Eight-year-old Lu Xinyi hummed a song to herself while she tried to create a flower necklace for herself. Her grandmother—her father’s mother—had yet to pick her up from this orphanage where she was temporarily staying.

Her mother had recently died, and she refused to stay in the Sun Mansion any longer, in fear that her aunties would hit her again and Sun Feiyan taking her favorite toys and books in her possession.

She hated that place! It was full of meanies like her Auntie Ruying and cousin Feiyan! When Sun Feiyan took her brooch, the last gift she received from her mother, her Aunt Ruying told her she didn’t belong to the family so she’d better give it to Sun Feiyan. Those meanies could keep it for now, but she swore she would find a way to get it back!

She was preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn’t see a figure stumbling down from the window of the second floor. Her eyes widened when she saw an older boy fall onto her flower necklaces besides her.

“Noooooooooo!!!!! My flowers!!!” she cried out.

Shen Yi pulled her arm and covered her mouth with one hand. He pressed a finger on his lips to tell her to quiet down.

“Shh … don’t cry. I’ll give you something else,” he said.

Little Xinxin pushed away his hand from her mouth and sniffed. She stared down on her ruined flower necklaces before glaring at the boy who ruined it.

Shen Yi took some chocolate kisses from the pocket of his jacket and placed them on her small hands. She shoved it back to him.

“You don’t like it?”

Lu Xinyi shook her head.

“You’re giving me kisses. Are you going to marry me?” she asked.

Shen Yi stared at her, flabbergasted by her words. Where the fuck did she get that idea?!

“My mommy said I shouldn’t talk and received candies from strangers. And she said when someone gives me kisses, they should be married to me first.” She stood from the grass she was sitting on and dusted off her red and white dress.

Shen Yi moved away from the ruined flowers and sat properly. He gave the little girl a good look before nodding to himself. Her words made sense. She shouldn’t accept candies from strangers, but who would have known that in the future she would be bribed with food by him to make her agree to marry him.

Ah, but that was too far into their story, and both kids weren’t aware of their future.

“I’m not really a stranger. My family has been supporting this orphanage for years and this is the first time I saw you here. What’s your name?”

“Xinxin. That’s all you have to know, big brother. Now, what could you do to say sorry for what you did to my flowers?!”

Shen Yi scratched his head. At least she wasn’t crying.

“I don’t know. What do you want?”

“Play with me!” She took a doll from her toy chest and gave it Shen Yi. “Play house with me. That’s our baby. Do you want to give her a name?”

Shen Yi’s eyes nearly fell out from their sockets. This girl was a dangerous one.

“Uhh… no, thanks.” He handed back the doll to Lu Xinyi who pouted back at him. “I’m not good with children. Besides, we’re still young to have children,” he explained.

“How old are you?” Lu Xinyi asked. She put the doll back in the chest and pulled out a chess board much to Shen Yi’s relief.

“Thirteen,” he replied.

“That’s old.” The little girl laughed.

Shen Yi frowned. He was offended! Thirteen wasn’t that old.

“Not that old! And you? How old are you?”

“I’m eight!” Lu Xinyi lifted up her fingers to show it to him.

“You’re too short for an eight-year-old.” Shen Yi nodded.

“Hey! I’m still growing! I’m only eight, and soon, I’ll be a grown-up woman. A pwetty woman like my mommy!” Little Xinxin scowled.

“Okay, if you say so.” Shen Yi conceded and watched as the girl set up the chess board for them to play. “You know how to play chess?”

The girl shook her head.

“No, but it seems you know about it. Could you teach me please?”

“Sure.” They then started playing.

“Why are you here?” She asked as she placed her horse to block his pawns’ movements. “You’re not here to adopt me, are you?”

Shen Yi gasped. Hell no. Heck, he was practically raising his younger brother alone whenever their father and their grandmother were busy at work. He couldn’t possibly have another child to look after.

“No, we’re just paying a visit, and I’m not that old to adopt a kid.” He pointed out.

“And we’re still young to have babies.” Lu Xinyi added.

“I didn’t know you’re already planning on marrying someone so young, son.” Shen Huang arrived at the garden where the kids were playing. The two hadn’t heard him coming.

“I’m already eight!” Little Xinxin exclaimed.

“Yes, yes. Eight and still short.” Shen Yi replied while he moved his queen to the other side, trying to trick the girl to leave an opening so he could attack later.

“And you’re old!”

“I’m only five years older than you.”

Shen Huang had never seen Shen Yi interact with another child of his age, and it was surprise that he was allowing this girl to keep his company. So it was a good opportunity to know some things about her. “What do you want to be when you grow up, little girl?”

“I’ll become a chef like my daddy! Then we’re going to get married!” She pointed at Shen Yi. “And we’re going to live in a big house with dogs!”

“That’s a very big dream you have. Are you sure you’re going to marry him when you grow up?” Shen Huang laughed.

Lu Xinyi shrugged.

“Not when he’s already a grumpy old man. Nobody likes a scrooge.”