Chapter 64: Forced to Grow Up

Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Forced to Grow Up

No one taught Lu Lin how to hold a pen, so he wrote numbers by mimicking them according to his own ideas. Now, with Fu Xiaoxiao carefully guiding him, Lu Lin learned the correct forms of each stroke and naturally became more confident in his writing.

He could even infer other numbers beyond ten, writing very carefully.

Fu Xiaoxiao watched as Lu Chen curiously observed his brother writing with a matchstick, eyes filled with envy.

"Come, Xiao Chen, you should follow along too. You’re supposed to start kindergarten now; it’s time for some education." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled and went to the kitchen to fetch a slightly smaller stick, placing it in Lu Chen’s hand, teaching him as well.

Lu Chen was still very young, his strength insufficient, and though he held the stick seriously, his writing was crooked and uneven like caterpillars.

Fu Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and then decided to let Lu Chen draw horizontal and vertical lines instead.

"Like this?" Under Fu Xiaoxiao’s guidance, Lu Chen learned how to draw horizontal and vertical lines.

"That’s really good, truly well done." Fu Xiaoxiao rubbed his head, noting that seven out of ten strokes were straight, which was already quite impressive.

"Hehe." Lu Chen, showing interest, became more earnest about drawing the lines.

Seeing Lu Chen being so diligent, Lu Lin couldn’t allow himself to be surpassed by his younger brother, for he would lose his dignity as the elder sibling. ℴ

Seeing the two children writing seriously, Fu Xiaoxiao smiled and walked back to the room to continue working on the clothes she hadn’t finished yesterday.

"Mr. Fu." Hearing Fu Xiaoxiao’s voice, Lu Feng thought for a while before calling out.

"Looking for me?" Fu Xiaoxiao tilted her head into the room, looking at Lu Feng.

Lu Feng curled his lips into a smile and gestured for her to come over. "Yes, there’s something, convenient for you to come over?"

"What’s up?" Fu Xiaoxiao approached Lu Feng’s bedside, looking at him.

Under Fu Xiaoxiao’s gaze, Lu Feng slowly got out of bed and stood in front of her.

"You..." Fu Xiaoxiao was stunned; despite being prepared, seeing that Lu Feng could finally stand up was still somewhat surprising.

"Sit." Lu Feng nodded, confirming what was on Fu Xiaoxiao’s mind.

Fu Xiaoxiao sat on the edge of Lu Feng’s bed, and Lu Feng sat down beside her.

Fu Xiaoxiao waited for Lu Feng to speak, but he just stared at her directly, making her face suddenly feel a bit warm.

"Comrade Fu Xiaoxiao, can I trust you?" Lu Feng asked seriously.

Fu Xiaoxiao paused, lifted her head to meet his gaze, and seeing the seriousness in his eyes, nodded gently.

"My previous mission was to rescue hostages and intelligence held by the enemy. The plan was very covert, and logically there’s no way the enemy could anticipate our actions." Lu Feng recalled the unexpected situation from last time, looking solemn.

"You suspect a traitor within?" Fu Xiaoxiao thought about it; she had indeed heard it was an unexpected situation, saying that they were unaware the enemy had planted bombs, intending to kill them.

"The officer likely shares my suspicions." Lu Feng was not surprised by Fu Xiaoxiao’s cleverness and nodded lightly.

"So, what do you plan to do now?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked curiously.

"I need to go on a secret mission tomorrow night." Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, speaking seriously.

"But... Oh! I got it." Fu Xiaoxiao recalled Xu Yan’s words today, emphasizing that Lu Feng wasn’t well recovered and needed to rest for seven more days.

So that’s how the seven days came about.

To cover his going out for the mission.

Fu Xiaoxiao’s understanding made the smile in Lu Feng’s eyes deepen.

"I’m telling you so that you also keep an eye out when I’m not around, to see if anyone wants to get close to our family and inquire about my situation." Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, informing her of her involvement in this.

Since the hidden enemy is most likely to reveal themselves at this moment.

"Oh oh oh! I understand, I understand!" Fu Xiaoxiao’s eyes sparkled with excitement; this was her mission too, right?

"You’re not afraid?" She seemed really happy—others would find such a thing dangerous and be scared.

She seemed not a bit afraid, instead very eager?

"What’s there to be afraid of! Don’t worry, I’ll definitely keep an eye out." Fu Xiaoxiao waved her hand dismissively; she always wanted to try such things, wasn’t it thrilling?

"Since you’re not afraid, then I’m relieved." Lu Feng chuckled lightly.

Being watched by Lu Feng like this, his gaze as deep as a lake, made Fu Xiaoxiao somewhat embarrassed.

"Then I wish you a successful mission—approximately how long will you be away?" Fu Xiaoxiao turned her head to avoid Lu Feng’s gaze.

"With no unforeseen events, I should be back within three days." Noticing Fu Xiaoxiao averting her gaze, Lu Feng felt a tightening in his heart.

"Okay." Fu Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to my room." After speaking, Fu Xiaoxiao got up and left the room.

Was she avoiding him?

Lu Feng watched as Fu Xiaoxiao left the room quickly, furrowing his brows.

Did he somehow upset her again?

Fu Xiaoxiao returned to her room, cheeks slightly flushed. "I’m dying, being looked at by the boss like that, my heart’s about to leap out."

She patted her cheeks until the flush faded, then focused on the sewing machine, piecing together the fabric she had cut yesterday.

Before long, a child’s vest took shape, and Fu Xiaoxiao measured the size, knowing it’s perfect for the growing child now.

Lu Lin and Lu Chen wrote for a while in the yard, hearing the sound of a sewing machine coming from Fu Xiaoxiao’s room, and Lu Lin paused slightly.

"Brother? Why did you stop writing?" Lu Chen asked, puzzled, seeing Lu Lin put down his pencil.

"...Hmm." Lu Lin put down the stick and went to the box where the little wolf cub was, carrying it out and gently stroking its fur.

"Brother, are you still upset that Mom left us?" Seeing Lu Lin like this, knowing his brother must be thinking about their mother again, Lu Chen also laid down his pencil and sat beside Lu Lin.

When their mother left, Lu Chen was barely over three years old, so he had no deep impression of being abandoned by their mother.

Unlike his brother, who spent more time with her and knew what happened.

Lu Chen is happy because he still has his brother.

"You were too young then to remember clearly." Lu Lin patted Lu Chen’s head, gazing at the sun turning red on the horizon.

"But I remember very clearly." Lu Lin vividly remembered their mother gave all the valuable things in the house to their uncle, and although she was reluctant, she ultimately left with him, abandoning him and Chen Chen.

Chen Chen cried and wanted their mom, but she didn’t stay, heartlessly getting into the car.

Their uncle cursed them as jinxes, and their grandmother said they were just a waste of rice—they neither wanted him nor Chen Chen.

He didn’t understand at first, until they went two days without food, when he finally realized they were abandoned.

He took Chen Chen everywhere asking for food, but everyone’s gaze was cold, so cold they dared not approach, no one reached out to them. Eventually, they followed stray dogs and found garbage bins near restaurants, only then did they eat their first meal.

During that time, he tasted the indescribable bitterness of human nature, forced to grow up.