Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Painful Past (4) Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Painful Past (4) Ji Tingyang and Ji Zeqiu stepped through the door to see a little kid, not much younger than them, staring intently at them.

Ji Yiyun had no intention of introducing them and led Ji Tingyang and the others into a small ten-square-meter room, “This is your room, from now on you three siblings will live here.”

“It’s so small,” Ji Zeqiu blurted out.

Their bedrooms in the Ji Family’s house were more than ten times larger than this, complete with walk-in closets, and even the bathrooms were larger than this.

Hearing this, Ji Yiyun’s face suddenly darkened, “If you think it’s too small, then don’t sleep in it. From now on, you’re not allowed to sleep.”

If Ji Yanli hadn’t reluctantly decided to help her, how could she possibly be living in such a small house? And now her son dared to mock her for it.

But heaven had eyes.

Now Ji Yanli’s money had nonetheless ended up in her pocket.

Thinking of this, Ji Yiyun’s gloomy expression finally lightened a bit.

Ji Tingyang, worrying that Ji Zeqiu might blurt out something else and upset Ji Yiyun, covered his mouth with his hand, “Shh.”

“Put your stuff away and come out to work.” After saying this, Ji Yiyun turned around and left.

Ji Tingyang laid the sleeping Ji Lanyue on the bed, even covered her with a blanket, and then took Ji Zeqiu by the hand to leave the room.

In the living room, apart from that child, there was a man with a full beard, legs crossed, sitting on the sofa, darkly watching them.

Ji Zeqiu swallowed nervously.

Before Ji Tingyang could open his mouth to comfort him, Ji Yiyun tossed two rags over to them, “Go and clean the bathroom.”

“We don’t know how…” Ji Tingyang said softly.

When they were at the Ji Family’s place, they had never done any household chores, as they were always done by the servants.

The most they would do is if they spilled water on the table, Lin Xu would tell them off and have them wipe the table clean with a tissue.

“If you don’t know, then learn. Wherever it’s dirty, wipe that area. I’m not raising you for nothing. If you haven’t cleaned the bathroom before dinner, then you’ll get no meal,” Ji Yiyun said sharply.

Knowing his aunt was difficult to talk to, Ji Tingyang pursed his lips and took Ji Zeqiu into the bathroom.

“Big brother, I don’t know how to clean,” Ji Zeqiu said with reddened eyes and a choked voice.

“It’s like wiping down a table, just wipe around everywhere, it should be fine,” Ji Tingyang replied, not quite sure himself, but he started cleaning as best he could.

While they were working, they faintly heard a quarrel outdoors.

“Our home is already small, and you’re bringing those three over too, how are we supposed to live?!”

“I’m doing this for that inheritance. I’m their guardian now, and in a couple of days, I’ll have the money. Then we can move to a bigger house, a big villa!”

“Did you really manage it?”

“Of course. Soon even Ji’s will be ours. Will you still need to work as that petty clerk and take crap from the boss?”

“Hahaha, wife, you’re amazing…”
Ji Zeqiu, wiping the floor, lifted his little head and blinked, “Big brother, what are they talking about?”

Ji Tingyang bowed his head, his expression obscured, “Nothing, let’s hurry up and clean or we won’t have dinner.”

“I don’t want to clean anymore, my hand is so tired,” Ji Zeqiu’s voice whined pitifully.

Ji Tingyang glanced at him and said with pursed lips, “Then I’ll clean for you, just stand beside me.”

The two children were doing housework for the first time and spent several hours in the bathroom. When Ji Yiyun remembered them, she found them sleeping on the bathroom floor, leaning against each other.

The bathroom floor was covered in foam.

Ji Yiyun’s expression grew cold. She kicked them with her foot to wake them, “Get up, both of you. You can’t even clean a bathroom properly, and you dare to be lazy here.”

Ji Tingyang immediately stood up with Ji Zeqiu, obediently standing to one side.

“Get out, you’re useless if you can’t even handle this little bit of work, don’t bother eating dinner tonight,” Ji Yiyun said irritably.

At first, they didn’t care when they heard there would be no dinner. But as the scent of the food wafted through the house and into their noses, their mouths started to water.

Ji Zeqiu swallowed hard, his stomach rumbling, “Brother, I’m so hungry.”

Ji Tingyang was no better off than Ji Zeqiu.

He patted his clothes to see if there was anything to eat and ended up finding a piece of chocolate in his pocket.

He hesitated for a moment before handing it to Ji Zeqiu, “You eat it.”

Ji Zeqiu stuffed the chocolate into his mouth and finished it in a few bites, but his cheeks were still sad, “Brother, I’m still hungry…”

Ji Tingyang thought for a bit, “Let’s sleep, like little sister; you won’t feel hungry when you’re asleep.”

They put Ji Lanyue in the middle and each extended a small hand to hold her, then closed their eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, the sobbing of Ji Zeqiu filled the cramped room, “Brother, I miss mom and dad.”

Ji Tingyang: “…”

“I miss grandma and grandpa too, they would give me good food and tell me bedtime stories when I go to sleep…” As Ji Zeqiu spoke, his sobs grew heavier, and tears flowed uncontrollably down his cheeks.

“Don’t cry, dad said men shouldn’t shed tears,” Ji Tingyang’s eyes hidden in the dark were also reddening.

Hearing this, Ji Zeqiu sniffled hard, “Brother, I want to hear a bedtime story.”

Ji Tingyang’s face contorted as he tried to recall the stories Lin Xu had told him, “There was a tortoise and a hare in the forest, racing each other…”

In the silent, dim room, the childlike voice of Ji Tingyang echoed gently.

Ji Zeqiu hugged Ji Lanyue tightly, tears clinging to the corners of his eyes, and fell into a restless sleep.

The voice of Ji Tingyang telling the story grew fainter, and without realizing it, he too fell asleep.

That night, he had a dream.

He dreamed of the day Lin Xu left the house, reaching out to touch his head.

This time he didn’t dodge but instead threw himself into her arms, “Mom, I miss you so much…”

Lin Xu smiled gently, her warm palm stroking his head, “Tingyang, you have to take good care of your brother and sister at home. Dad and mom have to step out for a bit, but we’ll be back soon.”

“Mom, don’t go, I’ll take good care of brother and sister. Don’t leave…”

“I’ll take good care of them, I’ll be good from now on, mom, don’t leave…” Ji Tingyang clung tightly to her hand.

He struggled in agony, unwilling to let her go.

Until Ji Tingyang was jolted by a force, pulling him out of the dream.

“Brother, did you have a nightmare?” Ji Zeqiu looked at him worriedly.

Ji Tingyang looked around, Lin Xu was nowhere to be seen, his mood suddenly sank, “I’m fine.”