He tricked his amnesiac partner into becoming crippled.

Chapter 252 The Childhood Sweetheart's Guide to Admitting Defeat (Part 2)

I've never seen anyone throw money at people the moment they meet them.

Especially since the person throwing the money was a teenager, and the person being pelted with the money was also a teenager.

Keep in mind that in the 1980s, when the average worker's wage was only thirty yuan, Wen Yan, who had thirty yuan in his pocket, was already considered to have a huge amount of money among his peers.

Wen Yan's innocent eyes suddenly lit up with a strange light, and her little hands gripped the colorful banknotes tightly.

"Brother! I like you and your money!"

Zhou Yan: "..."

Zhou Yan's eyes didn't change much; if anything, they were just a little darker and more intense than before.

But Wen Yan sensed a different emotion in her reading.

He seemed a little... speechless.

Wen Yan blinked her big eyes, which were like twinkling little stars, beautiful and clear, staring straight at Zhou Yan's dead eyes that gleamed with an eerie light.

There was curiosity, joy, and excitement in his eyes...

I wasn't afraid.

Zhou Yan remained silent for a moment, then quietly looked away and turned to walk into the house.

Are kids these days so daring?

“This is the best gift I’ve ever received!” Wen Yan followed closely behind him.

Zhou Yan didn't respond, only Wen Yan kept chattering away beside him.

Finally, Zhou Yan couldn't hold back any longer and coldly raised his eyes: "Out..."

Before the word "go" could be uttered, a man next door shouted a name.

Wen Yan responded, picked up the lotus flower that had been thrown on the ground, and hurriedly ran outside while clutching the money in her other hand.

After running a couple of steps, she remembered something and turned back: "Brother, were you talking to me just now?"

Having achieved his goal, Zhou Yan didn't want to say anything more. He shook his head indifferently and looked at the large water vat placed in the courtyard.

The water tank was over his head; if he jumped in...

His deep eyes gleamed with an eerie light, causing my breathing to quicken.

Zhou Yan slowly moved to the edge of the water tank, only to find that he wasn't tall enough. Just as he was thinking about whether to stand on a stool, he turned around and Wen Yan ran up to him.

"Do you want to play in the water?" Wen Yan asked curiously.

"No." Zhou Yan knew that if he didn't reply, she would keep nagging him.

"What's that for?"

"Take a shower." He said calmly, glancing at her sideways. "Girls shouldn't watch boys shower."

"But I'm a child now, can't children watch this?"

Zhou Yan: "...No."

"Oh." Wen Yan was disappointed, but she didn't give up. She opened her small hands and pressed them against her face: "Can I cover my eyes then?"

Zhou Yan turned his head to look at the gap between her fingers that revealed most of her eyes, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

He really wanted to throw her out.

"Wen Yan! Time to come home for dinner—"

The neighbor called her name again, this time in a more urgent voice.

Wen Yan then realized that she should probably go back.

"Brother, my dad called me to dinner. I'll come find you to play later."

After saying that, he dashed back towards the courtyard gate.

Her pink and white dress clung to her legs as she ran, and her crystal sandals made a soft tapping sound. The little girl held a lotus flower covered in mud in her hand, and the dark gray mud spots on her snow-white arms were very conspicuous.

Once everyone left, the courtyard became much quieter.

Zhou Yan withdrew his gaze.

I recalled the layout of the house and wondered where the little wooden stool might be.

After much difficulty, I moved a small wooden stool to the side of the water tank, held onto the tank wall, and stood on it.

"boom!"

The courtyard gate opened again.

Zhou Yan's eyelids drooped, and his lifeless eyes rolled slightly. Before he could see who opened the door, a figure flashed by, and then he was lifted off the small wooden stool by the armpits.

"Little one, it's dangerous to play near the water tank." Wen Qingshan said sternly, "Where are your parents?"

“I know, I know! His mother was just taken away by a man in a suit. That man is bad; he left my brother here alone.” Wen Yan answered quickly.

Wen Qingshan frowned slightly: "When is your mother coming back?"

"Tomorrow, that man said my brother should take care of his own dinner and breakfast," Wen Yan answered again.

Throughout the entire process, Zhou Yan only stood still and rolled his eyes a few times.

"Oh right, I almost forgot, Xiao Yan, bring the money." Wen Qingshan reached out his hand.

Wen Yan reluctantly stepped back, her lips pouting slightly: "This is a gift from my brother."

Wen Qingshan had a headache: "This is my brother's money. You took it all. What kind of behavior is that?"

"That was a gift from my brother, and I traded it for lotus flowers..."

"But my brother wants to eat."

"Then why don't you come to my house for dinner?" Wen Yan's eyes lit up. "Dad, let my brother come to my house for dinner!"

She decisively handed the money to Wen Qingshan, then excitedly grabbed Zhou Yan's thin arm and looked at her elderly father with her eyes crinkled.

Clearly, she preferred being with her brother to having money.

"You can also stay at our house for one night."

Considering Zhou Yan's actions of overturning the water vat, Wen Qingshan realized that leaving such a young child alone at home was indeed dangerous, so he agreed.

Then, Zhou Yan was forcibly dragged into his neighbor's house.

Zhou Yan was stunned the whole time.

He pulled his hand away forcefully, then froze in astonishment—

He actually... couldn't pull her away?

Looking at her own thin and small frame, and Wen Yan's healthy physique, she quickly convinced herself.

He's just malnourished; he'll recover once he gets better.

Bai Wan learned what had happened from Wen Qingshan and welcomed Zhou Yan's arrival. She was even the only one of the three who remembered to ask Zhou Yan's name.

"Zhou Yan".

“It sounds nice. My daughter’s name is Wen Yan. Zhou Yan Wen Yan, it even rhymes.” Bai Wan smiled.

Zhou Yan looked into her eyes, which were the same as Wen Yan's, and felt a strange mix of emotions.

At dinner, Wen Yan and Zhou Yan sat next to each other.

When Bai Wan served food to Wen Yan, she would also serve food to Zhou Yan. She really liked this quiet, cold-eyed little boy.

That's right.

Zhou Yan's deadpan gaze, which was despised, was merely a little cold in Bai Wan's eyes.

Perhaps it's because she's a mother, but she unconsciously feels more affection for children the same age as her daughter.

Especially for obedient children like Zhou Yan who are abandoned at home by irresponsible adults.

"Mom, I want to sleep with Zhou Yan tonight." Ever since she learned Zhou Yan's name, Wen Yan has changed Nuonuo's "brother" to "Zhou Yan".

"Sure, but you have to ask Zhou Yan if he agrees first."

Zhou Yan, who was struggling to swallow his food, looked up, his eyes calm and indifferent. Could he refuse?

So I didn't say anything.

For Wen Yan, silence means consent.

Wen Yan was overjoyed, her eyes crinkling with laughter, just like Bai Wan's crinkled eyes across from her.

Zhou Yan lowered his eyes, a strange glint in his cold gaze.

Do he and that man... look alike?

Recalling that man's hypocritical and ugly face, Zhou Yan felt a chill run through his body, and a strange sense of suffocation washed over him.

No, it doesn't seem like it.

They have no relationship.

There isn't one now, and there won't be one in the future.

Zhou Yan lowered his eyelids, concealing his dark eyes from which no emotion could be discerned. He slowly opened his mouth, swallowed a small handful of rice, and remained silent.

Wen Qingshan accompanied Zhou Yan home to get a change of clothes, and Wen Yan wanted to come along too.

Zhou Yan looked at the little tagalong following him around, taking one step for every step he took, and the veins on his forehead tightened.

She looked at him with her big, watery eyes, which revealed pure, unadulterated kindness.

"Zhou Yan, do you prefer the pink or blue blanket?"

Zhou Yan glanced at the two small quilts with their fancy patterns and lace trim.

He didn't want to choose.

If I had to choose, the blue bed would be slightly more pleasing to the eye.

"blue……"

"Okay, I'll give you the pink one!"

Zhou Yan: "..."