Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Moved Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Moved Luo Qiao burst into laughter and then, for some inexplicable reason, her eyes became a bit moist. She pulled Stone over and said, “Stone, your sister is fine. Don’t treat me like I’m injured, and don’t be so nervous.
Look at you, with your brow all furrowed like a little old man—not cute at all.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Stone replied, “Then you sit here, I’ll go help Brother Lu with the fire, and your meal will be ready soon.”
He turned and took a few steps away before realizing something was off. He hadn’t finished speaking. So, he turned back around and added, “The secretary is no good either. I heard him telling Auntie Chun Ni to lay low before coming back to the village.”
Auntie Chun Ni also said, ‘Luo Qiao is injured. Shouldn’t I go back and check on her first?'���
But then that scoundrel, the secretary, said, ‘What kind of waves can a girl with no family make? After this incident, people in the village will definitely gossip. You and Dongyu stay here for a day, see how things go, and don’t worry too much about your feelings. Rest assured, I’ll handle it well.'”
Luo Qiao, seeing Stone’s serious little-adult expression, stretched out a hand and tapped his forehead. “Okay, your sister here isn’t that fragile. A small matter like this won’t defeat me.”
Seeing that Luo Qiao was truly alright, Stone happily scampered off to the kitchen to help.
Lu Yichen asked, “What were you dawdling about just now?”
Stone sat down beside the fire, a stern look on his little face, and said, “I was afraid Sister would be sad, but I can tell now that she’s strong. That Zhang Qiaoyan from the Secretary’s Home is a real villain. I mean, gossiping about Sister in the village is bad enough,
but today she even tried to harm Sister. I will never forgive her. I won’t speak to her again. Shanzi and Er Gou said she’d get locked up, which serves her right. She should be kept locked up and never let out.”
Lu Yichen glanced at Stone. “Since when did you two get so close? Now you’re even calling her ‘Sister.'”
Stone was still preening when he belatedly realized something was off and flashed a grin. “I think calling her ‘Sister’ feels warmer. You see, Shanzi calls Ru Fang and Ru Lan ‘Sister’ straight out. It’s convenient and feels more intimate.”
Lu Yichen inquired, “Where did you pick up that phrase?”
Perplexed, Stone looked up and asked, “Which phrase?”
Lu Yichen squinted at him and emphasized, “Intimate.”
Stone immediately stood up. “I heard Shanzi’s big sister say it. We were playing by the river that day when Shanzi’s big sister, Ru Fang, gave some candy to Shanzi’s younger uncle’s cousin.
Shanzi was a bit unhappy, and Ru Fang said that they were blood siblings, with an intimate relationship that others couldn’t compare to. Shanzi was pleased then. From now on, Sister and I will be just like real siblings, the most intimate of all.”
Lu Yichen continued his task, not stopping as he spoke. “You do realize I adopted you.”
Stone paused, his eyes blinking rapidly as he looked at Lu Yichen. “But, but… well, alright, our relationship is also intimate. From now on, you’re my brother. That should do it, right?”
Lu Yichen shot him a knowing glance, and as Stone noticed the fire in the hearth had flared up, he quickly sat down to push some of the firewood further inside.
After that, he said, “Brother Lu, the secretary isn’t a good man. He’s been speaking ill of Sister Luo Qiao behind her back. I’m not calling him uncle anymore.”
Lu Yichen placed the chopped vegetables on the stove and gave Stone a sidelong glance. “It seems that no relationship is quite as intimate as yours and your sister’s, eh?”