Another day, Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian returned home early, walking in a hurry, just to discuss countermeasures with their younger brother He Ziqiu.

Stepping into the elegant guest room on the third floor, the door opens slightly, and a leisurely scene comes into view:

He Ziqiu was lying leisurely and contentedly on the sofa with a little yellow cat. He had a plate of crystal-clear grapes in his hand, picking up one from time to time and gently throwing it into his mouth.

The feeling of comfort is as if time has slowed down at this moment.

And in this tranquility, an unusual figure shuttled through it. Chengzi was wearing a waist protector, working tirelessly inside and outside the house, cleaning carefully, and serving tea and water. His figure seemed particularly warm and slightly unexpected.

"Pay attention to the details, my little hygiene expert. Look at these grapes. There is a little dust on them. What's wrong?" He Ziqiu's words were a bit ridiculing.

Hearing this, Chengzi clenched and loosened his fists, and finally chose to be patient. He thought to himself: Although this guy is unforgiving, he must not want to see his mother in poverty for a long time, right?

So, she decided to exchange for a bit of relief with more attentive service.

"Okay, Master, I'm going to wash the grapes for you again right now, to make sure they are crystal clear and flawless!" Cheng Zi stood up and squatted down, a bright smile blooming on his fair and round face, full of smiles.

The meaning of pleasing.

"Well, that's pretty much it." A satisfied smile appeared on the corner of He Ziqiu's lips.

Ling Xiao robbed his sister, so he robbed Ling Xiao's sister to play with. This is called fucking fairness!

Seeing this, Li Jianjian on the side finally couldn't hold it back and said angrily: "Brother, you have gone too far! Chengzi is our guest, how can you send her around like this?"

Chengzi snorted softly, with a trace of stubbornness and pride flashing in her eyes: "What, I volunteered! You don't need to worry about it." After saying that, she turned around lightly, swaying her waist lightly, and her slender white legs carried her

A bit free and easy, gradually drifting away.

Li Jianjian looked at Cheng Zi's leaving figure, shook his head helplessly, and then turned to He Ziqiu: "Brother, let's talk business. Have you asked? When can Aunt Chen Ting and the others come out?"

He Ziqiu shrugged, with an indifferent look on his face: "I've never done anything so stupid, how do I know? Don't tell me, she is indeed Ling Xiao's aunt. She has the courage to openly defy military orders and take photos in a military-controlled area.

.

Awesome, awesome!”

Ling Xiao:......

"Brother, can you please be accommodating with your friends and let us go in to see how Aunt Chen Ting is doing? She's not feeling well yet. I'm really afraid of something happening." Li Jianjian's tone was full of worry.

.

However, He Ziqiu seemed not to hear, and turned around, facing the two of them with his back, obviously not wanting to continue this topic.

He felt that he and Shacha didn't have much in common.

For a while, the room fell into silence again.

Seeing this, Li Jianjian hurriedly stepped forward, serving tea and water. Even Ling Xiao put aside his usual reserve and called "brother" affectionately. However, He Ziqiu seemed determined to be this

The "deaf man" did not answer their questions at all.

In the end, the two looked at each other helplessly. Professor He planned to teach Aunt Chen Ting an unforgettable lesson this time.

In fact, Ling Xiao, Li Jianjian, and even Chengzi understood this in their hearts. Although they would not do it themselves, they also agreed with this approach deep in their hearts.

After all, some of Aunt Chen Ting's behaviors over the years are indeed hard to agree with. As a mother, this cannot be an excuse for her wanton behavior.

In order to break the deadlock, Li Jianjian suddenly changed the subject: "Brother, do you still remember those photos we took when we were kids? Do you still have that photo album?"

He Ziqiu finally spoke: "Here, do you want the electronic version or the paper version? I remember that you and Ling Xiao each have one, right? Why are you asking?"

He curiously asked, after all, in this family, Li Haichao is recognized as the "big head". Since Ling Heping's salary card has always been in charge of Li Haichao, all matters in the family strive to be fair.

For example, in photo albums, every photo will be printed in triplicate to ensure that every child has one.

Li Jianjian sighed and reluctantly talked about another troublesome matter: "Recently, the house leaked and it rained all night. My stone sculpture won an award, but it was said to be plagiarized.

A classmate also produced video evidence, showing that he carved earlier than I entered the competition.

But that work was clearly based on the photo that Qi Mingyue had just bought for us when we were children. How could it be copied? Later, when I checked, I found out that an assistant from the design institute might have taken the photo of mine.

The work was posted online and my senior brother saw it."

He Ziqiu understood immediately: "So, you want to use that old photo to prove your innocence?"

Li Jianjian nodded heavily.

"Prove yourself innocent, this is simply the most ridiculous errand in the world.

Speaking of which, where are the photo albums of the two of you? It’s okay if Li Jianjian has left them missing. Ling Xiao, you are famous for being very careful. How come you can’t even find a trace of the photo album?” He Ziqiu looked confused.

Based on his understanding of Ling Xiao, it was not just a stack of photos, but a touch of warmth in the lonely years in a foreign country. It was a haven for the soul and could never be lost easily.

At this time, Chengzi came over, her smile full of youthful vigor. She said softly: "Sorry to interrupt, I may not know much about my brother's other things, but I know the whereabouts of the album."

Hearing this, Ling Xiao hurriedly interrupted: "Qin Meiyang, stop talking!" But Chengzi just smiled mischievously, completely ignoring his brother's stop.

She stretched out two slender fingers and made a gesture of scissors, and then said: "Three years ago, my mother... she cut all of that photo album in a fit of anger, and it was all to pieces! Fortunately, I felt something was wrong at the time and secretly

Hide brother’s passport, otherwise even the passport will suffer.”

Ling Xiao's expression became complicated, with a hint of bitterness in his helplessness: "It's all in the past, don't mention it anymore."

But Chengzi frowned slightly and said seriously: "Brother, if I were you, I would confess everything so that they can be mentally prepared. After all, they have never seen my mother go crazy and there was no resistance at all.

force.

In this way, at least they can understand your past difficulties."

After saying that, Chengzi slowly sat down, and the sofa sank into a wider arc, making it look a bit cozy.

She began to slowly recount the unknown past events. It turned out that it wasn't that Ling Xiao didn't want to come back, but that he couldn't come back.

...

Back in time, one evening three years ago, the atmosphere at the dinner table was solemn.

Ling Xiao spoke cautiously: "Mom, I'm thinking of returning to China to develop. The transportation is so convenient now, going back and forth is not a problem."

Chen Ting's eyes shot to him like ice, and she asked coldly: "Is it Ling Heping who called you?" After saying that, she lowered her head, and a trace of imperceptible sadness flashed in her eyes.

"It is indeed very difficult for me now, and I don't want to drag you down... Although I can walk and go out, I still need a wheelchair. If I really fall, Xiao Chengzi is only 14 years old like this.

She is only so old and can't help me...

Besides, if Xiao Chengzi gets sick too, I won’t be able to send her to the hospital. If that time comes, I, I..."

"I asked the doctor, and they said that in case of emergency, they will come with just a phone call and everything will be fine." Ling Xiao tried to comfort his mother.

However, Chen Ting seemed to have been touched. She raised her head suddenly and said in a sharp voice: "Doctor? What can a doctor do? He is not paralyzed. Does he know how difficult it is for me to be a paralyzed person?

Those people just stand and talk without pain in their backs! Don’t worry, of course they don’t have to worry!

And Ling Heping, he’s not old and he can’t leave, so why are he fighting with me?”

The atmosphere at the dinner table instantly dropped to freezing point, and no one said a word.

The next day, when Ling Xiao returned from school, the sight in front of him made his heart ache - his mother was sitting in the living room, holding scissors in her hand, cutting out his treasured photo album one by one.

He couldn't hold it back anymore, rushed forward, grabbed the scissors, and roared: "What on earth are you doing? Can you not do this?"

Chen Ting's eyes were empty and indifferent: "You can go back and see them anyway. You can see them every day in the future, so there is no point in keeping the photo album.

They must have said a lot of bad things about me behind my back. Do I still want to keep their photos for those who scold me every day?

Sorry, I can't do it!"

There was endless despair and unwillingness in his words, as well as a hint of imperceptible vulnerability.

Chen Ting's voice was low and trembling, and she said softly: "You should go on your own, I don't want to cause you any trouble, and I don't want to be a burden to you, so I should go with Xiao Chengzi's father.

You don't need to worry about me. If I die, won't it be all over? I won't cause trouble to you?" As she said that, her eyes were red and tears were rolling in her eyes, but she tried not to let them fall.

After waiting for a while, she reluctantly raised her head again, looking at her son gently but firmly, with a hint of determination in her voice: "You go, you go!!"

When Little Chengzi saw this, her face turned pale with fright, she squatted down and started to cry. The cry was full of helplessness and fear.

Ling Xiao witnessed all this, and complex emotions surged in his heart. He closed his eyes, as if he was engaged in a silent contest with himself.

After a long time, he slowly said: "I'm not leaving."

From then on, he never smiled again, kept the lights on very late at night, ate less and less, and even started taking various vitamins to maintain his health.

…

After the story was finished and the matter was revealed, Ling Xiao's complexion seemed to improve a lot.

After sending the dog couple away, He Ziqiu returned leisurely. After some searching, he found a little Cheng Zi in the corner of the house wearing blue jeans and white socks, squatting on the ground.

With a fair and clear face, full of sadness, a pair of snow-white slender beautiful legs and tight muscles (!), He Ziqiu couldn't help but take a second look.

Then he nodded.

Not bad, love watching it.

"Meow~"

The little yellow cat, who has only been here for more than an hour, seconded the idea.

After a long time, Chengzi felt embarrassed, bit her cherry lips lightly, stood up, and walked to He Ziqiu, bringing with her a light, orchid-like fragrance.

He Ziqiu could clearly hear her pounding heartbeat, which was a third faster than usual.
To be continued...