Anyone would appreciate beauty, even if they were already accustomed to it. Chang Geng's breathing still couldn't help but stagnate; he blinked quickly as if to clear that dazzling blood-red spot from his eyesight.

He cleared his throat and raised his voice: "Shiliu, take the medicine."

The teenager was undergoing a voice-changing period. It was a little challenging for him to talk to this half-deaf. Fortunately, this time Shen Shiliu heard him, and the sound of the xun* that had the ability to urge people to urinate stopped.

*type of musical instrument with egg shape with holes on it

Shen Shiliu narrowed his eyes, barely able to recognize Chang Geng, who was standing in the doorway: "Where are your manners, who did you just call?"

In reality, he was only seven to eight years older than Chang Geng and was not yet married. He was fully aware of his good-for-nothing nature and had prepared to live this life alone, unable to get himself a wife. But suddenly, he ended up with a son whom he did not have to raise himself, and he wanted nothing more than to hold firmly onto the boy. Whenever he had an opportunity to, he would enjoy flaunting his role as a 'father'.

Chang Geng ignored Shiliu and carefully placed the medicine bowl in front of him: "Drink while it's still hot; it's no longer early, hurry and lie down after you finish drinking."

Shen Shiliu put aside the xun and picked up the medicine bowl: "How ungrateful, was it not a good life being my son? I have wasted so much effort in treating you so well."

He drank the medicine without difficulty, downing it in one go, unmistakably used to it. He then drank two mouthfuls of the plain water that Chang Geng handed him for rinsing and waved his hand: "There was a market in Changyang today, I brought home something exciting for you. Come here."

Shen Shiliu bent over to search around the desk, and due to his eyesight, the tip of his nose appeared as if it was grazing its surface. Chang Geng had no choice but to respond: "What are you looking for? Let me look for you."

After a moment, he couldn't help but complain: "I have already grown up, have you got nothing else to do but keep on bringing me children's playthings?"

If you have so much free time on your hands, why not just stop causing me trouble and let me study more useful things - Chang Geng rolled this thought in his head, but as the words were about to come out, they felt a little hurtful, so he did not speak them.

All year round, Xu Baihu seldom stayed home. He was a good and honest man who was very kind to Chang Geng, although he did not often communicate with his stepchild. Thinking about it, Chang Geng had spent these most crucial years of his life with this improper yifu.