Little Lu Ci and Little Lu Xi both take after Su Ci, with a sweet tooth, especially for peach-flavored treats.
Little Lu Ci ate his cake bite by bite, while Little Lu Xi snuggled in Fang Kuaile's arms, obediently eating the cake he fed her.
"Alright, no more after this last bite. Weâll have lunch soon," Fang Kuaile stopped feeding her, wiped the cream from the corner of Little Lu Xi's mouth, and handed her a cup of juice, holding it to her lips. "Are you thirsty, Xi Xi?"
Little Lu Xi nodded, her voice soft and sweet. "Yes, I am."
Fang Kuaile fed her the juice.
"Thank you, Brother Kuaile," Little Lu Xi said politely. She knew Brother Kuaile was taking good care of her. "Brother Kuaile, does holding me make you tired?"
"Not at all," Fang Kuaile replied. He was just a child himself, and this was his first time holding another child. It felt new and interesting.
He thought Little Lu Xi was so small, so light, and so soft, with a faint milky scentâcompletely different from boys.
Hearing that holding her didnât tire him, Little Lu Xiâs eyes curved into a smile.
Fang Kuaile chuckled softly. "Xi Xi, you shouldnât call me 'brother.' You should call me 'uncle.'"
Su Ning and Tian Cai were her uncles, and he was their friend. Since he called Su Ci "sister," by family hierarchy, Little Lu Xi should call him "uncle."
Little Lu Xiâs small mouth opened in surprise, and she quickly shook her head, her voice sweet but firm. "Not uncle, itâs brother."
Fang Kuaile corrected her, "Call me Uncle Kuaile."
Little Lu Ci, standing nearby, glanced at Fang Kuaile and then at his silly sister, thinking they were being ridiculous.
Little Lu Xiâs voice was sugary sweet. "Brother Kuaile."
Fang Kuaile gave in, patting her head gently. "Alright then."
At that moment, Su Ci came over to take her children for lunch.
"Mom, I want to eat with Brother Kuaile," Little Lu Xi said, clinging to Fang Kuaileâs clothes and refusing to let go.
Su Ci was a bit surprised. Her daughter resembled her not only in looks but also in personalityâa little spoiled and usually hesitant around strangers.
She had only met Fang Kuaile once before, but it seemed she remembered him well and even liked him a lot.
Su Ci reached out to take her son, who was still munching on his cake, and tried to pick up her daughter. "Brother Kuaile needs to stay with his dad, just like you need to stay with your mom and dad."
Little Lu Xi pouted, looking pitifully at Fang Kuaile. "I still want to play with Brother Kuaile."
Fang Kuaile smiled, his lips curling up as he gently stroked Little Lu Xiâs hair. "If you eat your lunch properly, Iâll play with you afterward, okay?"
Little Lu Xiâs eyes lit up, and she turned to Su Ci. "Mom, is that okay?"
"Of course," Su Ci replied, watching as her children reluctantly left Fang Kuaileâs arms. She asked her daughter, "Xi Xi, do you like Brother Kuaile a lot?"
Little Lu Xi, holding her motherâs hand, nodded vigorously. "Brother Kuaile is pretty. I like him."
Pretty?
Fang Kuaile chuckled, shaking his head. It was the first time a child had called him pretty.
In the afternoon, the banquet was still ongoing. The event was attended by family, friends, and business partners. After lunch, many gathered to chat.
Su Ci and Lu Zhe stayed with Wen Ya, Lu Chen, Suâs Father, and Suâs Mother, engaging in light conversation.
With Su Ciâs permission, Little Lu Ci and Little Lu Xi went out to play with Fang Kuaile, accompanied by the Lu familyâs bodyguards.
The car stopped at the entrance of a mall.
"Little Ci, let me hold your hand," Fang Kuaile said, reaching out to the small boy beside him.
Little Lu Ci stuffed his hands into the pockets of his overalls, his face serious and cool. "Iâm a big boy. I donât need to hold hands." He was grown up now and didnât want to be treated like a child!
"I do! I do!" Little Lu Xi quickly extended her small, soft hand. "Brother Kuaile, hold my hand. Iâm too cute; bad people might take me away."
Su Ci had once joked about this with her, and Little Lu Xi had taken it to heart. She was adorable, and bad people liked to snatch adorable children.
Her tiny, soft hand slipped into his, and Fang Kuaile couldnât help but laugh. "Alright, Iâll hold your hand."
Fang Kuaile took the two children to the fifth floor of the mall, where there was a childrenâs play area and other gaming facilities.
It was Fang Kuaileâs first time looking after children. He asked Little Lu Ci if he wanted to join the other kids in the play area and go down the slides.
"No," Little Lu Ci pouted, his face serious. "Thatâs for little kids."
He had stopped liking slides since he was two and a half.
Fang Kuaile was amused. He remembered that both Lu Ci and Lu Xi were three and a half years old.
"What about you, Xi Xi?" Fang Kuaile, unable to crouch due to his prosthetic leg, bent down to meet Little Lu Xiâs gaze.
His voice was gentle. "Do you want to go in and play?"
Little Lu Xi blinked her bright, watery eyes. "Will Brother Kuaile come in too?"
Fang Kuaile shook his head. "Iâm too tall to go in. Only children under seven can play here, but Iâll watch you from outside."
"No," Little Lu Xi shook her head. "I want to stay with Brother Kuaile. If you donât go in, I wonât either."
Fang Kuaile smiled warmly. "Then what would you like to play, Xi Xi?"
"That one," she pointed with her tiny finger.
Fang Kuaile followed her gaze and saw she was pointing at a claw machine. "You want to play that?"
Little Lu Xi nodded.
Fang Kuaile held her hand and led her to the machine. Little Lu Ci, hands in his pockets, followed reluctantly, his face still cool and composed.
Little Lu Xi wasnât tall enough, so Fang Kuaile picked her up and showed her how to operate the machine. "Do you understand, Xi Xi?"
"Yes," she replied.
Fang Kuaile inserted the coins and watched as she wobbled the joystick, the claw swaying unsteadily.
Little Lu Xi turned her head, her voice sweet. "Brother Kuaile, Iâve aimed it."
"If youâve aimed it, you can press this button," Fang Kuaile said, not telling her that the claw was off-center and unlikely to grab anything.
Little Lu Xi reached out and pressed the button with all her might. The claw descended.
It missed.
Fang Kuaile patted her head gently. Just then, the claw hooked onto the string of a small plump pig next to it and dragged it to the drop chute.
"I got it!" Little Lu Xiâs eyes sparkled with joy.
Fang Kuaile patted her head again. "Youâre amazing, Xi Xi. Do you want to play more?"
Little Lu Xi nodded vigorously. "Yes!"
"Little Ci, do you want to play too?" Fang Kuaile asked the cool-looking boy standing nearby.
The little boy pouted, looking somewhat disdainful. Before he could open his mouth, Fang Kuaile handed him a few coins.
"Can you reach it, Little Ci? Do you need me to lift you up?"
"No need. Iâve grown taller," Little Lu Ci said, walking to the next claw machine and standing on his tiptoes.
After a while, a small crowd had gathered around them.
The two toddlers seemed to be in a competition, plush toys tumbling out one after another. The onlookers were stunned.
The little girl and the cool, tiptoeing boy were too skilled for their ageâthey looked no older than three, yet they were claw machine prodigies. Half the toys in the machine were now piled on the floor.
And the children were incredibly good-looking.
Many wanted to take out their phones to capture the momentâafter all, theyâd never seen such young claw machine experts. But as soon as they pulled out their devices, three tall, burly men in black stopped them from taking photos.
Fang Kuaile paid no attention to the crowd. He kept his eyes on Little Lu Xi and Little Lu Ci.
He noticed that Little Lu Xi pressed the button randomly each time, yet she always managed to grab a toy. Even when she missed, the claw would hook onto something, or sometimes even two toys at once. She had incredible luck.
Little Lu Ci, on the other hand, was more deliberate. He missed the first two attempts but, by the third try, had figured out the trick and didnât miss again. He was clearly a quick learner.
The claw machine was nearly empty.
Seeing Little Lu Xi stop, Fang Kuaile asked her, "Not playing anymore?"
"My hands are tired, Iâm done." Little Lu Xi turned around and leaned on Fang Kuaile's shoulder.
"I won." Little Lu Ci also stopped beside them.
Fang Kuaile looked at the piles of plush toys on the ground, too many to carry, and said, "Little Ci, how do you know you won? Maybe Little Xi won. We need to count them to see who has more."
Little Lu Ci put his hands back in his pockets, his little face serious, and said matter-of-factly, "Little Xi got 18 plushies, and I got 21. I won."
Fang Kuaile was a bit surprised. "How do you know that?"
"Big brother secretly counted," Little Lu Xi explained.
Even for adults, itâs hard to focus on grabbing plushies, keep track of your own count, and also pay attention to how many the other person has.
Fang Kuaile thought that Little Lu Ci was very smart and impressive, not like an ordinary three-year-old.
At that moment, a staff member came over with two large bags to help pick up the plushies on the ground.
The staff member politely said to Fang Kuaile, "Weâre running a promotion here. If you grab three plushies, you get one chance to draw a prize." He didnât expect these kids to be so skilled, almost clearing out the machines.
"Do you want to draw for prizes?" Fang Kuaile asked Little Lu Xi and Little Lu Ci.
Little Lu Ci, looking cool, said, "Let my sister draw."
"I want to draw," Little Lu Xi blinked her big eyes, letting Fang Kuaile hold her.
Fang Kuaile smiled. "Alright."
The arcade ownerâs expression grew increasingly grim as he watched the adorable little girl in disbelief.
He had set up one first prize, two second prizes, five third prizes, and five special prizes, totaling thirteen winning opportunities. Coincidentally, the little girl and boy also had exactly thirteen chances to draw.
Somehow, the little girl randomly drew the first prize, followed by the second and third prizes, all in one go.
As the little girl continued to draw second prizes, third prizes, and even the special prizes, the owner swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Hehe, little miss, youâve got great luck today."
The ownerâs heart ached. He had invested heavily in the prizes for this promotion.
Who would have thought this little girlâs luck would be so extraordinary? Thirteen draws, thirteen winsâthis wasnât human; she must be a little fairy!
Little Lu Ci, with his hands behind his back, said in a childish voice, "My mom said my sister has really good luck." His little face remained serious, showing no surprise or curiosity.
"Happy Brother, Iâm giving all the prizes to you," Little Lu Xi wrapped her arms around Fang Kuaileâs neck, her sweet little voice saying, "Do you like them, Happy Brother?"
"Thank you, Xi Xi, but the prizes are yours since you drew them. I canât take them," Fang Kuaile said gently, his smile warm, not showing any sign of the pain in his prosthetic leg from carrying Little Lu Xi.
"For Happy Brother," Little Lu Xi insisted, her big, dark eyes fixed on Fang Kuaile. "Only for Happy Brother."
Fang Kuaileâs lips curled up. "Thank you, Xi Xi."
When they returned to the Lu family home, most of the guests had already left.
Su Ci and Lu Zhe saw Fang Kuaile bringing the two children back. The little boyâs expression was as serious as Lu Zheâs, looking adorably cool, making one want to tease him until he cried.
The little girl was being carried by Fang Kuaile, and Su Ci noticed that Fang Kuaile didnât look too well.
Lu Zhe, standing beside her, also noticed. He reached out to take his daughter from Fang Kuaileâs arms. "Little Xi, did you have fun? Come here, Daddy will carry you. Itâs time to go home."
Little Lu Xi was reluctant. She looked at Fang Kuaile with longing. "Happy Brother, remember to come play with me after I go home."
"Alright," Fang Kuaile let go, and Little Lu Xi was carried away, leaving his arms feeling empty. "Goodbye, Xi Xi."
"Kuaile, have you been carrying Xi Xi the whole time?" Both Su Ci and Lu Zhe knew about Fang Kuaileâs prosthetic leg and that he shouldnât carry heavy loads for long.
Fang Kuaileâs face remained gentle, his smile still in place. "Itâs fine. Xi Xi is light. I can carry her."
Little Lu Xi, now in Lu Zheâs arms, nodded in agreement, her voice soft and sweet. "Xi Xi is light."
Fang Kuaile chuckled. "Thatâs right."
As Su Ci and Lu Zhe left with the children, Fang Kuaile and Boss Fang also departed.
In the car, Boss Fang reached over to touch his sonâs knee. "Remember to apply the ointment when you get back."
"Dad, my leg is fine. Donât worry," Fang Kuaile said.
"Your lips are pale, and youâre saying youâre fine?" Boss Fang glared at him but couldnât bring himself to scold his son, who had always been thoughtful and sensible since he was young.
Little Lu Xi wasnât heavy, but for a young man like Fang Kuaile, she wasnât exactly light either.
Fang Kuaile pursed his lips, not arguing further. "Alright, Iâll apply the ointment when I get back."
On the other side, in the car, Little Lu Xi asked Su Ci, "Mom, will Happy Brother come play with me tomorrow?"
Then she added, "Will Happy Brother like the gifts I gave him?"
Su Ci asked, "What gifts?"
"My sister drew a lot of prizes," Little Lu Ci told his mom.
Su Ci knew her daughter had good luckâit was a little gift from fortune. Her focus, however, was on how much her daughter seemed to like Fang Kuaile. "Xi Xi, do you really like Happy Brother?"
Little Lu Xi nodded.
Lu Zhe, holding his daughter, asked, "Why?"
"Because Happy Brother is good-looking," Little Lu Xi told her dad. "Xi Xi likes Happy Brother."
Lu Zhe was momentarily stunned, his gaze shifting to his wife beside him.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Su Ciâs hand touched Lu Zheâs face, which hadnât changed much over the years.
Lu Zheâs dark eyes stared deeply at Su Ci. "Back when we first started, why did you like me?"
Su Ci blurted out, "Because you were handsome."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Su Ci blinked.
Lu Zhe resisted the urge to pinch her snow-white cheeks. He said, "Xi Xi is still young. She doesnât understand anything yet."
Su Ci nodded in agreement.
As the night deepened, Lu Zhe returned after putting the children to sleep. He saw Su Ci lazily lying on the recliner, playing with her phone, still wearing the cheongsam from earlier.
Because of how she was lying, the high slit on the side of the cheongsam revealed her slender, fair legs, though Su Ci seemed oblivious.
Lu Zhe loosened the collar of his shirt with one hand and walked over to her.
"Are the kids asleep?" Su Ci asked as she saw Lu Zhe approaching. She put down her phone and sat up lazily.
"Theyâre asleep," Lu Zhe said, standing in front of her, looking down at her. "Do you want to take a bath, Tuan Tuan?"
"Yes," she had been wearing high heels all day, and her feet were sore.
Su Ci lightly kicked Lu Zheâs black trousers with her foot, the little bunny charm on her ankle swaying. "Go on."
Lu Zhe bent down and picked up the little enchantress from the recliner. "Iâll bathe with you."
Su Ciâs eyes curved mischievously as she leaned softly against his chest, teasing him. "Lu Zhe, youâre being naughty."
"Hmm."
Su Ci couldnât help but pinch his handsome face. "Youâre getting bolder."
Lu Zhe chuckled softly, carrying her toward the bathroom. "Tuan Tuan, I want to see your bunny ears."
Su Ci snorted lightly.
Liar! He didnât just want to see themâhe wanted to touch them!
In the bathtub, the wet robe fell to the floor, and the black suit lay beside it, pressed tightly together.
Water splashed everywhere as the mirror reflected a scene too intimate to describe.
The night grew darker.
Su Ci, completely exhausted, was carried out of the bathroom by Lu Zhe and placed on the bed.
Even after all these years, despite Lu Zheâs illness being cured, he still maintained a strict exercise routine, his self-discipline unmatched. His muscles were well-proportioned, his physique perfect, and his stamina astonishing.
Even after so long, Su Ci felt she was no match for him, always being thoroughly overwhelmed.
She closed her eyes, her face flushed, her eyes tinged with red, and the pair of white bunny ears on her head drooping pitifully, clearly having been thoroughly teased.
Once the tingling sensation in her body subsided slightly, she opened her eyes, her gaze watery, and glared at Lu Zhe. "My back hurts."
Lu Zhe lay down beside her, his warm hand reaching out to massage her.
"You're getting fiercer these days, like you're trying to kill me," Su Ci said bluntly.
Lu Zhe gave her a lingering look. It wasn't that he was fiercerâit was that she was becoming more alluring, and his self-control was utterly lost in her presence.
After some time, Su Ci had already fallen asleep, and Lu Zhe finally stopped massaging.
By the moonlight streaming through the window, he gazed down at her.
As usual, she nestled into his chest with complete dependence, her cheek pressed tightly against him.
Lu Zhe held her close and slowly closed his eyes.
In his dream, he saw himself sitting in a wheelchair, lying in a rented room, unable to move, and dying alone with no one by his side...
Scene after scene, bleak and tragic, and in his dream, Su Ci was nowhere to be found.
Lu Zhe woke with a start.
He opened his eyes to find Su Ci's foot resting mischievously on his [censored], her hand draped over his waist, her entire body clinging tightly to him.
After a moment, Lu Zhe chuckled softly. He leaned down and kissed Su Ci, waking her with his affection.
For the long years ahead, he was grateful to have her.
The End.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!