This sudden move startled the two little kids. Although Atticus looked puzzled, he remained emotionally steady and gently explained, “Uncle, I wanted to give Nono a cheek kiss as a greeting. I really like Nono.”
Fourteen years old and I was already studying abroad. As if I don’t know what a cheek kiss is, Fu Yanli thought. But don’t think I don’t have your number, kid. You’re usually so arrogant, looking down on everyone, and you’ve never initiated this kind of courtesy before!
“Cheek kisses aren’t a thing in our country,” Fu Yanli quickly came up with an excuse. “Since you’re staying here for a while, you can learn our bowing etiquette instead.”
They could perform the bow from a meter apart—absolutely no touching.
Atticus, not understanding, could only agree. “Okay, Uncle. I’m actually very interested in your culture. I’ll learn it.”
Nono whispered in Chinese, “Big Dad, don’t we do ‘guest follows host’?”
Fu Yanli didn’t put Nono down. He held him and strode into the house. “No need. ‘Host follows guest’ is fine? Nah, guest follows host.”
Nono nodded in confusion.
Once inside, both Fu Shizhang and Shen Lingyi warmly welcomed Atticus.
Though only five years old, he had received elite education from a young age and handled such occasions with ease. His gift for Fu Shizhang was an ancient inkstone that had ended up overseas. For Shen Lingyi, it was a Pigeon Blood Ruby Raw Stone—perfect for jewelry or a brooch, luxurious and stunning.
He also brought a gift for Fu Yanli: a contract drafted in advance by Lucien, ready to take effect with just Fu Yanli’s signature.
As for Nono’s gifts, there were plenty: a Limited Edition Lego set, a custom-made little cowhide children’s backpack, a limited-edition figurine of a classic character. The heavy hitter was an Interactive Robot freshly developed by his family’s conglomerate—supporting multiple languages, internet connectivity, and loaded with an AI system to help kids explore the world and absorb knowledge. It perfectly hit Nono’s interests.
Nono hugged the bear-shaped robot and grinned happily. “Thank you, Brother Atticus.”
Seeing Nono’s smile, Atticus actually blushed a little. “N-No problem, Nono.”
Fu Yanli held the “shoddy” and insincere contract “gift,” tempted to tear up the deal right then.
Nono also gave Atticus a gift: a set of Precious Oil Painting Pigments. Grandpa had told Nono that Atticus had a real talent for oil painting.
Sure enough, Atticus lit up at the gift. “Nono, would you be my model? I’d love to paint your portrait.”
Atticus’s artistic talent came from his mother, a noble descendant and painter. After marrying his father and giving birth to him, she felt marriage cramped her artistic pursuits, so she divorced and chased freedom.
By age three, he could already complete an oil painting on his own—and it auctioned for six figures.
His schedule had grown packed these past two years, so he hadn’t touched oils in a while. But seeing Nono sparked a flood of inspiration; he wanted to paint a portrait of him.
Nono was thrilled. “Sure! I’d love to be your model.”
Fu Shizhang watched the two kids get along so well and felt deeply satisfied. Looks like cooperation between our families can extend to the next generation.
Only Fu Yanli ground his teeth. He absolutely wouldn’t allow Nono and Atticus to be alone together. Absolutely not.
He ate the meal tastelessly. Shen Lingyi noticed his stiff demeanor.
After dinner, Fu Shizhang took Nono and Atticus to play with the Lego. Shen Lingyi pulled Fu Yanli aside to ask what was up.
“What’s with you? Don’t like Atticus? I think that kid’s great.”
Fu Yanli knew he’d overreacted. He hadn’t realized he’d turn into such a worrywart dad, but Nono was so cute and innocent. After all their time together, he’d poured so much affection into the boy—he couldn’t stand some wild kid eyeing him.
Especially with the Qin Family threat still looming. He hadn’t fully rewritten Nono’s fate line yet.
He couldn’t explain that to Shen Lingyi, so he mumbled vaguely, “No, I just haven’t thought some things through.”
“Does it have to do with the Qin Family?” Shen Lingyi knew about Fu Yanli’s war with them. “If it’s tricky, your dad and I can brainstorm solutions with you.”
Fu Yanli shook his head. “No, Mom. Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
Shen Lingyi looked at her tall, handsome son, understanding dawning in her eyes. She smiled. “Yanli, you’ve always been decisive since you were little, so your dad and I have always respected your choices. Nono’s a lot like you in personality. As parents, we provide a safe environment and back them up. The rest? Let the kids figure it out themselves.”
Fu Yanli knew she was right but answered awkwardly, “Got it. Thanks, Mom.”
His reaction delighted Shen Lingyi. Now he knows how tough parenting is.
Atticus had been on a long flight, so after a bit of play, he politely said goodbye to rest at home. Fu Yanli saw him off.
On the way, Atticus asked eagerly, “Uncle, Nono’s at about my learning level. After school starts, will we be in the same class?”
Fu Yanli snorted inwardly but played the caring elder on the surface. “Nono goes to Fu School. I’m planning to send you to Eton College—much better quality than Nono’s school.”
“Uncle, I won’t be here long, so school doesn’t matter much. I’ll have private lessons anyway. I really like little brother Nono. I want to go to his school so I can look after him.”
Atticus had met plenty of kids, but they were all noisy and dumb—impossible to talk to. Nono was the first who was both gorgeous and smart. He genuinely adored him.
Fu Yanli hedged without committing, saying he’d discuss it with Atticus’s father.
But Atticus was already excited.
Fu Yanli picked Nono up from his parents and slyly asked, “Nono, what do you think of Atticus?”
Better if you feel uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, Nono gave the opposite answer. “Big Dad, Brother Atticus is so warm and smart. He knows way more than me. I want to learn from him.”
Fu Yanli wouldn’t quit. “Would you want to go to the same school as him?”
“Sure! I’ll help Big Dad take good care of him too.”
Fu Yanli: “…”
How did this turn into mutual pining?
In the end, Fu Yanli could only vent to Jiang Shunnian. Jiang Shunnian chuckled for a while and got curious about Atticus’s looks. Fu Yanli said, “Too lazy to snap a pic. Come back when you’re free and see for yourself. Got your filming schedule? Send it over.”
“Sure, I’ll send it soon,” Jiang Shunnian replied. “Nono’s first day of school is the day I’m off filming. I can send him with you.”
He didn’t want to miss Nono’s first day.
“Good. I’ll pick you up the night before.”
“No need. You arranged a driver for me. I can come back on my own. It’s not far…” Jiang Shunnian trailed off as he met Fu Yanli’s deep gaze. He got the message.
Because he missed him. Wanted to see him sooner.
Jiang Shunnian didn’t mind. He even started looking forward to it.
Later, Jiang Shunnian chatted with Nono. Learning Dad would be back for his first school day, Nono bounced happily—adorably so. “Daddy, I’m so happy!”
Lin Yusong, convinced Nono could nail the role after he agreed to audition, hurried to cast the young female lead actress and informed Jiang Shunnian once set.
The audition was scheduled for the day before school started.
Jiang Shunnian told Fu Yanli and Nono about it, so Fu Yanli cleared his schedule and brought Nono along.
But the night before departure, Nono asked Fu Yanli if they could bring Atticus tomorrow.
Fu Yanli’s vision went black. When did Nono and Atticus get so close?!
Turns out, the kids had exchanged contacts that first night and been chatting. Atticus learned about the audition and asked if he could come watch—and meet Uncle Jiang Shunnian. He’d even brought a gift for him.
Nono said he’d ask Big Dad, then came to Fu Yanli.
Fu Yanli reflexively wanted to refuse, but seeing Nono’s expectant eyes, he couldn’t bear to.
Jiang Shunnian had said Nono used to be quiet and withdrawn with few playmates. Atticus was a rare good match. Fu Yanli gritted his teeth and agreed.
So the next day’s group gained an extra little blondie.
At the filming site, Jiang Shunnian got Fu Yanli’s message and welcomed them in.
Seeing Atticus, Jiang Shunnian’s eyes lit up. Golden hair, blue eyes, snow-white skin—a beautiful kid with real noble poise.
Atticus greeted him in Chinese—though limited to two phrases: “Uncle Jiang, hello. I’m Atticus.”
Nono translated the rest.
Atticus had a knack for languages, lavishly praising Jiang Shunnian’s looks and saying it was no wonder Nono was so pretty and cute—he’d inherited them.
Flattered by such a handsome little charmer, Jiang Shunnian couldn’t help laughing. His impression was excellent.
Atticus’s gift for Jiang Shunnian was a new watch from a luxury brand—perfectly suiting his vibe.
Fu Yanli started nitpicking again. So good at sweet-talking. Total player-in-training.
Worse, Fu Yanli’s own custom couple’s watches for confessing were still in production—and this little blondie had beaten him to it.
No wonder he was biased against Atticus.
Lin Yusong was stunned by how radiant Nono was in person—more so than on TV. He gave Nono lines to prep for the audition.
The young actress playing the female lead as a child arrived too—a poised, pretty girl who greeted everyone confidently.
Her parents were in entertainment, so she was a seasoned child star. Nono, by contrast, was clueless.
Luckily, Nono’s lines were minimal, and the scene focused on the girl—as long as he didn’t break immersion, it’d be fine.
But Nono had mild OCD and perfectionism; he hated half-assing things.
After getting the lines and scene, he went to Jiang Shunnian’s lounge and had him teach every action and line step by step.
Jiang Shunnian happily obliged, breaking it down meticulously.
It was Fu Yanli’s first time seeing Jiang Shunnian act. When he demonstrated a three-year-old boy, the lively expressiveness was mesmerizing—especially his innocent eyes, eerily matching Nono’s.
With Nono, it was pure fatherly love. But this Jiang Shunnian? Fu Yanli wanted to pin him down and kiss him senseless.
No wonder audiences loved films and shows. Great acting was pure visual bliss.
Fu Yanli wanted to capture the scene on camera, but Atticus had already set up an easel for quick sketches.
And they were uncannily lifelike.
Beaten by a little blondie.
Why didn’t Dad put me in art classes as a kid?
Faraway Fu Shizhang in S City suddenly sneezed for no reason.
Nono’s mimicry was top-tier. After Jiang Shunnian dissected and drilled it a few times, he replicated it perfectly.
His audition blew Lin Yusong away. “Nono the Great King was born for acting!”
He’d planned to recommend Nono to a director friend prepping a film short on child actors—perfect fit.
But Jiang Shunnian politely declined with a smile. Lin Yusong glanced at the silent but magnetic Fu Yanli nearby.
Sunglasses hid Fu Yanli’s face, and no one recognized him. But his superior looks and aloof, intimidating aura screamed wealth and power. Lin Yusong overheard Nono call him “Big Dad” and instantly got it: Nono was a chaebol heir with billions to inherit—no need for acting gigs.
This drama would likely be Nono’s only production—a killer gimmick. It was bound to blow up.
Fu Yanli’s icy vibe kept Nono’s crew fans at bay—no autographs today. Plenty of chances later.
Nono’s scenes were simple, but the set needed building and extras arranging, so no shooting today. They’d prep and slot it for the weekend to avoid school conflicts.
This didn’t require any special arrangements—given Nono’s aptitude for learning, even occasional absences wouldn’t affect his progress.
Nono didn’t want any pay; he was just there to help out his dad. Still, Lin Yusong insisted on drafting a contract and giving Nono a fee.
Once this little interlude wrapped up, the crew needed to get back to shooting.
Jiang Shunnian had scenes left that day—opposite the female lead—so he told Fu Yanli to take the kids to his dressing room.
With people coming and going on set, Fu Yanli didn’t want to draw attention, so he headed to Jiang Shunnian’s dressing room as instructed.
The moment Fu Yanli arrived, Mo Zhen felt a heavy sense of crisis. He approached Jiang Shunnian and casually asked about the man’s identity, but Jiang Shunnian didn’t spill—instead, he gave Mo Zhen a puzzled look.
“That’s my private business. Sorry.”
Mo Zhen could only give an awkward laugh before slinking away in disappointment.
This reaction made Jiang Shunnian realize what Mo Zhen was after, so he quietly raised his guard. He needs to stay far away from Mo Zhen—no private interactions outside of filming.
The day’s shoot went exceptionally smoothly, and Jiang Shunnian wrapped up early. He left with Fu Yanli and the two kids.
Only after Jiang Shunnian was gone did the crew start buzzing with gossip about his relationship with Fu Yanli.
“That big shot looks like bad news—such a strong presence, I didn’t even dare snap a photo. He’s gotta be Jiang Shunnian’s sugar daddy, right?”
“Good thing you didn’t. Didn’t you see the bodyguards? But damn, that guy has to be hot. That nose, that build, those hands—Jiang Shunnian’s eating well!”
“Or maybe they’re in a legit relationship. Didn’t you see how close Nono is to him?”
“Think outside the box— what if Nono’s their kid?”
“Yeah, you can tell he packs some serious fertility vibes.”
Jiang Shunnian didn’t care if people knew about him and Fu Yanli. Let them speculate.
He was an actor who let his work speak for itself. If he and Fu Yanli made things official someday and it got exposed, he’d own it outright.
They already had a kid—what was there to deny?
On the way back, Atticus finished his quick sketch and showed it to Nono and Jiang Shunnian.
Jiang Shunnian was amazed. “You’re incredible! You can even draw, and it’s so good.”
“I’ve studied it for a bit, but compared to sketches, I’m better at oils,” Atticus said. “Nono agreed to model for me—I’m going to paint his portrait.”
Nono hyped him up. “I can’t wait. It’s gonna be amazing.”
Atticus puffed out his little chest in quiet pride.
Fu Yanli let out the faintest cold huff, which Jiang Shunnian caught.
Jiang Shunnian chuckled and pinched Fu Yanli’s arm.
But Fu Yanli grabbed his hand in return, threading their fingers together and rubbing his thumb teasingly along the base of Jiang Shunnian’s fingers, sending tingles of itchiness through him.
With the kids right there, Jiang Shunnian couldn’t pull away. His ears flushed faintly as he let Fu Yanli hold on.
By the time they got home, it was night. Shen Lingyi had dinner ready, and they all ate together. Mindful of Jiang Shunnian’s career, she’d prepared low-fat, low-cal dishes that tasted just as good. Feeling her care, Jiang Shunnian smiled and thanked her.
I’m starting to see the Fu Family as my own home.
Back at his place, Jiang Shunnian scooped Nono up for cuddles. Nono was equally clingy, wrapping his arms around his dad’s neck and giggling nonstop. That night, he even wanted to sleep with Daddy.
It left Fu Yanli a bit depressed—he’d been hoping for some alone time with Jiang Shunnian.
Jiang Shunnian shot him a look and sauntered off to his room with their son.
The next morning, Fu Yanli made breakfast while Jiang Shunnian watched Nono change into his school uniform.
They hadn’t had time to get custom ones made this year, so they’d bought high-end off-the-shelf versions that Fu Yanli picked himself: a British-style gray-blue button-up with a navy tie, the Fu School logo badge on the chest, and black shorts for now—long pants once it cooled down.
In the uniform, Nono instantly looked like the school’s little heartthrob—adorably cute with a hefty dose of handsomeness. Jiang Shunnian couldn’t stop snapping photos.
Atticus in the matching uniform was eye-catching too, especially with his hair combed back, a few strands falling artfully forward to amp up that aristocratic vibe.
Of course, to Fu Yanli, he still couldn’t hold a candle to Nono—not even one ten-thousandth.
The two adults dropping off their high-charisma kids turned heads. The parents there—all Fu Corporation employees—spotted Fu Yanli and greeted him with smiles.
At first, they wondered why he was there, but when they saw Nono in his arms, it clicked: the rumor from the President’s Office about the president having a kid was true—and it was Nono!
Just like the office staff, their first thought was: We have to stick with Fu Corporation forever and work for Nono the Great King someday!
Fu Yanli nodded slightly to his employees’ greetings, but his eyes—hidden behind sunglasses—scanned each arriving kid one by one.
When he spotted a certain little boy, his old-man radar pinged again.
That familiar sense of rejection—
Definitely another little blondie!
Old dad Fu is so silly trying to protect is cute little cabbage Nono lol
Thanks for the hard work!