Traveling Through the Book and Becoming a Cub Among the Villains - Chapter 33

When night fell, Qin Cheng finally got his wish, he laid between his mom and dad. He looked to the left at Mu Zheng, then to the right at Qin Luan, then back at Mu Zheng, then at Qin Luan again. Mu Zheng saw the uncontainable joy on his face and felt a pang of heartache.

He had never shared a bed with Qin Cheng before. By the time they met, Qin Cheng was already 6-years-old, in the second grade, and able to sleep on his own. So he had prepared a bedroom for Qin Cheng, furnished it, and bought him stuffed animals. Qin Cheng had happily moved in.

He never said he wanted to sleep with them. So Mu Zheng had never thought about it either. As a result, for the past year, Qin Cheng had always slept alone.

Until just now, when he looked at him expectantly and asked, “Then tonight… can I sleep with Daddy? And Mommy too.”

He looked up at him, his eyes clear and bright, like crystals washed in water, pure black and white.

It was only then that Mu Zheng realized, to Qin Cheng, what he really wanted was a father. He had never shared a bed with a dad. His childhood had been without a father.  So now that he had one, he couldn’t wait to get close to him, to experience all the things he had never gotten the chance to before.

Mu Zheng suddenly remembered when Qin Cheng had come to him, telling him he got a perfect score on a pop quiz, and when, in the summer, Qin Cheng had said that a classmate’s dad had taken him swimming.

At that time, Mu Zheng had been busy packing for a business trip.

Qin Luan had heard it and asked, “Mu Zheng, do you have time in a few days? Do you want to take Xiao Cheng swimming? He’s still not very good at it.”

But Mu Zheng had continued packing, answering, “You take him. I’ll probably be busy for a while even after I wrap up this trip.”

After he said that, Qin Cheng hadn’t spoken again.

It wasn’t until Mu Zheng was about to leave that Qin Cheng finally said, “Daddy, be careful on your trip. Come back soon.”

And he had said, “Okay.”

He hadn’t thought much of it at the time. After the business trip, he returned and simply went back to being busy with other work. Looking back now, Mu Zheng realized, at that time, Qin Cheng had actually wanted him to take him swimming. When he told him to come back soon, it was because he thought that once he was back, he’d have time, he’d finally be able to take him.

His child was far more generous than he was.

While he had still been holding back, unable to fully let go of his reservations and treat Qin Cheng as his own son, Qin Cheng had already accepted him as a father, even when he thought he wasn’t his biological father. That was why he craved his praise, craved his attention and closeness, craved for him to do fatherly things, just like a real dad would.

Mu Zheng felt a tightness in his chest. He looked at his son and gently stroked his soft, childlike face.

“In a few days, Daddy will take you swimming.”

Qin Cheng was a little surprised.

He had thought that this summer would pass without Mu Zheng ever taking him to swim. Mu Zheng was always busy—leaving early, coming home late—and Qin Cheng had felt too shy to ask him to put aside work just to go swimming with him. But he had truly, really wanted to go swimming with Mu Zheng.

He wanted to do so many things with Mu Zheng, go to the amusement park, to the zoo, the botanical garden, watch movies together, go grocery shopping together, and go skating together. He had done all of those things with his mom, and with his uncle, but never with his dad. That’s why he wanted to create some memories with his father. But Dad was just always so busy.

Qin Cheng didn’t blame him, he just felt a little regretful.

Regretful that the kids’ water park was the most fun during summer, and once summer passed, it wouldn’t be as fun anymore. And now, just as summer was coming to an end, Mu Zheng suddenly brought it up and said he’d take him to play.

Qin Cheng was overjoyed, yet surprised, “Daddy, you’re not busy anymore?”

Mu Zheng looked at him, heart aching.

His child was even more considerate and understanding than he had imagined, always thinking of others, always trying to understand his parents. All this time, he thought he was just busy.

Who would have thought that his father had never even taken this matter to heart?

Mu Zheng quietly sighed to himself, for his child’s forgiveness, and for his own shame.

He should have treated Qin Cheng well, not just by giving him material comfort, not just by giving him dignity and gentleness, but by truly, wholeheartedly treating him as his own child. Children are innocent. No matter what their parents have done, the child is always innocent.

Even if he wasn’t his biological son, once he became his father, he should have truly loved him. Not held grudges about his past, not resented his existence.

He had failed his child.

“Daddy can focus and work hard for the next two days,” he said, “finish everything, and then I’ll have a day, or even just half a day, free to take you swimming.”

“Won’t that be really tiring if you concentrate all your work into a few days?” Qin Cheng asked softly.

“It’s not too bad,” Mu Zheng said with a smile.

Qin Cheng hesitated, reluctant, “Actually… we don’t have to go swimming.”

“Work will never be finished,” Mu Zheng said as he looked at him, gently brushing his hair aside, “But once summer is gone, this year’s summer is over.”

He had already missed too many of Qin Cheng’s summers, the summer he was born, the summer he turned 1, the summers when he was 3, 6…

He didn’t want to miss the summer of his 7th year.

“Trust me, Daddy won’t get too tired.”

Qin Cheng nodded. Of course he trusted his dad. And he really did want to go to the water park with him.

“Okay,” he said.

Qin Luan watched the two of them, listened to their conversation, and once again, guilt washed over her. She fought back her tears and gently kissed her child. She owed him far, far too much.

“Wait—no!” Ye Qingxi suddenly popped his head out of the bathtub.

He wiped his face with his hand, looked at Mu Shaowu in front of him, and said, “What you said was wrong.”

Mu Shaowu, “????”

Mu Shaowu looked at his crystal-clear, fresh-out-of-the-water, impossibly clean, practically-like-his-biological son and asked, “What was wrong?”

“Grandpa,” Ye Qingxi said righteously, “The principal is the principal of the whole grade, and teachers have lots of students in different classes, but Grandpa is only our family’s grandpa. So principals and teachers don’t have to wear school uniforms or class shirts, but Grandpa has to wear home clothes.”

Mu Shaowu, “..…”

Mu Shaowu was stunned, “You’re still thinking about that?!”

You really are the most stubborn little guy, my treasure!

“So Grandpa should have home clothes too,” Ye Qingxi concluded firmly.

Mu Shaowu, “………”

What could he say? With that kind of determination, his son could succeed at anything.

“Okay,” Mu Shaowu agreed, “We’ll buy one for Grandpa tomorrow, but I can’t guarantee he’ll wear it.”

“That’s okay,” Ye Qingxi said with a smile, “He doesn’t have to wear it. He just has to have it.”

Having it means being part of the family. Wearing it or not doesn’t matter.

Mu Shaowu looked at the smile on his face, then smiled himself and pulled him into his arms to wash his hair.

Although they hadn’t been living together for very long, he could feel that Ye Qingxi was slowly starting to integrate into their family. And gradually, he was beginning to see this place as his home.

That’s really wonderful.

Thinking this, Mu Shaowu couldn’t help but plant a kiss on his little face, “Xiao Xi is so cute.”

Ye Qingxi, “????”

Ye Qingxi had no idea how he had suddenly become cute again.

Maybe it’s the face, he guessed. After all, his little face was indeed pretty adorable.

The next morning, after arriving at school, Qin Cheng used the recess break to walk to the end of an empty hallway and made a phone call to his uncle.

He happily shared, “Uncle, it turns out my dad is actually my real dad!”

“I’m not the child of my mom and someone else, I’m really the child of my mom and my dad.”

Qin Yuan, sick in bed, practically sat up in shock. Stunned, he asked, “Your mom told you?!”

“Yeah,” Qin Cheng nodded, “My dad was acting weird all day yesterday. In the afternoon, both he and my mom came to pick me up from school together. When we got home, they had me cut a cake. I said it wasn’t anyone’s birthday, and that’s when my mom told me. I’m my dad’s biological son.”

Good, good, good! Qin Yuan couldn’t help nodding in excitement. After all these years, his sister’s mouth had been sealed tighter than a clam, nothing could pry it open. But now, she’d finally said it!

Didn’t I say they needed to get married!

Those two would only truly start developing once they were married and had time together. Whatever issues they had could slowly be resolved.

Qin Yuan had spent years watching over his sister and little nephew, and he genuinely ached for them. So the moment he sensed something was off, something that seemed to involve Mu Zheng, he had worked up the couraGe to go find Mu Zheng and traded his own interests to arrange the marriage for Qin Luan.

He had thought, if Qin Luan doesn’t agree, that means the child isn’t Mu Zheng’s. And in that case, he’d simply go apologize to Mu Zheng and cancel the marriage agreement.

But Qin Luan had only been slightly surprised, then she agreed.

What more was there to say?

He had introduced countless potential suitors to her over the years, and she never gave any of them the time of day. But with Mu Zheng, she agreed to marry him immediately.

What else could that mean? Only… what exactly had happened between them?

Qin Yuan wanted to help them, but didn’t dare say anything outright. He was afraid his sister might truly have some emotional barrier she couldn’t get past. So he could only support them quietly from behind the scenes, hoping the family of three could reunite as soon as possible.

And now, everything had turned out well. What a joy, what a relief!

“Can you accept this dad of yours?” Qin Yuan asked.

Qin Cheng nodded, “Mm.”

Qin Yuan had expected as much. From the very first time Qin Cheng met Mu Zheng, he had taken a real liking to him. And afterward, whenever they met again, and Qin Yuan asked how things were going between him and Mu Zheng, Qin Cheng would always answer happily.

Even just now, when he called to say that Mu Zheng was his real father, his tone had been cheerful and bright.

“Good. As long as you can accept him.” Qin Yuan laughed, “Once I finish things up and get back, I’ll come see you and I’ll bring you a gift.”

Hearing the word “gift,” Qin Cheng suddenly remembered something.

“Uncle, I want to give my little brother a present. What do you think I should give him?”

“Your little brother?”

“Xiao Xi,” Qin Cheng explained, “It was Xiao Xi who noticed that Daddy and I looked alike. He reminded Daddy, and that’s how Daddy realized I’m his son.”

In Mu Zheng’s upbringing, family had always been the most important part of his life. Among them, Mu Shaowu, being the closest to him in age and his first younger brother, had always been closer to him than the other two siblings. Mu Zheng valued Mu Shaowu deeply, so he hoped that Qin Cheng and Ye Qingxi could also get along like real brothers.

That’s why, when Qin Cheng had asked him the night before, “Daddy, how did you suddenly realize I was your son?” Mu Zheng didn’t skip over Ye Qingxi’s role. Instead, he softened the story and explained, “It was Xiao Xi. Xiao Xi thought you and I looked alike, our tastes were similar, our personalities felt similar, and our faces too. He told your second uncle, and your second uncle told me, and that’s how I recognized you.”

Not every child knows what a DNA paternity test is, or rather, most 5-, 6-, or 7-year-olds have no idea what that even means. Ye Qingxi was an exception—who knows how he’d ended up watching so much TV and even remembered such obscure terms.

So Mu Zheng chose a version of the story that made more sense to a child.

Qin Yuan, listening, simply assumed that Ye Qingxi had verbally mentioned something to Mu Zheng, which made him suspicious, and that Mu Zheng had then quietly done a paternity test between himself and Qin Cheng.

So that’s why his sister suddenly opened up, it was because Mu Zheng found out first.

Qin Yuan was briefly speechless. What on earth is my sister’s mouth made of, superglue?! How could she keep things sealed so tightly?

Only his sister, really. Normally, he couldn’t stand people who had a mouth but refused to use it!

“So I want to give my little brother a gift,” Qin Cheng said.

“Sure,” Qin Yuan agreed, “That little brother of yours is pretty clever. Just wait a bit. I’ll have my assistant send you a package. When you open it, there’ll be two things inside, one for each of you. You can give one to your little brother as a gift.”

“Okay,” Qin Cheng replied, “Thanks, Uncle.”

“No need.”

Just as they were talking, the class bell rang.

Qin Cheng quickly said, “Uncle, I have to go to class now.”

“Go on then, pay attention in class.”

Qin Cheng hung up and happily ran back to the classroom.

At noon, Mu Zheng showed up at the school gate once again.

Mu Shaowu looked at him, puzzled, “Are you planning to bring lunch to Xiao Cheng every day now?”

“Of course not,” Mu Zheng replied.

In fact, he hadn’t done any work the entire day yesterday, which meant he had quite a bit to catch up on today. But around 11 a.m., as he glanced at the time, he just couldn’t suppress the urge and ended up coming anyway.

“I’ll come when I’m not busy,” Mu Zheng said.

Mu Shaowu nodded. That was good, after all, having free time like this was a real luxury for someone of his status.

Just in the past couple of days, his agent had practically blown up his phone, urging him to read scripts and accept new roles. But since Ye Qingxi had just started school, Mu Shaowu was worried he might have trouble adjusting to elementary life, so he wanted to stay by his side a bit longer.

But he was an actor, and in the future, he’d likely have to spend most of his time working. And once he started, he could be gone for three to five months without coming home. So if his brother could come by at noon, that would be great, it gave him some peace of mind.

When the final bell rang and the children started filing out, Mu Shaowu immediately spotted Ye Qingxi, and Mu Zheng also saw Qin Cheng.

The two of them quickly walked up to their sons, picked them up, and carried them toward the car.

Qin Cheng was pleasantly surprised, “Daddy, why did you come at noon?”

Hadn’t he said he’d pick him up in the afternoons from now on?

Mu Zheng smiled, “Because Daddy missed you.”

It was the first time Qin Cheng had ever heard something like that. He immediately turned a little shy.

He looked at Mu Zheng and, a bit embarrassed, said, “I missed you too.”

Off to the side, Mu Shaowu immediately turned to Ye Qingxi and said, “Baby, Daddy missed you so much, too!”

Ye Qingxi, “……”

Ye Qingxi raised his hand and pushed Mu Shaowu’s face away. Seriously? Must you butt in everywhere? Why are you jumping into this, too?

Since Mu Zheng was already here, he decided to take the opportunity to invite Ye Qingxi and Mu Shaowu out for a meal together with Qin Luan. Ye Qingxi had a lovely, satisfying meal, and when Mu Shaowu took him back to the dorm afterward, he finally asked for Qin Cheng’s home clothes.

“We’re going to buy Grandpa’s this afternoon after school,” he reminded Mu Shaowu.

Mu Shaowu, “……”

Mu Shaowu gave him a big thumbs-up.

His son truly had a sharp memory and amazing patience. Whether it was insisting on a DNA test before or buying clothes for Grandpa now, his persistence never wavered. With that kind of determination, he was definitely going to accomplish great things in the future.

“I didn’t forget. You’re Ye Xiao xi, if you give an order, how would your dad dare forget it?”

Ye Qingxi was amused and couldn’t help laughing.

But after the laughter faded, he grew a little worried. Was he being too disobedient around Mu Shaowu? Would Mu Shaowu start to find him troublesome?

Thinking of that, a wave of fear suddenly washed over him.

Mu Shaowu noticed him suddenly lower his head, the smile from just moments ago vanishing from his face. He asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

Ye Qingxi looked at him, hesitant to ask directly.

He said instead, “I’m getting out of the car.”

Mu Shaowu, “????”

Mu Shaowu immediately grabbed him.

Ye Qingxi turned his head in confusion.

Mu Shaowu leaned in, placed both hands at the corners of Ye Qingxi’s mouth, and gently pulled upward, making Ye Qingxi smile involuntarily.

“Here,” he said, pulling two candies out of his pocket and placing them in Ye Qingxi’s hand, “Eat them yourself.”

Ye Qingxi blinked, “Not giving one to Brother Qin Cheng?”

“Of course not,” Mu Shaowu said righteously, “These are candies I picked out carefully just for you. You’re the only one who gets them.”

Ye Qingxi blinked again. He’d thought the candy was for Mu Shaowu himself. He hadn’t expected it was prepared for him. Now that he thought about it, Mu Shaowu really didn’t eat much candy. Every time he took some out, it was just to put it in his hand, to coax him into eating it. So that meant, ever since they first met, Mu Shaowu had already been preparing those candies just for him.

Thinking of this, Ye Qingxi’s heart softened, and a quiet happiness bubbled up inside him.

Mu Shaowu gently tapped his nose, “You and your brother Qin Cheng get along well, and you always think of him. That makes Daddy very happy. But I’m your dad, not Qin Cheng’s dad. If he wants candy, his own father will give it to him, you don’t need to.”

After saying that, he opened a drawer in the car and took out two more candies, “These ones you can give to your brother Qin Cheng, because these weren’t carefully picked out just for you. These are okay to share.”

Some things could be shared. Others could not.

Ye Qingxi and Qin Cheng were both Mu family children. But in Ye Qingxi’s eyes, they had both been outsiders to the Mu family by blood. They were the same in that way. But now, Qin Cheng had become his big brother’s biological son. That meant only he remained without any blood ties to the Mu family.

Mu Shaowu was afraid he might overthink it, afraid he’d feel like he was somehow lesser than Qin Cheng, that he’d start backing down without realizing it, or feel like he didn’t fully belong.

So Mu Shaowu wanted to tell him. It didn’t matter that Qin Cheng was his older brother’s biological son.

Ye Qingxi was still his son. And his love still belonged to him.

He didn’t need to share everything with Qin Cheng. What he liked, what was his, he could keep for himself.

“Xiao Xi, your brother Qin Cheng may be your uncle’s biological son,” Mu Shaowu said, “but he’s only your uncle’s biological son, not mine. So, who do I love the most?”

He poked Ye Qingxi on the forehead.

And Ye Qingxi heard the answer in his heart. You love me the most.

Which matched perfectly with Mu Shaowu’s answer, spoken with a grin, “Of course, it’s our genius baby, Ye Xiao Xi!”

Ye Qingxi couldn’t help but laugh.

He corrected him, “I’m not a genius.”

Not in the universal sense of the word.

He was just particularly gifted in acting and singing, an entertainment industry “genius.”

“You’re being way too modest,” Mu Shaowu said, “If you’re not a genius, then there’s no such thing as one. Who else but you could recite Though the Tortoise Lives Long at age 5? Who else knows what DNA is? If it weren’t for you, your uncle still wouldn’t know his son was right in front of his face this whole time.”

Ye Qingxi, “……”

Mu Shaowu ruffled his hair, “But that’s okay, humility is a virtue. Xiao Xi, you just go ahead and stay humble. Daddy will brag on your behalf.”

Ye Qingxi, “????”

There’s really no need…

“I’m going now,” Ye Qingxi said.

“Go on. Remember, the candy’s for you to eat,” Mu Shaowu reminded.

“Got it.” Ye Qingxi smiled and closed the car door.

Mu Shaowu watched him walk away with that smile still on his face, slowly disappearing from sight. Only then did he feel at ease.

Kids were sensitive, after all.

So they needed extra reassurance, a little more comforting, and a little more stability.

Mu Shaowu patted the pocket full of candy. Thankfully, he still had plenty of reassurance left, enough for his little one to enjoy.

Qin Cheng had waited for a while, and only when he saw Ye Qingxi finally get out of Mu Shaowu’s car did he walk with him back toward the dorm. He didn’t ask why Ye Qingxi took so long, and Ye Qingxi didn’t say.

It wasn’t until they reached the dorm that Ye Qingxi placed the three short-sleeved shirts he had been carrying onto Qin Cheng’s bed, “For you.”

Qin Cheng had already noticed the shirts Ye Qingxi had been holding.

“This is…?”

Ye Qingxi opened the packaging, took out one of the shirts, and unfolded it.

Qin Cheng immediately recognized it, it was the same shirt Ye Qingxi had been wearing the first time they met.

“Home clothes,” Ye Qingxi said with a cheerful smile.

Qin Cheng, “????”

“What does that mean?”

“It was originally a matching outfit my dad and I bought at the mall, just for the two of us,” Ye Qingxi explained, “But then Aunt saw it and thought it was cute, so she bought one too. Then Uncle bought one as well. So Aunt said this is now our home clothes, just like school uniforms or class shirts, but for the family.”

“So, my dad and I also bought one each for you, Uncle, and Aunt. That way, you all have home clothes too.”

It was the first time in his life that Qin Cheng had heard of this concept.

He looked at the t-shirt in front of him. On it was a drawing of a white kitten tilting its head—very cute.

Just like his little brother.

Qin Cheng gently touched the little white cat, then looked over at Ye Qingxi.

He had never worn home clothes before.

A family.

They were a family.

“This one’s for you, and the other two are for your parents,” Ye Qingxi said, “I forgot to give them theirs earlier, can you take them home for me?”

Qin Cheng nodded, “Thank you, Xiao Xi.”

Whether it was reminding his dad about him or giving him home clothes, his little brother was just so good. Better than any other kid he’d ever known.

He was good-looking, had a nice voice, and was always kind to him. Among all the children his age that he’d met before, there had never been anyone like his little brother.

The others either secretly talked badly about their own parents, or gossiped behind his back, or… were just plain dumb.

Dumb?

Thinking of that, Qin Cheng suddenly asked, “Xiao Xi, do you understand the lessons in class recently? Are there any parts you don’t get?”

Of course, he wasn’t saying his little brother was dumb, his little brother was so adorable, he was definitely super smart! He was just a little worried, since Ye Qingxi always seemed to fall asleep when reading, maybe he was sleeping through class too.

Ye Qingxi shook his head, “Nope. I understand everything.”

Qin Cheng, I knew it! My little brother is totally a genius!

“Then if there’s ever something you don’t understand, remember to ask me,” Qin Cheng said.

“There won’t be anything I don’t understand,” Ye Qingxi replied confidently, “I know everything.”

Qin Cheng looked at his proud expression and praised him supportively, “Xiao Xi, you’re amazing.”

After that, he extended an invitation, “Do you want to come with me and my dad to the water park in a few days?”

He hadn’t just never been to a water park with his dad, he’d also never been with other kids and his dad at the same time.

So Qin Cheng wanted Ye Qingxi to come with them.

Ye Qingxi thought for a moment. That could be fun. Water parks were pretty enjoyable.

But—  “I’ll have to go ask my dad first,” he said.

Mu Shaowu might not be free.

“Okay,” Qin Cheng replied, “Tell me after you ask.”

“Mm.” Ye Qingxi nodded.

With that, the two of them finished talking and got ready for bed.

Ye Qingxi had originally planned to help Qin Cheng fold the little cat-print T-shirt and put it back into the packaging, but Qin Cheng took it from him. As he folded the shirt, he kept glancing at it.

He imagined the scene where he and his dad would wear the same shirt while going out to play. They’d be dressed alike, and then everyone would know he was his dad’s son.

Thinking of that, Qin Cheng couldn’t help but smile.

After school in the afternoon, Ye Qingxi went with Mu Shaowu to the mall to buy the T-shirt. When they returned home, they saw that Mu Shaoting had already come back. It was Friday, and both Mu Shaoting and Mu Shaoyan usually came home then.

Upon seeing them, Mu Shaoting enthusiastically waved Ye Qingxi over, “Come eat chips with me!”

“What did you buy?” she asked, staring at the bag in Mu Shaowu’s hand.

“Home clothes,” Mu Shaowu replied darkly. If it weren’t for her, this would still be a matching outfit just for him and his precious son!

“For who?”

“Who else? Your beloved daddy.”

Mu Shaoting, “????”

“Dad’s going to wear… a cat-print T-shirt?!!”

“Your little nephew said, it’s okay if he doesn’t wear it, but he has to have it.”

Ye Qingxi nodded seriously.

Mu Shaoting rubbed his little face and grinned, “Well, my little nephew’s absolutely right. He’s so adorable!”

Mu Shaowu, “????”

Mu Shaowu, “……”

“But you should give it to Dad a bit later,” Mu Shaoting added, looking up at him, “Big Brother’s back. He’s in the study talking with Dad.”

Mu Shaowu, …Well, that was fast. He was literally just at the school gate not long ago. In the time it took to buy a T-shirt with his son, he managed to get Qin Cheng home and arrive here already?

Mu Shaowu raised his hand and tapped his forehead, then his chest, then his left shoulder, and right shoulder.

Mu Shaoting, “?????”

“What are you doing?”

“Wishing him peace,” Mu Shaowu said solemnly.

Mu Shaoting, “?????”

Mu Shaowu, Let’s just hope my brother makes it out of Dad’s study alive.

Author’s Note:

Big brother: Thank you!

[Small theater]

Mu Shaowu: If I go to work and am not at home, what will happen to my baby?

Grandpa Mu: Am I dead?

Mu Shaoting: Am I dead?

Mu Shaoyan: Am I dead?

Mu Zheng: Am I dead?

Qin Cheng: I am alive too~

Pei Liang/Zhong Yan/Kang Cong: And we^_^

Mu Shaowu……..

Mu Shaowu hugged his cub tightly: Baby, you are the only one for daddy!

Xiaoxi…….