MSFLC Ch18

When he was picked up, Lu Zhishi hurriedly grabbed his gege’s clothes, staring at him eagerly.
“Gege… wait~”

Ruffling his hair, Lu Zhiyu smiled. “Okay, gege will wait for you.”

Lu Ting’an carried him back, set him on his lap, and dressed him in padded pants, a little coat, and a small down jacket, bundling him up snugly before letting him go out.

“Come back early tonight. Don’t play too late, and don’t take off your clothes while you’re outside.”

Song Qinian stood at the door watching the two little ones leave, reminding them worriedly.

Lu Zhiyu turned back and waved. “Got it, Dad.”

Lu Zhishi stopped too.

Wrapped in so many layers, he looked round and chubby. He struggled to lift his arm and waved.
“Bye-bye~”

The villa area was brightly lit, streetlights glowing warmly. The Song house wasn’t far from the Chi house—just a short walk.

Only after watching them enter the Chi residence did Song Qinian feel at ease and head back inside.

Lu Zhiyu led Lu Zhishi in. The Chi and Bai grandparents were there, and Chi Chen was in the living room watching TV.

“Grandpa Chi, Grandma Chi, Grandpa Bai, Grandma Bai,” Lu Zhiyu greeted cheerfully. “Good evening! I brought my little brother over to visit.”

Lu Zhishi lifted his hand and waved, his baby voice sweet and soft.
“Hello, Grandpa~ Hello, Grandma~”

Every New Year, it was either Lu Zhiyu visiting the Chi family or Chi Chen going to the Song or Lu house. The elders loved these visits.

This time, Lu Zhiyu had brought Lu Zhishi along too. The four grandparents were delighted, ushering them inside, handing out candies and milk cakes, calling them “good babies” one after another.

“Let Grandpa see whose little treasure this is—so cute, so fair and chubby, just like a lucky doll~”

“Good baby, want some candy? Grandma will get you some.”

Surrounded by affection, Lu Zhishi clutched the candies and biscuits in his chubby hands and smiled sweetly at them.
“Grandpa, Grandma~”

The grandparents adored him even more.

Chi Yueheng and Bai Yansheng weren’t around, they were resting upstairs. Bai Yansheng had been in surgery for two days straight and had only returned home on New Year’s Eve, heading upstairs to sleep right after dinner. Chi Yueheng stayed with him.

Lu Zhishi’s little front pocket was stuffed full of candies and biscuits. He sat obediently on the sofa and watched the New Year’s countdown show for a while.

Knowing kids wouldn’t enjoy it for long, Father Chi told them to go upstairs and play, bringing them a plate of fruit.

“Games! Games!! Movie! Movie!!”

As soon as they entered the room, Lu Zhiyu went wild, taking off his coat and shoes, jumping onto the bed with a satisfied sigh.
“This is great—”

Chi Chen ignored him, holding Lu Zhishi’s hand as he came in and closed the door.

He hung up the small down jacket and pulled the round little Zhishi closer, helping him take off his padded coat.

Earlier downstairs, mother Chi had only removed the down jacket to keep him warm. Now the room was cozy, so Chi Chen helped him remove the coat too.

Once it was off, Lu Zhishi felt much lighter, the tightness gone. He wriggled happily and looked at Chi Chen with sparkling eyes.
“Thank you, gege~”

Chi Chen hung up the clothes, pressed down the little curl sticking up on Zhishi’s head, and replied calmly, “Mm. Tell gege if you get cold.”

Lu Zhishi nodded enthusiastically. “Okay~~”

Chi Chen carried him to the carpet, fed him some fruit, while Lu Zhiyu slid off the bed and turned on the TV.

“Want to watch a movie?” Lu Zhiyu asked.

Chi Chen wiped Zhishi’s mouth with a tissue and nodded. “Sure.”

That way, Zhishi could watch too.

Lu Zhiyu picked a newly released animated movie and pulled Lu Zhishi into his arms, rubbing his head affectionately.

Chi Chen froze mid-grape. “……”

Annoying fat fish.

Lu Zhishi couldn’t help giggling.

He grabbed Chi Chen’s hand and ate the grape, puffing his cheeks as he chewed.
“Thanks~”

Chi Chen poked his round cheek. “Mm.”

Leaning against Lu Zhiyu while watching the movie, opening his mouth to eat fruit Chi Chen fed him, Lu Zhishi swung his chubby little legs happily.

Life was really comfortable~

After visiting and receiving red envelopes, Lu Zhishi went home, dragged out his little treasure chest, and pulled it over to Song Qinian and Lu Ting’an.

“Dad, put it in~” His New Year’s money was still with them for now.

Lu Ting’an changed clothes, looked down at the pair of bright, eager eyes and the little chest being tugged toward him, and chuckled.
“Sit down first. Daddy will get it for you in a bit.”

Lu Zhishi obediently plopped down, hugging the chest and pressing his face to it.

Everything inside was his treasure.

Lu Ting’an took out the red envelopes and gifts from a bag and put them into the chest.

Lu Zhishi lowered his head and counted.

Inside were mostly gold plaques, gold beads, jade pendants—mostly from grandparents. A few black cards were from his two dads and Uncle Chi and Uncle Bai, and there was a pile of plump red envelopes beside them.

After looking, Lu Zhishi closed the chest, climbed up, and dragged it into the wardrobe.

—If he saved for a few more years, he’d have enough money to buy things for Dad, gege, Grandpa and Grandma, and the uncles.

Dad’s watch. Dad’s cufflinks. Gege’s robot. Xiao Chen-gege’s Rubik’s cube…

He needed to save a lot, a lot of money.

***

After the New Year, the adults returned to work, back to nine-to-five routines. The kids went back to school.

Only the human cub Lu Zhishi stayed home, planting flowers, fishing, basking in the sun, carefree all day long.

Every time Song Qinian saw the chubby little one sprawled on the sofa watching TV, giggling and swinging his fat feet, he felt the urge to send him to school.

Lu Zhishi felt a chill on the back of his head, raised his hand to touch it, then turned around and looked at Song Qinian.
“Dad?”

Round head, round face, bright black eyes blinking—soft all over. He wasn’t even two yet. What school?

Song Qinian rubbed his temples and laughed. “Nothing. Keep watching. Dad’s just thinking.”

Lu Zhishi nodded vaguely, covered the cool back of his head, and went back to watching TV, letting out childish giggles now and then.

When school organized a spring outing, Lu Zhiyu and Chi Chen were away all week. With no one to play with, Lu Zhishi went fishing with Grandpa Lu.

Wearing a little straw hat, raincoat, holding a tiny fishing rod and a wooden bucket, the little fisherman paced back and forth at the door, glancing at the storage room.

Seeing this, Grandma Lu went inside and scolded Grandpa Lu for dawdling.
“The child’s been waiting forever—hurry up!”

Grandpa Lu was chased out carrying a big bag. “Coming, coming…”

Grandma Lu followed them out. “Come back early for dinner. If it rains, run home. Don’t let our precious baby get wet.”

Grandpa Lu laughed. “Even if I get soaked, he won’t.”

Lu Zhishi excitedly ran to the pond, greeted all the grandpas around, and claimed the best spot.

Once Grandpa Lu arrived, stool set, bait hooked, rod swung—Master Lu was ready to fish!

The old men watched fondly. Comparing their own mischievous grandsons to this fair, chubby cutie made them want to steal him home.

“If only this were my grandson—raise him with our Chen.” Chi’s father sighed.

Grandpa Lu adjusted the little hat and replied,
“One Old Song stealing grandkids isn’t enough—now Old Chi too? How am I supposed to live?”

The men burst into laughter. Lu Zhishi squinted his eyes and giggled along.

While the adults chatted, Lu Zhishi focused seriously on fishing.

But luck wasn’t on his side—no fish touched his bait.

The little one drooped his head sadly.
“Ah… I don’t have any fish.”

Grandpa Lu couldn’t stand seeing his precious grandson sigh. With a flourish of his rod, he caught three big fish in an hour.

All went into Zhishi’s bucket.

“They’re all yours.”

Grandpa’s way of comforting was simple and brutal—give him fish. All the fish!

Soon the bucket overflowed.

Grandpa Lu wiped his sweat, straightened his back when he saw the child’s admiring gaze.

Lu Zhishi patted his waist worriedly. “Grandpa…”

Grandpa waved proudly. “I’m fine. Grandpa can still fish.”

Then suddenly—it started raining.

Under the bright sun.

Raindrops pattered on the straw hat.

Lu Zhishi looked up. Big sun. Big rain.

“Huh?”

Grandpa hurriedly packed up, plopped his own big hat on Zhishi’s head, grabbed the bucket, and ran.

With too many fish and in a rush, Lu Zhishi watched helplessly as a big fish flopped out of the bucket, wriggled to the pond, and leapt back in.

“Grandpa! My fish!!”