Another New Older Brother? - Chapter 12

The reason Dr. Liu had returned was because Bai Wenjin’s CT scan had just come out. He intended to discuss the results with his patient, only to collide head-on with such an uncooperative patient’s family member.

The veteran Chief, who had seen many storms in his time, fell into deep thought as he stared at the small packet of cookies on the bedside table.

Any other uncooperative family member would have faced a stern reprimand. But this little toddler before him, who wasn’t even as tall as his leg… the child just wanted to give his brother some cookies. He didn’t have any bad intentions, so he certainly couldn’t be scolded.

Meeting the child’s clear gaze, Dr. Liu thought to himself: Reprimand? What is there to reprimand? The child loves his brother; he should be praised!

Dr. Liu bent down, stroked the little guy’s head, and explained kindly to Jiang Youyou why Bai Wenjin wasn’t allowed to eat and what the consequences would be if he did.

Dr. Liu didn’t even need to use harsh words; as soon as Youyou heard that giving Big Brother food would make him even sicker, the child was truly frightened. A layer of watery mist gathered in his eyes.

“Doctor Grandpa, Baby didn’t do it on purpose. I’m sorry, Baby will be obedient.”

Youyou wiped his eyes forcefully and, through his tears, tore open the packet of animal cookies and stuffed them all into his mouth at once.

“Wuu-wuu, Baby will eat all the cookies so Big Brother can’t. Then Big Brother won’t be sick.”

Though he looked very pitiful eating while crying, it was also inexplicably hilarious. However, no one had the heart to interrupt the child’s emotions; everyone struggled to suppress their laughter, thinking back on every sad thing that had happened in their lives just to keep a straight face.

With great effort, Youyou finished the whole bag of cookies and specifically opened his mouth for the doctor to see—meaning the cookies were all gone, his pockets were empty, and there were no more snacks.

Dr. Liu couldn’t help but chuckle, placing a fatherly hand on the small head. “So good, so obedient.”

Youyou tugged pitifully on his white lab coat, his voice soft. “Grandpa, when will Big Brother be better?”

“Under normal circumstances, he can be discharged the day after tomorrow.”

“Still that long.” Youyou sniffled.

Looking at the worry-filled face of the child, Dr. Liu’s heart softened even more, and his fondness for this brother-loving kid increased twofold.

“You two brothers really have a great relationship.” Everyone could see Bai Wenjin’s attitude toward Youyou, and it went without saying how much Youyou valued this brother. He remarked sincerely, “It’s good. This is very good.”

Bai Wenjin was about to offer some polite pleasantries, but Youyou was overjoyed to hear this. He puffed out his chest and answered proudly, “Mmh! Brother likes Baby, and Baby likes Brother too.”

Dr. Liu smiled and patted Jiang Youyou’s head. “Since you love your brother so much, you must supervise him from now on. Make sure he eats properly so he doesn’t have to be hospitalized anymore.”

The stomach is an emotional organ; with long-term high tension and anxiety combined with irregular eating habits, Bai Wenjin’s stomach already showed signs of ulcers. If the situation continued to deteriorate, it would only get worse.

Dr. Liu’s words carried a deeper meaning. He hoped that with Youyou’s company, Bai Wenjin could relax more and stop keeping himself so tightly wound.

Though the child didn’t understand the underlying message, Youyou did understand the reason Big Brother got sick.

So Brother got sick because he doesn’t like eating food.

Youyou suddenly understood Big Brother perfectly, because Baby didn’t like eating rice either—Baby only loved eating meat. But Mama would always coax him to eat, saying that eating a lot would help him grow tall.

Youyou decided that in the future, he would coax his brother to eat just like Mama coaxed him.

Youyou stood up straight, balled his hands into fists, and promised loudly: “Mmh! Baby will supervise Brother eating food!”

Watching the fighting spirit ignited in Youyou’s sparkling eyes, Bai Wenjin felt something was slightly amiss, but he figured he was overthinking it.

It was nearly nine o’clock, and the child usually went to bed by nine-thirty. After the doctor left, Bai Wenjin told Auntie Li to take him home first.

Youyou refused, however, and had a whole set of reasons.

“Baby can’t leave! Baby is taking care of Big Brother.”

“Big Brother is all alone in the hospital, so pitiful, so pitiful. Baby stay with Big Brother.”

In the end, he simply played the rascal, saying “Bye-bye” but not moving his feet a single inch. Auntie Li was helpless and turned to Bai Wenjin for aid.

“Jiang Youyou, go back with Auntie Li.” Bai Wenjin intentionally darkened his face, looking serious.

When his face darkened, Auntie Li’s expression tightened. Youyou, however, wasn’t scared at all. He looked directly into Bai Wenjin’s warning gaze and answered loudly, “Not going back.”

“Let’s go back and let the Eldest Young Master rest,” Auntie Li squatted down and coaxed softly.

Youyou looked at the snowy white hospital walls and shook his head. “No, Baby stay with Big Brother.”

He remembered that when he was sick, he felt so miserable and only wanted to lie in Mama’s arms—that was the happiest thing in the world. But if he left, Big Brother would be the only one left here. Thinking of Big Brother lying lonely in the hospital bed made Youyou feel a sourness in his heart.

He thought: Even though Baby’s hands are short and he is very small—even if he tries to stretch his arms as wide as possible, he can’t hold Big Brother in his lap, if he holds Big Brother’s arm, it will still make Big Brother feel happy, right?

“Little Master, there are no toys here, no picture books, and no little cakes. You’ll be very bored.” Auntie Li looked helpless. Though the ward environment was good, it was still a hospital ward after all.

Youyou was usually easy to talk to, but this time, no matter how Auntie Li tried to move him with emotion or reason with him, he wouldn’t buy it. The two went in circles for so long that Bai Wenjin felt a headache coming on.

He rubbed his aching brow and said helplessly, “Forget it. Just let him stay here.”

Auntie Li wanted to say more, but seeing Bai Wenjin wave his hand, she closed her mouth, though her eyes were full of worry.

Only Youyou cheered: “Hooray! Stay in the ward! Stay with Big Brother!”

Auntie Li laughed in spite of herself. “Little Master, who gets this happy about staying in a hospital ward?”

Youyou acted as if he had encountered the best thing in the world, swaying his head with a smile on his face.

Bai Wenjin threw cold water on him: “Jiang Youyou, even though I’m letting you stay, you must remain quiet. Play for a bit and then go to sleep. I still have to work; you are not allowed to disturb me.”

“Mmh! Baby is the number one good boy in the world!” Youyou answered loudly.

Seeing that Youyou refused to leave no matter what, Auntie Li left the bottle and diapers she had brought on the table and departed with Pei Mo.

After they left, Youyou truly followed Bai Wenjin’s quiet policy. He walked on his tiptoes with the gentlest cat-like steps. When he drank water, he took tiny sips without making a sound.

Even when Bai Wenjin picked him up to sit on the bed, he remained quiet and absolutely did not move around, playing with his wooden Capybara toy with very gentle movements.

Seeing that he was being obedient, Bai Wenjin stopped worrying about him and continued handling his business. The only sound in the quiet ward was the crisp tapping of the keyboard.

After an unknown amount of time, Bai Wenjin stopped typing and pressed hard on his throbbing brow. As he relaxed his mind, the sound of a shallow breath in the room became very noticeable.

Bai Wenjin lowered his eyes, observing the child surreptitiously.

It was clearly just a small wooden figurine—the limbs couldn’t move, and it didn’t light up or play music. He didn’t know what was so fun about it, but the child was clearly very fond of the toy and was playing with deep concentration.

“Is it really that fun?”

Hearing Big Brother’s voice, Youyou quickly looked up from his toy, his voice crisp. “It’s not fun!”

Bai Wenjin was temporarily speechless. He thought to himself: If it’s not fun, why are you playing with such a happy face?

Seeing his brother close the laptop, Youyou stopped playing and looked at Bai Wenjin with an expectant gaze. “Big Brother, are you finished being busy?”

“Mmh.”

Youyou grinned, nimbly stuffed the Capybara back into his pocket, and hung himself entirely onto Bai Wenjin, acting spoiled. “Baby stay with Big Brother and play.”

Bai Wenjin looked into those round, sparkling eyes, paused, and asked gently, “Play what?”

Youyou pointed at the computer. “Play computer.”

“Baby stay with Big Brother to watch cartoons.”

It was dark now; Baby Baby could be watched!

Bai Wenjin laughed from sheer exasperation. So “playing together” meant accompanying him to watch cartoons! As expected of a child from the Bai family—the “abacus beads” of his scheme were practically hitting Bai Wenjin in the face.

“Not allowed.” Bai Wenjin turned the boy’s head back. The words coming from his 37°C mouth were ice cold: “I don’t want to watch cartoons.”

“Please, Big Brother.” Youyou pressed his hands together in a prayer motion, looking at Bai Wenjin with pleading eyes. “You say you want to watch Baby Baby.”

“I don’t.” Bai Wenjin remained unmoved by the child’s coaxing.

Youyou persisted, rolling around on him. “Big Brother, watch cartoons, watch cartoons, watch cartoons with Baby.”

Bai Wenjin used the hand without the IV needle to press against the boy’s forehead and threatened: “No moving around. Move again and I’ll hit your bottom.”

At the thought of a spanking, Youyou stopped moving and lay perfectly straight on top of Bai Wenjin. His body didn’t move, but his mouth kept going, buzzing in Bai Wenjin’s ear like a mosquito.

“Watch cartoons, Big Brother. If you watch them, you’ll like them just like Baby does.”

Youyou wheedled with his sweet, soft toddler voice. Anyone else would have given in and let him watch whatever he wanted. But Bai Wenjin’s heart was made of stone; no matter how much Youyou whimpered, he refused to give in.

In the end, Youyou ran out of tricks. He put his hands in his pockets, twisted his bottom, and turned his back to Bai Wenjin to sulk.

Seeing that the child’s pouting lips were long enough to hang an oil jar on, Bai Wenjin’s lips curled slightly. He reached out an index finger and poked the chubby side of the boy’s face. “Are you angry?”

Youyou immediately turned around, caught his finger, and caught him off guard with a “Pa-ji!” kiss on the cheek. Saliva was smeared all over Bai Wenjin’s face, and Youyou looked triumphant. “Hehe! Big Brother was tricked by Baby!”

“Baby play with Big Brother. It’s okay if we don’t watch Baby Baby.”

As a person with germaphobia, Bai Wenjin’s first reaction surprisingly wasn’t anger at the saliva on his face or a stern warning that he was never allowed to kiss him again. Instead, he reached up and gently touched his cheek. The spot where Youyou had kissed him felt a little hot. That warmth traveled all the way to his heart, feeling cozy.

Children are the softest existences in the world.

That sentence popped into his mind involuntarily.

Bai Wenjin didn’t even realize that his gaze had become incredibly tender. He forced down the slight curve of his lips, tried to keep a straight face, and said intentionally, “Really? Then I’ll play with you from now on, and you’re not allowed to watch TV.”

Youyou’s eyes widened, and he immediately grew anxious. “I… I was lying to you!”

“Just not watching cartoons today!”

If he could never watch them again, that would be too miserable.

Bai Wenjin said solemnly, “I took it seriously.”

This time Youyou was truly angry, pouting without a word.

His Big Brother was like a devil!

Bai Wenjin held it in for a moment but eventually couldn’t resist. With a brilliant smile, he gave the sulking child’s head a vigorous rub, mussing up the neatly styled curls into a total mess.

“Ah! Stinky Big Brother! Not allowed to mess up my hair!” Youyou shouted and began scurrying around.

Bai Wenjin, in a deliberate act of revenge, tucked the boy under his arm and gave him a flurry of rubs, making Youyou yell and giggle at the same time.

Knock, knock, knock—

An untimely knock interrupted the brothers’ play.

Bai Wenjin glanced at the time on the wall: 21:03.

He withdrew the hand that was wreaking havoc on Youyou’s head and used his fingers to comb the messy hair back into order before saying, “Come in.”

The door was pushed open.

A man holding a giant bouquet of flowers stood at the door with a beaming smile.

The moment Bai Wenjin saw him, the smile on his face instantly vanished into coldness. Before he could even open his mouth to kick the person out, Youyou’s eyes lit up and he cried out in surprise: “Pretty Uncle!”