Where Winter is Warm Where Summer is Cool

I turned around and went back into the room. Xi Xichen was no longer there, which was expected. The little boy called Jian Yulin was half lying on the bed trying to fold the quilt. His movements were clumsy but his efforts were quite passable. At least it was now much neater than before.

“Don’t bother, you won’t need it anyway.”

“Yeah, sorry sis.” The boy’s white cheeks flushed.

“Did I scare you?” I asked, feeling a little uncomfortable.

“I–I…”

His small hands began to twist the front end of his shirt while his face grew a few shades redder.

He seemed really nervous.

“Well, if there’s nothing else to do, go out and play, okay?”

I didn’t have good feelings towards the family, but children are innocent after all.

I put my phone down on the bed then turned towards the dressing room.

“Sister!” His voice came from behind me with a bit of urgency. I turned around and saw Jian Yulin slide off the edge of the bed and run towards me. When I realized what was going on I took several hurried steps back. He came to a stand-still and looked at me, pathetically biting his lip.

“Is something else wrong?”

A shake of the head, a pause and then a quick nod.

“Sister’s going out?”

“En.”

“Where’s sis going? When will you be back?” He asked and moved a few steps closer to me, though I didn’t think he was aware of the movement.

I lost my patience and couldn’t stop myself from snapping at a small child.

“Young master, I don’t think I need to report my whereabouts to you.”

“No, I–”

I shoved my hands into my pyjama pockets and turned around, treating him like a little adult. “What exactly do you want to say?” I really didn’t have much patience left.

“That…that…” the corners of his shirt were already wrinkled on either side of his body and his eyes blinked to the point of flooding.

“Ah, yes!” Suddenly instead of crying, he flashed me a joyous smile and ran two steps closer to me. “Brother said that if Sister wanted to go out she could have the chauffeur, eh, eh, that’s it, huh, now that should be no problem, heh heh.” His eyes darted to me. “No, No, so there is no fear, no fear that my sister will get lost.”

The little child’s words were coming out a bit garbled.

“Well, I see. Is there anything else?” I had exerted a lot of patience with the little boy in front of me.

“No more, no more.” Jian Yulin smiled, then ran back to the end of the bed to slip into his slippers. “I’m going to brush my teeth then!” Grinning, he bounced out of the room.

I was sure I hadn’t said anything substantial, meaning I hadn’t promised or committed to anything, but a few simple words still made this six-year-old leap for joy.

Xichen was right. Jian Yulin likes to be close to me.