Chapter 05
Third Brother
By the time they returned to the Fu residence, it was still early in the morning.
Since it was a workday, Cesare had to leave for the company.
One of the housekeepers hurried after him with a cup of soy milk. After returning, she cleared the dining table and, together with another servant, brought out breakfast from the kitchen.
Perhaps because she had been informed in advance, she accepted Qingqing’s identity very naturally.
Qingqing sat quietly at the dining table, lowering her head as she nibbled on a steamed bun without saying a word.
Only after breakfast did she scoot closer to Alto and ask softly,
“Big Brother, is it just the two of us living here?”
Alto shook his head.
“Besides me, you have three other brothers. But right now only Third Brother and I are at home. The others aren’t here.”
The family relationship was simple and easy enough that even a child wouldn’t get confused.
After listening, the little girl tilted up her soft, fair face and asked in her sweet baby voice,
“Then where is Third Brother? Can I meet him?”
Alto paused in the middle of standing up.
His lips pressed into a thin line, and within seconds the light in his eyes dimmed.
“Third Brother isn’t well. He’s recovering from an illness.”
Qingqing obediently responded with an “Oh.”
Seeing that he seemed ready to leave, she stood up and looked at him expectantly.
A servant brought over a school uniform jacket. Alto took it and glanced down at the little dumpling-like girl before explaining,
“I have to go to school now. I’ll be back in the evening. Don’t run around the house by yourself. After Aunt Liu finishes her work, she’ll take you to your room. Just wait for me to come back, okay?”
Having just arrived in a new place, Qingqing had become quite dependent on him.
But she also knew she couldn’t delay her brother from going to school. Obediently, she stepped aside to let him pass.
“Okay, Big Brother. Qingqing will wait for you to come home.”
Seeing how sensible she was, Alto’s fingers twitched at his side.
After a moment’s thought, he raised a hand and gently ruffled her hair.
Rather awkwardly, he said,
“Then be good. I’ll bring you something tasty when I get back.”
The moment her head was patted, the little girl’s eyes instantly lit up.
“Mhm! Mhm!”
It wasn’t because of the tasty food.
It was because Big Brother had patted her head!
She was so happy~
After watching him leave, Qingqing sat quietly on the sofa for a while.
When Aunt Liu finished tidying the house, she took Qingqing to her room.
The room was spotless. At a glance, it was obvious that no one had ever lived there before.
All the furniture was brand new, and some items were still unopened.
“Oh dear, I’ve completely forgotten!”
Aunt Liu slapped her forehead in annoyance and muttered to herself,
“The quilt hasn’t been aired out yet, the new bedsheets haven’t been washed, the mattress hasn’t even been unpacked. There are still so many things to do. I’m getting more absent-minded the older I get!”
She spoke too quickly for little Qingqing to fully understand, but she caught the last sentence.
“Auntie, you’re not old~”
The little girl’s voice was serious and sincere, making Aunt Liu’s heart melt.
“Oh my goodness, Miss, you’re too adorable…”
Every woman cared about her age.
Even Aunt Liu, who had spent more than ten years slaughtering fish at supermarkets, was no exception.
She immediately began organizing Qingqing’s room.
Since the little girl might accidentally get in the way and get hurt, Aunt Liu brought her to the garden first.
“Miss, play here for a little while. I’ll finish cleaning up soon and come get you, alright?”
The way Aunt Liu looked at Qingqing was like she was looking at her own granddaughter. Even her voice was gentle and affectionate.
After giving her instructions, she turned around and went back inside.
Qingqing obediently sat on a beautiful wooden bench for a while.
Then she noticed the gardener in the distance slip and fall while watering flowers.
Immediately, she ran over to help.
Though, in truth, she wasn’t much help at all.
On the upper floor facing the garden, a corner of a gray curtain was pulled aside.
The person inside casually glanced outside, only for his attention to be caught by the little girl running around below.
Jason watched her for a long time.
His complexion was deathly pale, and his body was so thin it looked fragile.
His skin carried the unhealthy whiteness of someone chronically ill.
Yet his features were strikingly clean and handsome.
He had clear peach-blossom eyes. Because of his long illness, the corners of those eyes were tinged red, giving him a somewhat gloomy appearance.
The inside of his flower-petal-like lips held a faint touch of pink.
Beyond that, there was no color left on him.
His body was so weak that anyone could tell at a glance he did not have much time left.
He silently observed the unfamiliar little girl.
The clothes she wore were not luxurious, but they were very clean.
When she ran, there was a slight limp in her legs, as though she’d injured herself somewhere.
Yet that did nothing to diminish the vibrant vitality radiating from her.
She was like a little bird.
Different from him.
Jason watched for a very long time.
His pale, slender fingers unconsciously rested against the clear glass window.
A moment later, there was a knock on the door.
“Third Young Master, your medicine is ready.”
He stepped back and released the glass expressionlessly.
The gray curtain closed again, cutting him off from the outside world.
The servant carried in the medicine.
Before she even approached, the bitter scent unique to traditional herbal medicine had already spread through the room.
The liquid was dark, thick, and looked unbearably bitter.
Yet there wasn’t the slightest sign of resistance on his face.
It was as if he had become numb to it.
In the end, a small piece of herbal residue that hadn’t been filtered properly caught in his throat.
His face instantly flushed red as uncontrollable coughing erupted from him.
Only after a long while did the coughing finally stop.
But his complexion looked even worse than before.
The servant picked up the empty medicine bowl and prepared to leave.
Before she exited, Jason suddenly spoke.
“Take that flower pot outside.”
The servant paused briefly.
Then she picked up the withered flower sitting on the desk, gently closed the door behind her, and left.
It had originally been a beautiful Arabian jasmine, Third Young Master’s favorite variety.
But unfortunately, it had failed to thrive.
For three months, he had carefully instructed others to carry it into the sunlight and water it regularly…
He had practically raised it like a child.
Yet before it could ever bloom, it died.
Meanwhile, Qingqing was happily watering flowers with the gardener in the garden.
After standing for so long, her leg began to ache.
Just then, Aunt Liu finished cleaning the room and came to bring her back inside.
Qingqing obediently followed behind her.
As they entered the house, she noticed the flower pot in the servant’s arms.
The little girl’s gaze landed on the drooping leaves.
Suddenly, she stopped walking.
“Big Sister~”
She pointed cautiously at the flower pot while looking up with hopeful eyes.
“Can I have that flower?”
The servant froze for a moment.
“This Arabian jasmine?”
The little girl nodded repeatedly, her large eyes fixed on it.
“Third Young Master told me to throw it away. I suppose I can give it to you instead. But it’s already dead, so keeping it won’t do any good.”
Hearing that, Qingqing immediately grew anxious.
“Please don’t throw it away! Give it to me!”
Third Young Master…
Was that Third Brother?
Qingqing remembered what Big Brother had told her that morning.
Third Brother is very sick.
If this flower could come back to life…
Wouldn’t that make him a little happier?
The thought made her want the flower even more.
