Chapter 15: Don't Pay Attention to Her From Now On

Seeing Tang Yun hit him, Gu Chengcheng's eyes instantly grew misty. Not understanding why his mother was hitting him, he spoke up aggrievedly, "Sister said I should call him Master Zhi."

Tang Yun: "..."

Tang Yun turned her head and looked toward Gu Zhiqi.

Gu Zhiqi gave a light cough, pretending she hadn't heard Gu Chengcheng's words. She silently turned her head away and continued to stare at the tree trunk, counting ants as if nothing had happened.

Tang Yun raised her hand to rub her brow, withdrew her gaze, and looked down at the little radish clinging to her leg. "From now on, you have to call her Sister Xixi, do you hear me?"

The little radish nodded in dazed understanding, then looked toward Gu Zhiqi and called out obediently, "Sister Xixi."

Gu Zhiqi turned her head and raised an eyebrow at the little radish.

After a moment's thought, Tang Yun introduced her to Gu Zhiqi, "This is Gu Chengcheng, my son."

Gu Zhiqi nodded.

Only then did Tang Yun take her keys and walk to the door to open it.

"Follow me." Once the door was open, Tang Yun glanced back at Gu Zhiqi.

Gu Zhiqi stepped forward to follow.

The entrance led directly into the living room. The house was a two-story tiled building; the living room and inner rooms were quite cool, though the lighting was a bit dim.

Tang Yun led Gu Zhiqi all the way up to the second floor and pointed to a room upstairs. "You'll stay here. Clean the room yourself."

Having said that, without waiting for Gu Zhiqi to respond, she turned and headed straight back downstairs.

**

By the time Gu Zhiqi finished cleaning her room and went downstairs, it was already dusk.

The sound of stir-frying came from the kitchen, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of food.

In the living room, Gu Chengcheng was leaning over the table, counting candies.

"One."

Gu Chengcheng moved one candy from the left to the right.

"Two."

He moved another one to the right.

"Three."

...

Sitting beside Gu Chengcheng was a dark, thin youth, who was staring at Gu Chengcheng as he counted.

Hearing movement at the foot of the stairs, the youth looked up. Upon seeing Gu Zhiqi, he froze for a moment, and then his brows furrowed deeply, his eyes tinged with obvious dislike and hostility.

He shot a quick glance at Gu Zhiqi, ignored her, and continued to sit aside watching Gu Chengcheng count.

"Ten."

"Twenty."

"Thirty."

"Idiot, you're wrong. After ten comes eleven." Seeing Gu Chengcheng miscount, the youth spoke up to correct him.

"Chengcheng isn't an idiot, you're the idiot, Brother." Gu Chengcheng pulled a long face and looked up at the youth indignantly.

Seeing this, the youth let out a light sneer and raised an eyebrow at Gu Chengcheng. "If you can't even count, what else would you be if not an idiot?"

Hearing this, Gu Chengcheng's lip quivered, looking as if he were about to cry.

At that moment, he spotted Gu Zhiqi leaning against the stair railing. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he called out softly, "Sister Xixi."

Gu Zhiqi gave him a slight raise of her eyebrows.

"I have candy, for you." Gu Chengcheng pushed the ten candies he had finished counting to one side, scooped up the remaining candies with both small hands, and then ran pitter-patter to Gu Zhiqi's side, holding out the candies to her like a precious treasure.

Gu Zhiqi didn't move; she simply crossed her arms and looked down at the child. "For me?"

Gu Chengcheng nodded with a serious and obedient expression.

Of course, he wouldn't say that it was because he always miscounted once he went past ten.

Now that he had given all these candies to Sister Xixi, he wouldn't have to count the ones after that.

Hearing this, Gu Zhiqi raised her eyebrows, intending to speak, when a figure suddenly appeared behind Gu Chengcheng.

"Who told you to give her candy?"

The youth rose from the sofa. With one hand, he enveloped Gu Chengcheng's hand holding the candy, and with the other, he slid his arm under Gu Chengcheng's to lift him up and carry him back to the sofa.

Seeing this, Gu Chengcheng's little face instantly collapsed, wrinkling up like a steamed bun.

"Stay away from her. You're not allowed to pay her any attention from now on, do you hear me?" Gu Cheng'an said to Gu Chengcheng right in front of Gu Zhiqi. As he spoke, he pried all the candy out of the boy's hands and placed them on the table. "Continue counting."

(End of Chapter)