Chapter 4

When Chu Xiaoxiao saw him suddenly lean closer, she immediately shifted warily and disdainfully to the corner, clutching her beloved iPad tightly. She looked Chu Xiaoyi up and down, her face revealing a hint of confusion as she noticed that the color of his emotions had brightened a little.

Chu Xiaoyi was momentarily taken aback; he indeed had not fully recovered from his illness, but it was nothing serious, and he did not know how the little one could tell. He quickly interjected, "It's nothing, just a common cold; I've already taken medicine for it."

My uncle's wife smiled brightly and said, "Then I will make some more tomorrow"

Chu Xiaoxiao saw her scheme succeed, and she could hardly contain her delight, almost wanting to wag her little devil's tail, revealing a hint of smugness.

The uncle suddenly mentioned, and immediately asked with concern: "Really? Does Xiao Yi have a sore throat?"

Chu Xiaoyi was directly exposed by Chu Xiaoxiao, and he simply sat down beside her, saying openly: "What are you looking at? Are you watching that pig again?"

Aunt: "Let me prepare some medicine for you, as you have indeed been working hard..."

Chu Xiaoxiao was too lazy to mention the matter of forcing herself to eat celery. She was originally looking down at her iPad, but upon hearing his words, she raised her head and glanced at him, then carefully scrutinized Chu Xiaoyi once again

Chu Xiaoyi showed a look of surprise: "Is this cooked by my dad?"

Chu Xiaoyi was so distressed that he could not speak; upon hearing this, he was so frightened that he repeatedly waved his hands to stop the considerate and attentive elder

Since he does not like her, how could she possibly like him

Chu Xiaoxiao is now the only person who knows his true feelings, and he immediately stops pretending, speaking much more casually.

Chu Xiaoyi relies on his looks to make a living, and he has always been successful in front of the opposite sex. However, one day he found himself at a disadvantage in front of his younger sister. The little girl could not hide her emotions, and although she tried to be subtle, her impatience was still evident, clearly unwilling to engage in too much conversation with Chu Xiaoyi

Chu Xiaoyi looked at her vivid little expressions and felt that her face was practically screaming "No Binding Allowed," which made him both angry and amused at the same time

Truly, exceptionally, bitter

Chu Xiaoyi had good intentions but ended up doing a bad deed; he never expected that his actions would diminish his sister's affection for him, leaving an even worse impression in Chu Xiaoxiao's heart

The elderly lady tilted her head to look at Chu Xiaoyi, and then broke into a smile. Her smile was infectious, bringing joy to everyone at the table.

Chu Xiaoyi's heart is now a deep blue, but devoid of the hazy gray, appearing somewhat clearer.

This is George

Mother actually smiled, you recognized Xiao Yi, didn't you

Chu Xiaoxiao clapped her small hands in agreement and said, "Hmm, brother is really amazing, drinking more is good for your health."

She still remembers people, and she still remembers her grandson

Chu Xiaoyi was not angry about his younger sister's rejection; rather, he considered it a normal reaction. If anyone suddenly had siblings appear out of nowhere, it would be difficult for them to respond positively. At least Chu Xiaoxiao was different from He Xin; she was clearly not accustomed to the presence of her new elder brother, and her entire demeanor exuded resistance.

Chu Xiaoyi was instantly rendered speechless. He never expected that the little one had such a strong sense of perception, being able to clearly understand the emotions of adults and even use the term "hypocrisy." He was unaware of Chu Xiaoxiao's abilities and merely thought it was a child's intuition, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words. He found it impossible to criticize Chu Xiaoxiao, as what she said was not wrong, and her aversion was entirely reasonable.

Chu Xiaoyi inadvertently found himself in a disadvantageous position during the initial battle, leading to an unexpected defeat. He immediately altered his tactics and began to observe his sister comprehensively. The saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles." Since his sister seemed indifferent to the goodwill he had extended first, he naturally felt compelled to retaliate.

Chu Xiaoxiao truly did not understand the other person's thought process, muttering: "It's none of your business"

After the excruciatingly difficult meal, the others began to clear the dishes from the table, leaving only the siblings drifting about in the living room

This is the most intolerable thing for Chu Xiaoxiao. Due to her special abilities, no one can easily deceive her, which makes Chu Xiaoyi appear particularly clumsy

Chu Xiaoyi's heart was no less tumultuous than raging waves. He was aware that his father's character had gradually improved, but he truly did not expect that Chu Jiadong would embark on the path of a househusband, which was completely different from the decisive figure he had known in his childhood.

Chu Xiaoyi gritted his teeth and drank the soup, not daring to let it linger in his mouth. He gulped it down in one go, causing beads of sweat to form on his back.

Chu Jiadong clapped his hands in praise and began to teach Chu Xiaoxiao: "Xiaoxiao, look how hardworking your brother is, unlike you who always fusses and takes forever to drink soup."

Chu Xiaoyi touched his nose; surprisingly, the medicine he drank was quite effective, and his blocked nose began to clear. However, recalling the terrible taste of the broth, he vowed never to try it a second time. Although Chu Xiaoyi felt a myriad of grievances within, he swore that he still had some character, at least not venting his anger on the child, let alone his own younger sister.

Chu Xiaoyi: Oh, is this meant to intimidate me?

Chu Xiaoxiao: This person is quite strange, happy even when being scolded

Xiao Bi: "That's good, your father didn't work in vain"

After the meal, Chu Xiaoyi gazed at the dark, thick nourishing soup brewed by his mother-in-law. He detected a strong aroma of medicinal herbs within it, revealing a hint of complex and repulsive expression on his face

Seeing that Chu Xiaoxiao was motionless, Chu Jiadong was reluctant to embarrass his eldest son, yet he did not want his youngest daughter to suffer in silence. Caught in a dilemma, he whispered, "How about I help you eat it?"

As Chu Jiadong was about to voice his agreement, he was taken aback by the dish that Chu Xiaoyi had picked up, revealing a look of hesitation. Chu Xiaoyi enjoyed stir-fried celery with lilies, but Chu Xiaoxiao had a strong aversion to celery. Chu Jiadong had deliberately placed this dish in front of his eldest son, positioned as far away from his youngest daughter as possible, only to find that it had turned into a long-distance delivery of food.

Seeing that Xiao Dongxi had not participated at all, Chu Xiaoyi simply picked up a piece of the vegetables in front of him, stretched out his arm, and handed it to the other person's bowl, saying: "Xiao Xiao, eat more vegetables"

Chu Xiaoxiao silently provided an example: "You are called Chu Xiaoyi, I am called Chu Xiaoxiao, aren't we worlds apart?"

Chu Xiaoyi turned a blind eye to the little thing's cold face, pointing at the small pig on the screen, and asked: "Is this Peppa?"

Chu Xiaoyi has completely seen through the hostility that the little one holds against him, and he bluntly said: "You did this on purpose, didn't you? What have I done to offend you?"

Chu Xiaoxiao swallowed the disliked vegetables in a few bites, then slowly put down her spoon and said softly, "It seems that brother has a bit of a cough; let's have uncle's wife prepare some medicine for him."

Xiao Bi smiled and said, "The medicine brewed by my uncle's wife is very effective and also has nourishing properties"

Chu Jiadong did not dare to make eye contact with his eldest son, and he shyly lowered his head, mumbling in response: "Eat vegetables, eat vegetables..."

Chu Xiaoyi was unaware of what she was looking at, and instinctively touched his own face, asking: "What is it?"

Chu Xiaoyi had lived with his grandmother for a long time, and he instinctively replied: "Ah, grandmother"

Both parties are like wild beasts in the forest vying for dominance, and the battle is about to erupt

Chu Xiaoxiao silently gazed at the celery in the bowl, beginning to suspect that her cheap brother was deliberately setting her up by choosing the dish she disliked the most

Chu Xiaoyi did not expect that his father would also cook, and he displayed an expression of disbelief as he looked towards Chu Jiadong, who was sitting directly opposite him

Isn't this little fellow turning into a spirit?

Chu Xiaoyi looked at the straightforward young girl, and the tension he had been holding began to gradually ease. He no longer maintained the polite and sunny demeanor expected of an elder. After returning home, he felt immense pressure; his family went to great lengths to entertain him, observing his every reaction, which made him feel more like a guest than a family member, leaving him with no room to relax

Chu Xiaoyi: "No, no, no, I do not drink traditional Chinese medicine..."

The table was filled with a lively atmosphere, yet Chu Xiaoyi noticed the silence of the little one across from her. She ate her meal quietly and obediently, her long eyelashes slightly lowered, appearing indifferent to the surrounding ambiance. Chu Xiaoxiao neither cried nor showed any displeasure; she seemed to exist in her own world, like a reserved and silent doll.

Grandma Chu Zhen slowly scooped rice with a spoon, but her gaze was firmly fixed on Chu Xiao Yi across from her. Suddenly, she said: "Xiao--"

Chu Xiaoyi took a bite and immediately praised, "It is very delicious"

Chu Xiaoyi is indeed not interested in his younger sister, but he is the one who understands Chu Xiaoxiao's mindset the best. After all, they are both anxious about their parents' affection, sharing the same feelings of gain and loss. Ultimately, he feels that she is taking away their parents' love, and she feels that he is taking away their parents' love.

Chu Xiaoyi: "... ..." Then I truly thank her and kindly ask her to care a little less.

Uncle Xiao laughed and said, "All the dishes on this table were cooked by him"

You are the sky, you are the earth

Hello, hypocrite. Chu Xiaoxiao looked at his gray-blue heart, slowly withdrew her gaze, and said with considerable annoyance, You clearly dislike me, yet you still pretend.

Chu Xiaoyi originally wanted to counter her argument about pigs, but at this moment, he inexplicably softened his heart and had no desire to argue with her any further. He knew that after drifting outside for many years, returning home would inevitably attract excessive attention from his parents. After all, it had been a long time since Chu Xiaoyi had returned, and with the Spring Festival ending, he would soon be leaving again, making their time together increasingly scarce.

Chu Xiaoyi had not yet reacted when Chu Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes without any courtesy and said seriously: "I am a normal human being. If you want to be the sky, be the sky; if you want to be the earth, be the earth; just don't drag me along."

Chu Xiaoxiao ignored her father's murmurs beside her, devouring the celery bite by bite with a force that seemed capable of breaking a spoon, which made Chu Jiadong feel quite uneasy

Chu Xiaoyi: It is entirely with a business attitude that I return home for the New Year

"No, no, it's just a bit hot..." Chu Xiaoyi certainly did not like the soup, but he found it difficult to refuse the old lady's kindness. His aunt was now in her sixties, and after working hard to simmer the soup for half a day, he felt he had to drink it no matter what.

During dinner, in order to welcome the returning Chu Xiaoyi, everyone prepared a rather sumptuous feast, filling the dining table to the brim. Xiao Bi gently said: "Quickly try it, don't you love braised pork with preserved vegetables the most?"

His uncle's wife noticed him stiffly holding the bowl without moving and cautiously asked, "Xiao Yi, do you not like it?"

Chu Xiaoyi deliberately provoked her: "What is different? Aren't they all little pigs?"

Uncle's wife: "It doesn't count as traditional Chinese medicine; you can treat it as a nourishing soup. I'll prepare it for you shortly!"

Chu Jiadong did not notice his youngest daughter's expression; instead, he gently patted her head and praised, "Xiaoxiao is very concerned about her brother's health"

Chu Xiaoyi: "Wow, your vocabulary is quite rich. So, who is the sky and who is the earth between us?"