Chapter 109
Xing Nuo, seeing Little Fatty sobbing uncontrollably, assumed he was just upset about not getting any meat.
But he couldn’t help him. He didn’t have any food.
He climbed back into his cot, hugged his mermaid doll, and went to sleep.
Little Fatty, tired from crying, eventually stopped, his sobs subsiding.
He pondered his sadness, but couldn’t understand why he felt so bad.
His eyes red and swollen, he lay there until nap time was over.
Teacher Xiao Song entered, opened the curtains, letting the warm autumn sunlight stream in, bathing the children’s cots in a golden glow.
Xing Nuo’s cot was by the window, and he was completely enveloped in sunlight, his hair shimmering.
Teacher Xiao Song, coming to wake him up, saw him sleeping peacefully, looking like a sweet, golden cake, and her heart softened.
Xing Nuo was undeniably the prettiest child in her class.
And he was so sweet and gentle, getting along well with everyone.
Except for Little Fatty, of course.
“Xing Nuo, wake up,” she said softly. “We have yummy cream puffs today!”
These words, instead of waking Xing Nuo, woke up An Zimuo in the next cot.
“Cream puffs? Where?”
He threw his blanket aside, jumped out of bed without even putting on his slippers, ran over to Xing Nuo’s cot, and shook him.
“Xing Nuo! Xing Nuo! Wake up! Cream puffs!”
Xing Nuo woke up, yawning, his eyes still sleepy.
An Zimuo, wide awake, brought Xing Nuo his slippers and even tried to help him put them on.
Fortunately, Xing Nuo could do it himself, and he sat on the edge of his cot, slowly putting on his slippers.
An Zimuo, his enthusiasm undiminished, hovered around Xing Nuo like an excited puppy.
“Xing Nuo, I’ll get your snack for you today!”
Usually, several children would compete for the honor of bringing Xing Nuo his snack, and An Zimuo always lost, only able to watch enviously as the other child sat with Xing Nuo, enjoying the treat together.
Today, having woken up early, he finally had a chance!
Xing Nuo, his eyelids drooping, his cheeks slightly flushed, shook his head sleepily.
“No need. I can get it myself.”
He always refused, although it never worked.
An Zimuo, undeterred, helped him fold his blanket and eagerly took his hand, leading him out of the nap room.
Qingqing, running out from the other nap room, grabbed Xing Nuo’s arm and pulled him away.
“Xing Nuo, come! Eat puff!”
An Zimuo, seeing Xing Nuo being dragged away, his face red with anger, stomped his foot.
He turned and yelled, “Teacher Xiao Song! Qingqing took Xing Nuo!”
Unable to fight Qingqing, he could only resort to telling the teacher.
Teacher Xiao Song comforted him, stifling a laugh, and patted his head.
“There, there. It’s okay. You can play with Xing Nuo later, during snack time.”
Meanwhile, Xing Nuo, dragged along by Qingqing, stopped outside the cafeteria, panting, his legs aching.
Qingqing, not even slightly out of breath, was already in line, having gotten three cream puffs.
“Here’s yours, and Yiyi’s.” She placed the puffs on the table and waved at Xing Nuo.
Xing Nuo, his appetite small, had barely finished one cream puff when Qingqing had already devoured hers.
He pushed his remaining puff towards her.
“Qingqing eat.”
Qingqing, having already eaten Xing Nuo’s lunch, her ears turning pink, giggled and took the cream puff.
“Thank you, Xing Nuo! I’ll be your best friend forever!”
Xing Nuo smiled sweetly.
“Okay!”
Little Fatty, sitting nearby with his own snack, seeing this, huffed, feeling even more miserable, and quickly ate his cream puff.
After their snack, the children went to the playground and lined up for the slide.
Xing Nuo, having developed a fondness for slides lately, was the first in line. He climbed to the top and slid down with a happy yell.
Teacher Xiao Song, taking pictures, posted them in the class group chat.
Seeing that it was almost time to go home, she clapped her hands and led the children back to the classroom to get their backpacks.
Xing Nuo, at the front of the line, led the other children out of the kindergarten.
He adjusted his little round hat and, spotting his dad’s golden hair in the crowd, his eyes lit up, and he called out:
“Daddy!”
Daddy was here to pick him up today!
Shen Wen, dark circles under his eyes from several sleepless nights, his face showing his exhaustion, smiled at the sight of Xing Nuo and picked him up.
Xing Nuo hugged his dad’s neck, nuzzling his cheek affectionately.
“Daddy worked long time.”
Whenever Shen Wen had to go to his dungeon, he would tell Xing Nuo he was going to work.
Xing Nuo, although always missing him, would obediently wait for his return.
He rested his head against his dad’s shoulder, chattering non-stop, telling him how many bowls of rice he had eaten at lunch each day.
Shen Wen stroked Xing Nuo’s soft hair, nuzzling his cheek.
“Don’t worry, after Daddy finishes his work, he won’t be gone for so long anymore.”
Once Wen Xingxue was dead, and those annoying players stopped challenging his dungeon.
Back home, Shen Yan, seeing Shen Wen return from the dungeon, was surprised.
“You’re back?”
Seeing Shen Wen nod, he quickly put on his teddy bear apron and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Having taken care of Xing Nuo lately, he had become quite skilled at cooking.
He hadn’t called the chef today, having bought groceries himself.
Xing Nuo, having changed into his slippers, ran to the kitchen, watched his brother cook for a while, then hugged his leg, looking up at him.
“Big Brother, you make soup? Daddy tired…needs soup…to get better.”
The grandma who lived on the first floor often made soup, saying it was good for your health, and would always bring a thermos of soup for Xing Nuo.
Xing Nuo, remembering this, thought his tired daddy also needed some soup.
Shen Yan pinched Xing Nuo’s cheek and, giving him the bok choy, said:
“Come help Big Brother wash the vegetables.”
Xing Nuo loved helping adults. It made him feel like a grown-up.
He stood on a small stool and carefully washed the bok choy, then handed it to Shen Yan.
Shen Yan praised him, then, afraid of the hot oil splattering, told him to go watch cartoons.
Xing Nuo shook his head.
“I busy. No time for cartoons.”
He ran to the living room and saw his dad asleep on the sofa, his arms crossed. He tiptoed over.
He went to the bedroom, dragged a blanket out, almost tripping over it several times,
and carefully covered his dad.
Then, he took a small watering can and watered the plants on the balcony.
As he watered the plants, he looked down, checking if his other Big Brother was back yet.
He had been busy all afternoon and was quite tired.
After watering the plants, he went back inside to set the table.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he felt like the entire household depended on him.
He stood by the table and sighed contentedly.
Shen Yan, taking off his apron, seeing how busy Xing Nuo had been, chuckled.
“Look at you, so busy. What were you even doing?”
Xing Nuo huffed softly, thinking, Zaizai did important things!
He woke his dad up, then, looking down from the balcony, saw his brother entering the building and smiled.
“Big Brother no night study! He’s home!”
He ran to open the door, spinning around excitedly.
Shen Yan, unable to stand it, picked him up and placed him in his high chair, handing him his chopsticks.
“Alright, alright, stop worrying about everyone else. Eat your dinner.”
Xing Nuo, his arms tired, opened his mouth and looked up at his dad.
“Daddy, feed me.”
Shen Wen’s eyes were still slightly tired and unfocused, his golden hair, usually smooth and silky, now a bit messy from his nap.
He smiled and put a piece of meat, which Xing Nuo disliked, in his mouth.
Xing Nuo, unable to spit it out, frowned and ate it.
He huffed and, no longer letting his dad feed him, picked up his chopsticks and ate his vegetables.
Having been so active today, Xing Nuo didn’t go downstairs to play after dinner.
He finished the math problems Teacher Xiao Song had assigned, then climbed into bed and instantly fell asleep.
Shen Wen, sitting by the bed, stroking Xing Nuo’s hair, suddenly sensed something, his expression turning cold.
“What are you doing here?”
Wen Xingxue, his appearance also disheveled, his form flickering, hovered in mid-air, his gaze fixed on Xing Nuo.
“I came to see Xing Nuo.”
Shen Wen and Wen Xingxue glared at each other, their mutual dislike palpable.
Silence filled the room.
Before leaving, Wen Xingxue saw Shen Wen looking down at Xing Nuo, his expression gentle, his golden hair shimmering in the lamplight.
The image, for a moment, warmed his cold heart.
