CFRSIO Chapter 16

Siam had no idea Lin Yunliang would come looking for him. He had thought Lin Yunliang wouldn’t care about this matter. Besides, he had gone to find Zhang Qing’an before and hadn’t been caught by Lin Yunliang.

This time, he felt inexplicably guilty.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know this was your cat,” the child said, looking timidly at Lin Yunliang before quickly averting his gaze.

Although he said this, he still couldn’t bear to return the kitten in his arms to Lin Yunliang.

He liked cats and really wanted to raise one. However, he was in poor health, and his family didn’t allow him to keep cats. That’s why he was so fond of Siam when he saw him at the children’s playground.

Lin Yunliang felt inexplicably guilty. He wasn’t here to question this. He touched his nose and said, “It’s okay, you can keep petting him.”

He felt in his pocket and found candy, which his mother had prepared for him.

His mother had her own explanation: children had to suffer through bitter medicine in the hospital from a young age, so what was wrong with eating one or two candies occasionally? Couldn’t they have a little sweetness?

Lin Yunliang thought, “You’re the one who wants to eat candy, aren’t you?” He didn’t expose her, but his calm gaze seemed to say it all.

His mother didn’t feel guilty. Moreover, she knew that her child, who was like a little adult, didn’t have such a strong desire for candy. That’s why she had boldly put a candy in Lin Yunliang’s clothes.

She hadn’t expected it to be useful here.

“This is for you,” Lin Yunliang said, placing the shiny candy in his palm and offering it to the child.

“I didn’t mean to scare you earlier.”

The child’s eyes clearly lit up upon seeing the candy. He didn’t take it directly but asked, “Is it really for me?”

“Yes, consider it thanks for taking care of Siam for me.”

As Lin Yunliang spoke, his words clearly didn’t sound like something a five-year-old child could say. But somehow, it gave the child an indescribable feeling of comfort and security, as if he didn’t need to worry about any danger.

“Thank you, brother,” the child said sweetly, his eyes curving like crescent moons, and his whole demeanor soft and gentle.

A… a little angel! Siam now wanted to stay here even more.

Lin Yunliang: …Are all the people from the Wish Bureau like this? He inexplicably pitied the leader of the Wish Bureau; they must have cleaned up a lot of messes for them.

After eating the candy Lin Yunliang gave him, the child unilaterally declared Lin Yunliang his friend and immediately moved closer. “Brother, sit here.”

His bright, clear eyes made it impossible to refuse. Lin Yunliang had no choice but to sit down with him.

Seeing him sit down, the child smiled even more sweetly. “Mom said I’m not healthy enough to run around like them.”

As he spoke, his eyes couldn’t help but glance at the children playing, filled with unspoken envy.

Hearing this, Lin Yunliang understood. If he couldn’t engage in strenuous exercise, it was likely a heart condition. No wonder he was so thin and small, as if he were all bones.

“They don’t like playing with me,” he turned his head and said, “Brother, we’re friends now, right!”

Lin Yunliang really wanted to say no, that they weren’t, that just giving a piece of candy didn’t make them friends.

But when he met the child’s eyes, the words on Lin Yunliang’s lips were swallowed, and he finally nodded silently.

He thought, “Forget it. I’m just a child myself right now.”

This made the child smile even more happily.

The child was quiet, only speaking a few words occasionally, which Lin Yunliang responded to. Most of the time, he was petting the kitten in his arms.

It was clear he really liked Siam. Lin Yunliang thought, “Why not let Siam accompany him more often?”

“Qing’an!” A frantic voice called out.

A beautiful lady wearing a leather skirt and sky-high heels walked towards the children’s playground.

She was a very distinctive person. Lin Yunliang glanced at her and then looked away. The person beside him, however, excitedly stood up, picked up Siam, and ran towards her.

“Mom!”

Lin Yunliang froze. Qing’an, this name reminded him of another character in this story, someone who was considered a cannon fodder – Zhang Qing’an.

So, the person beside him just now was Zhang Qing’an? But could such a well-behaved little dumpling really be the crazy person in the plot?

Lin Yunliang couldn’t figure it out. He only knew that he was about to be in trouble.

Just then, a familiar voice came from beside him.

“Lin Yunliang.” Lin’s mother’s voice came softly.

Only then did Lin Yunliang realize that he had been out for too long. This time, it was indeed his fault for sneaking out without telling anyone. Therefore, when facing Lin’s mother, Lin Yunliang displayed unprecedented obedience.

However, Lin Yunliang couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Why had he forgotten the time this time? His family emphasized punctuality the most.

“I know I was wrong, and it won’t happen again.”

Such a frank admission of fault caused Lin’s mother to swallow all the words she had been about to say. Lin’s mother paused, looked at the little rascal in front of her, and after a while, said,

“It’s good that you know you were wrong. Don’t do it again next time.”

Lin Yunliang had always been obedient and sensible since he was young, which meant his parents didn’t have to spend much effort teaching him. However, some of his occasional behaviors still worried them.

For example, today, when Lin’s mother found no one in the ward, she was anxious. But thinking of Lin Yunliang’s personality and where he was, her restless heart calmed down. Still, she went out to look for him.

After going to several places, she finally arrived at the children’s playground. Given Lin Yunliang’s personality, none of the surrounding children could play with him. With a glimmer of hope, she went there and actually found Lin Yunliang.

“Okay, let’s go back. We have an examination later.”

“Okay.”

Meanwhile:

Zhang Qing’an happily ran over. When he reached his mother, he remembered something: he had brought his brother’s kitten.

His earlier happiness instantly vanished, and his face turned pale.

He looked at his mother timidly, afraid she would be angry.

Zhang’s mother was also taken aback when she saw Zhang Qing’an holding the kitten. She was a little angry, but more curious. She gently patted the child’s head and asked, “An’an, where did this little cat come from?”

“Brother’s,” Zhang Qing’an answered obediently after his head was patted. Zhang’s mother had patted him very lightly, and it didn’t hurt at all.

“Brother?” Zhang’s mother knew he must have met someone at the hospital. However, the kitten wasn’t theirs, so she continued, “Shall we go return the kitten to its brother together?”

“An’an also needs to go for his check-up with the doctor.”

Zhang Qing’an obediently nodded, though his large eyes still held some reluctance. He still listened to his mother.

Zhang’s mother took Zhang Qing’an to find them and was stunned to see the two people talking.

“Kong Jing?”

Upon hearing someone call her name, Lin’s mother subconsciously looked over and had the same expression as Zhang’s mother.

Both of them were stunned, looking as if they hadn’t expected to see each other here.

Lin Yunliang stood honestly to the side, his gaze shifting between the two. “No way, do they know each other?” Wow, it’s a small world.

“Brother.” Zhang Qing’an ran over, holding Siam.

The child was small and had been sick for a long time, so he didn’t have much strength. He could only hold the cat in his chest, making Siam almost roll his eyes. Lin Yunliang, who witnessed this, pretended not to see.

Zhang Qing’an ran over. He certainly remembered why his mother had brought him here. Although he was still very reluctant, he handed Siam over.

“Siam… return to brother.”

Siam: …? My name isn’t Siam!

However, the dizzy Siam didn’t have the strength to retort. The child in front of him still looked reluctant, which stirred something in Lin Yunliang’s heart. He was even willing to give Siam directly to him.

This thought flashed by. After all, Siam was no ordinary cat. And even if it were a cat, one couldn’t casually say they would give it away.

Fortunately, the two parents quickly reacted.

“Is this your child?” Lin’s mother said, her gaze full of affection, her maternal instincts overflowing. “So cute.”

Zhang’s mother smiled. “Your boy is also very good.”

She had seen them from afar just now. The two children sat together. Although they didn’t speak, they sat quietly, which was surprisingly harmonious. What shocked her even more was that Lin Yunliang could actually sit still. Due to his health, Zhang Qing’an usually could only sit still like this and couldn’t be as rambunctious as boys his age.

Also, because of his overly timid nature and unhealthy body, it was difficult for Zhang Qing’an to make friends.

He never expected a child like Lin Yunliang to appear.

It was truly unexpected.

“Not at all,” Lin’s mother said. Her son was too sensible, giving her no sense of motherhood. She preferred softer children. “As you know, Old Lin and I are not exactly proper people.”

“That kid is the opposite; he’s too mature, with no childish spirit.” Although it was a complaint, it was clear that Lin’s mother loved her son.

Zhang’s mother also smiled and teased, “So, does that make it a double negative equals positive?”

The two parents chatted enthusiastically, completely forgetting their original purpose.

Zhang Qing’an didn’t understand. With innocent, bright eyes, he looked at the two adults laughing. It was clear that the younger one didn’t quite grasp what was happening.

As for the older one (in actual age), he knew what was happening.

He knew that if women started chatting, they could chat until the end of time. He had accompanied his mother out shopping before. At that time, he carried a large pile of things in each hand, while his mother and a friend she met while shopping chatted animatedly.

She completely forgot about her son, who was carrying the load and standing on the side, unable to interject or listen to a torrent of gossip from the elders, which somewhat damaged his worldview.

He tugged at the sleeve of the person beside him.

“?” Zhang Qing’an turned his head in confusion, looking at the person beside him. No words were needed; just seeing those big eyes conveyed his meaning.

Lin Yunliang pointed to the slide next to them and then pulled him over to sit down.

“Let them chat. It probably won’t end anytime soon.”

“Are you hungry?” It was almost noon. Lin Yunliang had only realized how long he had been sitting at the children’s playground with Zhang Qing’an when he saw the hospital clock as he was about to leave.

Oh, Zhang Qing’an was petting the cat, and he was sitting.

There was a difference.

“Have a candy first,” he said, pulling another orange-flavored candy from his pocket.

This person had given him candy and let him pet the cat. In Zhang Qing’an’s heart, Lin Yunliang was already the greatest benefactor in the world. He didn’t refuse the other party’s offering and reached out his hands to accept the candy.

“What about you, brother?” After the candy was in his mouth, he suddenly remembered that Lin Yunliang hadn’t eaten. He asked vaguely.

“It’s okay,” Lin Yunliang said. He wasn’t very hungry yet. Besides, he was already being called brother, so he could take care of the younger one.

However…

“How old is your Qing’an?” Lin’s mother asked, her gaze falling on Zhang Qing’an. He was excessively thin.

“He’s six years old,” Zhang’s mother sighed. “An’an was diagnosed with a heart condition when he was born.”

“Because he was too young, he couldn’t have surgery yet, so we can only raise him slowly,” Zhang’s mother’s eyes were full of heartache.

This was the child she had painstakingly carried for ten months; how could she bear to part with him?

Lin’s mother didn’t say anything but could only comfort Zhang’s mother by patting her. Lin’s mother understood that feeling. Her own little rascal had been ill recently, and it had already worried her immensely. She could only imagine how Zhang’s mother felt.

Zhang’s mother smiled, but her smile was a little forced. “Okay, I should take An’an back.”

“An’an needs to see the doctor later.”

“Shall we meet again next time?”

“Alright, hurry up. The child is important.”

However, neither of them expected that this “next time” would come so soon.

Zhang’s mother, looking tired, appeared at the Lin family’s doorstep with Zhang Qing’an.

Seeing her friend looking exhausted, Lin’s mother immediately went to greet her. “Zhou Yue? What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

Zhang’s mother smiled weakly, shook her head, and gently bounced Zhang Qing’an in her arms. “What is there to say? An’an?”

“Hello, Auntie.”

“Hello, An’an.” Lin’s mother took Zhang Qing’an’s hand but found that Zhang Qing’an’s hand was ice-cold. Her heart skipped a beat, but she maintained a calm expression.

“Come in. It’s windy outside.”

Lin Yunliang also didn’t expect to see Zhang Qing’an again so soon.

Upon seeing Lin Yunliang, Zhang Qing’an showed a bright smile and waved enthusiastically. “Brother!”

Hearing these words, Lin Yunliang felt inexplicably guilty. He later learned that he was one year younger than Zhang Qing’an. Being called brother made him feel like he was taking advantage of someone.

Fortunately, Siam ran out at this moment, which eased the awkward atmosphere.

Zhang Qing’an’s eyes lit up when he saw Siam. He really wanted to pet the cat.

Knowing Zhang Qing’an’s thoughts, Zhang’s mother let him down. Moreover, she also needed some private space; the matter she had to discuss was not suitable for Zhang Qing’an to hear.

Lin Yunliang stepped forward. “Hello, Auntie.”

“Hello.” Zhang’s mother responded, taking Zhang Qing’an’s small hand and handing it to Lin Yunliang. “Little Yun, can you do Auntie a favor?”

“Auntie has some things to talk to your mother about. Can you look after An’an for Auntie?”

Zhang’s mother’s smile was kind, but Lin Yunliang still noticed something was wrong. Zhang’s mother’s face was tired, and her hair was messy, far from the neat appearance he had seen at the hospital. Something must have happened. Lin Yunliang knew that he couldn’t help much now.

He could only help take care of Zhang Qing’an.

“Okay,” Lin Yunliang took Zhang Qing’an’s hand.

“Let’s go to my room to play,” Lin Yunliang said, also letting the two elders know where they were going so they wouldn’t worry. Then he turned to Zhang Qing’an. “An’an, have you ever played with puzzles? I have a very large puzzle in my room. Will you help me put it together?”

“Okay.”

Zhang Qing’an nodded obediently and followed Lin Yunliang to the room.

As for Siam, Lin Yunliang also assigned him other tasks.

Lin Yunliang wanted to know what the two elders were discussing. He believed Siam would find a way.

Siam was speechless but still helped.

Then, he followed the two children. Zhang Qing’an kept wanting to turn his head to look at the cat following them, but Lin Yunliang stopped him.

“Watch where you’re going.”

“Oh. Got it, Brother.” He answered obediently, but his eyes still couldn’t help but glance at Siam.

Lin Yunliang was helpless. He stopped and gestured for Siam to come over. Without Lin Yunliang’s reminder, Siam knew what to do. He trotted forward, then sat on the ground, looking at Zhang Qing’an with bright eyes.

Zhang Qing’an was well-behaved. He knew this kitten wasn’t his, but he really wanted to pet it.

“Brother…”

“Hold him.”

“Thank you, Brother!”

Siam once again occupied Zhang Qing’an’s embrace.

“Kong Jing, Zhang Quan has gone too far this time! I want a divorce from him! Cut all ties!” Although Zhang’s mother’s expression was tired, she looked angry when she talked about her husband.

Lin’s mother frowned. Strictly speaking, she shouldn’t meddle in other people’s marital affairs, but they had been classmates for many years, and she knew what kind of person Zhang Quan was.

When they were in school, he always had many rumors surrounding him.

Zhou Yue and Zhang Quan were both rock musicians, and they had been dating since high school. They had broken up and gotten back together several times, mostly due to Zhang Quan’s misconduct. Zhou Yue had forgiven him many times. If she hadn’t gotten pregnant later, they might not even have gotten married for the sake of the child.

Zhou Yue had hoped that Zhang Quan would restrain himself after marriage, but she didn’t expect him to become increasingly outrageous.

“If I hadn’t rushed back this time, my An’an would have…”

Mentioning Zhang Qing’an and recalling what she had seen at that moment, Zhang’s mother’s heart felt as if it were being sliced by a knife.

“Can An’an stay at your place for a while?”

“I can’t let Zhang Quan find An’an. That guy won’t take care of a child!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. I’ll break up with Zhang Quan completely!”

They were friends. Although they had lost contact for a while due to work and life, women’s friendships were always strange; they could always find a way to become friends again.

Zhang’s mother’s attitude this time was particularly firm, and Lin’s mother saw it clearly.

“Okay, you can rest assured leaving An’an at my place.”

“It’ll be good for Little Yun to have a playmate too.”

The two of them reached an agreement like this. Zhang Qing’an, however, didn’t know what his mother was going to do. He was playing puzzles with Lin Yunliang and only learned that he would be temporarily staying here halfway through.

Zhang Qing’an looked dazed. After a long time, his eyes gradually reddened. He didn’t cry, but he looked a little reluctant.

His obedient appearance made Lin’s mother’s maternal instincts surge even more. She immediately made a decision.

“I’ll have your Little Yun brother sleep with you tonight.”

Lin’s mother knew that Lin Yunliang was actually one year younger than Zhang Qing’an, especially since Lin’s mother herself had told Lin Yunliang this.

Lin Yunliang: I suspect you’re doing this on purpose!!

He found the term Lin’s mother used headache-inducing. At the same time, he knew that resisting was futile.

Zhang Qing’an was very sensitive to people’s emotions. He could sense Lin Yunliang’s emotional fluctuations and thought it was because of him. Moreover, he was a poor communicator.

He could only look at Lin Yunliang timidly, afraid that “Little Yun Brother” wouldn’t agree. He was used to his own bed, but he thought that if he had a friend to accompany him, he wouldn’t be afraid.

“Alright, alright,” Lin Yunliang resigned himself.

He found an excuse to go to the bathroom because he had something to do.

“Siam,” he called out to Siam.

[I’m here! Darling! The Universe Wish Bureau is at your service. Is there anything you need help with?]

“I want to know about Zhang Qing’an’s situation,” Lin Yunliang thought. In the original plot, there was no mention of him being hospitalized. But now, not only was there, but the two ladies had also reconnected. The divorce between Zhou Yue and Zhang Quan might also be different.

[Okay, darling! Searching for you now.]

[According to the plot, Zhang Qing’an will ultimately be awarded to his father, Zhang Quan, by the court.]

This explained it. A child’s personality and values, before they are formed, will involuntarily imitate and learn from the people around them.

From the snippets of conversation between Zhang’s mother and Lin’s mother just now, Lin Yunliang could sense that Zhang Qing’an’s father seemed like an unreliable person. He probably had many bad habits. It was no wonder that the obedient Zhang Qing’an would become a character in the plot.

Seeing that the person was silent, Siam asked curiously, [Host, is there any connection to this?]

“No,” Lin Yunliang thought privately that he didn’t want Siam to know his thoughts. “Alright, you can leave.”

…Oh, you’re done with me, so you’re throwing me away, right? What a scumbag!

He thought this, and although his expression seemed a bit resentful, he responded obediently, [Understood.]

Seeing Siam’s resentful expression, Lin Yunliang thought… No, what is he throwing a tantrum about again?

“Oh, right,” Lin Yunliang said, as if he had just remembered something. “Go accompany Zhang Qing’an and put him to sleep, okay?”

Lin Yunliang had never coaxed anyone before. He was inexperienced in this area and could only trouble the kitten.

Cute kittens should always bear more burdens when they are capable. This family has really taken on too much.

Siam didn’t say anything this time. He even seemed a little excited.

So, was this Siam’s actual job?

Zhang Qing’an began his days at the Lin residence.