Because I Cannot Hurt You

Siying was about to nod when his stomach let out a loud sound.

*Grumbleeeee*

Siying's stomach growled once again in hunger. Nana's eyes widened, and she laughed. "Haha. Seems like you are really hungry. You have just come to the right place! What do you like to eat? I will make your favorite dish."

Siying's eyes gleamed in excitement. He was about to say when he recalled what happened at the sandwich stall. The owner had yelled at him and rudely shook him away. His shoulders slumped and tears threatened to fall.

Jun was dumbfounded. "Is it something worth crying over?"

Nana was just as shocked. "Aiya. Don't cry, dear."

She picked him in her arms and ruffled his head. She smiled. "Children should be happy and laughing. Why are you crying?"

Nana gently ran her hand along his small back and hugged him. Siying immediately felt comfortable in her warm embrace. It was so loving and soothing just like how Xinyi always hugged him. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes.

"Siying...no money…"

Nana blinked her eyes. "Money?"

Siying bobbed his head. "Siying has no money. Cannot eat…" His shoulders slumped in sadness.

She looked at him, stunned. She glanced at Jun and narrowed her eyes. "Did you say something to him?"

Jun grimaced. "I have better things to do rather than bullying a kid."

Nana's mouth twitched. She quickly wiped his tears. "Who said you have to pay me money? Siying can eat here and how much ever he wants. Everything and anything. How can I charge from a cutie like you?"

"R-really?"

"En," she chuckled. "Also, children shouldn't worry about money. You should only think about eating healthy and eating lots of food. You are growing up, after all. Filling your tummy is the most important."

His downcast expression shone into happiness. This was the first time today that he genuinely felt happy. 

"Come on. I will take you to your special seat! Jun."

"Coming."

Nana helped Siying sit on the chair while Jun took a chair beside him. "Wait here. I will whip up some super delicious food for you."

She merrily chirped and went back to the kitchen. A while later, she brought a steaming pot of delicious meat stew and curry, rice, dumplings, and pork cutlets.

His mouth watered and he drooled at the sight. The smell alone was so mesmerizing. Nana said, "Don't be shy. Eat up all you want. Don't hesitate to ask for seconds."

As usual, Jun picked his chopsticks and began eating in a neat and orderly manner. At four, he already ate like an adult. However, Siying was still having difficulty using chopsticks. Even with the spoon, he couldn't eat properly. 

Nana held the chopsticks in her hand and picked a bite. "I will feed you. Say ahh…"

Siying recalled Xinyi saying the same thing whenever she used to feed him. 

'Say ahh…'

Siying saddened a bit. Nana noticed the change in his expression, and her heart ached in pain. She thought to ask him if something was bothering him, but for now, he had to eat.

Siying took a bite. The juicy meat instantly melted in his mouth. A bright smile tugged his lips upwards. 

"Is it yummy?"

"Yummy! Very yummy! I like it a lot!"

Nana smiled in satisfaction. She diligently fed him, and Siying didn't hold back either. Just after one bite, he couldn't stop himself from having more and more.

Jun smirked. "I told you, right? You would just love Mom's food."

Siying nodded hard. Nana chuckled. "I am glad that you love it."

"Hey where is our share?"

Two boys stood before Nana with hands on their waist. They glared at Jun. "Little brother. You are eating all alone!"

Jun ignored his twin elder brothers. Jian, the elder twin, narrowed his eyes while Nian, the younger twin, twitched his mouth.

Nana said, "Ah my cute twins are here too!" She hugged and kissed their cheeks.

Siying curiously looked at them. Then he tilted his head in confusion. "They look the same!"

She laughed. "Yes. They are identical twins. Identical twins look alike. Let me introduce them. He is Jian and the one on the left is Nian. They are my eldest sons and they are five years old. Jun is their younger brother."

She looked at her twins and said, "He is Siying. Jun's friend."

"What? Jun can make friends too?" The twins asked as they giggled. Jun was always serious and sarcastic that they found it hard to believe that someone would befriend him.

Jun shot a deadly glare at them and went back to eating his food without bothering to say anything.

Nana warned. "Jian. Nian. No bullying your brother."

"Oh…"

They shrugged. They loved Jun a lot, but they equally liked to pull his leg too.

Their eyes glinted in mischief as they looked at Siying. Jian asked, "How old are you, Siying?"

Siying said, "Three."

Nian nodded. "We are older than you so you should call us big bro now. As our little bro, shift your plate to our side."

Nana - "..."

"Don't you feel ashamed of asking that? Be nice to Siying."

Jian and Nian laughed. They took their seats too and joined in the meal. A while later, everybody was done. Siying was finally satisfied as he filled his tummy.

Jian asked, "By the way, Siying is three so he shouldn't be in the same grade as Jun. So where did you meet?"

Jun said, "We are not in the same school."

"Huh?"

Nana looked at him, confused. "Not in the same school?"

Jun rolled his eyes. "Well, I happened to meet him near the toyshop. Some goons were trying to kidnap him and I saved him. He was hungry so I brought him here."

He told the whole story.

Nana was horrified while Jian and Nian looked at him indignantly. "Something so exciting happened and you are telling us this now!?"

Nana glared at them and smacked their heads. "What exciting? Siying was almost kidnapped and Jun was almost attacked! This is frightening, not exciting!"

Jian and Nian coughed and averted their eyes. "We wanted to see the goons get beat up."

She twisted Jun's ear hard and scolded him. "Jun! How could you keep quiet about it until now?"

Jun said, "Mom, I am fine and so is Siying. I already told the guards to throw them in the base and inform Dad."

"That doesn't mean that I shouldn't know about it! You just casually came in and started eating as if nothing happened."

"Mom, Siying was already hungry. Your nonstop questions would have tortured his empty stomach."

She gritted her teeth and facepalmed. One son didn't bother to tell her anything, and her twins found this whole horrible event exciting. Why were her sons so weird?

Nana took a deep breath and said, "I will talk to you when we are back at home. Very nicely."

Jun grimaced.

Damn, that will be so annoying…

Jian said, "Come on, Mom. Do you think anybody can lay even a finger on our brother when there are capable shadow guards protecting him?"

"I know that. But as your Mom, I should know everything."

Nana anxiously checked on Siying and Jun. "You look fine."

"Told ya."

She narrowed her eyes. "We are still talking with your father. You already informed Jinhai, but he didn't call me to say that something so big happened! You and your father are going to get an earful tonight!"

Jun's mouth twitched while the twins giggled.

Nana then looked at Siying and gently asked, "Dear, what were you doing alone? Where were your parents when this happened?"

Siying stiffened. Nana noticed the same expression again. "Is something wrong dear? You can tell Aunt."

He fiddled with his fingers.

Jun said, "He ran away from home."

Nana looked at him, speechless. "What!? Ran away? You are telling me this now?"

"Ouch…" Nian chimed in.

"Well…"

"He suddenly disappeared. His parents must be worrying like crazy, and he is here with us for so long. If I had known, I would have already called his mother. Jun, do you understand the seriousness of this situation!"

Jun opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't for a while.

"He doesn't want to go home. He was crying so I figured he must have bad parents troubling him."

Nana looked down at Siying and was shocked.

Bad parents?

"Is it true, Siying? Does your Mama and Dada trouble you?"

Siying turned pale and burst into tears. She quickly held him in her arms again and said, "It's okay, dear. No need to be afraid. Aunt is here. You can tell me the truth."

Jian and Nian turned solemn too.

Siying gasped as he cried. "Mama Dada hate Siying…"

"Hate you? Why?"

"Siying…waaaaa…" his tiny fists clenched her dress and he buried his face in her chest.

"Ssh, ssh.. don't cry. Aunt will not let anything happen to you."

Siying calmed down a bit, and he looked at her with his tearful eyes. He said everything that happened at the picnic and how Xinyi and Zhiyuan got hurt.

"Siying did a bad thing. Mama hurt because of me...Mama Dada don't want Siying anymore…"

Her eyes slowly widened as she got the whole picture. "Siying. Did your Mama and Dada say that they don't want you?"