Chapter 453: Going to Work with Big Brother
Chapter 453: Chapter 453: Going to Work with Big Brother
While on patrol today, Pan Ling’er had been wondering how she could ask Zhao Nuanyang to the movies. She had just gotten close to him, but before she could speak, she overheard his colleague complaining about having to work overtime again tonight.
Pan Ling’er knew the museum had been very busy lately. So, even though she desperately wanted to spend some time alone with Zhao Nuanyang, she felt it would be inappropriate to ask him to a movie.
’I’ll just have to wait,’ she thought. ’I’ll ask after he’s done with this busy period.’
Zhao Nuanyue was also especially busy today. She had promised to bring her brother lunch but couldn’t make it, so she had to ask Zhang Hong to deliver it to Zhao Nuanyang for her.
By dinnertime, Zhao Nuanyang still hadn’t returned.
"Sigh, I wonder when my brother will finally get a break," Little Red Carp lamented. "With just the three of us here, the house feels so empty without him. Even though he doesn’t say much when he’s home, just seeing him makes me feel safe and happy."
"Heh..." Zhao Nuanyue smiled. Little Red Carp was becoming more thoughtful and adorable by the day. "Your brother certainly hasn’t doted on you for nothing. If you miss him, you can go with him to work and play there."
"Can I?" Little Red Carp’s eyes lit up with surprise. "Can I really go with my brother?"
The last time Little Red Carp went to the museum with her brother and sister, she had been deeply moved by the beautiful and historic items inside the display cases.
But she’d heard that the items were priceless and heavily guarded. Worried she might cause trouble for her brother, Little Red Carp had never dared to suggest going to work with him.
"Hehe, of course you can. But you can’t cause any trouble or break anything there. The value of those things isn’t just about money—it’s their historical significance. They’re simply priceless. If you broke one, we could never afford to replace it," Zhao Nuanyue explained. However, she knew Little Red Carp wasn’t an ordinary child and trusted that she could control herself and wouldn’t cause a mess or destroy anything.
"Mhm, mhm! I’ll be very good. I won’t cause any trouble, and I definitely won’t break anything," Little Red Carp nodded. "But, Sister, you have to pack some snacks for me. Otherwise, it’ll be so boring with my brother working and me just playing by myself. Besides, he’s lost so much weight. He needs snacks too, to put on some meat."
"Alright, I’ll make you some plum blossom cakes in a bit," Zhao Nuanyue laughed. "You’ve already picked all the blossoms off that plum tree out front. If I don’t make you plum blossom cakes soon, you’ll probably chop the whole tree down!"
Giggling, Little Red Carp showed no sign of guilt or shyness. Instead, she said to her sister with perfect confidence, "I admit the plum blossoms are beautiful, but I think plum blossom cakes made from such pretty flowers must be even more delicious. Besides, it’s such a waste for the flowers to fall to the ground someday anyway. It’s better if we just pick them early and eat them fresh."
Hua Yusen, listening from the side to the exchange between Xiao Qizi and her sister, found it both amusing and exasperating, but also very interesting.
Back at the Huajia Old Mansion, perhaps it was because everyone had grown up one after another. There was laughter, but it was never as lively and interesting as this.
That night, Zhao Nuanyang once again came home at three in the morning.
Zhao Nuanyue had left a steamer on the stove, so the meal inside was still hot.
Zhao Nuanyang hurriedly ate a few bites, washed up, and fell onto his bed, asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
「The next morning」 Little Red Carp, carrying a small basket, sat on the back of Zhao Nuanyang’s bicycle and went to work with her brother.
When Zhao Nuanyang arrived at the entrance to his workplace with his sister, Uncle Xu asked curiously, "Nuanyang, what are you doing bringing your sister here?"
"My sister has been especially busy with work these past few days, and my little sister’s preschool is on break. It’s not safe to leave her at home alone, so I brought her with me to play on the side," Zhao Nuanyang explained. It might be a little inconvenient to have his sister with him, but Little Red Carp had been so insistent on coming that he couldn’t refuse.
"Oh, so that’s how it is!" Uncle Xu nodded repeatedly. "Go on in, then. And Little Red Carp, you have to be on your best behavior, okay? Your brother is restoring traditional Chinese paintings. They’re priceless and fragile, so you can’t touch them and break anything."
In response to Uncle Xu’s kind reminder, Hongli tilted her face up and said in a sweet, clear voice, "Thank you, Uncle Xu. I’ll be very good!"
Zhao Nuanyang signed in and then led his sister inside.
A woman emerged from a side path—it was none other than Pan Ling’er.
"Oh, Little Red Carp, what are you doing here?" Pan Ling’er’s eyes lit up when she saw her. ’This is Zhao Nuanyang’s sister, and just a little kid at that. Sometimes I’m too shy to talk to Zhao Nuanyang, but with Little Red Carp here, I can use talking to her as an excuse to talk to him and steal a few more glances.’
"My sister is really busy and doesn’t have time to look after me, so I came to work with my brother!" Little Red Carp said with a grin. "Ms. Ling’er, if you have time, you can come play with me!"
’Oh, this kid is the best!’ Pan Ling’er thought, growing even fonder of Little Red Carp. ’She’s creating the perfect opportunity for me!’
"Mhm, mhm, I’ll come find you after I finish my work!" Pan Ling’er said with a grin. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few fruit candies. "Here, have some candy from your big sister!"
"Thank you, Ms. Ling’er! Ms. Ling’er, you’re so pretty!" Little Red Carp said, giving her the highest praise.
Getting complimented on her looks by Little Red Carp right in front of Zhao Nuanyang made Pan Ling’er absolutely giddy.
On the way to his office, Zhao Nuanyang had to explain the situation every time he ran into someone he knew.
But seeing how well-behaved and sensible Little Red Carp was, no one gave him a hard time.
Once inside the office, Zhao Nuanyang found a relatively clean corner for his sister, setting up a small stool and a small table for her.
Remembering that Little Red Carp could read and liked picture books, Zhao Nuanyang took a book from his drawer and handed it to her.
Little Red Carp hadn’t felt like reading, but when her eyes fell on the strangely-shaped animals on the cover, she was instantly captivated.
She opened it up and saw that it was filled with legends of spirit monsters.
Little Red Carp was astonished. ’Wow, life in ancient times was so exciting!’
Little Red Carp looked at the cover again, memorizing the two words on it: *Earth Book*.
Hongli sat on the stool, completely absorbed in the book on the small table.
She suddenly felt that eating her snacks would be too much trouble and decided to share them with her brother at lunch instead. So, while she read, Little Red Carp ate the fruit candies Pan Ling’er had given her. The peach flavor was quite nice.