After dinner, the sky had completely darkened. Huo Zheng washed the dishes and fetched water to bathe the child.
Su Qi’an squatted nearby and watched.
She saw him skillfully supporting the baby with one hand while using a towel with the other to wash him. His movements were not gentle—rather rough—and it made Su Qi’an anxious just watching.
Huo Zheng’s hands were large and calloused. The child’s skin was delicate, leaving faint red marks with the slightest touch.
“Be gentler. Don’t hurt him,” Su Qi’an couldn’t help but say.
“He’s not as fragile as you think,” Huo Zheng replied, though his movements did soften slightly.
Since the day the child was born, he had mostly been the one taking care of him at night. As a rough man, he didn’t really know how to care for a baby—he simply raised him according to his own instincts.
But he knew this child better than anyone.
Little Huo Jibei lay in his father’s hands, kicking his limbs in the water and laughing joyfully.
“He’s still just a baby! What do you mean not fragile?” Su Qi’an huffed.
The more she looked at Huo Jibei, the more she liked him. His facial features resembled hers, his smile was soft and adorable, and his damp hair was pushed aside by Huo Zheng. She couldn’t look away.
He was also very well-behaved. During the day, she barely needed to take care of him. When he woke up, he would play quietly by himself on the bed without crying or making a fuss. Only when he was hungry, wet, or uncomfortable would he let out a couple of small cries to get attention.
Thinking about this, Su Qi’an’s eyes softened even more.
Huo Zheng let out a light snort. He wanted to flick the baby’s soft cheek but, seeing how similar his face was to Su Qi’an’s, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he pinched his chubby little arm.
“Fine, you’re the most delicate one.”
Then he lifted the child up with one hand like a little chick. The baby himself didn’t feel any danger at all and even let out a clear laugh.
Su Qi’an’s heart jumped. She quickly slapped Huo Zheng’s arm and said anxiously, “Be careful! Don’t drop him!”
Huo Zheng’s body was tough, and her slap didn’t hurt at all. Instead, he looked oddly pleased.
After being dropped in water once, not only was she no longer afraid of him, she even dared to hit him now.
“Your son likes it this way,” he said.
Then he dried the child, dressed him, and tossed him onto the bed to play on his own.
Su Qi’an: “…”
“Did you come up with his name?” she asked curiously. Huo Jibei—it was a nice name.
“No. An old scholar gave it,” he replied. A rough man like him, who had never studied much, wouldn’t have been able to come up with such a refined name.
There had actually been a small incident regarding the naming.
When the child was born, Huo Zheng originally planned to name him Huo Dog Egg. He was quite satisfied with that name too.
But that night, his long-deceased mother appeared in his dream. She had been a fierce woman when she was alive, and in the dream she chased him around and beat him all night, insisting he change the name.
She even threatened to come every night if he didn’t change it.
At first, he didn’t take it seriously. But after several nights of being beaten in dreams, he finally got annoyed enough to change it.
Since “Dog Egg” couldn’t be used as a formal name, it became the nickname instead.
Su Qi’an nodded. “That old scholar seems very cultured. The name is really nice.”
Huo Zheng gave a cold laugh, clearly unconvinced. In his opinion, it wasn’t even half as nice as “Dog Egg.”
They didn’t dwell on the topic further. Su Qi’an went to bathe, reminding him to watch the child.
Huo Zheng agreed verbally, then used his foot to push the baby further inside the bed.
Little Huo Jibei rolled over, his face buried in the blanket, and let out an unhappy sound.
He struggled to roll back again before continuing to play.
After repeating this several times, the baby finally got angry. He waved his tiny fists toward Huo Zheng, babbling loudly, his little brows furrowed fiercely. Drool even dripped down his chin.
Seeing the drool soak the blanket, Huo Zheng deliberately said, “If you wet the blanket, you won’t have anything to cover yourself with tonight.”
As if understanding, Huo Jibei looked at the blanket, then at him. Finally, he turned over and refused to look at him.
Seeing the tiny back of the child radiating anger, Huo Zheng found it amusing. Such a temper—who does he take after?
He tapped the baby’s little bottom with his foot and said lazily, “Huo Dog Egg.”
The baby ignored him.
“Huo Jibei.”
The baby moved slightly.
“Heh. Huo Dog Egg.”
When Su Qi’an came out after bathing, the father and son were no longer in their usual warm scene. Instead, one sat far outside, the other lay facing away at the innermost side of the bed, with enough space between them for several people.
“Is he asleep?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Huo Zheng replied, glancing at the little back.
Su Qi’an carefully climbed onto the bed to check. The baby wasn’t asleep—he was playing with his fingers. When he saw her, he immediately smiled sweetly.
“Aa—”
He started babbling again, occasionally casting accusing looks at Huo Zheng, as if tattling.
Huo Zheng ignored him and went out to bathe.
When he returned, the little troublemaker had already fallen asleep. Su Qi’an was sitting on a chair, removing the bandage on her forehead and applying medicine to her wound.
The ointment from the hospital was quite effective. The wound had begun to scab over, looking even more gruesome.
Thinking about what he saw the day before—her sinking into the water with no one around—Huo Zheng’s eyes darkened with a heavy, suppressed gloom.
He didn’t dare imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t passed by and rescued her in time.
“Ah—”
Su Qi’an suddenly gasped in pain, pulling him back to reality. His eyes immediately turned toward her, tense.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m fine. I just pressed the wound accidentally,” she replied softly.
Huo Zheng exhaled in relief, then walked over, took some ointment, and bent down. With one hand lifting her chin, he gently applied it.
“Why are you so clumsy,” he said.
His breath brushed against her face—warm and slightly ticklish.
Su Qi’an’s face instantly turned red, her eyes darting away.
Huo Zheng lowered his gaze, taking in every expression on her face.
Shy, lively…
After a moment, he finally let go. He casually wiped the remaining ointment on his hand onto his own body, his expression calm, as if he hadn’t noticed her discomfort at all.