"Here's the plan: before the official announcement, I'd like to ask you to do a livestream, Mr. Su. It'll build anticipation and help us get better publicity."
Su Huaiming had never livestreamed before and didn't know how it worked. He asked, "What would I need to do during the livestream?"
"Don't reveal that you're working with us yet. Just recommend the chocolate, then chat with your fans. There's no need to be too formal or serious. Keep the atmosphere relaxed."
Su Huaiming understood and nodded thoughtfully.
If he was taking their money, he would do the work. Since they were going to establish a partnership, Su Huaiming wouldn't refuse, no matter how troublesome it was. He readily said, "I understand."
Afterward, Su Huaiming glanced at his phone and saw that it was already bedtime.
For Su Huaiming, eating and sleeping were tied for first place. As for taking Fu Jingfan a late-night snack, that didn't matter at all.
Seeing how late it was, Su Huaiming immediately abandoned the idea of delivering the snack. After washing up, he blissfully lay down in bed.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, his eyes flew open without warning. He looked at the ceiling hidden in the darkness and frowned slightly.
He seemed to have forgotten something...
Oh well, it's not important. I'd better sleep!
Fu Xiaoxiao still remembered that he was going on a morning run with his dad tomorrow. Afraid he would miss it, he set a little alarm clock himself and told the nanny to make sure she woke him up.
The nanny was in a difficult position. Fu Xiaoxiao would probably throw a tantrum if she woke him at five, but she had to do it. At five o'clock, she tentatively patted his arm.
Fu Xiaoxiao was fast asleep. Only after the nanny called him seven or eight times did he blearily open his eyes.
Afraid of disturbing Fu Xiaoxiao, the nanny said softly, "Young master, are you still planning to go for a morning run with your father?"
At the words "morning run," some program in Fu Xiaoxiao's brain switched on. His eyes were barely open as he propped himself up with his chubby little hands and sat up very slowly. "Yes, I'm going..."
The nanny hadn't expected that reaction. She stood there for a few seconds before fetching Fu Xiaoxiao's clothes and helping him put them on.
Fu Xiaoxiao could dress himself, but he was far too sleepy. He sat on the bed like a little milk dumpling, eyes closed, swaying back and forth with sleepiness.
Afraid the young master would fall over, one nanny supported Fu Xiaoxiao's head, another lifted his arms, and a third dressed him. Fu Xiaoxiao was so sleepy that he let the nannies move him around like a marionette.
They finally got him dressed, but Fu Xiaoxiao still hadn't woken up. Seeing that it was nearly time, the nanny tentatively tried to wake him again.
Fu Xiaoxiao opened his eyes, but his brain was still asleep. The nanny carried him over and set him on the floor.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, Fu Xiaoxiao staggered and nearly landed on his bottom, frightening the nannies.
Fu Xiaoxiao looked as though he'd drunk counterfeit liquor. His eyelids drooped, and he walked unsteadily, his little arms swinging as if he were about to start throwing drunken punches.
The nannies and the butler followed close behind, afraid Fu Xiaoxiao would tumble down the stairs.
After washing up, Fu Jingfan came out of his room, ready to go for his morning run.
He had just reached the living room when he saw a group of people gathered by the entrance, looking alarmed.
When Fu Jingfan arrived, everyone immediately fell silent and made way for him.
Only then did Fu Jingfan see Fu Xiaoxiao sitting on the floor, a vase in his arms. His fair, soft cheeks were squished into rolls, and he was fast asleep, blowing little bubbles.
The butler immediately stepped forward and lowered his voice. "The young master wants to go on a morning run with you."
Catching Fu Jingfan's gaze, the perceptive butler said, "Yesterday, I told Mr. Su and the young master about your morning runs. Both the young master and Mr. Su wanted to go with you."
The butler paused, suddenly realizing that Su Huaiming hadn't appeared yet. He couldn't help wanting to go wake him, but reason stopped him.
Fu Jingfan nodded slightly. Rather than blame the butler for talking too much, he walked over to Fu Xiaoxiao.
Sensing his dad's presence, Fu Xiaoxiao blearily opened his eyes. His chubby little arms immediately abandoned the vase and wrapped around Fu Jingfan's leg instead. He even rubbed his face against it instinctively, smearing drool on Fu Jingfan's pants.
The people around them: !!!!
Fu Jingfan looked down at Fu Xiaoxiao without showing any displeasure. Instead, he bent down, stroked his hair, and said, "Go back to sleep."
"Nooo~~"
Fu Xiaoxiao was dead tired. It took all his strength to open his eyes a crack, but he hugged Fu Jingfan's leg even tighter, expressing his refusal through his actions.
Seeing how insistent Fu Xiaoxiao was, Fu Jingfan said, "Then get up. We'll go for a run together."
Fu Xiaoxiao still hadn't opened his eyes. He pushed against the floor with his little hands and struggled to his feet.
But his head was too heavy. He lost his balance and tipped backward uncontrollably.
The nannies were terrified. Afraid the back of Fu Xiaoxiao's head would hit the floor, they rushed over to catch him. Luckily, it was a false alarm. Fu Xiaoxiao steadied himself the next second, though his body was still swaying.
Fu Jingfan took a step forward, and Fu Xiaoxiao shuffled after him. His brain was still completely asleep, and he was acting entirely on instinct.
Fu Jingfan couldn't leave Fu Xiaoxiao behind, so he had no choice but to take him along on his morning run.
The butler grew anxious at the sight and kept looking back.
It was already half past five. Why hadn't Mr. Su appeared yet?
"Sir," the butler said instinctively, "should we wait a little longer for Mr. Su?"
Fu Jingfan stopped in his tracks. Without looking back, he said, "No need. If he comes down later, tell him to catch up with me."
The butler nodded and couldn't help looking back several more times.
But Fu Jingfan took the swaying, sleeping Fu Xiaoxiao out the door, and Su Huaiming still hadn't appeared.
Fu Xiaoxiao never woke up. He followed Fu Jingfan like a little tail, going wherever his dad went.
Fu Jingfan had a long stride, and even when he walked normally, Fu Xiaoxiao couldn't keep up.
To accommodate Fu Xiaoxiao, Fu Jingfan had to slow down.
Fu Xiaoxiao's eyes still weren't open. He was simply following Fu Jingfan on instinct.
When Fu Jingfan went left, he turned left too. When Fu Jingfan squatted down to tie a shoelace, he squatted on the ground like a little mushroom and seized the chance to sleep for a while. When Fu Jingfan went to buy a bottle of water, he followed behind, as though his dad would get lost if he didn't stay close.
Fu Jingfan really had no choice but to stop.
Fu Xiaoxiao tilted his head up and stared blankly at his dad for a moment. Then he rested his head against his dad's leg and went to sleep.
Fu Jingfan could only crouch down and ask Fu Xiaoxiao, "Are you sure you don't want to go back to sleep?"
Fu Xiaoxiao opened his mouth and blew a bubble before mumbling, "No."
Fu Jingfan had no choice but to keep taking him along.
After walking a little farther, he saw that Fu Xiaoxiao was still swaying unsteadily, with no sign of waking up. So he crouched down, supported Fu Xiaoxiao under the bottom, and picked him up.
Fu Jingfan was tall and broad, and Fu Xiaoxiao looked tiny in his arms. The boy's chubby hands clasped his dad's neck, his chin rested on his shoulder, and he slept soundly.
Fu Jingfan didn't want to disrupt his plans because of this, so he ran with Fu Xiaoxiao in his arms.
Fu Xiaoxiao slept soundly the whole time. Though he bounced up and down, it was like sleeping in a cradle to him, and Fu Jingfan ended up carrying him through the entire morning run.
Only when Fu Jingfan returned to the villa did Fu Xiaoxiao wake up.
As he remembered it, he had gone on a morning run with Fu Jingfan. He puffed out his chest excitedly, his little face flushed, and deliberately wandered around in front of the butler. "I went on a morning run, with Dad!"
The butler and the others obligingly applauded.
"The young master is amazing!
"Young master, you're so great. I couldn't even do that."
"Young master, you're the most outstanding child I've ever seen!"
The tail behind Fu Xiaoxiao was practically pointing at the sky, but he tried to imitate Fu Jingfan and act calm. Even so, his body tilted toward the butler of its own accord as he tried to hear more clearly.
The butler and the others couldn't help laughing and flattered him even more wildly. Fu Xiaoxiao swelled up so much that he felt as if he were walking on clouds. He ran back and forth like crazy, showing the butler and the others how he had looked on his morning run.
After finishing his water, Fu Jingfan came out and called to Fu Xiaoxiao, "Don't run around."
Fu Xiaoxiao immediately stopped obediently and started toward Fu Jingfan. But after a few steps, he suddenly thought of something. "Where's my stepdad?"
The butler hesitated to speak.
Remembering that his stepdad hadn't come to cause trouble, Fu Xiaoxiao felt happy and even more full of himself. Imitating a character on TV, he let out a long sigh. "My stepdad really is a useless grown-up."
Fu Xiaoxiao had been bullied by Su Huaiming for so long that all sorts of thoughts raced through his little head. He wanted to use this against him and settle all their previous scores!
Fu Xiaoxiao immediately ran upstairs. The nanny and butler chased after him, afraid he would fall.
Fu Xiaoxiao found Su Huaiming's room and pushed the door open without knocking.
The room was dark. The bed curtains were drawn tightly shut, letting in no light at all. They could only make out a lump on the bed.
Fu Xiaoxiao clambered onto the bed on his hands and knees and bounced up and down. "I went on a morning run!"
The mattress kept bouncing, forcing Su Huaiming awake. His brain was still foggy, and he instinctively wanted to kick Fu Xiaoxiao off the bed.
The butler arrived just in time and picked Fu Xiaoxiao up and set him on the floor before Su Huaiming could lift his foot.
Barefoot, Fu Xiaoxiao pattered over to Su Huaiming, put his mouth close to his face, and shouted, "I've already finished my morning run! Why aren't you up yet?"
Su Huaiming casually grabbed the tissue beside him and stuffed it into Fu Xiaoxiao's mouth.
Fu Xiaoxiao: !!!!!?( ?? ) ? Gag, gag, gag
As Fu Xiaoxiao spat repeatedly, the butler looked at Su Huaiming with concern. His complexion didn't look very good. "Mr. Su, are you feeling all right?"
Su Huaiming stared at him sluggishly.
His newly awakened brain finally began to work, and Su Huaiming remembered that he had said last night that he would go on a morning run with Fu Jingfan.
Su Huaiming was too embarrassed to say that his husband in name wasn't worth as much as a 100-yuan hotpot voucher, let alone worth mentioning compared to his sleep. He could only choose the last option—
Pretend to be sick.
Su Huaiming was slender and thin, with cool, pale skin. His bearing also gave him an inherently frail and fragile air, so pretending to be sick came easily to him.
Su Huaiming coughed lightly twice. His voice was as weak as a breath of wind. "I... I don't feel very well."
The butler immediately panicked. "What symptoms do you have?"
Su Huaiming began making things up on the spot. "My head hurts a little, my body aches terribly, and I don't have any strength."
"Could it be a cold?" the butler asked.
Su Huaiming curled up under the covers, looking pitiful. "I think so."
"Then I'll call the family doctor right away." The butler hurriedly stood up and headed out. "This is no small matter. If you develop a fever, it'll already be too late!"