The Whole Family Are Villains, I’m the Group Pet 129

Chapter 129

This winter wasn’t a happy one for Xing Nuo.

Although his daddies tried to hide it from him, Xing Nuo could sense the growing tension between them.

During breakfast, Xing Nuo, his big eyes peeking over his bowl, discreetly observed Shen Wen, who sat across from them, his arms crossed.

Shen Wen’s eyes, usually like chips of ice, now seemed to be swirling with a blizzard, his gaze fixed on Wen Xingxue.

“Xing Nuo has a sensitive stomach. He can’t eat greasy food. Do you ever remember that?”

Wen Xingxue, placing a plate of freshly made meat pancakes on the table, felt a surge of irritation.

He wanted to argue with Shen Wen, to tell him off.

But seeing Xing Nuo peeking at them from behind his bowl, he suppressed his anger.

“I learned this recipe from the grandma downstairs. It has special spices to remove the greasiness. Not oily at all.”

Shen Wen snorted, about to retort, then stopped himself.

“Fine. Take Xing Nuo to school. I have a flower arranging class today.”

Wen Xingxue, watching Xing Nuo put on his backpack, muttered under his breath:

“What a ridiculous class.”

Flower arranging? Seriously?

Xing Nuo, putting on his coat, having witnessed their exchange, sighed softly.

His daddies always argued.

Whenever Xing Nuo wasn’t around, it would escalate into a physical fight.

Today, their mutual animosity was almost palpable.

He held Wen Xingxue’s hand, kicking at the pebbles and patches of unmelted snow on the sidewalk as they walked to school.

They met Qingqing and Yiyi along the way, and the two little girls, seemingly intimidated by Wen Xingxue, quickly greeted Xing Nuo and ran ahead.

Wen Xingxue’s voice, hoarse and grating, combined with his gloomy demeanor, scared most children.

But Wen Xingxue didn’t care. He reminded Xing Nuo to drink plenty of water at school, his voice raspy.

“Raise your hand if you need to use the restroom. Be nice to your classmates…”

He repeated his usual instructions, then, watching Xing Nuo skip ahead, his heart filled with a strange warmth.

It felt like the first time he had walked Xing Nuo to school, holding his hand.

But he had been with Shen Wen for seven years, and he had walked Xing Nuo to school countless times.

Xing Nuo, seeing his dad lost in thought, tugged on his hand and ran into the school.

“Daddy, I go to school now! You work hard!”

Wen Xingxue, snapping out of his trance, waved at Xing Nuo, watched him enter the classroom, and then turned to leave.

An Zimuo, looking out the window, seeing Wen Xingxue leave, patted his chest in relief.

“He’s gone! Xing Nuo, your dad is so scary! I can’t even talk to him.”

Xing Nuo, putting his backpack and pencil case away, tilted his head.

“No, he’s not. My Daddy vewy gentle.”

Wen Xingxue only looked cold and gloomy. He always spoke softly, afraid of scaring Xing Nuo.

An Zimuo, slumping onto his desk, sighed.

“Well, he’s your dad. Of course you’re not scared of him.”

Xing Nuo hummed, then, remembering something, asked:

“Zimuo, if parents always fight…they get divorced?”

A couple next door to An Zimuo had recently divorced and were fighting over custody, neglecting their child.

“Yes! And if they get divorced, the child will be so sad!”

Xing Nuo, his mind troubled, sat there, thinking about this all morning.

On their way home from school, Qingqing, licking her lollipop, her words slightly slurred, asked:

“Xing Nuo, why you sad?”

Xing Nuo shook his head sadly, his eyes slightly red.

“I think…my daddies…might get divorced.”

The other children gasped.

“What?! If they get divorced, you’ll be so sad!”

“Only one daddy left! Oh no!”

“What if you get a stepdad? He’ll be mean to you!”

Xing Nuo’s family was unusual, with two daddies, but they both loved and spoiled him.

If they divorced, he would be so pitiful!

Xing Nuo shook his head, thinking of the animosity in Shen Wen and Wen Xingxue’s eyes, his heart aching.

“I don’t know.”

But his daddies really seemed to hate each other.

The children, surrounding Xing Nuo, sighed, trying to think of a solution, but couldn’t.

An Zimuo, patting his chest, said:

“Don’t worry, Xing Nuo. If your daddies fight, you can come to my house! I’ll let you play with my toy cars!”

Xing Nuo thanked him and, his head down, walked home, his heart heavy.

Shen Wen was already home, arranging a vase of flowers. Seeing Xing Nuo, he gestured for him to come over.

“Why the long face, Zaizai?”

Xing Nuo forced a smile, his eyes crinkling.

“Nuffin’. I put backpack away.”

Shen Wen watched him go and sighed deeply.

He had been feeling uneasy since that morning.

Something felt wrong. The sight of Wen Xingxue’s face filled him with an inexplicable irritation.

He couldn’t understand why he had ever been attracted to that man.

He considered himself cold and emotionally detached. Why would he form a family with Wen Xingxue?

He thought about it for a long time, then reached a conclusion—

It was all for the child.

Wen Xingxue was probably also just enduring it for Xing Nuo’s sake.

But now, the disgust was overwhelming. He was afraid he might snap one day and kill Wen Xingxue.

They had to separate.

Without telling Xing Nuo, Shen Wen and Wen Xingxue stayed home that afternoon.

They met at a quiet cafe down the street.

The cafe, almost empty on a weekday, its quiet atmosphere and the aroma of coffee, calmed Shen Wen, and even the sight of Wen Xingxue’s face wasn’t as irritating as usual.

Wen Xingxue, tracing the rim of his cup with his finger, said:

“Xing Nuo stays with me.”

Shen Wen almost spat out his coffee, his voice cold as he chuckled.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Xing Nuo is closer to me. He’ll stay with me.”

Neither of them was very talkative, their arguments usually silent battles of wills.

The atmosphere turned icy.

Shen Wen, not wanting to talk to Wen Xingxue, suppressing his irritation, looked out the window.

“We can’t continue like this.”

Wen Xingxue hummed in agreement.

They both sensed something was wrong with their world, but with Xing Nuo between them, they had both chosen to ignore it.

Compared to figuring out this strange world, fighting for custody of Xing Nuo was more important!

They exchanged a few barbed remarks, neither willing to concede.

The waitress, carrying a tray of drinks, sighed dramatically.

“Such handsome men, and they’re breaking up. Such a shame.”

She added, “I shipped them.”

Shen Wen and Wen Xingxue shuddered, unable to imagine being attracted to each other.

“I’ll deal with this tomorrow. Xing Nuo will be finishing school soon. I’ll go pick him up.”

Shen Wen stood up, his tone impatient.

“Don’t make anything greasy for dinner. And mince the meat. Xing Nuo won’t eat it otherwise.”

Wen Xingxue, surprisingly agreeable, nodded, his head down.

“I know. This morning’s breakfast wasn’t good.”

Shen Wen, surprised by his sudden meekness, left without a word.

That evening, Wen Xingxue, as promised, minced the meat finely.

Xing Nuo, unable to separate the tiny bits of meat from the other ingredients, ate everything.

After dinner, Wen Xingxue washed the dishes, while Shen Wen, seemingly indifferent, sat on the sofa, browsing real estate listings.

Once they were divorced, he would take Xing Nuo and move, somewhere Wen Xingxue couldn’t find them.

Xing Nuo walked over and snuggled against his dad, his face beaming.

“Daddy.”

Shen Wen, his cheek against Xing Nuo’s soft, warm face, felt a surge of happiness and kissed him several times.

“What is it, Zaizai?”

Xing Nuo took out a flower he had secretly bought on his way home and handed it to his dad, whispering:

“This from Other Daddy. He said…he sowwy…shouldn’t be so cold to Daddy.”

Shen Wen, seeing through his little scheme, took the flower and chuckled.

“Still trying to trick Daddy? Wen Xingxue giving me flowers? This world must be ending!”

Xing Nuo, seeing his dad’s unwavering disbelief, huffed and nuzzled his chest.

“Daddy, forgive Other Daddy, pwease?”

Shen Wen hugged Xing Nuo, picked him up, and placed him on his lap, changing the subject.

“Did you finish your homework? What did you play with your friends today?”

Xing Nuo, seeing that his dad wasn’t taking the bait, sighed and pouted, sliding off his lap.

In the kitchen, Wen Xingxue, washing the dishes, his pale face usually grim, softened as he saw Xing Nuo approach.

“Daddy!”

Xing Nuo ran over and hugged his leg, looking up at him.

“Guess what? Daddy asked me to give you a pwesent!”