Chapter 144

Chapter 144: A World of Three

Ji Huan had always been disciplined with his routine, and as a result, Hei Dan, being a child, also had excellent sleeping habits. Just like every other night, they were both asleep before midnight. Ji Huan slept soundly; those who were busy during the day usually slept well at night. However, he was awakened by Hei Dan.

To be precise... it was a dream that Hei Dan was having that woke him up.

In the dream, Ji Huan saw a horrifying magical beast, covered in blood, and those drops of blood fell onto his body one by one. Before long, Ji Huan felt as if he was drenched from head to toe.

Right when "Ji Huan" was trembling under its glare, the magical beast suddenly spoke:

"How beautiful is my flower?"

That's when Ji Huan realized that it was not a magical beast but a monster.

Then he woke up.

Now, Ji Huan was quite composed. When he sat up and instinctively reached for his forehead, he didn't break out in a sweat at all.

However, he soon discovered that he was indeed soaked through.

Soaked through with sweat, the blanket was also drenched in a large area. Ji Huan quickly found the culprit behind this mess.

It was Hei Dan. After being diaper-free for several months, he had finally wet the bed again.

Ji Huan's dream came to an end, but Hei Dan remained asleep. Ji Huan wondered what the rest of the dream could have been, as the little one seemed extremely agitated. Crying and whining, he clung to Jiujiu's arm with all his might. Unable to bear it any longer, Ji Huan called out his name, rousing him from his slumber.

With tousled hair, Hei Dan woke up like a tiny cannonball, launching himself onto Ji Huan's body.

Hugging onto Jiujiu tightly, he refused to let go.

"It was just a dream, Hei Dan. You had a nightmare," Ji Huan said softly, gently stroking the child's head.

After a long while, Hei Dan finally released his grip on Jiujiu. Sniffling, he pouted his white-rimmed eyes in distress.

Then, he leaned infinitely against Jiujiu's flat chest, still carrying the scent of urine.

To Hei Dan, Jiujiu was a hero. He didn't understand the concept of dreams. For him, everyday life was the world of daylight, while dreams were the realm of the night.

If one didn't study diligently during the day, the night would demand more reading;

If one hadn't played enough in the daylight, playtime could continue into the darkness.

But more often than not, the night brought terrifying encounters.

And each time, it was Jiujiu who saved him!

Well, unbeknownst to Ji Huan, waking Hei Dan up was something the latter idolized as heroic!

Completely unaware that he was Hei Dan's hero, Ji Huan was solely preoccupied with how to get Hei Dan out of his underwear. Most importantly, he yearned to shed the urine-soaked pajamas clinging to his own body.

Having already changed the damp sheets and blankets, it was only Hei Dan's stubborn refusal to leave his side that posed an issue. Clinging tightly with his tiny paws, Ji Huan had both hands free to attend to other tasks.

The challenge was persuading Hei Dan to let go.

Overwhelmed by a nightmare, Hei Dan refused to loosen his grip, resulting in the two of them pressed tightly together – making it impossible for Ji Huan to change their clothes. With no other choice, Ji Huan gently carried Hei Dan out of the bedroom, being careful not to disturb him.

They arrived at the backyard hot spring pool, where he refreshed the water and pointed at the inviting pool. This time, Hei Dan voluntarily released Jiujiu.

Torn between fear and the sense of duty as a hot spring water mixer, Hei Dan chose the latter with great responsibility.

Wiping away his tears with his little black paws, he allowed his uncle to remove his soiled underpants. Then, Hei Dan leaped into the pool, swimming back and forth several times. As a result, the pool began to emit a warm, misty vapor.

"Yay!" Hei Dan called out to his uncle to join him in the water.

Ji Huan, taking advantage of the warmth, stripped off his dirty clothes and jumped into the pool during what should have been bedtime.

The two of them were now bathing together instead of sleeping.

Gazing at the purple full moon above, Ji Huan yawned.

It felt like ages ago when he had done this with Hei Dan, sneaking into the bathroom after Grandpa had fallen asleep to enjoy a late-night soak.

Back then, Hei Dan still had his yellow duck float.

Memories flooded Ji Huan's mind, despite his young age. There were many past moments for him to reminisce about.

As Ji Huan leaned against the pool edge soaking in the warm water, Hei Dan also nestled against his uncle's chest, the soothing temperature lulling him back to sleep.

Just as Ji Huan was about to carry him back to bed, he caught a whiff of an enchanting fragrance.

It was a scent that was indescribable, both foreign and yet eerily familiar.

In a sudden moment of clarity, Ji Huan realized: This aroma... It was the very first perfume he had bought for Little Hei...

Little Hei, who wasn't one for grooming, often elicited concern from Grandpa, who worried how this untidy girl would ever find a husband.

Prompted by these concerns, Ji Huan had conspired with his grandchild to gift something that would encourage their sole female family member to pay more attention to her appearance.

With no clue about eyeshadow or lipstick, Ji Huan eventually settled on a bottle of perfume for his sister.

Little Hei had adored it.

So much so that she never switched brands, even after graduating and earning a higher salary that could afford more expensive scents. She continued to use the very perfume her brother had once given her.

At that precise moment, Hei Dan's little head lifted from Jiujiu's flat chest.

"Gua Gua! Flower!" It seemed like he had caught the scent too.

In Black Egg's assessment, that aroma resembled that of a pumpkin flower.

Unaware of the nuances in Black Egg's words, Ji Huan, bewitched, didn't even bother to put on clothes or a towel. He carried Black Egg and walked towards the source of the fragrance.

There, he witnessed one of the world's top ten breathtaking moments.

And then, Ajin saw him.

Black Egg had been clinging to his uncle's chest, but the moment he sensed someone behind them, Ji Huan quickly shifted Black Egg downward, covering the critical area.

Black Egg's Censored Nether Region: ?

As a result, Ajin was presented with Ji Huan's bare chest and... a glimpse of Black Egg.

"Ajin?" Ji Huan was utterly unprepared to encounter Ajin at this time, making him unusually awkward.

"Truly beautiful," the dark-haired man commented as he gazed at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan was momentarily taken aback before he realized Ajin was referring to the flower cluster behind him.

Then, Ajin approached and stood beside him, and subsequently...

He even sat down.

The height at which he sat was just about level with the flowers in front of him, making it seem as if Ajin was sitting within the blossoms.

Naked Ji Huan felt an increased sense of pressure.

He had an inkling that something was off about Ajin before him, yet he didn't dare to retrieve his clothes. With Ajin seated at this angle, a simple upward glance would reveal...

Ji Huan glanced down at his waist rather awkwardly.

Then, he decided to sit down as well.

Aside from the "weeds" left untouched, this spot was where Ji Huan usually dried grass. At this moment, he was immensely grateful for his choice to use this area for such a purpose. The ground pricked his bottom slightly, but it wasn't cold; instead, it felt somewhat warm.

Hugging Hei Dan tightly, Ji Huan sat down next to Ajin.

Observing the cluster of flowers up close, Ji Huan noticed for the first time that more buds were still unfolding within it. After discovering the first bud, the thicket seemed to trigger some sort of mechanism, suddenly sprouting numerous buds that all seemed to have agreed to bloom together on this very night.

It was a breathtaking sight, one that even Ji Huan, not particularly attuned to beauty, found stunning. Let alone Hei Dan, who was known to be captivated by such things.

With his greatest fear, Ajin, sitting right beside him, Hei Dan initially tried to resist, but as he became entranced by the blooming of one flower, he momentarily forgot to retreat into Jiujiu's embrace. Before the first flower had fully opened, another bud began to unfurl, leaving the little creature too mesmerized to withdraw.

With his mouth agape, revealing his reddish interior and four tiny fangs, Hei Dan watched in awe as the flowers blossomed. Ajin, seated nearby, also appeared engrossed in the spectacle.

With both monsters so enthusiastically appreciative, Ji Huan suppressed his odd sensations and focused all his attention on the blossoming flowers before him.

The two adults remained quiet, with only occasional soft gasps escaping from Hei Dan. Despite his young age, the little monster was utterly captivated by the breathtaking scene before him.

With wide, white-rimmed eyes, he had entirely forgotten that the person sitting beside him was Ajin.

But for Ji Huan, no matter how captivating the scenery before him was, his heart was entirely occupied by the motionless Ajin at his side.

There was something off about Ajin today, but...

He didn't dare to turn around.

And then, night fell.

Ji Huan lifted his head and realized that the moon in the sky had vanished, concealed behind a thick layer of clouds.

A strange sensation suddenly welled up within Ji Huan.

Then, a drop of water landed on the back of his hand, resting on the dry grass.

Was it Ajin's tear?

For some inexplicable reason, this was the first thought that crossed his mind.

However, soon, more and more droplets landed on his wrist, hair, and then Ji Huan lifted his head, allowing even more water to sprinkle across his face.

Was it raining?

It was truly remarkable, yet—

Ji Huan raised his hand, feeling the raindrops grow denser as they pelted into the palm of his hand. He finally confirmed that it was indeed raining.

The rain grew heavier.

Starting from sporadic drips, it now fell in a dense, needle-like shower. Concerned for the little monster in his arms, Ji Huan lowered his head, intending to shield the creature with his body.

If the rain intensified, he would have to take Hei Dan back inside and fetch an umbrella for Ajin. Ah… It didn't rain here, so Ye Falar didn't sell umbrellas, and naturally, he didn't have one at home either.

Perhaps because Ajin was by his side, Ji Huan's mind was filled with all sorts of random thoughts.

As for the little monster he had been worrying about—Hei Dan had no intention of staying hidden in his uncle's embrace.

He was a water-loving creature; perhaps he had forgotten the experience of rain during his infancy in Badu Town. In his short life as a monster so far, this was his very first encounter with rain!

Struggling to free his small head from under Jiujiu's arm, Hei Dan gazed at the dark sky with an open mouth. As icy raindrops landed on his lips, he licked them curiously.

Suddenly —

Ji Huan felt Hei Dan abruptly cuddle closer into his embrace.

Was something… coming?

It was peculiar, but Hei Dan's reaction could only lead him to think that way.

Raindrops fell onto the vegetable garden, tapping against the leaves and the dry grass beneath Ji Huan's bottom, creating a rustling sound like footsteps.

Then —

"I saw the flowers you planted."

"They're very beautiful."

Ji Huan suddenly heard Ajin's voice.

The words weren't addressed to the self beside him, as if spoken to someone else across from him.

For no apparent reason, Ji Huan suddenly shuddered.

In the next second, a heavy weight suddenly landed on Ji Huan's shoulder.

Reaching out to grasp it, Ji Huan first touched fine, soft strands of hair.

It was Ajin; he had slumped onto Ji Huan's shoulder.