Chapter 89

Chapter 89

The couple stepped out of the elevator, and as soon as the doors opened, Bao Yiming bounded over, grinning from ear to ear.

Wen Cishu stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "What's got you all excited all of a sudden?"

Bao Yiming tilted his head up, stretching his neck like a little alpaca, nuzzling sweetly, "Papa~~~~~"

Wen Cishu gave his chin a playful scratch. "Mm, go on."

"Can we go get Xingxing and bring her home tonight?"

Bao Tingyuan asked his son, "Do Xingxing's parents know?"

Bao Yiming nodded hard.

Wen Cishu glanced at Bao Tingyuan. "Shall we go pick her up together?" Then he looked down at the little one. "We've got time—wanna have her over for dinner?"

"Yes!" Bao Yiming was so overjoyed that he childishly ran circles around both his dads.

Seeing Bao Tingyuan remain silent, Wen Cishu thought he might have reservations and gave him a questioning look.

Bao Tingyuan shook his head slightly and only said, "Yi Ming, go tell Uncle Xu and Aunt Zhong to get everything ready."

"Okay! I want to have a sleepover in the tent with Xingxing!"

Bao Yiming ran off, then turned back and called, "Papa, let's leave in fifteen minutes, okay?"

Bao Tingyuan nodded in agreement.

He helped Wen Cishu sit down on the living room couch to wait and had the housekeeper bring a jacket.

Once everything was prepared, the family of three set off in their comfy van to pick up Xingxing.

Along the way, Bao Yiming babbled excitedly, suddenly remembering to ask Uncle Xu to prepare a new tennis racket for them.

"Uncle Xu, can you find my blue tennis ball for me?"

Wen Cishu sat between his husband and son, leaning lazily against Bao Tingyuan's shoulder. Hearing this, he chuckled softly.

When a new friend comes over for the first time, it was only natural to bring out the best things to entertain them.

Bao Yiming hung up the phone and glanced at his papa, grumbling, "Papa, look—Papa's making fun of me!"

Bao Tingyuan said earnestly, "Papa's just happy for you."

"Exactly~" Wen Cishu's smile deepened as he pinched his son's cheek. "You goof."

"Hehe~"

They arrived.

Chu Han and her husband were both busy today, so Xingxing was with her grandparents.

Wen Cishu had already communicated with Chu Han, and they got the kid without a hitch.

When Xingxing saw Yi Ming's two papas, she politely called them "uncle" before grabbing her brother's hand.

The two children walked hand in hand, Xingxing was practically bouncing too, infected by Bao Yiming's excitement.

When they got into the nanny van, Xingxing spotted the familiar white safety seat—the same one Yiming had specially prepared for him during their last trip to the farm.

Xingxing ducked his head, feeling kinda shy.

Bao Yiming helped fasten the buckle while reassuring him, "Don't be shy, Xingxing. My two dads won’t laugh at you."

Wen Cishu chuckled quietly in the backseat: *If you hadn’t pointed it out, Xingxing might not have even noticed.*

As he turned his head, he caught Bao Tingyuan staring intently at him.

He teased by raising his slender eyebrows twice in silent inquiry: *What?*

The evening sunlight streaming through the window made his loose black hair shine.

Bao Tingyuan shook his head slightly, lifting Wen Cishu’s hand to his lips for a gentle kiss.

His eyes, bathed in the golden light, had an emerald glow.

Wen Cishu’s mind wandered—maybe at the wrong time—to the prospect of having more alone time with Bao Tingyuan tonight, now that Yiming and Xingxing would be resting together.

Embarrassed, he quickly turned his gaze out the window.

That night, while Aunt Zhong helped the two children bathe, Wen Cishu finished setting up the tent, placing two small dolphin pillows he had prepared earlier.

When Xingxing crawled inside, Wen Cishu said, "Xingxing, these pillows and blankets are just for you whenever you come over to play."

-

"Thank you, Uncle."

Just out of the bath and dressed in pajamas similar to Yiming’s, Xingxing adored the matching pillows—so much so that he wanted to hug them tight, had Uncle not been there.

Bao Yiming climbed into the tent, brandishing two little sleeping caps.

He had loved them ever since Wen Cishu let him wear one at a hotel, even bringing an extra one home.

Wen Cishu said, "Come here, let's get these on you and Xingxing."

"Okay~"

Kneeling in front of his little dad with closed eyes and hands pressed together like he was praying, Yiming chimed, "Thank you, Little Dad~"

Xingxing copied his brother’s pose, eyes shut and face lifted expectantly, like it was a special ceremony.

Laughing, Wen Cishu adjusted the caps and took a quick picture with his phone. "Xingxing, I’ll send this to your mom, okay?"

"Mhm."

Gazing at Yiming in his sleeping cap, Xingxing thought his brother looked as handsome as a storybook prince with his mixed features.

Touching the floppy tip of his own cap, he asked quietly, "Brother, won’t it fall off when we sleep?"

"Yep!" he said.

Bao Yiming smiled and lowered his head, playfully flicking his hat's brim to tease his little brother.

As the two children played, Wen Cishu gave a few instructions before he left the tent.

After sending the photo to Chu Han, he also posted a picture of the two children wearing their nightcaps from behind on Xiao Digua's account. "Two adorable little brothers."

"Hmm? Babe, you had another kid while I wasn't looking? (jk)"

"It's Ming Zai and Xingxing! Matching pajamas and matching hats~ Hehe, Team Sparkle making their debut!"

"That’s the tent from the show, right? Did Xingxing go to Ming Zai’s house to play? (Mommy, I wanna go too~ *flails*)"

"Mommy's back! *sobs* Do you know how much I missed you?"

"Babe, pls don't ghost us again, okay? It really makes me think the reality show was just a dream."

Wen Cishu felt weirdly touched by the concern from these strangers online.

He replied to some of the kind comments. "Thx for caring, momo. I’ll occasionally post photos from now on."

When Bao Tingyuan came in, he glanced at the cheerful figure on the sofa before walking to the tent door and asking, "Yi Ming, time to rest?"

"Not yet!" Bao Yiming quickly crawled out, revealing half of his little face. "Papa, what is it?"

Bao Tingyuan reached out and booped his son's nose. "Nothing. Just take good care of Brother Xingxing tonight."

"Mkay!" Bao Yiming tilted his head. "Papa, you take good care of Little Papa tonight too."

On the sofa, Wen Cishu squinted up: Hmm?

After saying goodnight to Papa, Bao Yiming zipped up the tent flap from the inside and continued whispering with Xingxing.

Wen Cishu held his phone, watching as Bao Tingyuan made a beeline for him.

Hmm?

Why did things suddenly feel... charged?

Bao Tingyuan bent down and swept him up in his arms.

Wen Cishu startled, gave a little wiggle to remind him of the two children in the tent.

Bao Tingyuan’s strong arms held him tightly against his chest, murmuring a soft "shhh" against his ear.

Wen Cishu immediately went still, resting his chin on Bao Tingyuan’s shoulder.

As Bao Tingyuan reached the door, he freed one hand to gently close it.

Afraid of falling, Wen Cishu clung for dear life to Bao Tingyuan’s shoulders.

Just as he relaxed, thinking they had left the room, he stiffened at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Aunt Zhong came up to the third floor carrying a fruit plate. She turned the corner and ran into the couple but kept walking like a pro as if she hadn’t seen them.

Bao Tingyuan said, "Aunt Zhong, please keep an eye on Yi Ming and Xingxing tonight."

Aunt Zhong replied, "Okay."

She played it so cool, it was as if she had only seen Bao Tingyuan alone.

Wen Cishu had no choice but to bury himself in Bao Tingyuan's arms, pretending to sleep while keeping one eye cracked open to observe quietly.

When he saw Aunt Zhong walking away from them toward the room, he gave Bao Tingyuan’s back a light tap with a loose fist.

They entered the bedroom.

Wen Cishu, realizing Bao Tingyuan still hadn’t released him, asked in confusion, "Where are you taking me?"

Bao Tingyuan replied, "It's late. Time to get ready for bed."

He kicked the bathroom door open and carried him inside.

Wen Cishu didn’t object, but once his feet touched the ground, the other man still lingered.

He glanced at the reflection in the mirror, as if seeing past the dark-clad figure, and a scorching heat rushed through him.

Bao Tingyuan’s palm cradled his cheek, his thumb brushing over his slightly pursed lips. "Cishu."

"Ah?" Wen Cishu had to lift his head, meeting those bottomless eyes. "Go on."

Bao Tingyuan frowned slightly and said slowly, "I’m out of my meds."

Wen Cishu recalled the nearly empty pill bottle from the seaside hotel and the scene from last night, blurting out, "Then… how about not taking it anymore?"

The green eyes behind his glasses glinted faintly.

Wen Cishu couldn’t decipher the meaning in his gaze.

He nuzzled into his warm palm. "Tell me what you want to say."

"Did you see everything last night?"

The softly spoken question made Wen Cishu’s eyes widen abruptly.

He… he… he…

Had he noticed him last night?

Or was he just piecing things together?

Wen Cishu’s breathing quickened, his fingers clutching at Bao Tingyuan’s shirt sleeve, fidgeting in a mix of shame and hesitation.

Bao Tingyuan could sense his agitation and soothed, "I should’ve been upfront with you."

Wen Cishu bit his dry lips. At this point, there was no use dwelling on how he’d been found out.

He asked directly, "When did you start needing that medication?"

"After Yi Ming was born." Bao Tingyuan lowered his gaze, his thick brows furrowing.

Wen Cishu sensed there was more, as if something was troubling him, and waited quietly.

Bao Tingyuan’s hand tightened slightly as he caressed Wen Cishu’s face, then switched to French, murmuring, "You gave yourself to me once, then shut me out completely."

"I—" Wen Cishu’s stomach dropped, but before he could speak, Bao Tingyuan kissed him. "Mmm…"

He quickly removed Bao Tingyuan’s glasses, gripping them tightly.

In an instant, Bao Tingyuan lifted him onto the bathroom counter, tilting his head up to devour his lips, as if sating a hunger, claiming everything he craved.

In just half a minute, Wen Cishu unexpectedly felt a raw, unrestrained indulgence—something outsiders would hardly believe came from the typically aloof, disciplined Bao Tingyuan.

Bao Tingyuan’s palm pressed against his back, feeling his rapid heartbeat, before murmuring against his lips, "Join me in the shower tonight?"

Drowning in his presence, Wen Cishu breathed out a soft ‘Mm.’