Chapter 22 – Best at Soothing Him

“What nonsense are you spouting! What do you mean little wife—watch your mouth!”

Before the man who spoke could react, Ning Songyun swung a punch at him, then hurriedly lifted her foot and ran up onto the train.

Zhao Yu followed behind Ning Songyi, holding the child tightly in her arms.

Back in the sleeper carriage, Ning Songyi still hadn’t said a single word.

“Brother Shitou…”

Zhao Yu freed one hand to tug lightly at his sleeve. When he turned to look, she flashed him a sweet smile, dimples showing.

“I was wrong, I won’t dare to do it again.”

As she spoke, she shook his sleeve gently, blinking up at him with pitiful eyes.

Ning Songyi stared at her for a long moment, then sighed helplessly. “This trick again?”

Seeing that he hadn’t pushed her away, Zhao Yu held onto his sleeve even tighter.

She pursed her lips, coaxing: “I really know I was wrong, Brother Shitou. Forgive me just this once, okay? When we get back, I’ll make sweet-and-sour pork for you. I can make it really well now.”

“Two meals.”

“No problem! If you want, even ten or eight meals are fine.”

Ning Songyi, as always, had no way of resisting her. “Forget it, I’m not mad anymore.”

“I knew Brother Shitou was the best!”

Hearing that, Zhao Yu knew for sure that he had calmed down.

She sat back down on her bunk ahead of him, placing the child carefully to rest.

“I wasn’t trying to play the hero. It’s just—there were so many people in the carriage. I couldn’t just hand the child back to him. If I hadn’t gotten off the train, what if he suddenly lashed out? Or if he used a hostage to threaten you when you showed up?”

“You still shouldn’t put yourself in danger.”

Ning Songyi’s voice was stern. Ning Songyun, who had been about to approach, stopped short in place like she had slammed on the brakes.

Carefully, she leaned against the partition, poking her head out to eavesdrop.

She had expected to hear her brother angrily scolding, but instead all she caught was Zhao Yu’s soft coaxing… followed by her brother’s helpless sigh.

Her eyes widened. “That’s it? He just let her off? No way—I have to learn from Yuyu!”

With that thought, she darted back over, plopping down next to Zhao Yu and looping her arm around hers, ignoring the annoyed look from her brother. “Master Yu!”

“What?” Zhao Yu blinked. “What did you just call me?”

At that moment, Ning Songyun also realized she’d interrupted her brother’s good moment.

She glanced at Ning Songyi, meeting his eyes with a stiff smile.

Luckily, before she had to say anything, one of his comrades called Ning Songyi away.

Only then did Ning Songyun breathe in relief, turning back to Zhao Yu with shining sincerity. “Yuyu, teach me how to handle my brother.”

“Handle him?” Zhao Yu glanced toward where Ning Songyi had gone, then laughed knowingly.

“You…” She tapped Songyun’s forehead. “Right now, only the commander and your brother can keep you in check. If I really taught you, you’d be impossible to control.”

“Please, Yuyu, just teach me!”

“Nope.” Zhao Yu held back her laughter, pretending to refuse.

“Fine, then I’ll use torture to make you talk.”

Ning Songyun narrowed her eyes, flexed her fingers, and suddenly pounced to tickle her.

Zhao Yu was terribly ticklish, and soon she was shrieking and darting around the compartment.

The two of them played and laughed until they collapsed breathless on the bed.

At dinner, Zhao Yu worried the baby might be hungry, but before long Ning Songyi showed up with a can of milk powder.

As she ate, Ning Songyun kept sneaking glances at Zhao Yu.

When she saw her brother peel a hard-boiled egg and put it in Zhao Yu’s meal box, she couldn’t help wrinkling her face in disgust and shivering.

“I’ll be getting off at this station,” Ning Songyi said, looking out the window as the train pulled in.

He took a few steps, then suddenly paused.

Turning back, he looked at Zhao Yu. “Be careful. Don’t take risks again.”

Then he glanced at his sister. “If it’s convenient, help me keep an eye on Songyun.”

“Don’t worry.”

Zhao Yu nodded with a smile, ignoring Songyun’s explosive shout: “Brother, what do you mean by that?!”

“Yuyu, you even agreed to that?!” Songyun turned to glare at her in outrage.

After Ning Songyi left the train, Zhao Yu had to spend quite some time coaxing Songyun before she finally calmed down.

Looking at her puffed-up expression, Zhao Yu turned her head aside to hide her laughter.

The siblings were different in temperament, but equally easy to soothe.

And as for Ning Songyi—she had been practicing the art of coaxing him since childhood.

When it came to handling him, she was an expert.

The train traveled for more than fifty hours before finally reaching Heilongjiang Province.

The first thing Zhao Yu did after disembarking was request leave from the performing troupe. Then, carrying the child, she made her way toward the military district headquarters in Harbin.

At the gate, she spotted Ye Heng walking out.

He noticed her too, smiling as he came over. “Comrade Xiao Zhao, what are you doing here?”

But after just a couple of steps, his eyes fell on the child in her arms.

He froze, pointing in shock. “It’s barely been a month… and you already have a baby?!”

“What are you talking about? This is a kidnapped child we rescued on the train.”

Zhao Yu had intended to greet him properly, but his words left her torn between laughter and exasperation.

“Ah? Oh… oh!”

Ye Heng finally realized how foolish he sounded. Flustered, he quickly reached out to take the milk powder and bundle from her hands. “Where are you headed? I’ll walk you there.”

“To the Security Department Chief’s office.”

“Then come on, I’ll take you.”

On the way, Ye Heng looked as though he had something to say, but hesitated, words tumbling and stalling in his throat.

Zhao Yu saw through him instantly. “What, do you want to ask about Songyun?”

Caught, Ye Heng glanced aside in embarrassment, rubbing his nose.

“We’re here for a performance. We’ll be in Harbin for about a week… I think the day after tomorrow we’ll be performing at your district.”

“The day after tomorrow…” Ye Heng quickly calculated. Realizing he wouldn’t be on duty then, he couldn’t stop a smile from spreading.

Zhao Yu watched him with amusement.

At first glance, she had thought he was just a carefree playboy.

But now, it seemed he was… more like a reckless but actually rather earnest boy.

“Here we are—the Chief’s office. I’ve got something else to do, so I’ll leave you here.”

He set her things down by the door. Remembering the last time he’d sneaked out to care for his grandfather and got caught by the Chief, Ye Heng shuddered at the memory and wisely didn’t go in.

“Thank you.” Zhao Yu, unaware of his thoughts, gave him a polite smile.

Once he left, she adjusted the child in her arms and knocked on the office door.