Chapter 42 Part 2

Lin Zhi found it random.

Song Mian glanced at him and added out of nowhere, “Did the orphanage starve you?”

Lin Zhi had told Song Mian about being adopted back in freshman year, though he couldn’t recall why it came up.

As far as he knew, he’d been at the orphanage briefly before adoption. He didn’t know his birth parents—he had mom and dad now.

He’d been popular there for being cute, made lots of friends—no way he starved.

And Song Mian’s question was weird.

“What are you getting at?”

Song Mian flipped through other photos, replying casually, “Just that you’re my bunny.”

That chubby bunny.

Lin Zhi said earnestly, “Song Mian, you should get your head checked.”

Song Mian chuckled softly.

Song Mian kept poking around Lin Zhi’s room, asking questions about old stuff. Lin Zhi couldn’t remember photo dates and faked sleep by crawling into bed.

A knock at the door—Lin Zhi’s sister, still up at ten.

Lin Tong rubbed her eyes, ran over, and hugged Song Mian’s leg seriously. “Brother Song Mian, I thought about it. Playing forever is hard—we fight. I fought my preschool friend and still haven’t made up. So, can you be with my brother forever? Like mom and dad!”

Lin Zhi: ??

He bolted upright. “What’re you saying?”

Lin Tong looked at her brother on the bed, even more serious. “Brother, do you love me?”

Lin Zhi saw through it. “Don’t change the subject.”

Lin Tong ran to him for eye contact. “Do you?”

Lin Zhi blinked at her innocent face and countered, “Do you love me?”

Lin Tong: “Yes!”

Lin Zhi: “Me too.”

Lin Tong pointed at Song Mian. “Then be with Brother Song Mian forever—that way—”

She climbed on the bed, cupped her hand to Lin Zhi’s ear, and whispered, “I’ll get tons more pretty Barbie dolls! Brother, time to prove you love me!”

Lin Zhi: ???

“You’re too playful,” Lin Zhi said to her.

Lin Tong blushed. “Brother, mom says I got it from you.”

“Brother Song Mian, okay?” Lin Tong was a mini Lin Zhi, clasping her hands pleading with Song Mian.

Song Mian got why she felt familiar. He raised a brow. “Sure.”

“Yay!!” Xu Xia heard and came over, tugging Lin Tong’s ear to shoo her to bed.

Lin Zhi was bummed—really bummed. Were Barbie dolls that irresistible?

Song Mian patted Lin Zhi’s head teasingly. “Your sister’s copying you? This how you whine to your parents at home?”

Lin Zhi clammed up!

“What if we really have a baby—will it be like this too?” Song Mian’s voice held a touch of regret.

Lin Zhi hid his face.

Baby, don’t be like me!

Sunday afternoon, Song Mian helped wash dishes in the kitchen. Lin Zhi sprawled on the sofa, tense as hell. Lin Tong dressed her Barbie dolls, dragging her shoes to mimic her brother peeking over the sofa.

“Brother, you watching Brother Song Mian?”

Lin Zhi whispered, “Shh!”

“Okay!”

Lin Zhi glanced at his clueless sister and sighed from the heart, “Youth is so blissful.”

Lin Tong: “I’m big! Six already!”

Lin Zhi: “I’m twenty.”

Lin Tong: “Brother, do you love me?”

Lin Zhi thought of Song Mian’s teasing from the night before and sat on the sofa, lecturing his sister, “Don’t always copy me. All those are bad habits—you can’t learn them!”

Lin Tong replied seriously, “But every time you do something bad, you ask like that. Dad doesn’t hit you anymore, and Mom doesn’t get mad at you. That’s worth learning.”

Lin Zhi said, “That’s true; you do need to sweet-talk a bit. But don’t say it when you’re out.”

Lin Tong huffed, “I’m not a kid.”

“You are a kid!”

“I’m not!”

The two were arguing fiercely over whether Lin Tong was a kid when Xu Xia’s voice came from the kitchen. “Zhizhi, come here. Tongtong, go play in your room.”

Lin Tong tugged at her brother’s hand reluctantly before leaving. Lin Zhi tensed up and headed to the kitchen.

Song Mian stood ramrod straight nearby, his expression neutral. Xu Xia’s face was etched with worry, and her gentle voice turned serious once Lin Zhi arrived. “Are you serious?”

Lin Zhi stood beside Song Mian, rubbed his belly, and nodded like a little chick pecking at rice.

“So all those messages you sent me and your dad before, including the questions last night, were to test our reaction?” Xu Xia had it all figured out now.

Lin Zhi scratched his face, embarrassed.

No! He really had a baby!

Xu Xia let out a soft sigh and rubbed her brow. “I need to think about this. I’ll have to discuss it with your dad.”

Lin Zhi nudged Xu Xia. “Can you just tell Dad and no one else?”

Xu Xia dropped her hand. “You’re brave enough to come out to me, but scared of others knowing?”

Lin Zhi pointed at Song Mian.

Song Mian spoke up. “I asked her to. We’re both juniors now—we can’t just sneak around forever.”

Lin Zhi’s face turned red.

Sneak around? It was for the baby!!!

Xu Xia noticed Lin Zhi’s flushed cheeks and reached out to straighten his crooked hat. “You really like him?”

Lin Zhi mumbled, “A little.”

Xu Xia said exasperatedly, “A little means you like him a lot. Didn’t you used to tell me you wanted to marry a pretty girl and have a pretty little daughter?”

Lin Zhi felt a piercing gaze closing in on him.

Lin Zhi said, “Things are different now. Mom, don’t tell anyone else.”

“Who would I even tell about this? You two keep it low-key. I’m pretty open-minded as moms go. Take a look at the neighbors—if you were their son and brought home a guy, they’d break your legs.”

Lin Zhi sighed. “Alas.”

He pointed at Song Mian.

Song Mian: “……”

“Head back to school first. I’ll figure out how to tell your dad. He’s seen a lot out in the world, but when it comes to our own family, he’s not as open as me.”

Lin Zhi sighed again. “Alas.”

He pointed at Song Mian.

Song Mian: “……”

Xu Xia also blamed Song Mian. Her perfectly fine son went off to college and suddenly liked men? So when Lin Zhi pointed at Song Mian, she didn’t say a word.

Xu Xia gave Lin Zhi a few more reminders to spend the money on himself before he finally took Song Mian and left the house.

Once Lin Zhi was in the car, he let Song Mian buckle his seatbelt for him and poked Song Mian’s arm. “This isn’t looking good.”

Song Mian agreed. “Indeed. Your foster parents care about you deeply—they’re worried you’re just infatuated with me. No wonder you’re so sweet-tempered.”

“Of course.” Lin Zhi said earnestly, “Please drop the ‘foster’ part.”

Song Mian pinched Lin Zhi’s cheek.

Lin Zhi grew curious. “What did you tell my mom?”

Song Mian didn’t hide it. “I said we’re dating, and I want to be with you. I asked her to think it over—nobody’s more suitable for you than me. She got a bit mad afterward and called you in.”

Lin Zhi sighed in admiration. “Song Mian, in terms of emotional intelligence, you’re no match for me.”

Song Mian didn’t deny it.

“But you two talked for a long time. Just that?”

Song Mian was still a bit speechless about it. He tugged on the drawstrings of Lin Zhi’s hoodie, stretching them out. “Thanks to you, she didn’t believe me at first—thought I was joking around with you.”

Lin Zhi sighed. “Alas.”

Lin Zhi offered an idea. “How about we don’t register yet? Wait until my belly gets bigger. I’m not ready. I just realized I’m not straight, we’ve barely been dating, and now marriage? Even rockets aren’t this fast.”

Song Mian’s words amused him, and he chuckled softly. “You’re being honest now.”

Lin Zhi ignored him and pressed, “So, what do we do?”

Song Mian thought for a few seconds. “We don’t have to rush the registration. Whenever you’re ready, we’ll go. I’ll also tell you all your secrets.”

Lin Zhi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Really? Something this good?”

Song Mian said, “With conditions.”

He knew it!

“What conditions?”

Song Mian’s gaze darkened as he looked at Lin Zhi. “You take the initiative once.”

Damn!

Lin Zhi nearly exploded, muttering, “Song Mian, why is your mind always on that stuff!”

Song Mian’s expression remained calm. “Your choice.”

Lin Zhi actually mulled it over, turning his back to Song Mian for a long time. Then, with a flushed face, he turned back, hands braced on either side of the seat. “You’ll really tell me? All the secrets?”

Song Mian watched Lin Zhi’s expression. “Depends on your performance.”

“What if you say my performance is bad?”

Song Mian replied humanely, “If it’s bad, I’ll remind you.”

Lin Zhi clenched his fists. The Romance Survival System wasn’t helping—he had to do this himself!

Lin Zhi tilted his head sharply. “Fine! But I have a baby, so you have to be careful.”

Song Mian’s chest heated up, and he squeezed out a sound from his throat. “Mm.”

But he didn’t take it to heart. There was no baby, after all.

Soon, Song Mian would regret treating Zhizhi this way.