Teasing the Strawberry-Flavored Baby Alpha (ABO, GL) - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Lu Ningwan’s little heart was racing, her eyes growing wetter. So, she would spend a lot of time with the aunties and Tiantian, and most of her time with her uncle’s family would be at school. This made her heart happy but also uneasy. Her uncle, her own relative, didn’t want to care for her and found her troublesome. If she often came to Tiantian’s house, would she really not trouble the aunties and Tiantian?

Lin Qinghan knew Lu Ningwan was sensitive. After all, losing her parents so young and being treated poorly by her uncle and auntie, how could she not be? She understood the child lacked a sense of security, which couldn’t be built in a day or two. Since they planned to help her, they had plenty of time to rebuild that sense of security for Little Lu, to make her truly see this as home, not as a guest.

“Little Lu, don’t overthink. Leave these things to us adults. Just grow up happily like Tiantian. That’s what matters most.”

Hearing Auntie’s gentle voice, Lu Ningwan couldn’t hold back her tears. Being held in Auntie’s arms felt so much like her mother, who was no longer here.

Seeing the little body in her arms trembling with sobs, Lin Qinghan quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe Lu Ningwan’s tears, comforting her. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. If there’s anything you can’t tell your uncle, you can tell the aunties or Tiantian. We’re all your family.”

“Thank you, Auntie~” Lu Ningwan felt a bit embarrassed after crying, wondering if Auntie thought she was a crybaby for sobbing in her arms.

Afraid of being misunderstood, she said in a muffled voice, “Auntie, actually, I don’t cry much usually.”

Lin Qinghan smiled. “It’s okay. Little Lu looks cute even when crying. At home, you don’t need to hold back. Be however you want.”

Lin Qinghan helped Lu Ningwan wash her face and change into pajamas before heading downstairs.

The living room downstairs was lively. The little kid was wobbling around playing with a ball. Seeing Lu Ningwan, she looked up with a bright face, handed her the ball, and said in a slightly unclear tone, “Sister… play.”

Lu Ningwan smiled, took the ball, and the little kid pulled a toy shovel from her pile, waddling to Shen Tian and handing it to her. “Sister, sister, play.”

Shen Tian took the shovel, laughing. “You’re pretty generous.”

The little kid giggled happily, though it wasn’t clear what made her so joyful.

Worried the little kid would get too excited to sleep, Shen Xian had Auntie Liu take her back to her room.

Shen Tian pulled Lu Ningwan to eat snacks, which Auntie Wang had already prepared.

After dinner, Shen Tian and Lu Ningwan returned to their room. Lu Ningwan was curious about her new reference books and sat at the desk to read. Shen Tian followed suit, looking at her storybooks.

The two-day holiday passed quickly. Early Monday, Shen Tian and Lu Ningwan went to school. Besides her schoolbag, Lu Ningwan carried the study materials and extracurricular books she’d bought.

At the door of Class One, Shen Tian reluctantly said goodbye. “I won’t see Little Sister Lu at home today~”

Lu Ningwan giggled at Shen Tian’s words. “We’ll still see each other at school. And didn’t Auntie say they’ll pick me up this weekend?”

Shen Tian was comforted by this. “Okay, I’ll wait for Little Sister Lu.”

When Lu Ningwan entered class with her bag, some kids noticed, but lost interest when they saw it was books. She didn’t mind. These books were important to her, and she had to study hard to not let down the aunties’ kindness.

At the company, Shen Xian had her assistant buy two sets of first-grade reference books. She and Lin Qinghan planned to pick up Lu Ningwan on holidays and weekends, keeping surface peace with Lu Ming’s family to ensure they treated her better.

When picking up Shen Tian after school, Shen Xian noticed Lu Ming and Zhang Ruohua. Their gazes were sticky, fixed on her, but for some reason, they didn’t approach.

Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan, carrying a bag, went to Lu Ming. He looked surprised, as if he hadn’t expected them, and smiled. “CEO Shen and your wife are here to pick up the kids?”

“Yeah, we had fun with Tiantian and Little Lu over the weekend. Little Lu mentioned you have two kids, so we got some extra reference books while at the bookstore.” Shen Xian handed the bag of books to Lu Ming.

Lu Ming, flattered, took the bag. “Thank you, CEO Shen. I really appreciate you thinking of us. I’ll make sure the kids study hard.”

Shen Xian wasn’t interested in whether Lu Ming’s kids studied. She was here for Lu Ningwan. “Little Lu is a good kid. I’d like to have her over on weekends and holidays to keep Tiantian company. Is that okay with you?” She looked at Lu Ming.

Though Shen Xian spoke with a smile, Lu Ming felt an overwhelming pressure in her tone, unable to meet her eyes. “That’s fine. I just hope Ningwan doesn’t trouble you.”

“She won’t. Everyone at home loves Little Lu. It’s settled then.” After discussing Lu Ningwan, Shen Tian and the others came out of school.

Shen Tian met Lu Ningwan in the hallway, and the two held hands the whole way. When it was time to part, Shen Tian reluctantly said goodbye to go find her mother and mommy.

Shen Xian, amused, patted her kid’s cheek. “Stop looking. I talked to Little Lu’s uncle. She’ll be at our place on weekends and holidays.”

Shen Tian bounced and hugged Shen Xian, acting cute. “Really? I knew Mommy was the best!”

Lin Qinghan patted her kid’s head, teasing jealously, “Only your mommy’s great? What about Mother?”

Shen Tian, well aware of the family hierarchy—Mommy listens to Mother—quickly changed her tune. “Mother’s the very very best, and Mommy’s great too!”

“You little thing, always sweet-talking us both dizzy.” Lin Qinghan teased her daughter, amused.

“Hehe, I’m Mother and Mommy’s happy fruit.” Shen Tian nuzzled Shen Xian, then acted cute with Lin Qinghan, completely charming both.

Lu Ningwan got into Lu Ming’s car. Lu Ming and Zhang Ruohua’s attitudes had shifted greatly. Zhang Ruohua even opened the car door for her, which upset Lu Zixuan and Lu Deyu. But after a weekend of scolding from their parents, they couldn’t act out their frustration with Lu Ningwan.

Lu Ming smiled at her. “Ningwan, how was your weekend? Your Auntie Shen told me you’ll go to her place on weekends and holidays.”

Lu Ningwan’s eyes lit up, but she replied in her usual tone, “Tiantian’s great. The aunties are really nice.”

Lu Ming smiled. “Be good at their house. It’s not like our home.”

Lu Ningwan nodded, saying, “Got it.” But in her heart, she felt happier at Tiantian’s house, where she didn’t have to be so cautious, and the aunties were kind to her.

Lu Zixuan, seeing her dad talk to Lu Ningwan, rolled her eyes. She didn’t understand why her parents, who used to dislike this wild child, were now acting like this.

“Oh, Ningwan, while you were gone this weekend, I had your space tidied up. We added a desk, chair, and lamp for studying. Check it out and see if you like it,” Lu Ming said with a smile.

This made Lu Zixuan’s breathing heavy. She couldn’t understand why her dad was buying things for Lu Ningwan. A wild child didn’t deserve such treatment.

Lu Ningwan just said faintly, “Thank you, Uncle.”

She knew her uncle’s change wasn’t for her. She had nothing left. The only explanation was Auntie Shen. Her uncle had mentioned the Shen Corporation before—he wanted to climb that high branch. Knowing this, no matter what her uncle bought her, Lu Ningwan couldn’t feel happy.

Back at her uncle’s house, Lu Ningwan saw her former balcony space transformed. Curtains were installed all around, the bed was new with two large drawers for storage, and there was a new children’s desk and chair. Lu Ming had even extended the living room’s corridor by a meter and a half to her space, adding a sliding door, creating a simple room for her.

It still looked basic, but at least Lu Ningwan had a bit of private space.

Seeing her things, including the alarm clock Tiantian gave her, were still there, she relaxed and looked around. Though small, the door made her feel safer, especially since it had a button to lock from the inside.

She closed the door, sat on the bed for a while, her heart warm. Lu Ningwan knew all this was because of Tiantian and the aunties.

Meanwhile, Lu Ming happily gave two stacks of reference books to Lu Zixuan and Lu Deyu, instructing, “These are from your Auntie Shen. Study hard so you can work at the Shen Corporation when you grow up.”

Lu Deyu and Lu Zixuan’s heads ached at the sight of the books. They were convinced anyone close to Lu Ningwan wasn’t good. Who gives workbooks as gifts?

“I don’t want them. That Auntie Shen’s no good. Who gives these as presents?” Lu Zixuan whined, nearly crying.

Lu Ming didn’t budge. “How’s that not good? They value you, that’s why they gave these. So useless, only knowing how to play at your age. Ruohua, starting tomorrow, we’ll watch them do the workbooks.”

“Okay.”

“I don’t want to do workbooks! I want to watch videos and play. Lu Ningwan, take your Auntie Shen’s gifts away. I don’t want them.” Lu Zixuan cried loudly in frustration.