Traveling Through the Book and Becoming a Cub Among the Villains - Chapter 36

After dinner, everyone sat together again, politely making small talk for a while. Maybe it was because Qin Cheng was now revealed to be Mu Zheng’s biological son, but this time, there were noticeably more people gathered around him and Qin Luan.

However, Qin Cheng clearly wasn’t interested in them. As soon as they left, he eagerly made his way over to Ye Qingxi. At that moment, Ye Qingxi actually felt a bit guilty toward him.

That guilt had taken root the night before, and today, it had fully grown. Under the weight of that guilt, he both wanted to avoid Qin Cheng, and at the same time, wanted to treat him even better. To make up for the love Qin Cheng had lost, the love that should have been his, but was now coming from Mu Feng.

“Do you want to go play?” Ye Qingxi asked him, “I’ll take you to the ball pit.”

“Ball pit?”

Ye Qingxi nodded and tugged him toward the third floor. Earlier, when Mu Feng saw the ball pit setup at Kang Cong’s house, he had asked Mu Shaowu to build one as well. Now it was already finished, Ye Qingxi had even played in it twice with Mu Shaoting.

Ye Qingxi walked up to the entrance of the ball pit playroom and opened the door. Qin Cheng looked at the indoor playground in front of him, a bit surprised in his heart.

His grandpa really did like Ye Qingxi, he had actually built not just one, but two play areas for him, one indoors and one outdoors.

“Did Grandpa build this one for you, too?”

“Too?” Ye Qingxi sharply caught the key word.

“The one outside,” Qin Cheng said.

Ye Qingxi shook his head, “That one was built by my dad.”

“This one was also built by my dad.” Although it was actually his grandpa who had ordered it, it was better not to say that now.

Ye Qingxi smiled, “Let’s go play.”

With that, he led Qin Cheng to take off their shoes and go in. Together, they went down the slide and then walked across the balance beam.

Qin Cheng had rarely had experiences like this, playing in a ball pit with someone else. He wasn’t someone who was naturally outgoing, and later on he didn’t get along very well with the kids from the Qin family either, so most of the time, apart from going to school, he spent his time alone. Qin Cheng didn’t really mind being alone. After all, kids his aGe were either dumb or annoying.

But Ye Qingxi was different. He was smart and adorable. Qin Cheng liked him a lot, and because of that, it was the first time he realized. So this is what it felt like to play in a ball pit with someone else.

It felt novel. And fun.

Without realizing it, they had been playing for quite a while. When they were finally tired, the two of them sat on the trampoline inside the ball pit.

Ye Qingxi looked at his handsome little face and asked, “You’re not going back tonight, right?”

“Mm.” Qin Cheng nodded, “Dad said Grandpa wants us to stay here for a week.”

“Then we can go to school together and leave school together!” Ye Qingxi said joyfully.

Qin Cheng nodded, a little happy inside.

Ye Qingxi looked at him and leaned closer, “Qin Cheng, if anything ever happens to you in the future, you can come to me.”

Qin Cheng, Huh?

“I’ll help you. No matter what it is, I’ll help you.”

“I’ll definitely treat you well,” Ye Qingxi promised.

Qin Cheng, “????”

Qin Cheng frowned, “Why aren’t you calling me ‘Gege’ anymore?”

Ye Qingxi, “????”

Wait, that’s your focus right now? Aren’t you a little off-topic?

Ye Qingxi went along with it, “Gege.”

Qin Cheng was satisfied.

“You’ve already helped me,” he said, “You helped remind my dad.”

“That doesn’t count.”

“Why not?”

“Because…”

Qin Cheng propped his chin on his hand, waiting to hear Ye Qingxi’s reason.

“Because…”

Because what?

Ye Qingxi thought for a moment, “Because that was all in the past.”

“But you still helped me.”

“And I’ll keep helping you.”

Qin Cheng refused, “You’re the younger brother, it should be me helping you.”

How could the little brother always be the one helping the older one?

“Xiao Xi, if anything happens to you in the future, you can come to me.”

He repeated what Ye Qingxi had just said, word for word, “I’ll help you. No matter what it is, I’ll help you. I’ll definitely treat you well.”

Ye Qingxi, “..…”

Ye Qingxi was instantly overwhelmed with guilt again.

He said those words simply to ease the guilt in his heart. Hoping that by being good to Qin Cheng, he could lessen the remorse he felt for having taken the place of the one most loved by Mu Feng.

But Qin Cheng…

Qin Cheng didn’t understand why he would ask such a question, but that didn’t stop him from correcting what mattered most to him first, “It’s Gege.”

Ye Qingxi, “…..”

Ye Qingxi had no choice but to rephrase, “Gege, do you hate me?”

“I don’t,” Qin Cheng replied without hesitation.

“I call your grandpa ‘Grandpa’, too, and you don’t hate me?” Ye Qingxi’s voice was quiet, “If it weren’t for me, you would be your grandpa’s only grandson.”

“No,” Qin Cheng replied calmly, “Second Uncle will have kids, Aunt and Uncle will have kids, too. They’re all Grandpa’s grandsons and grandchildren.”

“But they haven’t been born yet.”

“They will be, eventually.”

“So at least for now, there’s only you.”

“But I like you,” Qin Cheng said.

He added, “I like that you’re part of our family.”

Ye Qingxi hadn’t expected him to say that.

“You… like that I’m here?”

Qin Cheng nodded. He reached out and pinched Ye Qingxi’s cheek, “Xiao Xi, you’re cute.”

Among all the kids he’d met growing up, Ye Qingxi was by far the cutest. If he hadn’t called his grandpa “Grandpa,” he wouldn’t be here. And then, he wouldn’t have met him. He wouldn’t have a cute little brother.

Ye Qingxi, “..…”

Ye Qingxi was a little overwhelmed.

Would you like to continue the translation from here?

His voice grew even softer, cautious and a little anxious, “Then… if I’m here, taking away some of your grandpa’s affection… you really don’t mind?”

After he said that, he looked at Qin Cheng with a hint of nervousness.

But Qin Cheng didn’t mind.

To “take away” his grandpa’s love… Well, that would require his grandpa to love him in the first place. But his grandpa had never really liked him. Not before Ye Qingxi came, and not after either. As for the affection his grandpa showed Ye Qingxi. That was Ye Qingxi’s. It had never belonged to him. So, in Qin Cheng’s eyes, what Ye Qingxi said didn’t make any sense at all.

Furthermore….

“Xiao Xi, do you like me?”

Ye Qingxi nodded, “Mm-hmm.”

Qin Cheng was good-looking, cute, and had a sweet personality. Of course Ye Qingxi liked him.

“Then there you go.” Qin Cheng smiled, “My grandpa didn’t like me to begin with, but you like me. So you didn’t take anything away from me, you gave me more.”

Ye Qingxi was a little amazed by his logic and the way he thought.

But now wasn’t the time to be impressed. The urgent matter was, “That’s not true, your grandpa does like you.” Ye Qingxi quickly tried to explain for Mu Feng.

“If he didn’t like you, why would he ask you two to come stay for a whole week?”

The old man clearly wanted to spend time with his grandson. It was obvious, he liked Qin Cheng.

“You’re his biological grandson. He wouldn’t dislike you. Really,” Ye Qingxi promised, “Grandpa told me himself, he said he likes you.”

Qin Cheng was surprised, “He likes me?”

“Mm-hmm.” Ye Qingxi nodded repeatedly, “Just two nights ago, when I went to bring him his house shirt—he said it then.”

Qin Cheng looked at him, seeing how serious he was, and slowly started to believe it.

But… hadn’t Grandpa clearly disliked him before? Now suddenly… he liked him? Was it because… he now knew that Qin Cheng was really his grandson?

Qin Cheng lowered his head, a little happy, but too shy to say it outright. This made him like Ye Qingxi even more. If Ye Qingxi weren’t here, he wouldn’t even have known that his grandfather liked him.

“Xiao Xi, you’re so good,” he said.

Ye Qingxi,  “????”

Ye Qingxi had absolutely no idea how, in the middle of this conversation, Qin Cheng suddenly started praising him. He’s good? His very existence, clearly, wasn’t good for Qin Cheng at all.

“Anyway, just remember what I said today. No matter what happens in the future, I’ll help you.” Ye Qingxi said firmly.

Qin Cheng smiled, “It’s me who’ll help you.”

Ye Qingxi, “..…”

Qin Cheng patted his head, “I’ll take good care of you.”

Ye Qingxi, “..…”

It was obvious now, his 7-year-old Gege truly only wanted to be a good brother to him. So he’d just keep things to himself and quietly act behind the scenes.

Ye Qingxi smiled, gave a soft “En,” and let Qin Cheng fulfill his sense of responsibility as an older brother.

The two played a little longer before Mu Shaowu and Mu Zheng came to find them, reminding them it was time to sleep, there was school in the morning. Ye Qingxi and Qin Cheng left the indoor playground and said goodnight at the stairs.

Mu Zheng led Qin Cheng downstairs and asked, “Did you like it? If you did, Daddy can make one for you, too.”

“No need,” Qin Cheng declined.

When he was alone, he didn’t like playing with those things, it wasn’t fun. It was only with Ye Qingxi, the two of them playing together, that it became interesting.

“Why not?” Mu Zheng didn’t understand, “Didn’t you just play there for a long time?”

“That’s because Xiao Xi was there,” Qin Cheng replied softly, “If Xiao Xi isn’t there, I don’t want to play.”

Mu Zheng understood now, “So what you really want is to play with Xiao Xi.”

“Mm.” Qin Cheng didn’t hesitate.

“Do you like Xiao Xi?” Mu Zheng chuckled.

Qin Cheng nodded, “Xiao Xi is cute.”

Mu Zheng patted his head gently and said warmly, “Then Daddy will bring you back here often.”

Qin Cheng was about to refuse, after all, this was his grandfather’s house, and his grandfather didn’t like him. But then he suddenly remembered what Ye Qingxi had told him, that his grandfather did like him.

“Daddy,” Qin Cheng looked up at Mu Zheng, “why did Grandpa suddenly let us move back here?”

Was it really, like Xiao Xi said, because Grandpa liked him?

“Your grandpa said he has something to teach you.”

“What is it?”

“He didn’t say. He said he’ll only tell you.” Mu Zheng tapped his nose, “Don’t worry, he’ll tell you.”

“Okay,” Qin Cheng replied.

If Grandpa had something to teach him, then maybe… maybe he didn’t dislike him after all.

The next morning, Qin Cheng was woken up early by Mu Zheng. After washing up and getting dressed, he stepped out of his room and went to the dining room with Mu Zheng and Qin Wan.

Mu Feng and Mu Shaoyan were already up, while Mu Shaoting, who had no class that morning, was still sleeping.

Qin Cheng felt a bit confused. Where was his little brother?

As he was thinking this, Mu Zheng had already pulled him into a seat.

“What would you like for breakfast?” Mu Feng looked at Qin Cheng, “Steamed buns, porridge, or egg custard?”

Qin Cheng hadn’t expected to be asked.

That had never happened before.

Every time they ate, it was always his dad who sat beside him and asked what he wanted to eat, what he liked. His uncle and aunt would occasionally say a few words to him, but his grandfather rarely spoke to him at all.

Qin Cheng paused for a second before replying, “Steamed buns.”

Aunt Zhang quickly brought out a freshly steamed basket of soup dumplings, “Yogurt or soy milk?”

“Yogurt,” Qin Cheng answered.

Auntie Zhang smiled as she placed the yogurt by his hand.

Qin Cheng politely said thank you before lowering his head to eat.

As he was eating, Mu Shaowu came running downstairs carrying Ye Qingxi.

He didn’t put Ye Qingxi down until they reached the dining table.

Mu Shaoyan asked in confusion, “Why are you running, bro?”

“Isn’t it because I was afraid Xiao Xi would be late?” Mu Shaowu replied.

“Then why didn’t you get up earlier?”

Mu Shaowu answered righteously, “Because I couldn’t get up.”

Mu Shaoyan, “…..”

Ye Qingxi silently nodded to himself, thinking, Yeah, he really couldn’t get up. Which was why he accidentally overslept by a few minutes.

“Xiao Xi, do you want a bun?” Qin Cheng, seeing he had arrived, picked up a soup dumpling from his own steamer and offered it to him.

Ye Qingxi accepted it and smiled, saying, “Thank you.”

“No need to be polite,” Qin Cheng said cheerfully.

“I want buns, too,” Mu Shaowu turned to Ye Qingxi, “What about you? What do you want?”

“There’s also steamed egg custard today,” Auntie Zhang said.

Ye Qingxi looked at her, “Then I’ll have the egg custard. Thank you, Auntie.”

“Alright~”

Auntie Zhang quickly brought over Ye Qingxi’s egg custard and Mu Shaowu’s buns.

Mu Shaowu, feeling greedy, scooped up two spoonful’s of Ye Qingxi’s egg custard and sighed with satisfaction, “Not bad. I’ll have this tomorrow, too.”

“Then I’ll have buns tomorrow,” Ye Qingxi said.

“Sure, want me to give you two now?”

Ye Qingxi quickly nodded, “Yes.”

But after eating two buns, he couldn’t finish the egg custard.

Mu Shaowu naturally took it and finished it himself.

He looked at Mu Zheng, “How about I take Xiao Xi and Xiao Cheng to school later?”

“I’ll do it,” Mu Zheng replied. Right now, he cherished every moment he could spend with Qin Cheng.

Mu Shaowu thought for a moment, “Then I’ll ride with you.”

“You could also just stay home and sleep a bit longer.”

Mu Shaowu refused. He pinched Ye Qingxi’s cheek, “I want to keep my son company, too.”

Mu Shaoyan, sitting nearby, “…..”

“Maybe one of you could spare a bit of concern for your dear little brother,” Mu Shaoyan said with a smile.

Mu Zheng looked up, “You can ride in my car, too.”

Mu Shaoyan’s high school wasn’t far from Ye Qingxi’s elementary school, just two streets over, completely on the way.

“Alright,” Mu Shaoyan agreed.

So after breakfast, the six of them left the house together. Mu Zheng first dropped off the two kids at elementary school, then his younger brother at high school, then Qin Luan, and finally went to the Mu Group office with Mu Shaowu.

“If you’re just idling around, might as well pay some attention to the company’s affairs.”

Mu Shaowu, “????”

He hadn’t expected to be conscripted out of nowhere, “Wait, did you plan this from the start?”

“Not really,” Mu Zheng replied, glancing at him, “But since you delivered yourself to me, I’d be a fool not to use you.”

Mu Shaowu, “…..”

Left with no choice, Mu Shaowu asked him for the documents and started reading. Halfway through, he suddenly remembered something and reminded Mu Zheng, “Aside from Dad, I also gave Xiao Xi 1% of shares, so you should give Xiao Cheng 1% too?”

“I already did,” Mu Zheng said, “I gave him 2%.”

Mu Shaowu, “????”

“Why the extra 1%!?”

“I haven’t been by his side all these years. I just wanted to make it up to him,” Mu Zheng said, his voice full of unconcealed guilt.

Hearing this, Mu Shaowu silently thought. Well, he hadn’t been with Ye Qingxi for the past 5 years either… Though to be fair, Ye Qingxi didn’t need him then. Still, if his brother gave 2% and he only gave 1%, wouldn’t he look petty in comparison?!

No way!

“Give me a copy of that share transfer agreement,” Mu Shaowu said, “I’m changing Xiao Xi’s to 2% as well.”

“Sure,” Mu Zheng replied without objection.

Mu Shaowu’s shares were his to handle however he pleased.

But….

“I’ll give it,” Mu Zheng suddenly said, “Consider it my thanks to both Xiao Xi and you.”

Mu Shaowu hadn’t expected him to say that. “No need, we’re brothers. No need for all that.”

“It’s because we’re brothers that I’m saying this to you,” Mu Zheng replied mildly, “If it were someone else, I might not be so generous.”

That was true.

Mu Shaowu thought about it and felt it was fine. After all, he wasn’t planning on having other children. His shares would go to Ye Qingxi eventually anyway. Now that his brother was giving Xiao Xi an extra 1%, that meant Xiao Xi would truly have 1% more, which was, of course, the best outcome for him.

“Then I’ll thank you on Xiao Xi’s behalf,” Mu Shaowu said.

“We’re brothers, no need for that,” Mu Zheng replied with a smile.

Mu Shaowu said nothing more and focused on the documents in front of him.

Ye Qingxi didn’t find out about the matter until he got home that afternoon. When he saw the documents in Mu Shaowu’s hands, he immediately felt a headache coming on.

He had already been troubled over how to return what Mu Feng and Mu Shaowu had given him. And now, great, there was another one: his uncle!

Ye Qingxi looked at his current dad, “Can we… not?”

“Why not?” Mu Shaowu thought he didn’t understand how valuable this was, so he poked his forehead and said, “This is good stuff. You’re still young, you don’t get it yet, but when you grow up, you’ll know just how sweet it is to have shares.”

Ye Qingxi, …I get it. I already get it! I just get it too well!

“You all keep giving me things, but I don’t have anything to give you.”

“Hey now,” Mu Shaowu poked his cheek again, feeling his son was just too adorable, “We’re grown-ups, and we’re your family. It’s only natural for us to give things to you.”

“You’re still little. Kids are just supposed to receive things, they don’t need to give things.”

Ye Qingxi, “..…”

He thought to himself, But… I’ve already given a lot of things. So many, so very many. To his parents. To his aunts and uncles. To his uncle and aunt on his mom’s side. Even to their children. He had been so small then, too. But he still gave. And he never got anything back from those aunts, uncles, or extended relatives.

Ye Qingxi took a step forward and hugged Mu Shaowu.

Mu Shaowu gently patted his back and said softly, “You helped your uncle. He’s really grateful, so he told me to make sure you accept this. Only if you accept it will he be happy.”

“You want your uncle to be happy too, right?”

Ye Qingxi nodded.

“Then take it.”

Only then did Ye Qingxi stop refusing.

All in all, those shares were being held in Mu Shaowu’s name for safekeeping. Ye Qingxi didn’t technically own them yet. When he got older, when he turned 18, he could use the excuse that the shares were too valuable and openly, legitimately decline them then.

There was no need to argue with Mu Shaowu over it now.

He gave a quiet “Mm,” and Mu Shaowu ruffled his hair, “Good boy.”

By the time they finished talking, it was already dinnertime.

Mu Shaoting and Mu Shaoyan weren’t home, so at the dinner table it was just Mu Feng, Mu Shaowu, Ye Qingxi, and the Qin family, who had moved back temporarily.

Mu Feng picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of fish, and placed it in Ye Qingxi’s bowl. Then he picked up another piece and placed it in Qin Cheng’s bowl.

Qin Cheng, ”!!!!!”

Qin Cheng almost couldn’t believe it, his grandpa had never given him food before!

He looked over at Mu Feng, who, sensing his gaze, turned to meet his eyes.

Qin Cheng quickly said, “Thank you, Grandpa.”

“No need,” Mu Feng said, uncharacteristically gentle.

Hearing that tone, Qin Cheng lowered his head and began to eat the fish in his bowl.

He thought to himself, maybe what Ye Qingxi said was true. It really did seem like his grandpa liked him. Otherwise, why would he give him food?

Qin Cheng felt happy again.

That feeling only grew stronger after dinner.

Because Mu Feng asked him and Ye Qingxi to accompany him on an evening walk.

Ye Qingxi was confused, since when did Grandpa develop a post-dinner walking habit? Why didn’t he know about this?

Mu Shaowu also found it strange, “You’re going for walks after dinner now?”

“Can’t I?” Mu Feng replied confidently.

“Sure, sure, I’ll come with you.”

“No need,” Mu Feng refused, “Xiao Xi and Xiao Cheng can come with me.”

Mu Shaowu immediately put on a show of mock sorrow, “So this is what they call skipping a generation, now that you’ve got grandsons, you don’t need your son anymore.”

Mu Feng didn’t fall for his theatrics, “With a son like you, who needs one?”

Mu Shaowu, “????”

He was genuinely confused, “What’s so bad about me?!”

Then he pointed at Ye Qingxi, “My son’s right here, better think twice before you speak.”

Mu Feng, “….”

Mu Feng was speechless.

He’d entrusted Ye Qingxi to Mu Shaowu to take good care of him, not to become some kind of protective talisman or get-out-of-jail-free card!

“You talk too much,” Mu Feng said with irritation, “Since you love talking so much, why don’t you join the next company meeting? You’re not allowed to leave until you’ve spoken for at least two hours.”

Mu Shaowu, “????”

Is this even humanly possible?!

 

Ignoring his shocked expression, Mu Feng stood up and took Ye Qingxi and Qin Cheng by the hand, leading them out the door.

Qin Cheng hadn’t expected Mu Feng to hold his hand and was caught off guard for a moment. He looked down at their joined hands.

It felt different, Qin Cheng thought, his grandfather’s hand wasn’t like his, and not like his father’s either. It was large, but not soft, slightly rough and calloused.

Still, Qin Cheng didn’t pull his hand away. Though it wasn’t soft, his grandfather’s hand was broad, warm, and strangely comforting to hold.

Qin Cheng tentatively gave a tiny, cautious squeeze in return.

Mu Feng noticed, but said nothing, as if he hadn’t noticed at all. That put Qin Cheng at ease, and emboldened, he kept holding on.

Step by step, he followed Mu Feng as they walked out of the house.

At this hour, the sky had yet to darken. Summer hadn’t passed, so the days were still long and the air still warm, but in the early evening, a hint of coolness had crept in.

Ye Qingxi walked beside Mu Feng, quietly taking in the scenery around them.

The landscaping here was excellent, both sides of the road were lined with blooming flowers and lush green trees. Occasionally, birds flew by, letting out pleasant calls that weren’t at all bothersome.

As they were walking, someone approached from the opposite direction pushing a stroller. Upon seeing them, the person greeted warmly, “Old Mu, taking your grandson out for a stroll?”

Mu Feng responded with a quiet “Mm.”

The other laughed, “Perfect timing, I brought my grandson out, too. Come, let me show you.”

As he spoke, he pushed the stroller toward Ye Qingxi and the others. When Ye Qingxi looked down, he was surprised to find that sitting in the stroller wasn’t a baby—but two… cats!

A chubby British Shorthair golden shaded and a Golden Point cat were looking up at Ye Qingxi with their round faces and bright green eyes, full of innocent curiosity.

“Meow~” The white golden point cat was the first to make a sound, greeting him sweetly.

Ye Qingxi felt his heart instantly melt from the cuteness.

He looked up at the elderly man before him, “Grandpa, can I pet them?”

“Of course,” the man said with a hearty laugh, “Aren’t my grandsons just the cutest?”

Ye Qingxi nodded quickly like a pecking chick, “So cute, really cute.”

He reached out and gently stroked the white golden point cat, who leaned into his palm affectionately, it was clearly a clingy little thing.

Ye Qingxi liked them even more. He petted this one, then petted that one.

“This one is Fang Jinbao, and this one is Fang Yuanbao,” Elder Fang introduced enthusiastically, “Jinbao is the older brother, Yuanbao is the younger.”

“They’re so cute,” Ye Qingxi couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Such adorable cats and the old man before him actually had two! Truly enviable!

Compared to him, Qin Cheng was much more reserved. He only stood beside the stroller and looked but didn’t reach out to pet them.

“You’re not going to pet them?” Elder Fang asked him.

Qin Cheng shook his head.

He didn’t have the same strong urge to pet them like Ye Qingxi. Besides, they were someone else’s cats, liking them didn’t mean much.

Ye Qingxi played with the cats for quite a while and even fed them some freeze-dried treats. Only then did he reluctantly say goodbye to Elder Fang.

He sighed, “Cats are really so cute.”

“You like them?” Mu Feng asked.

Ye Qingxi tilted his head, “Who wouldn’t like cute little kittens?”

“Then I’ll let you play with them again tomorrow.”

“Really?” Ye Qingxi asked in surprise.

Mu Feng nodded, “Of course.”

Sure enough, the next day when Ye Qingxi went out for a walk with Mu Feng, they once again ran into Elder Fang and his two cat grandsons. Ye Qingxi happily gave them another thorough petting session. Qin Cheng still stood by the stroller without reaching out.

From then on, up until Friday, every time Ye Qingxi accompanied Mu Feng on his walk, they would run into Elder Fang and his cats.

On Saturday afternoon, Ye Qingxi was napping in his bedroom, while Qin Cheng was reading in Mu Zheng’s study.

As he was reading, he heard a knock on the door.

Qin Cheng looked up. The door opened, and Mu Feng appeared in the doorway.

“The weather’s nice today. Come take a walk with me,” Mu Feng said.

Qin Cheng was a little taken aback. They hadn’t even eaten dinner yet, going for a walk already? Moreover, Ye Qingxi hasn’t even woken up yet?

“Right now?”

“En.”

“But Xiao Xi is still sleeping.”

Mu Feng gave a faint smile, so brief, it almost didn’t exist, “Today, it’s just the two of us.”

Qin Cheng’s heart jolted. He had never spent time alone with Mu Feng before. Still, he closed his book, stood up, and walked over to Mu Feng.

Mu Feng turned and led him down the stairs and out of the villa. This was something Qin Cheng had never experienced before. Something he had never even imagined.

At first, when he found out his mother was getting married, Qin Cheng had no expectations for this future grandfather. But later, after growing fond of Mu Zheng and beginning to see him as his own father, he naturally started to see Mu Feng as his grandfather, too.

He never had a grandfather growing up, so he didn’t know what a grandfather was supposed to be like, but from what he saw of other people’s families, grandfathers always seemed close and affectionate with their grandchildren.

So Qin Cheng couldn’t help but hope—hope that his grandfather would also like him, would be willing to grow close to him.

That hope made him cautious and careful, full of both anticipation and anxiety, as he waited for that first meeting with Mu Feng.

But the result hadn’t been good.

Mu Feng wasn’t warm toward him. He barely spoke to him. Of course, Qin Cheng hadn’t taken the initiative either. But Mu Feng acted as if he had nothing to say to him at all.

As if… he wasn’t his grandson at all. Mu Feng hadn’t scolded him, hadn’t yelled at him, hadn’t called him a burden, so he probably didn’t hate him. But he still didn’t seem to like him either. So Qin Cheng quietly put away his expectations. He stopped hoping. Eventually, he didn’t even want to see Mu Feng anymore.

If they didn’t see each other, he wouldn’t be reminded of these things. He wouldn’t feel so disappointed.

He thought, if only they had never met at all. Wouldn’t that have been so much better?

That way, he could’ve stayed in his hopeful little dream, instead of seeing the truth—that his maternal grandparents, his grandfather… none of them liked him. No elders liked him.

He wasn’t the kind of grandson they wanted.

But now, here he was, walking outside with Mu Feng. Qin Cheng found it all a little surreal. Like a dream he might wake up from at any moment.

He glanced at Mu Feng beside him, then lowered his head again and kept walking.

The afternoon sun was bright and gentle, stretching their shadows long across the ground. As he walked, Qin Cheng suddenly noticed, his shadow and Mu Feng’s shadow had overlapped. He stared at the overlapping shadows in surprise, then looked at Mu Feng’s shadow again, and then… quietly inched closer.

He moved so their shadows pressed even more tightly together, just like how a grandfather and grandson who truly loved each other would look.

Like they were close. Really close.

When they passed by the man-made lake, Mu Feng suddenly stopped walking. He took Qin Cheng by the hand and led him to a white bench by the water’s edge.

They sat down together.

Qin Cheng looked out at the lake in front of them. It was vast, the water so clear that under the sunlight it shimmered, like a mirror dusted in gold. A few swans glided across the surface.

He turned to Mu Feng, unsure why they had stopped walking.

“Let’s talk,” Mu Feng said gently.

Qin Cheng instantly tensed up.

Talk? Talk about what? What did he want to say? What should he say?

“Do you blame me?” Mu Feng asked.

Qin Cheng blinked, quietly meeting his gaze.

“You’ve been to this house four or five times before,” Mu Feng continued, voice calm, “I didn’t treat you very warmly. Do you blame me for that?”

Qin Cheng shook his head.

Mu Feng asked softly, “Why not?”

Qin Cheng was silent for two seconds before he spoke very softly, “Because… I’m not your biological grandson.”

Mu Feng nodded.

“That’s true,” he said.

“Xiao Cheng, there are people in this world who can treat those who aren’t related to them like their own. But I’m not one of them. I can’t love someone just because they’re connected to someone I love. Letting that crow land in my home in the first place—that was already my greatest show of tolerance. Anything more, I couldn’t do.”

He continued, “I only love my family, my friends, my loved ones.”

Qin Cheng didn’t respond.

He thought to himself, I know.

“Do you remember Jinbao and Yuanbao?” Mu Feng asked.

Qin Cheng nodded.

“Do you know what they ate this morning?”

Qin Cheng shook his head.

“Then do you know what Jinbao likes to eat?”

He shook his head again.

“Then do you know that Yuanbao wasn’t feeling well the night before last and threw up?”

Qin Cheng continued to shake his head.

“Do you want to know in the future?”

Qin Cheng, “…..”

Qin Cheng honestly shook his head.

“Why is that?” Mu Feng asked, “You don’t know, you don’t care, and you don’t want to know. You’ve seen them before, and they really like you—so why don’t you want to know?”

Qin Cheng, “…..”

Qin Cheng didn’t understand why he was asking this.

Jinbao and Yuanbao weren’t his cats, they had their own owner, so why should he be the one to know or care about them?

“Because they’re not yours,” Mu Feng said gently, “So you don’t care.”

“Xiao Cheng, I was the same way.”

“At that time, to me, you were like Jinbao and Yuanbao.”

“We only met four or five times,” Mu Feng said, “just like you and Jinbao, Yuanbao. When you saw them, you didn’t want to pet them. When you left them, you didn’t think of them—because you knew, they weren’t yours. I was the same. I knew, you weren’t mine. I thought you weren’t my grandson. I didn’t know when your biological father would show up, or whether his father was around—maybe you even had a grandfather of your own. So I couldn’t treat you like my real grandson. But now, it’s different.”

Mu Feng stood up and walked toward a willow tree nearby.

Qin Cheng hurried to stand as well.

Before he could catch up, he saw Mu Feng return, carrying something like a backpack.

He placed the cat carrier on the bench and unzipped it.

A golden kitten instantly came into view.

Mu Feng lifted it out and placed it gently in Qin Cheng’s arms.

Qin Cheng quickly cradled it with both hands, feeling its softness and warmth, its adorably small body.

“Now,” Mu Feng said, “it’s yours. So you can care for it. You can love it.”

Mu Feng said, “Just like now—you are mine, so I will care for you, and protect you.”

“Xiao Cheng, I promise you, from now on, whatever you want, you will have.”

“Because I will give it to you.”

“I will love you forever and protect you forever.”

Author’s Note:

 

This is why Mr. Mu asked Qin Cheng and his family to come back and live with him. He had to make it clear to Xiao Cheng and let Xiao Cheng know that he loves him now.

Jin Bao Yuan Bao and Mr. Fang were arranged by Mu Feng. Then I wrote it wrong yesterday. It should be Sunday to go to the water park. I will go back and correct it later.

Xiao Xi likes cats. He rejected the short-sleeved shirt with kittens at first because he thought the kittens were too cute, so he was shy and embarrassed to wear it, thinking it was not suitable f or him.

Xiaoxi also has a cat. Grandpa Mu will not give it only to Xiao Cheng. When Xiaoxi wakes up from her nap, she will find a cat in her room~