MSFLC Ch23

Lu Zhiyu lowered his head in confusion, and met a pair of clear, bright toddler eyes full of expectation, blinking up at him.

Lu Zhiyu’s smile lifted immediately. He wrapped an arm around his soft, squishy little brother.
“You want to go too?”

“Mmhmm, I do~” Lu Zhishi nodded obediently.

Lu Zhiyu’s heart melted. He patted his chest, chin tilted up proudly.
“Gege will take you tomorrow.”

Lu Zhishi’s eyes lit up. He hugged his gege’s arm with his soft little body and said in a milky voice, “Gege awesome~”

Chi Chen’s writing hand paused. He looked up at Lu Zhiyu.
“Call me tomorrow.”

Lu Zhiyu: “……”

Lu Zhiyu: “So when I call you, you won’t go—but when my little brother goes, you will?”

Chi Chen nodded without expression. “Mm.”

Lu Zhiyu: “……”

Lu Zhishi ran over on his short little legs, deeply moved, and hugged Chi Chen’s arm.
“Xiao Chen-gege!”

Chi Chen lowered his lashes, rubbed the little head, and said calmly, “After we finish playing, I’ll take you to the supermarket.”

Lu Zhishi’s eyes got even brighter. “Okay~”

He tugged at the jealous Lu Zhiyu beside him and said softly,
“Gege too… too~”

Lu Zhiyu’s pout instantly turned into a huge grin. He grabbed his adorable little brother and planted two loud kisses on his chubby cheeks.

“Gege will buy you yummy stuff. Whatever you want, just tell gege—gege will buy it all.”

Lu Zhishi broke into a huge smile.

Having two geges was the best, he could get double the good food!!

When it was time for dinner, Lu Zhiyu packed up his homework, greeted Uncle Chi after he returned, and then held Lu Zhishi’s hand to go home for dinner.

That night, Lu Zhiyu sat cross-legged on the big bed, waiting for Lu Ting’an to come out of the bathroom.

“Baba, tomorrow afternoon I want to take little brother out to play basketball. Is that okay?”

Lu Zhiyu looked up at his baba, all obedient and sweet.

As soon as Lu Zhishi heard that, he hurriedly crawled over from the corner of the bed and sat beside Lu Zhiyu, also looking up at Baba with big pleading eyes.

Lu Ting’an raised a brow, looked at his eldest son, then at the younger one beside him.
“Do you think little brother can play basketball?”

Lu Zhiyu realized he hadn’t explained clearly and rushed to say,
“I’ll play with Xiao Chen-gege. Little brother will just watch.”

Lu Ting’an didn’t answer immediately. After a pause, he asked,
“You really want to bring him?”

“I can take care of him,” Lu Zhiyu said at once. “If he gets tired walking, I’ll carry him.”

“Mmhmm!!” Lu Zhishi nodded super hard, lifting his face with the most pitiful expression. He even pressed his hands together and wiggled them like he was begging.

Please please, let me go too~

“Alright then. Be careful outside. If it rains, come home.”

“Okay~!” Lu Zhishi threw his arms around his gege, using his arm to pull himself up. His short legs couldn’t help bouncing with excitement.

Lu Zhiyu smiled too and bounced the chubby little can in his arms.

Song Qinian came out after his shower, towel in hand, wiping hair that was still dripping. Seeing the two kids grinning, he chuckled.

“So happy?”

“Tomorrow I’m taking little brother to play basketball~” Lu Zhiyu said happily, then quickly added, “I’ll play with Xiao Chen-gege. Little brother will watch. I can take care of him.”

Song Qinian raised a brow and didn’t say anything.

Lu Zhiyu puffed out his chest. “We already got Little Dad’s permission!”

Song Qinian glanced at Lu Ting’an reading files, then laughed.
“Well then—if Little Dad already agreed, I guess it’s fine.”

Lu Ting’an curved his lips slightly, adjusted his glasses, and continued reading.

Song Qinian’s gaze drifted over his lover’s face. With glasses on, Lu Ting’an was even more irresistible. Song Qinian’s throat bobbed unconsciously.

Then he looked back at the two giggling little brats on the bed.

Two minutes later…

Lu Zhiyu and Lu Zhishi, both carried back to the kids’ room: “……”

“You two should sleep in your own room.” Song Qinian finished making the beds, kissed both their foreheads, and very deliberately closed their eyes for them.

“Good night. Sweet dreams.”

The door opened and closed.

Two pairs of big eyes immediately popped open, staring at the ceiling, blinking.

—The “cover-your-ears-and-steal-the-bell” version of Baba.

Big Baba was way too mean today—he didn’t even let them finish the bedtime story.

***

Because they were going to the court in the afternoon, Lu Zhishi was afraid he’d oversleep his nap. He even tugged Lu Ting’an and made him set an alarm.

The moment Lu Zhiyu made the slightest movement, Lu Zhishi’s eyes snapped open. He flipped over, pushed himself up, and climbed down his little bed in a hurry.

“Go, go~!”

Lu Zhiyu helplessly caught the overexcited chubby can, scooped him up, placed him on a small sofa, and crouched down to put on his shoes.

“Don’t rush. It’s still early.”

Lu Zhishi swung his chubby feet while watching gege put on his shoes. Once they were on, he climbed down again, grabbed Lu Zhiyu’s clothes, and dragged him toward the door.

“Go, go~!”

Lu Zhiyu held his hand, unhurriedly grabbed his small backpack, and let the chubby can tug him along.

Lu Ting’an walked them out. “Did you bring everything?”

“Yes, yes! It’s all in my bag.”

“If it rains, come home. Don’t stay out too late. Be back in the afternoon for dinner.”

“Got it, got it! Dad bye-bye~”

Lu Zhishi lifted his hand and waved. “Baba, bye-bye~”

Chi Chen was already waiting at the entrance. He waved goodbye to Lu Ting’an and headed toward the basketball court with Lu Zhiyu.

Lu Zhishi held Lu Zhiyu’s hand and enthusiastically waved at Chi Chen.
“Xiao Chen-gege~!”

“Mm.” Chi Chen walked beside him and patted his head.

“Let’s go. Zhao Xiaoyun is waiting over there.”

They walked along the villa neighborhood road. The sides were lush and green, full of lively flowers and trees.

The sun warmed the top of Lu Zhishi’s head. His short legs couldn’t walk fast, and he panted a little—but he didn’t complain about being tired or hot.

Chi Chen couldn’t stand it anymore and crouched down. “Get on.”

He carried him on his back.

Lu Zhiyu walked beside them with his backpack, taking out a handkerchief to wipe little brother’s sweat and feed him water.

“Next time we’ll just take a car. No more walking.”

Lu Zhiyu already regretted refusing their dads’ suggestion to drive.

“Okay~” Lu Zhishi nodded, drank his water, and then—like a tiny serious adult—sighed on Xiao Chen-gege’s shoulder.

Next time, no more pretending. No more “seeing the scenery.” It was exhausting. If he could ride, he would never walk again.

The fluffy head tickled Chi Chen’s cheek. He leaned slightly away, adjusted the little one on his back, and kept walking.

Thankfully, the court wasn’t far. They arrived not long after.

“Lu Zhiyu! Chi Chen! You’re finally here!”

A few boys were already there, dribbling over with grins.

Seeing the chubby little can on Chi Chen’s back, the boy in front asked curiously,
“Lu Zhiyu, that’s your little brother, right? Why did you bring him? It’s so hot out.”

“My brother. I brought him out to play.”

Lu Zhiyu helped Chi Chen set him down and answered.

As Lu Zhishi’s feet hit the ground, he looked up at the older boys around him… then scooted behind Chi Chen shyly.

The boys immediately laughed.

“Lu Zhiyu, your little brother is so cute.”

“He gets shy too.”

“His cheeks look so soft—can I pinch them?”

Chi Chen raised a hand, blocking their reaching hands, and held the little one close.
“No touching.”

Lu Zhishi nodded hard. Don’t pinch. It hurts.

“Alright alright, we won’t.”

“Take him to the shaded area over there. Let’s start.”

“Zhao Xiaoyun brought his little brother too—he’s over there. Your brother can have a buddy.”

Rejected without anger, the boys led them over.

Lu Zhishi climbed onto a big bench and looked curiously at Zhao Xiaoyun… then at Zhao Xiaoyun’s younger brother—a thick-browed, big-eyed chubby kid.

Round head, round face, even chubbier than him, sitting there with watery eyes while chewing candy.

Zhao Xiaoyun handed him a lollipop. “Little brother, have candy.”

Lu Zhishi took it and smiled politely.
“Thank you, gege~”

Lu Zhiyu patted his brother’s head, reminded him of a few things, then took off his coat and warmed up, ready to play.

Chi Chen set down water and biscuits on the nearby table, took off his coat, put on wrist guards, and went onto the court with Lu Zhiyu.

Lu Zhishi glanced at the chubby kid beside him—he wasn’t crying or fussing, just watching the geges play too.

The court was a kid-sized one, designed smaller and perfect for children.

Lu Zhishi licked his big lollipop twice, eyes bright as he followed Lu Zhiyu and Chi Chen’s movements. Whenever something exciting happened, he couldn’t help raising his hand high.

“Gege awesome!”

His eyes kept tracking them. When his arm got tired, he lowered it and took another lick of the lollipop.

He licked—

Air.

Lu Zhishi: “?”