Fu Xiaoxiao looked up at the sanitation worker.
He had grown up surrounded by luxury, with the best of everything, and every chocolate he had eaten had been better than this one. But as Fu Xiaoxiao looked at the sanitation worker's smile, the chocolate in his mouth somehow tasted sweeter and richer.
Fu Xiaoxiao nodded and said earnestly, "This is the best chocolate I've ever eaten!"
The sanitation worker was even happier to hear that, and he began talking nonstop about his son.
"My son is so filial. After he started working, he gave me all his wages and urged me to retire and rest at home, but I can't sit idle. Besides, my son hasn't married or had children yet, so I want to earn a little more money for him."
Parents loved their children, and Su Huaiming recalled the time he had spent with his own parents.
He had been diagnosed with an illness when he was very young. The doctors had said he wouldn't live past ten, but his parents had never given up on him and had remained optimistic. Their attitude had rubbed off on Su Huaiming, and he had never bowed to his illness. That was how he had made it to twenty.
While Su Huaiming was talking to the sanitation worker, Fu Xiaoxiao, who had been eating his chocolate like a little hamster, stopped at some point and looked up at them with an intent expression.
Would Dad smile as happily as this grandpa when he talked about me?
But no matter how hard Fu Xiaoxiao tried, he couldn't picture it. He lowered his head in disappointment.
Su Huaiming sensed that Fu Xiaoxiao was feeling down and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Fu Xiaoxiao was a child who cared about saving face. How could he possibly tell his stepfather about such vulnerable feelings? He simply snorted twice and lowered his head to continue eating his chocolate.
The sanitation worker chatted with Su Huaiming a little longer before returning to work. Yu Xuanxuan and Ji Youyou had finished cleaning too.
The viewers in the livestream were unstinting with their praise when they saw this.
[All three babies are amazing! A big thumbs-up for you!]
[It's remarkable that they can clean up by themselves at such a young age without complaining or crying the whole time.]
[As a reward, big sister's giving you babies kisses!]
[This activity the production team arranged was really meaningful. They put real thought into it.]
After cleaning up, the children were all filled with a sense of accomplishment. They gathered together and chattered away, only parting when it was time to get in the car.
Fu Xiaoxiao had been full of energy just moments ago, but less than a minute after getting in the car, his eyelids began to droop, and his head kept nodding down.
Just then, the car braked, and Fu Xiaoxiao lost his balance, nearly pitching headfirst off the seat.
Su Huaiming reacted quickly, catching Fu Xiaoxiao and taking him into his arms.
Fu Xiaoxiao lay against Su Huaiming, facing him, his fair, tender cheeks squished into a ring of flesh. His chubby little feet kicked against the seat, and he mumbled something.
When Su Huaiming looked down, he saw that Fu Xiaoxiao hadn't woken up at all. He was talking in his sleep.
Seeing how tired Fu Xiaoxiao was, Su Huaiming didn't move him again. He covered him with a piece of clothing lying nearby.
With a warm, soft little bundle in his arms, sleeping so soundly, Su Huaiming caught the sleep bug too and drowsily closed his eyes.
A few seconds later, Su Huaiming suddenly felt a pain in his chest.
!!! Who's biting my chest?!!
Su Huaiming woke with a start and looked down at his chest.
The unruly tuft of hair on Fu Xiaoxiao's head bobbed back and forth. His head was still buried against Su Huaiming's chest, and his mouth was open, clearly revealing his little pearly teeth.
Under Su Huaiming's gaze, Fu Xiaoxiao showed no restraint. He bit down again and continued mumbling in his sleep, "Chocolate, yummy!"
"..."
The colors might be a little similar, but this really isn't chocolate!!
Afraid that Fu Xiaoxiao would bite him again, Su Huaiming carefully supported his chin and turned his face the other way.
Like a kitten, Fu Xiaoxiao rubbed his cheek against Su Huaiming's clothes, then sank back into a deep sleep.
Su Huaiming looked at his drool-soaked shirt with mixed feelings. The fabric had turned translucent, and he could just make out his wronged... little nub.
What on earth is all this?!
He couldn't hold it against Fu Xiaoxiao, who was fast asleep, so he could only swallow his grievance and cover his chest with a piece of clothing.
Although the livestream viewers hadn't seen the details, they could roughly guess what had happened from Su Huaiming's expression and movements.
[...Did Xiao Xiao bite Su Huaiming's neinei?!]
[Xiao Xiao, your stepdad can't possibly have milk!]
[No, I want a male mommy!!]
[!!! I saw it, the neinei was pinkish!]
[Quick, look at Su Huaiming's expression. He looks like a wronged, respectable man whose chest just got groped hahaha.]
[Wifey, come cry in my arms. Let me comfort you properly. Smirking sideways.jpg]
[Mr. Fu, I hereby formally inform you that I'm taking over your wife and child!]
Chapter 14: 014
Fu Xiaoxiao was sleeping soundly and had no idea what he had done. He wasn't the only one; the other two children were also carried out of the car.
The three little ones slept straight through until they were woken before dinner. They slumped sideways in their chairs, but the moment they smelled the food, they woke right up.
After dinner, the three little ones were full of energy again. They gathered to play games, and their chattering and laughter could be heard from far away.
The four adults also sat on the sofa to rest.
Compared with the children, the adults recovered more slowly, both physically and mentally, especially the older Ji Mingzhe.
Ji Mingzhe had chosen to move behind the scenes at the height of his fame not merely because of his personal preferences, but also because he had taken filming so seriously in his early years that he had accumulated quite a few injuries and ailments. His body could no longer handle high-intensity work.
Ji Mingzhe looked at Su Huaiming, who was sitting nearby. After hesitating for a few seconds, he sat down beside him and asked in a low voice, "Do you have any more medicinal foot-soak packets?"
Su Huaiming showed no surprise. "I have the packets, but there's only one foot-soaking tub."
"That's fine. The packets are enough for me."
Su Huaiming nodded, then went upstairs and came back down with several medicinal packets and the foot-soaking tub.
Ji Mingzhe didn't have a proper foot-soaking tub, so he asked the production team for a clean washbasin.
In full view of everyone, the two showed no hesitation. Their movements were practiced and perfectly synchronized: pour in the water, add the medicinal packets, roll up their pant legs, put their feet in, lean back against the sofa, and give a soft sigh.
Yu Ruicheng: "..."
The livestream viewers: "..."
Ji Mingzhe and Su Huaiming seemed to belong to a different world from everyone else. Time slowed around them, and a lilting Peking opera tune seemed to hang in the air. Even through the screen, one could feel how comfortable and relaxed they were.
The corner of Yu Ruicheng's mouth twitched, and he discreetly moved a few inches away from them.
Yu Ruicheng's movement drew Ji Mingzhe's attention instead. "Do you want to soak your feet too?" Ji Mingzhe asked.
Su Huaiming chimed in, "I heard you practice dancing a lot. Soaking your feet in a medicinal bath afterward can relieve fatigue, improve circulation, and benefit your health. You'll feel better the next day too."
Su Huaiming persuaded Yu Ruicheng. After hesitating for a few seconds, he slowly nodded.
The production team found him a bucket, and Yu Ruicheng followed Su Huaiming and Ji Mingzhe's example to soak his feet.
The three sprawled side by side on the sofa, their postures very much like those of old men. Their foot-soaking tubs stood together too, all different, brightly colored, and somewhat cheap-looking. They formed a striking contrast with Su Huaiming and the others' handsome, youthful appearances, making for quite a sight.
Sun Siyuan walked over while playing on his phone, unaware of what was happening. Only when he got close did he see the three soaking their feet. He exclaimed, "Whoa!" in fright and took several steps back.
"What are you doing?" Sun Siyuan wore an indescribable expression tinged with disdain.
Su Huaiming was so comfortable that he was nearly asleep. He looked at Sun Siyuan through half-open eyes. "Soaking our feet."
Sun Siyuan: "..." I'm not blind. Of course I can see you're soaking your feet. I'm asking why you've all gone crazy together?!!
Ji Mingzhe was mild-tempered and paid no mind to Sun Siyuan's attitude. Instead, he said, "Soaking your feet feels wonderful. Want to join us?"
Yu Ruicheng still wore his cool, cocky, handsome expression. His voice was completely flat as he said succinctly, "It really does feel good."
Sun Siyuan: "..."
He looked at the three as though they were monsters and walked in a wide circle around them to reach the other side. He refused repeatedly. "No, thanks. I don't like soaking my feet."
Seeing how firm Sun Siyuan was, Ji Mingzhe didn't try to persuade him further.
Sun Siyuan sat quietly in a corner playing on his phone, while Su Huaiming and the others quietly soaked their feet. It should have been a perfectly harmonious scene, until—
Sun Siyuan heard Su Huaiming let out a long sigh.
His typing fingers paused, but Sun Siyuan didn't make much of it. The sigh seemed to be contagious, though, and Ji Mingzhe and Yu Ruicheng followed with long exhalations of their own.
A vein at Sun Siyuan's temple throbbed twice, and he looked up at the three.
The three of them had their heads resting against the sofa back, their eyes gently closed and their postures utterly relaxed. Su Huaiming in particular had a faint flush on his usually fair, luminous, slightly sickly cheeks, and the corners of his mouth were lifted. He looked so comfortable he might as well have ascended to immortality!
Seeing Su Huaiming about to let out another long, unconscious sigh, Sun Siyuan could bear it no longer. "Aren't you exaggerating a little?"
Su Huaiming's eyelashes fluttered at the sound, and he asked drowsily, "Do you want to soak your feet too?"
Sun Siyuan squeezed out a few words through his teeth. "I. Do. Not!"
Five minutes later:
Four people were crammed onto the sofa. Sun Siyuan's feet were in a fluorescent green bucket, and his head rested against the sofa back. His expression was disdainful, but his body was honest, and he couldn't help letting out a long sigh too.
The livestream viewers didn't know whether to laugh or cry as they watched the four soak their feet together.
[The toughest part of Sun Siyuan's whole body is probably his mouth.]
[This is utterly ridiculous. All four of them have completely settled into the pace of old age.]
[I couldn't resist digging out my dad's foot-soaking tub. It really is super comfortable!!]
[I never expected to be sold on foot-soaking by a parenting variety show.]
[Su Huaiming must be the leader of the Foot-Soaking Cult. He recruited three followers in just a few days.]
[Raises hand. I want to join the Foot-Soaking Cult too!!]
After soaking their feet, their bodies were warm, and they slept better than ever. All of them woke up refreshed the next day.
When no one was looking, Sun Siyuan gave Su Huaiming a meaningful glance, asking him to call him over when he soaked his feet that evening.
He had already said on camera that he didn't like soaking his feet. How could he take the initiative to do it again? He cared about saving face too!
But... if Su Huaiming invited him, that was different. He could reluctantly soak his feet one more time.