At this moment, Ruan Qing finally got a clear look at the appearance of the little boy. He didn’t resemble Qi Shen much, to the point where one could say there was no similarity at all.
The two didn’t look like real brothers.
The little boy laughing at the doorway was probably around six or seven years old. Although dressed in casual clothes, he looked exquisite, resembling a little prince. (T/N: I don’t know if this was a typo, but ‘six or seven’ was really the numbers written on the raws. And here I am thinking this kid was a teenager. -_-)
However, the pretty eyes of the little boy were currently filled with naked mockery and ridicule, creating a strong contrast.
Despite his age and appearance, he didn’t evoke disgust; instead, he seemed like a beautiful puppet cat, displaying a bit of arrogance within his cuteness.
Ruan Qing frowned slightly, feeling a hint of confusion in his heart.
Because he found the little boy’s appearance somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
But he clearly didn’t know the little boy, and there were no memories related to him in Ruan Qing’s mind.
Moreover, today was his first time visiting the Qi family.
It was indeed strange.
The laughter of the little boy halted abruptly, and he looked at the handsome young man standing by the window. His expression became more restrained, and his eyes squinted slightly.
The young man by the window, struggling to hold on to the man, had his hair slightly disheveled, giving him a messy yet attractive look.
Whether it was his delicate features or slender figure, one couldn’t help but be captivated. His radiance made the entire world seem dim in comparison.
The little boy stared straight at the young man’s slightly red eye corners and tear mole. It seemed he understood why his good brother wanted to keep this person hidden.
With just one glance, he felt captivated.
With just one glance, a strange emotion sprouted from the depths of his heart.
An unprecedented desire.
Some say to gain something, one must first lose something. Having lost so much, did it mean the young man should rightfully belong to him?
The man sitting on the windowsill glanced at the little boy who was staring intensely at the young man. A trace of displeasure flickered in his eyes.
He jumped down from the window decisively, discreetly blocking Ruan Qing. “Do you have any business here?”
The little boy ignored the man’s words and walked up to Ruan Qing, flashing a sweet smile. Then, in a crisp voice, he asked, “Big brother, are you my brother’s classmate?”
The little boy’s tone carried the innocence and liveliness of his age, completely devoid of the sarcasm he had just displayed when laughing.
Moreover, the little boy had an exceptionally delicate appearance; his smile resembled that of a little angel, irresistible to anyone.
Ruan Qing looked at the young boy, who suddenly struck up a conversation with him and paused for a moment. He nodded gently and said, “Hmm.”
The boy’s smile became even more radiant. He tilted his head, spoke with childlike innocence, “Hello, big brother! I’m brother’s younger brother. My name is Qi Yunshen.”
Qi... Yunshen? It seemed like he had heard that name somewhere.
But Ruan Qing couldn’t recall where he had heard it, just like how he couldn’t remember why the boy’s appearance felt familiar.
Considering his memory, if he had truly met him before, he shouldn’t have forgotten.
But his memory was intact, able to recall details from childhood without any omissions.
...Could it be that he had accidentally seen someone with a similar appearance?
There was a possibility; not remembering in such situations was normal.
Ruan Qing didn’t dwell on this question any longer.
He politely nodded to the little boy and stated his own name, “Xia Qing.”
Just as the boy was about to speak again, the man casually interjected, “It’s almost ten o’clock. If you don’t go home now, father and mother will worry about you.”
The man’s words sounded somewhat meaningful, not like genuine concern.
More like a threat.
A threat only the little boy could understand.
Most of the staff at the Qi family knew that the young master was not allowed to stay out past eleven at night, but they all assumed it was out of concern for his safety.
No one considered other reasons.
The boy’s gaze darkened for a moment, disrupting his refined appearance.
However, the next second, he returned to normal. The change was so swift that almost no one noticed, except for the man who had just spoken.
Yet the man seemed indifferent, showing no signs of concern.
The boy nodded obediently. “Indeed, our parents will worry. I’ll go back now and come to play with big brother and Brother Xia tomorrow morning.”
The young boy finished speaking, crossed over the man, and walked to Ruan Qing’s side. Then he waved at Ruan Qing and playfully blinked his eyes.
He looked as if he wanted to share a secret with Ruan Qing, appearing mysterious.
Ruan Qing hesitated for a moment, then bent down, leaning in towards the young boy.
Unexpectedly, as Ruan Qing bent down, the young boy stood on tiptoe and, with a flushed face, planted a kiss.
However, he didn’t manage to kiss Ruan Qing in the end. When he was about to, a hint of hostility flashed in the man’s eyes, and he swiftly picked up the young boy.
The man then threw the young boy out, showing no mercy.
There was no trace of the usual indifference, nor the indulgence and disregard towards the young boy.
Caught off guard, the young boy was thrown and landed on the ground.
Initially expressionless, the young boy made no sound, seemingly unaware of the pain, just gazing at the man with dark eyes.
However, upon noticing Ruan Qing looking at him, the young boy immediately trembled, emitting a painful groan. His eyes slightly reddened, tears filled his eyes instantly, and he curled up on the ground, covering his injured knee.
He looked pitiful.
The man: “...”
Because the young boy reacted quickly, Ruan Qing didn’t see the boy’s initial expression. He looked surprised as he gazed at the young boy on the ground, immediately lifting him up. Then, with a mix of nervousness and concern, he asked, “Are you okay? Where did you hurt yourself?”
The young boy displayed a wry and forced smile, suppressing tears. “I’m fine, big brother. I’m used to it.”
The young boy glanced at the man, spoke with an apparent grievance, and added a hint of a crying tone, “It’s not big brother’s fault. It’s because Shenshen was naughty and made big brother angry.”
Even though this could be considered a matter between brothers, Ruan Qing still disapproved and gave a disapproving glance at the expressionless man. He appeared as if he wanted to say something but held back.
However, in the end, Ruan Qing pursed his lips and remained silent, choosing not to say anything.
After all, considering the man’s recent emotional instability, provoking him might lead to unpredictable consequences.
To the young boy, Ruan Qing’s silent stance seemed like he sided with the man.
Coupled with what he overheard at the bedroom door earlier, it was evident that his supposed good brother had deceived the young man.
At this moment, Ruan Qing finally got a clear look at the appearance of the little boy. He didn’t resemble Qi Shen much, to the point where one could say there was no similarity at all.
The two didn’t look like real brothers.
The little boy laughing at the doorway was probably around six or seven years old. Although dressed in casual clothes, he looked exquisite, resembling a little prince. (T/N: I don’t know if this was a typo, but ‘six or seven’ was really the numbers written on the raws. And here I am thinking this kid was a teenager. -_-)
However, the pretty eyes of the little boy were currently filled with naked mockery and ridicule, creating a strong contrast.
Despite his age and appearance, he didn’t evoke disgust; instead, he seemed like a beautiful puppet cat, displaying a bit of arrogance within his cuteness.
Ruan Qing frowned slightly, feeling a hint of confusion in his heart.
Because he found the little boy’s appearance somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
But he clearly didn’t know the little boy, and there were no memories related to him in Ruan Qing’s mind.
Moreover, today was his first time visiting the Qi family.
It was indeed strange.
The laughter of the little boy halted abruptly, and he looked at the handsome young man standing by the window. His expression became more restrained, and his eyes squinted slightly.
The young man by the window, struggling to hold on to the man, had his hair slightly disheveled, giving him a messy yet attractive look.
Whether it was his delicate features or slender figure, one couldn’t help but be captivated. His radiance made the entire world seem dim in comparison.
The little boy stared straight at the young man’s slightly red eye corners and tear mole. It seemed he understood why his good brother wanted to keep this person hidden.
With just one glance, he felt captivated.
With just one glance, a strange emotion sprouted from the depths of his heart.
An unprecedented desire.
Some say to gain something, one must first lose something. Having lost so much, did it mean the young man should rightfully belong to him?
The man sitting on the windowsill glanced at the little boy who was staring intensely at the young man. A trace of displeasure flickered in his eyes.
He jumped down from the window decisively, discreetly blocking Ruan Qing. “Do you have any business here?”
The little boy ignored the man’s words and walked up to Ruan Qing, flashing a sweet smile. Then, in a crisp voice, he asked, “Big brother, are you my brother’s classmate?”
The little boy’s tone carried the innocence and liveliness of his age, completely devoid of the sarcasm he had just displayed when laughing.
Moreover, the little boy had an exceptionally delicate appearance; his smile resembled that of a little angel, irresistible to anyone.
Ruan Qing looked at the young boy, who suddenly struck up a conversation with him and paused for a moment. He nodded gently and said, “Hmm.”
The boy’s smile became even more radiant. He tilted his head, spoke with childlike innocence, “Hello, big brother! I’m brother’s younger brother. My name is Qi Yunshen.”
Qi... Yunshen? It seemed like he had heard that name somewhere.
But Ruan Qing couldn’t recall where he had heard it, just like how he couldn’t remember why the boy’s appearance felt familiar.
Considering his memory, if he had truly met him before, he shouldn’t have forgotten.
But his memory was intact, able to recall details from childhood without any omissions.
...Could it be that he had accidentally seen someone with a similar appearance?
There was a possibility; not remembering in such situations was normal.
Ruan Qing didn’t dwell on this question any longer.
He politely nodded to the little boy and stated his own name, “Xia Qing.”
Just as the boy was about to speak again, the man casually interjected, “It’s almost ten o’clock. If you don’t go home now, father and mother will worry about you.”
The man’s words sounded somewhat meaningful, not like genuine concern.
More like a threat.
A threat only the little boy could understand.
Most of the staff at the Qi family knew that the young master was not allowed to stay out past eleven at night, but they all assumed it was out of concern for his safety.
No one considered other reasons.
The boy’s gaze darkened for a moment, disrupting his refined appearance.
However, the next second, he returned to normal. The change was so swift that almost no one noticed, except for the man who had just spoken.
Yet the man seemed indifferent, showing no signs of concern.
The boy nodded obediently. “Indeed, our parents will worry. I’ll go back now and come to play with big brother and Brother Xia tomorrow morning.”
The young boy finished speaking, crossed over the man, and walked to Ruan Qing’s side. Then he waved at Ruan Qing and playfully blinked his eyes.
He looked as if he wanted to share a secret with Ruan Qing, appearing mysterious.
Ruan Qing hesitated for a moment, then bent down, leaning in towards the young boy.
Unexpectedly, as Ruan Qing bent down, the young boy stood on tiptoe and, with a flushed face, planted a kiss.
However, he didn’t manage to kiss Ruan Qing in the end. When he was about to, a hint of hostility flashed in the man’s eyes, and he swiftly picked up the young boy.
The man then threw the young boy out, showing no mercy.
There was no trace of the usual indifference, nor the indulgence and disregard towards the young boy.
Caught off guard, the young boy was thrown and landed on the ground.
Initially expressionless, the young boy made no sound, seemingly unaware of the pain, just gazing at the man with dark eyes.
However, upon noticing Ruan Qing looking at him, the young boy immediately trembled, emitting a painful groan. His eyes slightly reddened, tears filled his eyes instantly, and he curled up on the ground, covering his injured knee.
He looked pitiful.
The man: “...”
Because the young boy reacted quickly, Ruan Qing didn’t see the boy’s initial expression. He looked surprised as he gazed at the young boy on the ground, immediately lifting him up. Then, with a mix of nervousness and concern, he asked, “Are you okay? Where did you hurt yourself?”
The young boy displayed a wry and forced smile, suppressing tears. “I’m fine, big brother. I’m used to it.”
The young boy glanced at the man, spoke with an apparent grievance, and added a hint of a crying tone, “It’s not big brother’s fault. It’s because Shenshen was naughty and made big brother angry.”
Even though this could be considered a matter between brothers, Ruan Qing still disapproved and gave a disapproving glance at the expressionless man. He appeared as if he wanted to say something but held back.
However, in the end, Ruan Qing pursed his lips and remained silent, choosing not to say anything.
After all, considering the man’s recent emotional instability, provoking him might lead to unpredictable consequences.
To the young boy, Ruan Qing’s silent stance seemed like he sided with the man.
Coupled with what he overheard at the bedroom door earlier, it was evident that his supposed good brother had deceived the young man.
