"No!"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"
"No, no, no, no!"
The adult and the child broke into an argument. Su Huaiming's age blended perfectly with Fu Xiaoxiao's, without the slightest sense of incongruity.
"..."
The people around them fell silent at the sight, unsure where to look.
The butler stole a glance at Fu Jingfan. He knew Fu Jingfan had always preferred peace and quiet and was afraid he would get angry.
Fu Jingfan looked at the adult and child in front of him, took two lollipops from the nanny, and walked over.
He stroked Fu Xiaoxiao's soft hair and handed him a lollipop.
Fu Xiaoxiao took it with delight, immediately forgetting his quarrel with Su Huaiming and becoming as sweet as a well-behaved child.
Fu Jingfan then walked over to Su Huaiming.
Fu Jingfan was tall and upright, and his shadow nearly covered Su Huaiming.
Su Huaiming looked up at Fu Jingfan and met his dark, deep eyes, like the depths of the sea.
"Hold out your hand." Fu Jingfan's voice was low and magnetic, as though he were speaking right into Su Huaiming's ear, making his chest tremble.
Su Huaiming froze for a moment and held out his open hand.
Fu Jingfan placed the lollipop in his palm and said, "Here, eat it."
Su Huaiming didn't understand why Fu Jingfan had suddenly given him a lollipop. He looked at him in confusion and didn't move.
After a few seconds of stalemate, Fu Jingfan picked up the lollipop again and unwrapped it.
Fu Jingfan's hand was larger than Su Huaiming's, with long fingers and clearly defined knuckles. Blue veins stood out slightly on the back of his hand, giving it a powerful look.
After removing the wrapper, Fu Jingfan handed the lollipop back to Su Huaiming.
Under Fu Jingfan's gaze, Su Huaiming could only brace himself and put the lollipop in his mouth.
Seeing that the adult and child were both eating lollipops and could no longer talk, Fu Jingfan gave a slight nod, said a few words to Su Huaiming, and headed toward the villa.
Su Huaiming sucked on the lollipop, a distinct bulge in his cheek, and looked curiously at Fu Jingfan's retreating back.
This lollipop is pretty sweet. It tastes really good...
No, that's not the point!
Su Huaiming turned to look at Fu Xiaoxiao, whose cheek had a small bulge too, and suddenly saw the light.
Was Fu Jingfan... treating him like a child and placating him too?
As soon as he returned to the villa, Fu Jingfan went straight into his study and barely came out. Su Huaiming never even had a chance to ask why he had suddenly returned.
Fu Jingfan was busy, and with his father home, Fu Xiaoxiao had also reined in his bratty behavior considerably, leaving Su Huaiming with nothing to worry about. Glad for the leisure, Su Huaiming stayed in his bedroom, watching shows, reading novels, playing games, and enjoying life.
Time passed quickly, and before long it was dinnertime.
Fu Jingfan was still busy and had his dinner brought to the study instead of coming downstairs.
After enjoying his meal alone, Su Huaiming sat on the living room sofa, watching the news and eating fruit.
At some point, the butler came to stand beside him, looking at Su Huaiming with a distressed and troubled expression.
Su Huaiming: "..."
What is the butler imagining now?!
The butler looked at Su Huaiming, who had been left alone but was putting on a cheerful front. He sighed and said tactfully, "Sir has always been busy with work. He often did this at home before, too. He isn't deliberately singling you out."
Su Huaiming waved a hand, unconcerned.
But the butler still thought Su Huaiming was putting on a brave face and hinted, "Actually, if sir doesn't come out, you can take the initiative and go see him in the study."
Su Huaiming stared blankly at the butler when he heard this.
The butler had noticed that he and Fu Jingfan hadn't interacted at all and had come specifically to offer him advice.
Su Huaiming knew the atmosphere of gossip all too well. The butler surely wasn't the only one who thought this way; the others must also be talking about it behind his back.
If he showed too little concern for Fu Jingfan, the contrast with his previous behavior would be too great and would arouse suspicion.
Having made up his mind, Su Huaiming readily replied, "All right, I'll go see him in the study in a little while."
Seeing Su Huaiming perk up again, the butler smiled with relief, sincerely hoping the husbands would live in harmony.
Su Huaiming asked the kitchen to make a late-night snack, then carried a bowl of milk and peach gum to Fu Jingfan's door and knocked gently.
Fu Jingfan's voice sounded muffled through the door, but was as pleasant as ever. "Come in."
Su Huaiming stood at the door with the bowl of milk and peach gum, not going in uninvited. "I saw you were going to be working late, and I was afraid you'd get hungry, so I wanted to bring you a snack."
The study was dim, with only the lamp beside the desk on.
Fu Jingfan wore gold-rimmed glasses while he worked, and his gaze looked even deeper behind the lenses. The light fell across his profile, casting a faint shadow from the bridge of his nose. Bathed in the warm yellow glow, he looked mysterious, like a deity who had stepped out of Western mythology.
Fu Jingfan looked at Su Huaiming and nodded slightly. "Thank you."
Su Huaiming sat down on the sofa nearby and placed the bowl on the table.
Fu Jingfan took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. A trace of fatigue showed when he closed his eyes, but by the time he opened them, he was back to how he had been before.
Fu Jingfan sat down on the other side and lowered his gaze to the milk and peach gum.
Su Huaiming did his best to look affectionate, pushing the bowl forward as he urged, "Have a taste."
Fu Jingfan looked at Su Huaiming's eyes, with their flecks of starlight, and paused before saying, "I'm not hungry right now."
Su Huaiming looked at him eagerly. "Don't overwork yourself. You can have a snack and relax a little. Work is important, but your health matters most. If you work yourself into the ground..."
To show his affection, Su Huaiming blinked at Fu Jingfan, his voice trembling slightly. "I'd be heartbroken."
Fu Jingfan watched Su Huaiming the whole time.
The love in Su Huaiming's eyes was practically overflowing, and his words were full of concern, as though Fu Jingfan filled his whole heart.
Fu Jingfan's gaze moved from Su Huaiming's pretty face to the bowl of milk and peach gum.
If Su Huaiming really loved him, how could he not know that he disliked sweets?
Fu Jingfan didn't expose him. He simply said, "Thank you for bringing me a snack, but I don't have an appetite right now."
Hearing this, Su Huaiming sighed inwardly.
What a terrible waste!
The milk and peach gum had been simmered for a long time. The peach gum was soft, its flavor blended with the milk, and it gave off a sweet aroma.
Su Huaiming had eaten a lot at dinner, but the sight of the bowl still whetted his appetite, and his Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably.
Fu Jingfan didn't miss that detail.
He saw Su Huaiming staring fixedly at the peach gum, his gaze even more affectionate than when he had looked at Fu Jingfan just now, as though he wanted to eat it but was too embarrassed to say so.
Su Huaiming had just finished bathing and was wearing milky-white pajamas. His hair lay softly over his forehead, giving it a fluffy look.
He already looked young, and in the warm light, his features appeared even smaller and more delicate. He looked damp and soft all over.
No one could harden their heart at the pitiful sight of him unable to have something to eat.
Fu Jingfan paused, then said, "It would be a waste to leave it there. Why don't you eat it for me?"
Su Huaiming suddenly looked up at Fu Jingfan, joy written in the lift of his brows and his eyes sparkling. Yet he deliberately put on a regretful, reluctant expression and sighed. "All right, then. I'll help you eat it this time, but there won't be a next time."
With that, Su Huaiming eagerly brought the bowl in front of him, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in his mouth.
Su Huaiming couldn't help feeling happy when he ate. The curves of his eyes opened fully, making them look round, and the steam from the milk and peach gum warmed their outer corners to a faint pink, like peach blossoms in full bloom.
Su Huaiming's movements were graceful, but he ate intently, head lowered as he took one bite after another. His soft lips grew moist, and his whole person radiated joy.
Watching the food-loving Su Huaiming, Fu Jingfan suddenly thought he looked very much like a little hamster.
After finishing the bowl, Su Huaiming looked up at Fu Jingfan and realized he had been so absorbed in eating that he had ignored Fu Jingfan's presence.
He smiled sheepishly and asked, "Do you still want some? Shall I bring you another bowl later?"
The image of Su Huaiming just now came to Fu Jingfan's mind, and he strongly suspected that bowl would end up in Su Huaiming's stomach too.
"No need." Fu Jingfan continued, "When I'm hungry, I'll get some myself. It's late now, so go back and get some rest."
That was exactly what Su Huaiming wanted. Too lazy even to exchange pleasantries, he nodded and said, "All right, I'll go back and rest."
"You should go to bed early too. Don't stay up too late, or your body won't be able to take it." Su Huaiming looked at Fu Jingfan with concern.
Fu Jingfan nodded slightly.
Su Huaiming immediately stood, said goodbye to Fu Jingfan, and pushed the door open and left, without the slightest hesitation.
Fu Jingfan gazed quietly at the closed door for a few seconds, then looked at the bowl Su Huaiming had forgotten to take away.
It was completely clean, without a single drop of milk left.
Fu Jingfan returned to his desk and picked up his pen. He should have continued working, but the scene from just now kept surfacing in his mind.
He strongly suspected that Su Huaiming had come for the late-night snack.
Author's note:
Fu Jingfan's study: a late-night diner.
Su Huaiming's affection: there's some acting, but not much.
Chapter 21: 021
The next day, when Su Huaiming came downstairs for breakfast, he saw Fu Jingfan already dressed and ready.
He went to bed later than me and got up earlier. A true modern-day 007.
Fu Xiaoxiao usually got up a little later, but with Fu Jingfan at home, he too appeared at the dining table on time.
Fu Xiaoxiao had previously needed the nanny to feed him, but he had just gone out with Su Huaiming to film a parenting variety show. Su Huaiming didn't indulge him, and with the other children setting an example, Fu Xiaoxiao had learned to eat by himself.
He was holding a spoon in his chubby little hand, his head lowered as he noisily slurped plain rice porridge, somehow making it seem like ginseng soup.