Chapter 7: Will You Miss Your Brother?
While Ji Suize was lost in confusion, Niannian was equally puzzled. Still young, he didn’t understand the meaning behind Ji Suize’s actions, he only knew that he seemed to have made Ji Suize angry.
The tense atmosphere didn’t last long. When Su Yanheng returned after finishing his phone call, he saw the two children staring at each other wide-eyed, neither speaking first. To him, this wasn’t strange.
Getting Ji Suize to speak was harder than winning the lottery, and Su Younian not only avoided him but also avoided Ji Suize, so it was normal for him not to communicate with Ji Suize.
Su Yanheng couldn’t help but feel smug inside, his little brother still liked him the most.
“It’s already eight o’clock. Time for a bath, and then straight to bed,” Su Yanheng said as he picked up Niannian. After greeting Ji Suize, who looked serious and lost in thought, he carried Niannian upstairs.
Usually, the nanny was responsible for bathing Niannian, but today, Su Yanheng suddenly wanted to experience bathing his little brother himself. Under the nanny’s guidance, he adjusted the water temperature.
As the two busied themselves in the bathroom, Niannian had already taken off his clothes on his own, holding a small rubber duck he’d found in the cabinet.
When the nanny turned around, she saw the little master sitting naked on a small stool by the bathroom door. His well-behaved appearance made her burst into laughter. “Oh, my little master, how did you manage to take off your clothes by yourself? Couldn’t wait to get into the water?”
Niannian’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he tightened his grip on the little duck. The duck’s belly deflated, letting out a short quack. Su Yanheng, drawn by the sound, saw Niannian’s current state and couldn’t help but laugh as well.
He turned off the bathtub faucet, stood up, and walked over to Niannian. Bending down, he picked up the little one, who had turned pink with embarrassment. “You took off your clothes before the water was even ready. Aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?”
Niannian fanned himself with his hand. “It’s hot, not cold at all.”
It was almost July, and to prevent Niannian from getting cold after his bath, the air conditioner wasn’t turned on in the bedroom. The room temperature was 28°C, quite warm indeed.
This was Su Yanheng’s first time directly touching Niannian’s skin. A child’s skin is the most delicate, and Niannian had been well cared for. His limbs were plump like lotus roots, and the chubbiest part of his body was still his bottom.
As soon as Su Yanheng touched him, he felt as though his palm had sunk into a cloud of cotton candy, firmer than cotton candy but with an incredibly pleasant texture. After just a few touches, he was reluctant to let go. If it weren’t for the restraint of being the eldest brother, he would have loved to give it a good squeeze.
No wonder many people said that children of this age were the most fun, soft, cuddly, and utterly adorable no matter how you looked at them.
Su Yanheng didn’t linger too long. After holding Niannian for a while, he placed him in the bathtub.
Niannian’s left foot couldn’t get wet, so during his bath, he had to rest it on the edge of the tub. Su Yanheng helped him adjust his position and didn’t let go until Niannian said he was comfortable.
The Su family’s bathtub was very large, and even the one arranged for the child was a circular tub that could accommodate two adults.
Niannian’s previous home didn’t have a bathtub, only a shower, and the bathroom was very small. After he learned to take care of himself, his mother had long forgotten about bathing him.
Although Niannian was clever, bathing himself was still a very difficult task. The first time he tried, he ended up crying because the water had splashed onto the tiled floor, causing him to slip and fall. His knees and elbows were bruised in several places.
Tearfully, he complained to his mother, begging her to take care of him a little longer, promising that once he grew older, he wouldn’t trouble her anymore. But his mother impatiently pushed him away, showing no concern for his injuries and instead scolding him for being useless.
Thinking of this sad memory, Niannian’s eyes grew sore with tears. Afraid that his big brother would notice, he buried his face in the water, letting his tears fall into it so they wouldn’t be seen.
This sudden move startled Su Yanheng, who quickly pulled him up and carefully examined his face.
Niannian spat out the water and giggled, “That was fun.”
Su Yanheng’s face turned pale with anger. “What’s fun about that? You scared me half to death. I thought you were drowning.”
Niannian replied, “It was just for a little while. I wouldn’t have drowned.”
“Fine, you’re always right,” Su Yanheng said, laughing in exasperation as he pinched the chubby cheek of the little one. “You’re still too young to hold your breath properly. What if water got into your windpipe? When you’re a bit older, I’ll sign you up for swimming lessons. Then you can play in the water as much as you want.”
Realizing his statement still had flaws, Su Yanheng corrected himself, “But only if there’s an adult watching you. Remember, playing in water can be dangerous.”
Niannian listened attentively, nodding his little head vigorously before saying obediently, “I’ll remember.”
He shuffled forward, wrapping his arms around his big brother’s sturdy forearm, and rested his face against it, murmuring softly, “Big brother is so good. Niannian really likes big brother.”
Su Yanheng: “...”
Su Yanheng had never received such an enthusiastic declaration of affection from a family member. Even though he was used to the little one’s clinginess, hearing him say “like” still made him feel a bit awkward.
“I know,” Su Yanheng cleared his throat and replied softly.
Once again, he felt the same regret, why wasn’t there a camera that could record his little brother 24/7? That way, he wouldn’t miss a single moment and could revisit the adorable scenes during his free time.
Remembering his manager’s words, Su Yanheng suddenly felt tempted.
Neither Su Yanheng nor his management team had expected that a casual Weibo post from him would attract so much attention. Since the post went up, multiple hashtags related to Su Yanheng had remained at the top of trending lists. Besides Su Yanheng himself, netizens were also discussing Su Younian and Su Yanheng’s family background the most.
From the moment he debuted, Su Yanheng had been surrounded by controversy. While many people adored him, just as many disliked him. Many believed that Su Yanheng lacked real talent and had risen to fame solely because of his family’s support. Thanks to his wealthy background, he had effortlessly become a top idol, achieving in just three years what others might take years or even decades to accomplish.
Su Yanheng had debuted as a singer and even admitted himself that his singing skills were flawed. Half of his rapid rise to fame was attributed to his exceptionally handsome looks.
Later, he decided to pivot, striving to break free from the “looks” label by deliberately making himself appear less attractive. He thought that by downplaying his appearance, he could challenge the audience’s biases, but this group of viewers simply didn’t buy it.
For a period of time, Su Yanheng fell into a state of self-doubt. It was only by relying on his firm resolve that he managed to break free from this predicament. Then he realized that all his previous approaches had been wrong.
He used to start from the perspective of his detractors, trying to prove himself to them. But he didn’t need to prove anything to them. The most important thing was to be true to himself.
Later, he stopped blindly accepting roles as villains and began to refine himself. He enrolled in acting classes, and it took several years for him to finally reach his current position. However, no matter how much he showcased his excellence, there were still people who disliked him.
Su Yanheng was only 28 this year and had a bright future in the entertainment industry, but he had long been tormented by insomnia, which forced him to turn down many opportunities. His manager, Zhao Shun, often lamented that if he had taken on those projects, Su Yanheng wouldn’t be limited to where he was now.
Su Yanheng didn’t care much about becoming more popular. The only thing that bothered him was that the opportunities he turned down were all snatched away by his archrival.
Watching his rival soar step by step with the resources he had rejected, almost reaching the same level as him, made Su Yanheng grit his teeth in frustration.
Last month, paparazzi captured Su Yanheng at his most exhausted moment. At that time, he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for a full week. His face was pale, and the dark circles under his eyes were so deep they could be seen clearly from a distance.
After these photos spread online, rumors somehow emerged that he was involved in drug use. Although his team clarified and explained the situation immediately, it still left a negative impression.
His archrival, Gu Tingfei, took advantage of the public opinion to stomp on him once again, then turned around and snatched several of his resources.
Zhao Shun had just called to tell him that Gu Tingfei had once again snatched one of his opportunities. This time, it wasn’t something he had rejected.
The production team had originally chosen him but hadn’t contacted his agency yet. Gu Tingfei, somehow learning of this news, took the initiative to communicate with the production team and directly secured the opportunity.
Su Yanheng didn’t mind others taking the resources he didn’t want, but he couldn’t stand others snatching away what was originally his. He and Gu Tingfei were high school classmates, both top students in their class. Their rivalry extended from academics to their careers. Gu Tingfei always lagged slightly behind him, constantly chasing after him.
Su Yanheng could imagine that if Gu Tingfei ever caught up to him, walked side by side with him, or even surpassed him, that guy would definitely gloat and mock him, reveling in his misfortune.
The opportunity Gu Tingfei snatched was a parenting reality show. Gu Tingfei wasn’t married, but he had a five-year-old nephew who had become an internet sensation a year ago due to his adorable appearance. Now, he was a minor internet celebrity with over 300,000 followers.
When Zhao Shun called to tell him about this, Su Yanheng scoffed at the idea. No matter how cute Gu Tingfei’s nephew was, could he possibly be cuter than his own little one?
Niannian experienced the joys of bathing for the first time. The warm water enveloped his body, making him feel cozy and relaxed. It felt as if the water had seeped into his head, gradually making him feel dizzy. Pillowed against his big brother’s arm, he began to let out soft snores.
By the time Su Yanheng snapped back to reality, the little one was already fast asleep. His head nodded slightly, his cheek pressed tightly against Su Yanheng’s arm, not budging an inch despite the gentle swaying. Even in sleep, he was this clingy, what a sweet yet troublesome little thing.
Su Yanheng smiled as he scooped the little one out of the water. The moment he landed in the familiar embrace, Niannian woke up, his eyes still clouded with drowsiness. He mumbled softly, "Big brother, I think I fell asleep."
"Not 'think', you definitely did," Su Yanheng said, placing the little one on the bathroom counter, which was cushioned with a towel. He draped another fresh towel over Niannian and took a clean towel from the nanny to gently dry his damp hair.
"Bathing is so comfortable," Niannian murmured, squinting contentedly.
Su Yanheng asked, "If you like it, would you want to take baths like this from now on?"
Niannian nodded his little head happily. "Yes, I would."
But first, he needed to let his foot injury heal properly. Otherwise, maintaining that position for too long would surely become uncomfortable.
While asleep, Niannian had been clutching a rubber ducky. Even after being taken out of the water, he still held it tightly. As he finished speaking, the little duck let out a few short quacks, as if mimicking its owner in response to Su Yanheng's words.
Su Yanheng couldn't help but feel more and more fond of him, and he recalled Zhao Shun's words: "Didn't you say you could sleep when you're with your brother? What will you do after your vacation ends? Without your brother, won't you start suffering from insomnia again?"
"What are you trying to say?"
Zhao Shun replied, "There are still a few spots left on that show. I know you must be unwilling to let Gu Tingfei snatch your opportunity. Why don't you bring your brother along to participate? Think about it, you can work while spending time with your brother, and it might even help with your insomnia. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"
Su Yanheng didn't agree immediately, nor did he outright refuse.
He couldn't make the decision alone, he had to consider the little one's feelings as well.
Lost in thought, Su Yanheng helped Niannian into his pajamas. The light yellow set was printed with several little ducks, and Niannian had loved it from the moment he saw it. He kept stroking the duck on his belly with one hand while squeezing the rubber ducky with the other, making it quack softly.
Su Yanheng sat down beside Niannian, gently ruffling his hair, and asked again the question he had posed earlier: "If Big Brother goes to work, will you miss me?"
Niannian answered without hesitation, "Yes, I will."
He had thought before that even if Big Brother wasn't home, there would still be the housekeeper and butler around. As long as he wasn't alone, he wouldn't be scared. But facing the reality of Big Brother being away, he still felt a little sad.
He wasn't as open-minded as he had imagined. He truly wanted to stay by such a wonderful Big Brother's side all the time.
Most importantly, he wanted to cure Big Brother's insomnia.
His head was ruffled again, and Big Brother's gentle voice reached his ears: "Then, would you like to come along with Brother to work?"
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