The next day, at 6:30 in the morning, Chen Yu's eyes rolled open. He picked up his phone, took a glance at the time, and sat up, rubbing his stiff cheeks.
"Two and a half more hours to go….
"I can't wait anymore!"
It had been a restless night for Chen Yu.
He had been consumed by excitement and nervousness the entire night. Chen Yu tossed and turned around his bed for about eight hours, but sleep never found him despite doing so.
Not wanting to stay on his bed, Chen Yu changed into a new set of clothes and went out of his room to wash up. He walked to the living room and sat down in front of the couch next to Chen Erke, who was deep asleep. He stared out of the window at the scenery blankly.
It was Sunday today, thus Chen Yu's younger sisters didn't need to wake up for school, and Mrs. Chen didn't need to make breakfast in the early morning either.
Other than Chen Erke's even breathing, the living room was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
In the stillness, Chen Yu was at a loss about what to do for a short moment.
Creak….
About ten minutes later, the door to the master bedroom opened up. Mrs. Chen walked out of the room, yawning. She looked slightly shocked when she saw Chen Yu. "Why are you up so early?"
"Because I woke up."
"Did you game overnight?" Mrs. Chen questioned doubtfully, taking a look at Chen Yu's haggard face.
Chen Yu: "..."
"I'll go and make breakfast. Go wake Eldest and Second Eldest up and have them wash up."
"Okay."
Nodding, Chen Yu turned to Chen Erke next to him, giving her a few pushes. "Wake up, pig."
"Huh?" Chen Erke looked up in a daze and stared at Chen Yu with bleary eyes. She then pulled the blanket over her head, hiding herself under it.
"Hey! Get up!" Chen Yu shook her harder.
There was no response from Chen Erke.
"Then you have no rights to blame me."
Lifting up a corner of the blanket, Chen Yu took off one of his socks and threw it in. He then covered the blanket tightly.
Three.
Two.
One.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
All of a sudden, the blanket was kicked off from the inside. Chen Erke struggled off the couch, catching her breath. Within no time, she was fully awake.
"Time for breakfast."
Calmly, Chen Yu took his sock and put it on. "Go wash up," he said, ruffling Chen Erke's hair.
"Chen Yu! You're disgusting!"
"So-so."
Chen Erke pinched her nose, shouting for Mrs. Chen unhappily. "Mommy! My brother is bullying me!"
"Quiet! Your younger sister is still sleeping! Go and wash up!" Mrs. Chen chided, coming out of the kitchen with a spatula.
Chen Erke pouted, feeling wronged.
"Go and wash up."
Chen Yu stood up and pulled Chen Erke into the washroom. He turned on the tap, splashing water onto her face. "Wash your face!"
Seeing that Chen Erke was doing as told, Chen Yu walked out of the washroom and stopped right outside Chen Yike's room. He was about to push the door open when he remembered the painful consequences of doing that, so he chose to knock on her door instead.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Eldest, wake up! It's breakfast time!" Chen Yu yelled.
No responses came from the room.
"Wake up!
"Wake up for breakfast~
"Little sister! Breakfast time!
"Hurry u-"
"Shut up!" Chen Yike's furious shout suddenly came from inside the room.
Jumping in fright, Chen Yu quickly retreated a meter backward.
Thirty seconds later, a half-awake Chen Yike came out of the room. Thud. She kicked Chen Yu in his calf before making her way to the washroom, leaving a pale Chen Yu crouching down slowly, holding his calf in extreme pain.
Twenty minutes later, the entire Chen family sat around the dining table orderly to have breakfast.
Chen Sanke had just woken up. She ate her porridge sleepily, forgetting to swallow it down, before falling asleep while having her food.
Mr. Chen had not washed up. There was still dry stuff on the corner of his eyes.
Mrs. Chen looked exhausted.
Chen Yu looked sleepy as if he had too much fun with R18 stuff the night before.
As for Chen Yike and Chen Erke, they were the most energetic pair in the Chen family. At lightning speed, they emptied their plates.
"Chen Yu," Mrs. Chen yawned and turned to him. "Send Second Eldest to her tuition class later. I'm going to pay the electricity bills later in the afternoon."
Chen Yu was slightly taken aback. "But I have something going on in the afternoon too!" he answered immediately.
He had to wait for the arrival of his first review product!
"I'm going to pay the electricity bills! Which is more important?" Mrs. Chen replied, unhappy with Chen Yu's answer.
"Can't you do that in the afternoon?"
"I have work."
"Work?"
"Yes. Part-time job, to earn money for the household."
Hearing this, Mr. Chen, who had been eating silently, suddenly placed down his utensils and stood up. "I'm full," he said moodily.
"You still have porridge left in your bowl," Mrs. Chen said with a frown.
"You can have it, I'm leaving for work."
After a simple wash up, Mr. Chen put on his jacket and left the house with his blue toolbox.
Chen Yike and Chen Erke exchanged glances silently in the living room.
There was nothing Mrs. Chen and Chen Yu could say either.
Chen Sanke was still deep in sleep.
The Chen family fell into silence once again, just like it was during dawn.
A few minutes later. "Send Second Eldest to class later." After finishing Mr. Chen's leftover food, Mrs. Chen said in monotone.
"…Okay."
After breakfast, Mrs. Chen cleared the table and left the house with her purse.
Chen Yu pulled out his mobile phone, taking a glance at the time. "Eldest, I'll bring Second Eldest to her class now, take care of Third Eldest," he instructed Chen Yike, who was studying in the living room.
"Alright." Chen Yike nodded. She put her book down, opening her mouth slightly, hesitating to speak her mind.
"What is it?" Chen Yu asked.
"Brother…" Chen Yike bit her lips. "My class has an autumn trip two weeks later to Erlong Mountain. It's compulsory, and it will cost 320 RMB in total. I don't know how to tell Mom about it."
At Chen Yike's side, Chen Erke perked up her ears.
"Nevermind, I'll pay for it." After a moment of silence, Chen Yu spoke, plastering a smile on his face.
"Brother… You have the money?"
"Of course. Don't I receive the most red packets every year? Take care of Third Eldest. I'm sending Second Eldest now."
With that, Chen Yu took Chen Erke's hand and left the house together after putting on their shoes.
Twenty minutes later, he was standing outside the mental abacus learning center while holding on to Chen Erke. Seeing that the other kids were holding their drinks, realization dawned on Chen Yu. He gave himself a smack on the head.
"Oh no! Second Eldest, I forgot your water bottle!"
Chen Erke took a glance at the drinks in her classmates' hands secretly. "I'm not thirsty," she said, clutching the corner of her shirt with her left hand.
"I'll buy you something."
"Brother, I'm not thirsty."
Ignoring Chen Erke's words, Chen Yu held on to Chen Erke and went into the mini-market that was next to her abacus learning center. He shoved a bottle of iced black tea into her hands.
"Brother! I'm really not thirsty!" Chen Erke put the iced lemon tea back onto the shelves, blinking at Chen Yu with her shiny bright eyes. "Big Sis still needs money for her school trip. There's not enough to go around."
"Tsk…" Chen Yu took the bottle of lemon tea once again and ruffled her hair. "That's not something for you to worry about."
After paying, they left the mini-market. Chen Yu stood at the door and watched Chen Erke enter the class with the bottle of black tea in her hands. The smile plastered on his face faded, and he sighed before walking in the direction of the mall.
It was past 9 A.M already. The Transdimensional Marketing Company's delivery should've long since arrived in his room. However, since he was out, he might as well buy some things he needed.
For instance, a mask to hide his face.
By the time Chen Yu arrived back home, it was already half past nine.
After greeting Chen Yike, he dashed into his room like a cat on hot bricks. As soon as he entered his room, he was welcomed by the sight of a huge box sitting on the floor.
"It's here!"
Chen Yu rubbed his hands excitedly and went to lock his door. He then tore off the exquisite wrapper of the box and opened the box.