Chapter 43: This Really Is a Sad Story

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: This Really Is a Sad Story

Shu Yao and Shu Xin went to an appointment, while the Shu Family’s eldest brother was swamped with official business. The second-eldest was a professor who lived on campus, only able to return for long holidays.

So, the task of babysitting naturally fell to Shu Chao Yu.

The two of them had been getting along just fine, but a conflict arose at dinnertime.

Before leaving, Shu Yao had made six portions of steamed egg custard and left them in a warmer. As it turned out, Shu Chao Yu had secretly eaten them all himself.

Xiao Juzi woke up, crying that he was hungry.

The steamed egg custard was gone, so Shu Chao Yu had no choice but to try and placate him with nutrient solution.

The little one, with his superior sense of smell, caught the scent of steamed egg custard on his uncle. He completely ignored the nutrient solution, demanding the custard his mother had made.

Shu Chao Yu talked until he was blue in the face, but he couldn’t manage to coax the little treasure.

He felt especially guilty when he saw how the baby’s recent illness had, in just a few short days, thinned him from a plump little dumpling into a skinny little twig. He wished he could spit those six portions of steamed egg custard right back out, whole.

But he couldn’t!

The two of them had reached an impasse.

Unable to get his steamed egg custard, Xiao Juzi darted off in a huff and disappeared.

Shu Chao Yu couldn’t find him anywhere in the courtyard, and he started to panic.

It was currently nighttime in the Interstellar Federation, which added a significant layer of difficulty to this "treasure hunt." What’s more, Xiao Juzi was tiny in his Beastification form—so small he wouldn’t even look big cupped in a person’s palm. If he hid silently in some nook or cranny, you might not spot him even if you were standing right there.

Shu Chao Yu knew Xiao Juzi hadn’t left the courtyard, because he could feel the little guy hiding somewhere secret, furtively watching him.

He switched on all the courtyard lights but still couldn’t spot Xiao Juzi.

"Xiao Juzi, your grand-uncle was wrong. Please come out, okay?"

"Your grand-uncle shouldn’t have eaten all the steamed egg custard, but the kind your mom makes is just too delicious. I couldn’t resist..."

"I promise, from now on, whenever there’s something tasty, I’ll be sure to save a portion for you!"

Shu Chao Yu pleaded and promised, but he still couldn’t coax Xiao Juzi out of hiding.

He lamented miserably, ’Being a grand-uncle is so hard!’

To make sure the little one didn’t run off, Shu Chao Yu stood guard in the courtyard.

When Shu Yao and Shu Xin returned, they found him sitting all alone by the main gate.

"Uncle, why are you sitting out here?"

’He looks so pathetic.’

Shu Chao Yu looked as if he’d been granted a pardon. "You’re finally back!"

Just then, a small, dark shadow shot out from the shrubbery divider and scurried over. With a powerful push from its four little paws, the creature leaped straight into Shu Yao’s arms.

"Mama!" Xiao Juzi tattled between sobs, his childish voice thick with sorrow. "Grand-uncle ate all the steamed egg custard... He didn’t leave any for me... WAHHH... I don’t want nutrient solution... WAHHH, he gave me something to drink, not something to eat..."

What a truly tragic tale!

Shu Xin pretended to smack the culprit who had so upset her precious grandson.

"Xiao Chao, how old are you? Squabbling with a child over food!"

Seeing his grand-uncle get scolded, a hint of gleeful schadenfreude appeared in Xiao Juzi’s bright, dark eyes.

"I didn’t squabble! I... I ate it while Xiao Juzi was still asleep," Shu Chao Yu said, not only making excuses for himself but also trying to shift the blame to Shu Yao. "If you have to blame someone, blame Yaoyao for making the steamed egg custard too delicious!"

Nestled in his mother’s arms, Xiao Juzi gave him a fierce, childish glare.

"Alright, alright, let’s not blame your grand-uncle anymore," Shu Yao said, stroking his head soothingly. "Mama and Grandma haven’t eaten anything either. Would you like to drink some nutrient solution with us?"

"Okay!" Xiao Juzi replied, happily wagging his tail.

Hearing Shu Yao say they hadn’t eaten, Shu Chao Yu was puzzled. "Didn’t you have an appointment with the Empress? You didn’t eat at her palace?"

At the mention of this, Shu Xin’s expression darkened. All the anger she had been holding in seemed to find an outlet with her younger brother. She launched into a long tirade, and once she had vented her fill and felt better, she glanced at the time. Seeing how late it was, she urged Shu Yao to take a very sleepy Xiao Juzi to bed.

Seeing Shu Chao Yu still sitting silently on the sofa, Shu Xin tried to shoo him off to his own room as well.

"Xiao Chao, you should go to bed, too."

Shu Chao Yu looked up and smiled. "I have the late shift tonight. You go ahead and sleep, Sis."

With that, he stood up and walked to the door.

Shu Xin muttered at his retreating back, "Why another night shift? Your unit’s scheduling is completely unreasonable!"