After the fake young master left home, he discovered that it wasn't raining at all outside.

Zhu Yan raised his hand and rubbed his eyes, and he could clearly see Zhu Cheng squatting by his bedside, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

He silently withdrew his foot and sat up in bed.

It's so embarrassing.

He desperately wants to know what exactly happened.

Before Zhu Yan could even recover and ask what had happened, Zhu Cheng spoke up, "Awake? Feeling better? If not, want to kick you a few more times?"

?

These words sounded like a provocation, but Zhu Cheng's tone was soft and gentle, even a little cautious.

He wasn't being provocative; he genuinely wanted to know if Zhu Yan's morning grumpiness had subsided.

"Huh?" But Zhu Yan didn't understand the meaning behind Zhu Cheng's words. "Ahem, just now... it was an accident."

He was unaware that Xu Zhiyuan had already told the rest of the Zhu family about his morning grumpiness.

Zhu Cheng smiled faintly.

It seems Ah Yan isn't so fierce after all. But... if that's the case, why did Xu Zhiyuan make it sound so serious?

Could it be... because Ayan treats me a little differently?

Thinking of this, Zhu Cheng's mood improved, and he stood up and said to Zhu Yan:

"It's alright. If you're awake, have lunch. Eating only one meal a day isn't good for your health. I'll take care of some business first and then come see you later."

Zhu Yan, with her disheveled hair and bewildered eyes, watched Zhu Cheng leave.

My brother seemed...afraid of me just now?

Isn't this outrageous? What is he afraid of me for?

Zhu Yan had just woken up and was still not fully conscious. The sudden shock of opening his eyes gave him a headache. He raised his hand to rub his eyes and eyebrows, and also tidied his messy hair.

But he noticed Xu Zhiyuan, who was trying to sneak out, looking guilty. He seemed to realize something.

"Stop!" Zhu Yan called out to Xu Zhiyuan.

"Huh? What's wrong, Xiao Yanyan?" Xu Zhiyuan stopped and turned around, his face still showing shock.

"Come here." Zhu Yan raised his chin, gesturing for Xu Zhiyuan to come to him.

"Well... you need to change your clothes, it's not appropriate for me to stay here." Although he said it was inappropriate, his legs were quite honest, and he walked over to Zhu Yan in a few steps.

Zhu Yan remained silent.

Since Zhu Yan was sitting on the bed, while Xu Zhiyuan was quite tall and was standing, Zhu Yan had to look up at him.

He just stared at Xu Zhiyuan quietly, without saying a word, waiting for him to explain himself.

Xu Zhiyuan felt uneasy under Zhu Yan's gaze, but in reality, he felt more wronged than anything else.

No, little darling, I didn't wake you up, so why are you looking at me with such an angry expression... Come to think of it, you weren't treating your older brother like that just now.

⊙︿⊙

Xu Zhiyuan looked aggrieved.

"It's uncomfortable to be lying on your back, lower yourself down." His neck is a little sore now, probably because of his sleeping position last night.

Xu Zhiyuan withdrew his gaze from Zhu Yan, then obediently squatted down, took the socks presented by the servant, and held Zhu Yan's feet, making as if to put them on him.

But Zhu Yan did not do as he wished. She stepped on Xu Zhiyuan's thigh with one foot to prevent him from putting it on, and placed the other foot directly on his shoulder, while he leaned back slightly and supported himself on the bed with his hands.

Originally, Zhu Yan was looking up at Xu Zhiyuan, but now it's him looking down at Xu Zhiyuan:

"What did you say to them?" Zhu Yan asked.

"What did you say?" Xu Zhiyuan was a little surprised at first, but then he realized what he meant. "Oh, I told them that you have a bad temper when you wake up and asked them not to come in and disturb you, but they wouldn't listen."

Xu Zhiyuan observed Zhu Yan's expression and continued, "Little Yan, if you kicked your big brother, you can't kick me anymore, okay?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Yan lightly kicked Xu Zhiyuan's shoulder with her foot. "Tsk, am I grumpy in the morning?"

You can kick it, but not stomp it.

Xu Zhiyuan: Isn't that what it is now...?

"No...?"

Zhu Yan didn't move or speak, but he still quietly looked at Xu Zhiyuan with his beautiful eyes.

"No, how could you possibly be grumpy in the morning? I was just talking nonsense." Xu Zhiyuan completely abandoned his principles in front of Zhu Yan.

Let whatever Ayan says go; as long as he's happy.

"My little darling, may I trouble you to lift your foot now?" Xu Zhiyuan's tone didn't reveal any dissatisfaction with Zhu Yan's unreasonable behavior, but rather was full of doting affection.

Alright, seeing that she had succeeded, Zhu Yan didn't make things difficult for Xu Zhiyuan anymore. She loosened her grip on Xu Zhiyuan's thigh and obediently let him help her put on her socks.

After helping Zhu Yan put on one of the garments, Xu Zhiyuan took his foot off Zhu Yan's shoulder and carefully put it on as well.

Sigh, this little rascal is so restless. He always kicks off the covers when he sleeps. Doesn't he know he's not in good health? His feet are always freezing.

So Xu Zhiyuan picked up the shoes next to him and put them on.

After doing all this, he seemed to remember something.

"That's not right. Didn't Lu Ze say you have a bad temper when you wake up last time? Why don't you talk about him? Why are you bullying me?" Xu Zhiyuan was extremely dissatisfied with Zhu Yan's preferential treatment.

Lu Ze: Huh?

"Brother Yuan, can you be reasonable? I didn't tell Brother Yan's parents, it was you who told them." Lu Ze was speechless. This Xu Zhiyuan always dragged him into things, how childish.

This disaster was entirely undeserved.

Seeing that he was in the wrong, Xu Zhiyuan stopped talking, but only remained silent for a few seconds. "Never mind that, you didn't treat your older brother this way just now, that's double standards."

Zhu Yan took the water Lin Shen handed her, took a sip, and replied unhurriedly, "You want it? Sure, I'll treat you the same way from now on."

In fact, Zhu Yan was well aware of his own limitations. He knew he was indeed a bit grumpy when he woke up, but the moment he saw Zhu Cheng by his bedside this morning, all his irritation vanished, leaving only embarrassment.

Because he wasn't very familiar with the other members of the Zhu family, his attitude was basically one of polite respect.

Xu Zhiyuan and Lu Ze were different. Zhu Yan knew clearly that no matter how much trouble he caused, they would tolerate him without limits.

That's right, Zhu Yan likes to bully his own people, since someone else will always cover for him.

Xu Zhiyuan thought about it carefully for a moment, "No, no, you should just scold me. I like being scolded by you."

He also realized that Zhu Yan was being too polite to Zhu Cheng, and if Zhu Yan treated him the same way, he knew that he had upset the little tyrant again.

No!

He still preferred that willful and unrestrained banquet.

Zhu Yan scoffed at him, "Pathetic."

"Yes, yes, that's right, he's just spineless, otherwise would he be bullied by you every day?"

And they follow you around every day without any official title or status, shamelessly sticking to you?

Xu Zhiyuan pursed his lips.

"If you don't want to leave, then leave. We're not stopping you," Zhu Yan said indifferently.

Xu Zhiyuan: ...

Well, we're completely under their control.

Zhu Yan knows Xu Zhiyuan too well. He'll just talk the talk, but asking him to leave Zhu Yan is worse than asking him to die.

Xu Zhiyuan was so angry he laughed.

You heartless bastard.

"Trying to get rid of me? I won't. I'm happy to stick with you." Xu Zhiyuan turned around and plopped down on the sofa, looking like he was determined not to leave.

I'm going to make you unable to leave me.

Zhu Yan stopped arguing with him, and Lu Ze, seeing that Zhu Yan seemed to be in a good mood, walked over and, after thinking it over, said to him:

"Brother Yan, can you help me lie to Lao Lu? Just say I got injured here and can't go to school."

Zhu Yan looked up, somewhat puzzled. Lu Ze was usually an enthusiastic student who loved going to school. He was lectured by his father at home every day and wished he could live at school. What had gotten into him now?

"What's wrong?"

"I've been so annoyed these past few days while you were gone!!!" Lu Ze said, wearing a pained expression.

"Explain yourself." Zhu Yan was quite curious, seeing Lu Ze looking so worried for the first time.

"Your new little brother, he's even more shameless than me." Lu Ze reeked of jealousy.

The most crucial thing, of course, isn't them, but rather...