Chapter 17
"Little Juan, little Shu, come with me to pick up a package, okay?" Yun Chuman looked out the window. The weather was sunny with a slight breeze, perfect for a walk and to digest.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu couldn't sit still any longer. Hearing the invitation, they immediately jumped off the sofa, ran happily towards her with their short legs, and said in a drawn-out voice, "Okay~"
The residents of the old-style community were mostly elderly people and children.
After the one adult and two children changed their clothes and came downstairs, they happened to run into a few groups of people enjoying the cool evening air.
The "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs" livestream from a couple of days ago had caused quite a stir, and the residents of the neighborhood knew about it, but since they didn't recognize Yun Chuman and her family, they assumed they were just minor internet celebrities.
However, after the official premiere of the "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs" pilot episode, they realized that Yun Chuman and Yun Juan were legitimate minor celebrities.
Furthermore, Yun Juan and Yun Shu's well-behaved behavior on the show and Yun Chuman being a single mommy, the residents' curiosity about the family were fueled. It also made them feel the family didn’t have it easy.
Therefore, Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu attracted everyone's attention as soon as they appeared.
They seemed unconcerned about the stares, strolling leisurely to the drop-off point to pick up their package, and then slowly walking back.
Throughout it, Yun Juan walked with a steady, rhythmic gait and had his hands behind his back.
Normally, shy and timid Yun Shu would be quiet, but now that healthy-bodied Yun Chuman was by her side, she was often pulled into skipping and jumping.
Seeing them running too fast, Yun Juan would quicken his pace frowning as she chased after them, saying, "Little Shu, Mom, stop running! There are many bikes here!"
Hearing this, Yun Chuman finally slowed down. She awkwardly scratched her cheek and felt ashamed that she'd been reminded by a kid to walk properly five times already!
But she just couldn't resist—jumping around with her healthy body was too easy!
Yun Shu also stopped skipping and jumping. Her chubby little face was flushed with heat, and she was a little out of breath. Her bun was slightly askew, and her light blue linen dress was slightly damp with sweat.
She smiled and tilted her head back, asking, "Mommy, what did you buy?"
Wearing matching linen pants, Yun Juan took out a tissue from his pocket and expertly wiped Yun Shu's sweat. Hearing her question, he instinctively looked at Yun Chuman.
Yun Chuman quickly winked at him, looked down at Yun Shu, and said, "It's a secret, but little Shu will find out soon."
"Huh? Okay..." The little girl pouted, dissatisfied but not demanding an answer.
Seeing how well-behaved she was, Yun Chuman couldn't help but pinch her little cheek.
At this time, a woman with permed hair walked over, smiling and greeting them, "Young Yun, taking the two children out to play?"
Yun Chuman was taken aback by the address, only realizing it was her when the woman with the curly hair approached.
The woman was around fifty years old, slightly plump, and had a kind smile.
Yun Chuman didn't know the woman's identity, but seeing no ill intent, she smiled and replied, "No, I’m just going to pick up a package and take a walk to digest lunch."
The curly-haired woman's enthusiasm increased dramatically upon receiving a response: "Our neighborhood has great greenery and fresh air. It's good to bring the kids down for a walk. You've lived here for so long, and I've barely seen you."
She gushed out and then slapped her forehead: "Oh right, look at my memory! You don't recognize me, do you? My surname is Sun, and I work at our neighborhood committee. You can just call me Auntie Sun."
Yun Chuman wasn't averse to such enthusiasm and smiled, calling her "Auntie Sun."
Auntie Sun immediately beamed, thinking to herself that this girl wasn't as unapproachable as others had said.
She took two lollipops out of her pocket, bent down to examine Yun Juan and Yun Shu closely, and had a slight smile playing at the corners of her eyes. She praised them repeatedly, "These two children are even cuter in person, more beautiful than the dolls in those New Year's paintings! Come, little Juan and little Shu, have some lolly."
Yun Shu blushed slightly, lowering her head and quickly touching the red mark on her nose.
Yun Juan looked up at Yun Chuman, his eyes asking if he could take one.
Seeing her nod, he smiled and took the lollies, giving one to Yun Shu.
The two children held hands and said in unison, "Thank you, Granny Sun."
Granny Sun smiled even more broadly, acknowledging the response a few times.
Then she looked at Yun Chuman, her eyes filled with pity, and said, "I watched the program. It's not easy for you to raise two children alone. If you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to come to me."
"Thank you, Auntie Sun."
Yun Chuman sincerely thanked her. In her previous life, she had spent her time alone in the hospital and out of boredom, she often visited different wards and gradually became a social butterfly.
It was clear that Auntie Sun was a kind-hearted person. She guessed that the original owner of this body rarely went out, which was why they hadn't gotten to know each other.
She knew the importance of good neighbors and decided to take Yun Juan and Yun Shu down for walks more often to build closer relationships with the residents of the neighborhood.
Not only that, she also needed her neighbors' help.
“Auntie Sun, I really have something I want to ask you,” Yun Chuman said hesitantly. “Can I ask the security guards in our complex to stop certain people from coming in?”
Auntie Sun was taken aback, but quickly understood. “What’s wrong? Is someone harassing you?”
Her expression turned serious. “Don’t worry, tell me. I know the security guards in our complex. I’ll have him keep an eye out for you.”
Yun Chuman thanked her again, but didn’t say anything more.
Her expression was troubled and she sighed three times.
She wasn’t comfortable just accepting Li Yanzhen’s key. Ideally, she’d prevent her from even entering the complex.
Furthermore, she wanted to intentionally reveal Li Yanzhen’s relationship with the original owner to Auntie Sun, at least to gain an advantage in public opinion. Even if Li Yanzhen came to cause trouble and smear her and her two children later, the residents wouldn’t believe her.
Auntie Sun’s years of gossip-loving radar kicked in. Seeing Yun Chuman’s expression, she knew this matter was not simple and there was more to it than met the eye!
She said earnestly, "Young Yun, this matter can be big or small. You're a woman with two children. What if the person harassing you has ill intentions? Come, come over to this side with Auntie Sun and talk it over. I can introduce you to a few people who can help you."
Yun Chuman looked in the direction she pointed and saw three women sitting on a small stone bench, about the same age as Auntie Sun, chatting and eating melon seeds.
She hesitated, frowning slightly. Her gaze returned to the two children, and she hesitated, saying, "Auntie Sun, I..."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu instantly sensed something was wrong. Their mommy's behavior was off! But something seemed strangely familiar.
Seeing this, Auntie Sun quickly said, "Let the children play by themselves. You young parents are overprotective of your children. Didn't your mom tell you that children need playmates?"
"My mom... she would never tell me these things."
Yun Chuman's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled slightly.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu exchanged a glance, simultaneously realizing their mommy was putting on an act again! Normally, their mommy wouldn't be this upset when talking about their Grandma!
They thought for a moment and decided to play along with Yun Chuman, so they followed Auntie Sun's lead and said, "Mommy, can we go find some friends to play with?"
Seeing that they were willing to leave her, Yun Chuman knew they had seen through her act. What clever little ones!
She patted their heads and said, "Okay, be careful, don't leave my sight, okay?"
"Okay!" the two children replied, turning and running off.
After running some distance, they slowed down.
Yun Shu's eyes sparkled as she whispered to elder brother, "Elder Brother, is Mommy going to act again?"
"Yes," Yun Juan nodded, pursing his lips, "but I think Mom's acting isn't very good this time. We all noticed."
"Not good? I thought it was pretty good."
Yun Shu shook her head, kicking a pebble on the road with her short legs. "Are we really going to go find some friends to play with? I don't want to go."
"Then let's not go. Let's go to the little pavilion next to the playground."
Yun Juan took her hand and slowly led her forward. "It's cool there, and we can see Mommy."
Yun Shu immediately smiled and waved the lollipop in her hand: "We can eat lolly too!"
Meanwhile, Yun Chuman followed Auntie Sun to the stone bench. The three women who had been sitting there were all very welcoming.
"What's wrong, Young Yun?" Auntie Sun asked worriedly. "Is there an ‘obsessive fan' harassing you? My daughter told me yesterday that you and the two children are very popular now, and you'll definitely become even more famous. And now you're being targeted?"
Yun Chuman shook her head with a wry smile: "I'm not even a third-tier actress, and little Juan and little Shu are just child stars. How can we have obsessive fans?"
She pursed her lips, and after a long pause, said hesitantly, "Actually, it's my mom..."
Auntie Sun and the others exchanged glances, their faces saying, "There's definitely some juicy gossip here!"
They waited eagerly for what would happen next, but Yun Chuman only said that one sentence, stopped, and only gazed worriedly at the two children in the distance. This left them incredibly anxious.
They wanted to help Yun Chuman, but they also didn't want to miss out on the gossip.
So, Auntie Sun spoke first, skillfully asking, "Young Yun, are you wary of your mom? Is there some misunderstanding?"
Yun Chuman was waiting for this bait and willingly took it. Her eyes reddened and she shook her head, saying, "I'm not afraid to tell you, Auntie Sun, but my mom came the night the recording ended. She wanted to take all the money we earned from the variety show, but it is all savings for little Juan and little Shu's education. Of course, I refused. She called me heartless and even pushed little Juan down..."
She choked back tears, "I've been beaten and scolded by my parents since I was little. I never thought they'd treat little Juan and little Shu like that. They say grandparents love their grandchildren more, so why..."
At this painful point, she covered her face and cried.
Auntie Sun and the others stopped eating their melon seeds. This was too heartbreaking. They quickly comforted Yun Chuman.
Yun Chuman knew when to stop. She took a few deep breaths and controlled her emotions.
Facing their concerned gazes, she sincerely thanked them, "Thank you all, I feel much better after talking about it."
She had originally intended to further connect with Auntie Sun and the others, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yun Juan and Yun Shu being led away from the pavilion to the playground by a group of children.
Yun Chuman recalled what Yun Juan had said on the Ferris wheel—that a boy named Da Pang had once mocked Yun Shu and she immediately felt uneasy. She quickly said goodbye to Auntie Sun and the others, "It's almost nap time for little Juan and little Shu, I'll go pick them up. Thank you so much this time, let's chat again next time."
With that, she hurried towards the playground.
Auntie Sun and the others shook their heads as they watched her go, picked up their melon seeds, and continued chatting.
"Sigh, Young Yun has it tough, raising two kids all by herself, and her parents are awful."
"I was wondering why a celebrity like her, earning so much money and still lives in our neighborhood. Turns out her family takes it all."
"Pah, what trash! Hitting the kids! I can’t wait to treat my granddaughter like a little ancestor."
"Old Sun, quickly talk to your nephew, tell him not to let Young Yun's parents in anymore."
Grandma Sun threw down her sunflower seeds, got up, and headed for the security room: "I'm going right now!"
The playground wasn't far and Yun Chuman soon arrived quickly.
But before she even got close, she saw a group of children standing in front of Yun Juan and Yun Shu. Every one of them were grinning. She paused, stopping at a blind spot around the corner to see what was going on.
Standing at the front of the group of children was a little boy, his large frame quite conspicuous and his voice booming. He said to Yun Shu, "Yun Shu, are you really the little cloud that Grandpa Sun likes? Can you ask Grandpa Sun to give me the same red mark?"
Yun Juan didn't react at all, concentrating on rolling pebbles on the ground with his foot, clearly uninterested in the people and things around him, and lost in thought.
Yun Shu was also different from usual, completely lacking her usual angelic demeanor, and listlessly replied, "Oh... I'll discuss it with him later."
Yun Chuman almost laughed when she heard her words. Judging from the two children's attitude, she could more or less guess the identity of the large little boy. It was probably the chubby boy who had mocked them before.
Da Pan was very excited when he heard this: "Then, can the sun print it on my forehead?"
The other children chimed in, "I want it printed on my neck!" "I want it printed on my belly!"
Yun Shu wrinkled her little nose, put her hands behind her back, and silently took a step back.
Before, Da Pang and his friends always mocked her red marks, but now they were suddenly so enthusiastic. She didn't know what to do… and she wondered when mommy would come to pick them up.
Thinking this, she looked around and spotted a little boy sitting on a swing in the distance.
He was all alone, slowly swinging in the sun, and had his white shirt buttoned neatly to the top. Compared to his age, he was thin and small. Even from a distance, his shoulders looked thin and his hands gripping the swing weren't chubby at all.
He was a child she'd never seen before.
Yun Shu blinked. Why was he playing alone? Was he being bullied by Da Pang and his friends like she used to be?
She lifted her foot and unconsciously walked towards the little boy in the white shirt.
"Yun Shu, don't go near him! He can't talk and he hits people! He's mentally ill!" Da Pang yelled out.
The little boy in the white shirt looked at him sharply. His eyes cold, completely out of character for his age.
Da Pang shuddered, a chill creeping down his back despite the sweltering heat, and he involuntarily hunched his shoulders.
However, Yun Shu didn't see this. She happened to turn around and look at Da Pang.
Her brows furrowed, her eyes widened slightly, and she clenched her little fists angrily, saying, "Why do you always bully people!"
Da Pang froze, 'I...I didn't...'
Still saying you didn't!
Yun Shu harrumphed, deciding not to pay him any more attention.
She turned to look at the little boy in the white shirt, whose sharp features instantly softened and his expression innocent and harmless.
Yun Shu blinked, walked up to him, tilted her head, and smiled, "My name is Yun Shu, what's yours?"
"Yang Qingshu." The little boy in the white shirt subtly sized up the little girl before him.
"Wow! You have the same name as me! Both are 'Shu'! Mommy said this character means happiness!" Yun Shu's smile grew even sweeter.
Yang Qingshu thought to himself that his Shu was from aloof, but he didn't deny it aloud, because explaining to a little idiot would be too troublesome: "Mm."
"Can I play with you?" Yun Shu bent down slightly to meet his gaze, asking cautiously.
Yang Qingshu saw her expectant eyes up close, and... the cloud red mark on her cheeks. For the first time, he truly understood the meaning of the word "beautiful."
He shifted under Yun Shu's gaze, slightly turning his head away, and hummed in response again.
Pleased with his response, Yun Shu happily moved behind him.
Yang Qingshu stared at her movements in surprise, until he felt a small force behind him, and then he realized what Yun Shu meant by "play together."
He had thought it meant sitting side by side, but it turned out to be pushing him on the swing. Yang Qingshu felt the gentle breeze from the swing and comfortably squinted his eyes.
Yun Juan had already come to his senses when Yun Shu walked towards Yang Qingshu, and had clearly seen the other party's composed expression.
He couldn't help but frown. Something was amiss with this child.
Da Pang next to him was sobbing uncontrollably because of Yun Shu's words. The other children found it boring and gradually dispersed. Seeing no one to comfort him, Da Pang cried even harder.
"Da Pang," Yun Juan said, his gaze fixed on Yun Shu and Yang Qingshu.
Da Pang kept glancing at him between sobs.
"Stop crying," Yun Juan said, frowning.
The chubby boy had run out of tears long ago and was just waiting for an excuse. Hearing this, he deftly wiped away his almost dried tears and said, "Yun Juan... Yun Shu is angry, will she let still let Grandpa Sun leave a red mark on me?"
Yun Juan: ...
He knew Da Pang's crying wasn't out of guilt or remorse for his past behavior.
He pointed at Yang Qingshu and asked, "Who is that person? If your answer satisfies me, I'll consider comforting little Shu and tell her not to be angry with you."
Hearing there was still a chance, Da pang immediately moved closer to Yun Juan and said, "That guy surnamed Yang was here before you moved in, but his house has been empty for the past few years. He only came back to live here yesterday. Oh, his house is right next to yours."
"Next to my house?"
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