Chapter 30
He Renyuan vengefully filled the shopping cart with toys. Bai Xiaocha sat on the edge of the cart, a mountain of boxes piled up in front of him.
The toys were all large, one car wasn’t enough to carry them. The driver, Chen Shu, also helped push a cart.
He Renyuan said, “Cha Bao, except for the drum set, airplane, and car, the rest are free.”
Cha Bao believed him. When He Renyuan was picking out puzzles, toy guns, and so on, he didn’t say they were too expensive anymore. He didn’t think his uncle was buying them all for him, because it seemed like his uncle also liked them.
He Renyuan saw a complete set of children’s kitchen playset that could simulate cooking and thought Cha Bao would definitely like it. Just as he was about to take it, Bai Qingyu stopped him.
“Not this one.”
“Why?”
“Because Bai Qingyu told me he ordered it online, don’t buy duplicates.”
“Okay.” He Renyuan put the toy back and said to Cha Bao, “Your dad bought this for you, let’s look at something else.”
He Renyuan glanced around and saw a set of stamp toys. He picked it up and looked at the ingredients of the paint. It was non-toxic, safe to lick, and could be used to stamp flowers, plants, cats, and dogs.
There was also a special stamp book. Using different stamps and overlapping them, you could stamp a three-dimensional building.
“Teacher Zhou’s little red flowers!” Bai Xiaocha pointed at a row of reward stamps, “I have a lot of little red flowers!”
There was a wall of honor in the kindergarten cafeteria, with pictures of the children, and whoever performed well would get a little red flower stamp.
He Renyuan, “How did Cha Bao get them?”
Bai Xiaocha said, “Uncle Boss, I’m number one in eating!”
Eating the most, most seriously, and cleanest, he easily earned a row of little red flowers just by eating.
He Renyuan touched his lower back and said smoothly, “Cha Bao is also number one in eating at Uncle’s house, Uncle should also reward you.”
He picked up a little red flower stamp and tried it on the back of his hand. With a light press, a cute little red flower appeared.
Cha Bao immediately extended his chubby hand, “Uncle Boss!”
He Renyuan gently stamped a red flower on the back of his hand, “Rewarding Cha Bao for being number one in eating buns this morning.”
Bai Xiaocha clenched his little hand and showed the back of his hand to Bai Qingyu, “Dad… Uncle, little red flower from Uncle Boss.”
Bai Qingyu’s eyes crinkled, “Cha Bao is so good.”
One hand could only fit one little red flower. He Renyuan rolled up Cha Bao’s sleeve and stamped a small red flag on his chubby elbow, “Rewarding Cha Bao for being number one in eating dumplings last night.”
Bai Xiaocha, “Wow! A little red flag!”
Chen Shu watched the interaction between the boss and Bai Xiaocha. The childish stamping game actually made both of them laugh.
He Renyuan held the little one’s hand and looked around in embarrassment, “It’s full, Cha Bao still has many little red flowers, hmm, can we store them with Cha Bao’s uncle?”
Bai Xiaocha readily agreed, “Yes!”
Dad could also have the little red flowers Cha Bao earned.
He Renyuan, “Hand, please.”
Bai Qingyu smiled as he watched them play the stamping game and didn’t react to He Renyuan calling him. It was the little boy who pulled his hand, “Uncle, hurry up.”
“Oh.” Bai Qingyu put his hand on the armrest of the shopping cart and slightly pulled up his sleeve. He wasn’t sure if it was his illusion, but He Renyuan hadn’t looked at him directly today, and when calling him, he didn’t call his name or even glance at him. How could he tell he was being called?
He Renyuan held four or five stamps in one hand and stamped a “100” on the back of Bai Qingyu’s hand.
“This is a reward for Cha Bao finishing his peanut milk this morning.”
“A reward for peanut milk!” Cha Bao watched intently, Dad also had one!
He Renyuan changed to a different stamp and accidentally knocked over a toy piled high on the cart. It fell towards Bai Qingyu.
He Renyuan quickly blocked the toy box with one hand and put his other arm around Bai Qingyu’s waist, pulling him a step away.
Bai Qingyu’s jacket was loose, and He Renyuan’s fingers, holding the stamps, easily slipped inside, briefly touching his lower back.
Bai Qingyu felt something wet lick his lower back, it seemed like He Renyuan’s cold fingers.
He looked at He Renyuan quickly retracting his hand. Was Young Master He anemic? It must be because he was a picky eater. Bai Xiaocha’s hand felt soft and warm.
Bai Xiaocha, “Uncle Boss, is there more?”
Dad’s left hand didn’t have one yet!
He Renyuan, “Yes.”
A “Progress Award” was stamped on the back of Bai Qingyu’s hand.
Bai Xiaocha extended both his hands, placing them next to his dad’s, a bunch of small red badges, “So many!”
Bai Qingyu couldn’t help but smile, “Because Cha Bao is the cutest baby, that’s why there are so many.”
Bai Xiaocha, “Baby will earn more little red flowers for Dad!”
Bai Qingyu hurriedly corrected his excited son, “Earn some for Uncle too.”
He Renyuan looked at the two innocent people and said, “Good luck.”
The toy store catered to both playing and buying. He Renyuan took Cha Bao to play with many toys until he was satisfied.
Bai Xiaocha got off the rocking car, hungry. It was time to go back for dinner, eating was more important than rocking cars.
On the other hand, the tea deity himself was reluctant to leave the large rocking horse.
He had a monthly salary of thirty thousand, riding a few-yuan rocking horse wasn’t considered extravagant, right?
Bai Xiaocha looked up and saw Uncle Boss putting another coin in for his dad. Dad was riding a big white horse, children couldn’t ride this one.
Bai Qingyu reached out to Bai Xiaocha, “Baby, ride again.”
“Okay!”
Bai Xiaocha was held in his dad’s arms, his dad’s arm around his waist. His finger accidentally pressed something, and the big white horse suddenly started singing.
[What do you call Dad’s dad…]
“Grandpa!” Bai Xiaocha answered quickly.
He Renyuan watched from the side with his arms crossed. The hair colors of the big one and the small one were completely different, one with flowing green hair, the other with short black hair, like an immortal riding a white horse with a fairy child descending to the mortal world. The long hair even draped over the horse’s back.
He had turned off the sound effects. There was already children’s music playing in the store, and it was too noisy when they overlapped. He didn’t expect Bai Xiaocha to be so interested in the “Family Polite Titles Song.”
[What do you call Dad’s mom?]
“Grandma!”
Bai Qingyu, “Baby is so smart.”
The song was quite long. Gradually, Bai Xiaocha couldn’t keep up.
[What do you call Dad’s brother? Dad’s brother is called Uncle.]
Bai Xiaocha frowned.
[What do you call Mom’s brother? Mom’s brother is called Uncle.]
Bai Xiaocha looked up at his dad, his voice full of confusion, “Uncle?”
Bai Qingyu hurriedly turned off the music, jumped off the white horse, and said, “Are you hungry? Uncle will take you to Uncle Jiang’s house to eat with Dad.”
Bai Xiaocha was completely confused by the three titles. Uncle, uncle, and dad were such a complicated relationship.
Bai Qingyu emphasized, “Uncle Jiang made braised meat.”
Bai Xiaocha immediately forgot everything, “Okay!”
Bai Qingyu held Bai Xiaocha and said to He Renyuan, “Thank you for picking up Cha Bao today. I’m taking Cha Bao to Professor Jiang’s house for dinner now.”
Just as He Renyuan was about to speak, Bai Qingyu said, “He thought you were busy and didn’t invite you. It’s very close to the Jiang family’s place, Cha Bao and I can go by ourselves.”
He Renyuan, “I’ll take you to the door and leave after seeing Bai Qingyu receive Cha Bao.”
Bai Qingyu frowned at him, “Don’t you trust my character? I won’t kidnap Cha Bao, Cha Bao loves his dad the most, he’ll cry if he’s not with his dad.”
“And, if you go to the door, Professor Jiang will definitely invite you to dinner, but there’s no food for you, how awkward.”
He Renyuan compromised, “I’ll take you to the community gate.”
Bai Qingyu wasn’t afraid of him waiting at the gate. Anyway, he would transform back into his ordinary version as soon as he entered the community, and Cha Bao’s uncle would naturally leave through the back door.
He Renyuan had spent enough, so the store offered free delivery of the toys. He conveniently bought a child car seat and had Chen Shu install it.
The driver was off duty now. His mood gradually calmed down as he drove the two to the Jiang family’s place.
Before getting out of the car, He Renyuan suddenly asked, “Why does Cha Bao look more like you?”
Bai Qingyu, “Nephews often resemble their maternal uncles, that’s why maternal uncles are so important. I have more say than Bai Qingyu, and I’m not your housekeeper, you can’t bully me.”
Bai Qingyu planned to create an unreasonable uncle image, so He Renyuan wouldn’t think he was as submissive as Bai Qingyu and keep probing him for suspicious points.
He Renyuan put his hands on his hips, “When did I bully him?”
Bai Qingyu paused. Okay, okay, let’s just say he didn’t.
“Cha Bao is hungry, I’ll go upstairs first.”
He Renyuan looked at their backs, rubbed his face, got back into the driver’s seat, and drove away.
Bai Qingyu hid behind the security booth and peeked. Seeing him leave, he ran out with Cha Bao, found a braised food stall, and bought some braised meat, chicken feet, chicken wings, pig ears, and a braised sausage for Bai Xiaocha to chew on.
Bai Xiaocha was chewing on the layered and chewy sausage, his mouth oily and shiny, too busy to listen to his dad making things up again.
After packing the food, he called Professor Jiang, “Cha Bao misses Grandpa and Grandma, can I take him to your place?”
Professor Jiang, “I’d love that, where are you? I’ll drive over and pick you up.”
Bai Qingyu, “I’m at the gate of your community.”
He held Bai Xiaocha and deliberately walked towards a dark area. In the deserted bushes, he transformed back into his ordinary appearance. As soon as he came out, he saw Jiang Libo.
“Uncle Jiang!” Bai Xiaocha shouted.
“Cha Bao!” Xu Zhao was also behind Jiang Libo.
Xu Zhao asked to hold Bai Xiaocha, “If I hold Cha Bao, Mom will definitely look at me differently, I’ll borrow some of Cha Bao’s good fortune.”
“Hello, Uncle Xu.” Bai Xiaocha’s hands were covered in sauce from the braised food.
Xu Zhao was wearing a white hoodie and didn’t mind. As soon as he held him, he said, “It’s okay if you stain Uncle’s clothes, I’ll wash them later.”
But he only held him for a while, because Xu Liping also came downstairs impatiently and took Cha Bao into her arms.
Bai Qingyu saw that everyone’s clothes were stained with braised food sauce in a short time and deeply felt that buying braised food was a mistake.
After going upstairs, Father Jiang turned on the children’s channel on TV and opened two bottles of alcohol with some appetizers, “Adults drink this, children don’t.”
Bai Xiaocha, “Baby doesn’t drink.”
Bai Qingyu didn’t drink either, he drank juice.
After a while, Bai Xiaocha finished eating, wiped his hands and mouth clean, and his face became clean and white again. Everyone who didn’t mind Cha Bao before suddenly started to mind themselves and went to change their clothes before daring to hold Cha Bao again.
Jiang Libo said, “I’ll give you a tracksuit, you should change too.”
Bai Qingyu was wearing a white T-shirt and a jacket today, the stains were very obvious.
Bai Qingyu was about to refuse when he thought that he still had to go home tonight. He couldn’t let He Renyuan see him wearing the same clothes as Cha Bao’s uncle, so he agreed, “Thank you.”
Bai Qingyu and Jiang Libo were about the same height, and the clothes fit perfectly. He washed off all the stamps while changing.
At nine o’clock in the evening, Bai Xiaocha, who was watching the second episode of the cartoon, fell asleep on his father’s lap. Bai Qingyu wrapped him in his jacket and said, “It’s late, I’ll take Cha Bao back to sleep.”
Xu Liping tried to persuade him to stay, “Just sleep here tonight, Xiaoli can send you back tomorrow on his way to work.”
Bai Qingyu carried the little one to the door and said, “It’s okay, I can take the subway back.”
Xu Zhao squatted down and put on his shoes, “I’ll give you a ride, I’m going that way.”
Xu Liping, “That’s fine, drive carefully.”
Jiang Libo also put on his shoes, “Mom, I’ll supervise his driving.”
Xu Liping patted his arm. Her son was grown up and no longer under her control. Forget it, she was happy to see Cha Bao today, she didn’t care where the young people went for their “world of two”
On the way to the underground parking garage with Jiang Libo and Xu Zhao, Bai Qingyu refused He Renyuan’s offer to send a driver to pick him up.
He put his phone away, looked up, and saw Xu Zhao kiss Professor Jiang on the face before going to open the driver’s seat door.
Bai Qingyu blinked. Although he had always heard Aunt Xu complain about her son being gay, he didn’t quite understand it.
Men could also kiss like this, it seemed quite nice.
Bai Qingyu carefully held Cha Bao and got in the car, “Thank you for the trouble.”
Twenty minutes later, Xu Zhao arrived at the He family villa. Before he could get out of the car to open the door for Bai Qingyu, He Renyuan, who had been waiting, did it for him.
He Renyuan, “No need to get out, let’s get together another day.”
Xu Zhao, “Okay.”
Bai Qingyu watched the car leave, turned around, and carried Cha Bao back to the house. The streetlights stretched their two shadows long and thin. When the light source wasn’t directly above, their shadows sometimes overlapped, sometimes separated, but always maintained a distance of one meter.
After a while, Bai Qingyu turned around and asked He Renyuan, “Why are you following me?”
And he always felt that He Renyuan was staring at his back, his gaze as if it could burn a hole through his clothes.
He Renyuan, “Did you change clothes? Did you take a shower?”
Bai Qingyu, “I didn’t shower, Cha Bao stained my clothes while eating, Professor Jiang lent me these.”
Wait, how did He Renyuan know he changed his clothes?
He Renyuan, “Yes, I could tell they weren’t your clothes.”
Bai Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, no longer wary of He Renyuan following him. He Renyuan liked Cha Bao and wanted to look at him more, it was normal.
He Renyuan followed Bai Qingyu up the stairs. He Renyuan’s hand at his side clenched slightly. Logically, he should be carrying the child, but for the sake of verifying that ridiculous guess in his heart, he could only suppress himself and observe.
The top of Jiang Libo’s tracksuit was a bit long. Even when Bai Qingyu bent slightly while climbing the stairs, holding a child in his arms, his lower back was always completely covered by the clothes.
He followed him to the third floor and saw nothing. It was better to just hold the child.
He had thought of the stamps and acted on it, but now he didn’t have the courage to uncover the truth.
He Renyuan stood a foot away from Bai Qingyu, his arms crossed, his expression changing. His upbringing didn’t allow him to lift someone’s clothes, but if it wasn’t covered, it would be wiped off where Bai Qingyu couldn’t see it.
Bai Qingyu bent down and put the little one on the bed, while issuing an eviction order, “I’m going to take a shower, Young Master, you should go back.”
A shower? The stamps weren’t waterproof.
There was no time to hesitate. Perhaps he would never see Cha Bao’s uncle again, just like this time’s sudden appearance.
Before Bai Qingyu could straighten up, He Renyuan took a step closer, put one arm around his shoulder to prevent him from struggling, and lifted his tracksuit with the other hand.
His pupils constricted—
On his fair lower back, the little dog stamp he had given Cha Bao’s uncle was clearly visible.
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Lying is bad!
