Huo Yueze didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "What does Ning Ning mean?"
Huo Guining looked at his bright face and thought she might have been overthinking.
She shook her head and changed the subject, "Brother, did you skip class just to accompany me?"
Huo Yueze smiled, "Half and half. Ning Ning, do you want to go to school?"
Huo Guining wrinkled her nose; she didn't really like school.
Huo Yueze was amused by her expression, "You dislike it that much?"
Huo Guining smiled sheepishly, "Getting up too early, and the classmates are probably very childish..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Huo Guining wished she could bite her tongue off.
She had let it slip.
Fortunately, Huo Yueze didn't notice this slip-up. He laughed even louder, "You're a little kid yourself, why are you complaining about your classmates being childish!"
Saying this, Huo Yueze crouched down, his eyes level with hers. He reached out and pinched her nose, "Being childish is a child's right. Don't be in a hurry to grow up."
The doubt that had just been suppressed surged back, and Huo Guining's eyes darted about, "Brother, why do you say that?"
Huo Yueze seemed completely unaware of her panic and said lightly, "To make you a little happier."
"Brother said he would look after you. So cry if you want to cry, laugh if you want to laugh."
At first, she was worried that he had discovered she was ill.
Later, she worried if she had given herself away.
Now it seemed that, thankfully, he probably just thought his little sister was living too heavily and wanted to encourage her.
Now that he said this, Huo Guining breathed a sigh of relief.
"I understand."
Huo Yueze stood up, and they continued walking.
Before they reached the kindergarten, they heard a burst of loud crying. The wailing was so intense it seemed to pierce the heavens.
The siblings stopped in unison.
Huo Guining clearly didn't want to go further, but she didn't say so, only asking, "Brother, are we still going?"
Huo Yueze remembered that just a few minutes ago, he had said he hoped Ning Ning would enjoy a normal childhood. It wouldn't be appropriate to retreat now.
He gritted his teeth and tried to sound relaxed, "Let's go, why not..."
"Waaah...!"
Another even louder cry came, drowning out the previous one.
After that, one cry after another, rising and falling, without interruption.
The crying was so heart-wrenching that it would move listeners to tears.
Huo Yueze immediately picked up Huo Guining and ran in the opposite direction, "The timing doesn't seem right today, let's try another time."
Huo Guining agreed with a serious face, "Yes, we'll come back when the time is right."
They ran all the way to the playground before they had a chance to catch their breath.
"Ning Ning, maybe you should let uncle hire a tutor for you," Huo Yueze frowned, "The kindergarten is too noisy."
Huo Guining nodded, "Indeed, I can't go to kindergarten anyway."
Huo Yueze gave her a slightly surprised look.
The person in question didn't notice anything unusual, and instead let her mind wander, "Dad must still be busy now."
Huo Guining imagined Huo Xiaozheng expressionlessly attending meetings, signing documents, reading files.
A veritable emotionless working machine.
She couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"I just imagined what dad looks like at work, it's like this..."
Saying this, Huo Guining imitated Huo Xiaozheng's manner, frowning, cold-eyed, looking down on the world.
Huo Yueze was amused by her.
He quickly snapped a photo and sent it to his uncle, "This is how Ning Ning sees you, uncle. Haha.jpg."
Huo Guining was immersed in her performance, amusing herself for a while.
The two then went to the school's small shop, and Huo Guining, clutching a large cat-shaped cotton candy, followed Huo Yueze back to his classroom in a daze.
It was break time.
The classroom was noisy and bustling.
Huo Guining's appearance immediately attracted the attention of the boys and girls.
"Wow! Huo Yueze, is this your sister? She's so cute!"
"She must be from the kindergarten, right? Little sister, are you skipping class?"
High-pitched voices rose from all around.
Huo Guining laughed to herself: ever since she had entered this body, she had unwittingly lost herself in her own sweet, childish tone.
Now it seemed that humans were all the same, unable to resist the damn charm of an adorable young child.
Some even tried to reach out and hug her.
Huo Yueze quickly stopped them, "Hey, hey, watch it everyone, don't get handsy. Have you washed your hands? There's dirt under your nails! Don't touch my sister!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Huo Guining, however, acted as if nothing was wrong, taking a bite out of the cat-shaped cotton candy's head: delicious.
The bell rang, and everyone got up to change classrooms.
Huo Guining asked in confusion, "Brother, are we going too?"
Huo Yueze picked up the small backpack containing her water bottle and snacks, and held her hand as they followed the crowd, "Brother's taking you to art class."
The classmates all knew that Huo Yueze's mother was Teacher Zuo, and Zuo Qinfang was the art teacher.
So, seeing Huo Yueze bringing a child along, they weren't surprised.
They surrounded Huo Guining, chattering and playing with her.
Huo Guining's mental age matched theirs, so she didn't mind this.
After all, looking at herself in the mirror recently, she sometimes couldn't resist pinching her cheeks.
"Eating well, sleeping well, though my mind might be ill, my body's not bad."
Huo Guining was very optimistic.
As long as it didn't escalate to mental illness, all problems could be solved slowly.
In the classroom, Zuo Qinfang was already standing at the podium.
Seeing Huo Guining, her expression softened and she waved, "Ning Ning, you're here."
Huo Guining let go of Huo Yueze's hand, ran over and hugged Zuo Qinfang's legs, looking up to say, "Auntie."
Zuo Qinfang took the backpack her son handed over, pulled out a wet wipe and wiped Huo Guining's mouth, "Don't eat too much candy, you'll get cavities."
Huo Guining obediently nodded.
Huo Yueze led her back to his seat.
Zuo Qinfang began the lesson.
In the art room, there were many easels set up.
Huo Guining stood in front of Huo Yueze's easel, listening to Zuo Qinfang talk about the history of a certain painting.
Zuo Qinfang spoke gently and taught eloquently, the content captivating.
Huo Guining leaned against Huo Yueze, listening intently.
"Alright, today's color exercise theme is life. Now begin your free practice!"
Huo Guining turned and asked, "Brother, can I paint?"
Huo Yueze gladly gave her the easel, and worried she couldn't reach it, he also brought her a stool. He sat behind her to prevent her from falling.
Usually only drawing on a tablet, this was the first time Huo Guining had picked up a paintbrush in this world, and she felt a bit unfamiliar.
"What color do you want to use?"
Huo Guining thought for a moment, "Green."
Huo Yueze's eyes showed approval; no color could express life better than green.
Huo Guining watched how the people next to her mixed colors, pretended to learn for a while, then began to paint.
By the time Zuo Qinfang came around to check on the siblings, one was lounging lazily, doodling on a tablet, drawing a chibi version of his sister.
The other was painting on the canvas with composure and ease, her brush strokes fluid and masterful.
Zuo Qinfang stood behind Huo Guining, looking at her canvas with amazement.
"Buzz..."
Huo Xiaozheng, who had been busy all day abroad, opened two starkly different pictures.
His smile gradually disappeared.
