Chapter 41 – Brother Shu...

The red jeep came to a steady stop at the entrance of the Xu family’s apartment complex, but Lin Xiaowen was adamant—she absolutely refused to let Cheng Yishu get out of the car.

There they sat, glaring at each other, locked in a stalemate.

“Oh, come on, I mean it! You really can’t come in with me! Just wait here for me, will you? I’ll pick up Ranran and then go home to make something delicious for you two, how does that sound?” Lin Xiaowen smiled at Cheng Yishu with almost sycophantic charm.

All along the drive, Lin Xiaowen had tried every trick she could think of, but Cheng Yishu remained unmoved.

Now, in the end, she was even resorting to acting cute and petulant.

“You’re really this persistent?” Cheng Yishu shot her a sidelong glance, looking thoroughly dissatisfied.

“I’m just worried you’ll scare people!” Lin Xiaowen exclaimed melodramatically. “With your natural aristocratic air, you’re totally out of place in this neighborhood! It’s not even dark yet—aren’t you worried someone will recognize you?”

“What are you saying? Not dark yet, worried about being recognized—why does that sound so weird? I’m not a fugitive!” Cheng Yishu frowned unhappily.

“You’re even scarier than a fugitive!” Lin Xiaowen rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath.

“What did you say?” Cheng Yishu felt as if steam was coming out of his nose.

“N-nothing, haha...” Lin Xiaowen gave a guilty little laugh.

Cheng Yishu folded his arms and faced her, the corners of his lips curling into a sly smile. “Fine, I won’t go in with you—but only if you say something nice to please me. Cheer me up, and I’ll do as you say.”

“Cheer you up?” Lin Xiaowen was having none of it, shrinking away from him. “Why should I?”

“Why are you sitting so far from me?” Cheng Yishu couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. “I said say something nice, I didn’t say you had to do anything!”

“I... well, I still won’t!” Lin Xiaowen glared at him, her face beginning to flush.

“Alright then, let’s just see who gives in first!” Cheng Yishu sat up straight and leaned back, making it clear he was ready to dig in his heels.

“Oh, come on, what exactly do you want me to say?” Lin Xiaowen was getting desperate. She’d promised to pick up Ranran early, and who knew if the child was feeling unwell again today.

“Well... call me Brother Yishu and let me hear it!” Cheng Yishu turned to her, smiling expectantly.

“Brother Yishu?” Lin Xiaowen stared at him as if she’d seen a ghost. “Ranran calls you Brother Yishu, and you want me to call you that too? Are you out of your mind?”

Cheng Yishu was taken aback for a second—she had a point.

“Then... just call me Brother Shu!” he adapted quickly.

“I won’t! For all you know, I’m older than you—why should I call you brother?” Lin Xiaowen huffed in annoyance. ‘I’d end up in the same generation as Ranran—ridiculous...’

“I don’t care! If you don’t say it, I won’t let you out of the car. You can forget about picking up Ranran. Let’s just sit here and watch the stars tonight!” Cheng Yishu resorted to outright sulking.

“Alright, alright, you win!” Lin Xiaowen looked at him, exasperated by his triumphant expression. She opened her mouth, but the words just wouldn’t come out, leaving Cheng Yishu quietly cheering her on.

“Is it that hard?” Cheng Yishu pursed his lips and encouraged her, “Come on!”

Lin Xiaowen took a deep breath, steeled herself, and blurted out quickly, “Brother Shu!”

The moment the words left her mouth, she turned away and reached for the car door, but no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn’t open.

“Open the door?” Lin Xiaowen had no choice but to ask for help again. When she turned back, Cheng Yishu was already leaning over, one hand threading through her loose hair, the other pressing gently over her hand on the door handle.

Though it wasn’t the first time they’d been so close, each encounter made her heart race faster than the last.

“Your hair’s a mess and you don’t even notice. People might think I bullied you!” Cheng Yishu’s voice was right above her, soft and intimate.

A sleek men’s necklace slid out from his collar, still warm from his skin, swinging lightly before her eyes.

Its soft metallic sheen caught her gaze, sending waves of dizziness through her.

“Go on, I’ll wait for you both!” The door finally opened. Lin Xiaowen nodded, eyes lowered, and darted out as if fleeing, her heart pounding all the way.

Cheng Yishu, however, was clearly satisfied with her reaction, his pleasure written all over his face.

Half an hour later...

Just as Cheng Yishu was losing patience and reaching for his phone, he finally saw Lin Xiaowen approaching, holding hands with a bouncing, energetic Ranran.

“Brother Yishu!” Ranran practically squealed with delight, throwing her arms around Cheng Yishu’s leg as he stood by the car.

He was just as delighted, scooping Ranran up and pinching her plump little cheeks. “Did you feel alright today? Did you eat well at Auntie Ning’s? And did that old Mrs. Xu treat you badly?”

“What nonsense are you talking?” Lin Xiaowen scolded him with a glare. “Don’t say things like that in front of the child! Auntie Xu dotes on Ranran, don’t you, Ranran?”

“Mm-hmm! Grandma Xu made me yummy pumpkin cakes... and orange juice. She even took me to the park to play on the slide this afternoon...” Ranran snuggled close to Cheng Yishu’s neck, her soft, sweet voice making her even more endearing.

“Really? And are you full?” Cheng Yishu raised an eyebrow at her. “If you are, then no big feast for us tonight!”

“Big feast?” Ranran’s round eyes sparkled. She thought for a moment, then said seriously, “I ate a lot at lunch, but I’m hungry again now, so let’s go have the feast!”

“You little glutton!” Lin Xiaowen laughed at the pair of them. “Come on, let’s go home. Mommy will make your favorite cola chicken wings, alright?”

“Yes! Brother Yishu, Xiaowen makes the best cola chicken wings, you have to eat an extra one!” Ranran always had endless things to say to Cheng Yishu and an inexhaustible attachment to him. Lin Xiaowen herself couldn’t quite explain why, but Cheng Yishu seemed to enjoy it, so she let them be as affectionate as they liked.

“Alright! Tonight, Brother Yishu and Ranran will have a big feast together! Let’s go...” Cheng Yishu personally opened the car door, tucked Ranran into the back seat, and buckled her in. Then he paused, turned to Lin Xiaowen, and asked, “Do you want to sit in the back with Ranran or next to me?”

There was a spark in Cheng Yishu’s eyes that made Lin Xiaowen lower her gaze. “I’m not comfortable with Ranran sitting alone in the back. I’ll sit with her.”

Cheng Yishu smiled. “Alright, you sit in the back today. Tomorrow I’ll go buy a child safety seat...”

Lin Xiaowen looked up at him, their eyes meeting, as he added softly, “That way, from now on, you can sit next to me.”

On the way home, Lin Xiaowen remained quiet, while Ranran chattered away, bombarding Cheng Yishu with questions.

Cheng Yishu answered every one with remarkable patience. The little girl was so happy she almost clambered over the seats to get closer to him, if not for Lin Xiaowen’s restraint.

Laughter from Ranran and Cheng Yishu rang from the living room. For one brief moment, Lin Xiaowen felt that this, at last, was what a real, warm home should be.