Chapter 61 Big Brother, Don’t Wander Off Next Time.

Chapter 61: Big Brother, don't wander off next time.

Later, Shen Yan simply stood in the middle of the path, completely disregarding the production crew's instructions to hide.

In the deepening twilight, the young man's tall, slender figure stood on tiptoes, peering into the distance.

At the far end of the path, a small beam of light flickered, accompanied by the little one's clear, childlike voice.

"Big Brother, where are you?"

Shen Yan's eyes lit up. "You You, I'm here."

A path several hundred meters long was far too arduous for the short-legged Su Youli; he could already feel his legs aching.

But he still hadn't found his big brother.

The cameraman, recording the little one's every move, felt a tug on his pants. Looking down, he saw Su Youli's small hand quietly clutching his trousers.

"Uncle, my feet kinda hurt."

The cameraman crouched down and asked, "Does it hurt badly? Can you keep going?"

Su Youli had never truly experienced hardship growing up. Whenever he got tired from walking outside, Qin Kun would carry him, and after returning to the Shen family, everyone doted on him.

The uneven, pitted village path unintentionally made Su Youli's walk more difficult.

When the cameraman uncle asked if he could persevere, the little one immediately thought of his Big Daddy and Papa.

Whenever Su Youli wanted to give up on something, his Big Daddy would ask if he could keep going, while his Papa would encourage him to hang on for just one more second.

Thus, under the encouragement of his two dads, Su Youli would always persist, and each time, he lasted for more than just a second.

Su Youli gripped the cameraman's trousers, his small eyebrows scrunched tightly: "You You can persevere!"

The cameraman ruffled his hair. "See that spot up ahead? Your brother is right there."

Su Youli held onto the cameraman's trousers and walked a short distance, his eyes fixed on that tiny speck of light ahead.

Finally, the little one spotted Shen Yan waving both hands at him in the darkness.

"Big Brother!"

The little one took off running, as if his legs hadn't been hurting moments before.

Watching the small figure running toward him under the moonlight, Shen Yan felt his heart swell. He hurried forward to meet him, opening his arms to embrace Su Youli's small body.

The little one in his arms was breathing heavily, his eyes shining with excitement as he looked up.

He had finally found his big brother!

"Our You You is so amazing, truly the bravest little kid in the whole world."

Shen Yan pinched the little one's chubby cheeks, his tone brimming with pride.

He had just heard from the production crew that his little brother was the first child to complete the task.

As expected of a Shen family child—always striving for first place, no matter where he goes!

Su Youli was beaming with pride from his big brother's praise, standing tall with his little chest puffed out.

On the way back, Su Youli didn't forget to lecture his big brother.

"Big Brother, don't wander off next time. What if I couldn't come find you?"

With a dead serious expression, Shen Yan couldn't help but laugh.

He retorted, "What if you couldn't find your big brother?"

Su Youli had never considered that he might not find his big brother. He shook his head and said he would definitely find him.

The two brothers, one big hand holding a small one, walked slowly along the path back to their lodging.

The evening breeze rustled through the treetops, creating a soft, soughing sound.

Shen Yan crouched in front of Su Youli and hoisted the brave little one, who had walked through the night, onto his back. In the quiet night, the hushed chatter between the two brothers was filled with warmth.

Su Youli leaned against his big brother's shoulder. The little one's energy was mostly spent, but his tone still sounded excited as he recounted, again and again, how he had played with Mi Le and Niu Niu that day.

Grandma Zhang had even said she would make them scallion pancakes tomorrow. At this point, the little one gulped hungrily.

Shen Yan paused suddenly and said, "You You, I'm going to go faster. Hold on tight."

Su Youli obediently held on tighter around his neck as the wind rushed past his ears.

The little one bounced around a little on his big brother's back and found it really fun, giggling happily.

A short while later, Shen Yan, carrying Su Youli, arrived at the winding path they had taken earlier that day.

Walking a little further along the path, they reached their lodging.

As the two approached, they saw a stooped figure standing by the wall of the house. Under the moonlight, they could even see smoke coming from their mouth.

The shadow seemed to hear the noise and pushed off the wall to look over. Once he clearly saw Shen Yan and Su Youli, his aged, stern face scrunched into a frown, and he turned to leave.

"It's the landlord grandpa," Su Youli said to Shen Yan.

Shen Yan nodded. He had asked earlier; the old landlord was named Tian Hai and had always lived alone.

"Grandpa Tian, have you eaten?" Shen Yan asked, carrying his brother as he followed.

Tian Hai's footsteps paused for a moment, his back rising and falling slightly, a detail unnoticeable if one wasn't paying attention.

The old man didn't speak, taking a few puffs from his pipe with one hand before stepping forward to push open the gate.

"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and come in," the old man said, using his stooped frame to hold the other door open, urging Shen Yan to enter quickly.

Shen Yan guessed that the old man had seen him carrying You You and holding the basket, making it inconvenient, so he had helped out. He was an old man with a gruff exterior but a heart of gold.

As his big brother stepped over the threshold, little Su Youli tilted his head against his big brother's shoulder and saw the landlord grandpa still holding the door for them.

"Thank you, Grandpa."

The clear, childish voice brought a spark of life into the dull, remote house. The old man looked up at the little one calling him "Grandpa" with a curved little smile, his lips moving slightly without making a sound.

Only after the two brothers entered the room did the old man close the door and lock it.

Shen Yan had already set Su Youli down. When the lights turned on, Shen Yan got a clear look at Su Youli's little face.

Well, what in the world had his You You gotten into while he was away?

His fair, tender face was smudged with black soot, the corners of his mouth still stained with unwiped sweet potato residue, and his little hands were sticky.

Shen Yan took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

The little grimy-faced You You was quite adorable. Shen Yan decided not to clean him up just yet, opting instead to wash his hands first and have dinner.

There was no table in the room, so the meal had to be placed on the counter. With no dining chair, Su Youli also had to sit on the bed, and the two brothers ended up eating there together.

Shen Yan scooped a spoonful of scrambled eggs with tomatoes and mixed it into his rice for him.

The golden eggs, the sweet and tangy tomato sauce, and the rice bought from a local farmhouse—Su Youli shoveled big spoonfuls, thoroughly enjoying the meal.

Shen Yan checked his Stitch-themed water bottle and found it empty.

The light in the room was dim as the two brothers ate in comfortable silence. The aroma of the food filled the air, giving this temporary space a homely feel.

Washing up in the evening posed a challenge. The temperature dropped low in the countryside at night, and Su Youli certainly couldn’t bathe with cold water.

Shen Yan crouched in front of the suitcase, rummaging through it, hoping Tang Dou had packed them a foldable electric kettle or something.