I Found My Future Wife Next Door - Chapter 9

In the living room, two women sat elegantly on the sofa, sipping tea. They exchanged glances, each trying to gauge the other’s intentions.

Gu Yu set down her teacup, her earlier relaxed demeanor gone. She straightened up and said, “I heard you’ve stepped back from your career recently to focus on raising your child at home?”

Gu Kexin gave a light “Mm” in response. “Is there a problem with that?”

“No problem at all,” Gu Yu replied with a genuine smile, her ambition barely concealed. “You haven’t chosen someone to take over your work yet, have you? Outsiders can’t be trusted to manage things properly. Why not let me handle it for you? We’re family, I’d never do anything to harm you.”

Gu Kexin understood perfectly. She set her teacup down calmly and said, “That won’t be necessary. You have your own child to raise. I wouldn’t dare trouble you.”

Her impression of this distant relative was even fainter than that of her subordinates at work. She had long anticipated that these ill-intentioned relatives would come knocking once they heard the news. She had expected them to ask for a cushy job with a salary, but she hadn’t imagined they would be greedy enough to try and snatch everything from her hands.

“No trouble at all,” Gu Yu insisted shamelessly, waving her hand as if she hadn’t understood Gu Kexin’s refusal. “My child is older now and doesn’t need my constant attention. It’s the perfect time for me to take over.” She spoke with a bright smile.

Gu Kexin glanced at her, unwilling to engage with someone so lacking in self-awareness.

Just as Gu Yu was about to say more, a sharp, piercing cry suddenly echoed through the room,

“Waaah… Mommy, waaah!”

Gu Yu’s expression changed instantly. She was highly sensitive to her son’s voice and immediately accused Gu Kexin, “Your child is bullying mine.”

Gu Kexin didn’t even bother to look at Gu Yu. She stood up calmly. “Let’s go see.”

When the two adults reached the doorway of the room, their eyes fell on the scene of Lu Zhishen pinning his little cousin to the floor and beating him up.

The little boy on the floor was wailing loudly, trying to fight back but utterly overwhelmed and pinned down in a pitiful state.

“Whose child is this? Get off him right now!” Gu Yu reacted immediately, rushing forward in a panic and raising her hand to strike Lu Zhishen.

“Stop.” Gu Kexin caught Gu Yu’s wrist, halting her slap mid-air. “What are you doing, bullying a child? Isn’t it too much to resort to violence before even understanding what happened?”

Gu Yu was nearly driven mad with anger. Forgetting her original purpose for visiting, she was now solely focused on punishing the child who had bullied her son. She shouted loudly, “What else could have happened? Can’t you see my child being beaten up by this little brat?!”

Gu Kexin glanced over and replied coolly, “I see.”

She shifted her gaze away from the two children and locked onto Ranran, who was sitting on the floor looking slightly pale.

Was he frightened?

Gu Kexin beckoned gently, her voice soothing. “Ranran, come to Mommy.”

Yu Qianran touched his chest, it didn’t hurt much anymore, and scrambled up from the floor. He moved over to hug Gu Kexin’s leg and said pitifully, “Mommy, Ranran doesn’t like him. He bullied Ranran.”

His tiny finger pointed at the little boy crying on the floor.

Gu Kexin’s eyes filled with heartache. She reached out and stroked Yu Qianran’s soft hair, promising, “Alright, Mommy won’t let him come here again.”

Ignored one moment and publicly humiliated the next, Gu Yu was both furious and embarrassed. “Gu Kexin!” she shouted.

Gu Kexin remained composed, her tone firm. “I’m sorry, but please leave. You’re not welcome in my home.”

“You’re insane!” Gu Yu raised her voice, pushing Lu Zhishen aside to shield her son. “Your child teamed up with this stray kid from who knows where to hit someone. If you don’t give me an explanation, I’m not leaving.”

Her tone was aggressive, passing judgment on the matter with ease.

Gu Kexin warned, “Gu Yu, if you keep making a scene, don’t blame me for disregarding the last shred of family ties.”

“Why don’t you ask your son what he did? How did he suddenly get hit?” She curled her lips, her voice as cold as the winter wind.

Hearing this, Gu Yu agreed without hesitation. Her son tugged at the corner of her clothes, and she looked down to hear a soft “Mom.” Yet, his face was even paler than before.

Instantly, Gu Yu guessed that her son had caused trouble first. But so what? Her son was the one who got hit, while those two brats were completely unharmed. She would definitely demand an explanation.

Gu Kexin took it all in, a flicker of mockery in her eyes. She crouched down and gently asked, “Ranran, you go first. Mom believes you. Don’t be afraid.”

“Mom, he snatched Ranran’s toy, hit Ranran’s hand, and called Ranran names.” Yu Qianran counted the things his little cousin had done, his voice filled with grievance. “He said Ranran was a burden and a sickly child. But Ranran isn’t Mom’s burden.”

He was Mom’s most beloved treasure.

Gu Kexin’s heart ached as she hugged Yu Qianran, comforting him softly before turning to Gu Yu with a stern voice. “Did you hear that?”

Gu Yu, though in the wrong, stood her ground defiantly, pointing at Lu Zhishen. “No matter what, he shouldn’t have hit my son!”

Yu Qianran widened his eyes, looking up at the unreasonable woman. His childish voice grew urgent, his words slightly slurred. “That’s not true! He pushed me down twice first. Shenshen wasn’t even going to hit him, but he wouldn’t let us leave!”

“I hate you.” Yu Qianran glared at them, pulling Gu Kexin’s hand to his chest. “It hurt here earlier.”

Upon hearing this, Gu Kexin’s expression changed instantly. She no longer cared to listen to Gu Yu and her son’s excuses, urgently calling for Aunt Wang to fetch the family doctor.

Yu Qianran was carried to the bed in the room. His beautiful eyes met the worried gaze, and he reached out to gently pat the back of the other’s hand. “Mom, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Then, his tiny finger pointed toward Lu Zhishen, who was peeking cautiously from the doorway. “Shenshen only hit Little Cousin because of me. Mom, don’t blame Shenshen.”

Gu Kexin felt both touched and helpless.

“When did I say I was going to blame Zhishen?” She beckoned Lu Zhishen at the door to come in. “No matter what you do, as long as Ranran is here, Mom will always stand by Ranran’s side.”

Yu Qianran shyly lowered his head.

The family doctor arrived within seven or eight minutes, carrying examination tools. After a serious check-up, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

“There’s no major issue, but make sure the child doesn’t get overly emotional. This is very important!” The doctor emphasized repeatedly. “The scrapes on his body will heal in a few days with ointment applied morning and night.”

The hearts of the two adults and the child relaxed. Gu Kexin smiled warmly. “Thank you for your hard work.”

Because they prioritized the child’s health, the family had five doctors on rotation stationed at home, which was why the doctor arrived so quickly.

Gu Kexin sensed that the two children had something they wanted to say to each other. She left the room to give them space, stepping out to deal with the two troublesome relatives.

The door closed gently. Lu Zhishen couldn’t wait to ask, “Ranran, are you really okay?”

Yu Qianran curved his eyes into crescents and nodded emphatically.

“Are you still feeling unwell now?”

“Just a little.”

“Will it take several days before you can get out of bed?”

“I can get up now.”

Yu Qianran and Lu Zhishen exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.

Tilting his head, Yu Qianran said, “Shenshen, you’re so silly, asking me almost the same questions.”

He liked silly Shenshen too.

“That’s not true, I’m just worried about you.” Lu Zhishen took off his slippers, climbed onto the bed, and knelt in front of Yu Qianran. “Ranran, what illness do you have? Can’t it be cured?”

It was the same when they first met, and it was the same now.

He didn’t want to see Ranran sick all the time. Being sick was the most, most, most painful thing.

A look of sadness crossed Yu Qianran’s little face. “Mom says it’s a heart disease, and it will follow Ranran forever.”

He didn’t want to be sick either. He wanted to run around like other children, but he couldn’t say that, or else Mom and Dad would feel guilty and sad.

Lu Zhishen didn’t understand. He placed his hand over his own chest. “What kind of illness is that? Does it hurt here?”

Yu Qianran frowned, unsure how to explain. He shook his head. “I don’t know either, but it does hurt here.”

Lu Zhishen’s brows suddenly knitted together. He moved his hand from his own chest to Yu Qianran’s. “Is it here?”

Yu Qianran softly affirmed.

Lu Zhishen withdrew his hand and confidently patted his chest, making a promise. “It’s okay, Ranran. When I grow up, I’ll definitely be able to cure you.”

Huh?

Yu Qianran tilted his little head, his face showing both confusion and conflict. He muttered quietly, “But only doctors can cure illnesses.”

“Then I’ll become a doctor!” Lu Zhishen smiled, dimples appearing on both cheeks. “I’ll become the most, most, most amazing doctor and cure Ranran.”

Yu Qianran’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Lu Zhishen nodded repeatedly. “Let’s pinky swear.”

The two children hooked their little fingers together, making a promise about the future.

…

Yu Qianran only leaned against the bed for a while before remembering that he was supposed to assemble a new puzzle with Shenshen. Unable to wait any longer, he got out of bed to play.

“Wait for me.” Even as Lu Zhishen said “wait,” his footsteps never fell behind Yu Qianran.

Yu Qianran turned around and urged, “Hurry up, I haven’t shown it to you yet.”

The puzzle was placed on a shelf in the toy room, still in its beautifully wrapped packaging, unopened.

Yu Qianran directed Lu Zhishen to stand on a stool to retrieve it. The exquisite gift was unveiled before them.

With childish excitement, he said, “Let’s open it together.”

Lu Zhishen agreed with an “okay,” then suddenly remembered the question Ranran had asked him that morning. He said with certainty, “Ranran, you don’t know what the picture is either.”

Yu Qianran playfully stuck out his tongue.

“Oh, Ranran, you dared to trick me.” Lu Zhishen pretended to be angry, pinching and pulling Yu Qianran’s chubby cheeks.

Yu Qianran immediately admitted his mistake, his words muffled. “Let go, let go, I was wrong.”

“Hmph, now you know how powerful I am?” Lu Zhishen let go, acting like a little boss. “If you trick me again, I’ll show you I have even more powerful moves.”

Yu Qianran raised his hands in surrender. “I won’t dare, I won’t dare.”

Lu Zhishen, like a victorious king, planted a firm kiss on Yu Qianran’s cheek.

With a loud “mwah.”

Yu Qianran froze in place, staring blankly at Lu Zhishen’s triumphant little expression. For the first time ever, he didn’t voice a protest.

Lu Zhishen chuckled softly, “Ranran is so soft and smells sweet, just like a little cake.”

Yu Qianran cupped his cheeks with both hands and said in a childish voice, “You can’t eat me.”

Lu Zhishen insisted on saying the opposite, “Yes, I can.”

Yu Qianran huffed and turned his head away, using the back of his head to express his protest.

This one-sided cold war didn’t last more than thirty seconds before Lu Zhishen tugged at Yu Qianran’s hand, trying to get him to kiss back, but Yu Qianran refused.

“Really not going to kiss?” Lu Zhishen stared straight at him.

Yu Qianran shook his little head. “No.”

Lu Zhishen sighed regretfully, “Alright then.”

Together, they unwrapped the gift box, revealing the original puzzle packaging with its crooked handwriting, which didn’t hinder their understanding at all.

Yu Qianran pointed at the pattern on the box, his eyes crinkling with a smile and his lips curling upward. “It’s Tom and Jerry, and the pretty bow-wearing kitty.”

He loved Tom and Jerry the most. Tom was so silly, never able to catch the mouse, but that made him adorably clumsy too.

“Is this your favorite?” Lu Zhishen asked.

It seemed like Tom and Jerry puzzles and toys were the most common, so Lu Zhishen had a rough idea.

Yu Qianran didn’t hide it at all, admitting openly, “Yes, yes, they’re so cute.”

Tom and Jerry were always running around, which was so much fun. He liked running around too…