Chapter 32: Chapter 32 “Chi Chen, Your Brother Is Here!”…

Chapter 32

"Chi Chen, your brother is here!"

The story begins two days prior.

With New Year's Day fast approaching, a new year was about to dawn, marking another year of growth. Song Qinian retrieved a soft measuring tape, intending to measure the children's height and weight before sending the data to Lu Tingan.

Knowing their "little dad" would see the results, the two children were eager, actively standing against the wall for Song Qinian to measure.

"Good, you've grown quite a bit taller compared to last year."

Song Qinian used the tape to measure Lu Zhiyu's height, then his head circumference, waistline, and weight, carefully recording each detail.

Lu Zhiyu smiled, "Since both you and little dad are tall, I’ve grown quickly too."

As his features matured, he resembled Song Qinian more—with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a straight nose, and captivating peach-blossom eyes when he smiled. Growing up surrounded by love, he possessed a sunny and cheerful disposition, his eyes often holding a gentle smile. Though mischievous as a child, he had gained a touch of maturity with age.

Song Qinian straightened up, patted Lu Zhiyu’s shoulder, and said with a look of paternal pride, "In a few more years, our 'Pang Xiaoyu' will be as tall as his dad..."

Time flew by—the little one who once cried in swaddling clothes had grown so much.

Meeting those loving eyes, Lu Zhiyu felt a surge of emotion and gently hugged his father.

He said, "No matter how tall I get, I’ll always be your 'Pang Xiaoyu'."

"You’ll always be our 'Pang Xiaoyu'," Song Qinian bent down to kiss the top of his head, his eyes filled with a father’s boundless love.

Lu Zhiyu’s ears turned slightly red. After all, he was still a child, and being kissed by his father instantly melted away his newfound maturity. He grinned from ear to ear, looking like a happy little fool.

Song Qinian chuckled and ruffled his hair.

After measuring Lu Zhiyu, it was Lu Zhishi’s turn.

He stood obediently against the wall, his dark eyes fixed on his father and brother, declaring, "I’ve definitely grown taller."

Song Qinian knelt on one knee, measuring as he spoke, "Yes, you’ve grown a little taller."

Lu Zhiyu bent over to take a look and nodded, "Fat Cheese, you’ve grown five centimeters this year."

Lu Zhishi was pleased with the result, puffing up his chest proudly and saying in his tiny, milky voice, "I’ll catch up to my brother soon."

Lu Zhiyu patted his head, "I’ll wait for you."

"Fat Cheese, keep it up." Song Qinian measured his head circumference, then his arm, and finally his belly.

As the tape wrapped around the little one’s round belly, Song Qinian checked the measurement.

After a moment, he glanced at Lu Zhishi’s belly and felt something was off.

Moving to the side for a better look, Song Qinian couldn’t help but laugh, saying with a mix of amusement and affection, "Fat Cheese, don’t suck in your stomach."

Lu Zhishi’s face flushed red, and he couldn’t hold his breath any longer—his belly returned to its round shape.

"Fat Cheese!" Lu Zhiyu laughed so hard his stomach hurt.

Lu Zhishi scratched his belly, his face still red, and pleaded, "Don’t tell little dad."

Loosening the tape slightly, Song Qinian measured his belly again and asked with a smile, "Do you think your little dad wouldn’t know you have a round belly?"

That made sense. Lu Zhishi scratched his bottom and fell silent.

Song Qinian patted his belly and said, "There’s nothing wrong with a child being a little chubby. It’s adorable."

He reassured him, "All children are like this. You’ll grow out of it."

Lu Zhishi grumbled softly. He knew it was just vanity—he wanted to be as cool and handsome as Xiao Chen, his cool and aloof heartthrob!

After measuring both children, Song Qinian sent the data to Lu Tingan.

Lu Zhishi tugged at his brother’s sleeve as they walked to the living room, "Brother, don’t tell anyone, okay..."

Lu Zhiyu readily agreed, "Don’t worry, Fat Cheese, I won’t tell anyone."

...

Thinking back to this, Lu Zhishi felt his face heat up again.

Grabbing his shoes and putting them on, Lu Zhishi scampered off to his blabbermouth brother’s room.

Lu Zhiyu happened to be sitting cross-legged on the carpet, working on his little robot.

Lu Zhishi ran over, squeezed close to him, pressed their cheeks together, and glared sideways at his blabbermouth brother, "Stinky brother, you promised not to tell anyone!"

Pressed cheek to cheek, Lu Zhiyu was actually quite happy. After hearing this, he was a bit puzzled about what he meant.

Catching a glimpse of Lu Zhishi’s round belly out of the corner of his eye, he finally remembered and felt a little guilty. But then he thought, Xiao Chen isn't an outsider.

"Is your Xiao Chen brother an outsider?"

Lu Zhishi immediately replied, "Of course not!"

Lu Zhiyu set aside the robot, hugged him, and said in a coaxing tone, "Then it’s fine. Your Xiao Chen brother isn’t an outsider—he’s family."

That made perfect sense. Lu Zhishi rubbed his chin.

How could his Xiao Chen brother be an outsider? Of course not—he was one of us.

Once he realized this, Lu Zhishi no longer felt embarrassed and turned to run back to Chi Chen’s room.

Lu Zhiyu: "..."

Lu Zhiyu: "Fat Cheese, where are you going now?"

A tiny, milky voice called back from the distance, "Going to find Xiao Chen brother~"

Lu Zhiyu: "..." Stinky Cheese, all you care about is your Xiao Chen brother!

Ten minutes later, Lu Zhiyu showed up in Chi Chen’s room with his little robot.

Lu Zhishi was curled up on the small sofa, absorbed in an illustrated storybook, so focused he didn’t even notice Lu Zhiyu’s arrival.

Lu Zhiyu didn’t disturb him either, walking straight to Chi Chen and squeezing in beside him. He sat down confidently and said, "Move over, I want to sit here too."

Chi Chen: "..." The carpet was so big, yet he had to take his spot?

Chi Chen shifted over without expression, leaning back against the sofa and continuing to read.

Lu Zhiyu also sat cross-legged, tinkering with his little robot.

When it was bedtime, Song Qinian came and knocked on the door, saying softly, "Time for bed, kids."

Lu Zhiyu looked up and replied, "Okay, Dad."

Chi Chen glanced at the time, closed his book, and said, "Alright, Uncle."

Song Qinian trusted them and said to Lu Zhishi, "Fat Cheese, time for bed."

"Coming, Dad~" Lu Zhishi put down the storybook reluctantly, ran to his father, took his hand, and headed out with him.

Remembering something, Lu Zhishi turned back and waved.

"Brother, Brother Xiao Chen, Happy New Year~"

Lu Zhiyu looked up, holding his little robot, his eyes crinkling into a smile. "Happy New Year, Fat Cheese!"

Chi Chen also lifted his lips in a faint smile and said, "Happy New Year, little Zhishi."

On the way back to the room, Lu Zhishi nuzzled against Song Qinian's face. "Happy New Year, Dad~"

Song Qinian kissed his cheek and smiled gently. "Happy New Year, baby."

Far away in W City, Lu Tingan, after finishing work and taking out his phone, saw New Year's greetings from his family, children, and friends.

He murmured, "Happy New Year..."

This was Lu Zhishi's third and a half years in this world, growing up surrounded by love and happiness.

A new beginning, a new childhood, a new life.

...

They say six or seven is the age that tries even dogs' patience—climbing roofs, catching fish in rivers, stirring up trouble everywhere.

That saying held true.

"Lu Zhishi! Go stand in that corner and face the wall!"

Lu Zhishi slowly moved over, faced the wall, and rested his forehead against it.

His mouth set in a slight pout, looking rather defiant.

His little curly hair was damp and drooping, and his small back radiated stubbornness. Song Qinian felt a throbbing in his temples.

"Don't get yourself so worked up. Here, have some tea," Lu Tingan said.

Song Qinian sat down next to him, rubbing his temples, furious.

"That little rascal, I'm going to tan his hide."

Lu Zhishi secretly pouted again, pricked up his ears to listen to the goings-on in the living room.

Not sure what was said over there, but footsteps drew near again. Lu Zhishi straightened up.

Song Qinian took down the feather duster hanging on the wall and swatted Lu Zhishi twice on the bottom. "Do you know what you did wrong?"

This feather duster was brought from the Lu family's old house, a sort of family heirloom. The Lu family's grandfathers and great-grandfathers had all been spanked with it.

Except for Lu Tingan, who had always been obedient since childhood and never got spanked.

It didn't hurt too badly. Lu Zhishi couldn't help but reach back to rub his bottom.

"...I was just standing up for someone."

Song Qinian bristled. "How old are you?"

"Six..."

*Smack, smack*—two harder spanks followed. This time it stung a little. Lu Zhishi pouted and scratched his bottom again.

Seeing him scratch his bottom repeatedly, Song Qinian thought he might have hit too hard. He pursed his lips, torn between anger and concern.

"You also know you’re only six years old!"

"..." Lu Zhishi lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Since graduating kindergarten, a group of kids in the villa neighborhood felt bored and decided to go on adventures every day, searching for treasure.

It had drizzled yesterday, and today the weather was just right—the sun wasn’t too hot, and the temperature was pleasant.

The chubby little leader said they were going to find gems, claiming he had a treasure map. A group of little ones buzzed with excitement, eager to follow.

Lu Zhishi and Zhao Xiaoxing were popular. Whenever the kids went out to play, they would always stop by the Lu and Zhao houses to invite them.

Their sweet, energetic little voices made it hard for anyone to resist these adorable human toddlers.

The older brothers were away at summer camp. Although the camp was nearby, they wouldn’t be back until the afternoon.

Bored at home with nothing else to do, Lu Zhishi happily agreed to join.

The parents looked the other way—as long as the kids didn’t leave the villa area and stayed out of danger, they were free to run around.

The group of over a dozen little ones moved along, stopping and going, chattering like little birds. Their tender voices chattered nonstop as they huddled together, creating quite a lively scene.

Many elderly residents were strolling or enjoying the cool air in the villa area—retirees spending their golden years caring for grandchildren. Whenever they saw the children pass by, they would smile fondly, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans.

"Where are you little ones off to adventure and hunt for treasure today?" Grandpa Li, with his half-gray hair, asked with a smile.

"To the stream! To find treasure!"

"Catch little fish~"

"Let's go play!"

Their little voices chirped excitedly. Over a dozen children waved their hands, their round eyes shining with excitement.

The villa area had a man-made stream, very shallow—just above the ankles of the little ones—so it was safe for children to play in.

"Alright, alright. The sun isn’t too strong yet. Hurry there and back, don’t get too hot," Grandpa Li said kindly.

After saying goodbye to the grandpas, the adventure team set off again.

Six-year-olds still had short legs. By the time they reached the stream, the sun had grown much stronger.

Taking out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, Lu Zhishi grabbed Zhao Xiaoxing’s hand to keep him from running off.

Little Chubby Xing loved to play and was so excited he almost jumped right into the creek.

"Alright, let's search around here!" Their little captain, Nan Nan, assigned tasks to the other kids in a loud, clear voice:

"Upstream, midstream, downstream—let's search everywhere! The treasure map says it's a red gemstone!"

There were no red gemstones in this creek, but there were plenty of pebbles. Still, since they were out to have fun, everyone was happy to search anyway.

Lu Zhishi took off his little sandals and rolled up his pants legs.

Noticing that Zhao Xiaoxing’s pants legs kept unrolling no matter how many times he rolled them, Lu Zhishi simply bent down to fix them for him.

Zhao Xiaoxing’s eyes lit up: "Six Cheese! I'm gonna take real good care of you when I'm older!"

"..." Lu Zhishi looked up at him with a look that said it all.

That really isn’t necessary, you devoted son.

Lu Zhishi: "That’s not how you use that phrase, you dummy mushroom-head..."

Zhao Xiaoxing blinked, frowned, and looked confused: "My brother says that to Mom every day, and she’s always happy."

"Alright, dummy mushroom-head, just help me find some pretty stones."

Lu Zhishi patted his head and took his hand as they waded slowly into the water.

He wasn’t planning to search for gemstones—he wanted to find some pretty pebbles to make into a picture and give as a gift.

"Why do you want stones?" Zhao Xiaoxing didn't get it, but he listened anyway.

"To make a picture for my brother."

Lu Zhiyu had seen a travel picture book and got really interested in pebble pictures, wanting to make one himself.

But he was too busy and never had the time. Every time he came home, it was already dark, and his fathers wouldn’t let him go out to the creek to look for pebbles.

Lu Zhishi decided to make one for him instead.

The water shimmered, and the sunlight reflecting off it was a bit dazzling. The glare nearly blinded Lu Zhishi and he almost fell into the water.

Keeping an eye on Zhao Xiaoxing beside him, Lu Zhishi looked up to check on the other kids. Seeing they were all fine, he lowered his head again.

"Six Cheese, the water feels so nice!"

Zhao Xiaoxing scooped water and splashed his face, eyes crinkling into happy crescents, absolutely delighted.

So cool and refreshing—he was loving it!

Lu Zhishi pulled out his handkerchief again to wipe Zhao Xiaoxing’s face. "Don’t splash water on your face."

"Okay." Zhao Xiaoxing didn’t splash his face, but he started splashing around, flicking water everywhere.

Lu Zhishi looked the other way—as long as no one got hurt, it was fine.

Before they knew it, the whole bunch of kids who had come with a treasure map to hunt for gems had started a water fight. Their clothes weren't soaked through, but they were pretty damp.

Lu Zhishi wiped the water off his face for the third time, expressionless: "Would somebody please notice me..."

"Look at me! Huge water ball!"

"Water Dragon in the Sky!"

"Super Invincible Big Bubble!!"

"Ah! My little dress! Stinky Yangyang, I'm not done with you!"

"My hair clip fell off!"

Lu Zhishi: "..." Alright, nothing.

Zhao Xiaoxing was having a blast playing in the water but didn't forget to help Lu Zhishi find pretty stones. Every time he found one, he'd run back cheerfully, drop it into Lu Zhishi's little net bag, and then dash back to continue the water fight.

Lu Zhishi was doing two things at once, picking up stones while keeping an eye on the other kids.

"Nan Nan! I found a gem!" A girl with a high ponytail upstream shouted excitedly, waving at them urgently.

"What? You found it?!"

"Let me see, let me see!"

"Yuan Yuan, show me quickly!"

A bunch of little rascals splashed their way over, creating a trail of water droplets.

Since they were already closer to the upstream area, Lu Zhishi, dragged along by the curious Zhao Xiaoxing, got to Yuan Yuan faster than the other kids, rushing toward her.

As they got closer, they saw Yuan Yuan take a few steps toward the middle of the stream, about to bend down and pick up the gem she mentioned.

Suddenly, she swayed, leaned forward, and fell straight into the water with a splash.

"H-help! Help!"

Lu Zhishi's heart jumped. He quickly shook off Zhao Xiaoxing's hand and hurried over.

The farther he went toward the middle of the stream, the more alarmed he became—the water was almost up to his calves, while in other areas it had only just risen above the ankles.

For someone who couldn't swim, even calf-deep water was enough to cause drowning.

On top of that, Yuan Yuan had fallen into the water unexpectedly, leaving her unprepared and panicked, flailing in the water for a long time without being able to stand up.

Without a second thought, Lu Zhishi grabbed her arm to pull her up, only to be yanked down by her frantic movements, plunging headfirst into the water face-down.

Lu Zhishi: "..." He was starting to wonder if today was an unlucky day to go out.

He knew how to swim—doggy paddle style—but he wasn't very skilled.

Though panicked, Lu Zhishi's adult soul helped him steady himself. He tightly gripped Yuan Yuan's collar and struggled to stand up.

Fortunately, the bodyguard waiting nearby rushed over almost instantly, lifting both children out of the water and setting them on the ground.

The group of little ones had never seen such a scene and burst into tears. Zhao Xiaoxing, in particular, clung to Lu Zhishi's chest, crying hysterically.

"Six Cheese! Don't die!"

"..." Lu Zhishi coughed, having swallowed some water. "Cough, cough... I'm not dead yet..."

Oh no, he was really going to get scolded for this.

He didn't regret doing it—he just hoped his dad would go easy on him when he scolded him.

After such an incident, the group of bratty kids were badly frightened. They were sent home crying their eyes out, even losing their treasure map along the way.

They never went treasure hunting again!

Zhao Xiaoxing whined through tears about accompanying Lu Zhishi home, but Lu Zhishi refused: "I'm gonna get my hide tanned when I get home."

He felt too embarrassed to let his friend watch him get punished.

Zhao Xiaoxing was sent home bawling his eyes out. Zhao Mingzhu was completely in the dark until she got the whole story, after which she also brought out the family's ancestral feather duster and gave the little troublemaker a good walloping.

At the Lu household.

Lu Zhishi did end up getting a severe spanking. Song Qinian was absolutely furious and grounded him until school started.

His bottom hurt so much that Lu Zhishi lay on the bed, airing out the ointment on his bare bottom, his eyes red from crying. Tiny teardrops clung to his eyelashes, and he sniffled occasionally, a truly pitiful sight.

After getting him to drink down a bowl of spicy ginger soup, Lu Tingan sat by the bed, using a small fan to cool his bottom.

"...On his way back from the company, your dad was so worried he worked himself up into tears."

Lu Zhishi rubbed his eyes. "I know..."

"He loves you very much. When he heard from the bodyguard that you had drowned, his legs went so weak he almost buckled. Fat Cheese, he might be crying secretly in his study right now."

Lu Tingan gently stroked his hair. "Helping others is a good thing, but only if you aren’t putting yourself in danger."

"I know I was wrong, Dad..."

Lu Tingan pressed his forehead against Lu Zhishi’s to check for fever, then tucked him in and softly coaxed him to sleep for a while.

After the outing and the scare, the little rascal was already exhausted but was fighting sleep stubbornly.

Closing the door behind him, Lu Tingan turned to see Song Qinian leaning against the wall, his face set in a cold expression and his eyes red.

"Alright, Fat Cheese knows he was wrong." Lu Tingan took his hand and led him downstairs.

"He doesn’t know a thing."

Song Qinian wiped his eyes. "That little brat, he gets more mischievous with each passing day. He won’t learn without a spanking."

"If you spank him again, you’ll just end up feeling sorry for him."

"..." Song Qinian pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Lunch was prepared by Song Qinian—light, simple dishes—but it was Lu Tingan who brought the food upstairs and personally fed Lu Zhishi.

Song Qinian didn’t show himself, only asking Lu Tingan to deliver a bowl of ginger soup and some cold medicine.

With his bottom sore, Lu Zhishi couldn’t lie down or sit comfortably—he could only stand or lie on his stomach, completely listless and drained.

Having fallen into the water and gotten soaked, then receiving a spanking, Lu Tingan was constantly worried he might spike a fever.

Lu Zhiyu only found out about the incident after returning home and rushed upstairs in a panic.

"Fat Cheese, how are you feeling now? Does your bottom hurt?"

After feeling his forehead for fever, Lu Zhiyu lifted the blanket to take a look. His little bottom was all red—clearly, Dad had really lost his temper.

"Brother, it doesn’t hurt anymore now."

His bottom was sore, and he was tired, so Lu Zhishi continued lying on his stomach, turning his head to talk to his brother.

After resting through the noon hours, he had regained some of his energy. Lu Zhishi asked him to bring over the net bag on the cabinet by the door.

"I collected lots of pebbles, and Pang Xiaoxing helped too. Once my bottom is better, I’ll make a pebble artwork for you."

The little one’s eyes were bright, his voice sounding cheerful, showing no signs of having been punished.

Lu Zhiyu clutched the net bag, turned away to wipe his eyes, then turned back.

"Let this be the last time. No more playing in the water from now on."

"Don’t worry, Brother, it was an accident this time."

"Be more obedient. Dad, Father, and your brother were all scared half to death."

Unable to help himself, Lu Zhiyu rapped him lightly on the head. The little rascal was really something else.

"Okay, okay, I won’t go again next time." Lu Zhishi rubbed his head.

Lu Zhiyu sat by the bed, applied another layer of ointment, washed his hands, and then brought out what he'd brought back.

"I originally brought you bubble tea and roasted chicken legs, but you need to eat light now, so I’ll have these myself."

Lu Zhishi swallowed hard, his mouth watering, forcing himself not to look or smell, and said softly, "Brother, buy some for me next time."

"Then you have to get better quickly, and I’ll buy them for you."

"Okay~"

Chi Chen came by that evening, wearing pajamas and bringing some tonics suitable for children.

"Brother Xiao Chen!"

Lu Zhishi was lying on his bed listening to a story from his little robot when he heard Chi Chen had arrived. He quickly lifted his head to look.

Chi Chen frowned slightly, stepped to the bedside, and pressed a hand to his forehead, asking softly, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

Lu Zhishi shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, my head doesn’t hurt, and my bottom doesn’t either."

Before coming, Chi Chen had heard from Lu Zhiyu that the little one had gotten a spanking.

He lifted a corner of the blanket to check. There was some redness and swelling, but it didn’t look as severe as Lu Zhiyu had described.

Lu Zhishi’s cheeks flushed bright red. Embarrassed, he covered his bottom with his hand and whispered, "Brother Xiao Chen..."

Chi Chen glanced at him, his expression didn't change, and tucked him back in. "Has the ointment been applied?"

Seeing that Chi Chen seemed ready to apply the ointment himself, Lu Zhishi quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, I put it on right after my bath."

Chi Chen nodded. "So, do you understand what you did wrong?"

Lu Zhishi admitted his fault with complete sincerity. "Brother, I know I was wrong. I won’t dare do it again..."

"You need to steer clear of dangerous spots," Chi Chen said. "You’re still small."

Lu Zhishi understood his concern and nodded obediently, promising, "I won’t do it again, Brother Xiao Chen."

Chi Chen ruffled his hair. "Just be good now."

Lu Zhishi held his hand, eyes crinkling as he nodded. "Okay."

After this incident, all the children who had gone to play in the stream were given a spanking by their parents and grounded.

The next day, Yuanyuan’s parents brought a bunch of gifts to thank them. Yuanyuan didn’t come—he had been spanked and sent to his grandparents' house to kneel in the family ancestral hall.

With a child nearly drowning, parents in the villa area were on edge. Overnight, they transformed the shallow stream into a flower garden to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The villa area stayed quiet for a while, all the way until elementary school started.

They all moved in the same circles, and since it was suitable in every way, everyone attended the same private school.

Lu Zhishi and Zhao Xiaoxing were in first grade, while Lu Zhiyu, Chi Chen, and Zhao Xiaoyun were in sixth grade, so they could keep an eye on each other at school.

Lu Zhishi was especially excited about being able to go to school with his two older brothers.

"At school, be good and listen to your brothers. Don’t be mischievous."

"Lunch will be at the house next to the school. Eat and drink on time. Dad will pick you up after school in the afternoon."

"If anything happens, call your dads right away. Listen to your brothers and be good."

Song Qinian went on, much like he did when Lu Zhiyu first started elementary school, full of worry.

Lu Zhishi nodded and patted his chest proudly. "Don’t worry, Dad!"

Song Qinian was still worried.

On the first day of school, everything went off without a hitch. Lu Zhishi adapted to elementary school life very well.

It was just that the sixth-grade floor was a bit high, and Lu Zhishi found it tiring to go find his brothers.

During an extended break between classes, Lu Zhishi puffed heavily as he climbed the stairs to find his brothers, bringing them milk and to put in his lunch request.

Everyone in Class 1, Grade 6 knew him—he looked a lot like Lu Zhiyu, especially around the eyes.

What’s more, the little one resembled his father so much that many girls in the class, who were fans of Lu Tingan, recognized him at a glance.

Just as Lu Zhiyu’s classmate stepped out of the classroom, he spotted Lu Zhishi puffing heavily his way up the stairs and quickly helped him up.

Before Lu Zhishi could say thank you, the classmate hurried back into the classroom.

Looking left and right but not seeing Lu Zhiyu, he only spotted Chi Chen reading at his desk. The enthusiastic classmate called out loudly, "Chi Chen, your brother is here!"

Before Chi Chen could respond, Lu Zhiyu—who had been bending under the desk to pick up a pen—slowly emerged from beneath it, shooting his classmate a deep, unreadable look.

Awkward silence.

The helpful classmate scratched his nose and laughed awkwardly. "Haha, Lu Zhiyu, your brother is here too..."

Lu Zhiyu: "..."