Originally, there wasn’t any family group chat, but ever since Shushu came into the family, this chat was mysteriously created.
The main purpose of this group? Well… showing off.
Yes, that’s right. Like how Ruan Ling’an just now, while spending time alone with Shushu, took exclusive photos and posted them in the group to flaunt.
As soon as his photo popped up in the chat, which had been quiet until then, a stream of messages suddenly appeared.
Ruan Fengsi: “???”
Ruan Fengsi: “What’s going on? Shushu is with you? Isn’t she supposed to be at kindergarten?”
Ruan Ling’an: “It’s nap time now.”
Ruan Fengsi: “So? You went to the kindergarten to snap photos on the sly?”
Ruan Ling’an: “Look carefully; this is the First Military Academy. My dorm room.”
The flaunting undertone in his message was entirely unmasked.
Ruan Fengsi: “……”
Ruan Xinglan: “……”
Others reading the messages: “………”
When did this fool get so clever? How did they not think of this?
But now, Ruan Ling’an indeed had a natural advantage. The proximity, being a student with a flexible schedule, and having the privilege of midday breaks at his school—he could even hold meetings at his villa if needed.
The perks of being the top student.
Feeling a bit of regret for graduating too soon—what now?
If he were still in school, he could hold Shushu every day at noon, take her to his dorm for a nap, and maybe even nap alongside her.
Even Ruan Xiao, her usually calm and collected dad, felt a slight pang of jealousy.
This round, Ruan Ling’an won big.
Ruan Fengsi: “Hmph, it’s only for a bit at noon anyway. You still have to take her back to school. Doesn’t it seem like a hassle?”
Inner thoughts: It’s not a hassle at all, not even a bit!
Ruan Xinglan: “This isn’t exactly conducive to Shushu bonding with her classmates.”
But, if it were him, he’d do the same.
Ruan He: “Are there any houses for sale around Qiming Star?”
He’d buy one!
The messages in the group were brimming with sourness, though no one outright admitted who was jealous of Ruan Ling’an.
Regardless, he was thoroughly pleased.
What’s the point of buying a place near Qiming Star? Even if you did, you’d still have to work diligently and wouldn’t have the same convenience he does, right?
In less than an hour of naptime, Ruan Shu was too cozy to get up.
When class time was fast approaching, her brother scooped her out from under the covers.
Rubbing her eyes sleepily, her misty, dazed eyes held a look of confusion, as if she wasn’t fully awake.
“Brother?” she murmured, her voice soft and vaguely affectionate, almost like she was being coy.
Ruan Ling’an picked her up and put her coat on.
“It’s time for school,” he said, gently ruffling her soft hair.
Ruan Shu was a calm sleeper—she looked just the same when she woke as when she fell asleep. A faint, visible imprint was left on her left cheek from pressing against the pillow, which one certain brother found utterly adorable.
After a quick wash, Ruan Shu was fully awake and remembered where she was.
Obediently, she shouldered her little backpack, holding onto two of her third brother’s fingers as they walked together toward school.
Ruan Ling’an wrapped her in a scarf and hat, leaving only a small part of her delicate, snow-white face visible. Her bright blue eyes, like glass beads, sparkled with liveliness.
The little girl walking beside her tall brother looked tiny and soft.
She stepped carefully, following his tracks in the snow.
In just half a day, the world around them had been blanketed with fresh, white snow.
But the snow here on the main star felt different from the snow on Snowfall Star.
The snow here was gentler, not transforming the place into a frozen land. It held a unique charm.
They left a trail of large footprints and small footprints in the snow.
Ruan Shu looked down, deliberately matching her brother’s steps, a smile forming as she observed the footprints left behind.
It was such a simple thing, yet in her eyes, it became something delightful.
“Brother, look—my footprints are next to yours, so you won’t be lonely!”
Ruan Ling’an looked back at the big and small footprints in the snow.
He wasn’t very artistic and didn’t see anything special in them. But hearing Ruan Shu say this, he felt a pang of warmth in his heart.
“Mhm.”
He nodded.
“Are you coming back tomorrow?”
Ruan Shu nodded without hesitation. “Yes, I want to be with you.”
Even though she wasn’t alone at school anymore and had made many new friends, she still wanted to be with her family.
Ruan Ling’an held her hand, guiding his little sister from the First Military Academy to Qiming Star School. Only after handing her over to the teacher did he feel reassured.
“Thank you, Teacher Lu Lu. I’ll come to pick her up again tomorrow.”
Teacher Lu Lu nodded.
Ruan Shu followed the teacher, glancing back every few steps to see her brother as he walked away. She waved to him before entering her classroom.
“Goodbye, Brother!”
Ruan Ling’an nodded, waiting until she was seated before he turned to leave.
With just a minute before class started, Ruan Shu was immediately surrounded by her classmates.
“Ruan Shu, didn’t you take a nap at noon?”
“Where did you go during naptime?”
“Was that your dad just now? He looked so serious!”
Ruan Shu patiently responded in her soft voice.
“That was my brother, my third brother. I went to his place to nap. My brother is a student at the First Military Academy, and he’s the very best!”
There was a hint of pride in her last sentence.
Her classmates were astonished. “But you go to school here at Qiming Star. How can your brother be at the First Military Academy?”
“Yeah, aren’t you a herbivorous star beast?”
Ruan Shu blinked and answered, “Not exactly. I’m actually from a carnivorous type, but I’m very, very small and quite weak. My dad was worried that if I went to the First Military Academy kindergarten, I’d get bullied, so he sent me here instead.”
She gestured with her hands to show just how small her star beast form was.
“Carnivorous?”
Dora and the others were amazed. “But are there really carnivorous star beasts as small as that?”
Ruan Shu blushed and nodded slightly. Yes, she was indeed that small.
Narnia chimed in, “You aren’t picky either—I’ve seen you eat vegetables!”
The other kids chirped in agreement, recounting her sports class performance.
In short, they’d never seen such a small and, well, not-so-tough carnivorous type before!
Ruan Shu: “…………”
Feels like you’re all giving me backhanded compliments.
But soon, her classmates were all looking at her with sympathetic eyes.
“No wonder your dad didn’t send you to the First Military Academy’s kindergarten. You’re so small, you’d definitely get bullied.”
“Good thing you came to our school.”
“Yeah, my dad says the First Military Academy’s little ones are the absolute most troublesome!”
Teacher Lu Lu overheard them, her eyelid twitching. Just how did they manage to say that about others with such pride in their voices?