The Pei Family had always been tight-knit, with the younger generation sharing close bonds. Pei Qingyi’s parents pursued art and nature, irresponsibly leaving little Pei Qingyi to be raised in the old estate.
Pei Qingyi was seven years younger than his cousin Pei Qingrong and had essentially been brought up by him.
It was mainly because the old estate had only the two of them.
Pei Qingyi had accidentally learned that Pei Qingrong, now over thirty and still unmarried, harbored feelings for someone.
He had just graduated at the time and went to his cousin’s place one evening for some business.
It wasn’t a special occasion, yet Pei Qingrong was in a foul mood. He didn’t say much, just drowned his sorrows in drink.
This surprised Pei Qingyi greatly.
Pei Qingrong had always been aloof from childhood to adulthood, showing little human emotion and maintaining only a facade of humility and propriety.
That was why, even at over thirty, no one pressured him to marry—everyone found it hard to imagine him sharing his life with anyone.
Pei Qingyi probed gently, asking what was wrong and why he was drinking, but Pei Qingrong said nothing and eventually passed out slumped over the bar counter.
Struggling to drag his cousin to the sofa, Pei Qingyi noticed a photo slip from his shirt pocket.
It showed someone with hair and black-rimmed glasses, stray locks covering the eyes, but the exposed nose and mouth were exquisitely beautiful.
So this was his cousin’s beloved?
He liked her so much he carried her photo close to his heart?
Pei Qingyi had a sharp memory. Though he’d seen the face only once, he etched it into his mind.
He asked Jiang Shunnian about it, and Jiang Shunnian said it was the parent of his son’s kindergarten classmate, now working at Fu Corporation—a highly capable genius.
Son? Pei Qingyi’s heart skipped a beat. Had he gotten it wrong?
He decided to observe more closely.
Nono was extremely excited today and warmly welcomed his two little playmates.
Even at kindergarten, they had study groups. Sometimes the teacher assigned group work, and Nono, Atticus, and Lu Yunchuan formed one, becoming a solid little iron triangle.
Recently, their futures trading had earned some money using Fu Yanli’s account. With all three kids present today, Fu Yanli withdrew the funds and divided them equally among them.
After receiving his share, Nono lifted his wrist, deftly operated his smartwatch, transferred forty thousand to Daddy, ten thousand to Big Dad, and kept not a single cent for himself.
Soon, Jiang Shunnian received the notification.
He had been chatting with Yu Yanchen and Pei Qingyi when the alert chimed. Glancing at it curiously, he saw his little one dash over, face beaming with pride: “Daddy, did you get my transfer? I made money—spend it however you like.”
He was the picture of a little tycoon.
Jiang Shunnian’s heart melted. He scooped Nono up for a big smooch: “Wow, my baby is so amazing!”
Nono loved Daddy’s kisses and giggled nonstop, sweet as a creamy little sugar cake.
Yu Yanchen was dying of envy beside them. This brother of mine is truly life’s winner. He couldn’t help blurting out right then: “Hello, I think Nono looks like my kid—hand him over, thanks.”
Pei Qingyi chuckled.
He had a cooler personality and hadn’t planned on marriage or kids, but a baby like Nono? That seemed pretty great.
Just… who’d be the best one to have him with?
Lu Yunchuan went to Lu Qinghe, borrowed his phone, tapped a few times, and transferred thirty thousand to his dad. The remaining twenty thousand he planned to use for a gift.
His dad earned a high salary, but in the exorbitantly priced S City, saving for a house would take years.
So he was always frugal, buying cheap clothes in bulk and rotating them.
Lu Yunchuan wanted to buy him a warm cashmere coat to fend off the coming chill.
“Daddy, I can make money too from now on. We’ll save together for a house.”
Lu Qinghe’s eyes, hidden under his hair, curved in a smile, his tone gentle: “Okay, we’ll work hard together.”
Lu Yunchuan gave his dad a hug.
Atticus had originally wanted to spend all his earnings on gifts for his little brother Nono. When he first came to China, he’d felt out of place and homesick, but meeting Nono made every day joyful and full of anticipation—he even sometimes forgot his dad back abroad.
But seeing his two playmates transfer money to their fathers, he thought it over and sent his dad five thousand… no, three thousand yuan, with a note saying he’d earned his first pot of gold and wanted to share with Dad.
Lucien happened to be free and teared up reading his son’s message. At home, Atticus was a haughty little tyrant who ignored everyone. Who knew that after just a few months in China, he’d become so sweet and thoughtful!
It was truly heartwarming.
Lucien immediately called Fu Yanli overseas to brag about his son’s maturity. Fu Yanli shut him down coolly: “Oh, they each got fifty thousand split among them. Nono gave me ten thousand.”
Lucien: “…”
He barely held onto his doting-father image. Three thousand is still something—at least he didn’t forget me.
Once the little ones settled their accounts, they gathered to play again.
Nono invited them into his little castle. The three spent most days studying and wanted to unwind, so they started gaming.
They had strong self-discipline and didn’t play long to protect their eyes. During a break, Atticus had a sudden idea: “Kids here seem to play a game called house? Is it fun? I want to try.”
Lu Yunchuan had never quite fit in with other kids his age but had heard of it.
Nono looked a bit puzzled.
But they were quick learners and immediately searched online for the rules.
Lu Yunchuan said: “I can be the dad. Nono’s the prettiest—he’d make a good mom. Atticus, you be the kid?”
“NO!” Atticus protested. “I want to be the dad too. I want to be husband and wife with little brother Nono.”
Nono thought for a moment: “Or you can both be dads, and I’ll have two daddies.”
But Atticus and Lu Yunchuan wouldn’t have it—they both wanted to be the only dad.
Lu Yunchuan suggested: “Atticus, let’s compete. Whoever solves more problems gets to be dad. Deal?”
“Good, I agree.”
They were close in age and study progress, so it was fair.
Nono searched and compiled the questions, even asking Grandpa Shen Boheng to print two sets.
His wife was chatting with friends, Shen Lingyi personally oversaw lunch prep in the kitchen, Fu Shizhang continued writing in the tea room, Lu Qinghe mushroomed in the corner like he had a “keep away” sign, and Fu Yanli rarely chatted with him outside work.
So Fu Yanli seemed the idlest.
Seeing the kids running around, he grew curious and approached. “Nono, what are you all doing?” Fu Yanli asked.
Atticus and Lu Yunchuan were focused on their quizzes and didn’t speak. Nono answered: “Big Dad, they’re competing. The highest score gets to be dad, and we’re about to play house.”
Fu Yanli didn’t sense the danger yet and smiled: “So who’s the mom?”
Nono pointed to himself: “Me.”
Fu Yanli’s face changed instantly. He scooped Nono up: “No way! You’re not playing that game!”
The three kids all looked up.
“Daddy, why not? It’s just a game,” Nono asked, confused.
Fu Yanli couldn’t articulate a reason, but he firmly opposed it. What if this role-play plants bad ideas in those two little punks about his Nono down the line?
He never should’ve let Nono hang out with them!
Jiang Shunnian noticed the commotion—Fu Yanli’s knee-jerk reaction was all too familiar—and walked over: “Yanli, what’s up?”
Fu Yanli gritted his teeth: “They’re playing house, with Nono as mom. These two brats are quizzing to fight over the dad role!”
Jiang Shunnian held back a laugh. Truly child prodigies—even kid games are on another level.
Atticus was more familiar with Jiang Shunnian and asked blankly: “Uncle Shunnian, what’s wrong with Uncle Fu? Why can’t we play?”
He knew Jiang Shunnian’s English wasn’t great, so he asked in his still-clumsy Chinese.
Kids picked up languages fast, especially with Nono teaching him, so Atticus’s Chinese had improved leaps and bounds lately.
Jiang Shunnian thought Fu Yanli was overreacting. They were still little kids who didn’t grasp what “couple” meant—by the time they grew up, they’d probably forget childhood games.
But Jiang Shunnian didn’t know these little geniuses had photographic memories, even retaining toddler memories crystal clear.
Thus, over a decade later, when Atticus and Lu Yunchuan came of age, their first choice for a partner was Nono.
“It’s Nono’s birthday—let’s play once, and we’ll join in too, okay?” Jiang Shunnian tugged Fu Yanli’s sleeve.
Yu Yanchen and Pei Qingyi wandered over, heard about house, and got interested in playing.
Even mushrooming Lu Qinghe said he could play a silent role.
Outnumbered, Fu Yanli reluctantly agreed.
Once the quizzes were done, Nono graded them and announced Lu Yunchuan beat Atticus by 1 point—victory to Lu Yunchuan.
Lu Yunchuan and Atticus were both teammates and rivals. Hearing he’d won, he smiled, went to Nono, took his little hand, and proudly declared: “Nono, I beat Atticus. I’m the dad today.”
Fu Yanli eyed it all and wanted oxygen—ready to yeet Lu Yunchuan off the planet.
The adults naturally played the kids, but Fu Yanli refused to cooperate and ended up sidelined, forced to pick “grandpa” so he could mess with Lu Yunchuan.
Yu Yanchen was the rowdiest, rolling on the sofa demanding snacks and sending “dad” out to buy them.
Jiang Shunnian followed suit, demanding Nono-cooked food.
Shen Boheng actually fetched a mini kitchen set from storage, grabbed ingredients from the real kitchen, and let them cook on the spot.
Nono fried dishes following a tutorial, looking adorably serious. Lu Yunchuan fetched snacks from the castle, but then Pei Qingyi demanded toys. Fu Yanli, stone-faced, complained of a sore shoulder and made Lu Yunchuan massage it.
Atticus watched his “older brothers'” antics, his handsome little face full of bewilderment. Is this how the game works? It’s kinda scary.
He didn’t dare make more requests.
Decision made: better not marry a girl and have kids—raising them is terrifying.
Lu Yunchuan ran ragged by Fu Yanli, fingers aching. After Nono finished cooking, he looked faintly exhausted. Cuddled in Jiang Shunnian’s arms, he murmured: “Daddy, is raising kids this hard?”
Jiang Shunnian stifled a laugh: “Nah, not really. Raising you was a breeze.”
Nono patted his chest in aftershock relief: “Phew, good thing.”
It cracked Jiang Shunnian up.
After the chaos, Shen Lingyi announced lunch. They sat at the long rectangular table laden with mouthwatering dishes. The adults raised glasses, toasting Nono’s happiness.
Nono beamed hugely, clinking with each one, thanking them for the blessings.
The custom cake topped with a fondant Nono figurine as a little prince—exquisite as art.
Nono closed his eyes, wishing earnestly at the cake: Cake god, it’s Nono. I wish for Daddy’s stardom to shine bright, Big Dad’s career smooth sailing, grandparents healthy, and everyone who cares for me happy and fulfilled.
Wish made, Nono served cake to each, took a bite himself. So sweet, so happy.
Before leaving the Fu Family, Lu Yunchuan invited Nono to help pick a gift for his dad sometime. Nono agreed eagerly—he had plenty of cash now to buy for Daddy, Big Dad, and the grandparents too.
Pei Qingyi, once in the car, messaged Pei Qingrong.
Pei Qingrong, fresh from a meeting, shrank his pupils reading it.
After Nono’s birthday, the drama Jiang Shunnian joined announced its slot, with promotions kicking off. First stop: C City, a flight away from S City, requiring an early departure.
Fu Yanli, accustomed to wife and child by his side, felt glum. Through soft pleading and hard insistence, he squeezed into Jiang Shunnian’s room and shoved his baguette right in.
