Chapter 30: Crisis Resolved

Old Man Feng loved watching Lin Yuan smile the most, enjoying teasing her to see that bright, sun-like smile that warmed people's hearts.

However, upon hearing the words "little sunshine," the gentle warmth between Shang Yi's brows instantly froze, as if a cold, invisible wind had swept past, turning him back into an emotionless ice sculpture.

Ever since Shang Ying had forced him to bake under that "Little Sunshine" space heater for half an hour, he couldn't stand hearing those three words. Although he kept that gift displayed in the most prominent spot in his room, it was turned completely around with its back facing out.

Not knowing what had gone wrong, Lin Yuan felt a bit awkward. Seeing Shang Yi ignore her, she had no choice but to awkwardly withdraw her gaze, the tips of her ears flushing red again. This time, it was out of embarrassment.

Old Man Feng didn't notice the subtle atmosphere, continuing to grumble as he studied the Go board.

Having finished her bath, the freshly scented Qixi scampered back out. Shang Ying walked ahead holding a toy to tease her, human and dog having a great time. But looking up, Shang Ying spotted Lin Yuan sitting near the Go table and snapped back to reality from playing with Qixi.

‘Holy crap, she almost forgot about the main event!’

Lin Yuan had been talking while bent over, getting a bit tired after standing for so long. Sneaking a glance at Shang Yi, she wanted to take a seat closer to him.

Not far away, Shang Ying shivered upon seeing her move. Immediately grabbing the fruit platter on the table, she strode over at top speed and landed with a heavy thud, sitting firmly right next to Shang Yi.

She sat down so hard her skin stung a little.

Old Man Feng's eyelids twitched at the dull thud, laughing.

"Young people sure move fast!"

"Yes, yes, haha!" Shang Ying nodded repeatedly, picking up a piece of cantaloupe with a toothpick and stuffing it carelessly against Shang Yi's lips. "Eat some fruit, it helps you grow taller."

Having felt displeased when he sensed Lin Yuan was about to sit next to him, Shang Yi hadn't expected Shang Ying to swoop in and even feed him fruit.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden affection, Shang Yi took the toothpick, bit the cantaloupe into his mouth, joy swelling in his chest. But looking at Shang Ying's face, he clearly sensed a strange, inexplicable anxiety radiating from her.

So he turned his head and asked softly, "Feeling unwell?"

Shang Ying covered her mouth with her hand and leaned close to his ear.

“I sat down too hard, my butt hurts."

Shang Yi: (˚ ⊿ ˚)

Seeing her intended seat taken, Lin Yuan felt her ears heat up slightly. Glancing at Shang Ying and fearing her true intentions had been seen through, she sheepishly moved to sit on the other side.

Old Man Feng and Lin Yuan continued chatting.

Although Shang Ying didn't understand Go, she could understand human speech. She ate the fruit piece by piece, glancing at her silly younger brother who kept his head lowered with a cold, indifferent face.

‘Thank goodness she didn't arrive too late.’ It was all that little seductress Qixi's fault for distracting her, almost causing a major disaster!

With her sitting here to hold down the fort, warm scenes of a gentle girl healing a cold youth were strictly forbidden from taking place!

Watching the fruit in the platter steadily decrease, Shang Yi's eyes softened a bit. His peripheral vision never left her side. As expected, Shang Ying hadn't come over just to bring him fruit.

‘So, why was Shang Ying constantly keeping her eyes on that girl?’

Shang Yi felt a bit displeased, looking toward the girl speaking. Sensing his gaze, Lin Yuan instinctively looked back, her eyes happening to meet Shang Yi's cool, distant gaze, and she offered him an embarrassed smile.

Shang Ying's expression hardened. Just as she was about to shove Shang Yi to tell him to stop looking at girls and focus on playing Go, Qixi came running over from the tea table, panting with her tongue out in excitement! She lunged forcefully toward Shang Yi, and Lin Yuan, acutely noticing this, quickly reached out to block her.

Seeing this scene, Shang Ying: w(˚ ⊿ ˚)w!!!

‘Danger!’

‘Was the plot where the female lead protects the supporting male lead about to start?!’ Wasn't it written in the novel that one of them got injured and the other helped wrap bandages? How did it turn into a sudden pet dog ambush!

In a split second, Shang Ying didn't have time to think, because her mind was completely filled with the dark nightmare of eating prison food in her dream!

She grabbed Shang Yi's arm fiercely, yanking him to the side. Amid the startled gazes of both Old Man Feng and Shang Yi, she stepped right across the Go board, her skirt fluttering like butterfly wings as she firmly intercepted Qixi, who had almost crashed into Lin Yuan's face.

"Woof, woof!"

Qixi happily wagged her tail.

‘Crisis resolved.’

Shang Ying let out a sigh of relief. ‘Phew, that was close!’ She almost ended up eating prison food. As expected of her, resolving it effortlessly with just a tiny move.

Beside them, Lin Yuan's startled face relaxed as she withdrew her tense hands. If Qixi hadn't been intercepted just now, she likely would have been knocked over, hitting her waist against the hard Go board and ending up with a massive bruise.

She raised her eyes to look at Shang Ying, standing calmly under the light, and the self-consciousness deep in her heart had nowhere to hide. They were about the same age, yet Shang Ying could react so quickly to save everyone from disaster, while she could only clumsily use her body to block the hit.

Little did she know, the "calm" Shang Ying in her eyes was actually scared out of her mind.

"Oh my, Qixi, why are you being so naughty!" Grandma Sun, also startled by the scene, hurried over from the tea table. "Yingying, are you alright? Good thing you caught her, otherwise Little Yi and Little Yuan definitely would have gotten hurt."

Lin Yuan quickly waved her hands, saying she was fine, though her eyes involuntarily looked toward Shang Yi in concern. Shang Yi had already gotten up from the ground and sat back onto his cushion, his face calm as still water, as if the recent chaos was merely a light flutter of feathers.

Disrupted by the commotion, the stones on the Go board were scattered, and water from the tea cups spilled across the floorboards, reflecting the ceiling lights brightly.

After confirming everyone was fine, Old Man Feng used two fingers to tap Qixi's fluffy head firmly, putting on a stern front.

"What is going on with you? So undisciplined today."

"Woof, woof!"

Qixi affectionately rubbed against Shang Ying's neck, squeezing into her arms while her tail wagged like a propeller. Although Shang Ying was annoyed with her, she was defeated by her cute look and could only let her act spoiled.

Shang Yi glared at the dog with an unfriendly look, a trace of irritation rising in his heart. Forcing himself to look away, he began calmly restoring the Go board, remembering every single stone's position with his sharp memory.

Because she misbehaved, Qixi lost her delicious extra treat for the day and was confined to her room, forbidden from coming back out. No matter how much she whined, the gentle look on Grandma Sun's face remained firm, determined to make her reflect properly.

Emerging from the inner room, Grandma Sun walked over to the kitchen, smiling as she looked at Shang Ying.

"I learned a new dish online and am planning to try it out. Yingying, would you like to taste it in a bit?"

"Sure, sorry to trouble you, Grandma Sun." Shang Ying accepted politely, having missed lunch earlier anyway.

"No trouble at all, I'm happier when someone helps me test my cooking!"

Returning to the living room, Lin Yuan was no longer inside. Holding scissors and a broom, she had gone out into the courtyard to sweep, which was her usual routine.

After playing with Qixi, she would accompany Old Man Feng to watch him play Go, and then clean the yard.

She possessed some talent in Go, but hadn't played much. Most of it was taught by Old Man Feng, and after returning home, she studied on her own for a while to be able to converse a bit.

Normally she came on weekends, but due to a situation today, she rescheduled to Saturday because she had lost her tutoring job and needed to go for an interview at a new household tomorrow.