Chapter 30
Breakfast was a meticulously prepared Western-style meal, courtesy of the cook and pastry chef.
To cater to Shen Wen’s preferences, each dish on the silver platters was garnished with flower petals.
Xing Nuo, holding a small glass of milk brought by the butler, drank most of it.
His mouth ringed with a milky mustache, he patted his tummy and held up the empty glass for his dad to see.
“Daddy, Zaizai finished~”
Shen Wen glanced at the little one, not understanding why finishing a glass of milk was worth mentioning.
“Mm,” he replied indifferently, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
Daddy didn’t praise him for finishing his milk, but Xing Nuo wasn’t upset. He put aside the bib the butler had tucked into his shirt and looked up at his dad.
He watched as his dad elegantly finished his breakfast, sipping something dark and bitter called “coffee,” and, resting his chin on his hand, he realized something.
Daytime Daddy and nighttime Daddy were different.
They were both Daddy, but daytime Daddy seemed to have forgotten about Zaizai.
Not understanding why, Xing Nuo sighed softly, thinking that Daddy must be sick.
Just like when Zaizai woke up in the morning, his head would be foggy for a while, and he would forget who he was.
But Daddy forgot for a long time, the whole day.
Only at night did he remember how cute Zaizai was, telling him stories and tucking him into bed.
Xing Nuo, thinking he had figured it out, sat there, nodding his head, his expression alternating between serious contemplation and cheerful understanding.
Shen Wen, noticing Xing Nuo’s changing expressions out of the corner of his eye, frowned slightly.
Are all children this lively?
He’s even entertaining himself.
Shen Wen didn’t bother figuring out where this child came from or why he shared his blood.
He disliked trouble and couldn’t stand the noise children made.
It was only a matter of days. Once the dungeon ended, these players, along with the child, would disappear.
Thinking about how he wouldn’t have to see this clumsy, little cub anymore, Shen Wen’s mood, strangely, wasn’t as light as he expected.
That inexplicable blood connection had affected him somewhat.
Shen Wen, his mood sour, rubbed his forehead, pushing aside these confusing thoughts, and stood up to leave.
Xing Nuo, seeing his dad leave, hurriedly climbed down from his high chair.
In his haste, his little feet missed the step.
“Oops!”
He landed on his bottom with a thud, his hands flying to cushion the impact. He lay there for a moment, like a flipped turtle, unable to get up.
Shen Wen stopped, sighed, and turned to look at the little one.
“How can you be so clumsy?”
Falling while getting down from a chair?
Xing Nuo, clutching his sore bottom, his eyes welling up, looked up at his dad and whimpered.
“Daddy, Zaizai hurt.”
Shen Wen, looking at the little one, who hadn’t even shed a single tear despite his dramatic whimpering, almost laughed.
“You’re not even crying?”
He snorted.
“Fake Crybaby.”
Xing Nuo pouted, covered his ears, and shook his head, not wanting to hear it.
“Not! Zaizai not Fake Crybaby!”
Daddy and Big Brother always said that!
Xing Nuo was getting angry.
He scrambled to his feet, clutching his bottom, and walked past his dad, his head held high, ignoring him.
He looked like a proud little kitten, strutting past you with its tail in the air, pretending to be indifferent but desperately seeking your attention.
Shen Wen, his arms crossed, watched the little one waddle away and chuckled.
Raising this little thing was actually quite entertaining.
He shook his head and gestured for the butler to follow.
“Keep an eye on him. Don’t let him fall again.”
The butler, his face beaming with affection as he watched the interaction between Master and Little Master, his wrinkles crinkling into a smile, replied:
“Yes, Master.”
As expected, Master only appears cold, but he cares deeply for the little master.
Xing Nuo, clutching his bottom, slowly walked around a corner, then turned and peeked back, checking if his dad was following him.
Just as he was about to turn away, he saw the buzz-cut sister, also peeking around the corner.
The buzz-cut player, who had been observing the monsters, also saw Xing Nuo.
They stared at each other, their eyes wide.
The buzz-cut player chuckled awkwardly, gave up on observing the monsters, and walked towards Xing Nuo.
“Xing Nuo, what are you doing here?”
Xing Nuo shook his head, refusing to answer.
“Big sister? What you doing?”
The player also shook her head. “You didn’t tell me, so I won’t tell you.”
Xing Nuo shrugged, blinked, and, clutching his bottom, turned to leave.
The buzz-cut player suddenly remembered something and called out to him:
“Little Master, have you seen a man in black clothes, with a knife at his waist, on the second floor?”
They hadn’t seen Wen Xingxue since he charged at the monsters last night.
They had stayed in their room all night, too afraid to open the door and risk encountering the terrifying monsters.
The castle was deceptively quiet, the sounds of fighting echoing from outside.
Only after daylight returned and the monsters retreated did they dare to venture out.
Worried about the Big Boss, the buzz-cut player had been searching for him.
She had carefully observed the monsters, looking for any sign of Wen Xingxue.
But after searching the entire first floor, she couldn’t find him.
Not wanting to think the worst, she decided to ask Xing Nuo.
Perhaps the Big Boss had ignored the rules and gone to the dangerous second floor?
Xing Nuo shook his head, his face blank.
“No. New guest?”
The buzz-cut player sighed and nodded.
“Yes, he’s our companion. I’m worried he might accidentally go to the second floor and anger your dad.”
Xing Nuo tilted his head, confused.
“No. Daddy very nice…no angry.”
The buzz-cut player smiled wryly. Your dad is only nice to you.
To them, Shen Wen was terrifying, his aura so oppressive they couldn’t even look at him directly, constantly afraid of being crushed by his fingers.
Xing Nuo, seeing her worried expression, patted her arm and said in his sweet voice:
“It’s okay, big sister. You want flower? We go pick!”
Daddy said that when you’re sad, picking a pretty flower and smelling its sweet fragrance will make you feel better!
The buzz-cut player gasped and shook her head vigorously.
Remembering the creepy, blood-red roses in the garden, her scalp tingled.
Afraid the little master would offer to pick her a rose, she quickly excused herself.
“I just remembered I have something to do. Gotta go!”
She turned and hurried away.
Xing Nuo, watching her go, tilted his head, puzzled, then frowned, clutched his bottom, and slowly walked towards the garden.
The blood-red roses in the garden bloomed beautifully, their fragrance filling the air.
The front garden was filled with roses, but near the fence, Shen Wen had planted a few tulips.
Xing Nuo walked to the flowerbed and bent down to inspect the flowers.
He touched one, then another, nodding occasionally.
“Very good. Today flowers…very pwetty!”
The butler, coming outside, saw the little master seriously inspecting the flowerbed.
He nodded approvingly, tapping his cane on the ground.
“The little master has Master’s demeanor, already learning how to manage the garden.”
The male servant beside him nodded in agreement.
“When Little Master grows up, he’ll be just as amazing as Master!”
Xing Nuo, unaware of the butler’s expectations, walked around the garden and finally stopped by a rose.
“Gardener Uncle, I want this one!”
The gardener came over with his shears and cut the vibrant rose.
“Here you go, Little Master.”
Xing Nuo hummed, holding the rose in one hand and clutching his bottom with the other, and walked back to the castle.
Having lived in the castle for two or three years, Xing Nuo knew the layout like the back of his hand.
He walked through the hallway with the paintings, through the living room, and to the guest room where the players were staying.
He knocked gently on the door and called out:
“Hello~ Anyone there?”
Inside, the noisy commotion instantly ceased.
The buzz-cut player, injured by the agitated male player, opened the door, her face grim.
Seeing Xing Nuo holding a rose, she paused, a thought flashing through her mind.
Could this be…?
“Big sister, for you…pwetty flower!” Xing Nuo stood on tiptoe, offering her the rose.
The buzz-cut player gasped inwardly. It really is for me!
She took a deep breath, her forehead breaking out in a cold sweat, caught in a dilemma.
She didn’t dare accept this dangerous-looking flower!
But it was a gift from the little master. If she refused, would she anger him?
Losing Xing Nuo’s favor would be detrimental.
As she hesitated, the agitated male player who had injured her earlier walked over.
He looked at the rose, his expression manic, and laughed.
“So this is what you get for sucking up to the little master?! Why aren’t you taking it?”
The male player’s mental state was clearly unstable. Since yesterday, he had been fluctuating between suicidal despair and violent outbursts.
His face was now contorted and frightening.
He had just attacked the buzz-cut player in the room, the wound on her arm still bleeding.
But he seemed oblivious to it, staring at her maliciously, waiting for her to make a fool of herself.
im wondering if that guy who picked up our zaizai the other dad? ive been wondering since the beginning of the story if he has another dad (especially one that’s a player), since it says shen wen birthed him. or was i reading it wrong? lol