Chapter 24
The light in Mo Rongwen's bedroom was on, so the viewers in the live stream could clearly see the furry creatures bringing things in one by one.
—These are all little tips for relieving insomnia that Yun Chuman searched for on her phone.
—Socially anxious people can relate to this. it's so heartwarming.
—The way the two kids are so focused on finding things is so adorable.
—Where did these two little angels come from? I love them so much!
—A longtime fan of Movie Star Mo shows up uninvited. Seeing how carefully my elder brother put away the note and gift, I know he's very happy. Thank you, Yun Chuman and the two kids.
—I'm so looking forward to how the Yun family of three will celebrate Mo Rongwen's birthday tomorrow!
—Me too, it looks like it'll be really interesting!
However, what the audience was anticipating was precisely what Yun Chuman was currently most troubled about.
She'd only known Mo Rongwen for a day, and the production team suddenly asked her to celebrate his birthday—it was practically making things difficult for her.
Lying on the bed, she muttered to herself about the production team's lack of manners and social distancing, while wearing headphones and watching Mo Rongwen's past interviews on her phone, hoping to find some useful information.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were nestled close to her on either side, their chubby little hands gripping her clothes, their round faces flushed, looking like they were fast asleep.
The two children had said they'd watch the interviews with her to learn more about their Elder Brother Mo, but in reality, they couldn't resist falling asleep after only five minutes.
Yun Chuman tucked the blankets around the two children. Looking at Mo Rongwen sitting next to the host in the video, completely lost in thought, she couldn't help but yawn.
It wasn't Yun Juan and Yun Shu's fault for not staying awake; Nephew's interviews were just too soporific.
Time ticked by and Yun Chuman's eyelids seemed glued to her, unable to open no matter what she did. Her vision blurred.
She yawned again, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, tossed her phone aside, turned off the light, pulled the covers over herself, and reached out to hug her two warmers, Yun Juan and Yun Shu—a series of actions executed with remarkable fluidity.
She closed her eyes contentedly. She could deal with everything tomorrow; sleeping it off was always the best option when facing difficulties!
Because she had gone to bed so late the night before, Yun Chuman overslept the next morning, a rare occurrence for her.
When she woke up, her eyes were still closed. Her hands instinctively reached for the side, but she felt nothing. She jolted awake, sitting bolt upright and calling out, "Little Juan, Little Shu?"
"Mommy, you're awake?" Yun Shu's soft voice held a hint of surprise.
Yun Chuman subconsciously turned her head and saw two children in dinosaur pajamas squatting beside a wide-open suitcase. A pile of clothes laid on the floor. She asked, puzzled, "What are you doing? Why didn't you wake me when you woke up?"
Yun Shu first put her chubby little legs on the edge of the bed, pushed herself up onto the bed with her little arms, and nimbly rolled onto it.
Without stopping, she used the momentum to roll over to Yun Chuman's side and rested her head on her knees and rubbed against her like a kitten. "Mommy was tired yesterday, so elder brother and I wanted you to sleep a little longer."
Yun Chuman's heart warmed. She reached out to pinch her chubby cheek.
Yun Juan rolled onto the bed in the same way, taking a few pieces of clothing with him.
He sat down next to Yun Chuman, leaning against her with his small body, and smiled, "Younger sister and I are picking out our clothes for today."
Yun Chuman had noticed before that Yun Juan would always snuggle against her after waking up, acting all cute. She put her arm around his little shoulders and laughed, "Let me see what styles of clothes you've picked out."
She flipped through them and found they were all animal onesies: bears, ducks, rabbits, and geese.
Yun Chuman: ...
The thin onesies didn't have any fur, so only the rabbit and duck ones looked somewhat nice. The others were quite strange.
She exclaimed in surprise, "Why do you all pick this type?"
"That way we can turn into little animals," Yun Juan stated seriously, his little face expressionless.
Yun Chuman was a little confused. What would they do if they turned into little animals?
Seeing this, Yun Shu smiled and explained, "Mom, didn't you say that Elder Brother Mo gets nervous and shy when he sees people? Well, if Elder Brother and I turn into little animals, he won't feel uncomfortable when he sees us!"
As she spoke, she rolled over and laid on her stomach on the bed, resting her chin on Yun Chuman's lap and her chubby limbs flailing about on the bed.
Yun Chuman raised an eyebrow: "Huh? Again, it's for your Elder Brother Mo. Is he really that good?"
The two children were kind, cute, and heartwarming, but why did she feel a pang of jealousy? Last night, Yun Shu had even fed Mo Rongwen beef jerky! Yun Shu used to only feed her!
She huffed twice, annoyed!
Although the two children couldn't hear the jealousy in her words, they could sense her emotional change.
They looked up in confusion, their identical big eyes blinking.
Yun Juan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Mommy, are you jealous?"
Mommy had asked him the same question before they left.
"Huh? Jealous? Why? I'm not!" Yun Chuman refused to admit it even after being caught.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu looked at each other and smiled simultaneously. Their identical eyes curved into the same arc. If it weren't for Yun Shu's long hair and the red marks on her face, they would look like mirror images.
Yun Juan winked at Yun Shu, and the two children stood up at the same time, pouncing on Yun Chuman like two little balls of flesh.
Yun Chuman lost her balance and fell directly onto the bed.
The two children wrapped their arms around her neck, rubbing their cheeks against her neck and shoulders. She couldn't help but laugh.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu weren't finished yet. They each kissed one of her cheeks.
Yun Shu's face was flushed, the little red marks on her cheeks tinged with shyness. She said softly, "Although I like Elder Brother Mo very much, I still like Mom and Elder Brother the most."
Yun Juan wasn't used to saying things like that, but if it was mommy, he could still try. Red face, he leaned close to Yun Chuman's ear and whispered, "I also like Mom and Younger Sister the most."
Yun Chuman hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help herself, grinning happily.
She hugged the two children tightly, kissed each of them on the head, and then looked at the ceiling with a silly grin: "Mommy likes Little Juan and Little Shu the most too."
She silently added in her heart, "And Daddy, Mommy, and Elder Brother too."
If only her family from her past life knew how happy she was now.
Yun Juan tilted his head, burying his face in Yun Chuman's shoulder. A secret smile played on his lips.
Yun Shu's eyes sparkled. She hugged Yun Chuman tightly, rubbing her little head against her neck.
A large audience had been waiting in the live stream since early morning, eager to witness the entire scene of the family of three being so affectionate.
—I also want a good morning kiss from two little angels!
—Those two kids are so sweet!
—Wow, the Manman family is truly healing from morning till night, I love them so much!
Yun Chuman and the two children cuddled for a while longer before suddenly remembering the interview from last night. She thought for a moment and said, "Little Juan and Little Shu, I think I know how to celebrate your Elder Brother Mo's birthday."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu looked up at her simultaneously, asking expectantly, "How are we going to celebrate?"
Yun Chuman whispered mysteriously in their ears. The two children's expressions went from blank to surprised, and finally to excited.
She smiled and asked, "What do you think?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu nodded vigorously, "Elder Brother Mo will be very happy!"
Holding them, Yun Chuman sat up. She picked out two bunny outfits from a pile of animal onesies. "Let's wear these today."
The viewers in the live stream hadn't heard anything and were getting impatient, so they could only wait quietly to see what Yun Chuman would do next.
Although Yun Chuman had gotten up late today, she still insisted on doing her morning exercises. Not only did she do them, she also dragged her two children and a bunch of furry friends along.
So when Mo Rongwen finally got a good night's sleep and went out of the bedroom to get some water, he opened the door to see Yun Chuman leading a bunch of furry friends in the morning exercises. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the two children, dressed in bunny onesies, blended perfectly into the group.
Mo Rongwen: ...
He gasped on the spot, unsure of what to say first. Was it that Yun Juan and Yun Shu's disguise was too perfect, or that Yun Chuman's limbs were so uncoordinated that even his furry child's casual paw movement was more graceful?
His mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts and ideas, but his body immediately retreated to the bedroom, trying to quietly close the door.
“Nephew… Mr. Mo, you’re awake? Want to do some exercise together?” Yun Chuman spotted him and warmly invited him.
The two children and the furry creatures all turned their heads at the sound of his voice. Feeling the many gazes, Mo Rongwen instinctively hid behind the door.
Yun Shu hopped around like a bunny, smiling and inviting him, “Elder Brother Mo, come on over! Exercise is good for your health!”
Yun Juan cooperatively displayed his non-existent biceps.
Mo Rongwen stared blankly at them, instantly realizing that this whole family was probably a bunch of social butterflies!
Although Yun Chuman and the two children’s actions last night were heartwarming and he wanted to interact with them more, this situation was just too much for a socially awkward person like him!
He waved his hands repeatedly, refusing, "I...I guess I'll pass."
Yun Chuman scratched her head; this reaction was actually within her expectations. So she didn't press him, simply smiling, "Alright."
Just as she finished speaking, she caught a glimpse of the two children, who were clearly dejected. She thought for a moment and reluctantly extended the invitation again, "Mr. Mo, if you don't mind, how about having breakfast with us later?"
Mo Rongwen's eyes brightened. He quickly glanced at her and the two children, nodding slightly awkwardly, "Okay, okay, then I'll go wash up first. I won't disturb you from your exercise."
He gently closed the door after speaking.
He leaned against the door, staring blankly at the room for a while and suddenly smiling. He walked briskly towards the bathroom.
As a socially awkward person, he was actually quite conflicted. He refused to interact with people, yet he also longed for it.
Especially when he met someone with whom he clicked and someone whom he felt comfortable with. He always wanted to talk more.
Even so, it was impossible for him to take the initiative, so Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu's perfectly timed invitation made him feel very satisfied and comfortable.
After Mo Rongwen finished washing up and changed into casual clothes, he came out of the bedroom to find Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu already busy in the kitchen.
"Little Juan, is the heat right?" Yun Chuman asked the little boy standing beside her and adjusting the gas stove.
Wearing a bunny onesie and an apron, Yun Juan nodded seriously with a small spatula in hand: "It's fine."
Once the pan was warm, he poured in a little oil and then skillfully cracked four eggs into it.
Yun Chuman placed a clean plate next to him and instructed, "Be careful."
Yun Juan gave a cool OK sign. With a flick of the spatula, the four fried eggs were flipped over.
Yun Chuman watched his movements, a hint of envy in her eyes.
She took another plate and turned to walk over to Yun Shu.
The little girl, wearing a matching apron, saw her and immediately gave her a big smile: "Mommy, the bread's ready!"
"Little Shu is so amazing!"
Yun Chuman sincerely praised. It was her and the two children's first time using a bread machine. She had struggled for a long time and couldn't get it right. The bread she baked was dark and hard. Yun Shu, on the other hand, made fragrant toast on her first try.
As she took the baked bread out and placed it on a plate, she sighed inwardly. She gave up. Not only was she terrible at cooking, she was also terrible at using any machine. Perhaps her only talent was in culinary disasters.
"Mommy, the fried eggs are ready."
Hearing Yun Juan's voice, Yun Chuman quickly went over to turn off the gas and put the fried eggs on a plate.
While she wasn't good at cooking, at least she could help the two children with these slightly dangerous tasks.
Yun Juan jumped off his small stool and went to the cutting board. He picked up his special children's knife and sliced the already removed luncheon meat into even slices. Then, with Yun Chuman's help, he fried them briefly.
Mo Rongwen stood there dumbfounded. He had realized that Yun Chuman was just a kitchen helper doing odd jobs, while the two children, Yun Juan and Yun Shu, were the real chefs!
The ingredients for the sandwiches were all prepared.
Yun Juan stood on a stool, showing Yun Chuman how to make them step by step.
Yun Shu skipped over to the refrigerator and found a jar of apple jam. She preferred sweet bread and didn't like sandwiches with eggs and lettuce.
Just as she closed the refrigerator door, she saw Mo Rongwen not far away. She smiled and asked, “Elder Brother Mo, do you like jam or egg sandwiches?"
Mo Rongwen was momentarily stunned by her bright smile and stammered, "I...I'm fine with either."
Yun Shu frowned slightly, looking troubled. "Then I'll ask Mommy to make a half and half for you!"
She turned and ran towards Yun Chuman.
Mo Rongwen hesitated for a moment and followed.
Yun Chuman smiled politely at him, "Mr. Mo, please wait a moment, your breakfast will be ready soon."
"Who made it?" Mo Rongwen asked instinctively.
Yun Chuman readily admitted, "Little Juan and Little Shu."
Mo Rongwen looked at her incredulously, "I know you're useless, but I didn't expect you to be so shameless."
Yun Chuman: ...
Was this social anxiety? This was more like a sharp tongue!
She forced a smile: "Nephew, if you're not busy, why don't you wait at the table? Someone like you who doesn't even do chores is just getting in the way."
"Nephew..."
Mo Rongwen opened his mouth to retort, but glancing at the two children watching him, he swallowed his words and changed the subject, "I'll take the breakfast to the table."
"These are Little Juan’s and Little Shu’s," Yun Chuman said without even looking at him, pushing a luncheon meat sandwich with egg and a sandwich with jam in front of him, "Take them over."
"Thank you, Elder Brother Mo!" the two children said in unison.
Mo Rongwen couldn't refuse their smiles and happily left with the two breakfasts.
Soon, Yun Juan and Yun Shu returned with the other two breakfasts.
Not seeing Yun Chuman, Mo Rongwen asked, "Aunt..."
He slapped his own mouth hard. It was all Yun Chuman's fault for talking nonsense. She'd made him almost accept this generational distinction.
He pursed his lips, reorganizing his thoughts before asking, "Where's your mommy?"
"Mommy is heating up the milk," Yun Shu’s chubby little finger pointed towards the kitchen.
“Elder Brother Mo, let's go feed the cats, dogs, and mice breakfast first!" Yun Juan eagerly exclaimed, standing on tiptoe. He was determined to remember which pet food each one liked.
Accepting the invitation, Mo Rongwen quickly smiled. "Okay."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise on each other's faces. Elder Brother Mo was smiling!
The furry creatures had been waiting, happily called out as they approached. The husky's tail wagged like a propeller.
Just like last time, Yun Juan and Yun Shu quietly watched from the side.
Mo Rongwen inexplicably felt a sense of enjoyment at this moment. Well-behaved children were indeed very therapeutic.
But what he didn't know was that Yun Juan and Yun Shu had already completely memorized which pet food each one ate and wanted to ask him to let them try feeding them next time.
When they finished washing their hands and returned to the dining table, Yun Chuman was already seated. A glass of milk was on each person's table.
Yun Chuman nodded in satisfaction, watching Mo Rongwen walk almost side-by-side with the two children.
If he were still so far away as last night, hiding in his bedroom during meals and making Yun Juan and Yun Shu sad, she wouldn't plan to celebrate his birthday.
Yun Chuman deliberately arranged for Yun Shu to sit opposite him, Yun Juan to sit beside him, and herself to sit diagonally away from him.
Mo Rongwen felt very relaxed with this arrangement; interacting with well-behaved children was always more comfortable than interacting with adults.
He took a sip of milk, took a bite of his sandwich, and was surprised to find the bread crust crispy, the luncheon meat perfectly cooked and not too salty, and not overpowering the aroma of the fried egg. With a small piece of lettuce, it was refreshing and delicious.
"Little Juan and Little Shu's cooking... is really good," he couldn't help but say.
Hearing this, the two children shrank back their shoulders in shyness, giggling and happily swinging their short legs.
"Right!"
On the contrary, Yun Chuman said proudly, "I think so too. They could win a cooking competition."
"That's quite possible."
Mo Rongwen looked at the sandwich. Eyelids lowered, he slowly said, "Lemon Entertainment is going to host a 'Little Chef' variety show in the second half of the year. The contestants are children aged four to ten. The winner will receive a prize of 300,000 yuan. Let Little Juan and Little Shu give it a try."
The two children's eyes lit up. 300,000 yuan! That sounded like a lot!
Yun Chuman looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to say such a thing.
She gently patted the two children's heads to calm them down and then said, "If Little Juan and Little Shu want to go, I'll consider registering them."
"If, I mean, if..."
Mo Rongwen turned his head away, his back to them, and whispered, "If the two children want to go, they can tell me. I'm quite familiar with Lemon's people, and can help you ask about the audition dates and such..."
His voice trailed off, his ears burning. He immediately regretted bringing this up! Yun Chuman was in the entertainment industry; surely she knew these things!
Yun Chuman hadn't expected him to offer help. She chuckled; it seemed the children's efforts hadn't been in vain.
She sincerely said, "Thank you. I'll contact you later."
Mo Rongwen was stunned. He hadn't expected her to accept his kindness. Feeling much better, he carefully finished his breakfast.
Afterwards, he even planned to help clear the table.
Yun Chuman suddenly stopped him: "Mr. Mo, this is such a small matter, you don't need to trouble yourself. If you feel bad about it, how about you do me a favor?"
Mo Rongwen subconsciously took a step back, and asked warily, "What do you want?"
"I have some errands to run today and Little Juan and Little Shu can't come with me, so could you please watch them for me, Mr. Mo? I'll be back soon." Yun Chuman smiled.
Mo Rongwen was startled and subconsciously looked at the empty plate. Realizing he couldn't spit it out, he thought to himself that this meal must have been premeditated. After all, he was indebted to her. How could he refuse?
The two children, dressed in bunny onesies, stared at him pitifully with their big, watery eyes.
“Elder Brother Mo, we'll be good, please promise my mommy," Yun Juan said, puffing out his cheeks.
“Elder Brother Mo, you can think of me and elder brother as bunnies. We don't need to talk, then you won't feel uncomfortable," Yun Shu even hopped around like a bunny. Initially hesitant, Mo Rongwen felt only guilt upon hearing this. He was actually asking the two children to accommodate him.
Since it was only for a short while and the production crew was present and he already had a good impression of the children, he nodded, "Okay."
Upon hearing this, Yun Chuman openly gave the two children a high-five, as if afraid Mo Rongwen wouldn't know that this was a pre-planned scheme—using breakfast in exchange for his help watching the children.
After clearing the dishes, Yun Chuman changed her clothes and hurriedly left. She needed to buy Mo Rongwen a birthday present.
Having watched so many interviews last night, she realized that Mo Rongwen was a very sentimental and family-oriented person.
When he first debuted, he wasn't like this at all. He was much more outgoing, and back then, he had a happy family, and his parents were still alive.
But not long after, his mother passed away from illness, and his father, overwhelmed with grief, soon followed. From then on, Mo Rongwen became increasingly silent and withdrawn, disliking contact with people. Even his fans didn't know what he liked or disliked. This variety show was an unexpected treat for them.
However, Yun Chuman still managed to find clues in his interviews.
The gifts she and the two children wanted to give were neither easy nor difficult to find.
She searched on her phone for a long time and finally found a shop, but it was quite far from their current villa, at least a three-hour round trip. She didn't want the two children to suffer on the journey, so she left them at the villa.
Yun Chuman took a taxi, and shortly after getting in, she received a phone call.
"Hello, is this Ms. Yun? This is Xiao Xu from the gallery."
Xiao Xu?
Yun Chuman was taken aback. She knew about the gallery, but who was Xiao Xu?
"Xu Qiuhong," the other party reminded her.
“Ah, it’s you.” Yun Chuman smiled, remembering that Xu Qiuhong was the one who helped her enter her information when she registered.
The other person’s voice was cheerful: “Your work has passed the first round of inspection and will be exhibited in our gallery in three days. If you have time, you can come and see it.”
“Okay, I have troubled you.”
This result was within Yun Chuman’s expectations, but she was still very happy to hear it.
Xu Qiuhong quickly said that it was her duty. Before hanging up, she added: “I have high hopes for your work, please keep up the good work.”
Yun Chuman was taken aback for a moment, assuming that she liked her painting, and smiled: “Thank you.”
On the other side.
As promised, Yun Juan and Yun Shu acted like a little rabbit, barely speaking and naturally blending into the fluffies.
Only occasionally would they run up to Mo Rongwen and ask, “Elder Brother, are you thirsty? Elder Brother, are you hungry?”
Mo Rongwen, feeling a little flattered by the concern.
"Elder Brother, let's go play outside," Yun Juan said, pointing towards the small garden.
"Mommy says getting plenty of sunshine is good for your health," Yun Shu said, blinking her clear eyes.
Mo Rongwen was now completely powerless against the two of them, and nodded, taking the two children and his own furry friend outside.
Yun Juan, Yun Shu, and the furry friends ran straight to the lawn to roll around.
Mo Rongwen set up a deck chair a short distance away, basking in the sun while watching them.
The warm sunshine bathed him as he watched the lawn teeming with fluffy creatures, including two "little rabbits" mixed in with them.
Mo Rongwen's initial tension completely dissipated. A gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness, and in such comfortable surroundings, it was easy to become drowsy.
Mo Rongwen yawned, and soon his eyelids involuntarily drooped shut. His breathing became steady.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu glanced at him and whispered, "Elder Brother Mo."
Mo Rongwen didn't react.
"Your furry child has been kidnapped!" they said again.
Mo Rongwen still didn't react.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu looked at each other excitedly and whispered, "He's asleep!"
They stood up to leave, and the fluffy creatures immediately followed, but were stopped by the children: "You stay here and watch over Elder Brother Mo. Let us know when he wakes up."
The fluffy creatures wagged their tails to indicate they understood.
The two children tiptoed towards the villa, observing Mo Rongwen as they walked, and started running as soon as they entered the living room.
Yun Juan kept urging, "Hurry, hurry!"
Mo Rongwen didn't know how long he had slept, only feeling a burning heat on half of his body. He slowly opened his eyes and realized the sun outside was much brighter.
He scratched his head, sitting up with a bewildered expression. He had slept as much in the past two days as he had in the previous month.
He picked up the now-warm water beside him, drank half a cup, and then suddenly realized that it seemed a little quiet around him.
Mo Rongwen stood up and looked around, finding his own fluffy creatures curled up together in the distant pavilion, fast asleep.
He touched his sunburnt arms, thinking to himself that they certainly knew how to find a good spot.
As he walked towards the pavilion, he muttered to himself, "Could Little Juan and Little Shu have fallen asleep over there too? What if they catch a cold..."
But when he got to the pavilion, the two children were nowhere to be seen!
Mo Rongwen panicked. Had he lost the children? His first instinct was to call the police, but his phone was inside the villa.
He ran towards the villa, and as soon as he stepped into the living room, he heard rustling sounds and voices.
"Elder Brother, is this enough?" Yun Shu asked softly.
"Let me check," Yun Juan replied in a childish but steady voice.
Mo Rongwen paused, turned a corner, slowly walked towards the sound, and eventually arrived at the kitchen.
He peeked inside, and his blood pressure instantly spiked.
Two "little rabbits" were squatting side by side on the floor, surrounded by flour.
Their chubby faces were covered in flour, making them look like little striped kittens. And sticky dough was still clinging to their chubby hands.
Yun Shu saw him first. Her puppy-dog eyes blinked innocently, while her little hands, covered in dough, dared not move. She could only nudge elder brother with her elbow.
Yun Juan looked up and paused when he saw who it was.
Then, the two children, with perfect synchronization, flashed identical smiles and innocently exclaimed at the same time, “Elder Brother Mo, come play together!"
Mo Rongwen's vision blurred. The children were so quiet. They must be up to something!
Author's Note:
Yun Juan & Yun Shu: Innocent.jpg