"Hey, Lu Da Xiaocao, what's up? Any instructions for me?"
On the video call, Ye Ziming was wearing a tank top, covered in sweat, with the camphor trees of his residential community in the background. He was probably out playing with his dog, Gui Gui.
"It's nothing much. Just letting you know that I won't be able to make it to the hot pot gathering tomorrow. You guys enjoy yourselves."
"No way! Tomorrow's meal is meant to invite you. You have to come." When Ye Ziming heard that Lu Chuan wouldn't be attending, his expression changed immediately.
"I can't help it. My cousin is at my house, and tomorrow my dad has something at the company while my mom needs to attend a parent-teacher meeting. I'm the only one who can stay home with him." Lu Chuan replied helplessly.
"Then bring him along."
Ye Ziming thought there must be a big reason preventing Lu Chuan from attending. It was just a little kid, so bringing him along should be fine.
Lu Chuan hesitated a bit. "But he's a bit too lively. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle him."
"What's there to be afraid of? Four of us guys can't handle one little kid?"
"Who are you calling a guy?"
Liu Ruyan's face suddenly appeared behind Lu Chuan, questioning.
Ye Ziming quickly backed down. "Oh, Miss Liu is also here. I meant that I and Lu Chuan together are equivalent to two guys. There's nothing we can't handle. Lu Chuan, you know, I've been hungry for days just for tomorrow's meal. You can't just cancel on us."
"You're exaggerating." Liu Ruyan and Lu Chuan exchanged glances. "So, what's the plan?"
"Bring him along?!"
The next day, they arranged to meet early with Ye Ziming and planned to have some fun at the amusement park in the mall first.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, Lu Chuan and Liu Ruyan arrived at the entrance of "Tom Town" amusement park right on time with Lu Yuhang.
Liu Ruyan wore a blue sporty dress paired with white canvas shoes, and with Lu Chuan's light blue T-shirt, they seemed like a couple. With a handsome guy and a beautiful girl, plus a cool-looking little kid, they attracted a lot of attention along the way.
"Hi~ Over here." Ye Ziming and An Ran had already arrived and waved to them from a distance.
"Yuhang, this is Sister An Ran and Brother Ye Ziming. Say hello to them." Lu Chuan introduced the little troublemaker as they got closer.
"Hello, Sister An Ran. Hello, Brother Ye."
Lu Yuhang obediently greeted them, making Lu Chuan and Liu Ruyan a bit surprised. How was this kid so well-behaved? He seemed different from the little troublemaker they knew.
"Ah, what a cute little friend." An Ran crouched down and touched Lu Yuhang's plump little face. "What's your name? How old are you?"
"My name is Lu Yuhang. I'm five years old."
Little kids always introduce themselves very clearly and seriously, and An Ran and Ye Ziming were practically melted by his cuteness.
This little actor was indeed quite charming outside, while Liu Ruyan and Lu Chuan rolled their eyes behind him.
To win the little troublemaker's favor, Ye Ziming took him and rushed into the amusement park. "Yuhang, what do you want to play? Brother will take you."
"I want to play this." The little Lu Yuhang pointed to the basketball shooting machine at the entrance.
"Sure! Brother likes playing basketball too. So, make sure to eat more later, and if you grow tall, you can play basketball every day, okay?"
Ye Ziming lifted Lu Yuhang and put him on his shoulders. Standing at 1.83 meters tall, Lu Yuhang was even taller than everyone in the amusement park.
Lu Yuhang was thrilled, responding loudly with his little milk voice, "Okay!"
After playing basketball a few times, Lu Yuhang dragged Ye Ziming to play whack-a-mole and shooting games. Finally, seeing the claw machine nearby, he began shouting that he wanted to catch a toy.
"Here, little darling, I'll give this back to you. I'm going to buy a drink and will be back soon." Ye Ziming, who had been playing with him non-stop, needed a break. He handed Lu Yuhang to Lu Chuan and went to buy a drink.
When they reached the claw machine, they suddenly saw a few familiar faces.
"Aren't those Liu Meina and her friends? What a drag, running into them while having fun." An Ran complained to Liu Ruyan.
They originally planned to pretend they hadn't seen them and turn away, but Lu Yuhang's loud cries for the claw machine caught Liu Meina and her friends' attention, who looked over towards Lu Chuan.
"Lu Chuan, what a coincidence to see you here."
Liu Meina, dressed in a floral chiffon dress looking very ladylike, walked over with a smile and greeted Lu Chuan. But when she saw Liu Ruyan and An Ran behind him, her expression darkened. "You're here too."
Lu Chuan ignored her, while Liu Ruyan and An Ran managed to force a smile.
Looking down at Lu Yuhang, who was almost identical to Lu Chuan, Liu Meina's eyes lit up. "So cute! Lu Chuan, is this your younger brother?"
"Yeah." Lu Chuan replied flatly.
"Hello, pretty sisters. I'm Lu Yuhang, and Lu Chuan is my cousin."
The little guy was quite proactive when greeting the pretty sisters, and even An Ran couldn't help but tease.
"Yuhang also wants to catch a toy? Look, there are so many pretty toys here." Liu Meina, trying to get close to Lu Chuan's cousin, approached the claw machine.
Lu Yuhang cooperated and followed her to the claw machine. Song Shuang was still operating the machine. The claw was positioned right above a little bunny plushie. After aiming carefully, she pressed the button decisively. The claw went down and grabbed the bunny, but unfortunately, just as it reached the exit, the claw released it, and the bunny fell back.
"Oh, what a pity!"
Lu Yuhang's eyes were glued to the bear in the machine. He thought he was about to get it, and his little hands were already ready to clap in celebration, but when the bunny slipped away, he shouted in disappointment.
"Lu Chuan, we've been trying for a long time and couldn't get it. How about you give it a try?" Liu Meina said with an expectant tone to Lu Chuan, who had been watching from the side.
"Sure, sure~" Lu Yuhang shook Lu Chuan's arm, acting cute. "Lu Chuan, can you try to catch one? I want this bunny."
Unable to refuse, Lu Chuan went up to help him, while Liu Meina successfully stood next to him, holding Lu Yuhang's hand.
Liu Meina, not very tall, looked like a delicate bird next to Lu Chuan. She kept glancing at his face with a hint of youthful shyness.
The scene looked quite pleasing, as if they were a couple, and Liu Ruyan, standing behind, suddenly felt a surge of anger.
Moreover, the little troublemaker seemed to like Liu Meina, whom he had just met, while he wouldn't even call her "sister" despite Liu Ruyan's careful efforts to play with him. Another wave of grievance surged in her heart.