Chapter 18 She Lost Her Little Sister

“Big brother, this woman lost Nuannuan...” An Yan stood frozen, wondering if this little boy suffered from a persecution complex or simply had an overactive imagination; to think up something as dramatic as losing a child. If he didn’t grow up to be a novelist, it would be such a waste.

“Who are you saying lost Nuannuan?” An Yan asked, a smile tugging at her lips.

Outside the door, Lin Hongzhe heard his own shouting and entered, pulling Lin Nuannuan along. Lin Hongzhuo saw Nuannuan appear before him, perfectly unharmed, and the words stuck in his throat. “I... I...”

“Xiao Zhuo, come here to Auntie.”

An Yan crouched down so she was eye-level with Lin Hongzhuo. He seemed to recall unpleasant memories; the bad woman from before always made him come over before hitting him. His whole body trembled, and he took several steps backward.

Seeing his fear, An Yan was reminded of what Wang Guilan had said that day. What had the woman done to the children in the past?

She didn’t push him further and instead brought over a bag, from which she took out two new backpacks, pencil cases, and some pencils, placing them on the table.

“Xiao Zhe, you come pick first.”

Lin Hongzhe was surprised when An Yan called him. “Are these for me and my brother?”

“Who else? Nuannuan and I don’t need them.”

“Big brother, Nuannuan brought you candied hawthorn!” Lin Nuannuan let go of Lin Hongzhe’s hand and rummaged through the bag for a while before finding the slightly squashed candied hawthorn. Her little face wrinkled, voice trembling as she almost cried, “Sister, the candied hawthorn is ruined.”

An Yan patted the little girl’s head. “It’s alright, the wrapper kept it safe. Take it to your brother to eat.”

“Brother, eat this.” Nuannuan saw her second brother huddled in the corner, trotted over, and tried to stuff the candied hawthorn into his mouth.

At that moment, Lin Hongzhe also walked over. “Xiao Zhuo, you pick first.”

Others might not understand his brother, but he knew him best. Childhood shadows are not that easy to forget.

An Yan crouched again, her eyes red. “Xiao Zhuo, come here. Don't worry, Auntie will protect you at home. You’ll never be bullied again.”

Lin Hongzhe encouraged his brother once more. “Go ahead, big brother’s here.”

Finally, Lin Hongzhuo took a step forward and slowly walked to the table. He stared at the backpack; only Jiang Feng in his class had this model, a gift from his aunt who worked as a clerk in town. Lin Hongzhuo had wanted one for ages.

He looked at An Yan, who smiled warmly. “Auntie, is this really for me and big brother?”

“Of course! Hurry and choose. Once you’re done, Auntie needs to cook dinner—tonight I’ll make you braised beef.”

When he called her “Auntie,” it struck An Yan’s heart, a sign their relationship had finally taken a big step forward. Now only the eldest, Lin Hongzhe, remained distant.

Lin Hongzhe watched his brother give in so quickly, feeling both happy and slightly annoyed at how fast he surrendered. Still, he was delighted—what child could resist a new backpack and shiny stationery?

An Yan rose and went to the kitchen, leaving the living room to the three children so they could relax. Just as she expected, she’d barely entered the kitchen when she heard Lin Hongzhuo’s laughter, peppering his siblings with questions about how his new backpack looked.

Without wasting time, An Yan took out the beef brisket she’d bought, along with three fresh tomatoes—these days, tomatoes were almost as expensive as meat. She washed the meat, cut it into chunks, and blanched it. To improve the tomatoes’ texture, she scalded and peeled them.

Braised beef with tomatoes required careful timing: too short and the flavors wouldn’t meld, too long and it would be tough. But for An Yan, passionate about cooking, it was a simple task.

With the beef simmering, she cooked a big pot of rice. This dish paired perfectly with rice, and the children were sure to eat heartily.

A large pot of braised meat filled the house with a sweet tomato aroma mingled with the creamy scent of beef. Soon, An Yan heard the chattering from the other room. Peeking out, she saw the two younger children squatting and watching the little chicks she’d bought, but Lin Hongzhe was nowhere to be seen—perhaps he was inside, doing homework.

This child, despite his fierce gaze, was so sensible it tugged at the heartstrings.

Just as she thought this, the bedroom door opened. Lin Hongzhe emerged, still wearing his cool expression. When An Yan caught his eye, he turned his head away, feigning indifference.

Meanwhile, Lin Hongzhuo happily stood and ran toward the kitchen. As soon as the door opened, the fragrance in the house intensified. “Auntie, what are we having tonight?”

Seeing the little boy with his new backpack, An Yan felt exhausted but nostalgic, remembering how she used to parade around the house in new clothes and shoes after the New Year.

Lin Hongzhe glanced at his brother’s blissful face and couldn’t help but smile.

“Braised beef with tomatoes and stir-fried greens. Auntie also made each of you a stewed egg.”

Lin Hongzhuo nearly drooled at the prospect, gleefully spinning his sister around several times. He turned to An Yan, who stood smiling at the doorway, and a sudden thought occurred to him: she really was different from the woman before. If only she could always treat him, his sister, and brother so kindly.

At that moment, a tall figure pushed the door open, looking utterly exhausted.

“Dad!”

The three children called out joyfully.

Lin You had rushed home straight from the base; these days, he worried constantly while on missions. He feared An Yan would struggle to care for the three children alone, that she’d wear herself out, or that his sons would clash with her.

But from the looks of things, everything was much happier than he’d imagined.

“Dad, look, Auntie bought us new backpacks. Aren’t they nice?”

Hearing his second son, Lin You’s dark eyes softened as he scooped the boy up and ruffled his hair. “Very nice. Xiao Zhuo looks so handsome with his backpack.”

“My big brother got one too, but mine’s nicer. And my little sister—Auntie got her lots of new clothes.”

“And candied hawthorn, look!”

Once he started talking, he couldn’t stop.

“Dad.”

“Xiao Zhe, has everything been alright at home these days?”

Lin You ruffled his hair as well, striving for fairness.

“Very well.”

Hearing his eldest son’s words, Lin You finally felt at ease. To earn a “well” from this child was no small feat for An Yan.

An Yan, hearing the commotion from the kitchen, stepped out and saw Lin You’s weary face. She smiled slightly. “You’re back.”