Chapter 23
Other people were not as easy to fool as Sui Yan. They could tell with one glance what had captivated Ye Anning.
Liu Hua beckoned to the children, "Little ones, come eat dinner."
Sui Yan hugged Ye Anning's neck, looked around for a bit, then reached out with her little hands to pull down the hat on her head.
Ye Anning held the little girl and sat down at the dinner table, unable to resist pinching her soft, tender little cheeks.
During the meal, Liu Hua suddenly tapped Sui Yan's forehead, "Sui Yan, someone over there gave you a gift."
The little girl who had just buried her face in her bowl looked up in confusion, "Mommy, what gift?"
Sui Yu and the others were also curious and looked towards Liu Hua.
Liu Man smiled and explained, "Sui Yan, it was that auntie we met when we went out to play this afternoon, and that older sister too. They gave Sui Yan a little model house gift."
Sui Yan's eyes lit up, "Really! Sui Yan loves that little house and little cars so much!"
Sui Yu was a bit puzzled, "What little house?"
Liu Man went on, "It was the model in the sales office. I took Sui Yan in there for a spin this afternoon and she especially liked the model houses inside."
Sui Yan whispered to Ye Anning, "Big sis, let's go play with the toys later, okay?" The little girl thought her voice was very soft, but in reality everyone who was supposed to hear it did.
Ye Anning cast a rather smug glance at Sui Yu and the others and also whispered to the little girl, "Sure."
Sui Yu rolled his eyes, "Sui Yan, why don't you want to play with your big brother?"
Sui Yan was so startled she instinctively covered her mouth. After hesitating for a bit, the little girl pouted and said, "I want to play with big sis!"
Sui Zhi sighed, "Oh, so you don't want to play with your big brother?"
Sui Yan widened her eyes, "I didn't say that!"
Qiao Ze also sighed, "Then your brother must not be good enough."
The little girl wanted to explain but didn't know what to say. She looked very anxious. Liu Hua glared at the boys, "Don't bully your little sister."
Sui Yu hesitated for two seconds before pointing out, "Mom, you were the one who made Sui Yan cry just now."
Liu Hua: "..."
Sui Yan huffed angrily at them, hugged her little bowl, and climbed down from her chair.
"Sui Yan doesn't like her brothers anymore!" The little girl finally realized they were just teasing her.
Ye Anning smiled politely at Liu Hua and Liu Man, then also took her bowl to go eat in the living room with the little girl.
Sui Zhi laughed drily a couple times, "Bro, you started this. Now Sui Yan is mad at you."
Qiao Ze also frantically shirked responsibility, "Yeah!"
Sui Yu: "???" A face full of confusion.
Liu Hua also felt a bit guilty and lowered her head to keep eating. Liu Man actually found it a bit funny.
This little girl's mom and brother weren't very reliable!
...
Most of the houses in this residential compound were fully furnished. It hadn't been many days since the Shen family had taken a liking to a house here and were preparing to move in.
Shen Nian hadn't called Sui Yan ahead of time. She wanted to surprise her.
On Sui Yan's side, under her coaxing and cuteness, Liu Hua had finally gotten her enrolled in a nearby kindergarten. In a couple days she could officially start school.
The family members went about their business, going to school or work.
Sui Yan was alone again, sitting on the couch watching TV.
The little girl stroked her puppy Tizi's soft fur. Suddenly she sighed, "Tizi, I'm so bored."
Tizi let out a couple soft woofs, symbolically responding to the little girl.
What a naughty little Sui Yan. When her brothers and sisters were around she never remembered to play with it!
Sui Yan didn't look very happy. She kept muttering to Tizi, "Tizi, why don't you like my brothers and sisters?"
Tizi looked at Sui Yan innocently, as if it didn't understand what she was saying.
But the little girl thought Tizi was teasing her. She pinched the fur on Tizi's cheeks and gently squeezed, "Tizi, we can't be like this... My brothers and sisters are so nice, why don't you like them?"
Tizi let her play with it as she pleased. In its heart it just sneered.
As if! Those things from their previous life were things that it and Sui Yan had "together" truly experienced.
But in this life so far Tizi hadn't noticed any malice from Sui Yu and the others toward Sui Yan, so it wouldn't take the initiative to harm them. After all, Sui Yan didn't have her past memories now. To the little girl, those people might not even be as important as it!
Better not gamble on it!
Sui Yan didn't know what Tizi was thinking. After mumbling to herself for a bit she fell silent, just hugging Tizi and sitting quietly there.
Not long after, the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room was suddenly knocked on.
Sui Yan turned around in confusion and leaned over the back of the sofa to look. She was so startled to suddenly see Shen Nian waving and smiling at her.
She blinked blankly for a good while before reacting.
The little girl excitedly hugged her puppy and hopped off the sofa, tottering over to run outside.
Liu Man heard the commotion and poked her head out from the kitchen to take a look. "Sui Yan, where are you going?"
Sui Yan's voice floated back from afar, "Sis Man! Nian Nian came to play with me!"
Liu Man frowned, not feeling very assured, and followed her out.
Just as she walked out the door, Liu Man saw their little girl rushing into the arms of another girl.
That girl looked delicate and refined, seemingly the cold type of child... Just like Ye Anning.
But right now, that girl was smiling with eyes curved into crescents, also tightly hugging Sui Yan back.
Liu Man breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly thought of something.
Nian Nian... was from Mr. and Mrs. Shen's family!
Liu Man realized and quickly beckoned the two girls, "Sui Yan, bring your little friend inside to play."
Sui Yan was extremely well-behaved. She hugged Tizi with difficulty in one hand, and held Shen Nian's hand with the other to lead her inside.
As they walked, the little girl said, "Nian Nian, I have lots of toys at home! You'll play with me, okay?"
Shen Nian was very patient with her, "Okay, Sui Yan is such a good girl."
The little girl was very happy, "Nian Nian, I got gifts from Auntie Lin and the big sister selling houses a few days ago!"
Shen Nian's brows perked up, "Auntie Lin?"
Sui Yan explained vaguely, "It's Nian Nian's mommy!"
Shen Nian was surprised for a moment. She hadn't heard her parents mention this.
But for them, it probably wasn't a big deal.
Shen Nian played along and asked, "What gifts did they give Sui Yan?"
Sui Yan smiled shyly, "I'll show Nian Nian later!"
Shen Nian ruffled her hair, "Okay."
They entered Sui Yan's home. Liu Man came out with some snacks, saying to the two girls, "Come have a bite, little ones."
Sui Yan pulled Shen Nian over, "Nian Nian, wait for me. I'm going to get the toys!"
Shen Nian sat down, "No rush, Sui Yan."