Chapter 23
Shen Yan finally managed to get the little cub to take his medicine.
Xing Nuo, holding his breath, sat on the edge of the bed, cupping his hands around a glass, and gulped down half of the water.
The bitter taste lingered in his mouth. Xing Nuo turned his face away, puffing out his cheeks, only showing his brother the back of his round little head.
Shen Yan smiled, deliberately tugging at the cowlick sticking up on Xing Nuo’s head.
“Whose little cub is this, so brave? Didn’t even cry when taking medicine.”
Shen Yan’s voice was soft and gentle. He was still wearing the suit from yesterday, a small pill resting in his palm.
Xing Nuo, spotting the pill, thinking he had to take more medicine, scrambled from the head of the bed to the foot.
From two meters away, he pursed his lips, his eyes filled with determination.
Zaizai wouldn’t take any more medicine!
A playful glint flashed in Shen Yan’s eyes. He smiled, put away the extra pill, and soothed Xing Nuo:
“No more, you only need one pill each time. Isn’t that very little?”
Xing Nuo, quick-witted, wasn’t fooled, shaking his head vigorously.
“Not little!”
Zaizai could have taken zero pills!
Xing Nuo sat on the bed, angrily picking at the loose threads on his socks until they completely unraveled, hanging loosely from his feet.
Shen Yan, noticing this, instructed his assistant to bring a new set of clothes and socks for Xing Nuo.
Xing Nuo, after changing into his new sunflower-printed hoodie, touched it happily, a smile returning to his face.
After his checkup at noon, confirming there were no signs of his fever returning, the doctor gave a few instructions:
“Take his medicine on time, and if the fever returns, bring him back to the hospital immediately.”
Shen Yan nodded, noting down the instructions, and carried Xing Nuo out of the hospital, heading home.
The moment the door opened, Xing Nuo ran inside, his face still slightly pale, but his voice cheerful, calling out repeatedly:
“Dad!”
Zaizai’s back!
Shen Wen wasn’t in the living room, but Xing Nuo didn’t seem to mind. He excitedly pulled aside the beige curtains and went to look for him on the balcony.
Shen Wen loved gardening. The balcony was meticulously organized, filled with various vibrant flowers.
Every flower, regardless of whether it was in season, bloomed profusely.
The fragrant scent tickled Xing Nuo’s nose, making him sneeze.
He looked around, but his dad wasn’t there.
Xing Nuo looked around the flowerpots again, even poking at the soil, before giving up.
He walked back inside, pouting.
“Dad…in bedroom?”
Seeing Shen Yan emerge from the bedroom, Xing Nuo looked up, his eyes shining.
Shen Yan shook his head gently.
“No, he’s probably still busy.”
Xing Nuo sighed like a little adult, his cheeks puffed out, and sat down on the sofa.
“Not…come home…see Zaizai…eat with Zaizai.”
Usually, Dad would be back within a day!
Shen Yan’s lips curved upwards. He coughed to hide his amusement, walked over, picked up the little one, and poked his cheek.
“He’ll be back as soon as he’s finished. How about playing with brother for a while?”
Xing Nuo nodded and spent the afternoon playing half-heartedly with his brother.
Dinner was prepared by Shen Yan’s hired chef, a carefully curated meal of mildly flavored dishes suitable for children.
Xing Nuo ate very little, cupping his cheeks in his hands and glancing at the door expectantly every now and then.
Shen Yan knew Xing Nuo was waiting for Shen Wen. He instructed the chef to arrive on time the next morning, grabbed his jacket, and stood up.
“Shen Baizhou, I have a business dinner I can’t miss. Take care of Xing Nuo. I’ll be back later tonight.”
Shen Baizhou, chewing on a steamed bun, lazily glanced at Shen Yan, lifted his chin, and mumbled in agreement.
“Go ahead.”
His presence was rather irritating anyway.
Shen Yan, seeing Shen Baizhou’s unreliable demeanor, was about to say something, but Shen Baizhou waved him away dismissively.
“Just go. I’m going to watch cartoons with Xing Nuo after dinner.”
The new season of Catman Adventures was starting!
Shen Yan sighed, grabbed his jacket, and left.
Xing Nuo, who had been staring blankly into space, his cheeks cupped in his hands, suddenly looked up at the sound of the closing door, his eyes wide.
“Brother?”
Why was his brother leaving too?
Shen Baizhou picked up Xing Nuo, tossed him gently in the air, raised an eyebrow, and grinned.
“Good riddance, how about we watch cartoons together?”
Xing Nuo sighed softly and pushed his brother’s face away, reluctantly agreeing to watch cartoons with him.
Shen Wen still hadn’t returned by midnight.
The moon was bright, and the early summer night breeze was cool and refreshing.
Xing Nuo suddenly woke up, climbed out of bed, and ran out of the room, not even bothering to put on his slippers.
“Dad?”
Small nightlights illuminated the bedroom and living room, casting a soft, yellow glow.
Xing Nuo, who hadn’t seen his dad for two days, his eyes instantly welling up with tears, pursed his lips, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill.
Before he could start crying, he saw the master bedroom door open.
He wiped his eyes and peeked inside, his eyes lighting up.
“Dad!”
A man with long, golden hair was sitting inside, his face handsome and fair, his nose bridge high, his eyes deeper than an average person’s.
Shen Wen wore a magnificent robe he rarely wore, white with gold trim, embroidered with blood-red roses.
He wore a green agate ring on his finger, his chin resting on his hand as he sat on a high, throne-like chair, his expression indifferent.
Xing Nuo, not noticing the changes in the bedroom, happily ran towards his dad, his little rice teeth showing.
The moment he stepped inside, the lights went out.
The warm room instantly turned cold, plunged into darkness.
The darkness swallowed Xing Nuo’s small form, and his steps faltered.
His excitement turned to unease. He tilted his head up, reaching out to touch the bedroom wall, but only felt damp air.
“Dad? Lights…off?”
Xing Nuo remembered the bedroom wasn’t big; there was a desk just a few steps from the door.
He groped forward, his hands reaching out, but couldn’t find the wall or the desk.
Standing in the pitch-black darkness, Xing Nuo felt disoriented, as if he were dreaming.
“It’s okay…close eyes…Zaizai…wake up.”
He took a deep breath, trying to comfort himself, closing his eyes, then opening them again.
After several attempts, the all-consuming darkness remained.
“It’s okay.”
As if having experienced something even more despairing before, Xing Nuo, naturally optimistic, comforted himself.
He patted his chest, trying to encourage himself.
“Zaizai…find Dad…soon!”
Xing Nuo didn’t just stand there in the darkness. He sniffled, tears welling up in his eyes, and slowly groped forward.
“Damn it! What kind of place is this?!”
“Can you keep your voice down? This isn’t the real world, no one here will tolerate your tantrums!”
“Why can’t I be angry?! Why am I so unlucky to be pulled into this damned instance?!”
The arguing voices of a man and a woman echoed, surrounded by several indifferent onlookers.
“Enough! Stop arguing!”
Finally, someone, unable to bear the noise any longer, covered his ears and glanced at the two arguing newcomers.
Both were new to the instance world, their knowledge limited, so they didn’t dare offend the experienced veteran players and reluctantly fell silent.
The woman wore a stylish tweed outfit, carried a small, diamond-studded purse, and had carefully styled her hair in loose curls.
She rubbed her arms, walked over to the veteran player, and asked tentatively:
“Senior, can I ask, once we clear this instance, can we go back to the real world?”
A man with a sharp chin sneered.
“In your dreams. Once you’re in, don’t expect to get out. Haven’t you noticed none of us can leave?”
The woman bit her lip, seemingly devastated by this revelation.
Another male newcomer, who had just arrived, burst into tears, throwing his briefcase to the ground.
“Why? I want to go back!”
The veteran players watched coldly, unmoved.
Those who couldn’t accept their current situation were just cannon fodder.
The newcomer’s cries gradually subsided, and the thin black fog surrounding them slowly dissipated.
The veteran players cautiously looked up, observing their surroundings.
They were standing on a dirt path, lined with brightly colored flowers, green vines winding around tree trunks, dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves.
There was only one path, leading to a castle in the distance.
The tall, towering, ancient structure exuded an air of luxury and decadence, like a castle from a Western fairytale.
The interior of the castle was hidden from view. The players gathered, no one speaking.
They faintly heard the sound of a child crying. The female newcomer looked up and exclaimed in surprise:
“There’s a child over there!”
The veteran players’ eyes widened, their hearts clenching as they went on high alert.
Xing Nuo, after walking for a long time, rubbing his red, teary eyes, noticed the black fog dissipating, his vision clearing.
He saw a group of unfamiliar older people and, at the end of the path, a familiar castle.
“Zaizai’s…home!” Xing Nuo’s eyes lit up, and he ran forward.
