Chapter 19

Because she’d been spending so much time around Cancan these days, Shu Shu had subconsciously picked up her way of speaking, calling food “rice rice” and noodles “noodle noodles” without even realizing it.

Cancan shook her head, a few stray noodles hanging from her mouth like a little beard. She pointed at herself with a giggle, “Cancan grew a beard!”

Qi Sen gave a slight nod, the corners of his eyes soft with a smile.

Pei Shen stared at the scene in front of him, completely shell-shocked.

??

His chance to showcase his charm… just disappeared like that?

**

When Cancan spotted Pei Shen, she waved at him like a beckoning lucky cat.

“Third Brother, come eat noodles with Cancan!”

If it had been the old Pei Shen, he would have definitely refused. But now, after deeply understanding the lyrics “What you can’t have will always stir your heart,” Pei Shen didn’t hesitate at all. Even as Qi Sen shot him a frosty glance, he strode straight over and sat down next to Cancan.

You couldn’t act too arrogant—if someone gave you a step down, you had to take it. That was Pei Shen’s great realization of the day.

Ignoring Qi Sen’s icy stare, Pei Shen warmly pushed his bowl of noodles toward Cancan.

“Eat a little more, Cancan.”

Cancan leaned her little head back and patted her small round tummy seriously.

“Cancan already ate lots. Really can’t eat anymore. If I do, I’ll explode.”

“Alright, alright, no more then.”

Pei Shen cheerfully pulled the bowl back to himself, clearly in a great mood.

Qi Sen quietly studied him for a few moments.

Pei Shen tried to act like he was focusing on eating, but after a few seconds, he just couldn’t hold it in anymore. He slammed his chopsticks down and snapped, “Why are you staring at me? Can’t a person eat in peace?”

Qi Sen’s voice remained lazy as he replied, “Didn’t I just make you put in a little effort before helping you out? We’re neighbors living upstairs and downstairs. I was just joking, no need to take it so seriously. Besides, you’re Cancan’s Second Brother, and I’m her Third Brother. Technically, that makes you my brother too. As an older brother, there’s no need to bicker with your younger brother, right?”

Qi Sen turned away, no longer looking at him.

Cancan scooted a little closer to Pei Shen, her soft, milky voice urging, “Third Brother, hurry and eat, Cancan is keeping you company!”

Qi Sen glanced at the two of them, huddled together smiling brightly, feeling a faint twinge in his heart.

Cancan really seemed to like her Third Brother a lot.

**

After they finished eating, Pei Shen naturally planned to head upstairs with Cancan and Qi Sen.

But as they left the noodle shop, Qi Sen said lightly, “I’m taking Cancan to the supermarket. You should head back.”

The meaning of being dismissed couldn’t have been more obvious.

Pei Shen secretly rolled his eyes.

Inside the supermarket, Cancan ran over to a shelf, her little feet pattering on the floor. Her face lit up as she asked excitedly, “Second Brother, are we here to buy candy for Cancan?”

She had been really into sour and sweet rainbow candy lately. It was just so good!

But this time, Qi Sen didn’t answer right away. Instead, he walked straight to the cosmetics section and stopped in front of a rack of lip balms.

Cancan craned her neck curiously.

“Second Brother, what’s this?”

Qi Sen picked up a peppermint lip balm and sniffed it lightly.

Cancan’s curiosity grew even stronger.

She tiptoed up and mimicked him, sniffing along the shelf—sometimes it smelled like sweet strawberries, sometimes like juicy peaches.

“Brother, are these candies too?”

Qi Sen chuckled and shook his head.

“This is called lip balm. It protects our lips.”

The moment Pei Shen had sat down earlier, Qi Sen had noticed something strange— His lips were oddly colored.

Some parts were dry and dark, like someone had applied lipstick unevenly, while the corners of his mouth were pale and bloodless. Though his cheeks had a flush of color, his whole body looked drained and weak.

After all, Pei Shen had been his little brother in his past life. And he had helped him just a few days ago too. Qi Sen figured he ought to treat him a little better.

When your body was weak, it needed to be nourished.

Thinking this, Qi Sen gently ruffled Cancan’s hair and asked in a soft voice, “Cancan, do you want to have some chicken soup later?”

**

“Second Brother, if we buy a really strong chicken, will it help Third Brother become strong too?” Cancan asked with wide eyes, pinching her nose as she stood in front of a row of freshly processed chickens.

Second Brother said this place was a wet market.

There were lots of vegetables here, way cheaper than at the supermarket, but some areas were super stinky. Still, she had to be a brave little princess! She couldn’t be afraid of smelly things!

Cancan clung tightly to Qi Sen’s sleeve, pulling it twice and grinning proudly, “Second Brother, Cancan’s not scared of stinky smells!”

After a few days of being together, Qi Sen had learned Cancan’s little tricks.

This tiny princess loved being praised— the more you praised her, the more energetic she got. Everything she did would be extra lively and cute.

Qi Sen responded seriously, “Yes, Cancan is amazing. Look, there aren’t any other kids here at the market, but Cancan was brave enough to come shopping with me. You’re the best little girl ever.”

Cancan’s eyes curved into sweet crescents, her dimples popping out adorably. She beamed and said, “Brother, I’ll come to the market with you from now on too! That way you won’t be scared if you’re alone!”

Qi Sen laughed softly and nodded. “Later, Second Brother will reward you with rainbow candy.”

Cancan happily threw herself against his leg. “I want the red one!”

“Okay,” Qi Sen agreed easily, then turned his attention back to the chickens.

Silkie chickens were a bit more expensive per pound than regular ones. But their nutritional value was better, and they were especially good for making soup.

Qi Sen didn’t have much money left.

The two thousand yuan that Master Yan Wang had given him the other day would have to stretch for a good six months— especially since he wouldn’t have time for part-time work in the second half of senior year.

Apart from buying Cancan two new outfits, he’d barely spent anything. Even that candy apple on their day out had only been bought because Cancan had stared at it so long that it broke his heart.

Cancan was busy playing with the little cloud embroidered on her clothes. When she didn’t hear her brother’s voice for a while, she looked up at him in confusion.

The shop owner chuckled and said, “If you’re making soup, definitely go with the silkie. It’s pricier, but you get what you pay for.”

Cancan didn’t quite understand everything, but she nodded seriously.

“Brother, Cancan doesn’t need candy. Let’s buy the expensive chicken for Third Brother!”

From the first day she’d found Qi Sen, after overhearing what her bad mommy had said, Cancan already understood one thing: Second Brother didn’t have money.

And if you didn’t have money, you couldn’t buy candy.

The shop owner laughed and said, “She’s your little sister, right? What a thoughtful kid.”