Chapter 54: Standing Punishment

Chapter 54: Grounded

At 6:30 AM, an alarm no one remembered to turn off jolted the entire family awake.

Snuggled tightly, Song Tan groggily reached out beside her, fumbling for a while before remembering her phone was on the nightstand by the window.

Too lazy to move, she nudged the person beside her with her foot.

The man sat up. Moments later, a tap on her shoulder. Song Tan flinched, mumbling, "Huh?... Just turn it off..."

Then she heard a low chuckle.

Song Tan opened her eyes, meeting Ji Fuxi’s gaze, then followed his line of sight.

On the other bed, a tiny figure huddled alone, clutching her blanket, staring at them with a mix of shock and grievance.

The alarm continued to blare, like the soundtrack to a four-year-old’s heartbreak.

Song Tan reacted quickly, exclaiming, "Oops, how’d Mommy wind up here?"

Song Chuqing didn’t know either, pouting as she said, "Daddy stole Mommy!"

The man, now alarm-free: "..."

"Right," Song Tan bit back a laugh, holding out her arms. "Come here, Xiao Chu, let’s sleep together."

The little girl immediately slid off her bed and clambered into Song Tan’s, nestling into her embrace and clinging tightly.

Ji Fuxi turned off the alarm and returned, only to find the bed was now a no-dad zone. He had no choice but to go freshen up.

The mother and daughter on the bed continued murmuring. "Did you sleep well last night, baby?"

Song Chuqing thought for a moment. "Pretty good."

"Mommy’s swamped today, so Xiao Chu will be with Daddy, okay?"

The little girl’s brief anti-Daddy phase had just passed, and now she stayed silent. Song Tan understood, gently stroking her face. "Daddy’s fired?"

"Mm..."

"Then how about..." Song Tan pretended to think before suddenly brightening. "How about we sentence Daddy to breakfast duty!"

Song Chuqing pondered seriously for a long while before agreeing, her lips curling into a smug little grin. "Okay then. I want xiaolongbao!"

"No problem." Song Tan yelled toward the bathroom, "Daddy, go buy breakfast."

He’d just spit out toothpaste and walked out. "What do you want?"

"Xiao Chu wants xiaolongbao. I want soy milk and youtiao."

"On it."

Ji Fuxi changed and headed out, while Song Tan held her daughter, plotting a ten-minute power nap.

...

By 7:30, breakfast was finished, and the family of three went their separate ways.

Song Tan went to work, while Ji Fuxi was on daddy duty.

After seeing Mommy off, Song Chuqing asked, "Daddy, what are we doing today?"

"The town’s got some cool traditional crafts. We’ll go experience them."

The little girl’s eyes sparkled. "What’s intangible cultural heritage?"

Ji Fuxi picked her up, casually grabbing her little bag filled with tissues and water, and explained as they walked, "It’s traditions China’s kept alive for ages—our country’s excellent traditional culture passed down through generations."

That went over her head. All she cared about was, "Is it fun?"

He smiled. "It’s fun. We’ll try paper-cutting and shadow puppet shows later."

"Yay!"

No guide today, father and daughter set off on their own.

There were no car rentals near the hotel, so Song Tan borrowed a car from the film crew for them. However, without a driver, Ji Fuxi had to drive himself.

After making sure the little one in the backseat was strapped in tight, he got into the driver’s seat.

It was an ordinary Volkswagen, quite different from their family car. Ji Fuxi adjusted the steering wheel and seat, then spent some time figuring out the buttons before starting the engine. Connecting the Bluetooth navigation also took a while.

The backseat boss got antsy. "Daddy, can we go now?"

"Ready."

But the day didn’t go smoothly.

The town’s roads were narrow, packed with cars and people. Ji Fuxi carefully followed the navigation, only to realize he’d missed a turn. After U-turning, he soon found himself totally turned around.

Staring at the maze-like alleys and the useless GPS, Ji Fuxi heaved a sigh.

Song Chuqing leaned forward, gripping the back of his seat as she peered ahead. "Daddy, are we there yet?"

"...Not yet."

Two seconds later, the little girl finally understood. "Uh-oh, we’re lost!"

Ji Fuxi turned to reassure her. "No biggie, we’ll get there."

"Mm, no rush. Take your time, Daddy." Song Chuqing sat back, pulling out her water bottle from her bag and taking small sips, completely unfazed.

Ji Fuxi looked around, aiming for a main road first.

After about five minutes, they emerged from the alley onto a wider street. Ditching the navigation, he rolled down the window and asked a passerby, "Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to Xu’s Paper-Cutting Studio?"

The passerby, a middle-aged woman, replied in the local dialect.

Unable to understand, Ji Fuxi asked again, "Mind speaking Mandarin?"

The woman frowned, answering in a mix of Mandarin and dialect, "Here [unintelligible], you [unintelligible], then turn [unintelligible]..."

Song Chuqing didn’t understand either. She rolled down her window and stood up, flashing a sweet smile. "Auntie, Daddy doesn’t get it~"

The woman’s frown melted at the sight of the adorable little girl. Her Mandarin became clear. "Just go straight, then turn right. You’ll see a sign pointing the way."

"Dad, do you understand now?"

Ji Fuxi smiled helplessly, "I get it now."

Song Chuqing thanked her, "Thank you, auntie! Have a nice day!"

"Oh, no need to thank me. What a sweet little girl."

"Giggle."

With their question answered, they set off again.

"Go straight and turn right" was too vague, but thankfully the navigation started working properly, correctly indicating the right turn.

This time, they found the place without trouble.

Yet another narrow alley, so the father and daughter had to walk the rest of the way.

Mid-June meant summer had arrived. The morning air was already stuffy, and now the sky was overcast—looked like rain was coming.

Ji Fuxi guessed it wouldn’t start raining too soon. He helped his daughter down and grabbed her bag. "Let’s go."

"Okay!"

Song Chuqing held onto her dad’s pinky finger, skipping ahead while marveling at the houses on either side. "Dad, these houses are so old! Are they made of wood?"

The surrounding one- or two-story houses were indeed aged. Ji Fuxi examined the building materials and nodded. "Looks like it."

"Wow, little wooden houses! I want to live in a wooden house in the forest too~"

"Next time, maybe."

"Okay~"

After a five- or six-minute walk, they arrived at Xu’s Paper Cutting Gallery—only to find the door tightly shut. Ji Fuxi felt a headache coming on.

Song Chuqing noticed too. "Dad, is it closed?"

"Yeah, let’s try another place."

He searched on his phone and found another paper-cutting studio open to visitors just a hundred meters ahead. The two continued on.

But barely a few steps later, big fat raindrops began pelting down, quickly turning into a downpour.

The rain had come much faster than expected, and they hadn’t brought an umbrella. Ji Fuxi hurriedly led his daughter under the awning of a nearby shop to take shelter.

The rain was fierce, and the petrichor smell quickly filled the air.

The man frowned, growing annoyed as he scanned the area for a store selling umbrellas.

Just as he spotted one, he looked down to see the little girl sticking her hands out to catch the raindrops, her eyes wide with wonder and excitement. "Wow, it’s raining~"

Then she cupped her hands together, letting the water pool before tipping her palms and watching it cascade down.

Song Chuqing turned to him, eyes sparkling with joy. "Xixi, it’s raining~"

All his morning grumpiness suddenly melted away in that moment.

Adults let life’s inconveniences sour their moods, but children see the world differently—simply, joyfully. That’s how they stay so happy.

It had been a while since the capital had seen such heavy rain. Ji Fuxi lifted his gaze to the sky, watching the sheets of rain pouring down, listening to the steady pattering on the rooftops. Slowly, he too felt a quiet happiness.

Never would he have imagined, he, a grown man, would be taught a lesson today by a four-year-old girl.

A motorcycle sped past, sending up a spray of water that sent the little girl shrieking with delight.

Song Chuqing reached out again, leaning even farther forward this time. Raindrops landed in her hair, and splashes dampened her shoes. Ji Fuxi considered stopping her but decided against it—why ruin her fun?

As she played, she babbled excitedly. "Dad, I’ve never seen rain this heavy before! Back in London with Mom, it was always drizzling. So boring!"

Ji Fuxi stuck his hand out too, feeling the rain wash away the stifling heat.

Summer rains start and stop fast. In just three or four minutes, the downpour eased into a drizzle. Song Chuqing looked up and asked in her sweetest voice, "Dad, can I go splash in the puddles?"

"Sure, but let’s buy an umbrella first."

"Okay, let's go!"

They walked to a convenience store and bought two transparent ten-yuan umbrellas.

The little girl couldn’t wait to open hers, pushing with all her strength. "Ugh...!"

Finally, it opened. Resting the handle on her shoulder, she hopped straight into a puddle.

Water splashed with every jump, and Song Chuqing burst into giggles, twirling her umbrella as she played.

The rain seemed to play along, gradually let up.

A little boy nearby, tempted by her fun, joined in.

The two children took turns jumping in the puddles, their laughter filling the street.

Ji Fuxi watched quietly from the side.

Before the little girl’s pants got completely soaked, he called her over—before she caught cold from playing too much.

Back in the car, he took off her wet shoes and dried her feet.

Her pants were harder to remove, so they’d have to wait until they returned to the hotel.

Plans were canceled, but Song Chuqing’s happiness remained through the roof. "Dad, I had so much fun today!"

Ji Fuxi glanced at his daughter in the rearview mirror, a smile spreading across his face.

At the hotel, he had her take a warm bath and change into dry clothes.

There would be plenty more chances to try paper-cutting and puppet shows another day. For the afternoon, they stayed in, planning to go out for dinner with Mom in the evening.

Back at work, Song Tan, thinking of her family waiting, worked faster and finished early at 6:30 p.m., returning to the hotel by seven.

The moment she opened the door, little one rushed to greet her.

As she swept her up, Song Chuqing sneezed twice loudly. Song Tan’s brows furrowed. "Xiao Chu, you feeling okay?"

"No!" The little girl eagerly shared, "Mom, I went out with Dad today, and then it rained super hard! I played in the rain—it was so fun! Another kid came and played with me too!"

Song Tan’s brow furrowed deeper. "Played in the water?" she asked sharply.

"Yes... Hatchoo..." She sneezed again mid-sentence.

Song Tan turned her sharp gaze toward the approaching man. "You let her get caught in the rain?"

Ji Fuxi opened his mouth but couldn't find the right words to explain.

Song Chuqing glanced between her mother's dark expression and the tense atmosphere between her parents, growing concerned.

Once before, when Mom was angriest, she'd made her face the wall. Now Mom looked just as upset. She tugged at her mother's sleeve. "Mom, are you going to make Daddy go to timeout?"

Ji Fuxi: "???"

Song Tan couldn't help but laugh at this. How could she dare punish Mr. Ji like that? But he still needed some reprimand. Feigning anger, she said, "If baby gets sick, Daddy will have to go to timeout."

......

That evening, Song Chuqing wore an extra layer when going out, drank a packet of cold-prevention herbal drink, and had a normal temperature. Unless something changes, Daddy should avoid his timeout punishment.

Dinner was at a local specialty restaurant. The little girl chattered nonstop while eating, allowing Song Tan to finally understand the day's events.

Listening to the morning's adventures, she felt both amused and sympathetic. "So you just came back with Daddy then?"

"Yeah! Daddy was worried I'd catch a cold." Song Chuqing hugged her arm, sweetly coaxing, "Mommy, I didn't get sick. Don't punish Daddy, okay?"

"Alright, no punishment." Song Tan glanced at the silent man beside her and served him a piece of meat. "Daddy worked hard taking Xiao Chu out today."

Between getting lost, closed venues, and the rain, Mr. Ji certainly had quite a day.

The restaurant was close to their hotel. The early summer night after rain was pleasant, so the family of three walked home after dinner.

Though even this short journey had its share of distractions.

The town's streets were lined with street vendors—fruit stalls, snack carts, toy stands—turning the road into a lively night market full of life.

Stopping at every stall, Song Chuqing wanted everything in sight. Before long, Ji Fuxi's hands were full of shopping bags.

Back at the hotel, the girl said longingly, "Mommy, I like it here."

"Xiao Chu can come stay with me during vacation."

"Can I not go to school then?"

Song Tan bopped her forehead. "No. Don't you miss Teacher Xiao Qing? Don't you miss Ke Ke and Pei Qiu?"

"Okay... Then Mommy, you wait here for me, okay?"

"Mm."

Worn out from playing, Song Chuqing took a bath and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

In their shared room, Song Tan turned off the overhead light and lowered her voice not to wake her. "I'm going to shower first."

Ji Fuxi nodded.

His gaze lingered on their sleeping daughter, then moved to the lit bathroom. After brief consideration, he walked over.

Song Tan was removing makeup when his sudden entrance startled her. "Need to use the toilet?"

Ji Fuxi looked at her for a moment before embracing her from behind, nuzzling her shoulder. "No," he murmured.

From last night until now—a full day together—they hadn't had a single moment alone.

Only with their daughter asleep did they finally have time alone.

His breath tickled her neck. She tilted her head away, hiding a smile. "Wait till I finish removing my makeup."

"Go ahead."

"How can I like this?"

The man released her hands so she could move freely.

Song Tan went back to washing her face, eyes closed as she spoke to fill the quiet. "How's Grandpa?"

"Good."

"When does Xiao Chu's vacation start?"

"Early July."

"Bring her to me then."

"Okay."

Their brief exchange sounded like robot conversation.

Tonight's makeup removal finished about five minutes faster than usual.

Done, their reflections met in the fogged-up mirror—hazy outlines blurring together.

Song Tan dried her hands and turned, automatically wrapping her arms around his neck.

His eyes already held a gathering storm—turbulent, feverish, about to break.

Rising slightly on her toes, she nipped at his lower lip.

Unlike last night's fleeting, unreturned moment, the man now pulled her close, kissing back.

More passionate than usual, yet more restrained with their daughter sleeping nearby—their heavy breaths lost between exchanged kisses.

He kissed hungrily, leaving her tongue numb. When she pushed weakly at his chest, it had no effect.

After some time, as his large hand began sliding under her shirt, Song Tan stopped him with a gasp. "No."

Xiao Chu was right there. She couldn't possibly...

The man regained his composure, leaning his forehead against hers with a husky whisper: "Next time we get a separate room."

"Mm."

As their breathing calmed, Ji Fuxi looked down. "Did you miss me?"

They rarely spoke like this. Had she missed him?

Song Tan bit her already swollen lips. The answer was obvious.

Before coming here, they'd slept together every night. Even without intimacy, he'd always held her. Those first few nights here, exhausted as she was, it still took her one or two hours to fall asleep.

She had thought it was just her excitement, but waking up after sleeping soundly through the night made her think there might be another reason.

Her body and habits missed him more than she realized.

Ji Fuxi didn’t hear an answer. His right hand slowly caressed her face, his thumb lingering near her lips, his voice equally low. "Mmm?"

Before she could respond, movement came from the bed outside. The little girl stumbled out of bed, rubbing her eyes as she headed toward the bathroom. Upon seeing them, she mumbled, "Mommy, I need to pee."

Then she noticed the tall man standing by the door after their quick separation and asked in confusion, "Huh? Xixi, are you being punished?"