Another New Older Brother? - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: And So, Youyou Decided to Run Away from Home…

Jiang Youyou had always held a mysterious sort of anticipation toward the idea of “going to kindergarten.”

The day before he officially started at age three, he had begged his mother to buy him a Golden Retriever alarm clock that barked. From then on, every morning when the alarm went off, Youyou would obediently climb out of bed, dress himself, fold his little duvet, and wash his face and brush his teeth.

In truth, Youyou used to be a baby who loved to sleep in. One day, when the Golden Retriever barked, he kicked it under the bed and dawdled until he was late. His father said school was too much hard work for him and told him he didn’t have to go to kindergarten anymore.

That had terrified Youyou. Ever since, as long as the dog gave two “woofs,” he would scramble out of bed right on time.

At seven o’clock, the Golden Retriever hadn’t barked yet, but Youyou had already sat up dazed, his messy curls exploding in every direction as he ran toward the bathroom.

Thump! With a dull sound, the child ran headfirst into a wall.

Being bottom-heavy and light-bodied, the counterforce knocked him flat onto the floor, sitting there with his hands propping him up. Although the carpet cushioned the blow, Youyou was still a bit dazed. He sat there blankly for a good while before confusedly raising a hand to touch his slightly swollen forehead.

Staring at that unfamiliar wall, it dawned on Youyou that he was no longer in his familiar home, but at his uncle’s.

The child sniffled aggrievedly, used his hands to push himself up, and headed for the bathroom. As he passed the wall again, he raised a tiny foot and gave it a kick: “Bad wall, hitting people, I’ll beat you!”

He flailed his arms and legs at the wall for a while, and only after deciding he had “taught the wall a lesson” did he walk contentedly to the sink, pull out the step stool, and begin his morning routine.

When Lizi heard the commotion and came in, Youyou had already finished washing up, dressed himself, and was currently battling with his socks.

To put on socks, he would first lift a foot and then arch his body to reach it. But because he had quite a bit of “baby meat,” the moment he lifted his foot, his whole body would roll backward uncontrollably, making it impossible to reach.

Seeing this scene, Lizi couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “Little Master, let me help you.”

The child felt a bit embarrassed and scratched his cheek.

Lizi smiled as she put on his socks and measured his temperature once more. He had spiked a fever two or three times the previous night, finally stabilizing around three in the morning.

Lizi checked the reading: 36°C. Finally back to normal.

“Auntie…”

As soon as Youyou uttered those two words, he covered his throat in confusion. The voice that came out was a hoarse, tiny “smoky” rasp.

Hearing his own somewhat ugly little milk-voice, Youyou’s eyes widened in panic. “Auntie, why did Baby’s voice turn into a duck’s voice?”

Lizi quickly comforted him: “Don’t be scared, Little Master. You’re just sick, and your throat is swollen, so it’s a bit hoarse. If you’re good and take your medicine, it’ll get better very soon.”

Youyou looked at her with hope, tears brimming in his eyes. His voice was too ugly; he didn’t want to talk anymore.

“I promise.” Lizi moved his small hand away from his neck and tapped near his vocal cords: “Does it hurt here?”

Youyou had been so focused on his forehead hurting from the wall that he hadn’t noticed. When she touched him, he moved his Adam’s apple and swallowed.

It hurt a lot.

So he was really sick. This was a total disaster.

He especially, especially disliked being sick. Because whenever he was sick, Mama would take him to get painful shots and make him drink lots of medicine. If he was lucky, the medicine was sweet; but if he was unlucky, it was bitter—so bitter it made him shiver just thinking about it.

Youyou was afraid that if he said it hurt, Auntie Lizi would take him for a shot, too. The child guiltily hid his hands behind his back and shook his head.

“No hurt, no hurt. Very comfy.”

Lizi’s own child was about the same age as Youyou, quirky and full of tall tales. One look at Youyou’s expression and she knew exactly what was going on. She hadn’t expected the angelic-looking Little Master to be a little liar, too.

“Little Master shouldn’t tell lies. There was a kid named Pinocchio who told lies, and his nose grew this long.”

Of course Youyou had heard the story of Pinocchio. He flew his hands up to cover his nose: “Baby’s throat hurts-hurts.”

“Auntie, you tell Pinocchio I’m not lying anymore, don’t let my nose get long, okay?”

“Alright, seeing as the Little Master knows how to admit his mistakes, I’ll negotiate with Pinocchio.” Lizi suppressed a laugh, continuing to tease the little boy.

“Thank you, Auntie. You’re such a good person!”

Even though every mother thinks her own child is the cutest in the world, Lizi found herself unable to resist a child as adorable as Jiang Youyou. She patted his messy curls, her eyes full of smiles. “Let’s go eat breakfast first. After breakfast, we’ll take medicine, and then you’ll be all better.”

The massive dining room was empty.

On the pure white marble table sat a glass of fresh milk and a breakfast tailored for a three-year-old by a professional nutritionist.

“Where’s Uncle? Where are the Big Bwothers?”

“Master is away on business. The Third Young Master has a shoot lately, so he isn’t home either.”

Youyou kept the memory of Wen Jue wanting to throw him out in his heart, so he didn’t care where he was. Instead, he proactively asked, “Where’s Big Bwother?”

He could sense that the people in this house who liked him most were Uncle, Uncle Tian, and Auntie Lizi. Big Brother didn’t like him as much, but he really liked Big Brother. Big Brother was so handsome, and he really had no resistance against handsome people!

“The Eldest Young Master is still resting in his room.”

Usually, Bai Wenjin would be eating breakfast in the dining room by this time. However, last night he hadn’t sent the fever-stabilized Youyou back to his room until nearly four in the morning, and he hadn’t slept a wink. So, he was still sleeping now.

“The sun is burning his bottom! Why is Big Bwother not up yet?” Youyou immediately said, “Baby will go call Big Bwother to get up.”

Lizi was quick to pull him back. “Little Master, let’s not disturb the Eldest Young Master. Let him rest well.”

“Okay.” Youyou felt a bit regretful. He finished his breakfast gloomily and went back to his room to pack his little backpack.

“Little Master, what are you doing?” Lizi asked, seeing the child running back and forth.

“Baby is going to kindergarten.”

Youyou knew his brothers didn’t like him, but it was okay! He had many, many good friends at Little Flower Kindergarten. There was Cheng Chengcheng, Pang Long, Wo Wo…

Thinking of his friends, Jiang Youyou felt much better. He perked up and put on his little backpack, hopping out of his room—only to collide straight into Bai Wenjin, who was coming down from upstairs.

Bai Wenjin’s hand, which was adjusting his tie, paused as he looked down at the child.

Wow, Big Brother is even a little bit more handsome than yesterday.

Hmph! Not allowed to look!

Jiang Youyou very courageously turned his head away. He even let out a “Hmph!”—heaven knows who he learned that from.

Big Brother didn’t like him, so he didn’t like Big Brother either!

Bai Wenjin felt a bit annoyed seeing his spirited attitude. Little brat, you’re lively enough now, but you didn’t stop crying last night. See who it was that coaxed you until the middle of the night and measured your temperature every half hour.

“What are you doing with that backpack?”

Bai Wenjin’s gaze swept coldly over the small bag. This was officially the first conversation between the brothers.

Even though Youyou had decided not to talk to Big Brother, he was very proud of the fact that he went to kindergarten, so he couldn’t help but brag: “Baby is going to kindergarten! Big Bwother, you’re not allowed to go!”

“Baby has many, many good friends at kindergarten. We play together, but we won’t let you play.”

Bai Wenjin hadn’t intended to tease the child, but seeing Jiang Youyou’s smug face, he raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Your previous kindergarten has already been withdrawn. From now on, you’ll attend kindergarten here. Which means…”

Jiang Youyou looked up at him blankly.

A mischievous glint flashed in Bai Wenjin’s eyes. He leaned down and whispered into the child’s ear: “For the time being, you have no school to go to.”

Youyou’s pupils shook. He opened his mouth, a look of pure disbelief on his face. “Ah?”

Lizi, witnessing the whole thing, began to doubt her own sanity. Was that cold, distant Eldest Young Master really just ‘bullying’ a child so wickedly?

Half an hour after the “culprit” Bai Wenjin had left, Youyou was still lying motionless on his bed.

Lizi knelt down to comfort him. “Little Master, please don’t be sad.”

Youyou suddenly burst into tears. “Auntie… hic… Baby really can’t go to kindergarten?”

Guiltily avoiding Youyou’s hopeful gaze, Lizi said with difficulty, “I’m sorry, Little Master. Until we find a suitable kindergarten, you have to stay home.”

Those weren’t her words; they were the Eldest Young Master’s. The Master had said before leaving that everything in the house, big or small, was to be decided by the Eldest Young Master.

The last of Youyou’s hope shattered. He collapsed, pulling the duvet over himself to wrap into a ball. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes, soaking the pillow.

Waaa… He didn’t like Uncle’s house, and he didn’t like the brothers. He wanted to go to kindergarten.

Youyou had never been this sad. He felt as if the entire world had abandoned him.

Just then, his phone-watch rang without warning. It was Youyou’s best friend from Little Flower Kindergarten, Cheng Chengcheng.

Youyou answered. Cheng Chengcheng’s heartbroken voice came through the watch: “Waaa, Youyou, why didn’t you come to school?”

Youyou was grieving too. He couldn’t help but wipe his eyes, speaking with a crying tone: “Big Bwother says… Baby has no school to go to.”

“Then… then will Chengcheng never see Youyou again?”

Thinking of Bai Wenjin, Jiang Youyou felt dejected. “Chengcheng, Big Bwother is too powerful. I can’t beat that stinky Big Bwother, so I can’t see you.”

“But Chengcheng wants to play with Youyou!”

Youyou felt terrible. He wanted to play with his friends, too! His eyes caught sight of a sticker on his backpack, and he suddenly remembered a scene from the cartoon Baby Baby. He had a new idea.

“Cheng Chengcheng, I’m going to run away from home!”