I Found My Future Wife Next Door - Chapter 13

Lu Zhishen, who had been tricked, was completely fooled by Jiajia. Though he sensed something was off, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The marriage, which Queen Jiajia had agreed to but Prince Ranran had not, was now at a standstill.

Lu Zhishen clung to Yu Qianran, his dark eyes fixed intently on him. “Ranran, why won’t you marry me?”

Yu Qianran bit his lip, his expression resolute and his voice childish yet firm. “If I get married, I’ll have to leave Mom and Dad. I don’t want to leave home.”

Lu Zhishen tilted his head, muttering, “But you’ll have to leave home when you grow up anyway.”

Yu Qianran replied innocently, “Then I just won’t grow up.”

As long as he didn’t grow up, he wouldn’t have to leave home. He could stay with his parents forever and be the happiest little baby in the world.

Lu Zhishen opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words to respond. He pouted, looking utterly wronged.

“I have an idea,” Yuyu declared, striding forward, completely forgetting his role as the “evil dragon.”

Yu Qianran, Lu Zhishen, and the other children all turned to look at him.

Basking in the attention, Yuyu wore a smug “I’m a genius” expression and spoke with feigned seriousness. “You can be a live-in son-in-law. That way, Ranran won’t have to leave his parents, and you can still be with him.”

Lu Zhishen’s dark eyes filled with confusion. “What’s that? I’ve never heard of it.”

Yu Qianran stared quietly, not saying a word.

Yuyu silently gloated, “Of course you don’t know. I’m older and know more than you.”

Jiajia glanced over, unimpressed by Yuyu’s inexplicable arrogance.

Yangyang, however, gazed at Yuyu with admiration, wishing he could know so much when he grew up too.

Lu Zhishen scoffed, “You’re only a year older. What’s there to show off about?”

“A year is still older. You never call me ‘big brother,’” Yuyu retorted, swaying side to side like a pirate ship. “Jiajia is older than you too. You should call her ‘big sister.’ Right, Jiajia?”

Lu Zhishen wore a smile that sent chills down everyone’s spine.

Jiajia remained silent, taking two steps back.

She had no intention of getting involved in the feud between Shenshen and Yuyu. These two had been at odds since they first met, yet it was strange that Shenshen had still been invited.

“Shenshen, am I older than you too?” Yu Qianran’s soft voice broke the tense atmosphere.

He blinked his beautiful eyes, his chubby cheeks breaking into a faint smile, instantly capturing Lu Zhishen’s attention.

Lu Zhishen replied, “I’m older than you.”

“Why?”

Yu Qianran was puzzled. Yuyu and Jiajia were older than Shenshen, so why couldn’t he be?

“You look younger than me. I’m this much taller than you,” Lu Zhishen said, standing face-to-face with Yu Qianran and moving his hand from the top of Yu Qianran’s head to the bridge of his own nose.

Yu Qianran looked up, swallowing the words he’d been about to say about them being almost the same height.

Yangyang timidly chimed in, “That’s not right. It depends on age.”

The three children, who had been arguing about who was older, fell silent, suddenly realizing how childish they’d been acting.

Yuyu spoke first. “I’m five. I’m the oldest.”

Lu Zhishen snorted. “I’m five too.”

Yuyu was shocked and unwilling to believe it. “What? That’s impossible!”

Lu Zhishen added smugly, “My birthday is in May.”

Yuyu felt as if he’d been struck by lightning, unable to accept that Lu Zhishen was older than him, especially since he was born in November… Wuwu.

He actually lost to Lu Zhishen. Why hadn’t his mother let him be born in April? Even being born just a little earlier than Lu Zhishen would have been fine.

Yu Qianran secretly glanced at Jiajia and Yangyang, thinking to himself that these two surely couldn’t be older than him either.

Jiajia noticed Yu Qianran’s gaze and smiled at him. “I’m five years old, born in August.”

Yu Qianran’s eyes dimmed a little, placing his last hope on Yangyang.

Then he heard Yangyang timidly say, “I’m four years old.”

Yu Qianran’s eyes lit up, so Yangyang might be younger than him! He quickly asked, “I’m four too! When’s your birthday?”

“March,” Yangyang replied, watching as the smile vanished from Ranran’s face.

He opened his mouth and said, “D-don’t be sad.”

Yu Qianran sighed gloomily, “But Ranran is the youngest, born in August.”

Lu Zhishen, dropping his argument with Yuyu, leaned close to Yu Qianran excitedly. “Then you’re about to have a birthday, right?”

Yu Qianran nodded.

Yuyu also joined in, almost pushing Lu Zhishen aside. “What, what? So next month, which day? Can I come to your birthday party?”

Jiajia chimed in, “I want to come too.”

Yu Qianran froze. In the past, he had never had a birthday party, nor had any friends celebrated with him.

Lu Zhishen tugged at Yu Qianran’s little hand, sincere and enthusiastic. “Ranran, what day is your birthday? I’ll start preparing your gift right now.”

Yu Qianran held up his short little fingers in a “V” shape.

Yuyu cheered, “That’s just a few days away! Great, we get to have cake again.”

Jiajia rolled her eyes. “Don’t just think about eating. Remember to bring Ranran a gift.”

Yuyu scratched the back of his head, pretending not to hear Jiajia. He turned his head and began planning seriously. “Ranran, are you having your birthday at home? We could go to the amusement park during the day and have cake at night.”

“No, going to see the animals is more fun,” Lu Zhishen was the first to object to Yuyu’s suggestion.

“No, no, we should watch the latest Boonie Bears movie.”

“Wrong, wrong, the amusement park is definitely the most fun.”

The children’s chattering voices mixed together, turning the scene into a noisy marketplace.

After happily discussing Yu Qianran’s birthday, Yuyu immediately turned his attention to Jiajia, who also had a birthday in August.

For him, being able to eat cake at a friend’s house twice in one month was much more fun than eating cake alone at home.

Jiajia sighed helplessly. “I still have a month to go.”

“Oh, the 25th,” Yuyu said happily, but his little face fell after just three seconds. “School’s starting again.”

Hearing this, Yu Qianran’s clear, pure eyes flickered twice. He turned his head and met Lu Zhishen’s gaze.

Lu Zhishen smiled and asked, “Ranran, don’t you want to go to school?”

“Not exactly,” Yu Qianran shook his head, his expression troubled as he explained, “I just don’t like one of the kids in my class.”

“Why?”

Yu Qianran lifted his eyes and sighed softly. “He’s bad.”

It was a big, tall boy who always liked to take his things and wouldn’t let the other kids play with him. Ranran disliked this child the most, and the other kids in the class were also afraid, so they couldn’t play with him either.

Lu Zhishen said, “I’ll help Ranran teach him a lesson, okay? Can you call me ‘big brother’ then?”

Yu Qianran nodded, extending his pinky finger to hook it with Lu Zhishen’s. “Brother Shen, don’t lie to me.”

Lu Zhishen, overjoyed, hugged Yu Qianran tightly, his face glowing with happiness as if he were walking on clouds, feeling light and airy.

It’s so wonderful. So having a cute little brother is this blissful, no wonder his little follower kept bragging about his brother every day.

He pushed his luck: “Can you call me that one more time?”

Yu Qianran called out softly, “Brother Shenshen.”

For children, playtime always passes faster than school hours. Yuyu reluctantly bid farewell to his friends, tears welling up in his eyes as he called out, “Come again next time! I’ll buy lots of new toys!”

Yu Qianran waved goodbye to Yuyu, and soon the car started, the window closing.

“Ranran really likes Yuyu?” Lu Zhishen’s expression was gloomy, almost as if he had “I’m unhappy” written all over his face.

Yu Qianran didn’t understand Lu Zhishen’s little thoughts and nodded honestly, “He’s a good person.”

Lu Zhishen: “I’m a good person too.”

“I know that.” Yu Qianran gave him a puzzled glance, not understanding why Shenshen would say such a thing.

Lu Zhishen: “…”

Why couldn’t he figure out his little thoughts at a time like this?

But Lu Zhishen wasn’t one to hold back his words,

“Who’s better, me or Yuyu? Is it because Yuyu gave you lots of snacks and toys today that you like him more?”

Yu Qianran was taken aback, his small face filled with confusion. “Of course you’re better. We promised to be the very best friends in the whole world. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Yu Qianran felt a heavy weight press against him. His back was against the seat, and before his eyes was Lu Zhishen’s face, magnified dozens of times.

He was being hugged.

“Me too.” Lu Zhishen nuzzled his head against Yu Qianran.

Yu Qianran pushed lightly with both hands but couldn’t break free. He whispered, “Shenshen, you’re like a little puppy.”

Lu Zhishen didn’t argue. “Puppies are cute too.”

In the evening, after washing up, Yu Qianran lay in the middle of his parents’ big bed, gazing eagerly at his mother as she emerged from the bathroom.

Gu Kexin smiled and asked, “What’s up, my precious Ranran?”

Yu Qianran sat up straight, a little nervous as he asked, “Mom, can I have a birthday party and invite my friends over?”

He had never done this before. Ranran didn’t know if a birthday party would be troublesome or if his parents would mind having other children over.

“Of course you can.” Gu Kexin gently ruffled Yu Qianran’s little head. “This is the first time Ranran has invited friends to celebrate his birthday. Mom couldn’t be happier.”

Yu Qianran blinked in surprise. “Huh?”

Gu Kexin kissed her precious Ranran’s cheek. “Anyone Ranran likes can come. Mom will have Uncle the butler arrange everything. What flavor cake would you like this year?”

Yu Qianran buried his face in Gu Kexin’s embrace, his childish voice muffled. “Mom is the best. I still want apple flavor, and I want apple pie too.”

Gu Kexin could only see the top of Yu Qianran’s head. She gently patted his back and asked seriously, “Alright, where would you like to go to play?”

“The aquarium!” Yu Qianran lifted his head, his eyes like a flowing galaxy in the universe. “I want to see penguins.”

Although the children had chattered about many places during the day, they all knew who the main character was. After arguing for a while, they finally asked Ranran where he wanted to go.

At that moment, the image of waddling penguins suddenly flashed through Yu Qianran’s mind. He blurted out “penguins” and couldn’t take it back.

Gu Kexin nodded. “Mhm, Mom has written it all down.”

She wrote down Yu Qianran’s words on a sticky note, planning to discuss them with her husband, Yu Zeyan, tomorrow. After all, with several children involved, it wouldn’t be safe without booking the entire venue, and they’d need to arrange a proper security system.

Time was a bit tight, but there was nothing money couldn’t solve.

As long as Ranran was happy, none of this mattered.

Yu Qianran, satisfied, leaned in and kissed Gu Kexin’s cheek. “Mommy is the best. Ranran loves Mommy the most.”

Just as Yu Zeyan walked into the room, he overheard his precious son’s words and asked softly, “What about Daddy?”

Yu Qianran blinked and blew a kiss. “Ranran loves Daddy too.”

Yu Zeyan chuckled, his lips curling. “Ranran is a master of balance.” He walked over to the bedside, gently pinching Ranran’s irresistibly soft cheek.

Yu Qianran turned his face away to escape the pinch, revealing a neat row of teeth. “What’s a master of balance? Is it amazing?”

“It means Ranran is very fair and very impressive.” Yu Zeyan and Gu Kexin exchanged a knowing smile.

Yu Qianran nodded in agreement. “That’s right, I am a master of balance.”

He also liked Shenshen, they were all important. From now on, he would be a master of balance every day.