◎A Gift from My Niece, Must Eat◎
Le Qing had expected that scoundrel to drag his feet until the last possible moment before paying up, and she was fully prepared to have her lawyer pursue him. Yet, to her surprise, the very next day, she received the compensation along with an apology video hastily recorded overnight by the couple.
The online sentiment shifted instantly. Those who had previously questioned Le Qing in the comments now turned their criticism toward the husband and wife.
["As parents yourselves, how could you falsely accuse someone like this? Have some empathy!"]
["I actually believed you before, but now it’s clear you’re unfit to raise a child. Is this the example you’re setting for your baby?"]
["Serves you right for never going viral—you can’t even ride a trend properly."]
["Reported and blacklisted. I’ll report every new account you make from now on."]
After watching the apology video, Le Qing paid it no further attention. Just as she had told Pei Yu, the opinions of strangers online meant nothing to her. Today, they might side with her, but tomorrow, they could just as easily turn against her again based on the next rumor.
She only showed the video to the two children.
The siblings had no idea why their aunt had gone to the hospital the night before. They had assumed she’d eaten their cake again and ended up sick—her health was so fragile, even though this time they hadn’t given her any injections.
So when they saw the apology video, they were genuinely surprised.
The couple in the video expressed remorse for cropping the footage to mislead netizens, costing the siblings their advertising deal, and damaging Le Qing’s reputation. Amid all the complicated terms, the children only understood one thing: a lot of "sorrys."
Oh! Ever since their aunt started acting strange, so many people had been apologizing to them!
First their aunt, then that mean lady, and now these two.
"Why are they saying sorry to us when they bullied you?" Little Le Jia asked, puzzled.
Le Qing tapped their milk bottles. "The milk powder ad you liked was canceled because of them."
"It’s okay!" Little Le'an released the nipple of her bottle. "An’an and brother don’t need that one. We have others."
The System Uncle said they could exchange for more.
Before Le Qing could ask what they meant by "others," Little Le Jia spoke up solemnly: "Don’t accept it."
"Accept what?"
"Their apology. Don’t take it." His tone was firm. "Saying sorry after doing something bad is meaningless."
That was a lesson their aunt had taught them before.
Le Qing was momentarily speechless.
Now she wondered if the apologies she’d given the children in the past had also been dismissed—maybe they were still holding a grudge.
"Auntie went to find the bad uncle yesterday?" Little Le'an swung her legs. "Why? An’an doesn’t want their apology."
Just like her aunt had said, Little Le'an didn’t believe bad people could change. Their apology didn’t even feel sincere.
Le Qing didn’t have an answer.
The couple had indeed deleted the misleading video and posted clarifications, turning public opinion around. There was no need for the children to interact with such people.
She had always lived by the principle of avoiding unnecessary trouble.
But in that moment, for some reason, she couldn’t bear the thought of the children suffering even a little. Anger had propelled her to that hospital room.
[Because I wanted you to know—you’re worth it.]
"If you don’t want it, then forget it," Le Qing said. "But I got you compensation."
"Compensa… what?"
"You said earning money makes you happy, right?" She showed them the payment. "Look, I got it back for you."
The siblings’ eyes instantly sparkled.
They didn’t fully grasp the amount, but it was way more than the ten-something they could count to!
"It’s a gazillion money!" Little Le'an gasped. "Auntie is sooo amazing!"
"It was always yours to begin with."
Le Qing deposited the full amount into the account she’d opened for the children, chipping away at the debt she owed them. "The money is in this card now. All of it is yours. If you ever need to spend any, just tell me, okay?"
Kids didn’t really understand expenses—to them, ten yuan was already a fortune, enough to buy heaps of candy.
But the System knew better. When the balance notification popped up after the transfer, it was stunned.
The children didn’t realize it, but the System was well aware that Le Qing had long squandered the money their mother left behind. Yet now, the account held over a million.
Had she been depositing the proceeds from selling her luxury items all along? And still adding to it?
What was she playing at?
"Yesterday you said you didn’t care what others said, and now here you are, not only confronting them but even getting the money back." The hospital staff had all heard about Le Qing’s visit—if not for the kids, Pei Yu would’ve gone with her. She’d even called this morning to check in.
"What made you change your mind?" Pei Yu asked curiously.
Le Qing smiled. "Maybe I just had a sudden realization."
It had happened the moment the children pushed their treasured candies toward her.
"Oh, right." Pei Yu remembered something else. "Did you hire extra help?"
"Help?"
Le Qing barely knew anyone in this world, let alone had spare cash to hire muscle.
"The nurses said after you left, a few big guys stopped that man again," Pei Yu said. "They weren’t with you?"
Le Qing’s pulse skipped. "No, I went alone."
"Must’ve been someone else he crossed, then."
Hopefully.
According to the original novel’s plot, the male lead shouldn’t have found the children this soon.
Thankfully, the issue was resolved quickly, so she immediately contacted Lin Jian to confirm she was available for the shoot. A sense of urgency gnawed at her—the male lead was like a ticking time bomb hanging over her head, ready to drop at any moment.
As luck would have it, Lin Jian had plenty of free time lately, and they scheduled the session for the next day.
---
Since Lin Jian had warned her the shoot might run late, Le Qing—no stranger to long filming days—got up early to pack her bag with practiced ease.
But as she passed the children’s room to gather their things, it hit her: she’d overlooked something crucial.
During the last gathering at the Lin residence, the indoor venue had provided food and drinks, so she only needed to bring essentials for herself and the kids. This time, however, she’d be too busy to tend to them constantly.
The little ones didn’t have their own backpacks or personal belongings. Their only "assets" were their milk bottles and a pitiful stash of lollipops.
With no delivery riders available at this hour, she dashed downstairs to the 24-hour convenience store in their complex for an emergency shopping spree.
Her shopping list? Hastily Googled from Xiaohongshu.
When she pushed open the door of the house again, arms laden with bags, she was met with two pairs of red-rimmed eyes.
The two children had been sleeping, their cheeks flushed and their eyes bleary, but now they looked on the verge of tears.
The ever-stoic older brother, Little Le Jia, was holding up better, biting back his tears as he gently patted his younger sister’s back. But Little Le'an had clearly already been crying, and the moment she saw her aunt open the door, her tears spilled over in fat, uncontrollable drops.
"Don’t cry," Little Le Jia sniffled, trying to sound brave. "Brave kids don’t cry. See? She’s back."
Le Qing had no choice but to set the bags down in the entryway and step forward. "What’s wrong?"
Little Le'an wriggled free from her brother’s hold and flung herself into her aunt’s arms, smearing tears all over Le Qing’s clothes. "We couldn’t find you, Auntie… wuwuwu…"
This period had been the longest stretch of time the siblings had spent with their aunt, and she had always taken them with her wherever she went—even to the market.
Children naturally cling to the adults they rely on, which was why they always perched on their little stools by the kitchen, watching her every move.
Waking up to neither the familiar sound of her voice nor the comforting aroma of breakfast had left them frightened.
They were afraid that everything before had just been a dream—that when they woke up, it would all disappear.
Even the "System Uncle" they trusted didn’t know where their aunt had gone.
Too scared to wander off, the two little ones had stayed by the front door, waiting.
And now, finally, she was back.
Feeling so directly needed by the children left Le Qing flustered. She offered a stiff explanation: "I went out to buy some things for you."
"Mm!"
Though she agreed, Little Le'an still clung to her, refusing to budge.
"I’m cold," Le Qing said.
The little girl noticed the chill on her aunt’s body—enough to make her cheeks tingle—but she didn’t mind at all. "Le'an will warm you up!"
With a sigh, Le Qing picked her up. "Then let’s go wash…"
She hesitated for a moment, remembering Pei Yu’s advice that children needed to feel loved and depended on. Awkwardly, she added, "…your little face?"
Sure enough, the toddler’s mood brightened instantly. "Mm-hmm!"
Relieved, Le Qing took a step forward—only to hear a rustling behind her. She turned to see Little Le Jia gathering the bags she’d left in the entryway.
His eyes were still red, but he pressed his lips together stubbornly and declared, "Auntie can carry Le'an. I’ll take these."
After being sold off once, he rarely called her "Auntie," but on rare occasions, the word would slip out in the softest voice—and each time, it made Le Qing pay even more attention to him.
Unlike his sister, Little Le Jia didn’t know how to act spoiled or voice his wants.
He did his best to be a responsible little adult, standing strong for his sister.
Le Qing crouched down again, balancing Little Le'an on one arm while stretching out the other toward him. "No rush."
She tried using those cutesy, awkward terms of affection: "Come here. Let me hug you too. Then we’ll wash your little face with Le'an’s."
Little Le Jia had just hoisted a large plastic bag onto his shoulder when her words startled him so much that the bag slipped, sending a newly bought thermos clattering to the floor.
Le Qing’s outstretched hand curled awkwardly in the air. "Or… if you’d rather do it yourself—"
Before she could finish, the boy shuffled over, ears burning red, and buried himself in her embrace, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"I didn’t cry," he insisted, even as he held on tight. "You just focus on Le'an. I only need to wash my face."
"Mm," Le Qing couldn’t help but smile. "You didn’t cry. You’re a brave little man."
"Then I’m a brave little lady!" Little Le'an chimed in.
Little Le Jia huffed. "You cried, so you’re not brave enough yet."
Then, without another word, he rubbed his teary eyes against her shoulder.
The warmth from the two children seeped into her, softening Le Qing’s entire left side. Thankfully, neither was too heavy—though carrying them both still took some effort. By the time she set them down in the bathroom, she let out a deep sigh of relief.
[They look so small, but they’ve got some weight to them. Good thing I didn’t drop them.]
It hadn’t felt like much while holding them, but combined, the two were a decent load. She’d been panting by the end, terrified of accidentally letting them slip.
Little Le'an, however, was devastated.
Was Auntie saying she’s fat?!
As Le Qing stepped out to tidy up, the siblings stood side by side on their little stools, brushing their teeth. The little girl tilted her head and asked, "Brother, am I heavy?"
Little Le Jia studied her, then hopped down and tried lifting her by the waist. Three seconds later—he gave up.
"I can’t," he admitted, frowning. "So… probably yes."
Little Le'an mimicked him, attempting to lift her brother—only to despair even more. "I can’t lift you either!"
This was a disaster. Both of them were overweight!
"It’s ’cause we’ve been eating too much," Little Le'an concluded. "Brother, we can’t eat so much anymore."
"Why not?" Little Le Jia was baffled. "We need to eat to grow tall."
"But what if we don’t grow tall and just get fat? Like Piggy Hero?"
"You’re smaller than Piggy Hero!"
"But Auntie can’t carry us anymore," Little Le'an weighed the pros and cons. "I want Auntie’s hugs more."
Auntie smelled nice.
Little Le Jia didn’t say it, but he wanted hugs too.
After a quick discussion, the two decided: from now on, they’d eat less!
The System, overhearing this, was exasperated. "You’re not fat. Compared to other kids your age, you’re both underweight. If your aunt can’t carry you, that’s her own fitness problem. You can’t skip meals!"
"Ohh!"
Little Le Jia nodded along, though it was clear he wasn’t really listening.
By the time the siblings finished washing up and returned, the familiar scent of breakfast reassured them—Auntie really hadn’t abandoned them!
Since she had a shoot later, Le Qing didn’t eat much. She still needed to grab a coffee to reduce puffiness—she’d been a little too comfortable in this world lately, almost forgetting she had to stay camera-ready.
While the children ate, she went to pack their things.
But the moment she left, the two little ones slacked off, sneaking glances and eating as little as possible.
When Le Qing returned after washing the dishes, both stood before her in unison, declaring they were full.
Little Le'an reached for her hand. "Auntie, we’ll help you."
With the adorable toddlers in front of her, Le Qing didn’t pay much attention to how much they’d actually eaten.
The trio settled on the sofa, and the kids eagerly examined two bags. "What’s this?"
"We’re going out today. These are backpacks… little bags for you," Le Qing cleared her throat. "Blue for brother, pink for sister. The little store didn’t have fancier ones, but next time, I’ll order ones you really like online. For now, let’s use these."
"We love these!" Even without sparkles, these were their very own bags!
Not like the little pouches Auntie had given them before—these could hold so much more!
As they turned the backpacks over in fascination, Le Qing pointed to two small piles of items. "These are divided for each of you. Pack them into your own bags, okay?"
"Okay!"
The little ones hopped off the sofa and stationed themselves on either side of the coffee table, meticulously sorting and packing their belongings.
"Brother's, mine!"
"Sister's, mine."
Seeing something milky white, Little Le'an asked curiously, "What's this?"
"This is milk candy," Le Qing glanced up. "Other kids eat it too. Consider it your snack for today."
She had only remembered to buy some after seeing a child at the supermarket asking their parent for it.
Her own kids never asked for snacks, so she had to take the initiative.
Now, Le Qing realized it wasn’t that they didn’t eat snacks—they simply didn’t know what snacks existed.
Milk candy?
They’d had so few treats before that they didn’t recognize it.
But anything with "milk" in the name instinctively made them think it was delicious.
What a shame—right now, they didn’t want to get chubby.
Better save it for later when they’ve slimmed down!
Little Le'an, ever the curious one, pointed at another item. "And this?"
"That’s a mini water bottle," Le Qing said, pouring hot water into it. "It’s not heavy, but it doesn’t hold much. If you finish it, let me know, and I’ll refill it. And before drinking, remind your sister to blow on it so she doesn’t burn herself."
She trusted Little Le Jia with this.
Little Le Jia patted his chest. "I will!"
"Is there anything else you want to bring?" Le Qing asked. "We’ll be out all day, so you can take something you like."
"I’ll bring the learning tablet," Little Le'an said, scampering off. "Brother and I need to study."
"Then I’ll bring a picture book," Little Le Jia added. "I’ll tell you a story while you work."
Le Qing smiled faintly. "I won’t have time to listen today, but you can tell your sister."
"Okay," he said, a little dejected. "I’ll make sure she behaves."
"Mm." Noticing his disappointment, she added, "How about I give you a special task?"
Instantly, his spirits lifted. "What?"
"Don’t let your sister wander out of sight. Remind her to wear her gloves and scarf—she always forgets. And since she’s timid, don’t leave her alone. Can you do that?"
"Absolutely!"
"Go on then," Le Qing tilted her chin toward the room. "Grab your things, and we’ll head out."
Once the kids ran off, she went to the kitchen.
There were still some cookies left from when Pei Yu had taught her to bake them. She packed them into her bag in case the kids got hungry later.
Excited to pack their own things for the first time, the two little ones quickly returned. "Auntie, we’re ready~"
Le Qing turned and immediately noticed Little Le'an’s wild, unruly hair.
She hadn’t realized the child’s hair could get this messy. Back when she first arrived, it hadn’t been this bad.
Probably because it had been shorter then, and with Le Qing tucking her in at night, it stayed tame in the mornings. But today, after a good cry and running around excitedly, it was extra chaotic.
She walked over and pressed a hand down on the little girl’s head.
The child blinked up at her. "Hmm?"
The stubborn strands popped right back up.
Le Qing tried again, but the hair refused to stay down. "Let me wet it and comb it."
Comb her hair!
Little Le'an trailed after her eagerly. "Are you making me a princess hairstyle?"
What even was a "princess hairstyle"?
Le Qing could only think of Snow White’s look—far beyond her skill.
"A kid’s hairstyle," she said seriously.
"Oh, a baby hairstyle," Little Le'an nodded, not entirely understanding.
She dutifully dragged a small stool over and stood in front of the mirror. "Like this?"
"Mm." Seeing the child’s sparkling eyes, Le Qing added, "Very good."
The little girl beamed, her fingers tapping the sink like she was playing piano.
Le Qing wet the comb and smoothed down the flyaways, only then noticing how uneven the child’s hair was. She’d never paid much attention before.
"Who cut your hair?"
This barber had no skill.
"You did, Auntie," Little Le'an said sweetly. "Snip snip, and my hair flew away! You said braiding was annoying, but today you didn’t cut it!"
She was visibly thrilled.
Le Qing’s hand twitched. "...Oh."
Another sin of the original owner.
Most of the stray hairs stayed down after being dampened, but a few stubborn ones refused. Le Qing kept wetting them until the child shivered from the water dripping down her neck.
Only then did she realize she’d practically given the kid a head wash.
After a pause, she said, "...I’ll dry it."
But as soon as she finished blow-drying, the strands sprang right back up.
"?"
Le Qing stared at the comb, questioning her life choices.
"Auntie, can I have pigtails?"
She discreetly wet the comb again. "Pigtails?"
Little Le'an held up two antenna-like strands on her head. "These, little buns."
Ah, tying up her hair.
Le Qing gauged the length. "It’s a bit short. Might not work."
"Oh."
The little voice instantly deflated.
Le Qing fiddled with the comb. "I’m not very good at it."
"It’s okay!" The child perked right up. "Auntie will make it pretty!"
Cornered, Le Qing fetched a small hair tie from her dresser.
She wasn’t lying—she usually wore her hair down or in a simple ponytail or bun. Styling someone else’s hair, especially this little tornado’s, was new territory.
"Up here?" she asked her tiny client.
"Mm-hmm!"
Not a full updo—that seemed manageable. Le Qing dampened the hair again and fashioned two little "buns."
Coincidentally, this also solved the flyaway problem.
But after seeing the mirror reflection—a perfect Little Nezha cosplay—she hesitated. "Is this okay?"
The little girl had no sense of aesthetics, but she thought the buns made her look beautiful!
She shook her head excitedly at the mirror. "Just like this!"
Le Qing exhaled and set the comb down. "If you like it, I’ll do it like this from now on."
"Thank you, Auntie!"
Once everything was packed, the trio set off again, laden with bags.
Today’s photoshoot location was outdoors—a grassy field with a small grove nearby.
When they arrived, the set was already prepared, with numerous cars parked around.
Le Qing scanned the area. The crew didn’t seem large enough to warrant so many vehicles. Was this the grandeur of an internationally renowned photographer?
After parking in the designated spot, she followed the children as usual.
"They’re here," Lin Jian said from the set, phone in hand. "Can you see them from your end?"
A low hum came from the other end of the phone.
"What’s wrong with you?" Lin Jian couldn’t help laughing. "If you want to meet them, you could just come down and talk instead of sneaking around like this."
This time, Jiang Suizhi didn’t respond.
But Lin Jian didn’t have much time to waste on him—she actually had work to do.
After hanging up, Jiang Suizhi finally gave a slight nod to the person beside him. "Go ahead if you want."
"Really, bro?" Lin Shengxi immediately bounced up from the leather seat, offering a half-hearted refusal. "But didn’t you say we were supposed to keep this under wraps?"
Sometimes, Jiang Suizhi genuinely wondered if the Lin family had given all their brains to Lin Jian when she and her brother were born. He glanced at him coolly. "You’re her brother. Is it really strange for you to be here?"
"Hey, that actually makes sense! Alright, I’m going!" The moment he opened the car door, he hesitated again. "So, should I pay more attention to Le Qing or the two kids later?"
Jiang Suizhi paused briefly before giving in to the slight bias in his heart.
"The kids," he said.
"Got it."
Only after Lin Shengxi had scampered off did Jiang Suizhi turn his full attention to the trio in the distance.
Hearing about them was one thing, but seeing was believing—he would only trust his own eyes.
The two children, carrying small red and blue backpacks, walked hand in hand ahead, occasionally leaning close to whisper to each other. They seemed lively and full of innocent curiosity, though they kept glancing back to make sure the adult behind them was still there.
The woman following them at a slow pace was bundled up tightly, her face barely visible. Her clothes were plain, a far cry from the image Lin Jian’s investigation had painted.
She carried a large bag, stuffed full of what looked like daily necessities.
Jiang Suizhi didn’t know if all mothers were like this—lugging around endless bags.
But what struck him was that she didn’t seem particularly close to the two children ahead.
That shouldn’t be the case.
According to Lin Shengxi’s investigation, Le Qing had bought the apartment in this neighborhood three years ago and had lived there with the children ever since.
Which meant that the woman who had been mingling effortlessly with wealthy socialites at high-profile gatherings was the same person.
As for the two children, neighbors had some vague impressions of them—mostly because they were exceptionally good-looking—but not many. They rarely appeared outside, and on the few occasions they did, they were always alone together.
In winter, it was even more alarming. The children, barely steady on their feet, wore shockingly thin clothes and were so thin it made one wonder if they were eating properly.
Perhaps they looked just like they had in Lin Jian’s photos.
Yet, as Jiang Suizhi flipped through the reports, he couldn’t reconcile the people described with the ones before him—neither the adult nor the children.
A rare hint of confusion flickered in his dark eyes.
Meanwhile, the trio had reached Lin Jian.
"You’re here." The outdoor setup was basic, but Lin Jian had arranged a few space heaters and small stools. "The kids can stay here or rest in the RV—I hired a professional nanny to help, so they won’t get cold."
Le Qing was surprised by the thoughtful arrangements and grateful. "Thank you. How much do I owe you for the nanny? I’ll transfer it to you later."
"It’s nothing." Lin Jian waved her off. "Just focus on nailing this shoot. Fair warning—my standards are high."
Le Qing smiled. "I’m prepared."
She knew all too well that pay had to match effort—such was the life of a working woman.
"Let me know if you need anything else. Once you’re ready, I’ll call the stylist over."
There wasn’t much left to prepare, except for the children.
Le Qing gave them a few reminders and pulled out their usual water bottles and snacks. "Did you hear what Auntie Lin Jian said? If you want to nap or take a break, let me know before you go, okay?"
The two little ones, wide-eyed with excitement at their first time in such a place, nodded eagerly. "Mhm!"
Then, hesitantly, they asked, "Can we run around here?"
The place was huge, and the snow looked so pretty—they couldn’t resist the urge to play.
Pei Yu had always said not to suppress children’s natural instincts, so Le Qing nodded. "Sure, but don’t go too far. Stay close to the nanny."
"Yay!"
Lin Jian couldn’t resist ruffling their hair. "It’s only been a little while, but they’ve changed so much."
"What do you mean?" Le Qing didn’t see it.
"Last time you brought them to my estate, these two were so quiet they barely moved. Their eyes never wandered." Lin Jian said. "Like little mice. Now they actually seem like kids—full of energy."
It was true.
They were finally starting to express themselves.
A strange sense of pride bloomed in Le Qing’s chest. "Kids should be like this."
[Happy and carefree.]
"I’m ready," she said, turning back. "We can start whenever."
Lin Jian pointed toward the RV. "Go change in there first. The outfit’s thin, so keep your coat on until makeup’s done. You can take it off when we shoot."
Le Qing nodded.
As she turned, she nearly bumped into Lin Shengxi, who had just jogged over. She wasn’t particularly surprised—the siblings seemed close.
Unbeknownst to her, Lin Shengxi had dug up every detail about her life. Now, seeing her in person, he felt an odd sense of familiarity. Without thinking, he raised a hand in greeting. "What a coincidence?"
Though puzzled by his sudden friendliness, Le Qing nodded politely.
Lin Shengxi, swallowing a mouthful of cold air, was baffled. Just a short time ago, Le Qing would have clawed her way to his side at the first opportunity. Now, she acted like they were strangers.
But it didn’t matter—he knew her well enough.
Though Jiang Suizhi hadn’t said it outright, Lin Shengxi had already concocted an elaborate drama in his head, especially since the two kids looked so much like Jiang Yan.
These had to be Yan-ge’s children!
Cheerfully, he sidled up to the little ones. "Hey, remember me?"
Of course they did. Their aunt had taken them to this uncle’s house before—though back then, he hadn’t been this friendly.
Warily, they greeted him. "Hello, uncle."
Lin Shengxi scowled. "Uncle? I’m a brother!"
"You’re big," Little Le Jia gestured widely. "So you’re an uncle."
"..."
This tiny, pinchable brat was truly infuriating.
Lin Shengxi plopped down beside them, already discreetly scanning the table—water bottles, tissues, hand warmers, milk bottles, picture books, and a talking pen were all neatly arranged.
"Are you here for a winter picnic?"
The two little ones didn’t understand the term.
"You brought so much stuff."
"Auntie prepared it!"
This piqued Lin Shengxi’s curiosity. According to Jiang Suizhi’s theory, Le Qing was Yan-ge’s mysterious girlfriend. So why did the kids call her "auntie"?
"Why do you call her auntie?" he asked.
This really stumped the child. Little Le Jia answered honestly, "Because she's called 'Auntie,' so we call her 'Auntie.'"
Having lived for so many years, Lin Shengxi had only ever been suppressed by his sister, then by Jiang Suizhi—and now, he was being outmatched by two little kids.
"Why don't you call her 'Mom'?" he pressed, unwilling to let it go.
The question silenced the two children again, their picture books suddenly losing their appeal.
"We don’t have a mom," Little Le Jia admitted. He had never seen his mother; since he could remember, only Auntie had been by their side.
"You’ve never met your mo—"
Before Lin Shengxi could finish, someone kicked him from behind, sending him sprawling onto the table. "Ow!! Who was that?!"
"Me." Lin Jian pressed his head down, smushing his face against the table. "Got nothing better to do? Coming here to harass kids? Haven’t you learned how to talk properly by now?"
"Sis." Lin Shengxi, awakened by the call of blood, gave up struggling. "I was just chatting with them!"
"Chatting like that?" Lin Jian smacked him. "Behave, or I’ll strip you and toss you into the snow later."
"Fine."
Only then did Lin Jian turn back to the two stunned children, softening her voice. "It’s okay, go back to playing."
Before leaving, she kicked Lin Shengxi’s chair one more time.
The two little ones had never seen such a scene before and were too scared to speak.
Humiliated, Lin Shengxi tilted his head and muttered after a long pause, "I’m just letting her win. She’s my sister, after all."
The kids stayed quiet until, much later, Little Le'an timidly asked, "Brother, will you do that to me too?"
"No!" Little Le Jia said firmly. "You’re a good, obedient sister."
The disobedient younger brother: "..."
This conversation was going nowhere.
Just as he was racking his brain for a response, Little Le Jia added, "Auntie is like a mom."
Even though other kids had mothers, Auntie treated them just as well as other kids’ moms did.
Sometimes they missed having a mom, but to them, the word was now just an abstract idea—not tied to any specific person.
Right now, they only had Auntie.
In that moment, Lin Shengxi—who had never truly suffered life’s hardships—realized what a jerk he’d been. Scratching his head, he tried to make amends: "Your Auntie has to work. I’ll play with you instead."
The two kids eyed him skeptically.
"What’s with that look?" Lin Shengxi felt challenged. "Ask anyone in our circle—who doesn’t know your Brother Lin is the best at having fun?"
The two quick-witted kids hesitated. "For real?"
Little Le'an peeked at the young man’s eyes and found them clear as water.
[These two little rascals are gonna have the time of their lives with me! Ahahaha!]
A bit loud, but not very smart.
Still, he seemed like a good person.
She tugged her brother’s sleeve and nodded slightly.
Luckily, Little Le Jia remembered Auntie’s instructions: "We have to ask Auntie first."
Just then, Le Qing came out after changing clothes. Lin Shengxi waved them off. "Go on, ask."
Le Qing wasn’t very familiar with Lin Shengxi and hesitated, but Lin Jian chimed in, "My brother’s a bit of a troublemaker, but he’s not a bad person. He’s better at entertaining kids than a nanny, and since he’s free anyway, I won’t let them out of our sight."
"Then I’ll trouble you." Filming and makeup would take a while, and kids couldn’t sit still for long, especially outdoors. Le Qing knew she wasn’t the most fun, so having someone entertain them was a relief.
With permission granted, the two little ones held hands and followed Lin Shengxi into the snow.
This time, however, he had a rare stroke of intelligence and led them closer to that low-key but luxurious car parked in the corner.
Want to watch? I’ll let you see all you want!
Inside the car, Jiang Suizhi watched as the children drew nearer—close enough that he could clearly see their familiar features through the window. His breath hitched, and he unconsciously reached out, fingertips lightly brushing the glass.
Not yet.
At least, not now.
He forced himself to pull back.
Knowing the kind of life he led, knowing his unspeakable flaws, Jiang Suizhi had long accepted that he would never have a partner, let alone children.
Jiang Yan’s children were his children.
Outside, the two little ones had no idea someone in the car was watching them. Bundled up in thick clothes, they couldn’t resist reaching for the snow as soon as they saw their uncle playing with it.
Before, they hadn’t dared—they’d been too cold, too prone to getting sick.
But today, they were warm and cozy.
This area was less crowded, so the snow was clean. Lin Shengxi, never one for dignity, demonstrated: "Watch closely—this is how you really play in the snow."
The kids nodded eagerly.
Then they watched as their uncle crouched, leaped, and buried himself face-first into the snow before popping back up, leaving a perfect imprint of his face behind.
The kids were awestruck. "Whoa!"
"Line up," Lin Shengxi commanded. "One on each side."
Little Le Jia went first, copying his uncle’s move—crouch, leap! Thud! He faceplanted into the snow.
Little Le'an tried to follow, but being smaller, she lost control and sank straight in.
Lin Shengxi hadn’t expected the little rascals to be so fragile. Grabbing one leg each, he tried to yank them out.
"Help!"
Flustered, he managed to pull one free when faint footsteps crunched behind him. His boss’s icy voice cut through the air: "Move."
A gloved hand reached past him, effortlessly plucking the buried girl from the snow.
Instinctively, she clung to the stranger, only to realize he was trembling even harder than she was.
Though startled, neither child felt truly scared—this had been fun, and they weren’t shivering anymore.
Puzzled, Little Le'an opened her eyes and saw a face obscured by a mask.
His eyes looked fierce.
Pursing her lips, she whispered, "Thank you, Uncle."
Jiang Suizhi fought back his discomfort long enough to set her down safely. His dark gaze swept over Lin Shengxi. "This is how you play with children?"
"Hey, it’s my first time babysitting!" Lin Shengxi defended weakly. "I’ll be more careful next time."
"It was fun!" Little Le Jia spoke up for him. "Not Uncle’s fault. Me and my sister are just heavy."
"Yeah!" Little Le'an suddenly remembered the packet of cookies Auntie had tucked into her pocket earlier. Since she and her brother couldn’t eat them, she offered them to the kind stranger. "Thank you, Uncle. Here’s a cookie."
Jiang Suizhi pinched the packet between his fingers, silent for a few seconds before giving a curt "Hn."
Without another word, he turned and strode back to the car, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Huh?" Little Le'an blinked. "Does Uncle not like cookies?"
"Big shots never eat sweets in public—ruins their image. He’ll sneak them later," Lin Shengxi explained, squatting down and holding out his hand. "Where’s mine? I played with you too."
Little Le Jia hurriedly handed over his share.
It was the first time I'd seen someone willingly volunteer to eat the cookies Auntie made.
Auntie still didn’t know that Pei Yu’s batch—the ones he and his sister had already finished—were all gone, leaving only hers behind.
Lin Shengxi wasn’t a fan of these things, but his competitive streak kicked in, and he tore open the bag, shoving a piece into his mouth.
Three seconds later, his face froze.
With a completely blank expression, he stared at the two kids. "This is what your aunt usually feeds you?"
Crumbs spilled from his mouth as he chewed.
The two little ones couldn’t figure it out either—no matter how hard Auntie studied, the taste always ended up… questionable. At least this time, neither he nor his sister had landed in the hospital.
"They’re edible," Little Le Jia declared with absolute certainty.
"Wait a minute…" Lin Shengxi pointed toward the car. "Was this what you just gave that uncle?"
"Mm!" Little Le'an nodded, then suddenly realized something and turned to her brother. "Brother, did I…?"
Lin Shengxi deadpanned, "Did you just repay kindness with cruelty?"
Meanwhile, inside the car, Jiang Suizhi had indeed opened the little cookies. His niece had given them to him, so he had to eat them.
He took a bite, paused, glanced down at the cookie, then calmly took a second bite.
It’s fine. His niece gave them to him.
He had to eat them.
Future Proud Brother: How is this not double the love?
