Chapter 7: Want to follow Uncle Junior?

It was a scene no one had expected, and it happened so suddenly that the adults in the room froze for a moment.

Even Shen Ke was a little taken by surprise when he turned back, hung his head, and called out in a questioning tone, "Kids?"

Lin Jian glanced up at him and then quickly lowered his eyes.

Cong Wan walked over, surveyed for a moment the posture of little Lin Jian pulling on the hem of Shen Ke's garment, and asked tentatively, "Little Lin Jian, do you ...... want to follow your little uncle?"

Uncle Junior--

The title froze both parties involved.

But on second thought it makes sense, Shen Zhangqian let Lin Jian call himself "grandfather", that "grandfather's" son, but naturally is the uncle.

Probably because the "uncle" was also very young, Cong Wan reluctantly added the qualifier "small".

Lin Jian still didn't reply, but the hand that clutched the hem of Shen Ke's shirt slightly increased in strength.

The adults looked at each other with dismay and some uncertainty.

Luckily Cong Wan was patient enough to bend down to a height where he could be eye level with Lin Jian, and said softly, "But, Little Uncle has to be busy with a lot of things, and since he lives alone, he can't even take care of himself, so he probably won't be able to take good care of you." After a pause, then smiled and coaxed softly, "Grandma and Grandpa's house is very big, there will definitely be a place you will like, and there are many people here, so everyone can take good care of you, oh yes, isn't there also a young lady ......"

After that, she waved at Ai Jia in the center hall, and the little girl put down the Lego model figure in her hand, and ran to her aunt with a ta-da, and after getting encouragement, she smiled and was about to pull Lin Jian's hand, "Hello, I'm--"

Without finishing his sentence or touching his hand, Lin Jian quickly moved to avoid Shen Ke's back.

For Lin Jian, all the people, scenery and objects are completely unfamiliar, and in such an environment, compared to him, the only person he is familiar with is Shen Ke. A small child does not think so much, and in such a situation, he can only follow his nature of avoiding harm and getting closer to the people he knows well.

Rather than being capricious, it's more like seeking refuge in a way.

Yet actually getting him to follow Shen Ke seems even more unlikely.

A young man of twenty years of age cannot look after an eight year old child.

Shen Ke frowned slightly as he touched his hand to Lin Jian's elongated and protruding wrist bone and said softly, "Let go of me for a moment and I'll talk to you."

Lin Jian's small hands shivered, but automatically blocked out his words.

Shen Ke seemed a little helpless, and after a moment's thought, he had to reach out and remove his hand from the hem of his coat, and when he was pulled away Lin Jian glanced up at him, the corners of his mouth taut.

Shen Ke squatted down in front of him, still in Lin Jian's familiar posture, and tried to reason with the little child, "I'm usually very busy at work, and often don't come home, so sometimes I can't even take care of myself, so how can I take care of you?"

After stating the facts, Shen Ke began to follow the good advice: "There are many people here, Guan Jia, aunts, grandparents and little friends, you--"

Before he could finish his sentence, Lin Jian suddenly interrupted him, "Then send me back."

Shen Ke's face changed slightly.

Lin Jian closed his mouth again after saying this, his dark eyes looking at Shen Ke, his small face was pure and stubborn stubbornness.

At that moment, Shen Zhangqian, who was leaning on the bed, called out Shen Ke's name. Shen Ke looked up and, with just one glance, read the deep meaning in Shen Zhangqian's eyes.

At a certain moment, Shen Ke suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of humor rising from the bottom of his heart, and felt that the situation in front of him was really laughable, with a hint of helplessness mixed in with the absurdity.

Let him take care of an eight-year-old?

Even if the bond between the Shen family and him was deeper, he could not help but feel forced.

But Shen Zhangqian said, "Listen to the child, let him stay at ease first - if it's not possible, then send him here." At the end, he added, "You come back with us."

Shen Ke's words, which were already about to come out of his mouth, just froze on the edge of his mouth.

From the Shen family mansion out of the time, already nearly seven o'clock, Shen Ke this time did not use the driver to send, he drove out of the parking lot, he sat in the driver's seat, while the back seat is sitting, one is Lin Jian, one is in the Shen family mansion for nearly ten years of work in the aunts.

Shen Ke's residence is a two-storey garden house, close to the city center and the CBD, less than ten minutes' walk from the door to the city's business center street, but the house is a rare and quiet neighborhood, like in the middle of the noisy and bustling city, creating a pure land.

There is an artificial lake next to the house, around which a small park of modest size has been built on the water, while further back in the park, there is a small hill.

Lin Jian and Sister Pei were taken home by Shen Ke.

Parked the car and entered the door, Pei did not wait for the command to go first to organize the small Lin Jian's belongings, in fact, there is nothing to pack, after all, Lin Jian's belongings in addition to the schoolbag is only a small package.

Shen Ke sat down in the living room sofa on the first floor, his head tilted back against the back of the sofa, and he remained silent from the time Shen Ke went out until now.

After Lin Jian said, "Then send me back," he never said another word, even at dinner at the mansion, Ai Jia took the initiative to show affection to his new friend many times, but he never responded.

If we are talking about silence, I am afraid that Lin Jian is more talented than Shen Ke.

The large two-story townhouse is quiet as if no one is there, only the sound of Pei's footsteps in a trip, not long, the footsteps stopped in front of the sofa.

Shen Ke opened his eyes and saw Sister Pei carrying several pieces of clothing in her hand, standing there with a desire to speak, seemingly at a loss for words.

Shen Ke let out a deep breath, pushed down the bit of exhaustion in his heart and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Young master, look at these clothes ......" Sister Pei's face also had a somewhat hesitant look, "It's so cool, but what this child has brought are still all singlets, and the weather forecast says that it might snow next week, which ......"

When she said this, Shen Ke's eyes naturally fell on the small pieces of clothing in Pei's hands.

From the degree of newness, it seems that the clothes are already many years old, a few pieces of cuffs and trouser legs have been opened in the position of the line, although Shen Ke has never raised children, no childcare experience, but children are "with the wind grow" or heard of it, so Lin Jian now these several years ago, but still to the So Lin Jian's old clothes, which are several years old, but still fit well enough to be worn today, have only one more origin.

It was worn unwanted by someone else before, probably that cousin of his, or even ...... a cousin.

For a while, Shen Ke's feelings were somewhat conflicted.

On the one hand, he is negative about the decision to bring Lin Jian back into his care, but on the other hand, his heart aches for the child through the subtleties that can be glimpsed without words.

Lin Jian also tilted his head slightly, looking at the clothes in Sister Pei's hand without making a sound.

In the end, it was the latter who prevailed, Shen Ke sat up straight and inclined his head to discuss with Lin Jian: "These clothes are too thin to be worn in the future, is it okay if you don't want them, I'll have someone take you to buy new ones tomorrow?"

Lin Jian's state at this moment seemed to be a bit better than in the Shen family, it seemed that because the person he was facing made him feel familiar, the defense in his eyes wasn't as deep as it should have been, and after a while, he nodded his head, only emphasizing in a small voice, "The book bag can't be unwanted."

"OK." Shen Ke promised crisply, "I'll leave the bag for you."

Shen Ke's bedroom and study were on the second floor, with a nanny's room on the first floor, while Lin Jian lived in a room also on the first floor, separated from the living room by a small bar and with a separate sitting room.

After Pei helped him clean up briefly and put on new bedding, she returned to the living room and called out to Lin Jian: "Little boy come, take a bath with auntie."

Lin Jian was still sitting on the sofa without moving, Shen Ke had already gotten up from his side and headed upstairs, and after taking a few steps and thinking of something else, he stopped on the wooden revolving staircase and turned back to instruct, "Find one of my T-shirts from the checkroom, and make do for one night, and tomorrow I'll have someone take you to buy the necessities of life."

Although Shen Ke has been studying abroad for the past two years and doesn't come home very often, whenever he comes home, he always has this gentle demeanor and tone of voice when he talks to the servants at home.

But it was such a young man of a young age, with such a clear and light tone, but it inexplicably gave rise to a sense of oppression that could not be refused.

Shen Ke said without stopping and went straight back to the bedroom to take a shower.

Lin Jian followed Sister Pei back to her room.

Pei went to Shen Ke's checkroom to find a new T-shirt to use as little Lin Jian's makeshift pajamas for the night, and walked around the small bar to the bedroom door, with the bathroom to the right as she entered.

Lin Jian stood at the bathroom door, Pei took out a new set of toiletries from the bath cabinet, squeezed the toothpaste and then greeted him to brush his teeth first.

The incandescent light in the bathroom was bright but not blinding, and Lin Jian stood at the sink, brushed her teeth with a new toothbrush, and looked up after rinsing her mouth to see herself in the shower mirror on the wall.

Sister Pei has already filled the bathtub with water, at this time looking at the little Lin Jian could not help but "pfft" out of laughter, and wanted to raise his hand to touch the top of his head, but Lin Jian a tilt of the head to avoid it.

Sister Pei only thought it was a small child recognized, with a finger pointed to the mirror, said with a smile, "Look at this little friend, the little face has become a small cat, aunt look at ...... aigoo, the small neck is also a circle of black, how long did not take a bath it?"

Lin Jian froze and still didn't speak up, but his eyes fluttered a bit, obviously embarrassed.

"Aigoo still blushing?" Pei sister from the bottom of her heart like this quiet and silent little child, the tone of love as if treating their own little grandchildren, "It's okay, let's soak in the bathtub for a while, and when the little skin soaked and soft, auntie then give you a good wash, after washing we will smell good." After saying that, she was going to pull Lin Jian's little hand and go to the bathtub.

Lin Jian ducked quickly, and Pei's hand grabbed an opening.

Lin Jian looked up at Sister Pei's slightly surprised expression, pursed his lips, and said softly, "I'll wash it myself."

"You can wash yourself?" Sister Pei was even more surprised, nowadays young people are not as old as they used to be, the children in the family are raised to be pampered, her little nephew is two years older than Lin Jian, not to mention that the bath has to be washed by his father, and even his own housekeeping is not well organized.

Lin Jian nodded and repeated, "It can be washed."

"That's fine ......," Pei hung Shen Ke's big T-shirt on the towel rack, and carefully taught Lin Jian how to adjust the hot and cold water, and finally pointed to the showerhead above the bathtub and said, "Rinse after washing. Finally, pointing to the showerhead above the bathtub, she said, "After you finish washing, rinse again, shampoo and shower gel are all here, and I'll give you a blow-dry later."

Lin Jian did not make a sound, but in his heart, he seriously noted down what Pei just said, after all, he had never used such a bathtub and shower before, and was afraid that he would make a fool of himself because of getting it wrong.

Lin Jian had been watching Sister Pei walk out of the bathroom and close the door before she slowly took off her clothes and lifted her leg to step into the bathtub.

The bathtub was large, the porcelain walls were white and smooth, and the water was slightly hot, so Lin Jian cautiously gripped the edge of the bathtub and waited until she had gotten used to the temperature of the water before she slowly squatted in the water.

The water was just above Lin Jian's shoulders, and Lin Jian stayed in this position for about five minutes before he tried to sit down in the tub.

As the hot water passes over the child's thin body, little Lin Jian can't help but squint in comfort.

How long has it been since he took a bath? Come to think of it, the last time he took a bath was when Lin Jianghe came back from the construction site during the October 1 vacation and took him to the bathhouse in town.

At that time, Lin Jianghe also told him that when he came back from the Spring Festival, he would take him to the county town, where the bathhouses could still be used for bathing, and his son would be washed clean and put on new clothes for the New Year's Eve.

And now, but just a little more than a month's time, he can no longer wait for Lin Jianghe to take him to the county bathhouse, and Lin Jianghe, too, can no longer wait for this year's New Year's Eve.

Little Lin Jian takes a sponge and rubs himself, silently scrubbing off the black mud on his little arms, revealing his original milky white skin color.

In the hot water for a long time, the body began to have a burst without a burst of pain, especially the back, hot water, a sting of pain, Lin Jian at least endured the wash, stood up from the bathtub, turn on the shower, the head and body of the foam just rinsed clean, just listen to the door, "Gada" sound.

Lin Jian was startled, and in a panic, he tried to turn off the hot water and soak into the bathtub again, but in the midst of the chaos, he accidentally twisted the wrong switch, and the water temperature suddenly turned cold, and Lin Jian was hit by the cold water, and he was caught off-guard and cried out with an "ah."

And Pei's exclamation of surprise was even higher than Lin Jian's, and even Shen Ke, who was sitting in the study, could hear it clearly.

Shen Ke "snapped" closed the penlight, steadily down from the second floor, walked to the first floor Lin Jian's room, as soon as he entered the door to see Pei sister standing in the bathroom door, a hand holding a new towel, the other hand pointing to the bathroom in the small Lin Jian, lips shivering, but could not say anything.

"What's wrong?" Shen Ke asked, frowning, and when he looked up, he actually froze in place as well.

The skinny child was half-squatting in the bathtub with his back to them, and the pale, thin spine was covered with bruises, purple and blue, from the beating.