Chapter 135: Teaching the Younger Brother a Lesson

The two little ones glanced at each other, shrank their necks, and turned to run, but before they could get far, Wen Yao grabbed one in each hand and pulled them back.

“Stand still.” Faced with their behavior, Wen Yao frowned and her voice involuntarily grew louder.

Big Head had never seen his sister like this before and was stunned, forgetting even to react. Jin Xiuyi didn’t dare move an inch.

“Sis Yao Yao,” Jin Xiuyi called out timidly when neither of them spoke.

Wen Yao furrowed her brows and stared at Big Head.

After a moment, Big Head finally lowered his head, rolling his eyes but still silent.

Wen Yao released their collars, looking down at them with a sneer. “So you’ve grown bold, huh? Learned to bully others?”

Jin Xiuyi hurriedly explained, “Sis Yao Yao, we... didn’t bully him.” But the last five words sounded so unconvincing.

Wen Yao crossed her arms, looking at them. “Really?”

Jin Xiuyi nervously tugged at his fingers, glanced at Big Head, and gave a faint nod.

“Then what’s with Xie Anyi’s clothes?” Wen Yao suddenly asked.

Even though Xie Anyi had tried to clean the dirt off as best he could, the torn seams in his clothes were obvious. When they left, the two looked visibly afraid. Wen Yao didn’t believe they hadn’t done anything.

Realizing they couldn’t hide it from Wen Yao any longer, both lowered their heads quietly, tacitly admitting they had bullied Xie Anyi.

“Tell me what happened.” Wen Yao patiently fetched a small stool and sat in front of them, waiting for their explanation.

They exchanged glances, pushing and pulling blame between each other.

“Sis, please don’t be mad. We won’t bully him anymore,” Big Head said, biting his lip, looking aggrieved.

Wen Yao smiled—now they were even starting to feel wronged?

“I’m asking why you bullied him. Where did you take him today? How did his clothes get torn?” Wen Yao asked.

“Nothing much, just playing in the village. Iron Ox and the others said they were going to raid bird nests, and then...” Jin Xiuyi’s voice grew smaller and smaller. Actually, they hadn’t done much—he and Big Head had teamed up to mock Xie Anyi and provoked him a bit. Who knew Xie Anyi was so sensitive that he insisted on going after the bird nests himself and fell from a tree?

After hearing their explanation, Wen Yao didn’t know what to say. Xie Anyi really was a fool. According to the original story, wasn’t he supposed to be quite smart? How could he have been so dumb as a child, getting worked up just because of a couple of taunts?

He was a pampered young master—how could he compare to these rustic kids?

Wen Yao looked at Big Head and asked, “Do you remember how Li Erhu and the others bullied you, bullied our family?”

Big Head’s head lowered even further.

Wen Yao continued, “How are you any different from Li Erhu now?”

“You bully Xie Anyi at the academy, then bring him to Mr. Qiu’s class, thinking that makes up for the bullying and exclusion, so he must be grateful to you?” Wen Yao spoke earnestly. So young, and already playing the schoolyard bully? That’s unacceptable.

Big Head muttered quietly, “He didn’t say he was unhappy. When I took him to my godfather’s, his father seemed quite pleased.”

Wen Yao asked again, “Did you ask Xie Anyi? Is he happy? His father’s happiness doesn’t mean he is too.”

The two little ones froze. Wasn’t that exactly what Xie Anyi wanted most?

Wen Yao sighed, “Can’t you see Xie Anyi doesn’t like things the way they are? He’s trying to get close to you, wanting to be friends, admiring the friendship between you two. But what about you? You only think about how to tease him, then give him a sweet to make up for it. How is that any different from a bully who mocks and plays with others?

If someone else treated you like that, would you be happy? Do you really think that after bullying someone and then giving them a candy, they would just forgive the hurt?”

The two little rascals stared at Wen Yao, dumbfounded.

“I wouldn’t,” Big Head hesitated, biting his lip and whispering.

Jin Xiuyi thought for a moment, shook his head, “Me neither.”

Wen Yao shrugged, “So, put yourselves in his shoes. What wrong did Xie Anyi do to deserve your bullying?”

They said nothing. Wen Yao continued, “Like today, Xie Anyi had never played with the things rural kids do. Maybe he just wanted to try a little. But your cold sarcasm made him feel that if he didn’t try, he’d lose face before you and you’d look down on him even more.

And if, when he tried, instead of mocking, you encouraged him, even helped him when he fell instead of laughing at him—wouldn’t that be better?”

The two little ones really put themselves in his place. If they had fallen from the tree and those around them didn’t help but laughed loudly, they’d feel awful.

As they thought about it, sad expressions appeared on their faces.

Wen Yao knew they had understood.

Ah, after all, they were still children. Although the original story ended with the major characters each going their separate ways, even fighting viciously over a woman, right now, they were just two kids—blank slates who hadn’t yet met that wretched heroine or fate.

Everything was still salvageable.

With that thought, Wen Yao stood, clapped her hands, and took one of them by each hand, leading them home as she said, “Xie Anyi is actually quite pitiful. His father is focused on grooming his older brother, and keeps Xie Anyi around only to threaten his mother for money.”

The two looked up at Wen Yao in disbelief.

“Really? His father is that bad?”

If true, Xie Anyi was truly unfortunate.

Wen Yao looked down at them and said, “Don’t believe me? Tomorrow, find a chance to ask Xie Anyi. When he went to Mr. Qiu’s class with Big Head, did his father say anything to him?”

Big Head and Jin Xiuyi exchanged a glance and decided to ask Xie Anyi at the academy the next day.

Seeing the two little ones had taken her words to heart, Wen Yao breathed a sigh of relief. With their family’s intervention this time, she didn’t expect the three big players from the original story to become close and loving, only that they wouldn’t clash fiercely and end up hurting each other.

She was no longer worried about Jin Xiuyi and Big Head—they were as close as peas in a pod now. Her only concern was Xie Anyi. This kid was still so young, yet already showing signs of a people-pleaser personality? No wonder in the original story he treated the heroine that way, dragging the male lead into it as well... sigh, it was really hard to explain.