◎Still Family◎
Having stayed up a bit late the night before, and with the New Year's celebrations finally allowing Le Qing to relax, she deliberately indulged herself by setting her alarm an hour later. She slept soundly through the night.
The two little ones, exhausted from their late-night livestream of making dumplings, were still fast asleep in the morning. The entire apartment was quiet and cozy.
When Lin Jian and her younger brother Lin Shengxi came over for a visit, they noticed the matching "Fu" characters neatly pasted on both doors as soon as they stepped out of the elevator. Lin Shengxi crouched down in front of the door and remarked, "Wow, you can tell who did this. It’s got style."
Lin Jian glanced at Jiang Suizhi’s tightly shut door and raised an eyebrow silently.
Her impression of him had always been that of an aloof, unpredictable man, distant from both the young and old in his family. It was strange that he’d tolerate the kids decorating his door like this.
Just as she was thinking this, the door suddenly swung open, revealing the man standing inside and the one crouching outside, staring at each other in surprise.
Lin Shengxi looked up. "Happy New Year, bro~"
"..." Jiang Suizhi took a step back, instinctively glancing at the opposite door to confirm it was still closed before speaking. "What are you doing squatting here?"
"Admiring your door’s unique New Year charm," Lin Shengxi said, standing up and peering past him. "Wait, you’ve got nothing inside? Why the rush to move in? At least buy some essentials."
Not to mention, his brother smelled faintly of alcohol—clearly still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Not exactly auspicious for the New Year.
Jiang Suizhi ignored him.
Truthfully, he couldn’t explain it himself. There had just been a moment when he couldn’t stand staying in that house any longer and needed a quiet place to retreat. Before he knew it, he’d ended up here.
Blame Lin Shengxi for constantly going on about dumplings.
"We came to get the dumplings," Lin Shengxi continued, undeterred by the lack of response. "Did you get yours yesterday?"
He had. They were now sitting in his otherwise empty fridge, waiting for a pot to cook them in.
But now that he was sober, Jiang Suizhi wasn’t as eager to eat them.
"Yeah."
"Sis-in-law’s dumplings," Lin Shengxi teased. "Classy."
Jiang Suizhi shut the door and walked past them to press the elevator button. "If you can’t say anything nice, eat more and stuff your mouth shut."
Lin Shengxi made a face behind his back, then asked, "Where are you going?"
"New Year’s visits."
Unlike these two, he wasn’t free to do as he pleased. According to Jiang Hechang’s words yesterday, more people would soon be swarming around him. He couldn’t afford to slack off. Right now, he needed to go back to the other house, shower, change, and then deal with all those miscellaneous people.
To become Jiang Suizhi again.
Only now did he finally understand what Jiang Yan had once said—that it was only in that tiny rented apartment that he wasn’t Jiang Yan.
The name Jiang Suizhi carried too much weight.
"They stayed up late last night," Jiang Suizhi said as the siblings lingered by Le Qing’s door. "They might still be asleep."
Lin Shengxi: "..."
Lin Jian hesitated. "...How do you know?"
"Sis-in—I mean, the dumplings..." Lin Shengxi pointed at the door, at a loss for words.
Jiang Suizhi took off his glasses and gave them a cool look, shutting them up instantly.
The weather was nice this New Year’s morning, sunlight streaming through the windows. Remembering the kids mentioning what they wanted to do during yesterday’s livestream, Jiang Suizhi suddenly said, "Since you’ve got nothing better to do, why not start work today?"
Lin Shengxi: "?"
He wasn’t that free!
Damn capitalist.
After Jiang Suizhi disappeared into the elevator, the siblings finally rang Le Qing’s doorbell.
The door opened quickly.
Two little ones with bedhead stood there clutching stuffed animals, whispering, "Happy New Year, Uncle and Auntie."
They were being very careful—they’d checked the doorbell camera first!
"Why just you two? Where’s your aunt?" Lin Jian also kept her voice low.
"Auntie’s sleeping~" Little Le Jia mimicked his aunt’s usual routine, fetching slippers for the guests. "Auntie’s tired. Sister and I won’t disturb her."
This being their first real New Year’s celebration, the kids had woken up early despite staying up late.
Not seeing their aunt awake yet, they’d tiptoed into her room and watched over her until her alarm went off—then quickly silenced it.
To let her sleep a little longer, they’d quietly closed her door and played in the living room, even helping themselves to snacks so they wouldn’t get hungry.
"Sister will show Uncle and Auntie where to sit," Little Le Jia declared, hands behind his back like a proper little host. "Brother will get water."
Auntie always served guests water!
But the adults couldn’t possibly let them handle it. "We’ll get it ourselves!"
"No no," Little Le Jia insisted. "Guests sit. I’m the brother, she’s the sister."
Meaning: We’re the hosts.
"Auntie taught us!"
They stood their ground, refusing to let the adults move. Lin Jian and Lin Shengxi reluctantly perched on the sofa, barely sitting properly, ready to jump in if needed.
But they underestimated the kids’ resourcefulness.
Little Le Jia pulled out two paper cups from a low cabinet and dragged over a small water pitcher from near the TV stand.
Lin Jian noticed everything was placed within easy reach for the children. "Is that water?"
"Yep! Auntie made it," Little Le'an said, clumsily pushing snacks, candy, and fruit toward them. "Sister and brother can drink water."
Lin Jian asked, "Why not use the water dispenser?"
"Arms too short," Little Le'an explained, popping open the pitcher lid. Together, they poured water into the cups. "Auntie said if cups empty, drink from here."
Le Qing had bought separate cups for home and outings, with the home ones being smaller. But to make sure the kids drank enough water even if she forgot to refill them, she’d also bought a slightly larger pitcher they could access themselves.
It was sealed and placed low enough for them to reach anytime.
In fact, anything non-dangerous in the house was kept as low as possible so the kids could grab what they needed without help.
As the little hands pushed the water toward them, Lin Jian and Lin Shengxi couldn’t help but marvel.
Le Qing was incredibly thoughtful, always considering the children’s needs.
For the first time in their lives, they were being meticulously hosted by two toddlers—snacks, drinks, and even entertainment.
The kids even started telling them stories to keep them from getting bored.
And of course, they had to introduce their beloved twisty toy! Uncle and Auntie had to try it!
At first, Lin Jian and Lin Shengxi played along. But after seeing the kids demonstrate how it worked, they were speechless.
This was basically teasing a dog!
Lin Shengxi suddenly remembered his "work" duty for the day and asked while nibbling on a cheese stick, "By the way, the weather’s nice today. Do you guys want to go out and play?"
As he spoke, he subtly kicked the so-called "transformation twist machine" farther away.
This was Jiang Suizhi’s suggestion—to take the kids outside for a walk while he had the chance.
The mention of play instantly diverted the little ones’ attention. "How do we play?"
"I’ll take you out. The weather’s nice—we can go to the park."
Though excited, the kids still remembered their napping aunt. "What about Auntie?"
"She’ll come too," Lin Shengxi said. "Once she wakes up, we’ll get ready and go!"
Little Le Jia asked, "What do we prepare for the park?"
"Snacks, drinks, a small blanket, things like that." Lin Shengxi had some experience with this. "Don’t worry about it. Your aunt will handle it when she wakes up, or I will if needed."
The kids nodded, then shook their heads.
Auntie was already so busy—how could they let her prepare everything?
They wanted to take care of her.
"I can help!" Little Le Jia volunteered. "I’ll go help Auntie. We can leave when she wakes up!"
With that, he toddled back to the room as fast as his short legs could carry him. He’d seen Auntie and Aunt Wang pack bags before—they put lots of things inside. He even grabbed his little sister’s bag on the way.
Though Lin Jian and Lin Shengxi knew more preparations would be needed later, they didn’t interfere, amused by the kids’ enthusiasm. They simply watched.
The little ones sat cross-legged on the carpet, deep in thought. After a long pause, Little Le Jia stretched out his tiny hand. "Where’s the milk bottle?"
They hadn’t had their milk today—they’d need the bottle.
His loyal little sister, Le’an, not as quick-witted as her brother, happily played the role of errand-runner. "Le’an will get it!"
She scampered to the kitchen and brought back the sterilized bottle Auntie had left there.
The two began counting on their fingers what to bring for the outing.
Halfway through, Little Le Jia frowned. "I ran out of fingers."
"Use mine!" His sister offered her tiny digits. "Count together, Brother!"
"Still not enough?" Lin Jian chuckled. "Should we borrow your uncles’ and aunties’ fingers too?"
"Yes!" Little Le Jia said seriously. "And Auntie’s! Wait… what does Auntie bring?"
Lin Shengxi casually asked, "What does she usually take?"
The kids exchanged glances. Oh no—they had no idea what Auntie packed for herself.
Actually, Auntie never brought anything for herself when she went out.
Realizing this, their little faces fell. "We’re bad kids."
Lin Jian blinked. "Why?"
"Bad kids… don’t care about Auntie."
The adults were taken aback. Where did this come from?
But to the children, Auntie always knew their favorite snacks and toys. She packed their clothes, water bottles, and even (crossed out) little cakes. Her bag was always stuffed—but never with her own things.
Thinking about it now, they really were terrible!
And they’d failed Auntie.
Little Le’an’s eyes welled up as she hugged her bag. "Auntie can have all my things. I don’t need them."
Lin Shengxi was at a loss, baffled by their self-inflicted guilt. "How did you make yourselves cry? You’re kids—it’s Auntie’s job to take care of you."
But the words didn’t comfort them. If anything, they looked even more upset. "Can’t grown-ups have things they like?"
Thankfully, Lin Jian understood. "You mean your Auntie only thinks about you and never herself? Doesn’t buy things she likes?"
The kids nodded dejectedly.
They were the worst nieces and nephews ever.
Lin Jian hummed thoughtfully.
She knew Le Qing was tight on money, but not desperately so—not to the point of unnecessary hardship. And her personality wasn’t like those stubborn old-timers who martyred themselves. She was practical and clear-headed. Surely she knew life was lived day by day, not by sacrificing anyone. Besides, with her recent earnings, couldn’t she afford a little something for herself?
So why was she still depriving herself?
Le Qing woke naturally, her mind foggy, but the unusual quiet struck her first.
Her alarm had only been set a little later—why hadn’t it gone off yet?
She checked her phone and bolted upright. The kids must be starving!
But when she saw the closed bedroom door, she paused. She distinctly remembered leaving it open.
Her hand hovered over the knob as faint voices drifted from the living room—soft, as if afraid to wake someone.
"I like this one best. Pack it."
"This one too! Brother, it’s sweet—you’ll like it!"
Le Qing didn’t need to guess what was happening. Her expression softened, and she exhaled gently.
She opened the door. "Auntie overslept. Are you hungry—"
The rest died in her throat when she spotted the two visitors on the sofa.
Any lingering drowsiness vanished as she quickly assessed the scene.
Half-empty cups and a small water pitcher sat on the table—clearly the kids’ attempt at hosting. Opened snack bags suggested the guests had been here awhile.
The little ones sat surrounded by a chaotic pile of belongings, their tiny backpacks stuffed to bursting, yet they kept trying to cram more inside.
For a moment, Le Qing didn’t know what to address first.
She stared at them—dressed for an expedition with gloves and hats (but not changed out of pajamas), their hair sticking out wildly under the accessories.
Where… were they going?
Surely picking up dumplings didn’t require packing the kids?
Countless possibilities flashed through her mind, but one stood out sharply:
Lin Jian knew their father. The kids were packing. Packing everything—their favorite bottles, snacks…
Just then, Lin Jian set down her cup and stood. "You’re awake?"
Le Qing’s grip tightened on the doorknob. She blinked slowly.
"Did we scare you?" Lin Shengxi turned, lounging over the sofa back with a wave. "The kids let us in. We’ve been sitting here the whole time—didn’t touch a thing."
"Auntie!" The little ones sat up proudly, patting their chests. "We took very good care of Uncle and Auntie!"
They’d even shared their favorite snacks!
"Auntie, are you hungry?" They scrambled to offer treats. "We already ate!"
Watching the two little ones running toward her with snacks in their arms, Le Qing finally snapped out of her daze. "I'm not hungry," she said.
She quickly composed herself, taking the items the children handed her while looking up to ask, "Sorry, I overslept. Did you come to… pick up the dumplings?"
"Yeah," came the reply.
Le Qing unconsciously let out a relieved sigh, only for Lin Shengxi to add, "But there’s one more thing. We were waiting for you to wake up so we could discuss it. Look, the kids are all packed and ready."
Her footsteps halted abruptly. Standing frozen in place, she didn’t even realize how lost her expression must have looked.
"What’s wrong with you? Still half-asleep?" Lin Jian walked around the sofa and reached out to feel her forehead, concerned. "No fever. If you’re not feeling well, we can always go out another day."
Le Qing blinked almost imperceptibly, her voice soft. "Go… out?"
"The weather’s nice today, so I thought we could take the kids out. They seemed to have a lot of fun at the square last time," Lin Jian explained. "We were going to ask for your opinion once you woke up, but the kids got so excited they started packing on their own."
Oh, so that was it!
"Auntie, we packed our favorite snacks for you to share!" Little Le Jia struggled to lift his overstuffed backpack. "And we filled your water bottle too!"
"Really?" Le Qing tested the weight of the bag. Though small, the kids had crammed it so tightly that it was surprisingly heavy. "Can you even carry this?"
Little Le Jia immediately turned around, stretching his arms to reach the straps. "Of course I can!"
Le Qing smiled, loosening the straps. The little boy stumbled forward a couple of steps but stubbornly insisted, his face flushed, "Of course I can!"
"Alright." Le Qing swiftly took the bag from him. "Go get dressed and wash up. I’ll handle the packing."
Outside, the rare sunshine made it a perfect day for an outing.
The children had never been on a trip like this before, and Le Qing didn’t want to disappoint them. Who knew if they’d get another chance?
Lately, she’d been feeling less and less certain about how much longer the kids would stay with her before returning to their real father. For now, she’d take things one day at a time.
As the children went to wash up, Le Qing sat down and began unpacking the chaotic mess they’d stuffed into the bag. Unsurprisingly, the dreaded fidget spinner was in there.
"What was wrong with you earlier?" Lin Shengxi patted his chest. "You scared me. I thought your soul had left your body."
He’d never seen Le Qing like that before. The Le Qing he knew was either annoyingly clingy—though that was in the past—or, as she was now, always composed and unflappable.
That brief moment of disorientation had been unusual.
Le Qing slowed her movements but didn’t look up. "Maybe I was still half-asleep. Didn’t fully wake up yet."
Lin Shengxi snorted. "Anyone would’ve thought we were trying to kidnap your kids."
Le Qing curved her lips. "Of course not."
"Where are we going?" she changed the subject. "Is it far? You even packed supplies."
"Not too far. At the end of last year, I acquired an eco-resort in the western district. It’s just been renovated and hasn’t opened yet," Lin Shengxi said. "It’s set in a forest park with nature trails, food, and entertainment. Figured it’d be a good place to check out."
Lin Shengxi’s arrangement?
Le Qing recalled the last crowded gathering he’d hosted. "Will there be a lot of people?"
"Just us," Lin Shengxi replied.
He had no idea how Jiang Suizhi had found out about this place. That man’s information network was just as extensive as his own.
Honestly, Lin Shengxi thought the kids would’ve preferred an amusement park, but Jiang Suizhi had insisted it was too crowded and unsafe. Hence, this secluded spot.
As if "crowded" was an issue—these two kids were practically mini-celebrities already. But since the boss had spoken, Lin Shengxi had no choice but to comply.
Satisfied with the answer, Le Qing didn’t press further. After repacking the bag, she stood. "I’ll go freshen up. We can have breakfast and then leave."
As she disappeared into the bathroom, Lin Jian swatted her brother’s hand away from the kids’ cheese sticks. "You’ve gotten pretty close to them, huh?"
"Hasn’t it always been like this?" Lin Shengxi said offhandedly. "Not that close, really. She’s the type that’s hard to get to know, but I guess we’re friends?"
Despite having met several times and exchanged words, Le Qing always kept a polite distance.
Lin Jian felt the same.
At first glance, Le Qing and Jiang Suizhi seemed like polar opposites, yet there was something eerily similar about them—an invisible barrier that made it hard to truly get close.
But thinking back, it was strange. From their very first meeting until now, Le Qing had never shown any wariness toward them.
Even Jiang Suizhi, whom they’d known for years, had never once let them step foot inside his home.
Yet Le Qing had never objected to them entering her space. And today, when they proposed taking the kids out—alone, to a high-end resort—she hadn’t raised a single concern, despite her usual habit of drawing clear boundaries.
Had she, without realizing it, already accepted them as part of her circle?
Then why had she seemed so unsettled earlier when she saw the kids packing?
"She doesn’t know about you and Jiang Suizhi, right?" Lin Jian asked.
"Know what?" Lin Shengxi smirked. "Suizhi’s acting like a spy, still pretending his surname is Xie. Have you seen his profile pic and username? Right now, he’s a ‘wholesale bro.’"
True. Jiang Suizhi wouldn’t be careless enough to reveal anything to Le Qing before he was ready.
Lin Jian didn’t dwell on it further.
Le Qing turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on her face to clear her thoughts.
No matter how well-behaved or adorable they were, these children weren’t hers. She and those people lived in different worlds. Eventually, she’d have to return to her own life.
And she had no right to stop the kids from going back to their real family.
She lowered her gaze, watching the water droplets fall from her face before slowly closing her eyes.
Le Qing, get a grip.
It had been so long since she’d last felt this—this sudden fear of losing something precious.
---
Today, the two little ones were especially excited. It was their first time going on a real outing! Before this, they’d only ever seen such things on TV.
Even their chatter in the car turned into song: "Auntie, auntie, where are we going~?"
Behind the wheel, Le Qing couldn’t help but laugh at their off-key singing. "Guess!"
"Hmm." Little Le Jia scrunched his face in thought, hands cupping his cheeks. "To see the big tiger! What’s in the zoo!"
"Bunny!" Little Le'an chimed in, matching her brother’s rhythm. "But An’an wants to see the princess!"
Though she’d asked them to guess, they’d already listed their dream destinations.
Quietly, Le Qing made a mental note to take them to those places at least once before they left. "Wrong guess, but next time, we’ll go."
The little ones sat in their car seats, their eyes shining like stars.
"This time we're going to the park. There are lots of trees there, as well as ponies and little fish. You've learned about them in your talking books, right?"
"Yep! Fish is 'fish'!" Little Le'an chirped before turning to her aunt. "Auntie goes where, Le'an goes where!"
Le Qing paused. "Why do you say that?"
"Huh?" Little Le'an blinked at her in confusion. "Because we're family. Families stay together."
In that moment, Le Qing suddenly realized that in the children's world, she was their one and only guardian—the person they relied on and trusted completely.
But if the day ever came when she had to leave, it wouldn’t just be hard for her. For them, it would be unbearable.
So she ought to... gently start preparing them, helping them understand that they had other family too.
