"Mom, I saw the new house, and I'm quite satisfied," Zhao Guangran said after hesitating for a while, under Zhao Xuran's relentless gaze.
"As long as you're satisfied." Zhan Jing knew her younger son was quite clingy, and it had something to do with a fright he experienced as a child.
The Zhan Jing couple took so long to have children partly because they were considering Zhao Guangran. Now, suddenly wanting the brothers to move out, Zhan Jing worried that her youngest son would protest, never expecting things to proceed so smoothly.
This was all thanks to their older son's efforts, no doubt.
Gong Tao was concerned about Gong Ruini's thoughts. He pulled her over and sat her in his lap, "Ni Zi, do you like your room?"
"I like it. If I could sleep there alone, it would be even better." Gong Ruini knew she couldn't have what she wanted, but she felt she should still try.
Sleep alone? "No way, Ni Zi, you're still so young." The house was near the mountains, and when the wind blew strongly at night, it would howl.
Gong Tao worried about what would happen if his daughter woke up and mistook the swaying branches outside for human shadows.
He couldn't imagine how his little girl would feel waking up curled up like that.
Zhao Xuran was quite considerate and took good care of his younger siblings, but some things still needed to be managed carefully.
"When Ni Zi is older, we'll let her sleep alone." His daughter was so sensible. Many children who suddenly have to sleep apart from their parents cry and throw tantrums.
Sneaking a sideways glance at the slightly sulking and pouting Zhao Guangran, the comparison was really stark.
Waiting until she's older to sleep alone, huh? Gong Ruini felt like saying she was already grown-up. She wasn't a timid child who would wake up at night and mistake the shadows of swaying branches for people.
Her inner strength was strong, but it didn't matter. Just look at her short stature and her weak physical build that could easily be pushed over—sigh, she could only keep trying.
"Look, Nizi wants to sleep alone. My Guangran is also a brave child, right?" Zhao Gang was reluctant to let go of his younger son, but his older son was right; if they kept spoiling him, it would be harmful to him.
Zhao Guangran very much wanted to say he still wished to sleep with his parents, but under his elder brother's piercing gaze, he dared not say so.
Especially since Gong Ruini kept insisting on sleeping alone—if he said it now, could he still be considered a brother?
No way, he couldn't let his sister hold him in contempt. Zhao Guangran puffed out his little chest, "I'm a big kid; I'm not afraid."
Does sleeping alone have anything to do with being afraid? Gong Ruini took a bite of the shredded meat her father specially picked for her, hearing Zhao Guangran's emphatic declaration made her burst out laughing.
Honestly, Gong Ruini really couldn't hold back. Zhao Guangran's words really did make her unable to control herself.
If Zhao Guangran had been soundly reprimanded by Zhao Xuran during the day, Gong Ruini might not tease him so openly in front of the adults. But there hadn't been any sight of a reprimand duel scene.
"Brother Guangran, you must be very afraid to sleep alone." Gong Ruini displayed an innocent look, claiming she didn't laugh on purpose; she just couldn't suppress it.
Zhao Guangran's expression was indeed laugh-inducing.
"I'm not; how could I be afraid?" Wait, how did she know he was afraid to sleep alone? Did someone tell her?
His elder brother perhaps? Although his elder brother occasionally bullied him, he probably wouldn't betray him.
Zhao Guangran couldn't understand what he did wrong for Gong Ruini to detect his unease. Regardless, he couldn't let Gong Ruini discover his weakness.
Waving his arms powerfully to defend that he's not prone to fear, Gong Ruini's observations suggested otherwise.
Knowing his weak spot was enough; there was no need to persist on this, which might incur Uncle Zhao's displeasure.
More importantly, she couldn't provoke Zhao Xuran. Gong Ruini had a notion that she shouldn't get too close to Zhao Xuran; otherwise, she would be in trouble.
Not sure why she had this thought, but sometimes women's intuition is super strong, and it's good to follow it.
"I know, I know, I was just joking." Besides, we're ladies here; what does it matter if we are inconsistent in our words? Moreover, Zhao Guangran seemed on the verge of tears.
If she didn't back off, Gong Ruini was worried a flood of tears would come, and at that point, it would no longer be fun, and Zhao Guangran would hold a lifelong grudge.
"Really?" Zhao Guangran heard Gong Ruini claim she was joking, refusing to ponder whether she was placating him, instead diligently pursuing confirmation.
This kid dared to disrespect her word? It left Gong Ruini a bit irked, "Yes, it's true."
Zhao Guangran wiped his face, struggled to muster some aura, and said, "You can't say that anymore. Though I don't mind your joking, others might."
"Uh, I'm a real man, I don't nitpick." Zhao Guangran didn't forget to burnish his own image.
A real man? Gong Ruini really wished she could slap him. Please, you're just a little brat, not even Zhao Xuran would dare say such a thing.
Regardless of age, even with his constant denials and almost crying demeanor, Gong Ruini felt like saying he was miles away from being a real man.
Oh well, having admitted she was joking, why bother fussing over a little kid; "Thank you, Brother Guangran, for not nitpicking."
"Glad you know, from now on listen to me. I'm your brother too." Hmm, he needed his sister to recognize him as her brother.
This guy must've been oppressed by Zhao Xuran for how long. Gong Ruini was greatly curious about this.
She shot a puzzled glance at Zhao Xuran and found the latter equally bewildered, perhaps also frightened by Zhao Guangran's foolishness.
But if everyone around her were like Zhao Xuran, sly fox-like brothers, Gong Ruini couldn't bear imagining how distressing it would be—being around a foolish brother occasionally was better.
"Brother Guangran, you're wonderful." Better to keep that naive spirit than become an old fox like Zhao Xuran.
Such households might avoid bullying, but it would be dreadfully dull—every family ought to have someone easy to tease.
A sister's compliment sent Zhao Guangran floating, "Sister, you're wonderful too."
Having a sister saying nice things about him varied his happiness, secretly promising to treat his sister well, "If you get scared at night, I'll protect you."
Had he not said that, Gong Ruini considered they might still be friends; but now, well, only "hee-hee-hee;" who exactly gets scared at night? Truly anticipating.