The light in the room shifted constantly, forcing Le Qing to adjust her camera settings repeatedly. After settling the siblings on a small sofa, she walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window.
Having grown up under the oppressive rule of their "bad aunt," the brother and sister were naturally quiet and wary of their surroundings and the people around them. In unfamiliar situations, they instinctively sought out familiar faces.
So, no matter how much they had disliked their aunt in the past, their eyes couldn’t help but follow her now.
The single sofa was more than enough to accommodate the two little ones. They perched on the backrest, peeking over the edge to observe their aunt’s every move, their small heads swaying back and forth.
"Brother, what is Auntie doing?" Little Le'an asked curiously. "It’s like what that lady did the other day."
Both had cameras.
Little Le Jia thought for a moment. "Making money, probably."
"Auntie seems really poor," Little Le'an recalled how hesitant their aunt had been while buying groceries. "Brother, can we earn money and take care of Auntie?"
Her brother was amazing—he could conjure up snacks and even money for her.
"No," Little Le Jia refused without hesitation, pressing a finger to his lips. "And you must never tell her we have money."
The System Uncle had warned him—the bad aunt would take their money if she found out.
At this thought, Little Le Jia felt a flicker of confusion. "System Uncle, she didn’t take Sister’s money."
The System’s CPU nearly overheated before it managed to reply: Maybe it was too little for her to bother?
This villainess had squandered all their mother’s money—how could she change overnight?
So the System reiterated: "You must keep your secret safe."
"Mm-hmm."
Little Le Jia couldn’t stop thinking about the two videos he had posted from his phone. The one of their aunt buying clothes had barely gotten any views, but the casual clip she had taken of him had racked up countless likes and favorites.
He pulled out his phone and started counting again. "One, two, three… ten, eleven, twelve… one-three-six-seven. Can I exchange this for something?"
The System corrected him: "That’s one thousand three hundred sixty-seven. Yes, you can exchange it. Have you decided what you want?"
At just three years old, Little Le Jia’s understanding of the world was still limited. Maybe he should trade it for lots of bread to stock up for later?
Before he could decide, a voice interrupted from behind.
"Whose kids are these? How amusing—bringing children to a party like this?"
Hearing the voice, Little Le'an immediately ducked her head, tucking herself behind her brother.
Little Le Jia held his sister’s hand tightly. She wasn’t just a little slow—she was also shy around strangers. That was why he had been so desperate to return home after being sold off before.
Summoning his courage as the older brother, he turned around with forced composure—only to be met by a group of exquisitely made-up faces.
These people… looked just like their bad aunt used to.
Seeing the children’s faces, the group paused in surprise. "They’re so good-looking."
At the same time, they noticed the video still playing on Little Le Jia’s phone. The close-up shot made it easy to recognize him.
As seasoned social media users, they quickly assumed: Some influencer must have brought these kids to milk the party for clout. No wonder they were so cute—born for the internet.
"Hey, sweetie," one woman stepped forward, phone in hand, assuming everything here was fair game for content. "Want to take a photo with me?"
Little Le Jia knew the drill. He put on his most serious face. "Do you have money?"
"?"
The onlookers burst into laughter, though their eyes gleamed with disdain.
A kid this young, already taught to ask for money just for a photo.
The woman, Ye Yun, a fairly big-name influencer, glanced at him dismissively and smoothed her hair with a smirk. "How many followers do you even have to be asking for money? If anything, you should be paying me."
Little Le Jia shook his head firmly. "Then no photo."
He didn’t have money to pay others, and if they wouldn’t pay him, he wouldn’t take pictures either.
Ye Yun, one of the top influencers present, was offended. In this circle, people usually gave her face.
Years in the luxury scene had sharpened her judgment. These kids’ clothes were no-name brands, their frames small and thin. The casual bag nearby was a dime a dozen on Taobao, and the long down jacket draped over the sofa looked cheap.
She shot the ungrateful brat a disdainful look and reached for his phone to check his follower count.
Little Le Jia was quick—he tried to pull his hand back, but Ye Yun’s long nails scraped his skin. Years of enduring abuse had taught him to endure pain, so he clutched his phone tighter.
Seeing her brother hurt, Little Le'an darted out from behind him. "Don’t bully Brother!"
Ye Yun didn’t manage to grab the phone, but she forcefully swiped open the account page—only a few dozen followers. Relieved, she scoffed, only for the little girl to suddenly bite her arm.
She shrieked and shook the child off. "Are you a dog?! Let go!"
[I thought they were something special. Just two brats with no clout, dressed in rags—how dare they act so bold here?]
She stood up, plucked the down jacket from the sofa with two fingers, gave it a disdainful once-over, and tossed it aside. Turning to a young man sipping wine nearby, she whined, "Lin Shao, this is supposed to be a party for adults. Why are there random kids running around? Look at this jacket—probably belongs to one of your servants. The little beast bit me! Who knows if it has rabies?"
Lin Shengxi set his glass down with an amused smirk. "Don’t push it."
He saw right through these people. He tolerated their antics when he was in the mood, but if they annoyed him, they’d regret it.
Today was different, though. He’d only gotten access to this estate by borrowing his sister’s name. The last thing he needed was trouble reaching those people on the other side. "It’s just a small issue. If this noise reaches them, all of you can get lost."
The room fell silent.
Some social circles were permeable, but the true upper echelon was untouchable. Those people had seen it all—they wouldn’t give this shallow spectacle the time of day.
So no matter how tempted anyone was, they knew better than to disturb the other side.
Lin Shengxi stood. "Whose kids are these? Someone take them away."
The crowd exchanged glances. Two seconds later, a cool, detached voice cut through the murmurs.
"Mine."
Le Qing had a bad habit. Having spent most of her life friendless, she was used to solitude. Whenever she focused on work or study, she’d lose herself completely in her own world.
Having only arrived in this world a few days ago, she hadn’t yet adjusted to having a family—especially two children. Just now, while adjusting her camera lens, she’d been so absorbed that she’d wandered outside to snap a few photos.
It was her sister’s angry cry that snapped her back to reality. Turning around, she saw the siblings’ sofa surrounded by strangers. She immediately strode back inside.
"And you are—" Lin Shengxi’s impatient voice cut off abruptly. His eyes widened slightly, tone shifting to uncertainty. "Le Qing?"
He had quite an impression of this Le Qing—compared to Ye Yun, he disliked Le Qing even more.
Ye Yun was the kind of person who laid all her intentions bare, where everyone got what they wanted without demanding any status or titles.
But Le Qing was ambitious and hypocritically aloof, looking down on others while doing things that made others look down on her. She was desperate to climb into high society, and no one in their small circle liked her. She’d latch onto anyone with money, yet somehow always managed to sneak into various gatherings.
Lately, though, there hadn’t been much news about her. He hadn’t expected to see her in this situation today.
Lin Shengxi looked her up and down—this woman stood out starkly. A fitted brown knitted sweater with a thin, matching ribbon around her neck, white trousers elongating her legs, and a slightly darker cardigan draped over her shoulders. She carried an air of gentleness tinged with detachment, standing out sharply among a crowd of influencers who all seemed to share the same face.
By now, Le Qing had reached the small sofa. Ignoring the man who’d called out to her, she bent down slightly to check if the two children were hurt before asking, “Le Jia, what happened?”
Having just returned from outside, she carried a faint chill with her. Little Le Jia’s palms were sweaty, knowing full well that if a beating was coming today, there’d be no escape. He and his sister had ruined their “bad aunt’s” work.
But the bad aunt had said she wouldn’t hit them anymore.
Holding his sister protectively, he whispered, “She wanted to take photos but didn’t have money. I refused, so she grabbed the phone. That’s why my sister bit her.”
Le Qing hummed in acknowledgment. Looking at the little girl trembling in her brother’s arms, tears welling in her eyes, she paused before gently patting her head and murmuring, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you two here alone.”
The siblings, braced for a scolding, were momentarily dazed.
Le Qing straightened and turned to the woman who’d complained. “Why did you try to take the child’s phone?”
Ye Yun was equally surprised by this version of Le Qing. If before, Le Qing had merely overpowered other small-time influencers, the grudge between her and Le Qing ran much deeper.
She’d always looked down on people like Le Qing, but today, Le Qing’s transformation gave her an inexplicable sense of unease.
“Who said I took it?” Ye Yun crossed her arms. “He was watching videos. I just wanted to see. How did you raise these kids? I thought he was cute and wanted a photo, and he started screaming.”
Then, remembering the message Yu Shuqi had sent in the group chat, she sneered, “You’re one thing, but now you’re teaching these kids to be just as money-grubbing? Charging for a photo? What kind of values are those? Bankrupt and now using kids to make money—you’re feeding off their misery.”
Le Qing lifted her gaze coolly. “Couldn’t afford it?”
“Who says I couldn’t afford it?!”
“Then why did the child refuse?” Le Qing subtly positioned herself between the woman and the children. “My kids do charge for photos. You were the one who insisted on taking them, and you’re also the one who couldn’t pay. It’s only fair he didn’t let you. But instead of paying, you tried to snatch his phone and scratched his hand. Is that your idea of values?”
Ye Yun was used to Le Qing being unreasonable, but this composed, sharp-tongued, and righteous version was new. It left her, someone who thrived on passive-aggression, momentarily speechless.
But then she remembered—everyone hated Le Qing. What was there to fear?
“Lin Shao, look at her!” Ye Yun turned, pitching her voice higher. “She’s getting so full of herself. You know what kind of person she is, right?”
Le Qing smiled faintly. “What kind of person I am doesn’t change the fact that you owe these children an apology.”
Ye Yun twisted away in disgust. “Why should I apologize? Your kid bit me!”
“Enough.” Lin Shengxi shot her a glance before stepping toward Le Qing. “Le Qing, why are you here today?”
She must have been here a while, yet he hadn’t seen her prowling for wealthy heirs. And she’d brought two kids.
“Work.” Le Qing didn’t know these people and had no interest in doing so, but she guessed he was the host, so she answered, “I was hired to take photos.”
“I invited her.” Yu Shuqi arrived late, emerging from the crowd. She and her friends had watched the argument unfold, finding it oddly satisfying to see Le Qing shut Ye Yun down, so they’d stayed quiet.
Yu Shuqi glanced around. “Lin Shao, I didn’t expect anyone to try stealing a child’s phone.”
“You didn’t? You’re the one who agreed to bring them!” Ye Yun seized the opportunity. “Is this your house? Who gave you the right?”
Yu Shuqi looked at Lin Shengxi, feigning innocence. “I asked you, and you said it was fine.”
Lin Shengxi honestly couldn’t recall. The party was just for fun, and he didn’t care who came.
“Oh.” He waved a hand. “Whatever.”
Given the situation, Le Qing figured the photoshoot wasn’t happening. She had no intention of dragging this out with Ye Yun—she just wanted to resolve things quickly. These kids had early bedtimes.
Turning to Yu Shuqi, she said, “I’m sorry it turned out this way, but I did ask for permission before bringing them. And I believe that woman is the main one at fault, so I won’t be compensating. A place this big must have cameras—you can check.”
Her tone was firm but polite as she gathered her things, bundling the children in scarves and gloves, clearly preparing to leave.
Yu Shuqi had expected a hair-pulling fight. She hadn’t thought Le Qing would let Ye Yun off so easily. “You’re just going to drop it?”
“What else?”
“Ye Yun hurt your kids. Aren’t you going to make her apologize?”
Le Qing didn’t pause. “She won’t apologize. There’s no point reasoning with someone unreasonable.”
At first, she’d wanted an apology. But after waiting this long, Ye Yun had only deflected. She didn’t have time to waste, and this wasn’t her event. Making a scene to force a half-hearted apology would be meaningless and rude.
Le Qing added, “Even though it wasn’t our fault, if you’d like, I can schedule a free photoshoot for you another time.”
Yu Shuqi stared at her, finally grasping how much she’d changed.
By then, Le Qing had already fitted hats onto the dazed children, ignoring the fuming Ye Yun entirely. Her voice was soft. “Don’t be scared or worried. This wasn’t your fault. Let’s go home.”
“Who said you could leave?”
Le Qing turned, surprised. It was Lin Shengxi, who’d seemed distracted earlier.
Confused, she asked, “Didn’t you just say I could take them?”
“Since I’m the one who allowed them here, you do what you came for.” Lin Shengxi shrugged. “Don’t make it seem like I’m backing out.”
Ye Yun scowled. “Lin Shao!”
"If you keep being a buzzkill, just leave." Lin Shengxi had a headache from Ye Yun's nagging and found even the usually calm Le Qing more tolerable by comparison. If it weren't for her stubbornness, this whole matter would have been over by now. "You’re a grown adult—hurry up and apologize to the kids."
Ye Yun was left speechless by the rebuke. She could only shoot Le Qing a resentful glare before reluctantly muttering, "Sorry."
The two children hesitated, unsure whether to respond, and looked to their aunt for guidance.
Le Qing pulled out a band-aid from her backpack and applied it to the child’s arm. "Remember what I told you? If something makes you uncomfortable, you can always say no."
Now understanding, the kids ignored Ye Yun entirely.
A faint smile touched Le Qing’s lips. "Auntie has to work now. Can you stay close to me the whole time?"
With Ye Yun still lingering around, she wasn’t entirely at ease.
"They’re just kids—why should they follow you around?"
Lin Shengxi, accustomed to all sorts of people and situations, had never seen someone change as drastically as Le Qing. Compared to those who put on airs, he found her far more intriguing, so he stayed put, raising a brow and waving a hand. "Want me to keep an eye on them for a bit?"
"You’d be lucky to keep an eye on yourself."
Who in the world would dare talk to Young Master Lin like that?
Everyone turned toward the door, where a few people stood dressed in casual wear, looking utterly relaxed—as if they owned the place. The woman who had spoken wore fuzzy slippers, her eyes glazed with a hint of intoxication, as though she’d just woken up.
A hush fell over the room. Ye Yun and her group immediately edged closer, eager to seize the rare chance to interact with people from a circle they’d longed to enter but had no access to.
"Sis?" Lin Shengxi toned down his usual arrogance in front of his older sister, feeling slightly embarrassed that Ye Yun had made the whole scene so awkward. "What brings you here?"
"Heard someone was picking on three-year-olds. Never seen that before, so I came to check it out."
Ye Yun’s face burned as if she’d been slapped. "Elder Sister, I—"
"Not your sister." Lin Jian cut her off.
Her gaze swept past Ye Yun and landed on the two children by the sofa. She raised an eyebrow. "Hey kids, we meet again."
Le Qing slowly looked down at the two little ones. "You two…"
Since when did you have connections like this?
