Chapter 24
The butler uncle carried a young boy in his arms, who appeared to be slightly younger than Jiang Yan, with rosy lips and white teeth, and an exquisite appearance. He even blinked with a pair of almond-shaped eyes, looking utterly adorable, melting the heart of anyone who saw him.
"Miss, the master has found a playmate for you. Do you want him?" the butler asked with a smile.
Jiang Yan pretended not to understand, thinking to herself, "Could he have found a child? It's probably Yu's Father's illegitimate son."
Since the young miss did not respond, the butler put the little boy down and let him roam around. He planned to keep him for a few days and observe the young miss's reaction.
But during the afternoon rest, the conversation between the butler and the cook dispelled her doubts.
Jiang Yan hid behind a vase on the second floor, eavesdropping on the two of them.
She heard the butler say, "...He's indeed an unfortunate one. His parents were killed in an accident all at once. His family is overseas, and they're all wolves in sheep's clothing. The master had originally planned to have him sent elsewhere to be raised, but suddenly he thought of the young miss and had me bring him back."
"Alas, it's truly not easy," sighed the cook.
The butler said, "Let's see how it goes. See if the young miss wants to keep him."
After learning the full story, Jiang Yan quietly turned around, only to bump into a fluffy head.
She didn't know if Ji Chu had heard their conversation or not, and didn't know why he was so happy, his round eyes squinting into crescent moons, calling out in a sweet voice, "Sister."
Jiang Yan: ...It's awkward to be caught eavesdropping by the subject of the conversation.
Fortunately, he's still a child.
Jiang Yan stroked his soft hair and led him back by the hand.
He had been assigned to the room next to Jiang Yan's but somehow wandered out.
However, to the butler's delight, the young miss and the little boy quickly became "close".
In fact, Ji Chu had become Jiang Yan's little shadow. Wherever Jiang Yan went, he followed. Even with his short legs slowing him down, he stuck closer than the servants.
Although Jiang Yan outwardly showed disdain for him, he had settled into the Yu Family.
Gu Yuming noticed by chance that the little princess hadn't come to this side for several days.
He nonchalantly tossed a stone in his hand, shattering the glass window of the villa.
With a "crash" sound, the woman's roar echoed from inside the room. Gu Yuming wisely ran away, evading the woman's pursuit with a feather duster for several rounds without being caught.
But just as he was feeling triumphant, a stone tripped him. He spun around and fell to his knees, scraping his knees and drawing blood.
Gu's stepmother didn't care about such trivialities. Furious, she dragged him back to the villa and pushed him violently to the ground, raining blows with the feather duster like a downpour.
Gu Yuming, still a child physically, lacked the strength to run. He could only endure the beating while contemplating smashing her makeup mirror the next time.
But as he glanced outside, he suddenly caught sight of that familiar figure, small and trembling, looking over with a frightened gaze, as if startled.
A sweet taste welled up in Gu Yuming's heart, like the flavor of fluffy rain droplets falling into his mouth.
But immediately after, he tightened his lips resolutely. Because behind that figure emerged a little white ball. Dressed neatly, his mouth wide open as if about to cry, clutching Jiang Yan's clothes.
Gu Yuming's sweet taste vanished, replaced by a stifling feeling. He glared coldly at those two clean, good-looking children, feeling betrayed.
She's not just nice to him.
Seeing the numerous servants from the Yu Family, Gu's stepmother didn't dare continue beating him. She angrily complained, saying Gu Yuming was obstinate and ignorant, his heart wicked from such a young age, trying to drive her to her death...
A psychologist among the servants then engaged her in conversation, neither agreeing nor dismissing her, maintaining a balanced relationship between the employers.
Jiang Yan had initially been stunned. Knowing about something and witnessing a child being beaten helplessly were two different matters.
She wanted to check Gu Yuming's bruises but had only taken two steps when Gu Yuming snarled fiercely at her, "Get lost!"
Gu's stepmother immediately pointed at Gu Yuming and said, "Look! Look at him! See, this brat is so vicious, heartless and soulless..."
Jiang Yan felt Gu Yuming's hostility was a bit intense today. She turned and left, though she had sent him medicine last time and planned to check on him again in a few days.
Fearing she might be frightened, the Yu Family servants quickly took Ji Chu away.
Back at the Yu Family villa, Jiang Yan showed no reaction, but Ji Chu was visibly affected, his large eyes brimming with two pools of tears, crystal clear, on the verge of crying as he looked at Jiang Yan.
"They didn't beat you," Jiang Yan was initially quite impatient with him, but couldn't bear to see a child like that. She gave him some candy and sweets to console him, finding it strange that a child would be so upset at witnessing someone else's beating.
...
Whenever Gu's father came home, he claimed to have been out socializing, but only he knew where he had been all night.
Gu's stepmother cursed and ate dinner alone. Before going upstairs, she instructed the servants to throw away the food and not let Gu Yuming eat.
Gu Yuming quietly stayed in his dark room, his gaze cold and indifferent, ignoring the woman's shouts and curses, fiddling with the band-aids on his hands.
The small band-aids were faintly scented with a pleasant medicinal fragrance, adorned with cute butterfly patterns. These were from the medicine Jiang Yan had sent over last time.
The servants downstairs quickly cleaned up, and the villa fell silent. Hungry and famished, Gu Yuming calmly contemplated all night how he could take cruel revenge on them.
In the villa area, Jiang Yan visited Gu Yuming a few more times, but he rarely came out anymore. Even when he did and saw her, he would only turn his head away.
But there was one place she could approach him - the Noble Kindergarten.
After all, Gu's father wouldn't completely abandon Gu Yuming.
Ji Chu was a new student at the kindergarten. He looked clean and adorable, soft and cuddly, quickly surrounded by a group of children.
Ji Chu once again refused a little girl who wanted to play with him, waddling over to the lonely Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan was pondering how to draw Gu Yuming out, as the Gu Family hadn't gone bankrupt yet but was already in such a state.
Seeing Ji Chu approach, she only said, "Go play with them."
"Sister," Ji Chu called out softly, stealthily holding out his cupped hands to her. Jiang Yan looked and saw several exquisitely packaged candies.
She asked Ji Chu, "Given to you by others?"
Ji Chu solemnly nodded, whispering, "All for you to eat." His demeanor was so obedient, those words sounded like melted milk candy, milky and sweet.
Like a little hoarding hamster, sharing his food with someone else.