⌈”Brother, run! There are bad guys!”⌋
Lu Ran’s identity was finally confirmed.
Ji Min’s summer vacation also came to an end and his daily coursework became heavier.
At night, while Ji Min worked on his assignments in the study, the child sat nearby, repeatedly practicing writing his new name.
After the new school term began, Ji Min’s courtyard was no longer kept closed.
Ji Chi came by a few times, seeking Ji Min’s help with homework and incorrect problems.
When he noticed Ranran was still staying at Ji Min’s place, Ji Chi paused for a moment before asking, “Brother Min, why is this kid still here?”
Ji Chi remembered this was the child Ji Min had picked up that day.
For some reason, Ji Min had taken an interest in looking after the boy.
Not long ago, Ji Min had spent a lot of time in the courtyard playing with Ranran.
Ji Chi had tried looking for Ji Min several times but was brushed off.
Hadn’t the police come by? He thought they would have taken the boy away.
Could it be that Ji Min was seriously considering adopting this child?
Ji Chi didn’t lower his voice when speaking and didn’t pay attention to the child nearby.
His casual comment made Ranran’s presence seem out of place in Ji Min’s courtyard.
To make things worse, Ji Chi spoke to Ji Min with such a familiar tone that his words seemed to emphasize that Lu Ran didn’t truly belong there.
Lu Ran had been living here for some time now.
Ji Min indulged him in everything and Uncle Chen was careful not to bring up his being lost.
Children have short memories. With no recollection of his past, Lu Ran had naturally assumed that he was meant to live with his big brother.
But now, upon hearing Ji Chi’s words, the boy visibly froze. He stopped what he was doing and looked hesitantly at Ji Min.
Ji Min’s brows furrowed slightly.
Ji Min glanced at Ji Chi and said matter-of-factly, “Isn’t it normal for him to live with me?”
Hearing Ji Min’s words, the child, who had been sitting stiffly while waiting for a response, gradually relaxed and lowered his head to continue what he was doing.
Ji Chi keenly sensed that Ji Min wasn’t happy with his earlier comment.
He didn’t pursue the topic further and instead shifted to asking about the questions he’d come for.
As Ji Chi left Ji Min’s courtyard, he gave the child a subtle glance.
A few days later, Ji Chi began visiting more frequently.
Initially, Ji Min thought that having an extra person around to play with Lu Ran would make the child happier.
But after observing for some time, he noticed that Lu Ran wasn’t particularly warm toward anyone other than himself.
Despite being so young, the child seemed to have drawn an invisible circle around himself.
For those within the circle, Lu Ran was incredibly close and even willing to compromise his own comfort for them.
But for those outside the circle, the child showed little interest.
Ji Min wasn’t sure if this behavior was normal for a child.
He decided to guide Lu Ran into interacting with more people.
He called Lu Ran over and pointed at Ji Chi, saying, “This is your brother Ji Chi. If I’m not around, you can ask him to play with you.”
Hearing Ji Min’s introduction, the child, though not particularly interested, politely called out, “Brother Ji Chi.”
The child’s voice was crisp and soft, with a delicate lilt at the end.
Ji Min paused for a moment after hearing it.
Even though he was the one who had told Lu Ran to call Ji Chi that, he felt a sudden sense of irritation when he heard the child look up and obediently address someone else as “Brother”.
After a brief silence, Ji Min amended, “Calling him ‘Brother’ feels too formal. Just call him Ji Chi.”
Ji Chi, who was about to respond: “…”
As they continued chatting, the old master’s assistant came over and called for Ji Min.
Ji Min stood up and first said to Lu Ran, “I’ll be out for a bit and will be right back.”
Then he instructed Ji Chi, “He’s still young. Keep an eye on him.”
Ji Chi smiled and nodded immediately. “Don’t worry, Brother Min.”
Ji Min nodded back and left the courtyard.
After Ji Min left, only Lu Ran and Ji Chi remained in the courtyard.
Ji Chi glanced toward the room where Uncle Chen was busy with something inside.
Then he turned back to look at the child in the courtyard.
The child didn’t cause any fuss.
He quietly held a small shovel, slowly scooping sand in the sandbox and playing with ocean balls.
Ji Chi then noticed that the flowerbed in Ji Min’s courtyard had been flattened and transformed into a sandbox for children to play in.
Ji Chi hadn’t expected Ji Min to care so much about this child.
He had been staying in the Ji family for several years now, constantly humbling himself in front of Ji Min. Yet, he’d never seen Ji Min show much concern for him—his half-brother by blood.
Thinking about this, Ji Chi called out to the child not far away: “Ranran? Is your name Ranran?”
The child turned to glance at him and responded with a quiet “Mm.”
Thinking Ji Chi had something important to say, the child set down his shovel and walked over.
Seeing the child’s confused yet well-behaved demeanor, Ji Chi deliberately asked: “Ranran, why are you always staying here? Why don’t you go back to your own home?”
The child blinked twice, sensing the malice hidden in his words, and tried his best to argue, “Big Brother said this is Ranran’s home.”
“Oh.” Ji Chi pressed on, “Then what’s your relationship with Brother Min that you’d call this place your home?”
“Re-relationship?” the child repeated hesitantly.
The smile on Ji Chi’s lips widened as he said, “Like me—I’m Brother Min’s real brother; we’re related by blood. But you have no relation to him at all, so how can you just casually call someone ‘Big Brother’?”
The child was completely bewildered by his words and stood there in silence for a long while.
There was some noise from inside the house.
Ji Chi turned to look and saw Butler Chen stepping out, so he dropped the subject.
He simply smiled and tossed one of the ocean balls back into the sandbox.
When Ji Min returned, he noticed the child seemed a little downcast.
Unlike usual, the child didn’t run up to him as soon as he saw him.
Instead, the child stared at him blankly for a moment before walking over slowly.
When he tilted his head up to call him, there was a pause in his voice, and he hesitantly said, “…Big Brother?”
“What’s wrong? Have I been gone so long that you don’t recognize me anymore?” Ji Min asked with a smile.
At that moment, Ji Chi stood up and interjected, “Brother, this kid sure loves bugs. Scared me half to death earlier.”
Ji Min knew about Lu Ran’s fondness for insects.
He simply assumed Ji Chi had been startled by a bug Lu Ran had thrown his way, just like he’d been in the past, so he didn’t think much of it.
He also didn’t notice that when Ji Chi called him “Brother”, the child had been looking up at the two of them with a serious expression.
It wasn’t until Ji Chi left that evening that Ji Min noticed during dinner that the child was still listless and lacked energy.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Ji Min asked.
Butler Chen reached out to feel the child’s forehead as well.
The child simply shook his head, glanced at Ji Min, and said nothing.
Later that night, after Ji Min finished telling the story of the Three Little Pigs, the child suddenly asked, “Is a blood relationship like the little pigs’ relationship?”
“Hm?” Ji Min was a bit surprised; he hadn’t expected the child to ask such a question.
“It’s that and other things, like parents and elders…” Ji Min started to explain but abruptly stopped.
He realized that such words might not be comforting to Lu Ran, a child without any family.
Ji Min chose not to continue.
Instead, he lay back against the headboard of the child’s bed and chatted with Lu Ran about other things.
However, the child still seemed distracted.
Eventually, he couldn’t help but ask again, “Big Brother, what’s your relationship with Ji Chi? Is he your brother?”
Ji Min hesitated for a moment.
“Sort of,” he replied.
Ji Chi was his father’s illegitimate child.
After being forced into an arranged marriage with Ji Min’s mother, his father gave up on maintaining appearances and had numerous affairs.
Ji Min’s grandfather, concerned about the family’s reputation due to the arranged marriage, dealt with most of these situations.
But Ji Chi’s mother had been a housemaid for the family.
Ji Min’s mother, who felt no affection for her husband, also seemed indifferent to such affairs.
In Ji Min’s limited memories of his mother, he recalled her once looking at Ji Chi’s mother with pity and saying, “She has it hard, too.”
When Ji Min was younger, his mother didn’t stop him from playing with Ji Chi.
However, Ji Min had never felt close to Ji Chi, who constantly sought his favor.
After his mother passed away, Ji Min’s father finally married the love of his youth and treated his new stepson, who had no blood ties to him, better than he treated his own son.
Over time, Ji Min gradually came to understand that Ji Chi was one of the few people in the world who could be considered family to him.
Thus, he allowed Ji Chi to stay in the Ji family.
Now, hearing Ranran’s question, Ji Min asked, “Why are you asking about this?”
The child fiddled with his fingers for a while.
He looked up at Ji Min, then lowered his gaze again.
After a moment, he looked up once more and quietly asked, “Does that mean Ranran isn’t Big Brother’s little brother?”
After asking, he added hesitantly, “Can I… still call you Big Brother?”
Ji Min froze.
A mix of exasperation and heartache flooded him. “Who said you couldn’t?”
“But Ranran isn’t related to Big Brother by blood,” the child said, looking a little downcast.
Ji Min patted the child’s head.
He thought that Ji Chi should come around less often.
Seeing him always seemed to remind Lu Ran of unhappy thoughts.
“But Ranran is Big Brother’s favorite child,” Ji Min said softly. “Big Brother also only tells stories to Ranran.”
“Really?” The child’s eyes lit up instantly.
He crawled out from under the blanket and into Ji Min’s arms.
Unable to resist, the child asked, “Then, does Big Brother like Brother Ji Chi more, or does he like Ranran more?”
The child’s somewhat spoiled tone surprised and delighted Ji Min.
“What do you think, Ranran?” Ji Min asked with a smile.
The child pressed his lips together and didn’t answer.
“Hm? Are you sulking now?” Ji Min teased, reaching over to tickle the child under his armpit.
The child couldn’t hold back. They both ended up laughing together.
Once Lu Ran had fallen asleep, Ji Min leaned against the headboard and thought for a while.
Ji Chi was his half-brother and he had been living in the Ji family for many years.
Ji Min knew that Ji Chi had always tried to please him.
But most of the time, he had turned a blind eye to it.
However, after hearing Lu Ran’s question just now, Ji Min realized that, although he had only known Lu Ran for two months, the child had already become very important to him.
So important that he felt like Lu Ran was the warmest, most unique color in his life.
Ji Min held his phone in his hand.
The message page still displayed the recently sent message: 【Help me check the vehicles that entered or left the mountain within two months of Ranran going missing.】
Ji Min lowered his head and silently gazed at the sleeping child.
Even though Lu Ran now slept alone, he no longer hid under the blanket.
The boy stared for a long time, then gently reached out and touched the child’s forehead hair.
The movement was cautious, as though he were touching something precious.
By the weekend, Ji Min was finally able to spend more time playing with Lu Ran.
Perhaps because of this, or maybe because Ji Min’s words had given the child some confidence, Lu Ran regained his energy and spent the day with his tail held high.
Ji Min found it incredibly cute.
He wished the child would be a little more proud.
On the weekend, Ji Chi came over again.
This time, when Lu Ran saw Ji Chi, he didn’t act like he had in the past few days, quietly playing in the garden on his own.
Upon hearing the sound, the child glanced at Ji Chi, then put down the small shovel in his hand and “tap-tap-tapped” over to Ji Min, climbing into his lap and snuggling against him.
Ji Min was a bit surprised.
Though the child was clingy, he usually stayed not too far from him, only coming close when he wanted something or was being affectionate.
“Yo, how come you’re so clingy today?” Ji Min teased, picking the child up into his arms.
Ji Chi saw the child looking at him and his movements faltered for a moment.
However, after thinking for a moment, he didn’t pay it much attention.
How old is this child? He probably can’t speak clearly yet, right?
Ji Chi eagerly asked Ji Min: “Big Brother, tonight is the class monitor’s birthday. When should we go?”
“Whose birthday?” Ji Min asked.
“It’s the young master of the Zhou family. Didn’t he specially invite you?” Ji Chi replied.
Seeing Ji Min’s surprised expression, he quickly added, “Don’t worry, Big Brother, I guessed you might not like these busy events, so I also prepared a gift for you…”
But unexpectedly, Ji Min interrupted him and said, “Not familiar, not going.”
Ji Chi’s smile instantly became a little awkward.
But he quickly tried to persuade him, “Big Brother, it’s the beginning of the school year, and he’s a classmate. Isn’t it a bit rude not to go?”
Ji Min didn’t care much.
Many people invited him. If he went to each of them, he’d have no rest for all 365 days of the year.
Actually, in the past, Ji Min didn’t like staying at home.
If he had no excuse, he would have gone.
But now, after finally waiting for the weekend, he definitely wanted to spend time with Lu Ran.
Ji Min said, “I don’t have time tonight. I’m taking Ranran out for a walk.”
Ji Chi initially thought Ji Min refused because he had something important to do.
But he didn’t expect that it was simply because he wanted to take the child out to play.
Ji Chi froze for a moment.
He wanted to say something, but he knew very well that once Ji Min made a decision, it was hard to change.
After hesitating for a while, Ji Chi found an excuse and left.
Since it was still early, Ji Min took Lu Ran to walk around the lawn outside.
The neighborhood where the Ji family’s residence was located was very large.
There were also some small animals raised by the property management.
Lu Ran liked small animals, so Ji Min decided to take him to see them.
By chance, as they went outside, a few alpacas were drinking water.
When Lu Ran saw them, his eyes sparkled with excitement.
Pointing at the alpacas, he exclaimed, “Wow! Big Brother, they look like cotton candy!”
Ji Min held his hand and pulled him closer, reminding him, “Be careful, don’t get kicked.”
Lu Ran circled the alpacas for a while.
Once the alpacas were taken away, he ran to a tree to pick up leaves.
It had just rained earlier in the day and the earthworms had come out.
The child was excited and started picking them up with a bottle. “Let’s go feed the little birds!”
Ji Min sighed and corrected him, “They’re little chickens, not birds.”
The child squatted down on the ground, picking up worms.
Ji Min sat on a nearby stone bench, watching carefully to ensure the child stayed within his line of sight.
Lu Ran crouched on the grass, walking slowly for a long time.
He had forgotten to bring his bottle, so he was using a bag to collect earthworms.
As he crouched and moved forward, he still turned back now and then to check Ji Min’s position.
Once he confirmed Ji Min was still in view, he continued walking.
After a while, he heard a familiar voice.
Lu Ran looked up and saw Ji Chi standing behind a building, holding a phone and talking.
Ji Chi’s voice wasn’t loud.
But it clearly reached the child’s ears.
“Young Master Zhou, Ji Min isn’t a good person either. It’s just as well that he didn’t go, better not to ruin your mood.”
Lu Ran was a little confused.
“Not a good person” was clearly an insult.
He didn’t understand why Ji Chi, who always acted friendly in front of Ji Min, would say such things now.
Ji Chi continued talking on the phone: “Yes, yes, you know, he just relies on Old Master’s favor to show off… sigh, even though I’m his brother, life isn’t easy by his side.”
It seemed like Ji Chi was trying to gain sympathy from the “Young Master Zhou”.
He started complaining about how Ji Min treated him unfairly.
After hanging up the phone, Ji Chi cursed darkly, “None of them are good people. Just wait for me…”
Ji Min saw the child running over, “tap-tap-tap”, his little face flushed red from running so fast.
When Lu Ran reached him, he immediately threw himself into Ji Min’s arms.
“What’s wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?” Ji Min asked.
The child seemed startled.
He looked up, reached out to grab Ji Min’s fingers, and pulled him towards home quickly.
“Big Brother, let’s go! There’s a bad person!”
“Mm?” Ji Min was a little surprised. He hadn’t seen anyone on the lawn.
But the child was clearly scared, so Ji Min didn’t stay any longer.
Just as they were about to leave, they saw Ji Chi coming over.
When Ji Chi saw Ji Min, he paused for a moment.
Then a warm smile appeared on his face, and he exclaimed in surprise, “Big Brother, you’re here too.”
He was about to walk over to Ji Min.
But just as Ji Chi was about to approach Ji Min, the child suddenly stood in front of Ji Min.
Ji Chi hadn’t reacted yet.
Then, the child threw a bag at him.
Ji Chi instinctively raised his hand to block it.
The bag ripped open and red, soft creatures, mixed with dirt, came tumbling out, hitting him right in the face.
It was summer and the clothes were thin with a large collar.
Several of them went straight into his T-shirt.
Ji Chi let out a startled cry, hurriedly swatting at his hair and shaking his clothes.
When he looked down at the mess on his shirt, his face turned green.
This was the new outfit he had specifically changed into for Young Master Zhou’s birthday.
Ji Min was stunned too.
Lu Ran had been at Ji Min’s house for so long, never throwing a tantrum or being mischievous like other kids.
And now, he had caused such a big scene.
Ji Min was momentarily bewildered.
Instead of scolding the child, his first reaction was to say to Ji Chi, “It’s just some earthworms, he caught them to feed the chickens.”
But as soon as those words left his mouth, Ji Chi’s face turned even greener.
Earthworms?
Feed the chickens?
It was only then that Ji Min realized and turned to the child, “Ranran, you can’t do that.”
But when he looked down, the child was still standing between him and Ji Chi.
He had his arms outstretched, maintaining a protective stance.
The child was small, standing in front of him, unable to block much.
But his gaze was firm.
Ji Min squatted down and gently said, “Ranran, it’s okay now.”
Seeing that Ji Chi hadn’t come closer, the child finally relaxed, turning and hugging Ji Min’s legs.
Ji Min no longer had the heart to scold the child.
He picked up Lu Ran and said to Ji Chi, “Sorry.”
Seeing Ji Chi’s clothes, he added, “I’ll have someone send you a new set of clothes.”
Hearing this, Ji Chi’s anger immediately dissipated. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Ranran’s still young. Being a little naughty is normal.”
The clothes Ji Min would send were sure to be much better than the ones he was wearing.
Ji Min glanced at Ji Chi but didn’t say anything else, turning to leave while holding the child.
Once they returned to the yard, Ji Min helped the child wash his hands before letting him go.
Back in the familiar environment, the child finally relaxed a little, no longer as tense.
Ji Min was about to ask what happened and tell the child not to throw bugs at people.
But then he saw the child staring at his empty little hands, sighing regretfully, “The bugs are all gone… The birds won’t have anything to eat now!”
Ji Min couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and helplessness.
He remembered that Lu Ran treasured these insects and it didn’t seem like the type of child who would casually throw bugs at people.
As he was thinking, the child looked up and said, “Brother, can you stay away from Brother Ji Chi in the future?”
“Do you really dislike him, Ranran?” Ji Min asked.
As he finished speaking, he saw the child furrow his brows, looking worried, and asking: “Is Brother Ji Chi going to be eaten by a monster?”
Recently, the child had been watching Journey to the West and often believed that monsters really existed.
Ji Min almost laughed. But when he thought about how scared the child had been earlier and how desperately he had stood in front of him, he felt a little soft-hearted.
“What are you thinking? How could Ranran think that?” Ji Min asked.
“Because he… he…”
The child seemed unsure of how to describe it.
After thinking for a while, he said, “He can change his face!”
As he said this, Lu Ran pinched his face and made an angry expression, then switched to a smiling one.
Finally, he bared his teeth and said, “It’s scary.”
Ji Min was slightly stunned and his smile slowly faded.
The child’s description was both innocent and a bit funny.
But Ji Min had grown up in the Ji family.
He quickly understood what Lu Ran was trying to say.
Changing faces…
It was indeed an accurate description.
Ji Min was silent for a moment before reaching out to ruffle the child’s hair. “If Ranran doesn’t like him, then just don’t bother with him.”
Lu Ran looked up at his brother.
He keenly sensed that, at this moment, Ji Min didn’t seem very happy.
It was similar to that time when they had been watching the rain under the eaves.
Ever since Lu Ran had said those things, Ji Min had been careful, making sure that Ji Chi and Lu Ran weren’t alone together.
But Ji Chi had started visiting even more frequently.
Today, before Ji Chi had even stepped into Ji Min’s yard, he saw the child squatting outside the gate, playing.
Ji Chi slowed his steps.
He really didn’t like this child.
Recently, Ji Min had been distancing himself from him. It was mostly because of this child.
This made Ji Chi feel anxious.
But as he approached Ji Min’s yard, Ji Chi still put on a smile.
He walked up to the child and deliberately adopted a gentle tone, saying, “Ranran, don’t run around.”
But the malice in his heart couldn’t be hidden.
Ji Chi couldn’t hold back and said, “It’s all your fault for not listening and running off. That’s how you got lost and couldn’t find your way home. Why are you running around again now?”
With those words, the child, who had been quietly squatting and playing, looked up.
Lu Ran had almost forgotten that he was the child who had gotten lost and couldn’t find his home.
But Ji Chi’s words pushed him right back into that harsh reality.
Seeing the startled expression on the child’s face, Ji Chi’s mood lightened slightly.
He, a member of the Ji family, had always lived in fear and trepidation within the Ji family.
Why should this orphan, who had arrived later, live such a comfortable and happy life?
But the relief in Ji Chi’s heart lasted only a few seconds.
From behind the half-closed gate, Ji Min’s voice suddenly came: “He hasn’t been running around.”
Then, the tall teenager stepped out from behind the half-open gate.
The teenager’s face was cold.
Ji Chi had never seen Ji Min show him such an expression before.
Ji Min furrowed his brows.
He reached out to protect the child who was standing still and repeated in a cold voice: “He has never run around.”
Ji Chi quickly tried to explain: “Brother, I didn’t see you there. I was just worried that Ranran might get lost again, that’s why I said that.”
But the dark look in Ji Min’s eyes didn’t change.
Ji Chi felt like he had been completely seen through in that instant.
He heard Ji Min say, “In the future, if there’s something important, send a message. Don’t come over casually.”
Then, the teenager took the child in his arms and returned to the yard.
The heavy gate slowly closed in front of Ji Chi.
Go Ji Min go!!!!