Chapter 12: Liu Caicai

He Fang was perplexed. "What do you mean by girlfriend? Grasshopper? You're this old and still play with grasshoppers?"

The dark-skinned boy shot his mother an impatient look. "You don’t get it, so stop asking."

"Hey, you brat," He Fang raised her hand, ready to smack her son.

Liu Caicai, familiar with his mother's habits, calmly turned his head to dodge and sat on the other side of Wan Shun.

He snatched Wan Shun’s soda and gulped it down greedily.

"Refreshing."

He Fang was furious. "That's your sister’s! Can’t you get your own?"

Liu Caicai didn’t care. "It’s no big deal. My sister won’t mind. Mom, get us two more bottles, but make sure they’re chilled."

Chilled soda was the soul of summer. Nowadays, having a fridge was a rarity, not every household had one. The Liu family bought one for their business, and thanks to it, Liu Caicai had gained quite a reputation at school; many classmates envied him.

He Fang shot her troublesome son a glare.

She grumbled, yet still rose to get them sodas.

When it came to food and drink, the Liu couple were generous with their children.

Once their mother left, Liu Caicai leaned in close to Wan Shun. "Sis, you don’t know how awful Second Ma is. Not only does he steal my girlfriend, he takes my money too. Over the holidays, my mom gave me ten yuan to go to the movies and buy snacks with my friends.

That little bastard somehow found out, ambushed me in the alley with his gang, took my money, and beat me up. I haven’t dared tell Mom or Dad, but I can’t swallow this. Sis, you have to help me."

Wan Shun glanced at Liu Caicai—the skinny, dark boy with big eyes and white teeth.

Carefree and silly, like a little fool.

He seemed to have endless energy, always bouncing around, never tired.

His grades were average, but the Liu parents never expected him to get into top universities. They just hoped he’d make it through high school.

As long as he was healthy, nothing else mattered.

He was easygoing, reckless with money, bore no grudges, simple-minded, straightforward—just like her former self.

But she never knew he was among the victims of school bullying.

She didn’t care about the girlfriend nonsense, seeing it as a rite of passage for adolescent boys.

But stealing money and beating people up was unacceptable.

"How many times did he steal from you, and how many times did he hit you?"

Liu Caicai didn’t notice the darkness in Wan Shun’s tone, counting on his fingers. "Hmm… he hit me five times, stole from me twice, but I got back at him twice. That little scoundrel is sly, full of dirty tricks—I can't beat him. The main thing is, every time I got back at him, his dad came to our shop twice."

Wan Shun raised her eyebrows. "What does his dad do?"

"His dad’s a minor official in the Health Bureau. Came twice, fined our family twice, said our place wasn’t clean. Our kitchen’s cleaner than their stove, but he still found fault. It’s infuriating."

Liu Caicai slammed the table in anger—a young boy, now tasting the complexities of society and his own helplessness.

He Fang came over with the sodas, glaring at him. "What are you banging the table for? Who are you trying to impress?"

Liu Caicai ignored his mother, snatched the soda, opened one for Wan Shun and handed it to her, then opened another and took a big gulp himself.

He Fang, used to being disregarded by her son, gave him a light slap, venting her frustration.

Luo Cheng came out carrying two bowls of noodles.

Liu Shu, hearing his son’s loud voice, had conveniently cooked him a bowl too.

But the noodles Luo Cheng handed to Liu Caicai were piled high with meat, while Wan Shun’s bowl had only a lonely slice.

Wan Shun raised her eyebrows, saying nothing.

Liu Caicai, though careless, wasn’t stupid.

With such an obvious difference, how could he not know why?

"Luo Cheng, what are you doing?"

Liu Caicai didn’t like Luo Cheng, but his parents thought highly of him, so he couldn’t do much about it.

After all, he didn’t cook or manage the shop; as long as his parents handled it, he had no objections, even if he didn’t like it—he just ignored it.

But bullying his sister in front of him was unacceptable.

Luo Cheng smiled. "Caicai, you’re too thin, you need to eat more. Wan Shun’s just a girl, doesn’t matter if she eats or not—one slice is enough to taste. We run a business, so naturally, business comes first, right?"

His words sounded like charity, as if Wan Shun should be grateful.

"Like hell," Liu Caicai threw down his chopsticks, pointed at Luo Cheng and cursed, "Who asked you? It’s our meat, we can give it to whoever we want. Why are you meddling? My parents haven’t said anything, yet you act so important.

Don’t think I don’t know—you always pick on my sister, speaking in that snide tone. My sister ignores you because she’s generous, but don’t push your luck."

Liu Caicai’s voice was loud, unrestrained.

The helpers picking vegetables at the door poked their heads in, startled by his shouting.

Luo Cheng’s face flushed crimson, head bowed in silence, as if deeply wronged.

But his chest seethed with anger, secretly resentful that Liu Caicai didn’t know what was good for him.

He Fang slapped Liu Caicai. "You brat, what nonsense are you spouting? That’s your brother Luo Cheng—have you no manners? He’s thinking of the shop. You do nothing all day, and still dare to criticize others?"

She turned to comfort Luo Cheng. "Little Luo, Caicai’s just blunt, his words are rough, don’t mind him. I’ll deal with him later. But for food, our family eats as much as we like, it’s no problem. Making money is so our family can live well, right? How can we not eat ourselves and only serve outsiders?

Wan Shun is family—eat as much as you want, don’t be stingy in the future, or people will laugh."

Luo Cheng pursed his lips, nodded quietly. "I understand, Aunt. It’s almost noon, I’ll go help Uncle."

"Go on," He Fang waved him off.

Then she jabbed Liu Caicai hard. "Whatever you say, he’s your brother. You embarrassed him in public—how do you expect him to face people? Can’t you talk properly? Just because you’re loud doesn’t mean you’re right."

Liu Caicai snorted, sat down, and transferred the meat from his bowl into Wan Shun’s. "I can’t stand his bossy, petty attitude—he takes himself too seriously."

He Fang sometimes disliked Luo Cheng’s ways too, but having kept him around for three years, she felt obliged to be considerate.

She didn’t want to argue with Liu Caicai, so she took Wan Shun’s hand. "Did you feel wronged, Wan Shun? It’s all your uncle’s fault—he knows how Luo Cheng is, and still let him serve the noodles. Be good, don’t be upset. Treat this place as your own home—eat as much as you want, we’re not stingy."

Wan Shun smiled and nodded. "I’m not upset, Aunt, and you don’t need to be. Uncle’s noodles are delicious, I can eat a whole bowl."

He Fang smiled and patted her head. "If you like it, eat more. If it’s not enough, let your uncle cook more for you. The pork belly today is good—I’ll ask him to make a plate for you."

"Thank you, Aunt," Wan Shun accepted without hesitation, and He Fang left happily.

Liu Caicai, unhappy with his parents’ indulgence toward Luo Cheng, grumbled, "Sis, why do you put up with that petty guy? If you ask me, he deserves a slap—he can’t tell his place, seriously."

Wan Shun looked at his carefree face and sighed.

Even if nothing happened, Luo Cheng would step all over him.

With his mind, he was bound to be trampled.

As for Luo Cheng, being scolded so publicly by Liu Caicai, yet swallowing his anger and smiling—there was something off about him.

In prison, people like that were often the ones who did the worst things.