Chapter 33: Dislike
Warm water streamed down his face. Fei Han stood under the showerhead, pressing his fingers against the spot where Nuonuo’s tears had touched, his brows tightly furrowed.
Although he had already washed it once, he didn’t know why, but he always felt that the patch of skin that had been rubbed red still carried the little one’s milky scent.
Fei Han had never been around children. Whenever he thought of three- or four-year-olds, his mind would conjure up images of all sorts of bratty kids from documentaries. Some would smear paint all over the walls, some would drag flour all over the house… In short, they were not positive images, and Fei Han had always kept his distance from children.
Knowing that there was a little merman by his father’s side, Fei Han’s mind was filled with all sorts of methods for creating a merman through experiments. But after investigating several top-level laboratories, he found that with the current level of experimentation, it was simply impossible to create a merman.
But Nuonuo was a little merman. Even if his origins were unknown, he still had the same fishtail as his father.
At this thought, Fei Han’s eyelids drooped slightly. After a long while, thinking of the little one’s silly, outstretched arms asking for a hug, his fingers finally moved away from his neck.
He had thought Nuonuo’s personality wouldn’t be very good. After all, with a similar status to his father, it was enough for him to be arrogant and spoiled. But now it seemed that this little merman was a bit silly and dazed. He couldn’t even sense his own dislike for him and just kept following him around like a little puppy.
After his shower, Fei Han changed into casual clothes. His wet hair was still dripping, but he didn’t care and walked straight out.
But the moment he stepped out of the bathroom, he saw Nuonuo, with his clothes over his head, struggling inside.
Nuonuo sat on the floor, not even bothering with his little bottom that had just been hurt from the fall. He huffed and puffed as he crawled around, trying to get out of the clothes. But after more than ten minutes, Nuonuo was panting with exhaustion and still hadn’t managed to crawl out. Instead, he was covered in sweat.
From Fei Han’s perspective, Nuonuo was like a flailing little bug, with no sense of direction, foolishly wriggling around. Not only did he fail to get out, but he also managed to wrap the clothes even more tightly around himself.
How could Father agree to keep such a little silly fish?
Fei Han’s face was cold with confusion. He directly lifted the little white dumpling and, clothes and all, sent him out of his bedroom.
Before he could even get out of the darkness, his body was suddenly lifted into the air. Nuonuo swung his little legs, looking in confusion at the floor that was getting farther and farther away.
But in the house, the only person who would lift Nuonuo like this was Fei Han. Before, there was also Fei Zhiyan, but recently, Fei Zhiyan had rarely held Nuonuo by the scruff of his neck like this.
And so, Nuonuo watched the changing scenery below and, in a plea for help, shook his little head, which was still inside the clothes. “Brother, I can’t get out, ya!”
Hearing Nuonuo’s words, the veins on Fei Han’s temple couldn’t help but throb. He then placed him at the doorway and took off the white lab coat that had been twisted around him like a rope.
Seeing the light again, Nuonuo let out a “wow.” Seeing his brother, he was about to lunge at him. But when he was just a step away, his little forehead was stopped by Fei Han’s finger. “Out. You’re not allowed to follow me in.”
Fei Han’s tone was flat, so cold it could make a person shiver. If it had been anyone else, they would have probably fled in panic under his icy gaze.
But who was he facing? It was Nuonuo. He was completely oblivious to his brother’s dislike for him, his short little legs moving with great effort, trying to lunge at his brother’s legs.
After walking in place for a little while, Nuonuo finally let out a little “ya,” lifted his head in confusion, and blinked his moist eyes at Fei Han. “Brother?”
Although he wanted to deceive himself, Fei Han had to admit that under Nuonuo’s soft and harmless gaze, he couldn’t bring himself to dislike him. If it were an adult, this kind of gaze would only make Fei Han think the other person had a low IQ. But Nuonuo was just a child of a little over two, so Fei Han could only silently give in.
Retracting his finger, under Nuonuo’s expectant, sparkling gaze, Fei Han slightly turned his head away. “Go back to your own room. I still have things to do.”
Fei Han’s hand was on the doorknob, his eyelids drooping, looking a little fierce.
Nuonuo was really tired. His little legs gave way, and he sat down on the clothes, tilting his little face up to look at his brother. “Brother busy, ya?”
Nuonuo’s three older brothers all had things to do. Although he didn’t understand what they were doing, he was very well-behaved and wouldn’t disturb them. Of course, sometimes, when his clingy mood came on, he would also pester his papa and brothers and not let them go.
“Yes.” Fei Han was a man of few words. He uttered one word and was about to close the door.
Nuonuo, however, quickly held up the clothes that had been blocking his view and stood on his tiptoes, wanting to give them to his brother. “Brother’s cwoathes, ya!”
Brother is so forgetful. He left his clothes outside the door. It’s a good thing Nuonuo still remembered!
Nuonuo puffed out his chest with a little pride, trying his best to hold the clothes up for his brother.
Fei Han’s motion of closing the door paused for a moment, and then he continued with a blank expression. “It’s dirty. I don’t need it.”
Nuonuo stood at the door, holding the clothes. Hearing the sound of the bedroom door closing, he finally peeked out from behind the clothes that were blocking his view and lowered his slightly sore little arms.
The clothes are dirty, ya?
Nuonuo looked down at the clothes on the floor, which were now wrinkled into a ball. The white lab coat had been dragged around on the floor by Nuonuo, and not only was it wrinkled, but it was also covered in dust, looking very dirty indeed.
Just like Nuonuo, whose little face was also covered in dust, he had become a little dirty bun.
Seeing that Fei Han was gone, 006 sighed and spoke up. “Nuonuo, let’s go back too.”
Fei Han clearly disliked Nuonuo. They didn’t need to put on a warm face to a cold butt. Our Nuonuo is the future most ferocious Merman King. What’s there for you to be so arrogant about, Fei Han! 006 thought with a hmph.
Nuonuo also nodded his little head. This morning had been really tiring, and Nuonuo had no energy left. He urgently needed a bottle of milk to replenish his strength.
Exhausted, Nuonuo sat on the floor, propping his little face on his hands to rest for a while. After regaining a little strength, he dragged Fei Han’s white lab coat towards his own little room.
006’s virtual puppy image tilted its head and asked in confusion, “Nuonuo, what are you taking the clothes back for? You can’t wear them.”
Nuonuo wanted to pick up the clothes, but they were too long. He could only half-drag, half-carry them forward. Fortunately, the clothes were relatively light, and Nuonuo didn’t have to use too much effort to take them.
“I made the clothes dirty. I have to wash them for brother, ya,” Nuonuo answered cheerfully in his mind.
006 never expected this answer. It had thought Nuonuo was so angry he was going to drag the clothes back and stomp on them as if they were Fei Han. “Nuonuo, you don’t have to be so kind. Fei Han won’t appreciate it!”
006 was not as silly and sweet as Nuonuo. It could see the coldness and dislike in Fei Han’s eyes for Nuonuo at a glance and wanted nothing more than to roll its eyes at him with the same look!
Nuonuo didn’t understand. He thought his eldest brother was very, very good! “No, ya. Brother saved Nuonuo. He’s so amazing!”
Hearing Nuonuo still foolishly speaking up for Fei Han, 006 felt that its core was tired from running. Aiya, forget it. It doesn’t affect the villain plot mission anyway. Whatever.
006 thought, giving up.
Back in his room, Fei Han’s fingers rested on the doorknob for a long while before he thought, Should I not have been so cold to a child?
The usually calm Fei Han actually felt a bit of irritation in his heart, his furrowed brow not relaxing for a long time. This problem seemed even harder to solve than the most difficult research project he had ever tackled in his experiments.
After thinking for a while, Fei Han finally opened the door again, wanting to see if the little one was still there.
Not far from the door was Nuonuo, half-dragging the clothes towards his own bedroom. He was short, even shorter than the long clothes, and was taking strenuous little steps. Occasionally, he would forget to watch his step and trip over the hem of the clothes.
“Aiya!”
Nuonuo propped himself up with his little hands, rubbed his bumped knee, and slowly stood up before continuing to walk.
Fei Han watched this scene and silently closed the door again. Forget it. I still think he’s a bit silly. I can’t bring myself to say anything apologetic.
Nuonuo finally stumbled back to his own bedroom. He went to the bathroom, dragged out the small basin he had used before, balled up the clothes, and tried his best to stuff them in. The small basin was a bit small, and once the whole garment was in, there was no space left.
“Nuonuo, do you know how to wash clothes? Why don’t you just let Fei Han wash it himself! It’s his clothes anyway!”
006 spoke with a hint of indignation. Looking at the small basin, it couldn’t help but worry a little.
Nuonuo nodded his head vigorously. “I do, ya. The cartoon taught me. I have to put water, then wub, wub, wub, and it’ll be done!”
006 saw that Nuonuo seemed to know what he was talking about. Seeing that it couldn’t stop him, it gave up. Then, thinking of the matter with Wen Yuan just now, 006 spoke up to remind him. “Nuonuo, you have to be careful in the future. That woman who carried you away just now is very, very bad. We can’t let her catch us!”
Nuonuo also clearly remembered Wen Yuan’s crazed gaze. His little shoulders couldn’t help but shrink, and he nodded fearfully. “I don’t want to be caught by her. She’s a baddie! If… if she catches me, I’ll eat her!”
006 let out a strange “huh?” “Nuonuo, when did you learn to eat people? That’s not good. Good mermaids don’t eat people!”
Afraid that the cub would become too ferocious and have no bottom line, 006 quickly gave him a lecture.
Nuonuo wrinkled his little nose in disdain. “I won’t eat her. I’ll eat her… um, just eat that.”
With his limited vocabulary, Nuonuo couldn’t accurately say the word “spiritual power” and could only mumble it out.
006 was even more confused. What else is there on a person that can be eaten? Why do I feel like we’re not talking about the same thing?
But before he could think too much, Auntie Wu’s voice came from outside the door. “Nuonuo, time for your calming sweet soup!”
Nuonuo’s little eyes instantly lit up, like a streetlight suddenly turning on in the dark, which was quite dazzling.
Without even bothering with the clothes in the basin, Nuonuo toddled out and quickly shouted, “I’m here—I’m drinking the sweet soup, ya!”
He was afraid that Auntie Wu wouldn’t be able to find him and would drink all the sweet soup herself.
Auntie Wu saw Nuonuo run out of his own bedroom and wondered in confusion, Wasn’t Nuonuo in Fei Han’s room before?
But she didn’t pay much attention to it, because Nuonuo’s little face, as he ran towards her, was so dirty it was amusing.
His face was a mess of black and white. His once-soft, fair little face now looked like a black and white palette.
Auntie Wu couldn’t help but smile, her eyes crinkling as she reached out to pinch Nuonuo’s little cheek. “Nuonuo, what have you been doing? Did you learn from Santa Claus and climb down a chimney? How did you get so dirty?”
Having his little cheek pinched, Nuonuo just blinked his clear, black and white eyes and asked in a muffled voice, “Yiyi, can we go drink the wittle sweet soup, ya?”
Auntie Wu really admired Nuonuo’s big heart. She could only laugh and take his hand, leading the little glutton downstairs to wash his face and drink his soup.
