MSFLC Ch16

New Year passed in a lively blur. Lu Ting’an didn’t stay home for many days before he rushed back to the film set to shoot again.

When Lu Zhiyu and Lu Zhishi woke up one morning and didn’t see Lu Ting’an, they realized he’d left without saying goodbye. Both of them felt wronged and cried in Song Qinian’s arms for a good while.

In March, kindergarten started again. Lu Zhiyu went back to school, Song Qinian went back to work, and Lu Zhishi sometimes went to the office with Daddy, sometimes went to Grandpa and Grandma’s.

Life was calm and ordinary, and the days passed quickly. After crawling came walking, every day Lu Zhishi wobbled across the carpet, falling often, but gradually getting steadier.

At nine months, Lu Zhishi could slur out something like “Daddy.” Song Qinian, fully grown man that he was, suddenly had red eyes. He hugged him, kissed him, and said hoarsely, “My little one’s grown up… he can call Daddy now.”

At eleven months, Lu Zhishi finally cut his first tooth, just one tiny rice-tooth, but Song Qinian was so happy he took a lot of photos and sent them to Lu Ting’an.

At twelve months, they held his first-birthday banquet. The timing was perfect: Lu Ting’an had finished filming, and Lu Zhiyu and Chi Chen had also graduated kindergarten.

The birthday banquet wasn’t huge, only close friends and family were invited. Uncle from the Huo side came too and brought lots of gifts, and Lu Zhishi saw those twin older brothers again.

For the “grabbing ceremony,” Lu Zhishi grabbed a book. Surrounded by blessings, he spent his first birthday in warmth and joy.

***

“Chubby Can, where are you going?”

Hearing movement, Lu Ting’an turned his head and asked.

Lu Zhishi hugged a big bag of chips and toddled out on his short little legs, replying in a milky voice, “Gege’s… house…”

The “Gege” he meant was Chi Chen. “Xiao Chen-Gege” was hard to say, so Lu Zhishi just called him “Gege.”

Song Qinian didn’t trust him walking alone and followed. When he saw the little one circling near the steps, he simply lifted him down by hand.

Once steady, Lu Zhishi turned around and said sweetly, “Thang-kyou~”

Song Qinian laughed. “Are you coming back for dinner?”

Lu Zhishi nodded. “Chih.”

Watching him trot through the small wooden gate into the Chi family’s yard, Song Qinian went back inside and asked Lu Ting’an, who was signing documents in the living room, “Gege, what do you want for dinner tonight?”

Lu Ting’an didn’t even look up. “Steamed spare ribs. Steamed perch.”

“No problem.”

Song Qinian walked over and kissed Lu Ting’an’s cheek. “Collecting payment.”

Lu Ting’an curved his lips and called him a clingy sweet-talker.

***

After trudging across both families’ huge yards, Lu Zhishi got blocked at the Chi family’s steps.

The little step stool Uncle Chi had specially prepared for him was nowhere to be found. Lu Zhishi lifted his chubby leg and tried, 

…Nope. Too short.

He took a deep breath and shouted with his soft baby voice, “Gegeeeee!”

Footsteps approached. Lu Zhiyu ran out first, Chi Chen following behind.

“Did you miss Gege?” Lu Zhiyu ruffled his little curls.

Lu Zhishi nodded, arms open for a hug. “Gege, carry~”

Lu Zhiyu handed the big bag of chips to Chi Chen behind him, then carried Lu Zhishi up the steps and led him inside.

With Lu Zhiyu holding his hand, Lu Zhishi still turned to grab Chi Chen’s shirt too and smiled sweetly. “Gege.”

Chi Chen took the baby’s chubby little hand, held it in his palm, and answered blandly, “Mm.”

On the living room table were several workbooks, plus a plate of small cakes and two cups of juice, clearly Lu Zhiyu and Chi Chen had been doing homework.

Lu Zhishi didn’t make a fuss at all. After Lu Zhiyu put him on the sofa, he sat quietly beside them reading a picture book by himself.

Chi Chen went to the kitchen, brought him a cup of warm milk, and handed him a small cake. “Cake is okay.”

Lu Zhishi picked one up and grinned at Chi Chen. “Thang-kyou, Gege.”

After he spoke, Chi Chen still didn’t leave. He pinched Lu Zhishi’s chin and made him open his mouth.

Lu Zhishi didn’t understand, but he obeyed. “Ah~”

At one and a half, he already had several small teeth. Chi Chen inspected and saw a slightly pale spot on the gum, probably another tooth coming in soon.

Letting go, he wiped Lu Zhishi’s drool with a tissue and said to Lu Zhiyu, “He’s about to cut a new tooth. Watch him, don’t let him lick his teeth.”

Lu Zhiyu leaned in, looked, and nodded. “I’ll pay attention.”

Lu Zhishi nodded too. “Hao~”

Lu Zhiyu rubbed his head, then, when he returned to his homework, he carried the plate of cakes away from in front of Lu Zhishi.

Lu Zhishi’s eyes widened. “Gege?”

“Only one cake,” Lu Zhiyu said seriously. “Dinner’s soon. If you eat too many cakes, you won’t eat properly later.”

Chi Chen had been about to bring him more cakes, but after hearing that, he sat back down.

Lu Zhishi opened his mouth, unable to argue. He lowered his head and ate his one cake obediently, then gulped down half the warm milk.

Yes, his cup of milk had become half a cup. Chi Chen had poured out half earlier.

Chi Chen said expressionlessly, “Dinner soon. Don’t drink too much milk. Save your stomach for food.”

After finishing, Lu Zhishi flipped through his picture book.

When he reached funny parts, he would happily kick his chubby feet and silently laugh.

Chi Chen sped through his homework and finished early. He sat beside Lu Zhishi and quietly watched his round little face.

Lu Zhishi hit another funny part and smiled so hard his eyes squinted. When he looked up, he met Chi Chen’s gaze.

He hesitated, then placed the picture book between them.

“Gege.”

Let’s read together.

Chi Chen: “……”

Chi Chen pinched his cheek fat and looked away, opening a classic novel instead. “You read. Gege won’t.”

Lu Zhiyu kept scribbling. “When I finish homework, I’ll watch two episodes of Pineapple House with you.”

After that, they could go home for dinner.

Lu Zhishi’s eyes sparkled. He raised both hands in enthusiastic approval. “Gege, hao~!”

“Hehe, wait for me. Almost done!” Lu Zhiyu wrote even faster.

Chi Chen picked up the remote, turned on the TV, switched precisely to Pineapple House, and even resumed from where Lu Zhishi had left off last time.

After doing that, Chi Chen glanced at Lu Zhishi with lowered eyes, saying nothing.

Lu Zhishi blinked, then suddenly understood what he meant.

He grinned, showing a few little teeth, hugged Chi Chen’s arm with both hands, and smiled sweetly. “Gege, also hao~!”

Chi Chen ruffled his curls. “Mm.”

They happily watched two episodes of Pineapple House. Lu Zhiyu packed up his homework, took Lu Zhishi’s hand, and led him home for dinner.

“We’re leaving,” Lu Zhiyu said.

Chi Chen escorted them to the door with the same blank face. “Mm.”

Lu Zhishi was carried down the steps by his brother. Like a waddling penguin chick, he toddled beside Lu Zhiyu on short legs. Then he stopped, turned back, and waved.

“Bye-ya~”

Chi Chen’s eyes softened slightly. He lifted a hand and waved. “Bye-bye.”

Lu Zhiyu raised a brow. “Wow. So you treat people differently now?”

Chi Chen, face cold, countered, “Are you also one and a half?”

“……”
Choked, Lu Zhiyu turned away, holding Lu Zhishi’s hand as they left.

Lu Zhishi giggled and waddled home, looking like a round little stump from afar.

Chi Chen watched them go inside, then shut the door and returned home.

***

By the time they got back, Song Qinian had just finished cooking. Lu Ting’an was watching financial news in the living room.

Lu Zhiyu led his brother in and handed his homework to Lu Ting’an for inspection.

Lu Zhishi toddled over to Lu Ting’an and climbed onto his knee like he’d done it a hundred times. Lu Ting’an steadied him. The chubby canister found a comfortable position and settled in.

Lu Ting’an flipped through the homework seriously, then pulled Lu Zhiyu closer and tapped the page.

“All the answers are correct. But… isn’t your handwriting a little messy?”

Lu Zhishi leaned in to look. The handwriting was actually pretty, definitely not chicken scratch, just a bit wild and free, like flying dragons and dancing phoenixes.

Lu Zhiyu leaned against Lu Ting’an’s arm and peeked too, embarrassed, rubbing his cheek. “Maybe… a little.”

Song Qinian brought dishes out and snorted. “Only a little?”

Lu Zhiyu hummed. “Okay, a little more than a little.”

Lu Ting’an tapped his small head gently. “Have you not practiced copybook writing for a long time?”

Lu Zhiyu lowered his head and rubbed against Daddy’s shoulder. “It’s been… a little while.”

Song Qinian took off his apron, washed his hands, then picked both kids up and carried them to the dining room.

“Then from now on, one extra copybook page with your daily homework, okay?”

Lu Zhiyu: “Okay……”

Lu Zhishi sympathetically patted his shoulder with a chubby hand. “Gege, good!”

Even though the homework increased, the food was delicious. Lu Zhiyu ate happily and immediately forgot the pain of extra writing.

Before bed, Lu Ting’an would tell them bedtime stories. The moment Lu Zhishi finished his bath, he burrowed into the warm blankets to wait for him.

Lu Zhiyu bathed later, dried his hair, and climbed into bed too, lying beside Lu Zhishi and waiting obediently.

“…Tonight, let them sleep in the kids’ room…”

Lu Zhishi’s ears twitched. He crawled up and listened carefully.

Lu Zhiyu sat up too, eyes wide, looking toward the bathroom, listening to the muffled voices.

Lu Ting’an asked, “Why?”

Lu Zhishi nodded. Exactly, why were they getting kicked out to the kids’ room?

He couldn’t hear Song Qinian’s reply. Not sure if he said anything.

A moment later, Lu Ting’an’s voice sounded helpless and flustered: “Tomorrow, tomorrow we’ll talk. The babies are already lying down…”

Whatever they discussed, when Song Qinian came out, he looked like a well-fed big-tailed wolf, peach-blossom eyes so affectionate even dogs would feel loved, with a faint flush at the corners.

Seeing the two chubby-canisters staring at him intensely, Song Qinian paused, then walked over with a storybook.

“Today Daddy will read. After you listen, tomorrow you’ll sleep in your own room.”

Lu Zhiyu: “……”

Lu Zhishi: “……”

We want Dad Ting’an to read.

Protest: invalid.

Lu Zhiyu and Lu Zhishi were forced to listen to Song Qinian’s bedtime story, and the next night, they were carried, without mercy, into the kids’ room to sleep.