A few days later, Xia Rou finally moved into the main building. Once again she stepped into the room with blue, rose-patterned wallpaper.
This time she only felt that the light blue color made the room look refreshing.
Cao Xing specially bought a super huge plushie for her.
However, the most surprising thing of all in this life was that the plushies bought for her by Cao Xing were all enormous. In the past, he used to act like a donkey, sneaking around and trying to hide his tail, and would bring around small plushies.
……
In the early days of August, Xia Rou received her acceptance letter from Nan Hua High School.
Later in August, there weren't many days left before the first day of school. The fourth brother of the family, Cao An, who Xia Rou was constantly thinking about, finally returned home.
Cao An stood out in the Cao Family. Translated by The Novelst
Among the four, he was the only one who resembled his mother more than his father. This was why he was treasured deeply by Madam Cao ever since he was young. And after that, because he looked so much like his mother, Cao Xiong always treated him with leniency. Later, Cao Xiong took issue with Cao An's personality, but by then it was too late for Cao Xiong to teach him strictly. Cao An's personality had already settled and it was hard to correct.
He was the only son to not involve himself in the army or in politics. He studied abroad, majoring in fashion design.
He loved fashion; after he returned to the country he wanted to put on a great show in the fashion industry.
But Xia Rou knew that later he would come to surrender to his father after all and get started in the real estate industry.
Within this house, even one word from Cao Xiong was a heavy weight. Nobody could defy him in the end.
Just as Xia Rou remembered, Cao An didn't return alone. He brought along another person to stay with the Cao Family.
"This is my classmate, He Chengzhe. We're planning to cooperate and build a studio," he said.
He Chengzhe had a tall stature, with long legs and a handsome face. The pair were so fashionable that they looked like models. They were both young, just past their twenties, and could be called two big boys.
Xia Rou was also familiar with He Chengzhe. In her past, she had witnessed their on-again, off-again relationship. No matter how they tried to separate, they never could. And with that, they were stuck together for ten years.
He Chengzhe went to greet Cao Xiong and Cao Yang. As he went off, it was impossible for Cao An not to notice Xia Rou, who stood beside Cao Yang.
"Xia Rou, right?" He had friendly eyes that hinted at romance, making him look like a playboy. "I'm Cao An. We met when we were young."
Xia Rou greeted him tactfully. "Brother Cao An."
"You've grown up to be a young lady already," Cao An exclaimed.
Xia Rou chuckled. Her somber eyes curved into crescents with happiness, and her snowy white face gave out a sense of refinement. While the men talked, she quietly sat aside.
Cao An had a good first impression of her.
"Chengzhe hasn't found a room yet so he's going to be staying here temporarily. Don't worry about it, there's no need to arrange a guest room. He can just stay in my room. We're roommates anyways, we've already been living together for a few years."
Thus, He Chengzhe came to stay with the Cao Family.
When they returned to their room, He Chengzhe asked: "Who was that girl?"
Cao An had a cigarette between his lips. He sat down on the bed to take off his shoes. "My father used to have a woman and she just passed away a little while ago due to sickness. Xia Rou is her child."
"Don't tell me she's your biological younger sister?" He Chengzhe jokingly asked.
"Nope," Cao An was pretty certain of this. "When my father met her mother, she was already seven or eight. Her biological father's surname is Xia, but he ran off with another woman."
"Why does her background sound so dramatic?" He Chengzhe was surprised. "She's a cute little lady, though."
"Why, do you like that kind of girl?" Cao An glared at him from his side.
"She's quite young. Wait a couple more years and when she's an adult, I guess it'd be possible." He Chengzhe snatched the cigarette from Cao An's mouth and put it between his own lips, intentionally teasing.
Cao An immediately gave him a kick. He Chengzhe laughed as he jumped off the bed.
The two played around for some time before they stopped.
"Your family's quite kind. Your father and brothers seem to be nice to her and it looks like they're getting along well."
A child like Xia Rou who was staying in someone else's house – no matter how she tried to hide it, it would still be evident if she was unhappy living with them. But seeing that little girl get along with Cao Xiong and Cao Yang without even a hint of falseness meant that the men in the Cao Family really did treat her well.
"Her mother followed my father for eight years," Cao An explained. "My father liked that woman."
"If he liked her, why didn't he marry her?" He Chengzhe asked.
Cao An shot him a calm look. "There's a reason he couldn't get married."
"Right, everyone has their own difficulties." He Chengzhe blew out smoke and seemed to be ironically ridiculing himself.
Cao An said unhappily, "Didn't we agree not to talk about this?"
He Chengzhe stared at him for a while, then turned around to enter the bathroom.
Cao An lit up another cigarette in annoyance.
He was deep in thought. His father must have really liked Cheng Wan, or else big brother wouldn't have specifically reminded him not to bring her up during their conversation on the phone, in order to avoid their father falling into depression again.
Cao Yang also told him to be nice to Xia Rou.
Father likes her, he said. Ever since her arrival to their house, their father seemed to be in better spirits.
She's a good child, was what he said. Translated by The Novelst
This time that Cao An returned, he realized that his father really was getting old just like big brother had said.
He remembered the last time he came back on holiday, his father didn't seem to have aged so much then. But after Cheng Wan's passing, it was like she took a part of him with her.
That Xia Rou seemed to be nice at least. He didn't hate her.
But Cao An was still surprised that she had even managed to earn the praise "a good child" from Cao Yang.
In their family, Cao Yang was the second coming of Cao Xiong. He seemed to almost be an identical copy of Cao Xiong. He was strict to his little brothers and didn't lose to his father.
That little girl, able to appear so leisurely in front of the two and naturally accept their family, might just be capable.
Cao An thought that she probably just hadn't seen how the father and son really were when they were outside the house.
Proofread by: Hannah