Marked by the Milk-Soft Alpha I Picked Up (Entertainment Circle) - Chapter 11

It was already five in the afternoon when they got back to the apartment. Lin Ruoyun turned on the TV to the “Children’s Channel” and had Guan Yinghan follow along to learn Chinese characters.

Guan Yinghan sat on the small stool. Ruoyun laid out a paper and a pen in front of her. “Finish writing this page of characters before dinner.”

Guan Yinghan’s eyebrow twitched. She remembered a time when someone shamelessly copied her homework. That person was so distracted that she ended up mixing up her Z City exam with her S City exam, which got her a severe scolding from the teacher. To stand by that fool, she had intentionally handed in a blank paper and took the punishment with her.

Now, she was acting all serious, just like a dean of students.

Guan Yinghan pretended to be terrified of doing homework and hesitated to write. “Sister…”

Lin Ruoyun hit her on the shoulder with the pointer she was holding. Her face was serious, and her tone was cold. “Calling me ‘Sister’ won’t help. Hurry up and write.”

Guan Yinghan obediently picked up the pen and scribbled on the paper.

Lin Ruoyun walked behind her, her fingertips touching the curly hair on her shoulders. She slowly bent down, her soft, fair fingers taking Guan Yinghan’s hand and teaching her to write stroke by stroke.

Lin Ruoyun’s warm breath brushed against Guan Yinghan’s cheek. Her heart started to race, her face went stiff, and a blush spread from her neck to her ears.

Lin Ruoyun caught a glimpse of a burning gaze out of the corner of her eye. She lowered her eyes and unexpectedly fell into Guan Yinghan’s misty, bright eyes.

Whether it was the high room temperature or the lack of air circulation, Lin Ruoyun’s nerves were stirred by just one look from Naitang, and her ears secretly heated up.

This is too difficult…

Raising a little one who is so obedient, soft, and cute is just too hard. Raising a fair-skinned, beautiful little one with long legs is even harder.

Lin Ruoyun took a steadying breath and intentionally looked up to glare at her. “What are you looking at me for? Look at the characters!”

Startled by her fierce expression, Guan Yinghan’s eyelashes fluttered down, and a look of frustration filled her eyes.

Lin Ruoyun felt that Naitang had her completely wrapped around her finger. Whenever Naitang made that expression, she felt like she was a child abuser. She quickly reassured her. “Naitang, if you finish your homework, Sister has a reward for you.”

The little one’s sad eyes instantly lit up. “What kind of reward?”

Lin Ruoyun’s lips curved into a smile. “Well… what kind of reward does Naitang want?”

The TV in the living room suddenly flickered. The educational video ended, and a commercial for a talking pen appeared. On the screen, a little girl was using a talking pen to study. Her test score went from 66 to 99. The girl’s mother kissed her on the forehead as a reward.

Guan Yinghan pointed at the TV, her eyes curving in an innocent smile. “Sister, I want a kiss.”

Lin Ruoyun’s breath hitched. She felt it was necessary to give Naitang a lesson on AO physiology. But then she thought again. Naitang was just a mentally disabled Alpha, with the mind of a five or six-year-old. The kiss she wanted was probably just a way to express intimacy.

So, Lin Ruoyun readily agreed. “Okay!”

She took out some reward stickers for preschoolers that she had bought online. She pointed to the little boxes and said, “From today on, Naitang will follow the study plan. After you complete a task, you’ll get a little red star. When you fill up a whole row, Sister will give Naitang a kiss.”

Guan Yinghan’s eyes moved to the stickers, and she silently read the small words.

Study Plan:

1. Complete addition and subtraction within 20.
2. Independently write a story based on a picture.
3. Read two short stories every day.

Guan Yinghan lowered her head to hide the smile on her face. These are just free points! I can get all the little red stars in a second, and then I can have a nice time with Ruoyun…

Whoa, what am I thinking? I almost forgot I’m a five-year-old now.

Lin Ruoyun reached out and ruffled her hair, giving her a smile. “Alright, Naitang, go finish your homework. My sister will check it after dinner.”

Just then, her phone rang. Lin Ruoyun took it out, and her brows furrowed subconsciously. The phone rang, stopped, and rang again. Not until the third time did Lin Ruoyun finally have to answer. “Mom.”

The familiar “wolf” drama began on the other end of the line. “Ruoyun, are you not even going to care about your own mother’s life anymore?”

Lin Ruoyun’s voice was calm. “You’re living and eating well at the Qin family’s house, with maids to serve you. My coming over would only be a bother.”

Liang Qiu snorted. She had no patience for Ruoyun. “Ye Li wants to see you. She’ll be at your shabby apartment in about half an hour. Go get yourself ready and take her shopping.”

Lin Ruoyun rubbed her forehead, trying to suppress her frustration. “I’m not going! I’ll call her and tell her not to come…”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Liang Qiu’s hysterical shriek came from the other end of the phone. “I worked so hard to raise you, and you’re going to defy me like this? What’s the point of me being alive? I might as well just die…”

Lin Ruoyun closed her eyes. Five seconds later, she heard the frightened voice of a maid. “Second Madam, come down now! It’s dangerous! Miss Lin, Miss Lin, the Second Madam is climbing out the window…”

“Sister Zhang!” Lin Ruoyun opened her eyes with a sigh of defeat. “Tell her… I’ll go shopping with Ye Li.”

Lin Ruoyun hung up the phone and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The range hood was old and noisy, so she couldn’t hear anything in the room. She didn’t even notice when Guan Yinghan came up beside her.

“Sister…” Guan Yinghan wrapped her arms around Lin Ruoyun’s slender shoulders from behind and rested her head on her back. Her voice was thick. “Are you going out?”

When Ruoyun was on the phone, Guan Yinghan was sitting on the stool and clearly heard her say she was going shopping with Qin Yeli. Guan Yinghan had known about the existence of the Qin family’s CEO, Qin Yeli, since she was in Dawan Village.

 Later, while searching for Ruoyun, she found out that five years ago, after Liang Qiu brought Ruoyun into the Qin family, Qin Yeli had been the one taking care of the mother and daughter. In the Qin family’s social circles, Ruoyun was seen as Qin Yeli’s fiancée.

Qin Yeli had replaced her during their five blank years. An unprecedented sense of crisis swept over her. Guan Yinghan was quickly consumed by bitter jealousy. Her voice was broken and distorted by the roaring of the range hood. “Sister… don’t go, okay?”

Lin Ruoyun mistakenly thought she was scared. She could understand why. Naitang was just a child mentally and had no sense of security. Especially at night, she would be afraid of being left alone, so it was normal for her not to want her to go.

Lin Ruoyun turned off the range hood, put the food on the table, and patiently reminded her over and over again. 

“Naitang, I’ll be gone for just a little while. Eat your dinner, and then do your homework.” She grabbed her keys and bag and was about to head downstairs, but she stopped and came back.

Guan Yinghan’s gray eyes lit up with a faint sparkle the moment she turned around. However, Ruoyun had only come back to get her phone. But it was clear that she was still worried about Naitang. Before she left, she gave one more instruction. “If a stranger knocks on the door, don’t open it, okay? Wait until I get back.”

The light in Guan Yinghan’s eyes gradually faded. She slowly lowered her head and choked out a few words. “Sister, come back soon.”

This is so difficult! she thought. I wonder if all little kids are like this? So delicate and clingy. I can’t be apart for more than an hour, or they’ll get that look like the whole world has abandoned them. It would melt the heart of even the coldest person.

Lin Ruoyun’s heart softened involuntarily. She touched her hair. “Okay, Sister promises she’ll be back soon.”