The moment Fufu spotted Hickson, his eyes lit up, and he waved his little arms vigorously, calling out, "Brother—"
He called out twice, then suddenly seemed to remember something, and his voice trailed off.
Rainno, meanwhile, had already tensed his face, pretending he hadn't seen anything at all, and carried Fufu around the corner toward the house.
Hickson didn't try to stop them either, just followed along leisurely behind.
Rainno had already vaguely realized something, and couldn't be bothered to say a single word to his eldest son. He carried Fufu straight to the dining room, settled the little one into the toddler seat, then ducked into the kitchen himself, chopping vegetables and cooking, slamming the cutting board with loud thumps.
Only then did Hickson saunter in, leaning against the kitchen doorway, and say, "Make some for me too."
Rainno glared at him. "Why should you eat? Go drink blood!"
Hickson was about to say something when he saw a small shadow come running over, tugging at his clothes and saying, "Brother… brother, I'm sorry, I snuck out to play. But Daddy is really nice, he didn't refuse to play with me."
He looked up at Hickson, his expression especially pitiful, his eyes all watery and glistening, which made Hickson's heart soften. He quickly ruffled the little one's curly hair:
"Alright, next time remember to tell me first. Don't sneak off on your own."
Seeing that he wasn't angry, Fufu immediately pushed his luck, puffing out his lips and stretching out both arms, looking wronged as he asked for a hug.
Hickson's heart nearly melted. He quickly bent down and scooped him up, kissing and hugging him enthusiastically. Noticing that Fufu's hands and face were covered in dirt, he carried the little one over to the sink, turned on the tap, and washed his hands and face.
After washing, he dried him off and then squeezed him in his arms for another round of cuddling.
Watching from the side, Rainno was pursing his lips like crazy, nearly giving himself a cramp.
He waved his spatula and shouted at Hickson, "What are you doing? What are you doing? Come serve the food! You're just getting in the way!"
Hearing this, Hickson set Fufu down and let the little one get his own utensils, while he carried over the chicken rice that Rainno had stir-fried for the toddler. The big one and the small one headed to the dining room together.
Rainno ladled out the soup and brought it to the table as well.
Fufu had been playing all afternoon and was quite hungry. He sat down in his seat, grabbed his little spoon, and focused on shoveling food into his mouth.
Hickson called Rainno out of the dining room. The two of them stepped into the hallway, closed the door, and shut out the little one.
Hickson chuckled softly and said, "I thought you didn't like kids."
Rainno leaned against the wall and rolled his eyes. "I just saw him run off on his own this afternoon and was worried he'd track dirt all over the carpet. Whose fault is it that you didn't keep an eye on him?"
Hickson couldn't help but smile. "And what about the past few days?"
Rainno froze at that, staring wide-eyed at Hickson, but still instinctively talking back: "What about the past few days?"
"Don't pretend. I noticed it the very first day."
Rainno snorted coldly. "What does it have to do with me where he goes?"
Hickson suppressed a laugh. "Then why did you buy fruit and drinks at noon?"
Rainno's face was turning a bit red, but he kept making excuses: "…For myself to eat."
Seeing that Hickson still wore that half-smiling expression, he grew even more annoyed. "Tsk, you're checking my records now? What's wrong with me buying myself some food at home…"
Rainno kept rambling on, and Hickson looked at him helplessly, then let out one sentence: "Then how come there are fingerprints of yours on the door?"
"…" Rainno fell silent for a moment, then completely lost his temper. "Damn! You even ran a fingerprint check? Are you serious? Who treats their own father like a thief?!"
Hickson laughed in exasperation. "And who treats their own son like a thief?"
Rainno was so angry he wanted to claw at the walls. How had he never noticed before that his proper, obedient eldest son could be this infuriating?
He mulled it over, then it finally clicked. "So you deliberately didn't come back for lunch today, didn't you?"
Hickson gave a flat "Mm."
Rainno grew even more agitated. "If you wanted me to cook, just say so! Why pull this trick?!"
"If I'd asked outright, you wouldn't have done it, would you?"
Rainno snorted. "Ha? Then who do you think raised you?"
This time it was Hickson's turn to fall silent.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly turned sideways, walked up to Rainno, and gave him a firm hug.
As if afraid the other might refuse, the hug was over almost as quickly as it began—Hickson looked at Rainno and said seriously:
"The food you cook is the best I've ever eaten."
Rainno was caught completely off guard by the embrace. His eyes went wide with shock, his whole body stiffened, and even his ears grew hot.
Wait—who knew his eldest son, usually as cold and rigid as an iceberg, so dull and work-obsessed, could pull a move like this?!
Who did he learn this from… He knew—he must have learned it from Fufu.
Rainno quickly stepped back a few paces, waving his hands in resistance. "Alright, enough! Don't give me that! Fufu was way cuter than you were as a kid."
Hickson seemed a bit embarrassed too, and changed the subject, speaking seriously: "I'm going to be away for a while."
When he spoke seriously, Rainno stopped feeling awkward and slipped back into his usual teasing. "Oh? The big CEO is so busy, huh?"
Hickson ignored the jab and continued, "I'm going to investigate Fufu's background. I suspect his origins might be connected to the Crimson Society—that's also why I brought him back here to stay."
Hearing this, Rainno turned serious as well.
Indeed, Fufu's origins were unknown, yet he carried their family's bloodline—there had to be some scheme behind it.
If it really was connected to that infamous Crimson Society… then it was definitely worth a dedicated investigation.
Hickson continued, "I don't know how long I'll be gone this time, so during this period, I'm entrusting Fufu to you."
Rainno curled his lips into a smirk. "Entrusting? He's my son anyway."
Hickson smiled. Over the past few days, he'd discreetly placed hidden surveillance cameras throughout the castle, and he'd seen with his own eyes how Rainno treated Fufu.
So now, he could safely leave Fufu in the other's care—it also resolved a recent worry of his.
Hickson nodded, feeling the conversation was done, and turned to head back to the dining room.
Rainno suddenly called out to him: "Hickson."
Hickson turned to look at his father.
Rainno looked at him, opened his mouth, then hesitated.
In truth, Hickson had always been a good child since he was young—always proper, learning on his own, eating on his own, taking care of himself, never causing his elders any worry.
When Hickson was little, the two of them had shared a warm, tender time together.
But later, after Isa turned into crystal, his heart was filled only with thoughts of his departed wife—brimming with regret and anger. Everything he saw seemed an eyesore, and he drove all the children out of the castle.
But thinking about it now—Isa was gone, and he was in pain. Weren't they suffering just the same?
All these years, it was as if a veil of black mist had shrouded his eyes, blinding him to everything around him, leaving only regret and obsession in his sight.
But after Fufu arrived, that simple little call of "Daddy" was like a spark of flame that dispelled the mist before his eyes, allowing him to see clearly once more.
Rainno felt a sense of guilt, but as he looked at Hickson, he opened his mouth for a long while without being able to say anything. Finally, he awkwardly managed: "Then you be careful."
Hickson seemed to let out a breath of relief too. He nodded and answered with a simple "Okay."
Then he turned and started heading back toward the dining room.
Rainno called out to him again: "Hey—"
Hickson stopped once more.
Rainno paused, still unable to find the words.
Forget it. Not saying it. He let out an exasperated snort: "There's extra rice in the pot, and soup too. Help yourself if you want some."
Hickson smiled at that, nodded at him, and then, as if possessed by some impulse, blurted out those four words:
"Thank you, Daddy."
"Eeeek—" Rainno let out a miserable shriek, his face scrunching up.
Unbelievable. Could this kid stop copying everything Fufu says?
How was he anything like Fufu? When Fufu called him Daddy, it was sweet and adorable—but a grown man like Hickson calling him that was just disgusting! He didn't want to hear it!!
Hickson was clearly embarrassed too, a deep flush spreading across his face.
Neither of them could stand to remain in the hallway any longer. One hurried upstairs, the other into the dining room, parting ways with faces burning red.
Three days later, Hickson had everything prepared. Not just his own luggage, but all sorts of things for Fufu as well.
He had drawn up a long list, specifying Fufu's daily diet according to the nutrition chart provided by the doctor: how much fruit and vegetables, how much rice and grains, how much meat, eggs, and dairy—and he'd even noted the specific foods corresponding to those amounts—like how many mangoes or bananas per day, or a handful of blueberries—so that Rainno could easily reference it.
On top of that, there was a schedule for the little one: what time to wake up, what time to sleep, at least how many early-education lessons to watch, how long to spend on outdoor activities, what games were allowed and what wasn't—a thick stack of notes and precautions.
Then he made Rainno study each page carefully, demanding that he keep records while carrying them out, and compile Fufu's daily status every evening to report back via video call.
Rainno was about to be driven crazy by him. Raising a kid with this many requirements—what did it matter if the child ate a bite more or less? Wasn't being happy enough?
This stubborn fool, with his video reports—did he really think he could order his own father around like one of his subordinates?!
But the moment he started grumbling, Hickson's face turned cold and he said: "Can't do it? Then I'll take Fufu with me."
Hearing that, Rainno immediately fell in line. He picked up the notes and studied them seriously, burying all his complaints deep in his heart.
What Hickson hadn't expected was that after he left Twilight Star, Rainno actually followed his scientific child-rearing methods as instructed, carrying out each item more or less to the letter.
He just kept grumbling under his breath the whole time, and wasn't too keen on reporting to Hickson either.
But that didn't matter either—if he wasn't willing, there was still Fufu.
Every evening at the same time, Hickson would video-call home, and Fufu would sit in Daddy's lap, cheerfully recounting everything he'd done and eaten that day in detail, then demand that Hickson report on his own experiences as well.
Hickson would also tell his little one about his day in detail. Though much of what he talked about probably went over Fufu's head.
But Fufu would still nod with a serious expression every time, imitating his manner and putting on a look of satisfied approval, then sweetly say to him:
"Big brother, stay safe, and remember to think of Fufu!"
That adorable little look made Hickson's mouth go stiff from smiling.
Throughout their conversation, Rainno would keep pursing his lips off to the side, rolling his eyes so hard they nearly disappeared into the back of his head—and Hickson simply pretended not to see.
After Hickson finished chatting with Fufu, Rainno would also lean in close to the screen and ask impatiently: "Found anything today? Any unexpected situations?"
Hickson knew the other man was just worried about him, so he answered patiently every time, explaining things in detail.
He'd come to realize that his father was only outwardly gruff—in truth, he was just overly sensitive and not very good at expressing himself.
But as long as you ignored his angry outbursts and calmly continued reporting your own affairs, he would respond properly in return.
Hickson was naturally steady, sometimes as solid as a block of wood, which should have made him quite good at handling someone like Rainno. It was just that before, he'd been too desperate for the other man's approval, staying tense in his presence and unable to communicate smoothly.
But now, Hickson had let go of that, relaxed, and could actually discern which of his father's words were genuine, which were said in anger, and which carried hidden meaning—and thus knew how to respond.
Now, the two could not only hold conversations, but occasionally even banter and crack jokes.
Hickson also learned that his father was far less violent and intimidating than he'd imagined.
Perhaps Fufu had seen through this from the very beginning, which was why he'd taken an instant liking to Rainno, praised his beautiful white fur, and after being rejected, kept barging into his room again and again until he finally threw himself into the other man's arms and opened the door to his heart.
In that regard, though Fufu was still a cub, he seemed in some ways more perceptive and wiser than Hickson himself.
Thinking of this, Hickson looked at Rainno on the other side of the video call and suddenly laughed.
The moment Rainno saw that smile, he felt a sense of impending doom and asked warily: "…What are you doing?"
After all, his son was usually expressionless, only smiling for Fufu. If he suddenly smiled at him, then chances were he was about to—
Sure enough, Hickson spoke with a smile: "Father, I've been away from home recently, and I still have to travel between different planets. I simply can't keep up with the corporation's affairs, and I have a meeting to attend the day after tomorrow. So could you possibly…"
"Ha?" Rainno couldn't believe it. "You want me to do your work for you?"
Dream on! Do you really think your old man is your secretary?!
Two days later, Rainno attended the meeting in a suit and tie.
Besides the meeting itself, many of the duties that had originally belonged to Hickson were now delegated to him to handle.
Just like Hickson had done before, he tried to work from home as much as possible, only attending occasions where his physical presence was required.
Actually, saying that Hickson had handed over his duties to him wasn't entirely accurate, because he had originally been the founder and chairman of the Twilight Group. It was just that he had been living in seclusion for all these years, pushing all the work onto Hickson. Now he was simply taking up his original responsibilities once again.
This news caused quite a stir both inside and outside the group, sparking widespread discussion.
After all, their nominal chairman had been completely unheard of for nearly a decade—rumors had even begun circulating among the public that he had passed away. Yet just two days after the president took leave, he suddenly reappeared out of nowhere! It was utterly unexpected!
Compared to shock, the senior executives within the group felt more panic. Many of them had been promoted by Hickson and had never worked with the old chairman, but they had all heard the legends about him.
It was said that their Vampire boss was unruly and arrogant, looking down on everyone. He had participated in the Fantasy Species War and was hailed as the War God of the Blood Clan—able to tear an enemy starship in half with a casual raise of his hand…
Everyone trembled in fear, weeping and screaming inwardly—President, please come back soon! Even though you have a cold face, you're still reasonable. Don't leave us with your father!
But what no one expected was that once they actually started working with him, they discovered that this long-retired chairman wasn't actually that bad-tempered, and wasn't nearly as terrifying as the rumors suggested.
Although he could be a bit sharp-tongued at times, he always helped them solve their problems properly and never shirked responsibility.
After working together for a while, they gradually learned how to get along with the chairman and became accustomed to his style of doing things.
But the question in their hearts remained unanswered. They couldn't understand why the chairman had gone into seclusion back then, and why he had suddenly made a comeback recently. What was driving this behind the scenes?
Was there some new development within the group? Or was it because the situation inside and outside the Fantasy Species Sector was growing increasingly tense… No one could figure it out.
Until one day, when a remote video conference had just ended, a cheerful "Daddy!" suddenly came from outside the camera frame.
Everyone was stunned.
The next second, they saw the chairman, who had just been wearing a stern expression, suddenly change his demeanor, answering with a beaming smile before leaning down to scoop up a tiny cub.
Only the back of the cub's head was visible in the frame, but a few colleagues who had seen it before still recognized it—it was Fufu! The president's young little brother!
But hadn't this cub been taken care of by Hickson himself? Just a few days without seeing him, and he'd already been sent back to Mr. Rainno!
Suddenly, everything seemed to make sense—it was because of Fufu!
With such an adorable Vampire cub, even the ferocious War God had to come out and earn some milk money.