Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Only Allowed to Love Annie the Most

[Six’s grandma is so vicious! I just want to jump through the screen and beat her up!]

[Can some kind soul post Six’s home address? I want to mail her some clothes. I hope I can do my small part to help them!]

…

After leading Naomi Kenway and her son to the west room, Six went back to the main hall to keep busy. She returned about ten minutes later.

“Six, is there any water here? I want to give Ian a bath.”

Ian Shaw had accompanied her on a long mountain hike today, and his skin was sticky. He had complained several times that he was uncomfortable.

“Yes! There’s a well in the courtyard,” Six said. “I’ll go get some water for you now.”

With that, she turned to leave.

Naomi Kenway quickly called out to her, “That’s not necessary, Six. I can go get the water myself. I can’t trouble a child like you.”

“It’s okay. When my grandma was sick, I was the one who took care of her. I’m very good at things like getting water!”

Six proudly puffed out her chest.

Naomi Kenway could only say, “How about this, Six? You show me how to draw the water first, and then leave the rest to me!”

Six thought for a moment, then agreed.

In the courtyard, the night was as tranquil as still water. Six’s thin arms skillfully lifted a bucket of water.

Naomi Kenway hefted it to test the weight. A bucket that would be a slight struggle even for an adult seemed effortless for this resilient little girl.

“Mommy…” Ian Shaw noticed Naomi Kenway was distracted. He tugged on the corner of her clothes, looking up at her with his small face.

Naomi Kenway snapped back to reality and smiled, ruffling Ian Shaw’s hair. “What is it, Ian?”

Ian Shaw glanced around, a hint of embarrassment on his face. “Ian… doesn’t want to take a bath right now.”

Naomi Kenway noticed the cameras nearby and smiled in understanding. “Then we’ll wash up after the crew clocks out.”

Ian nodded.

Taking advantage of the downtime, Naomi Kenway started chatting with Six.

“We always call you Six. What’s your real name?”

Six paused, then shook her head. “Six doesn’t have a real name.”

“No real name? Then who gave you the name Six?”

“My grandma, I guess. I have five older sisters, and I’m the sixth in line, so they just called me Six. But my little brother is different…” A look of envy appeared in Six’s eyes. “Before my brother was even born, Grandma had already asked one of the village elders to pick a good name for him. I heard that anyone with that name will have a great future!”

Naomi Kenway was stunned for a moment. “You have five older sisters? Why haven’t I seen them?”

Six’s expression darkened. “They were all given away. Grandma said they couldn’t possibly afford to raise so many children. The reason I got to stay is because I eat the least and I’m easy to raise. Plus, I can take care of my little brother later. That’s what Grandpa and Grandma said.”

Naomi Kenway was speechless. Her heart trembled. ’I can’t believe the sexism in Six’s family is this severe…’

At that moment, all the surrounding cameras swiveled away.

Naomi Kenway frowned slightly and asked what was wrong.

The director walked over and said quietly, “Well… the live stream needs to show positive and uplifting elements. What you were just talking about isn’t quite suitable for broadcast…”

Half an hour later, the camera crew wrapped up for the day. They would be resting in temporary tents set up in the courtyard to be ready for the next day’s shoot.

When Naomi Kenway went to get water herself, she discovered there was something unusual about the well. It was less a well and more a cistern. According to Six, the water inside was all rainwater they had collected and stored over time.

’No wonder… No wonder there’s a well this high up on a mountain…’

The rainy season was only a few days long, which meant this water must be incredibly precious. In the end, Naomi Kenway only took a little water, put it in a basin, and used a towel to give Ian Shaw a sponge bath.

There was only one bed in the west room, so the three of them squeezed in together to sleep. With Ian and Six nestled on either side of her, Naomi Kenway felt for a drowsy moment like she had a son and a daughter.

Before falling asleep, Ian Shaw fussed for a long time. He was pouty and didn’t want another child snuggling so close to his mother, saying he was afraid someone would steal his mom away and she wouldn’t want him anymore.

Naomi Kenway gently stroked his back, repeatedly promising that she would never leave him. She then coaxed him softly. Ian finally, temporarily, relented, but only after saying, “Mommy can’t like other kids more. You can only like Ian the most!”

Naomi Kenway quickly agreed.

Ian Shaw was pacified, but Six, lying beside them, had a worried frown on her face. When Naomi Kenway asked her what was wrong, Six’s lips trembled slightly. “Fairy Sister, does Ian… does he hate me?”

“Of course not.” Naomi Kenway was about to have Ian Shaw explain himself but found he had already fallen asleep, his thick eyelashes resting on his eyelids. He must have been exhausted from the long hike, falling asleep without even hearing a bedtime story.

Naomi Kenway lowered her voice, gently pushing aside the heavy bangs on Six’s forehead. She smiled and lightly pinched her nose. “Ian is a slow-to-warm-up kid. He’s not very good at expressing his feelings. He’ll grow to like you more and more. Who could resist our Six, such a likable and good girl!”

Six got lost in Naomi Kenway’s beautiful eyes and couldn’t help but break into a silly grin.

Naomi Kenway chuckled at her reaction. She tucked the blanket around Six, then propped herself up slightly to pull the light cord. The dim yellow light SPUTTERED a few times before going out, and the loud chirping of cicadas could be faintly heard outside the window.

*

Naomi Kenway woke up very early. She hadn’t slept soundly. Throughout the night, she kept hearing a baby crying from the next room at very short intervals.

“Mommy…” Ian Shaw, his eyes heavy with sleep, hugged Naomi Kenway. His voice was thick with drowsiness.

It was the baby crying again from the next room.

Naomi Kenway patted his back and soothed, “Go back to sleep. Mommy will tell you a story…”

A moment later, Ian was asleep again, his breathing steady.

Naomi Kenway glanced to her side. Six was no longer in the bed.

It was the middle of a hot summer, and though it was only four o’clock, the sky outside was already starting to lighten.

Naomi Kenway was no longer sleepy. As she tiptoed out of the room, she ran right into Six.

“Six, where were you?”

Six had dark circles under her eyes. “My little brother woke up again, and Mom couldn’t handle him by herself, so I went to help get him back to sleep.” She glanced down at the time, and her expression suddenly tensed. “It’s already four o’clock. I have to leave for school in an hour.”

“You have to go to school this early?” Naomi Kenway’s voice was filled with confusion.

“My house is pretty far from the school, so I have to leave early.”

Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, Naomi Kenway felt a pang of sympathy. “You look exhausted. Go get some more sleep!”

Six shook her head. “I can’t. The ducks at home haven’t been fed, and I still have to make breakfast for Mom.”

Naomi Kenway paused for a moment, then stepped out of the room. “Come on, Six. I’ll go with you. It’ll be faster with an extra person.”

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