I Found My Future Wife Next Door - Chapter 1

On a sweltering July morning, the cicadas outside the window began their daily chorus, while the swaying shadows of the parasol tree branches stretched across the floor inside.

A small, pale hand pressed against the tree shadows on the ground. The child, dressed in loose-fitting pajamas, sat on the floor, lifting his gaze toward the window with unusually clear eyes. His delicate face wore a cool, composed expression, far more steady than other children his age.

Tilting his head, he stared intently, sitting so still he could easily be mistaken for a meticulously cared-for figurine.

“Ranran, why aren’t you going downstairs today?”

Hearing this, Yu Qianran blinked slowly and turned to look at Wang Ma, the nanny standing at the door. He pushed himself up from the floor with both hands, patted his palms as if brushing off invisible dust, then spoke in a soft, childish voice, “I’m watching the leaves. It’s not fun downstairs.”

There weren’t many children his age or older in the neighborhood. At first, they had been curious about Yu Qianran and invited him to play, but his body was too special, he couldn’t participate in many games. After repeated refusals, they gradually lost interest in playing with him. Not that he cared, hmph.

Every day, Ranran could only sit in his own yard, basking in the sun, or wait for the nannies to finish their work and spare some time to keep him company.

Wang Ma gently reminded him, “How could it not be fun? Madam is home today.”

Yu Qianran’s small eyes lit up. He looked at Wang Ma again for confirmation. “Mom is here?” Even before he was sure, his short legs had already carried him toward her.

Wang Ma crouched down, nodding earnestly. “Yes, Ranran. Change your clothes first, then go downstairs.”

Yu Qianran nodded, then hurriedly turned and rushed toward the wardrobe, eager to change and get downstairs as quickly as possible.

Standing in front of the wardrobe, he hesitated. He wanted to change quickly, but he also wanted to pick out something nice to wear.

“Wear this one. Madam brought it back last night.”

Yu Qianran looked up. It was white with metallic accents, and one side of the shirt featured a small cape design, a beautiful piece that looked like the lavish outfit of a little prince from a storybook.

He loved the clothes his mom bought for him, but if he took too long, would she have to leave for work again? He’d have to spend the whole day without seeing her. Feeling a little sad, he refused, “It looks too troublesome to put on.”

“Not troublesome at all,” Wang Ma waved her hand, seeming to sense the subtle worry hidden in the child’s heart. She reassured him like a calming spell, “Madam will be home all day today. She said she’s going to bake cookies for Ranran.”

“Then I’ll wear this one.” Yu Qianran turned his head away, reluctantly agreeing, not wanting his little worries to be seen through.

The corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously, his eyes brimming with anticipation, his hidden excitement already betrayed.

Wang Ma didn’t expose him. She helped Yu Qianran change and took him downstairs.

The small bit of restraint Yu Qianran usually showed in front of others vanished completely the moment he spotted the familiar figure sitting on the sofa. He wanted to take two steps at once, even run, but mindful of his health and not wanting to worry his mother, he forced himself to slow down.

“Mom, are you really going to bake cookies for me today?” He threw himself into his mother’s arms, looking up at her with pleading eyes.

It had been so long since he’d spent a whole day with his mom. To see her, he would wake up early in the morning, but sometimes she had to go on business trips, leaving him waiting for what felt like forever.

Yu Qianran knew his mother had to go to work. He couldn’t be selfish and keep her from having her own life, so he always pretended to be the kind of child who could “get along just fine without Mom and Dad around.”

Gu Kexin patted his little head, then scooped him up and sat down with him in her arms. “Of course, from now on, Mom will have lots of time to spend with Ranran.”

Hearing this, Yu Qianran was overjoyed, but then it occurred to him that if his mother stayed with him all the time, she wouldn’t be able to do the things she enjoyed. He voiced his concern: “Won’t Mom work anymore?”

The little one was so thoughtful it tugged at her heartstrings. Once again, Gu Kexin felt she had made the right decision, her child deserved the very best.

She gently stroked Yu Qianran’s soft hair and explained softly, “Ranran, Mom has finished all her work. From now on, I’ll stay home every day and play with Ranran, okay?”

“Mm-hmm.” Yu Qianran looked up, his eyes brimming with happiness, his little hands unconsciously tightening around Gu Kexin’s arm.

“What a good boy.” Gu Kexin leaned in and kissed Yu Qianran’s chubby cheek, then rubbed his head with a smile. “New neighbors have moved in next door. Can Ranran help Mom take some fruit over to them later?”

Yu Qianran tilted his head and nodded in innocent agreement.

The house next door had been empty for a long time. The children in the neighborhood didn’t play with him, and he didn’t want to play with them either. So, it had been a while since he had wandered around the community.

Gu Kexin slipped her hands under Yu Qianran’s armpits and lifted him up, then gently set him down on the sofa beside her. “Mom will go prepare the fruit. Why don’t you go out to the yard and get some sun first, okay?”

“Okay.” Yu Qianran would never refuse his mother because she was the most important person in his life. He curved his eyes into a smile, like a clear spring pouring into a dried-up lake.

Yu Qianran slid off the sofa and toddled step by step toward the front door.

The yard was filled with pink roses, climbing from the base of the wall up a trellis to adorn an entire wall. At the corner of the flower wall stood a lush, verdant phoenix tree, with a swing seat placed beneath it.

Dappled sunlight filtered through the branches and fell on Yu Qianran’s chubby little face. He leaned back on the swing, gently swaying his legs to set it in motion.

The cool morning breeze swept through the area, lifting the child’s soft black hair and startling him into pressing a hand to the top of his head.

Yu Qianran let out a soft sigh. This wind was so annoying, summer was annoying, and the buzzing insects in the tree were even more annoying!

If only there were no insects in the world, then he wouldn’t have to suffer from the noise hurting his ears right now.

Ranran swung his legs idly. Everything was as peaceful as usual.

…

On the path inside the community, a child with a rather unhappy expression walked along, nervously glancing around.

It was his first time here, and he wasn’t familiar with the place at all. If it weren’t for trying to avoid a group of adults pointing cameras at him, he wouldn’t have foolishly run out of the house.

After stopping to look around for what felt like the hundredth time, his eyes grew confused. Hadn’t he been here before?

Lu Zhishen didn’t understand why all the flower beds along the paths had to look exactly the same. Couldn’t each one be a different color or have a unique design? Now he had no idea where he was.

He would never admit he was lost. Lu Zhishen’s brain was top-notch, he was the world’s number one genius child. He would never be tripped up by something as trivial as a path.

Lu Zhishen thought to himself as he looked toward the gate, hoping to find a house with its door open so he could go in and ask for directions.

Perhaps even fate didn’t want the child to suffer, for Lu Zhishen indeed found a house with its gate wide open. He immediately mustered his courage and strode inside.

Lu Zhishen heard a sigh and followed the sound with his eyes. There, sitting on a swing, was a little prince who seemed to have stepped right out of a television screen. The moment the other boy looked up, Lu Zhishen’s heart began to pound wildly.

The little prince looked frail, with beautiful amber-like eyes and soft black hair falling against snow-white cheeks, giving him a somewhat delicate, sickly appearance.

At that moment, Lu Zhishen remembered his mother’s words, she had said his future wife would surely be the most beautiful.

Mom, I think I’ve found my future wife!

Yu Qianran, seeing a strange child suddenly barging in and staring at him without saying a word, felt a flicker of panic. He eyed Lu Zhishen warily and asked, “Who are you?”

Snapping out of his daze, Lu Zhishen beamed and ran toward Yu Qianran. “Hello, wife! I’m Lu Zhishen.”

“Stop right there,” Yu Qianran said, gripping the sides of the swing tightly and glaring fiercely. “Don’t come any closer, or I’ll call someone to catch you.”

Where did this person come from? He had no manners at all. Ranran was going to tell his mom that a bad kid had run into their house.

“Huh?” Lu Zhishen tilted his head, admiring his “future wife” up close, and said innocently, “But I’m already here.”

Yu Qianran pursed his lips, a hint of moisture glimmering in his brown eyes.

Ignoring whatever Yu Qianran was thinking, Lu Zhishen rummaged in his pants pocket and pulled out a small cookie, offering it eagerly. “Wife, wife, do you want a cookie?”

His mother had told him to be good to his future wife and give her the best of everything. He firmly believed that he and this delicate, doll-like person were meant to be together forever. So now, he wanted to share his favorite cookie with him.

Yu Qianran frowned and turned away disdainfully, enunciating each word clearly. “My name isn’t ‘wife.’ It’s Yu Qianran.”

Don’t think you can trick Ranran with a cookie. Ranran doesn’t care about this little cookie, Mom will make lots and lots of cookies for him this afternoon anyway.

Ranran had heard from Nanny Wang that many bad people use food to trick children. But Ranran wasn’t an ordinary child; no bad person could ever trick him.

Lu Zhishen smiled in agreement, his eyes full of anticipation as he asked, “Okay, Ranran, will you take my cookie then?”

Yu Qianran: “…”

He’s so insistent on Ranran taking the cookie, there must be something wrong with it. He quietly raised his guard, his gaze fixed intently on Lu Zhishen.

“Eat it, eat it! I hid this all morning so it wouldn’t get taken away,” Lu Zhishen said, oblivious to Yu Qianran’s suspicions, determined to give him the cookie. “Do you think it’s too little? Next time, I can bring lots and lots when I come to see you.” Impatiently, he stepped forward, grabbed Yu Qianran’s hand, and firmly pressed the cookie into it.

Yu Qianran blinked, looking down at the small cookie in his hand, it was shaped like a cute rabbit’s head.

He hesitated, his little mind torn between “don’t eat it” and “hurry up and eat it.”

Lu Zhishen watched him with sparkling eyes. “Eat it, quick! I saved it secretly. If you don’t eat it, I’ll be sad.”

“Fine, I’ll reluctantly have one,” Yu Qianran said, looking down at the cookie in his hand. He unwrapped it and took a bite, it actually tasted pretty good.

He hadn’t fainted, so the cookie was fine…

Suddenly, Yu Qianran felt his wrist being grabbed. Before he could process what was happening, Lu Zhishen’s loud shout burst into his ears: “Mom, I found a wife! He wants to come home with me!”

Yu Qianran tilted his head in confusion, feeling the force with which Lu Zhishen was trying to drag him away. His eyes widened in shock.

He did not!!

Mom, come save Ranran! Ranran will never eat food from strangers again.