Chapter 11: Strawberries and Little Green Ears
Young Master Gu’s cleanliness obsession was probably inborn.
Even when he lived in the orphanage, where the environment was terrible and there was only cold water in winter, little Gu Qinian would still endure the piercing chill and wash himself clean. As long as the wounds on his body did not split open from the cold, he would do his best to keep himself fresh and tidy.
When Gu Tang read the novel, this part had hurt his heart the most, so he remembered that little Gu Qinian had the excellent quality of loving cleanliness.
Now, hearing someone say he was dirty—
Gu Tang scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Sorry…”
This time, there was no plot mission involved. Smearing cream onto Young Master Gu’s face had been entirely Gu Tang’s own spontaneous idea. Gu Qinian had been sitting there so quietly and not moving at all that Gu Tang’s hands had gotten itchy, and he had really wanted to tease him a little.
Gu Qinian’s ears were still burning when he saw the little milk dumpling push a huge slice of cake over toward him.
“I didn’t bite it, so it’s not dirty.”
The little milk dumpling gestured as he spoke.
The little child in front of him had a round, fair, adorable face, bright and clear eyes, and a pleasant milky scent on his body.
If a little cub like this took a bite of something, Gu Qinian did not truly think it was dirty.
It just felt a little strange.
But he did not dislike it.
Young Master Gu actually did not like sweets that much, but since the little milk dumpling was trying to be friendly, he reluctantly took a bite of the cake offered to him. Before he had even swallowed, he realized the other child was still looking at him eagerly…
No.
More accurately, the child was not looking at him at all. He was staring at the strawberry on top of the cake.
Staring so hard he was practically drooling.
Gu Qinian: “…You want to eat it?”
Gu Tang sucked in his saliva and waved both hands rapidly. “You eat it, you eat it.”
Then he kept staring.
That strawberry was so big, so red—one berry was even bigger than his fist!
It had to taste amazing, right? Sob, sob…
The last time Gu Tang had eaten strawberries was in his previous life!
At least Gu Tang had eaten strawberries before in his past life. Before Gu Qinian’s rebirth, he had never even smelled what strawberries were like.
In the orphanage, not to mention fruit—even lacking food entirely was common. That place was like a breeding ground for poisonous creatures. Even among the children, the law of the jungle was the only survival rule. Modesty and yielding had no place there.
But at this moment, Gu Qinian simply could not bring himself to eat that strawberry.
Irritated, he shoved the plate toward the little cub. “You eat it.”
Gu Tang still wanted to pretend to be polite, but when Young Master Gu glared at him, he could only swallow his pride and, at the same time, happily eat the strawberry.
There was one advantage to becoming a toddler—all his favorite foods had become proportionally bigger too!
The giant strawberry needed both his hands to hold.
One bite filled his mouth with juice. It was watery, sweet, and delicious.
Ah, bliss!
Gu Tang: “Mm mm mm—” So good, so good!
Gu Qinian curled his lips, his mood complicated.
He did not know why.
Watching the little cub eat the strawberry somehow felt even more satisfying than eating it himself.
The adults standing nearby watched the toddlers push food to each other like some “Kong Rong giving away pears” moral lesson, and they nearly lost control of their expressions.
…Mainly because, there was no need.
There were still 998 strawberries left on the uncut cake.
Seeing how much the children liked them, the head of the Gu family still felt he had not ordered enough. With a grand wave of his hand, he told his secretary to buy several strawberry farms and then cultivate the best strawberry varieties in the main Gu family estate’s garden.
So the children could eat strawberries however they wanted!
Unlimited strawberry freedom at any time!
Strawberry juice dripped from the corners of his mouth, and Gu Tang ate until he turned himself into a runny-centered milk dumpling. Only then did he belatedly pout and hum for help, worried the juice might drip onto his white little formal suit.
Young Master Gu had watched him eat the whole time, so now he very naturally picked up a small towel and wiped his mouth and face for him.
A toddler’s cheeks were soft and tender.
Originally, wiping him clean should have been enough, but Gu Qinian could not resist rubbing him a few more times.
Gu Tang was completely unaware that he was being petted.
He lifted his little face and closed his eyes tight.
Letting the other boy take care of him.
When it was done, he chirped happily, “Like little brother!” He liked little brother!
“…”
Young Master Gu had just taken advantage of the little toddler, yet when he heard himself being called little brother, he surprisingly did not protest.
Click—
The sound of a camera shutter froze the interaction between the two toddlers in a photograph.
Gu Lin had caught the moment his little nephew was wiping the darling child’s face. He was so overwhelmed by the cuteness that he nearly yelped aloud, hurriedly pulled out his phone, snapped a photo, and then pretended like nothing had happened as he stuffed the phone back into his pocket.
At the same time, he struggled to keep his expression cool and maintain his aloof image.
Unfortunately, Madam Su caught him red-handed.
Su Mei: “A-Lin is taking pictures of the babies! Hand over the photo!”
Gu Lin blushed and refused to admit it. “I didn’t! I don’t even like kids!”
Gu Tang had sharp eyes and immediately noticed the still-lit phone screen sticking out of Uncle Gu’s back pocket. He sighed and shook his head.
Ah, even Captain America’s shield was not as hard as Uncle’s mouth.
Inspired by Gu Lin taking photos, Gu Quan suggested taking a family portrait.
Given the family’s rather complicated relationships, the Gu family had never had a tradition of taking family portraits.
In the past, Old Master Gu had been afraid that his eldest son would not get along with his stepmother and stepbrother, so he had never quite dared to bring it up.
Later, after the old man passed away, no one ever mentioned family portraits again.
But now things were different.
The family had children now, and young kids changed so much every year. If you were not careful, they would grow up in the blink of an eye.
It would be too much of a pity not to leave behind some memories!
When Gu Quan proposed the idea of taking a family portrait every year, Su Mei and Gu Lin both enthusiastically supported it. Shen Ningqing also said that no matter how busy filming got, she would come back to reunite with the family.
Their very first family portrait would be the two little cubs’ first birthday photo.
“Wait!”
Just as they were about to take the picture, Su Mei suddenly remembered something important.
She took out a small brocade box from her handbag and said to Gu Quan and Gu Lin:
“This pair of jade gourds was left behind by your father. Originally, they were meant for the Gu family’s eldest grandson and his future spouse. But today, darling child pointed at your father’s painting, which means the old man’s spirit is watching over him. I want to give one of the gourds to darling child. Do you two have any objections?”
Gu Lin naturally had no objection, but this matter still had to go through his older brother.
Gu Quan smiled. “Aunt Mei, you’re their grandmother. You can decide.”
Su Mei had expected Gu Quan to agree, but she had not expected her stepson to put it like that.
She was the babies’ grandmother…
Gu Quan was treating her like his real mother.
When it came time to put the jade gourds on the toddlers, Su Mei’s hands trembled slightly with emotion.
She put the red cord strung with a dark green jade gourd around her grandson’s wrist, then carefully took out the white jade gourd originally meant for the future spouse and gently fastened it to Gu Tang’s wrist.
The two tiny gourds were round and adorable.
The one on Gu Qinian’s wrist was a deep green all over, with faint dark golden patterns in it, looking old and weighty.
Curious, Gu Tang lifted his wrist and gave it a little shake. On his chubby white arm hung a milky white gourd on a red string. If one looked closely, there seemed to be a faint streak of red hidden in its center, making it especially lively.
He gently knocked his own little gourd against Gu Qinian’s.
Clink.
It was strange.
After the two gourds touched, the red color in the center of his white one spread out a tiny bit. Though it quickly drew back in, it really did sway slightly, as though it had melted.
Meanwhile, Young Master Gu’s green gourd became darker in color, while the hidden gold inside shone more brilliantly than before.
[Ding—Secret side plot “The Gu Family Heirloom” completed! Reward: Naming Rights x1!]
Hearing the system prompt, Gu Tang tilted his head.
“Naming rights?”
[Special note: Naming Rights can be used to claim ownership of any ownerless asset. This reward is extremely valuable. Please use it wisely.]
Gu Tang immediately had a whimsical thought. “Then if I put my name on the male lead, would Gu Qinian become mine?”
[No, conscious human beings do not count as “ownerless assets.”]
Gu Tang nodded.
He understood now—these Naming Rights could only be used to claim physical assets.
For example, if he wanted, he could put his name on some nameless little island in international waters. Then after his cannon fodder mission was complete, he could go hide away there and become a carefree island lord.
How interesting!
Gu Tang decided to save this reward for now and use it later, once he figured out what he really wanted.
When the family portrait was taken, the two little cubs were placed in the very center of attention.
Gu Tang smiled brightly.
In his previous life, he had never taken a single family portrait. Probably because his parents had known he would not live very long, they had always kept a certain distance from him. Later, after they had younger children, they rarely came to visit him in the hospital anymore.
Gu Tang understood that.
This way, when he eventually left, it would not be quite as hard for the family to bear.
Still, being able to take a proper family portrait made him very happy.
If only Young Master Gu would smile too, it would be even better.
The photographer was already prepared to click the shutter when he noticed that Young Master Gu’s little steamed-bun face was stiff and serious. No matter how they tried to coax him, he would not react.
Gu Tang did not care.
He turned to the side and used two fingers to press into Young Master Gu’s cheeks, forcing the corners of his mouth upward.
What did the cold and aloof future Mr. Gu have to do with little Gu Qinian?
Gu Tang: Smile for me!
Gu Qinian: ??
Click————
A perfect family portrait was captured.
Su Mei had the photo developed and framed beautifully, then hung it on the wall of the Gu family estate’s main hall.
Every year, several more were added.
As time passed, more and more pictures appeared on the wall.
The milk dumpling and the little bun turned three years old.
Gu Tang was very happy today.
He was finally going to have his own room!
After sharing a children’s room with Young Master Gu for two years—no, after sleeping in the same bed with him for two years—today, at long last, they were separating rooms!
The moment he woke up in the morning, after breakfast, Gu Tang hugged his little pillow and marched out of the children’s room toward the room on the villa’s third floor—
the one he had chosen himself.
It was high up, had a great view, good airflow from north to south, and fresh air.
From there, he could see the entire Gu family garden.
And that room even had a big balcony.
He had already planned it all out—he was going to grow the little flowers he liked on that balcony!
Gu Qinian had no particular reaction to the room separation. He did not have any special requirements anyway. The original children’s room was already big enough, so he would just replace the furniture and keep living there.
When he saw Gu Tang come in to carry out his little pillow, he did not even lift his eyes.
But once the milk dumpling left, Young Master Gu threw aside the children’s picture book in his hands.
Boring.
Had this room always been this empty before?
It was so quiet it made him hate it…
In the afternoon, the sky let loose with a burst of rain.
Gu Tang crouched on the balcony, busy fussing with his flowers and plants. Being so little, once he crouched down, he was almost swallowed up by the greenery.
When Gu Qinian came over, all he could see among the patch of red and green on the balcony was a little head bobbing now and then.
Overcast days were perfect for repotting plants.
Gu Tang was so focused on his little flowers and grasses that he did not notice the little boy in the doorway, standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets trying to look cool.
Young Master Gu was left hanging for quite a while, and finally he could not help clearing his throat a few times on purpose.
“Oh? Little brother, you’re here!”
At last, the little head popped up from the greenery. There were even a few specks of dirt on his fair cheeks.
Gu Qinian’s brow twitched. “Don’t call me little brother.”
“Oh.”
Gu Tang was very obedient. If he was told not to say it, then he would not say it. He simply picked up a little pot of green plants and ran over.
“Little brother, look!”
“…”
Gu Qinian closed his eyes. “I said don’t…”
Gu Tang nodded seriously. “Sorry, I forgot. This one is for you. I was just about to bring it downstairs.”
The topic had been successfully redirected, and Young Master Gu’s attention shifted to the little green plant in front of him.
Gu Qinian: “What is that thing?”
Green and fuzzy.
Gu Tang’s eyes curved into crescents. “It’s a Kalanchoe tomentosa, a kind of succulent. Touch it! The texture feels just like your ears.”
“I don’t want it.”
Young Master Gu refused immediately without even thinking.
Gu Tang shrugged.
He understood the Gu family style very well—
when they said no, they meant yes.
Later, he would simply bring it downstairs to Young Master Gu, and he believed little Gu Qinian would definitely like it.
That night.
Because he was not used to sleeping alone, Young Master Gu, who could not fall asleep in the middle of the night, got out of bed and walked over to the window. Looking at the fuzzy little succulent swaying on the windowsill, he reached out almost unconsciously—
Gu Qinian pinched the fluffy leaf with one hand and pinched his own ear with the other.
After a long moment, he curled his lips.
“It doesn’t feel anything alike.”
—–
Author’s Note:
Tang Tang: I gave you the cutest little plant.
Gu Qinian: Who would want to touch their own ears? Is there one that feels like Tang Tang instead?
They are so cute??, can’t wait for the next update