“Why didn’t you hide? What are you standing here for?” Yu Yingze’s voice was eerily calm, so calm it scared even himself.

In the past, he would’ve exploded, grabbed this little fool by the ear, and yelled at her.

Now, he just felt numb—utterly numb.

He knew he shouldn’t have brought her along.

She couldn’t even play the game properly, and bringing her along was like carrying dead weight.

“But if Yuanyuan leaves too, then Second Brother will be all alone and feel lonely,” the little girl tugged at her clothes, blinking her eyes, not like she was making excuses.

Her eyes were so clear, without the slightest hint of deceit, and her voice was as sweet as melted honey.

Yu Yingze’s built-up irritation instantly fizzled out. “I won’t be lonely. It’s a game, you need to go hide somewhere, and I’ll come find you. If I catch you, you lose!”

“Are you sure you don’t want Yuanyuan to stay with you?” Her innocent, babyish voice was testing Yu Yingze’s patience to its limit.

“Go hide already,” he gently pushed her, growing impatient. “Didn’t you say you’d be obedient?”

“Okay then.” The little girl hesitated for a moment before running off with her tiny steps.

The 30-second hiding period had already passed.

But because of Yuanyuan, he had given an extra 30 seconds.

Judging the time to be enough, Yu Yingze officially began his search.

The area was large, with artificial hills, various sports equipment, small groves, neatly trimmed bushes, and artfully shaped plants, creating the beauty of an urban forest. There were also plenty of hidden spots.

Having played here often, Yu Yingze was familiar with every corner of the villa complex.

The only issue was that there were too many hiding places. If he searched one by one, it would take up too much time, and it’d be impossible to find all five people within the 9-minute limit.

He treaded lightly down the quiet stone path, taking care to muffle the sound of his footsteps and reduce the rustling of his clothes.

The surroundings were peaceful, like a beautiful, serene forest. Water flowed gently through the landscape.

Soon, Yu Yingze arrived at the first hiding spot he thought likely.

But it was empty—no one there.

Frowning, he quickened his pace toward the next location. Suddenly, he noticed a flash of pink beneath a bush.

That color… looked familiar.

Oh, right. It was the color of Yu Yuanyuan’s shoes.

There was a small gap under the bush, just big enough for her to squeeze in, and there, poking out, was the very obvious pink shoe, its little beads catching the light.

Yu Yingze hesitated.

Should he catch her or not?

This was her first time playing the game. If she lost this quickly, wouldn’t she cry?

He hated comforting people.

But this was the first one he found!

Yu Yingze felt a little conflicted. Finding her first was a sign of success and honor.

His internal struggle lasted less than five seconds before he suddenly realized—why should he care about her feelings?

“Hmph,” Yu Yingze snorted, reaching behind the bush and pulling her out. “You fool, gotcha!”

The little girl, lost in her thoughts, was stunned. After a few seconds, she clapped her hands excitedly. “Second Brother is amazing! You found me so fast!”

Yu Yingze didn’t know how to respond to such praise.

Anyone with eyes could’ve seen her shoes sticking out like that, right?

Did it really deserve such compliments?

Half of Yu Yingze’s heart scoffed at Yu Yuanyuan’s terrible hiding skills, while the other half basked in the joy of her over-the-top praise.

“Listen up. Now that I’ve caught you, you’re on my team. You have to help me find the others, got it?”

Yu Yuanyuan nodded enthusiastically, making Yu Yingze wonder if she really understood.

“Second Brother means Yuanyuan has to help find the other brothers, right?” she asked, sniffling slightly.