Chapter 306 If You Dare Treat Me Badly in the Future, I’ll Have Chenchen Call His Dad to Beat You Up

Chapter 306: If you ever dare treat me badly, I’ll have Chenchen call his dad to beat you up.

Li Lifeng appeared to be in his early thirties. Perhaps the relentless winds and snow of the frontier had not bowed his back but had weathered his face.

The man before them looked several years older than his actual age.

His eyes were lined with age, yet his gaze remained steadfast and honorable.

Su Taotao stepped forward: "Hello, Director Su, are you Comrade Li Lifeng?"

Li Lifeng’s attention had already been drawn to the child in the car.

He bowed slightly to Su Taotao in a polite and grateful manner: "Hello, Director Su. I’m Li Lifeng. Thank you so much!"

On the way over, Xiao Lu had briefly explained the situation to him.

He knew Su Taotao was Fu Zhengtu’s wife and that they were currently taking care of Ping An.

Su Taotao smiled and nodded: "Come with me. Ping An’s leg isn’t fully healed, so he can’t walk easily yet."

Li Lifeng had pictured this moment countless times, reuniting with his son, but he never expected Su Taotao to bring him along to meet him.

"Ping An, your father’s here," Su Taotao said.

Li Lifeng recognized Ping An at once—his own child, his flesh and blood. How could he not?

Ping An pressed his lips together and peered out curiously.

A tall, dark-skinned man stood there, gazing fixedly at him.

Tilting his little head, Ping An frowned slightly. He couldn’t help but think, *This man is big and tall, but he’s nowhere near as handsome as Chenchen’s father. Will he be a good father?*

"Ping An, my dear child, I’m your father." Thank God, the child had grown up safe and sound. He resembled him greatly, with eyes clear and untroubled—proof he hadn’t been spoiled.

"Ping An, this is your father. You can ask him anything you want. There are too many people here—Mr. Li, get in the car first."

After speaking, Su Taotao instructed Xiao Lu: "Xiao Lu, take the wheel. Xiao Zhou, take the passenger seat. Ping An, your father will hold you in the back."

Su Taotao walked to the other side of the car, moved Chenchen’s seat to the middle, secured it, and then sat down.

Li Lifeng kept his eyes fixed on Ping An, his eyes rimmed red, too afraid to move.

Su Taotao called to him: "Mr. Li, get in."

Only then did Li Lifeng toss his bag into the back.

Ping An shuffled inward, huddling close to Chenchen.

"Ping An, let Mr. Li hold you. Sitting by yourself isn’t safe." Su Taotao, sensing his reluctance, avoided saying "dad" and simply referred to him as "Mr. Li."

Ping An felt something strange. He usually didn’t have strong feelings toward ordinary uncles, but this man—utterly unfamiliar, meeting him for the first time as his "father”—somehow felt strangely familiar.

At the same time, an inexplicable sense of grievance welled up inside him.

He had never felt this way before.

He just wanted to be disobedient, to throw a tantrum, to resist him…

Li Lifeng said nothing. Once seated, he trembled as he lifted Ping An onto his lap, adjusted his position, and held him securely in his arms, acting as a living seatbelt.

After drifting for so many years, he felt a sense of belonging for the first time.

This was his very own child, his flesh and blood.

Li Lifeng's tears fell uncontrollably. He turned his head to the side and dabbed them on his collar.

Su Taotao stayed quiet, giving Xiao Lu a "Time to go" glance through the rearview mirror.

"All set? Let’s roll," Xiao Lu said.

Chenchen tilted his little head, sizing up Li Lifeng, then suddenly asked, "Uncle, you must’ve been on the train even longer than my daddy last time."

Li Lifeng immediately recognized this bright, cute kid as Fu Zhengtu's son.

He had heard his voice over the phone—this child got the best of both, turning out great.

"You're Chenchen, right? You’re Pangpang’s good friend. How did you know I was on the train for so long?" Li Lifeng's voice was rough, likely from being parched for so long.

He tried to speak as gently as possible, still worried he might scare the child.

Chenchen scrunched his nose and said, "Because you reek even more than my daddy! Daddy says you can’t shower on the train, so the longer you ride, the stinkier you get~~"

Su Taotao: "…" *[sighs]* facepalm.

"Pfft—" Xiao Lu couldn’t help but laugh, then quickly apologized, "Sorry, sorry…"

Chenchen then turned to Su Taotao and asked, "But Mom, why didn’t we smell bad when we took the train last time~~?"

"Because when you stink too, you can’t smell others’ stink," Su Taotao replied helplessly *[sighs]*—if you can’t beat them, join them.

Li Lifeng didn’t seem like the thin-skinned type; a child’s innocent words probably wouldn’t embarrass him.

"Ahh~~" Chenchen nodded slowly. "Pangpang, why aren’t you talking? Did the smell make you pass out~~?"

Pangpang was out of it, but not from the smell—he couldn’t explain it, but he didn’t notice any stench.

He shook his head. "No."

Chenchen tilted his head again. "Uncle, are you really Pangpang’s daddy~~?"

Li Lifeng nodded, tightening his hold on Pangpang slightly. "Yes, the real deal."

Chenchen turned to Pangpang. "Pangpang, didn’t you wanna know how your daddy lost you? Ask him now~~!"

Pangpang shook his head lightly—he didn’t know what to say.

Chenchen then looked back at Li Lifeng. "Uncle, how did you lose Pangpang? It’s been so long—why only look for him now? A mean lady hit him, and he went hungry too, so pitiful~~"

The tears Li Lifeng had barely held back surged up again.

"I didn’t mean to. Back then, I was in a terrible situation—shipped off for labor reform.

The climate there was harsh, with vicious sandstorms. Lots of grown-ups died there. If I’d taken Pangpang, he might not have made it either.

So I had to leave him with someone for a while. It happened suddenly—she was the only person I could turn to at the time. But I chose wrong, and Pangpang suffered."

Li Lifeng had regrets, but he didn’t make excuses for himself. When he left for the borderlands, he expected to die there.

He'd already let his child down and couldn't lie to him anymore. He would rather the child resent him.

"After I settled down, I kept searching for Pangpang, but unfortunately, I couldn’t contact the person I entrusted him to back then. It wasn’t until your dad recognized Pangpang and reached out to me that I found out he was here."

Li Lifeng spoke while unable to resist nuzzling Pangpang’s head again and again:

"Pangpang, I’m sorry. Daddy came too late. I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."

Pangpang's lips trembled, he lowered his head, and tears fell one after another.

Chenchen rarely saw an adult cry so hard. Thinking he had accidentally made the man cry, he looked at Su Taotao in confusion.

Su Taotao patted Chenchen’s head and shook her head at him.

Truthfully, as outsiders, they weren’t sure what to say. But Chenchen’s questions had cleared the air, which might actually make things easier.

"Uncle, don’t cry. Pangpang is fine now…" Chenchen said.

"Pangpang, don’t cry either. Haven’t you always wanted a dad like mine? Just make sure Uncle learns to be a good dad from now on…"

Li Lifeng nodded repeatedly. "Chenchen is right. I’ll do my best to learn to be a good dad and never let Pangpang suffer again."

"Mhm," Chenchen nodded, then said to Pangpang, "Pangpang, don’t worry. He's really eager to learn. I’ll ask my daddy to teach him how to be a good dad when we get back, so you’ll have a good dad soon…"

Su Taotao found a clean handkerchief and had Chenchen pass it to Pangpang.

"Pangpang, you should be happy you found your dad. No more tears, okay?"

Pangpang sniffled and nodded. "Mhm…"

"If you dare treat me badly later, I’ll have Chenchen ask his dad to beat you up! Uncle Fu is really tough!" Pangpang finally spoke to Li Lifeng.

Thrilled, Li Lifeng squeezed Pangpang tighter. "Okay, okay, beat me up, beat me up..."