By the time they got to the harem, Yangyang was still looking at his forehead in the mirror now and then, tugging at Leleâs arm, causing Little Leleâs brows to furrow deeply.
"If you touch me again, Iâll beat you up." Lele, looking at a smudge of ink on his calligraphy practice sheet, declared he was very angry.
But Yangyang wasnât scared at all of his brotherâs dark expression and kept holding up the small mirror, persistently asking, "Am I pretty? Am I pretty?"
"Ugly to death!" Finally annoyed by the constant questions, Lele got angry, his little face darkened, and he pointed, "Ugly to death, you are ugly to death."
For the first time, Yangyang heard his brother speak to him in such a loud voice and was a bit frightened.
When his gaze met Yang Chuxia and Aunt Dongyang at the door, he suddenly burst into tears.
While crying, he also ran toward Yang Chuxia, "Mom, Mom..."
"A man should not cry, what are you crying about?"
"He said Iâm ugly, he said Iâm ugly." The little guy was heartbroken and stopped calling for his brother, complaining to his mom while pointing at his brother.
Seeing him telling on him to their mother, Lele stood to one side with a stiff face, not speaking, but stealing glances at Yang Chuxia. It looked like he was afraid that Yang Chuxia would scold him for yelling at his little brother.
"Alright, alright, donât cry." Yang Chuxia pulled him away, saying, "Youâre always making a mess when your brother is writing, and you still blame him for calling you names?"
"Mom... I..." Lele also called out.
Truth be told, he was somewhat stunned by his brotherâs sudden burst of tears, and now he didnât know what to say, which caused his own eyes to turn red.
"Alright, alright, no more crying." Seeing her usually stoic eldest son also crying made Yang Chuxia reflect on whether she had shown any displeasure that might have scared him.
"I yelled at my little brother." Hearing him say this, Yang Chuxia finally understood why he was crying.
So Yang Chuxia had no choice but to pull both sons close, "No more crying, both of you. Weâll discuss this matter when your dad comes back. Now, look whoâs here, Aunt Dongyang has come to see you."
At these words, both dumplings looked up, but clearly, they werenât in the mood right then.
After a glance, they lowered their heads again.
"Greet Aunt Dongyang properly, or it would be impolite."
The two dumplings were obedient but when Lele tried to pull Yangyang along, Yangyang refused to be pulled, obviously still angry about his brother calling him ugly.
Seeing him pull away, Lele pouted in anger too. He hadnât even got mad about his calligraphy being ruined yet.
So, he turned his head and went to Commandery Princess Dongyang himself, "Hello, Auntie!"
As he spoke, he also made a fist-to-palm salute, looking very much like a little grown-up, yet his eyes were still red. Commandery Princess Dongyangâs heart instantly melted.
"Hello, hello, youâre Lele, right?"
"Mm-hm," Lele nodded his head.
"Such a good boy!" Commandery Princess Dongyang always loved children, "Can Auntie give you a hug?"
Lele didnât like being touched by strangers and didnât remember Commandery Princess Dongyang, instinctively shaking his head.
Dongyang was a bit disappointed. Why was this kid still like before, giving off a âstrangers keep outâ vibe?
Just then, Yangyang ran up, "Hello, Auntie, hello, Auntie."
"Auntie knows you, youâre Yangyang, right? Can Yangyang let Auntie give him a hug?"
"Yes, yes!" Yangyang, not shy around strangers, eagerly stretched out his arms to Dongyang.
"Auntie smells nice, Auntie smells nice." In Dongyangâs arms, Yangyang snuggled up while saying.
The childlike words made Commandery Princess Dongyangâs smile crease her eyes, "So, am I pretty or not?"