【You're just letting Ji Tingzhou walk away like that?】
The system lamented that the father was indeed a heartless one, having just been scolding Ji Nian a moment ago, only to turn his back on her the next second.
Ji Nian yawned.
【Of course】
Those few minutes with Ji Tingzhou had exhausted her. If she had to spend every day with him, she'd probably die early.
【That's enough for clinging to his thigh】
Zhang Yulan, the source of the original owner's misfortunes, had already been taken away. With her as an example, even if new nannies came, they wouldn't dare treat her too badly.
Ji Nian could grow up slowly, and once she reached school age, she could do even more.
Although her body was only five years old, her mind wasn't. With that determination, she could achieve anything—
“Is this even right!?”
Looking at her dinner, Ji Nian let out a piercing scream.
The new maid was annoyed by the noise.
She wanted to say, "Eat it or don't, I don't care," but thinking of how Zhang Yulan had been caught, she held her tongue.
“Excuse me, what is this?”
Ji Nian pointed at the dish on the table, a mix of yellow and black.
The maid replied coldly, “What do you think?”
Ji Nian said firmly, “The second drop of a toad's pee.”
The maid: “………”
At such a young age, where did she learn all these words?
“Eat it or don't!”
The maid slammed the plate down and walked away, visibly irritated.
Since they hadn't found a new nanny to watch over Ji Nian, the maid had to take on the extra responsibility of ensuring Ji Nian's survival, on top of her regular duties.
Naturally, she was quite annoyed.
Ji Nian stared at the "second drop of a toad's pee" for a long time.
This was worse than making it herself.
When life feels painful, it means you're not materialistic enough, or your mouth isn't sharp enough.
【See? I told you to keep clinging to his thigh】
As Ji Nian ate the obviously burnt mashed potatoes, her eyes gleamed with determination: 【No way!】
Two days later—
“Hi, brother, nice to see you again.”
Ji Tingzhou stared at the child sitting on the toilet for two seconds, then silently closed the door and stepped out.
He hadn't gone to the wrong place.
This was indeed his bathroom.
Ji Nian, very familiar with the surroundings, pushed the door open and walked out, looking pitifully up at Ji Tingzhou with her clear jade-like eyes glistening with tears. “Brother, food, hungry.”
“Good boy.”
The system: The last three words are unnecessary.
The child was starving, her eyes dull.
Although her hair was still messy and she wore old clothes, she was much cleaner.
Her face, though thin, was fair, and her features—her eyebrows, her eyes—were a perfect miniature of Ji Tingzhou's.
Even her gaunt, fleshless cheeks were a one-to-one replica.
Ji Tingzhou had never seen himself at five years old, so he had no idea what he looked like back then.
Now, seeing Ji Nian, he suddenly had an image in his mind.
Since Zhang Yulan was gone, Ji Nian had reclaimed her original room. She threw away all the nanny's belongings except what she could use.
After doing that, the first thing she did was take a bath. Although it wasn't comfortable due to her many injuries, at least she wasn't dirty anymore.
The child had spent most of her time in the small building, so her skin was very fair. But due to malnutrition and lack of food, she was frighteningly thin, her hair brittle and split.
“Brother, food, hungry.”
Ji Tingzhou suppressed the complex emotions rising in his heart and stared expressionlessly at Ji Nian, who had somehow gotten into his bathroom. Her emerald-green eyes were enigmatic, showing no emotion whatsoever.
If Wei Yang were here, he would have been covered in goosebumps.
But Ji Nian, unafraid, just kept repeating that she was hungry, looking up at Ji Tingzhou with pleading eyes.
Yes, pleading.
With tears in her eyes and her mouth pouted, she looked like she was begging for food, which, in the eyes of adults, was akin to flirting.
It would have been normal for someone else, but with Ji Tingzhou…
This was truly unusual. In his life, he had encountered bullying, insults, and even worse things. As he grew older, people became fearful of him, flattering and fawning over him.
But no one had ever flirted with him.
Especially someone who shared the blood of the Ji family.
The former Ji family's eldest daughter, at five years old, had once cut a servant's face with a knife just because the servant accidentally pulled out a strand of her hair.
The second young master of the Ji family, once he could hold a gun, used people as targets, killing and maiming many.
And Ji Tingzhou, at Ji Nian's age, would go hungry and eat wild grass or rummage through trash cans, fighting with others, but he would never beg anyone for anything.
“Pathetic.”
Ji Tingzhou slowly uttered these words.
Ji Nian, scolded, didn't get angry. Instead, she blinked her big eyes, looking expectantly at Ji Tingzhou.
She was so thin and small, it was annoying to look at.
“Come.”
A maid waiting outside for the master's command quietly entered, bowing respectfully. “Please give your order, Master.”
Ji Tingzhou walked past her, his voice cold: “Get her some food.”
The maid glanced at Ji Nian, who was standing by the bathroom door, and her eyes lingered on the face that was 80% similar to Ji Tingzhou's, stunned for a moment.
But she quickly recovered and silently obeyed Ji Tingzhou's command.
“Yes, Master.”
Ji Nian watched the maid turn to prepare her food, feeling a bit surprised herself.
【Wow】
【I guess this naive and sweet route is working】
It seemed Ji Tingzhou might actually fall for this.
The system still thought the naive and sweet approach was unreliable: 【Impossible. The father is unpredictable. He might let you eat this meal and then send you on your way.】
The maid worked quickly, noticing that Ji Nian was clearly starving, so she brought easy-to-digest food.
As Ji Nian took a spoonful of sweet corn and egg soup into her mouth, her taste buds, which had been tortured by "the second drop of a toad's pee," were finally healed!
Ji Nian ate so much that she didn't even lift her head.
Ji Tingzhou, who had already taken a shower and changed into different clothes in another room, returned to the room at an unknown time.
He leaned against the soft cushion of the sofa, watching Ji Nian, who was so focused on eating that she didn't even notice him, stuffing food into her mouth frantically.
What was so delicious about it?
“Get a bowl like hers.”
The maid, this time, was even more stunned than when she first saw Ji Nian.
The master, who had a poor appetite for years, was actually asking for food!
She didn't dare delay, rushing out immediately.
It was as if, if she were a moment late, Ji Tingzhou would starve to death.
Holding the same sweet soup as Ji Nian's, Ji Tingzhou took a sip without any expression.
He thought it would be delicious.
But he didn't put it down, sipping it occasionally while watching Ji Nian's blissful expression.
The maid beside him was almost moved to tears.
Ji Nian, the first to finish eating, politely asked the maid for a towel and skillfully cleaned her mouth and small hands.
After doing that, she returned the items to the maid and said, “Thank you, sister.”
Meeting those familiar yet unfamiliar emerald-green eyes, the maid was taken aback and quickly waved her hands.
Weren't they saying that the master never cared about this daughter's life?
Why would she... suddenly appear in the master's resting room?
Ji Nian stood up, not forgetting to thank her negligent father who provided her with food.
“Thank you, brother. Brother is handsome and kind-hearted. In the future, instead of brother being a bird, I'll be brother's bird. Whoever brother hates, I'll poop on their head.”
Ji Tingzhou pulled at the corner of his mouth: “Alright.”
Others: ????
Before they could be surprised by Ji Nian calling Ji Tingzhou "brother" or the bizarre "poop theory," they witnessed an even more magical scene.
It seemed Ji Tingzhou disliked her, so Ji Nian crouched in the corner not far from him, afraid of dirtying the luxurious sofa, and carefully curled up against the wall, yawning.
“Brother, I'm a little sleepy. I'll just rest for a while...”
As she said that, her eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep.
And then, looking at Ji Tingzhou, he had also closed his eyes.
The maids who served Ji Tingzhou knew very well that he had serious sleep issues.
No matter what methods they tried, they couldn't cure it.
Seeing this, they immediately withdrew.
When they were called by Ji Tingzhou again, it was three hours later.
The maids, returning to the room, were shocked to find that Ji Nian, who had been curled up in the corner, had somehow moved to rest against Ji Tingzhou's leg, her small hands hugging one of his legs, sleeping soundly with little snores.
