After the initial pleasantries, the family pushed Ethan Carter's luggage into the room and then bustled about preparing dinner. Both Ethan Carter and Olivia Carter's rooms were occupied, so the two of them, awkward and uncomfortable, had to share a room, sitting in the living room in silence.

Ethan Carter scrolled aimlessly on his phone, while Olivia Carter curled up in the corner watching "Peppa Pig." Neither of them looked at the other.

Ethan Carter actually didn’t really want to talk to his so-called little sister, but as an adult, he felt the atmosphere was off, so he forced a conversation: “Are you watching this to learn English?”

He had just chatted with his mother and heard about Olivia Carter's language talent, so he casually picked a topic.

Olivia Carter glanced at him in surprise. She didn’t yet understand adults’ strange small talk, nor why people who disliked each other still had to converse, so she just mumbled, “Mm.”

Hearing his little sister’s barely audible hum, Ethan Carter continued, “So if I watch this, can I learn English well?”

Olivia Carter was silent for a moment, then forced herself to reply, “Not necessarily.”

Ethan Carter: “Why? Have you already learned it?”

Olivia Carter lowered her head and kept watching the cartoon, answering, “Everyone learns something different from it.”

Ethan Carter: “What’s different?”

Faced with her brother’s persistent questioning, Olivia Carter finally looked up, turned the screen with the pink pig toward him, and said flatly, “Some people can learn English, some people can only learn how to oink like a pig.”

On the iPad screen, the pink pig let out a timely oink, which somehow sounded a bit mocking.

Ethan Carter: “???”

Chapter 4

Ethan Carter relied on his looks to get by, and he had always been successful with the opposite sex. Who would have thought he’d one day embarrass himself in front of his own little sister? The little girl couldn’t hide her emotions; though she tried to be subtle, there was still a faint impatience, clearly unwilling to interact much with Ethan Carter.

Ethan Carter: Oh wow, is this her way of showing who's boss?

Ethan Carter wasn’t annoyed by his little sister’s rejection; in fact, he thought this was a normal reaction. Anyone would have a hard time accepting a sibling who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. At least Olivia Carter was different from Brian Clark; she was clearly not used to having a new big brother, and her whole demeanor radiated resistance.

It was as if two wild animals were fighting for territory, and a battle was about to break out!

Ethan Carter had tried to be friendly and got the cold shoulder, losing the first round unexpectedly. He immediately changed tactics, observing his sister from all angles. As the saying goes, know yourself and your enemy and you’ll never lose. Since his little sister was unmoved by his initial goodwill, he decided to respond in kind.

At dinner, the family prepared a lavish meal to welcome Ethan Carter home, filling the table with delicious dishes. Grace Bennett said gently, “Try some, isn’t braised pork with preserved vegetables your favorite?”

Ethan Carter took a bite and immediately praised, “It’s delicious.”

Grace Bennett: “That’s good, your dad worked hard on it.”

Ethan Carter looked surprised: “My dad cooked this?”

He hadn’t expected his father to be able to cook, and he looked at David Carter, who was sitting directly across from him, with disbelief.

His great-uncle laughed, “He made all these dishes!”

Ethan Carter was shocked. He knew his father’s temper had improved over the years, but he never expected David Carter to become a stay-at-home dad, so different from the strict figure of his childhood.

David Carter didn’t dare meet his eldest son’s eyes. Embarrassed, he lowered his head and mumbled, “Eat, eat…”

Grandma Emily Carter slowly scooped rice with a spoon, but her gaze was fixed on Ethan Carter. Suddenly, she said, “Xiao—”

Ethan Carter had lived with his grandma for a long time before, so he instinctively responded, “Yes, Grandma.”

The old lady tilted her head to look at Ethan Carter, then broke into a wide smile. Her smile was infectious, making everyone at the table happy.

“Mom actually smiled! You recognized Ethan Bennett, didn’t you?”

“She still remembers people, still remembers her grandson…”

The table was filled with a lively, cheerful atmosphere, but Ethan Carter noticed the little one across from him was silent. She ate quietly and obediently, her long lashes lowered, seemingly indifferent to the surrounding mood. Olivia Carter neither cried nor showed any displeasure; it was as if she lived in her own world, like a reserved, silent doll.

Ethan Carter had wanted to retort about her “oinking” comment, but now he unexpectedly softened and didn’t want to argue with her anymore. He knew he’d been away for years, and now that he was finally home, his parents were bound to pay extra attention to him. After all, Ethan Carter hadn’t been back for a long time, and he’d be leaving again right after the Spring Festival—it was a rare, fleeting reunion.

Ethan Carter really wasn’t interested in his little sister, but he was also the one who understood Olivia Carter’s feelings best. After all, both of them were anxious about their parents’ love, both afraid of losing what they had. In the end, he thought she was taking away his parents’ love, and she thought he was taking away theirs.

Seeing the little one still not joining in, Ethan Carter simply picked up some greens from in front of him, stretched out his arm, and put them in her bowl, saying, “Olivia Bennett, eat more vegetables.”