CHAPTER 51: LITTLE BROTHER!

That maybe, just maybe, they could finally have the ordinary happiness they both deserved.

But in Huaijin’s dreams, the image of that peaceful moon trembled slightly, like a warning ripple across calm waters.

Because deep down, she knew that peace in stories like these never lasted long.

And she was already preparing for the storm to come.

***

The afternoon sun was beginning to mellow when the Mid-Autumn Festival reached its most vibrant hour.

Lanterns were strung from every branch and stall, the soft hum of chatter mixing with music from the open stage. The air smelled of roasted chestnuts, sugar, and excitement.

At one corner of the fair, a small stall with a hand-painted banner—"Huaijin’s Handmade Mooncakes!"—was doing surprisingly well.

The bright tablecloth fluttered gently in the breeze, covered with boxes of mooncakes that looked so neat and glossy that even adults passing by stopped for a second glance.

Behind the stall stood a little girl in a pink cheongsam apron, her cheeks dusted faintly with flour and her pigtails tied with red ribbons.

She smiled earnestly at every passerby, though a little nervousness trembled at the corners of her lips.

Chi Huaijin’s tiny hands fidgeted with the ribbons on the baskets as she glanced at her father, who stood a few meters away under a tree, sipping tea with his usual unbothered grace.

He had that relaxed, elegant air that could make even doing nothing look like an art form.

"Daddy," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. "What if nobody buys them?"

Yuanfeng’s gaze softened. "You’ve already done your best. Whether people buy them or not doesn’t change that."

"But..." Huaijin pouted slightly. "What if they all go bad by the end of the day?"

He smiled faintly. "Then I’ll eat them all myself."

She blinked. "You’ll get fat!"

"Then you’ll have to help me exercise."

"Ehh— no way!"

Yuanfeng chuckled quietly, amused by her expression. Still, a small crease appeared between his brows.

He knew how much heart Huaijin had poured into this. If her little stall failed, her tiny spirit would dim, and he couldn’t allow that.

So, while pretending to drink his tea, he subtly texted one of his subordinates nearby:

"Buy out her stock. Don’t be obvious. Act normal."

The man replied instantly:

"Understood, sir. How many boxes?"

"All of them, if needed. Just don’t act suspiciously."

He pocketed his phone and looked over again. Huaijin had started calling out sweetly, her childish voice ringing like a bell.

"Fresh mooncakes! Handmade with love! You’ll definitely smile after eating them!"

Her tone was bright, but her small brows furrowed when nobody immediately approached.

She tugged the edge of her sleeve nervously, looking a little deflated.

Just then—

A quiet, familiar voice spoke from the front of the stall.

"How much for one?"

Huaijin froze for half a second, then looked up, and her eyes widened.

Standing there, wearing the neatly pressed uniform of a top private middle school, was none other than Yun Jue, the boy from the amusement park.

The very same "big brother" who had helped her out during the haunted house debacle.

"Little brother!" she exclaimed, her voice brightening instantly. "It’s you!"

Yun Jue blinked once, mildly startled by the greeting, before his calm expression softened slightly.

He looked at the tiny girl in the pink apron and gave a small nod. "You’re... the girl from the park."

’Cute.’ He couldn’t help but appreciate the apron with little ducks printed on it that Huaijin wore.

"That’s me!" she said proudly. "You came to my stall? You really came?"

Her excitement was so sincere that even his stoic composure wavered for a second.

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, as if fighting off a smile. "It was... a coincidence."

"Still, I’m so happy to see you again!" she said, practically bouncing on her toes.

At that moment, from the corner of his eye, Yun Jue caught sight of a certain man standing under the nearby tree, Chi Yuanfeng, whose gaze was far too calm and far too sharp for his liking.

The man’s lips were curved in an elegant smile, but his eyes radiated the unmistakable message:

"Touch my daughter, and I’ll bury you."

Yun Jue’s posture stiffened slightly.

Meanwhile, Huaijin was already busy opening one of her mooncake boxes. "You came just in time! I’ll let you have a free sample, okay?"

He blinked. "You don’t have to—"

"I insist!" she said firmly, pressing a small snow-skin mooncake into his hands. "Here! This one has custard filling! I made the dough myself, and Papa helped me cook the inside!"

Her eager expression left him no room to refuse. Yun Jue accepted the mooncake, then slowly took a small bite.

The taste was... unexpectedly good.

The texture was soft and fragrant, the custard lightly sweet but not overwhelming. His usually indifferent eyes softened slightly, and Huaijin caught it immediately.

"You like it!" she said triumphantly, clasping her hands together. "I knew you would!"

He paused, as if caught off guard by her enthusiasm. "...It’s good."

"Then I’ll give you one more!"

Before he could protest, she wrapped another mooncake in paper and handed it to him like a treasure. "For later! You have to eat when you’re studying hard, okay?"

"...Mn."

From a distance, Yuanfeng’s smile froze ever so slightly.

’Was that a second free mooncake? Wait. Now a third?’

He was beginning to question if his daughter was running a charity instead of a business.

Then Huaijin leaned on the counter and looked at Yun Jue with sparkling eyes. "You look really good in your school uniform, little brother! It really suits you!"

Her voice was so sweet that even a nearby passerby let out a soft "aww."

Yun Jue blinked again, unused to being complimented so openly. "...Thank you."

Behind her, Yuanfeng’s faint smile didn’t reach his eyes.

The father and the boy shared a brief, silent exchange of glances. Yun Jue’s eyes were questioning and confused, whereas Yuanfeng’s eyes were calm but subtly dangerous.