Chapter 32
“Wow!! A poem Chencheng wrote for Brother Zhen? I’m looking forward to it!” He Zhi’an clapped enthusiastically. Stirred up by the atmosphere, Fang Jingrao whistled, and even Xiao Yu—who was usually proud and disliked showing his emotions—looked at Yu Chen with rare interest.
Yu Chen’s little face reddened. When he lowered his eyes, his thick black lashes curled slightly upward, and even his small ears were tinged red. Performing in front of so many familiar people still made him rather shy.
Faced with everyone’s cheers, Yu Chen had no choice but to stand up. Like a timid little kitten, he said in a soft, delicate voice, “Since you all want to hear it, then I’ll perform a little.” He looked at He Zhen, his dark eyes misty and damp. “Boss, can you play some emotional music for me?”
He Zhen handed him the iPad, excitement hidden in his eyes. “Pick one yourself.”
Yu Chen’s red little ears twitched. His small hand swiped around for quite a while before he finally found a lyrical song that satisfied him.
He stood up straight and began generously, “The performance I’m giving everyone today is—a poetry recitation: My Boss!”
The moment they heard the title, the other three children all froze.
The piece Yu Chen had chosen was called Piano Imprint of Rain, a gentle and delicate piano composition. As the first note drifted out, goosebumps instantly rose all over He Zhi’an. He touched his nose, not having expected Yu Chen’s performance to be this formal.
Yu Chen had already begun reciting.
Xiao Yu shifted restlessly in his seat, feeling oddly numb and prickly inside, with a strange sense he could not quite describe. Of course, it was only many years later, once he had grown more mature, that little Xiao Yu finally found the perfect word for what he had felt back then—cringe.
Fang Jingrao listened earnestly as Yu Chen recited with passionate emotion. When he reached the heartfelt parts, Yu Chen even sniffled a little, his childish round face touched with faint sorrow.
Fang Jingrao was nearly moved to tears. He felt that Yu Chen was the most romantic little poet in the world. Unable to hold back, he applauded with eyes full of admiration.
He Zhi’an handled it a little better than Fang Jingrao and did not worship him blindly. But when Yu Chen reached the line about the “guiding light,” the way He Zhi’an looked at He Zhen carried a hint of envy. When would he ever get a little brother this clever? Someone who could write poetry, recite it, and still be adorable.
He Zhen keenly caught that envy in He Zhi’an’s eyes. It instantly stirred his vanity, filling him with an indescribable delight. Listening to that clear, milky little voice by his ear, He Zhen felt as though he were walking on soft clouds, his heart light and floating.
“Boss! I love you!”
Yu Chen spread his arms wide. His little leather jacket lifted slightly, his dark eyes full of strong emotion glistening faintly, showing both bashfulness and pride.
“So good!! Yu Chencheng, you were amazing!” Fang Jingrao clapped excitedly. “You’re incredible!”
Xiao Yu was so embarrassed his whole body had gone numb, but his thoughts were all focused on why He Zhen had been in such a good mood when he returned to school that noon. Now his guess was even more firmly confirmed—He Zhen must have heard Yu Chen’s poetry recital that day.
He Zhi’an clapped softly, then, mustering up some courage, asked with a trace of jealousy, “Yu Chen, I’m your good friend too. Do you have any poems to give me?”
Yu Chen’s wet eyes showed a moment of confusion. Just as he was about to agree, He Zhen coldly interrupted him. Staring at He Zhi’an, his arrogant expression carried a faint sense of pressure. “No. You. Can’t.”
He Zhi’an shrank his neck pitifully, but still dared to talk back. “Brother Zhen, you’re way too overbearing. I want Yu Chen to write me a poem too.”
“I want one too!” Fang Jingrao bravely raised his hand and secretly shot Yu Chen a longing look. “If possible, I want one too.”
“I already said he can’t.” With his hands behind his back, He Zhen walked over to Yu Chen’s side, his thoroughly satisfied expression plain to see. “Yu Chencheng can only write for me.”
“Why?” Little He Zhi’an was feeling unusually brave today. Crossing his arms, he huffed in grievance. “What if Yu Chen is willing?”
He Zhen pressed his lips together tightly, staring at He Zhi’an with a clear warning. Today, for once, He Zhi’an decided to stand tall, puffing out his little chest and facing He Zhen head-on. At worst he would just get beaten up. Anyway, his grandpa was staying upstairs, so He Zhen could not go too far.
“Alright, alright.” Yu Chen hooked himself around He Zhen’s tense arm and stepped in as peacemaker. “This confession poem can only be written for Boss alone.”
He Zhi’an pouted unhappily. “Why?”
With a solemn little face, Yu Chen answered seriously, “Because Boss and I are the number one best in the whole world!”
“Hmph.” He Zhi’an got moody and lowered his head, refusing to speak to them anymore.
“But I can make fruit salad for all of you.” Yu Chen cheerfully waved his little arms. “There’s lots of fruit in the kitchen. I know how to make fruit salad!”
He Zhi’an was easy to coax, so he was fairly satisfied at once and only asked pitifully, “I like strawberries. Put in a lot.”
Yu Chen awkwardly made an “OK” sign and, full of energy, led all the children charging toward the dining room.
From beginning to end, He Zhen’s face carried a strange stubbornness.
And at the same time, he was very satisfied.
Sure enough, this love letter of Yu Chen’s was one he was only willing to give him.
Young Master He was in an especially good mood. He did not even get jealous when Yu Chen put a few extra strawberries into He Zhi’an’s fruit salad. After all, every morning before school lately, he had been receiving a full lunchbox of salad made by Yu Chen himself.
He Zhi’an’s temper came fast and went fast too. Once the fruit salad was ready, the children gathered around the little round table with forks in hand, chirping away as they chatted.
Yu Chen, still wearing a little chef’s hat, was very satisfied with his masterpiece. This was a skill he had learned from Li Huan at home whenever He Zhen was at school and he had nothing else to do.
Li Huan had praised him, saying that one day he was definitely cut out to become a great chef.
Yu Chen had been thrilled by that. Every morning he would tuck a box of fruit salad into He Zhen’s schoolbag. Every evening, he would go inspect the empty lunchbox, and whenever he saw it had been completely eaten, the corners of his lips would lift high.
“Yu Chen, where is your surgery incision?” Xiao Yu was very curious about Yu Chen’s condition and pointed at his little chest. “Is it here?”
Yu Chen nodded his little head. “Mm-hmm! I’ll show you.” As he spoke, he pulled open his sweater and let everyone see the scar left by the surgery. “They took a knife and went snip! Then they cut me open right here.”
Yu Chen described it in a shockingly gory way, and Fang Jingrao clutched his own chest in fright as if he were the one about to be cut open.
“Chencheng, did it hurt?” He Zhi’an frowned, his eyes full of concern. “It must have felt really awful.”
“It didn’t hurt! Chencheng was super brave.” Yu Chen tugged at his collar, looking extremely proud as he spoke. “Because I had this magical medicine, so it didn’t hurt at all.”
Worried Yu Chen might get cold, He Zhen pulled his sweater back down for him and even zipped up his little leather jacket. Fang Jingrao, sitting nearby, asked, “Whoa? What kind of miracle medicine was that?”
Yu Chen kept them in suspense. “It’s called anesthesia! You can’t normally buy it in a pharmacy.”
Xiao Yu rubbed his chin. “Anesthesia is really that magical?”
Yu Chen nodded and promptly melted into He Zhen’s arms again. “Yep! With anesthesia, it didn’t hurt at all.”
It was as if Fang Jingrao had just discovered some secret life hack. Excitedly, he said, “Then next time I get hurt from falling, I’ll take some anesthesia too.”
Yu Chen gave him an approving little smile. “You can!”
After seeing their friends off, Yu Chen was a bit tired after all the day’s excitement and clung to He Zhen, wanting him to carry him to bed. Supporting Yu Chen’s backside, which no longer had much meat left on it, He Zhen looked worried. “Yu Chencheng, have you gotten thinner again?”
Yu Chen wrapped his legs tightly around He Zhen’s waist and replied lazily like a koala, “Mm, maybe.”
He Zhen said, “Then eat more from now on.”
Yu Chen nuzzled against the hollow of He Zhen’s neck, and all at once, a little plan began ticking away in his mind. He thought again of the stray kittens he had been feeding in the hospital’s back yard. His dad had told him that if he wanted to keep a pet, he would first have to get He Zhen’s permission.
“Boss, if you want me to gain weight, I have one solution.”
He Zhen tucked Yu Chen into the blanket. Yu Chen rolled over to his side like a little loach and clingily tugged at him in a spoiled way. Sitting down beside him, He Zhen asked seriously, “What solution?”
With a perfectly serious face, Yu Chen declared, “That would be raising a kitten.”
“A kitten?”
“Mm! If I raise a kitten, my appetite will get better whenever I look at it, and then I’ll get fatter.”
He Zhen carefully considered Yu Chen’s words and argued with perfect seriousness, “When you see me every day, doesn’t your appetite get better too?”
Yu Chen’s clever little round face froze. He stumbled over his words. “It does… but with a kitten, it’ll get doubly good.”
This time He Zhen nodded in agreement. “Fine. I’ll go with you this weekend to buy one.”
“Boss, you’re so good!” Yu Chen laid on the flattery thickly. “You’re the most thoughtful and cutest person I’ve ever met!”
He Zhen’s expression remained calm, as though Yu Chen’s flattery had not clouded his judgment in the slightest. After a long moment, those light brown eyes fixed on Yu Chen. “Yu Chencheng, I want to ask you something.”
Yu Chen waved his little hand. “Go ahead!”
He Zhen asked, “If I and your kitten both fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?”
Yu Chen froze, then guiltily poked his fingers together.
He Zhen furrowed his brows. “Hm?”
Yu Chen pouted. “I’ll train my kitten to learn how to swim, and then the two of us can save you together.”
He Zhen narrowed his eyes. “What if neither I nor your kitten knows how to swim? Who do you save first?”
Yu Chen curled his lips downward. “Of course I’d save my boss first. Without Boss, my heart would die.”
Only then was He Zhen finally satisfied. Holding Yu Chen’s round, soft little face in both hands, he said, “We’ll go buy one this weekend.”
Yu Chen’s dark eyes shifted, and his entire little face filled with the relief of having survived a disaster.
His boss was getting more and more spoiled lately.
Always asking him questions like this.
Yu Chencheng felt rather helpless. Inwardly, he sighed and silently apologized to his future kitten.
Yu Chen had waited and waited, and at last the weekend arrived.
At first, Li Huan had worried that pet markets were full of bacteria and did not want Yu Chen going there with He Zhen. Especially since Yu Chen’s immune system was still weak, it was not really suitable for him to go to such a place. But in the end, he could not withstand Yu Chen’s constant pleading and pestering. With He Zhen’s help, Yu Chen was wrapped up from head to toe, wearing a mask and a hat, and finally made it to the pet market.
He Zhen had never cared much for cats or dogs. Even before he met Yu Chen, when he had been lonely, he had never once had the thought of keeping one.
Yu Chen, however, was bursting with excitement, peering here and there like a curious little baby. Wrapped in protective clothing, he attracted the attention of passing customers and vendors alike.
Holding Yu Chen’s small hand, He Zhen went from shop to shop with him. After about an hour, they finally stopped in front of a beautiful golden British shorthair.
Seeing that the customers were two children, the shop owner warmly came over. “This little friend has a good eye. This one just came in this morning, and its appearance is excellent. You won’t find a second one like it in the whole market.”
Yu Chen crouched in front of the kitten and reached out to greet it.
He Zhen crouched down beside him. “Do you want this one?”
Yu Chen nodded. “Yes!”
Seeing how much Yu Chen liked the kitten, He Zhen pressed his lips together lightly. “Boss, please wrap up this kitten for us.”
The shop owner held back a laugh. “Sure. I’ll throw in the cage for free. Oh right! Since this kitten is such good quality, it’ll be eight thousand.”
He Zhen nodded and began helping the kitten choose cat food.
Li Huan was the one paying. Before they left, the shop owner noticed that the three of them were all dressed with unmistakable taste and had not even tried bargaining, so he asked curiously, “Are these your two sons? The brothers get along so well.”
Li Huan looked over and saw He Zhen helping support the cat cage so Yu Chen could play with the kitten more easily. He only smiled without replying and quickly led the two children away.
In the car, Yu Chen held the kitten so fondly he could barely bear to put it down. If Li Huan had not firmly insisted that they first take it to get cleaned, Yu Chen would already have been rubbing his face against it.
He Zhen sat beside Yu Chen, sometimes looking out the window, sometimes looking at Yu Chen, but never once looking at the kitten.
Although Yu Chen had clearly said yesterday that He Zhen was more important than the kitten, today there was nothing left in Yu Chen’s heart or eyes except that cat.
He Zhen pressed his lips together and sat moodily by the car window in silence.
He was wondering when Yu Chen would finally put down the cat and go back to lying across his lap and acting spoiled with him like before.
Li Huan noticed He Zhen’s disappointment and reminded Yu Chen, “Chencheng, Xiao Zhen agreed to let you buy the kitten, right?”
Yu Chen’s eyes curved up happily. “Yes! My boss is the best boss in the whole world!”
He Zhen still remained dull and unhappy, lowering his head and fiddling with his phone.
Yu Chen was just sweet-talking again, that was all.
When they got home, Old Master He also learned that Yu Chen had bought a kitten. Once he heard that the kitten had already received all its vaccines and was perfectly healthy, he stopped worrying and let the two children do as they pleased.
Now Yu Chen’s body was recovering quickly. Aside from not being allowed to engage in strenuous exercise, everything else was normal. The chest tightness, shortness of breath, and poor blood circulation that had often appeared before the surgery had all completely disappeared.
Watching the two children head upstairs, Li Huan deliberately thanked Old Master He. “Thank you for bringing doctors in for Chencheng. If it had been left to my own ability, his illness could never have received first-rate treatment.”
Old Master He smiled. “It’s nothing. It’s only right.”
“I’ll always remember how well you’ve treated the two of us,” Li Huan said with a nod. “Including the fact that you let us move out of the family quarters and into the main building. I could never repay your kindness in this lifetime.”
Old Master He sighed. “What are you saying? Chencheng being healthy makes Xiao Zhen happy too. Besides, back then, you father and son both took such devoted care of Xiao Zhen. If anything, I should be the one repaying you. Chencheng was the great hero who caught the real culprit.”
Old Master He had always seen this matter very clearly.
He treated Li Huan and his son so well not only because Yu Chen was an extremely important companion to He Zhen. What he valued most was Li Huan’s loyalty. Back when the vile deeds of his two useless sons came to light, he had in fact been deeply afraid afterward. That steward Xu had been working for He Jingtai. If Li Huan had also been bribed, He Zhen really could have gone quietly mad or disappeared without leaving a trace. He had always felt guilty toward He Zhen. And the more guilt he felt, the more he valued Li Huan and his son.
“When you retire in the future, the villa in the city center will be yours to live in. You can take Chencheng there and spend your old age in peace.”
Li Huan was overwhelmed with emotion, and his eyes slowly reddened. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m still able to work, I will definitely devote myself to taking care of Xiao Zhen.”
Old Master He beckoned to him. “Take me back to my room so I can rest.”
In the bedroom, Yu Chen hugged the little kitten that had just come back washed from the pet shop and rolled around over and over on the carpet. Luckily, the kitten was old enough to be bathed now, otherwise how long would it have been before he could sleep under the same blanket with it?
He Zhen sat on the sofa on the other side, a book resting on his lap. From beginning to end, he had not read a single word of it. His face was cold, and even though he was already extremely angry, he only stayed silent with his eyes downcast.
He wanted to see exactly how long it would take Yu Chencheng to notice he was angry.
Time passed quickly.
Yu Chen grew tired from playing with the kitten, stuck his bottom up in the air, and lay face down on the carpet. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and gradually he fell asleep.
The moment he heard those even breaths, something buzzed loudly inside He Zhen’s head. Furious, his face turned green, and he slammed his little fist hard against the book.
He had fallen asleep just like that?
He really had not noticed at all that He Zhen was angry?
Hearing the noise, Yu Chen did not wake. He only lifted his short little legs, turned over, and searched for a more comfortable sleeping position.
The little golden kitten was very obedient. Seeing that its small master was no longer playing with it, it twisted its little bottom and padded toward He Zhen. But halfway there, it met He Zhen’s frightening, teeth-chattering expression, and immediately retreated timidly, curling back down beside Yu Chen.
That little master was way too scary.
Better not go over there after all.
He Zhen was absolutely smoking with anger. After stewing in his temper alone for a while, he hurried back to the bed, pulled the canopy shut tightly, and enclosed himself inside where not a single bit of light could get in.
Curled under the blanket, he sulked to himself, and because he felt so wronged, even the tips of his ears and his neck had turned red from anger.
It was not until evening that Li Huan came in and opened the door to call the two children to dinner. When he noticed that He Zhen had shut his bed curtains tight, he quickly went over and asked, “Xiao Zhen, are you not feeling well?”
Muffled under the blanket, He Zhen said, “No.”
Li Huan frowned. “Are you sleepy? How about eating first and then going back to rest?”
The moment he heard the word eat, Yu Chen suddenly sprang up like a little carp. With his hair sticking up in a mess, he rubbed his eyes and called out sweetly, “Daddy! Is it time to eat?”
Hearing that bright, lively voice made He Zhen even angrier. He yanked the blanket tighter over himself and swore that no matter how Yu Chen tried to coax him, he absolutely would not come out!
“That’s right.” Li Huan scooped up the little whirlwind running toward him. “Go call your brother to eat.”
Still half asleep, Yu Chen’s voice came out soft and muffled. “Boss! Time to eat!”
He Zhen let out a little huff. “I’m not eating. You all go ahead.”
Yawning, Yu Chen pouted and said in a soft little baby voice, “Why not eat? Otherwise you won’t have the strength to go to school tomorrow.”
He Zhen still refused to get out of bed and said stiffly, “Not. Eating.”
Still foggy with sleep, Yu Chen asked, “Daddy, is Boss sick?”
Li Huan had also been wondering that. After setting Yu Chen down, he gently parted the bed curtain and called softly, “Xiao Zhen, can I take your temperature?”
He Zhen dodged away. “I don’t want to. I’m fine.”
Worried the child might be hiding an illness, Li Huan still reached his hand inside. Ignoring He Zhen’s struggles, he touched his forehead. “You’re not hot.”
Relieved, Yu Chen climbed onto He Zhen’s bed and leaned toward the blanket with a smile. “Boss! If you don’t eat, you won’t grow taller than Chencheng.”
He Zhen still ignored him, stubbornly wrapping himself tighter in the blanket and refusing to eat.
Li Huan thought for a moment, then quietly beckoned to Yu Chen.
The two of them exchanged a long, serious look and silently left the room together.
The bedroom suddenly fell quiet.
He Zhen crawled out from under the blanket, lifted the bed curtain, and looked toward the floor.
Sure enough, Yu Chen had taken the cat away too.
He knew it—everything Yu Chen had said yesterday had just been pretty lies!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. In Yu Chencheng’s heart, he actually mattered less than a cat!
At this very moment, Yu Chen was definitely downstairs hugging that cat and gnawing happily on pork ribs, having already forgotten He Zhen all the way to the Pacific Ocean!
He Zhen’s chest felt tight, and his blood rushed through his body, leaving only coldness wherever it passed.
Time dragged on until eight in the evening.
He Zhen decided that tonight he would not sleep holding Yu Chencheng anymore. Yu Chencheng could just hug the cat and go wherever he pleased.
Just as he was tangled up in these stubborn thoughts, the bedroom door suddenly opened.
He pricked up his ears and heard the sound of a little cart.
Curiosity got the better of him. He quietly cracked open his eyes and saw Yu Chen awkwardly pushing in a meal cart with little tap-tap-tap footsteps.
At once, a storm seemed to overturn itself inside He Zhen’s chest, and his fingers curled slightly.
Then a sweet voice called his name.
“My dearest Boss, let’s eat.”
He Zhen squeezed his eyes shut. “Go eat with the kitten. Don’t call me.”
“How can that be?” Yu Chen neatly arranged the dishes. “Even though our child is very important, I’m more worried about you.”
“Child?” He Zhen finally lifted his eyelids and slowly sat up. “What are you talking about?”
Beaming, Yu Chen handed the blanket-wrapped He Zhen a chicken drumstick. “That kitten was bought by the two of us together, so it’s our child. I still need you to give it a name.”
“Tch. I don’t want a cat as a child.” Even though adults always praised He Zhen for being mature, he was still only ten years old. Being unintentionally neglected by the friend he cared about most still brought out a childlike grievance in him. He bit hard into the drumstick, looked away, and deliberately refused to pay attention to Yu Chen.
“I’ll be its father and you’ll be its mother. Don’t you want that?” Yu Chen’s mouth was incredibly sweet. “It’s our very own baby!”
“I’m the mother…” A trace of confusion flashed through He Zhen’s eyes, and he protested, “Why am I the mother? Why aren’t you the mother and I’m the father?”
“That works too!” Yu Chen planted his hands on his hips and nodded immediately. “Then it’s settled!”
Holding the drumstick, He Zhen felt there was something suspiciously meaningful hidden behind Yu Chen’s smile. Somehow, he had the vague sense that he had been talked into confusion.
“But… even if the two of us are its parents, so what?” Just bringing up the subject still filled He Zhen’s chest with anger. With a stern face, he handed the drumstick back to Yu Chen. “Didn’t you still only want to play with it? I want to sleep now. You two go eat.”
Fuming, He Zhen straightened the blanket and ducked back under it.
“I didn’t,” Yu Chen said, waving his hands desperately, then pressed one hand over his now-flat little belly. “Because Boss got angry and didn’t eat, I couldn’t eat either.”
“You didn’t eat?” He Zhen’s eyes finally changed. Rolling over, he seemed to want to say something but held back. “Yu Chencheng, you’re already thinner than before, and you’re still not eating?”
Yu Chen pouted pitifully. “My boss is still hungry. How could I possibly eat?”
An anxious light flickered in He Zhen’s eyes as he slowly sat up. “Then you… then go eat.”
Yu Chen nodded with perfect seriousness. “Okay! Then let’s eat together!”
“My boss must be so hungry he doesn’t even have strength left. Should I feed you?”
Yu Chen’s thick black lashes fluttered lightly. When his round little face smiled, two shallow dimples appeared. His full little lips pouted, making him look both cute and wronged.
He Zhen’s voice turned a little vague. “Ah… feed me?”
“Mm-hmm! Today I’m going to take care of Boss!”
“Alright then.” A faint flush rose on He Zhen’s cheeks. He opened his mouth slightly, his expression still carrying that childish pride.
Yu Chen smiled with crescent eyes. “Boss is so good~”
He Zhen glanced at Yu Chen, then immediately lowered his eyes again, his ears gradually warming.
“Yu Chencheng, you should eat too.”
“Okay! Boss takes one bite, I take one bite~”
That night, the two of them, reconciled as before, hugged the plump little golden kitten and climbed under the same blanket together, whispering little secrets.
Before going to bed, Li Huan quietly pushed the door open, wanting to see whether the two children had made up. Before dinner, his precious Chencheng had confidently promised that he could coax He Zhen back into a good mood. Li Huan had actually been rather curious about what method the little fellow would use.
Outside the window, the moonlight was quiet and hazy.
The faint light filtering through the curtains fell over three round little heads.
Inside the bed canopy, earnest little milky voices could faintly be heard discussing things seriously.
“Baby’s daddy, our child is a little thin. We have to give it more nutrition so it can grow up quickly.”
“Yu Chencheng, you’re a little thin too. The two of you should both eat more.”
“Baby’s daddy, I drank a lot of water today. If I wet the bed, will you beat me?”
“Mm… probably not.”
Yu Chen suddenly began humming in complaint. “Boss! You have to say it like I did just now. You have to call me the baby’s mommy!”
Inside the bed canopy, it suddenly fell silent.
A very, very long time passed before He Zhen’s slightly shy voice finally emerged.
“Baby’s mommy, I told you already, don’t drink so much orange juice!”
Yu Chen’s childish little milky voice sounded impossibly cheerful. “Baby’s daddy, I couldn’t help it! The orange juice was the one that tempted me first!”
After hearing the two of them talk, Li Huan stood there frozen.
So this… was the way Yu Chen said he would coax He Zhen?
