s eventual destruction of the Qiu family? Qiu Zhan’s unintentional “help” was absolutely essential.

Qiu Zhan was twelve now, six years older than Qiu Li. His features were delicate, but not in the same ethereal way as Qiu Yan’s. His beauty had sharp edges—tinged with recklessness, defiance, and a touch of madness. If Qiu Yan was the aloof artist who seemed untouched by the world, then Qiu Zhan was the charming, dangerous rogue who lived to tear it apart.

As for Qiu Li…

The image of that exquisitely cold, delicate face lingered in Yan Xiao’s mind. She bit her lip and finally concluded that Qiu Li was like a wolf—a silent, ruthless lone wolf.

Comparing the three brothers, Yan Xiao couldn’t help but think to herself, this whole wealthy family drama—strange as it sounds—the logic actually holds up pretty well.

In front of his younger brother, Qiu Zhan was always the flawless older sibling. He glanced at Qiu Yan quietly eating cherries, then at the canvas, and asked, “What are you painting today?”

Qiu Yan looked up at his brother, his clear childlike voice calm and steady: “Sunrise.”

Yan Xiao stared at the canvas—a messy pile of colors that had nothing to do with a sunrise—but Qiu Zhan smiled warmly and sincerely praised, “It’s really good!”

Even though he didn’t understand it, his brother’s painting was amazing! His brother was the best!

With Qiu Zhan’s praise leading the way, his friends, whether they got it or not, immediately jumped in to lavish compliments…

“It’s been a few days since we saw Xiao Yan—he’s getting more handsome by the day, and really showing that artist vibe. Look at that painting, it’s just beautiful!”

“Totally. Teacher Zhen even personally said Xiao Yan is a rare genius…”

“Exactly. Xiao Yan will definitely become an internationally renowned artist someday, nothing like Qiu Li.”

The smile on Qiu Zhan’s face instantly vanished the moment he heard “Qiu Li.”

He shot a warning glance behind him and coldly said, “How could he even compare to my brother?”

Realizing his mistake, the guy quickly apologized, “Y-yeah, my language isn’t great—I messed up. Our Xiao Yan is like the clouds in the sky, and the mud on the ground doesn’t even come close…”

Qiu Zhan’s expression finally lightened.

Throughout the whole exchange, Qiu Yan acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing—quietly eating his cherries without a care.

Yan Xiao watched for a while and sincerely thought, geniuses really were different. To be able to completely ignore all that, as if nothing was said, was impressive. Clearly, she wasn’t a genius.

Qiu Zhan, watching his little brother eat cherries, noticed Yan Xiao staring at them. When their eyes met, the little girl’s mouth was slightly open, full of admiration.

Qiu Zhan couldn’t help but smile at her expression.

He’d known there would be a lot of kids in the studio, so he brought plenty of cherries. The other kids had already gathered around eating fruit, but Yan Xiao was still sitting quietly, staring intently at something he couldn’t quite figure out.

Qiu Zhan knew Yan Xiao’s name too, and thought she was incredibly cute—probably the prettiest and most adorable little girl he’d ever seen. Plus, his brother seemed genuinely happy to play with her, which softened even Qiu Zhan’s gaze toward Yan Xiao.

Snatching a tray from a friend, he offered it to her with a smile. “Xiaoxiao, want some?”

Yan Xiao had been deep in thought about the tangled drama between the three rich brothers when a bright red tray of cherries was suddenly handed to her. Startled, she looked up at Qiu Zhan’s smiling face and reflexively waved her hands, “No, no, I don’t want any… really, I don’t.”

Qiu Zhan was the craziest and most extreme character in the whole story. Even though Yan Xiao knew he wouldn’t actually hurt her, she couldn’t help feeling a little scared deep down.

Especially since both the tragedies of the Qiu family and the Yan family had Qiu Zhan’s reckless schemes at their core, her fear of him only grew stronger.

Thinking she was just shy, Qiu Zhan pushed the tray closer again.

Yan Xiao’s face went pale, and her hands waved so fast they left a blur as she kept trying to back away.

She forgot she was sitting on a small stool with no backrest, and at only three years old, her little body wasn’t very agile. As she leaned back, she lost her balance and tumbled right off the stool, landing hard on the floor in a messy fall.

“Ha ha ha…”

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha…”

Her sudden fall caught everyone completely off guard, and because she was so small, it looked especially adorable. The studio quickly filled with cheerful laughter.

Even Qiu Zhan chuckled.

But Yan Xiao felt utterly embarrassed.

She might have a child’s body, but she was no longer a child inside.

How could she ever show her face again after such a humiliating tumble?

She lay face down on the floor, burying her head in her arms, her tiny fists clenched tight.

Qiu Zhan, amused but not unkind, set down the fruit tray and came over to help her up…

Yan Xiao didn’t want to get up—she felt too embarrassed. But Qiu Zhan was strong, and once he helped her to her feet, her face flushed bright red. She bit her lip and didn’t dare lift her head.

Worried she might be hurt, Qiu Zhan said gently, “Look up, let me see…”

Yan Xiao couldn’t refuse, so she slowly raised her head—and froze when she saw Qiu Li standing by the door.

When did Qiu Li get here?

Oh no, he definitely saw her clumsy, humiliating fall. How could she ever hold her head high and act proud in front of him again?

Yan Xiao felt as if struck by lightning—she stood frozen for a long moment, her face flushing with a mix of embarrassment, anger, and frustration. Eventually, not knowing what else to do, she simply turned away, back to everyone.

Because there were many guests, Qiu Li, who had been called downstairs by the servants to keep up appearances for the Qiu family, was passing by the studio. He only meant to glance at that girl named Yan Xiao, but instead he saw that rotten Qiu Zhan bullying her—pushing her off the stool and then laughing at her in front of everyone.

He froze right at the doorway.

It must have been because she gave him a candy that Qiu Zhan was picking on her like this.

Qiu Zhan was always like that—anyone who showed him a little kindness, he’d bully or push away so they wouldn’t want to be nice anymore.

Seeing the little girl, angry and with her head bowed from being bullied, Qiu Li’s brow furrowed tightly. His hand hanging by his side slowly clenched into a fist…

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Little Qiu Li: “Xiaoxiao is being bullied! So angry! ╭(╯^╰)╮”

Xiaoxiao: “I’m doomed, doomed, doomed, doomed…”