Chapter 8

After the previous day, Lu Qingyuan also had to go to school. Naturally, he couldn’t accompany Chen Annan to kindergarten anymore. When Chen Annan heard his uncle tell him this that morning, he nodded with a very serious expression.

He felt he had worked so hard to soothe his brother last night, and he absolutely couldn’t let his brother go to the kindergarten and get scolded again.

Lu Wenyuan hadn’t expected Chen Annan’s state today to be so much better than yesterday. When he dropped Chen Annan off at the classroom door, the boy even waved at him cheerfully and said, “Bai bai (Bye-bye).”

The crying in the kindergarten was much subdued compared to the day before. Most of the children had already adjusted to the group setting again. Only a few, still reluctant to part from their parents, sat on their little stools and wept.

Chen Annan was much tougher than they were. Only after his uncle’s figure had completely vanished from the window did he lower his head and quietly wipe a tear with the back of his hand. Then he stared at that window for a long, long time.

To be sent to this small building every day from now on, unable to see the person he was familiar with—what a frightening thing that was.

After wiping his tears, Chen Annan sat quietly in his own seat, first listening to the teacher soothe the other children.

The little boy who had bullied him yesterday came to school with one side of his face swollen. When he saw Chen Annan, he glared at him with a spiteful look.

Frightened by this glare, Chen Annan scooted his bottom back, pressing himself firmly against the chair. He sat up perfectly straight, his shoulders tense, not daring to move another inch.

If only Brother were here. He thought and thought. In the blink of an eye, another tear fell onto the back of his hand.

He really missed his brother. He wondered if, when his brother left home and went to school, he also cried like this. Did he miss home? Did he miss Uncle? Did he miss him?

This one little thought occupied Chen Annan all morning without him figuring it out.

At lunchtime in the kindergarten, everyone formed a little train to go to the cafeteria. Having learned from the previous day’s lesson, the teachers didn’t dare to be lax. The line was led by two homeroom teachers at the front and followed by two teaching assistants at the back.

At the long cafeteria tables, six children sat facing each other. Their meal trays were placed before them, and the cafeteria lady pushed a cart around, serving each of them.

Chen Annan’s tray contained a lot of extra fruit and small pastries, all shared by the other children. Having asked about his preferences yesterday, the kids were now eagerly presenting these treasures to him today.

Chen Annan chewed on his spoon. The pile of snacks on his tray, like a little mountain, left him not even knowing where to start.

Before he was even done eating, another child came over.

Vibrant, freshly washed strawberries were neatly arranged in a lunch box and placed before Chen Annan. He let out a “Wow,” said thank you, and then offered the little girl his yogurt in return.

The little girl was utterly delighted and said she’d bring him something else tomorrow.

Chen Annan shook his head, saying it wasn’t necessary and that he appreciated the kind gesture.

No one knew if the little girl actually heard him. Delighted, she ran off with the yogurt carton. Chen Annan looked at the empty lunch box at his side. The cherry tomatoes his uncle had specially prepared for him as gifts to share were all gone already. He hadn’t eaten a single one. And the yogurt the cafeteria lady had just given out was also gone.

The children were truly too enthusiastic.

This excessive enthusiasm swept away the morning’s gloom. His little worries forgotten, Chen Annan was much happier during the afternoon’s activities. The vocal music teacher taught them a children’s song, accompanying them on an accordion. Chen Annan held hands with the child next to him, swaying his head and singing along with the rhythm.

Kindergarten let out at four in the afternoon. Parents waited outside the school gates while the children formed their little train to the entrance.

The moment Chen Annan heard they were being dismissed, his heart raced with impatience. It had been an entire day! A whole day without seeing his uncle! So, on the way out, when the child behind him tugged a little too hard on his clothes, even making him choke slightly, he didn’t mind. He just craned his neck left and right, searching to see if his uncle had arrived.

Not him. Not him either. Not him again… Chen Annan stood on his tiptoes, his head swiveling everywhere, anxious beyond words.

“Cub, what are you looking for?” A familiar voice suddenly came from above his head.

Chen Annan looked up. Seeing that familiar face, he was so overjoyed he couldn’t speak. Lu Wenyuan opened his arms to him, and he threw himself into them, both arms wrapping tight, his face pressing firmly against his uncle’s shirt. He sniffed and sniffed. The familiar scent made him feel safe.

Lu Wenyuan scooped the child up, supporting his bottom.

Chen Annan wrapped both his legs around his uncle. As Lu Wenyuan walked, he freed one hand to pinch the soft flesh of Chen Annan’s cheek, then cupped his chin. “Did you miss your Uncle?” he asked, smiling.

Chen Annan’s mouth puckered into a little duck bill, making his words all sticky and mushy. “I missed you to death!”

“How much?” Lu Wenyuan asked.

“Super, super, super, super much…” Chen Annan’s fingers touched his uncle’s ear, then trailed around to the back of his neck, stroking the ends of his short hair. The soft, prickly sensation was a rare delight to him.

“Uncle also missed you super, super, super much.” Lu Wenyuan carried him towards the car.

Chen Annan pursed his lips. “So when you can’t see me, will you be sad?”

“Of course. Not seeing Nannan for a whole day would break Uncle’s heart,” Lu Wenyuan said, hoisting him higher so his legs dangled more comfortably.

Hearing this answer, Chen Annan reached out and wrapped his arms around the back of Lu Wenyuan’s neck. He rested his head on his uncle’s shoulder and, like a small animal, nuzzled his cheek against Lu Wenyuan’s face obediently.

This affectionate gesture was Chen Annan’s way of comforting someone.

His uncle wouldn’t be able to see him every day from now on. How sad he must be. He probably cried secretly, just like him. Chen Annan began to worry, like a tiny adult.

He also wondered if his brother would be very sad about this, too.

“Don’t be sad. I get out of school at four every day. I’ll miss you a lot too.” Chen Annan rested his chin on his uncle’s shoulder, his head bobbing slightly as he spoke.

He used his little hand to gently pat his uncle’s back. “When I’m not home, my Snoopy will fly out and stay with you.”

Snoopy was a toy he had brought from his old home. Chen Annan liked this little dog very much. Now, he wanted to give this toy to Lu Wenyuan, so it could take his place and keep his uncle company.

Too adorable. Lu Wenyuan’s heart melted completely at the child’s nuzzling. His warm, broad palm covered Chen Annan’s head. He couldn’t bear to tease him any more, for fear of truly making the child sad.

He carried Chen Annan to the car. The moment Chen Annan got in, he suddenly froze.

His brother was sitting inside! He let out a low gasp of surprise and immediately threw himself towards Lu Qingyuan with a delighted little cry.

Lu Qingyuan turned his body to the side, trying to evade, but the car’s limited space was against him. He still ended up with an armful. Chen Annan latched onto his arm, lifted his little face, and leaned in close, saying, “Brother, I missed you especially, especially, especially too.”

Lu Qingyuan shot him a glance and replied with the same coolness as always. “Oh.”

Chen Annan was somewhat used to his brother’s attitude by now. His feelings weren’t as fragile as in the very beginning. He felt that his brother must miss him too, just like Uncle did, missing him unbearably.

So, with a belly full of comforting words, he clingily hugged Lu Qingyuan’s arm and shook it, like a little puppy wagging its tail. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at his brother. “Brother, you absolutely mustn’t be sad.”

Lu Qingyuan: “?”

“I have to go to school every day from now on. You don’t need to miss me too much. I’ll be back in the evening to keep you company.” Chen Annan comforted him.

Lu Qingyuan asked, “Did I ever say I missed you?”

Chen Annan was taken aback. “You don’t miss me?”

“No.” Lu Qingyuan’s reply was as blunt as a cleaver.

Chen Annan hadn’t expected him to say that. All the sweet words that were on the tip of his tongue caught in his throat. The warm, affectionate scene he’d been imagining all day was shattered just like that, as light as air.

He moved his mouth, unable to speak. His tiny little heart quietly shattered once more.

He let go of Lu Qingyuan’s arm, murmured a soft “Fine,” and then silently scooted back to his own spot. His fingers picked at the leather seat, and he turned his face towards the window.

Their relationship was in a very strange place right now. They had clearly slept together just last night. How could it feel like they were back to square one today? He had thought they were already on very good terms.

Chen Annan scratched his face. Seeing that Lu Qingyuan ignored him, he turned his head and, pretending to be casual, asked, “Uncle, you miss me, right?”

“That’s a fact. I missed you to death.” Lu Wenyuan said with a laugh.

Hearing this, Lu Qingyuan finally turned his head and met Chen Annan’s gaze.

Chen Annan immediately twisted his face away. He sat bolt upright, tilting his little chin up defiantly, not looking at him.

Lu Wenyuan, driving up front, glanced into the rearview mirror as he turned the steering wheel. He saw the child wilted and drooping his head like an eggplant touched by frost—despondent and gloomy.

Looking again, he saw the culprit still staring unwaveringly at the scenery outside, showing no awareness that he should be offering comfort.

When it came to matters between the two kids, Lu Wenyuan actually didn’t like to intervene much. He felt that long-term coexistence required a natural smoothing out of personalities. Small emotions needed to be digested, especially given how vastly different their natures were.

This was just Lu Qingyuan’s personality—aloof and cold. When he was very young, he would be affectionate, even clingy. But as he got a little older, it seemed like a subtle distance emerged. He became less talkative, somewhat resembling his mother.

Chen Annan was rubbing the hem of his shirt, working through his own thoughts, when he suddenly heard Lu Wenyuan speak up: “Nannan, did you know there’s a certain kind of person in the world?”

Chen Annan looked up, curious. “What kind of person?”

Lu Qingyuan also looked over, puzzled.

“People whose words don’t match their heart,” Lu Wenyuan said with a serious face. “For instance, some people say one thing with their mouth, but behind the scenes, they keep asking, ‘Has Chen Annan been let out of school yet?’ ‘Dad, why haven’t you gone to pick him up? We’ll be late if you wait any longer.’ ‘Dad, why haven’t you left yet? Chen Annan will be worried.’ Nagging on and on until my ears hurt.”

After he finished, he glanced at the rearview mirror again, lifting his chin at Lu Qingyuan’s reflection. His eyes were full of mischief. “Hey, Cub, have you ever met anyone like that?”