Yukinoshita's Correction Method

"Huh?" Yui Yuigahama took out a lollipop. "Candy's not okay either?"

"Xixi is only six months old. She can't eat sugar yet." Yukino Yukinoshita recited it as if she knew it by heart. "To be precise, it's best not to give babies sugar or salt before they turn one. Their gastrointestinal development isn't complete, and adding those too early will affect the stomach and intestines and be bad for oral health."

"I only just found out..." Komachi Hikigaya looked a little dejected. "Then what should we bring for Xixi?"

"Everything Xixi needs has already been... Dong Yun has already prepared it." Yukino Yukinoshita lightly pressed her cherry lips together. "Although Xixi can't eat these things, Dong Yun can, so bringing these over is enough."

"That's good." Yui Yuigahama patted her chest in relief. "Then let's go now. Yukinon, you know how to get to Dong Yun's place, right?"

"Yes." Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at the shopping bags. "Wait a moment. I'll go buy some groceries first."

Yui Yuigahama and Komachi Hikigaya were both bringing gifts for the visit, so Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't very well go empty-handed.

Since they had prepared snacks, Yukino Yukinoshita could only set about preparing the proper meal.

As for the option of buying another set of snacks... Yukino Yukinoshita ruled it out immediately.

As a big kid, Dong Yunshan could eat snacks, but he still shouldn't eat too many.

Under Yukino Yukinoshita's lead, the three of them soon arrived at Dong Yunshan's home.

Yui Yuigahama had asked Dong Yunshan early on whether it was convenient for them to visit, and only after receiving a definite answer had she contacted Yukino Yukinoshita.

She pressed the doorbell, and Dong Yunshan's voice immediately came from inside. "Coming!"

Footsteps sounded, and Dong Yunshan opened the door. "Welcome."

"S-sorry to bother you," the somewhat reserved Yui Yuigahama replied.

"Sorry to intrude~" Komachi Hikigaya lifted the shopping bag in her hand. "This is what Yui and I bought for Xixi, but Yukino said she can't eat it yet, so we'll leave it to you."

"Looks like I'm benefiting from Xixi." Dong Yunshan took the shopping bag, then raised his other hand.

Expressionless, Yukino Yukinoshita handed the groceries to Dong Yunshan, changed into slippers, and walked inside. "Did Xixi cry today?"

P.S. Right now, the situation is that there are bursts of electric-shock-like pain behind my ear. The examination said it's neuralgia caused by cerebrovascular spasms... I'm taking medicine.

"She didn't sleep very soundly last night. When she woke up around dawn, she cried for a while, but she was much better after I fed her." Dong Yunshan yawned, set the snacks down, and carried the ingredients into the kitchen. "Xixi's teeth are coming in."

"Hm?" Yukino Yukinoshita crouched down in front of Dong Yunxi and called softly, "Xixi, ah~"

Yui Yuigahama covered her mouth and stared at the scene in surprise.

At school, Yukino Yukinoshita was cold most of the time.

This was the first time Yui Yuigahama had seen Yukino Yukinoshita coaxing a child in such a gentle tone.

Coming today really had been the right choice!

Yui Yuigahama cast Komachi Hikigaya an admiring look.

After seeing Yukino Yukinoshita and Dong Yunshan yesterday, Yui Yuigahama had decided not to ask Yukino Yukinoshita out to play anymore, so that they could properly enjoy their world for two... their family of three.

It was Komachi Hikigaya who had suggested she ask Yukino Yukinoshita, which led to today's visit.

"Awaa~" Baby Xixi happily opened her mouth wide.

Two jade-white lower front teeth could be clearly seen. The tiny baby teeth were almost translucent, unbelievably adorable.

"It's because teething feels uncomfortable that she wakes up at night and cries." Yukino Yukinoshita looked around. "Where's the fruit feeder?"

The fruit feeder was a bit like a pacifier, but bigger than one.

Chunks of fruit could be put inside for the baby to bite and play with.

As the baby bit down, the chunks of fruit inside would turn into puree and squeeze out through the little holes, then be eaten by the baby.

It could train the baby's grip and chewing ability, and also relieve the discomfort of teething.

Dong Yunshan, who was washing fruit in the kitchen, replied, "In the sterilizer."

"Found it." Yukino Yukinoshita walked into the kitchen holding the fruit feeder. "Cut some peach chunks. Wash the knife first. This one won't do, this peach is too hard. Use a softer one..."

Yui Yuigahama deeply realized that although three people had come to visit, there were only two real guests.

Seeing Yukino Yukinoshita leave, Dong Yunxi waved her little hands and babbled twice.

After noticing Yui Yuigahama and Komachi Hikigaya, she seemed to freeze, staring at them without blinking.

"Xixi~" Komachi Hikigaya imitated Yukino Yukinoshita's tone from just now. "Do you still remember me? I'm big sister Komachi. We met yesterday."

"Ah..." Dong Yunxi tilted her head, and no one knew whether she understood.

Yui Yuigahama pointed at herself. "I'm big sister Yui."

"Ah!" Dong Yunxi's eyes lit up.

"She really remembers me!" Yui Yuigahama cried out in surprise. "Xixi's memory is amazing!"

"She probably doesn't remember you." Komachi Hikigaya lifted her chin. "She saw Yukino."

"She can't remember someone she's only met once yet." Yukino Yukinoshita shook the fruit feeder in her hand, now filled with peach flesh. "Xixi, look, what's this?"

"Dada!" Dong Yunxi happily reached out.

"Wonderful. Eat up~" Yukino Yukinoshita handed over the fruit feeder, and Dong Yunxi immediately grabbed it with her little hands, then stuffed it into her mouth and gnawed away.

"She's so obedient!" Yui Yuigahama exclaimed. "I thought babies this small couldn't understand anything yet."

"In reality, she can only understand a few simple words right now." Yukino Yukinoshita wiped Dong Yunxi's drool for her. "She grabbed it mainly because she likes it herself."

Komachi Hikigaya asked curiously, "What if she doesn't like it?"

"If she doesn't like it, she'll shake her head and push it away." Dong Yunshan brought over some washed fruit. "She only just learned that these past two days—have some fruit."

"Thanks~" Yui Yuigahama picked up a tangerine and peeled it. "We came over because we thought babies were cute, but now that I think about it, taking care of a little baby is actually really hard, isn't it?"

"I think it's not too bad. The only exhausting part is not being able to sleep properly at night." Dong Yunshan smiled. "Yukinoshita is the one who's really had it hard."

"I merely made a plan." Under Yui Yuigahama and Komachi Hikigaya's gazes, Yukino Yukinoshita replied expressionlessly, "It does not count as hardship."

"This thick." Dong Yunshan raised a hand and gestured. "And that was only a one-week plan."

"That's amazing!" Komachi Hikigaya's eyes widened all at once. "I feel like Yukino will be a great mom in the future."

"Raising a child is not that simple," Yukino Yukinoshita said, shaking her head. "It was only a one-week plan. That is not enough to make such a judgment."

Yui Yuigahama looked at Dong Yunshan. "What about you?"

Dong Yunshan said, "What about me?"

"Do you have confidence?"

Dong Yunshan said, "No male moms, please."

"I mean as a dad!" Yui Yuigahama puffed out her rosy cheeks slightly.

"Well... to be honest, I didn't have much confidence at first." Dong Yunshan was frank. "Just like when I first started taking care of Xixi, I was bound to fumble around and not know what to do, and I even had to get up early to go to the bookstore and look for books. As for now... if it really doesn't work out, I can still ask Yukinoshita for help."

Like asking Yukino Yukinoshita to make an even more detailed plan or something.

"Do your own things yourself." Yukino Yukinoshita reached out with practiced ease and pinched the soft flesh at Dong Yunshan's waist. "Raise your own child yourself."

Yui Yuigahama and Komachi Hikigaya stared blankly at Yukino Yukinoshita's hand.

Why was she so practiced at that?

Just how many times had Yukino Yukinoshita pinched Dong Yunshan?

Only after noticing their gazes did Yukino Yukinoshita belatedly let go.

Because Dong Yunxi could now already distinguish expressions, Yukino Yukinoshita did not want to scare baby Xi when she glared at Dong Yunshan, so whenever she wanted to glare at Dong Yunshan, she would reach out and pinch him instead.

It had become a habit.

Dong Yunshan raised one eyebrow. "That's why I came to you."

Yui Yuigahama & Komachi Hikigaya: "Hm?"

Dong Yunshan spread his hands. "I didn't say I wouldn't raise her. I just wanted you to give me a more detailed plan."

Yukino Yukinoshita said, "Write it yourself."

Yui Yuigahama thought about it carefully, but still couldn't figure out whether Yukino Yukinoshita meant "yourself" as in herself, or "yourself" as in him.

"Ah-wah~" Watching the group chat, Dong Yunxi, who had been chewing on the fruit feeder for quite a while, also opened her mouth and imitated them, making sounds.

"She can talk already?" Yui Yuigahama pointed at herself. "I'm big sister Yui, okay? Yu~~i~~big~~sis~~ter~~"

Dong Yunxi looked at her with big eyes.

"Isn't that too complicated?" Komachi Hikigaya dragged out her voice. "Big~~sis~~ter~~"

She repeated it many times before Dong Yunxi finally opened her mouth. "Wah... woo..."

"The pronunciation for 'big sister' seems a little too hard for her." Dong Yunshan leaned closer. "Xixi, call me big brother. Big~ bro~ther~"

Dong Yunxi said, "Eh."

P.S. Sorry, I need to adjust a little more. I owe one update, and I'll make it up later.

I used to have migraines too, but this kind of neuralgia is a first.

As I was writing, it suddenly hurt, and it hurt so much I twitched. It was a physical-level twitch... and I forgot everything I'd been thinking about.

"That was close." Dong Yunshan guided her patiently. "Big~ bro~ther~"

Baby Xi said, "Eh."

Dong Yunshan vaguely sensed that something was wrong. "Big brother?"

Baby Xi said, "Eh."

Dong Yunshan said, "..."

"Good news." The corners of Yukino Yukinoshita's mouth lifted. "Although she still hasn't learned how to address people, she has already learned how to answer."

Dong Yunshan was helpless. "Did I teach her wrong?"

"You should teach her simpler words," Yukino Yukinoshita said, leaning closer. "Da-da~"

Dong Yunxi waved her little hands. "Da-da!"

"Seriously." Yui Yuigahama heard it very clearly. "Little Yukino really is amazing. Teach her once and she gets it."

"No, no, no, Xixi usually babbles da-da anyway." Dong Yunshan spotted the flaw. "If that counts, I can do it too. Xixi, ah~"

Dong Yunxi cooperatively opened her mouth. "Ah!"

"See?" Dong Yunshan spread his hands. "What did I tell you?"

"..." Yukino Yukinoshita shot him a sideways glance. "Then we'll try something else."

That was easy to say, but what could Dong Yunxi learn quickly?

Of course, it couldn't be anything complicated, and the pronunciation couldn't be too hard either.

Ideally, it would be one syllable.

In that case, there was only one answer.

Yukino Yukinoshita offered her finger into Dong Yunxi's palm, letting her grab it, and guided her softly. "Xixi, meow~"

Dong Yunshan: "???"

Dong Yunxi clutched Yukino Yukinoshita's finger and opened her mouth in imitation of her, but she still could not control her tongue. Her little mouth opened. "Na!"

Yukino Yukinoshita gently shook her little hand. "Meow~"

Dong Yunxi: "Naa!"

Yukino Yukinoshita's voice was soft. "Meow meow~"

Dong Yunxi's voice was blurry. "Mama~"

Everyone froze.

Yukino Yukinoshita felt only a tremor at the tip of her heart, and the finger Dong Yunxi was holding suddenly became incredibly heavy.

A little at a loss, she turned her head to look at Dong Yunshan. "Dong Yun, I..."

"You..." Dong Yunshan realized a serious problem. "You're taking advantage of me."