Iron Egg: [It really is Si Yiheng.]
So Shu Yu had met Si Yiheng when they were both young.
What a coincidence.
Shu Yu shook the little bracelet on her wrist, which jingled, and let out a soft smile. The little bun on top of her head bobbed with her movement.
Si Yiheng seemed surprised that the Little Princess, surrounded by a crowd, would smile at him.
Si Yiheng froze for a moment, instinctively pulling his sleeve down to hide the bruise on his wrist.
Shu Yu clearly saw what Si Yiheng was doing.
Holding Song Wenzhao, Shu Yu wanted to say to him, "Brother, did you see that?"
Si Yiheng is just so pitiful.
Shu Yu had never imagined she would see Si Yiheng from this perspective.
Watching him awkwardly and flusteredly try to cover up.
The birthday party reached its peak, and Mom and Dad held Shu Yu up for the One-Year-Old Grasp ritual.
All sorts of items were placed around Shu Yu: Dad's seal, Mom's paintbrush, a book, an abacus, a stethoscope, a small golden bowl...
Someone nearby joked, "Just cling to Mom and Dad's coattails and please them, and the Little Princess will never lack for anything in her life."
Shu Yu's dad, Song Xuyan, glanced at the speaker, unable to hold back. "My daughter has never lacked for anything since birth."
What clinging to coattails?
His daughter didn't need to please anyone.
Not even them, her parents.
She only needed to do whatever she wanted.
With Song Xuyan stepping in, Ji Fei held Shu Yu with a tender smile and said, regardless of whether Shu Yu could understand, "Little Treasure, pick whatever you want."
"Mom and Dad brought you into this world to make you happy."
One-year-old Shu Yu tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"
Ji Fei was charmed by her daughter again and kissed her cheek.
Song Wenzhao, watching eagerly from the side, said, "Little Sister, grab my hand for the grasp, choose your brother."
Mom and Dad said the grasp ceremony was about choosing your favorite.
And he was Baby Yu's favorite brother.
So of course Baby Yu would choose him.
Shu Yu nodded vaguely, understanding. Choose brother, then.
Si Yiheng stood not far away, watching the little bun on the girl's head bounce, and pursed his lips slightly.
So this must be what it's like to be loved.
The Little Princess should be held cherished her whole life.
As Si Yiheng stood stunned, a small figure toddled unsteadily toward him.
Si Yiheng watched Shu Yu approaching and grew even more anxious.
But the Little Princess squatted down and grabbed the paintbrush in front of him.
Si Yiheng's small face stiffened, disappointment flashing in his eyes.
He was still very young back then, and he always had a lot of unrealistic fantasies.
Fantasizing that his grandpa would show up and take him away from his parents.
Fantasizing that his parents would suddenly have a change of heart and stop scolding and beating him.
Fantasizing about really dying, so there would be no more pain or suffering.
That day, he added one more fantasy: like Song Wenzhao, to have a cute baby sister who smiled at him.
Then he might have a bit more to look forward to in life.
But fantasies were just fantasies...
Suddenly, Si Yiheng felt a softness in his palm. Looking down, the Little Princess was tilting her head up, smiling at him with only two baby teeth showing. "Ge."
Si Yiheng: "!"
Meeting the Little Princess's dark, sparkling eyes, she called out again, "Brother, pet!"
A shy flush crept up to Si Yiheng's ears. He looked apologetically at Song Wenzhao, then gently placed his hand on Shu Yu's head and gave it a careful pat. "Mm."
The tips of Si Yiheng's ears turned even redder.
Baby Yu.
Baby Yu really is such an adorable baby.
Song Wenzhao: "!!!!!!"
Song Wenzhao pulled Shu Yu back with a cold face. "Baby Yu, you're mistaken about who your brother is. Are you a silly kitten, Little Treasure?"
"Silly kittens are the only ones who let strangers pet them."
"Smart kittens keep their guard up and walk away from strangers."
Shu Yu didn’t quite understand, just looked at Song Wenzhao. "Brother, pet, Baby."
Song Wenzhao's temper instantly melted away, and he stroked Shu Yu's head. "Little Treasure, don't mistake your brother again next time."
Giving Si Yiheng a wary glare, Song Wenzhao carried Shu Yu out of the party and didn’t hear what came next—Ye Manzhen, Si Yiheng’s mother, remarking that Shu Yu had grabbed Si Yiheng’s hand and suggesting an engagement between the two families.
Iron Egg: [Little Treasure, why did you suddenly grab Si Yiheng's hand?]
During this phase of revisiting memories, Iron Egg had gotten used to calling Shu Yu "Little Treasure" along with her parents and Song Wenzhao.
Iron Egg: [I thought your consciousness made you want to get close to Si Yiheng.]
Shu Yu shook her head. "No, I couldn't control my body."
This must have been what actually happened.
Iron Egg was puzzled. [Si Yiheng was four, he should remember some things. Did he not remember you?]
They'd never heard Si Yiheng mention meeting Shu Yu when they were kids.
Shu Yu offered a possible guess: "Maybe he forgot. When people are in pain, they often choose to forget certain things."
Meanwhile, in City A.
Si Yiheng was burning with fever and barely conscious.
He seemed to be dreaming the impossible. In the dream, he met Shu Yu when he was four.
Ye Manzhen wanted him to be engaged to Shu Yu, but Ji Fei didn't agree.
Later, the Song family moved back to China with Shu Yu, and they lived next door. Little Shu Yu would always secretly give him candy. He didn't jump off the building, and he wasn't taken away by his grandpa either.
He and Shu Yu grew up together, went to school together.
Shu Yu always sweetly called him "brother."
When he found out Shu Yu was curious about online dating, he, already a university student, created an account and became her online friend.
They went from online friends to online romance, to meeting in person.
When Shu Yu saw him, she thought he was there to catch her in a teenage relationship and tried to sneak away.
But Si Yiheng didn't give her that chance.
After explaining everything to her and seeing her stunned expression, Si Yiheng felt wicked as he coaxed Shu Yu into dating him early.
Later, they hugged, kissed, got engaged, and married.
They loved each other deeply forever.
Then the scene shifted, and Shu Yu abandoned him.
Jolting awake, Si Yiheng felt he must be losing his mind.
Unable to accept Shu Yu throwing him away, he'd made up such a beautiful dream to fool himself.
His face pale, Si Yiheng propped himself up from the sofa and dialed Assistant Xiao Wang. "Have you found Butler Qin's whereabouts?"
"Assistant Xiao Wang: Butler Qin has returned to his hometown."
Si Yiheng's eyes darkened.
Baby Yu, I've found you.
Si Yiheng: "Book a ticket for me now."
When Assistant Xiao Wang saw Si Yiheng again, he barely dared to look. Si Yiheng's complexion was an unnatural, deathly pale.
like he'd just crawled out of a coffin.
Shrouded in deathly silence.
Assistant Xiao Wang patted his own heart silently. Good thing he'd brought plenty of bodyguards, enough to drive away this ghostly Si Yiheng.
