Chapter 4: Sticking Around

It was a Friday when Emperor Shi Zhao returned to the Jiang family home and went straight to find Jiang Hao’en.

Jiang Hao’en was not there.

She played alone in the room.

Tired from playing, she sat down in the lady’s chair and fell asleep.

She didn’t even notice when Jiang Hao’en came back.

Seeing Shi Zhao dozing on the stiff yellow pearwood chair, Jiang Hao’en frowned but said nothing. He simply headed toward the bedroom.

After a while, he came back, carrying a coat, which he draped over Shi Zhao.

Shi Zhao wasn’t sleeping soundly and tried to shift her position. The next moment, she hit the armrest, the pain waking her instantly.

Jiang Hao’en, about to leave, was startled.

Turning his head, he saw Shi Zhao holding her forehead, looking dazed.

A faint smile unconsciously curved his lips.

“Brother, brother, you’re back!” Shi Zhao rubbed her forehead. Seeing Jiang Hao’en, she seemed to forget the pain, jumped down from the chair, and excitedly grabbed his sleeve.

Jiang Hao’en pressed his lips together and said nothing, but nodded slightly.

---

“Brother, brother, I brought you something delicious—really good! I specially brought it back for you!” Shi Zhao presented her treasure, pulling a piece of mung bean cake wrapped in tin foil from her pocket.

Only then did she realize the mung bean cake had been squashed out of shape.

Blinking her eyes, she pressed her lips tight, nearly bursting into tears.

“Thank you!” Jiang Hao’en replied softly, taking the crushed mung bean cake from her hand.

Shi Zhao immediately smiled, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

“Brother, I promise next time I won’t let it get squashed!”

Aunt Shi, seeing Shi Zhao had not gone back yet, came looking for her.

“Sorry, Young Master, Zhao Di has come to bother you again,” Aunt Shi apologized, holding her daughter’s hand.

“It’s alright,” came the faint, toneless reply.

Yet it was enough to surprise Aunt Shi.

Having served as the housekeeper for the Jiang family for many years, she had rarely heard Jiang Hao’en speak.

At first, she thought he simply couldn’t talk. Later, she found out he had autism, with communication and speech difficulties.

---

Over the years, whether arranging his meals or other daily matters, she had grown used to informing him without expecting any response.

So today, she hadn’t expected him to reply—yet he did.

“Brother, I’m going back to sleep now. I’ll come find you to play again tomorrow!” Shi Zhao said with a bright smile, taking her mother’s hand and happily leaving Jiang Hao’en’s room.

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