I Found My Future Wife Next Door - Chapter 4

The money given by the production team wasn’t even enough to buy a single piece of candy at the nearby supermarket. The children each got into their family cars and drove off one after another toward a more distant location.

Yu Qianran had joined the group temporarily. He obediently stayed close to Lu Zhishen, but Lu Zhishen always liked to lean on his shoulder and whisper secretly.

Tilting his head, Yu Qianran couldn’t understand why Lu Zhishen did this. If he didn’t want others to hear, why not just take off that black thing clipped to his clothes?

Lu Zhishen, acting like a little adult, patted his chest and assured him, “Ranran, don’t worry. I’ll definitely make sure you eat your fill.”

Yu Qianran couldn’t figure out what Lu Zhishen was up to, so he simply replied, “Okay.”

What children love most is escaping adult supervision, and Lu Zhishen was the most mischievous among them. As soon as they got out of the car, he took Yu Qianran and slipped away.

Yu Qianran stared blankly at Lu Zhishen, who was pulling him along as they ran. A heavy feeling gradually spread from his chest, his heart racing so fast he could hardly breathe.

“Wait.”

Yu Qianran seemed to use the last bit of his strength to pull Lu Zhishen to a stop.

The overexertion left him breathless for a moment. The light before his eyes suddenly vanished, plunging him into darkness.

Lu Zhishen turned around, his dark pupils trembling. “What’s wrong, Ranran? Why do you look so pale all of a sudden!”

“I’ll go get a doctor. You have to hold on.”

His childish voice carried a hint of tears, revealing his helplessness, anxiety, and fear.

“I-I’m fine.” Yu Qianran tightly gripped Lu Zhishen’s hand, using his free hand to pat his chest as he caught his breath. “Don’t call a doctor. I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

Yu Qianran’s face was deathly pale, and even his once-pink lips had lost their color, making him look like a fragile doll on the verge of breaking.

Lu Zhishen gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with worry as he hesitated. “But…” You don’t look so good.

Yu Qianran snapped, “Don’t go, or I won’t play with you anymore.”

No one hated doctors more than he did, or the strange-smelling hospital. Every time he went for a check-up, he wished he could turn into a monster from Ultraman and blow the place up.

“Alright then.” Hearing this, Lu Zhishen immediately changed his tune. “But you have to listen to me.” He seized the opportunity to make a demand.

Yu Qianran blinked.

Lu Zhishen continued, “If you feel unwell, you have to tell me. And you’re not allowed to play with anyone else.”

“Okay.”

The two children secretly made their pact in a corner of the supermarket.

By the time the cameraman found them, Yu Qianran was no longer feeling unwell. The two children held hands as if they were conjoined twins.

Lu Zhishen winked at Yu Qianran, signaling him not to reveal what had just happened.

Yu Qianran nodded solemnly.

The cameraman didn’t understand but simply kept filming.

Lu Zhishen pushed a child-sized shopping cart and waved his hand grandly. “Ranran, you go pick things.”

Yu Qianran tilted his head, not quite understanding Lu Zhishen’s strange gesture. After hesitating, he finally asked, “Is this something you always do when you come to the supermarket?”

He remembered his parents never made such a gesture, nor had they ever asked him to do it.

Lu Zhishen puffed out his chest proudly and declared, “Of course. This is my signature move.”

He had learned it from TV, apparently, it was something only a “domineering CEO” would do. As for what a “domineering CEO” was, Lu Zhishen understood it as the boss of all bosses, the ultimate leader.

“If Ranran wants to learn, I can teach you.”

Yu Qianran glanced at the snickering people around him and shook his head, declining the offer.

The child had never cooked before and didn’t understand the grocery section, his mind fixated only on buying snacks. So the kids who had just parted ways at the supermarket entrance ended up running into each other again.

Yuyu immediately hugged Yu Qianran. “Wow, where did you guys go just now? We couldn’t find you.”

“Nowhere,” Yu Qianran replied guiltily. Lu Zishen had already reached out to pull Yuyu away, his face dark as he shielded Yu Qianran behind him.

He warned, “You’re not allowed to hug Ranran. He’s mine alone.”

Yuyu made a “six” gesture with his hands above his ears and stuck out his tongue. “Nyah nyah nyah.”

Seeing that the two were about to start fighting again, Jiajia quickly changed the subject. “You guys have so many snacks, won’t you run out of money?”

The children immediately turned their attention to Lu Zishen’s shopping cart, which was nearly overflowing with all kinds of snacks. The variety was so impressive that the other kids couldn’t help but show envy.

Lu Zishen nodded with feigned seriousness. “It’s enough.”

Hearing this, Yuyu’s face lit up with anticipation. He swallowed and asked, “Can I have some?”

Lu Zishen flatly refused. “No, these are for Ranran.”

Yuyu nodded, then put on a pitiful expression, pleading, “Ranran, I want some too.”

Yu Qianran blinked, looking from Lu Zishen to Yuyu.

His mother had told him to share with friends, but the snacks belonged to Lu Zishen, he couldn’t give Lu Zishen’s things to Yuyu.

He looked at Yuyu again. The other boy’s expression was so pitiful that he couldn’t help but soften and want to share.

Every change in Yu Qianran’s expression was written on his face. He bit his lip and firmly refused, “No.” Yuyu’s face fell, as if he were about to burst into tears at any moment. “You can come to my house to play. I’ll ask Auntie the nanny to buy you snacks,” he said, stepping forward to speak to Yuyu.

Yuyu whined, “But I want some now.”

Yu Qianran shook his head, his gaze resolute, he absolutely would not share the snacks.

Yuyu pouted and was about to burst into loud sobs when Jiajia quickly covered his mouth. “No crying. It’s too noisy.”

Yu Qianran watched as Yuyu, red-eyed, held back his tears before turning away. “Let’s go buy groceries.”

Lu Zishen immediately abandoned the friends he’d played with for several episodes and pushed his little cart, trotting eagerly after him.

Watching Lu Zishen’s enthusiastic retreating figure, Yuyu sniffled and asked, “Has Shenshen been possessed?”

During their previous interactions, Lu Zishen had been nothing like this. He’d practically looked down his nose at them, never gentle or friendly, and quick to lash out if they didn’t listen.

“Maybe,” Yangyang whispered, his gaze lingering on Yu Qianran.

It was no wonder they were suspicious. Lu Zishen’s image as a little tyrant was too deeply ingrained. Any sudden change would naturally make them think something was wrong with him.

Meanwhile, the two little ones, who had haphazardly grabbed two bunches of vegetables, stood facing off with the staff at the checkout counter. The staff insisted they couldn’t use money outside what the show provided to pay, while Lu Zishen argued that the money given by the show was for buying groceries, it hadn’t been said that they couldn’t use their own money for snacks.

Lu Zishen puffed up angrily, glaring at the staff. “You can’t do this. You didn’t set the rules clearly. I want to check out now.”

The staff firmly refused. “No, the other children didn’t break the rules.”

“I didn’t either,” Lu Zishen tilted his head, looking up at them. “You can check the footage from earlier. I guarantee no one said we couldn’t use our own money for snacks.”

Staff: “…”

That’s true, but no child would ever think of using such a method. If Lu Zhishen were allowed to do it, wouldn’t the other kids also clamor for the same? If they fill up on snacks, how would the planned tasks proceed afterward?

So, there’s absolutely no way they could let this kid, Lu Zhishen, pay.

Seeing that he couldn’t make any headway with Lu Zhishen, the staff member turned his gaze to the quiet little one beside him, offering a friendly smile. “Ranran, would you be willing to help Uncle persuade Shenshen? If you don’t buy anything now, I’ll give you a bag of snacks after the recording, okay?”

Yu Qianran tilted his head, his beautiful eyes lifting to meet the earnest gaze. He raised his eyebrows thoughtfully.

Lu Zhishen panicked, afraid that Yu Qianran might agree, and hurriedly spoke up. “Ranran, no! This is what I want to give you. I can’t let someone else give it to you.”

He glared angrily, thinking how mean the staff member was. He wanted to send him off to Africa to grow bananas, never to return and disturb his and Ranran’s little world.

Feeling his body being held tightly, Yu Qianran turned his head to look at Lu Zhishen, who was clinging to him. “I didn’t say I would agree.”

Ranran could sense that Lu Zhishen was different from the other children he had met before. Others would either avoid or bully him when they learned he was sick, but Lu Zhishen didn’t. Even after finding out, he never left Ranran behind.

He wanted the snacks that Lu Zhishen would give him.

“Sorry, Uncle, Ranran can’t agree,” Yu Qianran said, breaking free from Lu Zhishen’s hold and apologizing sincerely. “I only want the ones Shenshen gives me.”

The staff member was about to say something else when a message from the director came through his earpiece, telling him not to interfere. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Alright, but you can’t eat them while the show is being recorded, okay?”

Hearing that they could buy the snacks, Yu Qianran happily nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

In the blink of an eye, before anyone could react, Lu Zhishen had already tiptoed to let the cashier scan and pay. After succeeding, he flashed a mischievous grin at the camera.

The director behind the scenes: “…”

“Shenshen, Uncle agreed…” Yu Qianran turned around but didn’t see Lu Zhishen. Spinning 180 degrees, he spotted him packing the snacks.

“Almost done,” Lu Zhishen said, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement as he stuffed the last box of cookies into the shopping bag.

Little Lu Zhishen stood with two half-person-high bags on either side of him, the snacks seemingly about to spill out from the top. He tried lifting one bag in each hand, straining with all his might but failing to pick them up.

A slightly embarrassed expression appeared on the adorable little boy’s face. He bit his lip and pleaded, “Ranran, don’t look at me.”

This is so embarrassing!

Yu Qianran couldn’t help but giggle. He walked over, took Lu Zhishen’s hand, and said, “Let me help you carry it.” With his other hand, he grabbed the bag and tried to lift it, but it slipped back down as soon as it rose a little.

It’s so heavy. I shouldn’t have laughed just now. He let go, spreading his palm to reveal red marks from the strain, and pressed his lips together without saying a word.

Lu Zhishen’s dimples appeared as he laughed. “Ranran, you little silly.”

“Don’t laugh,” Yu Qianran huffed.

“I’m not laughing at you,” Lu Zhishen widened his eyes innocently. “I’m laughing at myself.”

Yu Qianran stared intently, hands on his hips, and snorted.

He didn’t believe Lu Zhishen’s words. When he couldn’t lift the bag earlier, he had almost cried. Clearly, he was making fun of him.

The laughter beside him didn’t stop. Yu Qianran pouted. “I’m not playing with you anymore. I’m going home.”

Annoying Shenshen, why laugh at him? Doesn’t he have any pride?

Lu Zhishen suddenly lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Yu Qianran, mumbling, “No, I won’t laugh anymore.”

After finally finding a friend he liked, he couldn’t bear to make them angry and go home.

A mischievous glint flashed in Yu Qianran’s eyes as he pretended to stay calm and said, “You have to apologize to me, and you have to tell your parents that you couldn’t lift it.”

Lu Zhishen hesitated.

He didn’t want to be laughed at by his parents, but Ranran seemed really angry.

His gaze fixed on Yu Qianran, who showed no sign of relenting, he reluctantly agreed.