Chapter 114

Chapter 114

That night.

In Xingxing’s room.

Before his brother arrived, he had put down a rug and some soft cushions by the bed so they could sit and play comfortably.

Now, a cartoon was playing on the wall opposite the bed. Bao Yiming sat on the soft cushion, leaning against the foot of the bed, opening his mouth: "Ah—"

Xingxing picked up a piece of fruit and fed it into his brother's mouth.

Bao Yiming chewed and grinned, "Hehe~"

He flopped sideways onto the cushion, giving his little brother a playful wink.

Xingxing handed him another half a strawberry.

From this angle, Xingxing’s chubby cheeks looked even cuter.

"Xingxing, why haven’t I seen any photos of you when you were little?"

He scrambled up, glancing around.

"There aren’t any," Xingxing replied, stuffing fruit into his own mouth while watching the bright screen. "Wow, brother, look! The alien’s finally here!"

Bao Yiming turned his head.

Under a glowing green sky, a circular UFO opened, and an alien descended to the ground.

As the white light faded, a walking lizardman appeared.

Bao Yiming turned back, frowning and pinching Xingxing’s cheek. "Xingxing, you’re lying. Where are the photos? I really wanna see them."

Xingxing glanced at the screen, his voice quiet. "Really, none were taken."

Bao Yiming wasn’t buying it.

He made like he was getting up from the foot of the bed. "Then I’ll go ask Grandma. She must know where they are, right?"

He secretly watched Xingxing’s reaction—sure enough, Xingxing grabbed his wrist.

"Grandma doesn’t know either."

Xingxing yanked him back down, insisting, "There really aren’t any."

Normally so calm, Xingxing rarely showed this flustered look.

Bao Yiming grew even more curious.

He reached out and tickled Xingxing’s waist, going "kitchy-kitchy-coo!", causing Xingxing to squirm and dodge.

The two children wrestled and rolled around on the cushions. Xingxing, smaller and weaker than Bao Yiming, tried to resist but only got tickled more fiercely.

Tickled silly, Xingxing burst into laughter, curling up with his knees to his chest, arms wrapped around himself, pleading, "Brother! It’s too ticklish!"

"Where are the photos?"

Bao Yiming persisted relentlessly. "Spill it, or I’ll get your feet!"

"No!"

Xingxing startled and jumped up, his forehead breaking out in sweat. "Okay, I’ll get it."

He turned and ran to the bookshelf in the small study.

Bao Yiming trailed after him and only then saw that beneath the bookshelf was a cabinet, inside of which lay a woven rattan storage basket neatly lined with photo frames.

The frames clearly matched the style of the ones placed elsewhere in the house.

He reached out to grab one, but Xingxing blocked him.

Xingxing hesitated, suddenly shy, "Brother, you can't laugh at how I looked when I was little."

"Huh? No way."

Seeing the worry in his eyes, Bao Yiming quickly plopped down beside him, shoulder to shoulder, and bumped him lightly. "If I laugh, I’m the worst friend ever."

"Really?" Xingxing bit his lip, unsure.

Though Bao Yiming was eager to see the photo, he thought carefully, then closed his eyes and shook his head. "If Xingxing doesn’t want to, then I won’t look."

He scrunched his eyes shut tightly, his lashes extra fluffy. "Put it back, let’s just watch cartoons."

Xingxing eyed his brother’s stupidly handsome face, then at the photo he was hiding, and finally yanked out the frame and shoved it into Bao Yiming’s hands.

Bao Yiming cracked one eye open—but not at the photo, he first gazed at Xingxing’s face.

Xingxing leaned his forehead against the cabinet door and nudged him. "Go on, look."

He sounded casual, but his stomach was in knots.

Bao Yiming slowly lifted the frame.

A baby-faced Xingxing grinned up at him.

"Wow, you were adorable! Your cheeks were so squishy!"

Delighted, Bao Yiming held the photo up high, comparing it to the Xingxing before him, cooed, "Where did your chipmunk cheeks go? Did you hide them?"

He poked Xingxing’s face. "Give ’em back right now!"

Xingxing stifled a laugh at his brother’s antics.

His photos before the age of three showed a round-faced child—not entirely chubby, but with particularly noticeable baby fat on his cheeks, making him look dopey-cute.

Bao Yiming tapped the photo of little Xingxing’s face, then leaned in close. "Can I keep this one?"

Xingxing didn’t answer right away.

He lowered his head, studying the picture seriously. Did Brother actually like his baby pics?

Seeing no response, Bao Yiming tilted his head in thought. "Then let’s trade. I’ll swap you one of mine?"

Xingxing slowly lifted his gaze, mind working quickly. "Can I pick it myself?"

"No problem."

Bao Yiming’s room had plenty of solo photos, as well as ones with his two dads.

"Next time you come to my house, you can pick one then. Okay?"

Stars already had many photos in mind—ones he had carefully studied during previous visits to his brother's house.

He glanced at his brother, who was still looking down at the photo, then held up two little fingers. "Gege, can I have two?"

"Mm!" Bao Yiming nodded immediately in agreement.

Stars grinned.

If he'd known it was this easy to get photos from his brother, he would have taken his out sooner.

The two returned to the bedroom.

Stars thought his brother would put the photo in his suitcase, but instead, he kept holding it, muttering to himself.

"Boop Stars’ chubby cheeks~"

"Squishy little Stars~"

Stars puffed out his cheeks on purpose, poking them with his fingertips while silently thinking: *Hey chubby cheeks, come back!*

-

At night.

When Grandma came in, she found the two children already sound asleep together.

Bao Yiming, flat on his back, was hugging Stars' arm, while Stars had a leg thrown over Mingming.

Not wanting to wake them, Grandma didn’t separate them, just smoothing the blanket.

She grabbed a small blanket and placed it between their heads, covering their shoulders.

After leaving the room, Grandma walked back to the dining area.

Stars’ dad had just gotten home from an emergency surgery. Chu Han had cooked a bowl of thin noodles, and he was scarfing them down.

Seeing Grandma sneak out with a smile on her face, he signaled Chu Han with his eyes.

Chu Han: "Mom—"

"Shh, let’s keep our voices down."

Grandma quickened her steps over. "The kids are out."

Chu Han asked, "Mom, what are you smiling about?"

Grandma chuckled again. "Stars and Mingming were getting along so well."

Chu Han: "The last couple times at the farm, you were still worried."

Grandma explained, "The two of them combined are only sixteen. Of course I’d worry about them staying overnight alone."

But from what she saw now, they’re good kids—rowdy but harmless, unlikely to cause any trouble.

"Earlier, wasn’t Mingming teaching Stars some English? That child is really something—he speaks French too, right?"

Chu Han smiled. "His other dad’s French. He’s a natural with languages."

Grandma paused, then let out a quiet sigh.

Star's dad stopped drinking his soup and asked in confusion, "Mom?"

Chu Han, quick to understand, said, "Mom is regretting why both are boys—otherwise, she'd be setting up an arranged marriage today."

Star's dad stood up with his bowl and chopsticks. "Boys can get engaged too. Isn't Yi Ming's dad in a same-sex relationship?"

Grandma looked up at him, as if she had a sudden realization, her face filled with understanding.

Chu Han thought Grandma's expression was funny.

Star's dad walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands. "I've already got the eggs and pan ready. I'll make tamagoyaki (Japanese-style rolled omelet) for them tomorrow morning."

Star had mentioned it a couple of days ago, but back then, he wasn't sure if he'd be home—after all, the hospital often had unexpected emergencies requiring immediate attention.

He had been so busy with hospital work that he had somewhat neglected Chu Han and Star's feelings.

Before the last reality show appearance, he'd even argued with Chu Han.

During the first episode, when Star introduced himself as Chu Hang on the show, it had made him uncomfortable.

At the hospital, he was Dr. Lin, responsible in the eyes of his colleagues, superiors, and patients. But at home, he truly wasn't a good husband or father.

As the reality show progressed episode by episode, seeing the parent-child dynamics of the other three families, Star's dad gradually realized the equal importance of his "small family" responsibilities. His absence affected Chu Han and, even more so, the underage Star.

At this moment, Chu Han noticed his pensive expression and asked, "You're not thinking about childhood betrothals like Mom, are you?"

"Huh?" He followed her back to their room. "I'm not some old-fashioned parent."

Chu Han pushed the door open. "Really? What if Star grows up and tells us he likes boys?"

He chuckled. "What would you have me do? Even our hospital doesn't have medicine to 'fix' that."

Chu Han had to admit he had a point.

-

Bedroom.

Star turned over, burying his face in the blanket Grandma had given him, which tickled a little.

So he mumbled sleepily in his sleep, "Brother~ so itchy~"

As if being tickled by his brother.

The movement woke the sleeping Bao Yiming, who turned over, put an arm around him, and patted drowsily. "Be good, Star..."