Room 1101
In the bathroom, the hair dryer hummed with a steady stream of warm air.
A tall, slender figure stood by the wall, head lowered, fingers combing through damp hair beneath the fixed dryer.
Pei Jingyuan had just finished showering. He wore only a pair of loose white shorts that hung lazily around his hips. The waistband sat low, and just above it, a faint red mark traced his pale waistline.
A few clear drops of water slid from his shoulder blades, trickled along his narrow back, and disappeared beneath that slim red line.
The phone in the living room began to ring.
Pei Jingyuan switched off the dryer, grabbed a white T-shirt from the shelf, and walked out to answer the call.
It was Huang Licheng, “Xiao Yuanzi, want to join my live stream tonight?”
Pei Jingyuan took a sip of cola from the table, his thoughts briefly wandering to the sweet little cub and the chubby plush banana he’d been thinking about. His voice was calm and serious.
“I have to finish a character profile tonight, one for the role in my last film.”
“The screenwriter didn’t give you one?” Huang Licheng sounded puzzled.
“Mm. Only a brief outline. It’s not detailed enough.” Pei Jingyuan didn’t dare to elaborate, if he said too much, he might trip over inconsistencies later, so he kept to the truth.
Huang Licheng chuckled, “I think you just don’t want to stream with me.”
“No,” Pei Jingyuan replied righteously, “Next time.”
“Next time, right? You always say that. Tomorrow I’ll check your character draft then!”
“Huh?” Pei Jingyuan looked at the screen that had already gone dark, grinding his teeth, “Unbelievable.”
He had planned to work on it, just not tonight. Forget it. He’d deal with the troublesome stuff tomorrow. Tonight, he was going to play with his soft little cub!
A knock came at the door.
*Knock! Knock! knock!*
Immediately, Pei Jingyuan thought of the little cub. He grabbed his phone and walked quickly to the door.
A soft voice called out, “Gege?”
The light, excited tone made his heart lift, it was filled with pure anticipation.
His mind automatically narrated: See? Emotion-filled lines always convey sincerity and draw people in.
He pulled the door open in one swift motion. A gust of air rushed in from the hallway.
His still-damp black hair lifted slightly in the breeze, revealing his fair forehead.
Nie Shenyuan caught a whiff of fresh herbal scent, clean and cool, with traces of mint and lemon.
The young man standing in the doorway looked so fresh and innocent, like a student untouched by the world.
“Gege~~”
Yuanbao wriggled out of his father’s arm and dove straight into the fragrant embrace of his “little dad.”
Pei Jingyuan caught him and tried to contain his excitement.
If not for the stern Mr. Nie standing right there, he might’ve sung aloud, Oh, my sweet, soft little cake!
Nie Shenyuan’s arm brushed Pei Jingyuan’s as he reached forward. The touch startled him, the young man’s frame was surprisingly slender, his freshly washed skin soft and smooth.
“Yuanbao, can you walk by yourself?”
“Eh?” The little cub had just pounced into his small dad’s arms!
Big Dad must be an evil villain, he thought indignantly, always ruining happy moments!
His round little face rubbed insistently against Pei Jingyuan’s clean, soft neck, his tiny feet kicking until both slippers fell to the floor with soft thuds.
Pei Jingyuan blinked down at the cute shoes.
…What a smart, clever little darling.
Why can’t this child be mine? he thought despairingly.
Yuanbao beamed. “Gege, come play at our house! We got a new big sofa!”
Pei Jingyuan glanced cautiously at the boy’s serious looking father. For some reason, he felt like the man might be displeased.
But Nie Shenyuan only stepped aside politely. “Please, Mr. Pei.”
Pei Jingyuan’s hands were full. “Mr. Nie, could you close the door for me?”
“Of course.”
Nie Shenyuan reached for the door. He followed the rule of polite distance, his gaze sweeping briefly over the shoes near the entryway, most of them white.
When the door clicked shut, a faint thought crossed his mind. So, he likes white. Clothes, shoes, everything seems to be mostly white.
When Pei Jingyuan carried the little cub into Room 1102, Nie Shenyuan was bending down to pick up the tiny slippers. His hands were broad, almost comically large compared to them.
“Did your dad give you a bath?” Pei Jingyuan asked, smiling.
“Mmhmm~~” Yuanbao nodded eagerly, lifting his small arms and twirling. “Big Dad washed here and here, so now I’m all clean and smell so nice!”
Pei Jingyuan couldn’t help picturing it. So cute.
Inside, the apartment mirrored his own next door, but everything looked brand new, sleek, modern, and expensive.
From the light fixtures to the rugs and the tiny tea table, every item that could be replaced had been replaced.
He thought, The workers must’ve been lightning fast today. Still, wouldn’t it have been easier to just book a suite in a five-star hotel?
Yuanbao tugged at his sleeve, dragging him toward the cartoon sofa bed, where a huge, plush panda nearly five feet long sprawled in the center.
Pei Jingyuan’s eyes sparkled. Oh wow, I love it!
He followed the boy onto the soft cushions, running his fingers through the panda’s silky fur. It felt unbelievably real and plush.
Yuanbao bounced proudly, puffing up his cheeks at his father. See? I knew Little Dad would love it!
Nie Shenyuan ruffled his son’s hair, then went to the bathroom and returned with a hair dryer, “Yuanbao, let your gege finish drying his hair.”
“Huh?” Pei Jingyuan froze. He had rushed earlier. His hair was thick, layered, dense, and slow to dry.
So considerate… he thought. As expected of a father.
Yuanbao held up the dryer. “Gege, let’s blow your hair together!”
The socket was right beside the sofa. Nie Shenyuan bent down and plugged it in.
Yuanbao giggled. “Yuanbao will do it for Gege!”
“No, no, I’ll do it myself,” Pei Jingyuan said quickly, taking the light dryer from him.
He turned it on and began blowing his hair in random directions, making silly faces at the boy in between.
Yuanbao watched with wide, shining eyes, it reminded him of how Little Dad used to blow his hair at home. He whimpered softly and buried his face in Pei Jingyuan’s neck again.
Nie Shenyuan sat quietly, watching the two from the sofa. Something stirred in his chest.
“Big Dad! Where’s my chubby banana?” Yuanbao suddenly piped up.
Nie Shenyuan fetched it from the shelf and handed it over.
“Okay, Daddy, you go do your work now,” Yuanbao said matter of fact. “I’ll play with little, uh, Gege!”
“I’m not busy,” Nie Shenyuan replied, sitting down on the other sofa with his phone.
Pei Jingyuan blinked. It’s only our first day meeting. How can he be so relaxed letting his kid stay alone with me?
He switched hands and blew the other side of his hair, half-watching the serious father in the background.
Yuanbao peeled his little toy banana and held it to Pei Jingyuan’s mouth, “Gege, eat the fat banana!”
“Wow!” Pei Jingyuan took a playful bite, pretending to be moved to tears, “So sweet! How can it be this sweet?”
Yuanbao squealed, bouncing around the panda in delight before snuggling back beside him.
Pei Jingyuan put the dryer aside and hugged the little cub close. He really want to hide him in my clothes and take him home.
On the other side, Nie Shenyuan rested his chin on one hand, his gaze thoughtful as he watched the pair.
Under the warm light, the man and the boy looked so alike, it was impossible not to see they were father and son.
Then, another knock came from the door.
The suite was small, so every sound was clear. Both Pei Jingyuan and Yuanbao looked up curiously.
“I’ll get it,” said Nie Shenyuan. “You two stay here.”
But of course, neither could resist looking.
The door opened, it was Butler Jiang.
He wheeled in a suitcase, “Sir, these were sent from the main house.”
It was natural; moving out suddenly always left something behind.
Yuanbao leaned close to whisper in Pei Jingyuan’s ear, “That’s our butler, Uncle Jiang~”
But Pei Jingyuan frowned slightly. A butler? What kind of family has a butler?
…Right. The kind with money. Like the Jia family.
He glanced at Nie Shenyuan’s tall, refined figure. Does this man ever even open his own doors at home?
Then another thought struck him. If they moved here, where’s the mother?
He looked down at the soft cub in his arms. Could Huang’s wild guess be right? Did Mr. Nie move here to accompany his wife?
But if that were true, why meet him at all? Wouldn’t he be more cautious, more discreet?
He opened his mouth to ask about Yuanbao’s mother but quickly shut it again.
What if… she was gone?
Awkward. Dangerous territory.
Sensing the sudden shift in his expression, Yuanbao asked softly, “Gege? What’s wrong? Did Uncle Butler scare you?”
Pei Jingyuan scooped the boy up and raised him high into the air, “Of course not!”
“Waaah!” Yuanbao squealed, his laughter ringing through the room.
See? Little Dad is the best!
Big Dad had never lifted him like this before. Hmph!
While Nie Shenyuan discussed things with the butler, he caught the scene out of the corner of his eye, the boy throwing him a playful glare before clinging back to Pei Jingyuan, snuggling and giggling in his arms.
Butler Jiang didn’t notice. He only saw the master’s brief silence and thought he’d done something wrong, “Sir?”
Nie Shenyuan came back to himself. “Tomorrow, change all the sofas, coffee tables, and curtains to white.”
Jiang blinked. “Yes, sir.” It was a simple order, but… odd.
He had decorated according to his master’s usual preferences, so why the sudden change?
At that moment, soft giggles and whispers floated from the panda sofa, two figures, big and small, whispering to each other.
Jiang couldn’t help smiling. “The young master and Mr. Pei seem to get along well, they look just like brothers.”
The words had barely left his mouth before he sensed the tension in the air.
He looked up, Mr. Nie’s deep eyes were on him, cold and unreadable.
Instantly, Jiang’s smile vanished. “Sir, I…”
He didn’t even know what he’d said wrong.
Even after years of service, Mr. Nie rarely showed emotion. Now, his tone was flat, “It’s late, Jiang. You can rest.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jiang nearly jumped out of his skin. He didn’t dare say another word, and as he left, he kept his gaze fixed on the floor.
Only when the door clicked shut did he steal one last glance back at the man and the boy under the warm light.
They really did look like brothers. No one would believe otherwise.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
✦ END OF CHAPTER ✦ BEGIN COFFEE NEGOTIATIONS ✦
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · YaunBao in wrong Time lineChapter 2 · Finding Big DaddyChapter 3 · DNA ProofChapter 4 · Hospital visitChapter 5 · New RoleChapter 6 · Meeting Daddy SoonChapter 7 · New NeighbourChapter 8 · Moving inChapter 9 · Meeting Little Daddy again!Chapter 10 · WhiteChapter 11 · Car for Little DaddyChapter 12 · Live StreamChapter 13 · KittyChapter 14 · Bonding Time~Chapter 15 · White CatChapter 16 · Yuanbao, your dad is terrifying!Chapter 17 · Will Dad blow up the kitchen?Chapter 18 Part 1 · Little Dad, let’s get New Big Dad!Chapter 18 Part 2 · Little Dad, let’s get new Big Dad!Chapter 19 · Yuanbao doesn’t have a loving big dadChapter 20 Part 1 · Dad never holds back Yuanbao~ No, no~Chapter 20 Part 2 · Dad never holds back Yuanbao~ No, no~Chapter 21 · Little Dad’s friendChapter 22 · Our Child from future!Chapter 23 · Little Daddy Knows!Chapter 24 · How did the two fathers meet?Chapter 25 · They really treat him like a gold ingot!Chapter 26 · Big Daddy really likes little daddyChapter 27 · Hehe, Yuanbao’s dad is such a humorous personChapter 28 · This name sounds like some kind of unspoken codeChapter 29 · Don’t you dare steal Yuanbao’s little dad!Chapter 30 · You’re so smart, it’s only natural that our child is clever too.Chapter 31 · That’s definitely a hickey!Chapter 32 · We simply can’t compete!Chapter 33 · Big Dad, you’re not allowed to bully Little DadChapter 34 · Amusement ParkChapter 35 · Big Dad, you have to protect Little DadChapter 36 · Go eat friesChapter 37 · These fries are so deliciousChapter 38 · Yuanbao imitated his dad’s tone: “No, no~”Chapter 39 · Did you hurt Daddy’s hand?Chapter 40 · Were the father and son plotting something behind my back?Chapter 41 · They really went a little too far in the future.Chapter 42 · Sudden feeling of being “needed”Chapter 43 · The little guy tells his dad everythingChapter 44 · Why was Dad secretly observing him?Chapter 45 · I’ll introduce you to these two adorable peopleChapter 46 · According to family hierarchyChapter 47 · Yuanbao is mine and Jingyuan’s childChapter 48 · Little Yuanbao, you sound just like your dad talking right now!Chapter 49 · Are you happy today?Chapter 50 · Waaah, how could Daddy say such bad things about Yuanbao to Little Daddy?!Chapter 51 · Dad, will Yuanbao have a younger brother or sister?Chapter 52 · Let him handle the whole “conquering” thing!Chapter 53 · Dad, do you miss dad?Chapter 54 · Yuanbao’s Dad, how about we start dating?Chapter 55 · Did the two fathers talk for two days before telling Yuanbao?Chapter 56 · I’d like a different birthday presentChapter 57 · I love playing like this with my two dadsChapter 58 · Dad, come home soonChapter 59 · Jingyuan, let me hold you for a whileChapter 60 · Big Dad and Little Dad are just like Yuanbao’s left and right feetChapter 61 · Yuanbao, how about letting your father sleep in the middle?Chapter 62 · Waiting for your goodnight kissChapter 63 · Philodendron, McDowellChapter 64 · Little Dad is so badChapter 65 · Yuanbao wants to stay home and play every dayChapter 66 · Where’s my little Yuanbao?Chapter 67 · He’s my childChapter 68 · Two fathers?Chapter 69 · Does French Fries taste the same?Chapter 70 · Teacher AnnieChapter 71 · You’re bullying meChapter 72 · Big Dad asked Little Dad to kiss you for himChapter 73 · I think what’s missing is a formal confessionChapter 74 · If the ingot is an inward square, thenChapter 75 · Little Potato Ball and Daddy PotatoChapter 76 · That must be some other silly kidChapter 77 · In the future, how about I help you pluck out your white hairs?Chapter 78 · Little Dad already tried his best to help you!Chapter 79 · You can only blame the prize for being too temptingChapter 80 · Little Dad will hold a personal art exhibition just for youChapter 81 · Shall I make it up to you?Chapter 82 · Little Dad, kiss kiss~ Help Yuanbao give Big Dad a kiss tooChapter 83 · You’ll just say he’s a relative’s childChapter 84 · #PeiJingyuanMalePregnancy#Chapter 85 · Family GatheringChapter 86 · Yuanbao will work hard and make lots of money!Chapter 86 · Extra 1Chapter 87 · Who’s he messaging?Chapter 87 · Extra 2Chapter 88 · Why are you blushing?Chapter 88 · Extra 3Chapter 89 · Let’s get marriedChapter 89 · Extra 4Chapter 90 · Hair CutChapter 90 · Extra 5Chapter 91 · They’re willing to accept you as part of the familyChapter 92 · A Family DinnerChapter 93 · This is Yuanbao’s… very, very tall Big Dad, Nie ShenyuanChapter 94 · The wedding