Outside, there was a lot of discussion. Wang Rou looked at her son beside her, "You are not allowed to go to the beach either, or I will beat you up just like Aunt Lin did."
"Okay." Li Xuan lowered his head, but his eyes showed a hint of eagerness to try.
After calming down, Lin Zhilan pushed the two children away and said sternly, "You two stand here and face the wall! You can only move when I say so!"
"Okay."
"Okay."
Jiang Chengzhou and Yan Yuan agreed between sobs. With their aggrieved expressions and wet eyes, they looked pitiful, like two poor little puppies.
Lin Zhilan hardened her heart and ignored them, leading Linlin to the kitchen to boil some hot water.
Linlin realized her mother was angry. She sat obediently in her mother's arms, cupped her face, and tried to appease her with kisses.
Lin Zhilan took a deep breath of the sweet-smelling little toddler, finally recovering a bit of her energy.
The water on the stove was hot, and the steamed buns on top were also warmed up.
Lin Zhilan was still putting on the posture of a "strict parent," so she asked her daughter to bring the steamed buns to her two older brothers.
The boys were muttering while facing the wall, but they immediately fell silent when they heard footsteps.
"Brother~"
A milky little voice sounded from behind. Jiang Chengzhou sneaked a glance over his shoulder and saw Linlin looking at them with wide eyes, holding two steamed buns bigger than her own face.
"Brother, eat~" Linlin offered the buns forward.
Jiang Chengzhou peeked toward the kitchen. "Is Auntie still angry?"
Linlin puffed out her cheeks and nodded heavily. "Angry!"
"Oh..." Jiang Chengzhou lowered his head, took a bun, and took a bite.
Yan Yuan faced the wall, remaining completely still.
Linlin was puzzled and offered the bun closer to him.
Yan Yuan shook his head. White flour was expensive, and he couldn't eat other people's food.
Linlin didn't understand. The steamed buns her mommy made were so delicious, why wouldn't this little brother eat them?
She stood on her tiptoes and tried to feed it into his mouth.
Yan Yuan stepped back, his ears turning red. "I don't want it. You take it back."
Linlin furrowed her brows, feeling that this little brother was not very obedient.
She tore off a piece with her small hands and mimicked how adults fed her. "Ah—"
Jiang Chengzhou frowned. "Yan Yuan, my sister is feeding you, and you still won't eat? Careful, or I'll beat you up."
Yan Yuan was speechless. Looking at this "good brother" who just three minutes ago claimed he would go through fire and water for him, he helplessly opened his mouth.
Linlin seemed to have found the joy of feeding, giving him one bite after another.
To accommodate her height, Yan Yuan went from standing to squatting.
Jiang Chengzhou finished his steamed bun, pointed at Yan Yuan, and laughed loudly. "Hahahaha, Yan Yuan, you look like a dog right now."
Yan Yuan suddenly flushed red from his ears to his neck. He stood up and refused to eat anymore, feeling his face burning hotly.
Seeing that he wouldn't eat again, Linlin blamed it on Jiang Chengzhou's words. She stamped her little foot in anger and shouted at Jiang Chengzhou, "Stinky brother!"
Jiang Chengzhou was unhappy hearing this. "Linlin, you are my sister. You can't take someone else's side."
He reached out to pinch his sister's puffed cheeks, but Linlin twisted her body to dodge.
As if in a fit of pique, the little girl stuffed the remaining half of the steamed bun into Yan Yuan's hand, turned around, and ran to the kitchen to find her mother.
Jiang Chengzhou snorted and decided to break off his friendship with Yan Yuan for one minute.
Who asked him to steal his sister away.
From the kitchen came Linlin's milky, childish voice complaining, mixed with Lin Zhilan's gentle speaking voice.
Yan Yuan lowered his head, brought the steamed bun to his mouth, and took a careful bite.
The wheat fragrance was still there, but it somehow did not taste as good as before.
When the time for standing facing the wall was about up, Lin Zhilan told the two boys to take a hot shower.
As soon as they finished washing and came out, two bowls of hot ginger soup were already set on the living room table.
"Drink it all." Lin Zhilan still didn't have a good expression. After saying that, she went back to the kitchen.
Jiang Chengzhou and Yan Yuan exchanged a glance and obediently drank the soup.
Little Linlin watched them eagerly. Yan Yuan pursed his lips. "This doesn't taste good."
"Taste," Linlin tugged at the hem of his clothes. "Brother, let me taste~"
Yan Yuan looked at Jiang Chengzhou awkwardly. Seeing him pretend not to hear, he had no choice but to say hesitantly, "It's very spicy. Just taste a little bit, okay?"
"Okay~"
Yan Yuan carefully scooped up half a spoonful, blew on it gently, and brought it to Linlin's lips.
Linlin opened her little mouth with anticipation and took a sip. The next second, her entire small face wrinkled up like a steamed bun, and tears fell patter-patter down her cheeks.
She opened her mouth, her small hands frantically fanning the air. "Wuwuwu... Spicy, so spicy!"
Yan Yuan was at a loss, wanting to comfort her but not knowing where to start.
Jiang Chengzhou immediately put down his bowl, pulled his sister into his arms, and patted her back to coax her. "There, there, don't cry. Brother will get you some candy."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but glare at Yan Yuan.
Yan Yuan froze in place holding the spoon, looking at Linlin crying out of breath, and suddenly had a strange thought.
Had he been set up by Jiang Chengzhou?
"Brother, I want water..." Linlin sobbed.
"Coming, coming!" Jiang Chengzhou hurriedly went to pour water, fed it to his sister, and unwrapped a fruit candy to pop into her mouth.
Sucking on the candy, with tears not yet dry, Linlin leaned dependently against her brother, her small hands tightly gripping his clothes.
Yan Yuan silently finished the rest of the ginger soup, his body feeling both spicy and warm.
He leaned his head over and happened to see Jiang Chengzhou secretly making a smug grimace at him while wiping away his sister's tears.
He had indeed been set up.
Yan Yuan lowered his eyes.
Linlin was Jiang Chengzhou's sister.
Not his.
He knew.
Yan Yuan had lunch at their home. The food was delicious, but Lin Zhilan kept a straight face, so the atmosphere wasn't very good.
Jiang Chengzhou put down his chopsticks and walked up to Lin Zhilan. "Auntie, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong."
"Where did you go wrong?"
"I was disobedient. I sneaked out to go beachcombing without an adult present." Jiang Chengzhou's attitude was sincere, his fingers twisting the hem of his shirt.
Lin Zhilan sighed. "Chengzhou, a wise man does not stand under a falling wall. You and your sister are both the family's treasures. If anything happened, the family would be heartbroken. You need to protect yourself and not put yourself in danger."
Jiang Chengzhou's throat felt blocked, and his voice was hoarse. "I know."
Yan Yuan also walked over, lowering his head and saying, "Auntie, I also know I was wrong."
"What I said to Chengzhou also applies to you. You must also cherish your own life, understand?"
"Yes."
"Alright, let's eat." Lin Zhilan gently rubbed both their heads, a smile finally appearing on her face.
Seeing his aunt smile, Jiang Chengzhou's usual outgoing personality popped back up.
"Auntie, next time I make a mistake, you can still hit me. Hit me as much as you want."
Lin Zhilan picked up some food for Linlin and said lightly, "I won't hit you."
"Hehe." Jiang Chengzhou was happy, thinking his aunt felt bad for him.
Lin Zhilan continued, "I don't have much strength in my hands, but your uncle does. I'll save it up and let him hit you all at once when he gets back."
Jiang Chengzhou: "..."
Yan Yuan chuckled secretly, a wave of warmth rising in his heart.
After lunch, Lin Zhilan asked Jiang Chengzhou to watch his sister at home while she walked Yan Yuan back to his house.
But who could have imagined that in just this short amount of time, Jiang Chengzhou would give her another "surprise."
