Chapter 45 Confirmation

Chapter 45 Confirmation

Even after stepping inside, Wen Yu was still a little disoriented.

Was that really Xue Shu?

Why was he here?

Did he come… for him?

Wen Yu couldn't quite grasp it.

Seeing him so lost in thought, looking bewildered and confused, Wen Xiaoyi paused, then let go of the hand he was loosely holding. He pattered off to meticulously wash his hands before returning to Wen Yu’s side. Noticing his father’s still-furrowed brow, he asked, “Why is Daddy unhappy?”

Snapping back to reality, Wen Yu crouched down, meeting the child’s gaze. “Xiaoyi, do you really like that unc… your new little buddy?”

Biting his lip, Wen Xiaoyi hesitated. “Does Daddy not like that uncle?”

Wen Yu lowered his eyes.

Seeing his silence, the child immediately straightened his back. “If… if Daddy really doesn’t like him, Xiaoyi won’t play with him anymore.”

“No…” Wen Yu said softly, his mind racing.

The feeling was entirely different from when he saw Si Junjian. At the sight of Xue Shu, his predominant emotion was shock, devoid of even a hint of… disgust.

In fact… he touched his chest, wondering if that unusual flutter could be called a quickening of the heart.

Wen Yu was utterly confused.

Tilting his head, Xiaoyi had been observing his father’s expression. He seemed to have noticed something and tentatively began, “Today, we went to the stream by Left Mountain to catch little crabs…”

Then, he scrunched up his tiny brows. “But…”

He trailed off, not continuing.

Wen Yu couldn’t help but press, “But what? Did something happen? What happened between you and that uncle?”

“But…” Wen Xiaoyi’s face broke into a wide smile, “We caught big crabs!”

“But Uncle said those crabs don’t taste good, so we didn’t bring them back. What a shame, oh.” Wen Xiaoyi laughed, wrapping his arms around his father’s neck and affectionately rubbing his cheek.

Wen Yu’s heart leaped for a moment before settling back down, a flicker of unease stirring his rational mind.

He lifted the child’s face, seeing the unadulterated joy in his eyes, and suppressed the fleeting suspicion.

His son surely wasn’t cunning enough to play tricks on him.

Thinking this, Wen Yu pinched the chubby cheek. “Alright, are you hungry? Let’s go eat.”

“Okay!”

—

“Daddy, isn’t Uncle back yet?” Wen Xiaoyi asked, clutching his blanket and standing at the door of Wen Yu’s room.

“Does Xiaoyi miss Uncle?” Wen Yu took his blanket.

Wen Xiaoyi naturally walked into the room, kicked off his slippers, and bounced onto the bed, burrowing into the inner side of the covers. He patted the outer half. “Daddy, come quick.”

Wen Yu, holding the child’s blanket, looked at this reversal of roles with a hint of bewilderment. “…This is my room, isn’t it?”

“Heh heh,” Wen Xiaoyi grinned, pulling the blanket up to cover half his face. “Xiaoyi wants to sleep with Daddy.”

Wen Yu shook his head, deftly putting the child’s blanket into the closet. He mused that he should probably tell Mo Ke not to arrange for Wen Xiaoyi to sleep with the other children anymore.

After all, he sneaks into his room every night anyway; not arranging it would save one blanket.

As he was tidying up, his phone on the bed buzzed. Wen Xiaoyi crawled over to the headboard. “Daddy, it’s Uncle.”

“Oh? Xiaoyi, can you answer it for me?”

“Okay.”

He answered and put it on speaker.

“Wen Yu, did Si Junjian give you any trouble today?”

“No.”

The closet door closed with a slightly heavier thud. Wen Xiaoyi quickly moved aside again, and Wen Yu sat on the bed. “He just said some nonsense I didn’t understand.”

He pulled Xiaoyi into his arms and ruffled his hair.

“I might be back very late tonight and leave early tomorrow morning…” A rustling sound, followed by an annoyed “tsk” from Mo Ke.

Wen Yu understood his concerns and reassured him, “It’s fine, Brother. Don’t worry, leave it to me. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

There was a brief silence on the other end. “Alright, just hold out a little longer. I’ll be done soon.”

He muttered, “I don’t know why this stuff is so difficult to handle.”

Wen Yu didn’t say anything, but they both knew: it was simply because someone was secretly obstructing them and causing trouble.

But there was little they could do.

A small hand landed on Wen Yu’s forehead, smoothing out his furrowed brow.

He blinked, his gaze clear.

Wen Xiaoyi earnestly comforted Mo Ke. “Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll protect Daddy.”

“…” Mo Ke clicked his tongue again. “I haven’t gotten to you yet, you little rascal. It’s so late—why aren’t you asleep? What time did you get home today, huh?”

Caught off guard, Wen Xiaoyi widened his eyes. “Uncle, shouldn’t you be praising me now? I’m so brave.”

“You have the nerve to say that. You’re never home—how are you going to protect your dad?”

“Who—who says I’m never home? I won’t go out to play tomorrow. I’ll stay home and keep an eye on that Si, Si, Si Uncle!”

“Good! It’s a deal.”

“Good, it’s a… mmph.”

Wen Yu covered Wen Xiaoyi’s mouth, both amused and exasperated. “Brother, why are you using reverse psychology on a child?”

“I won’t be able to once he grows up, will I? Xiao Yu, why didn’t you let him finish his promise?”

Wouldn’t it be great to solve two annoying problems at once?

Wen Yu chuckled softly, “If Xiaoyi wants to go out and play, just let him. Adult matters are none of their business.”

Mo Ke sounded surprised, “Xiao Yu, have you found out about Xue Shu’s background?” Just a few days ago, he was the most worried about Xiaoyi; why the sudden change of heart?

The hand ruffling the child’s hair paused. Wen Yu decided to be frank: “Yes, Brother, don’t worry about him anymore. He’s someone I know, and…”

Brushing past Wen Xiaoyi’s nose and lips, he whispered, “He’s a good person.”

Mo Ke pondered the “good person” assessment for a moment. “Alright, as long as you know what you’re doing.”

“Mm.”

“If Xiaoyi wants to go out and play, let him, but remember to come back early, understand?”

“Got it!”

After hanging up, Wen Yu let out a sigh.

Wen Xiaoyi blinked. “Daddy seems to have been unhappy all day? Is it because of that Uncle Si?”

“Yes.”

There was nothing to hide about it.

Just as he was thinking, Wen Xiaoyi leaned in and whispered secretly in his ear, “Actually, Xiaoyi doesn’t like him either.”

“Really?” Wen Yu found it strange. During Si Junjian’s time at the orphanage, Xiaoyi seemed to have always been out playing; they hardly interacted. Where did this dislike come from?

“Mm-hmm,” Wen Xiaoyi nodded repeatedly, his voice low, a little embarrassed about bad-mouthing an adult behind his back. “Actually, Little Brother told me.”

Wen Yu’s heart stirred. “What… did he say?”

“He said,” Wen Xiaoyi repeated slowly, “that person… is sanctimonious, and… puts on airs, and then fake something… and also… hypocritical!”

“…”

It seemed those words were quite difficult for him; he only remembered the beginning and the last two fully.

After finishing, Wen Xiaoyi even affirmed himself with an “mm” and asked with big innocent eyes, “Daddy, what does ‘sanctimonious’ mean?”

“…Pfft.” Wen Yu turned away and laughed. This wasn’t the tone one used to advise a child; it was clearly just venting.

“Sanctimonious means someone who appears moral on the surface but is corrupt inside.”

“Oh,” Wen Xiaoyi nodded. “Then what does ‘hypocritical’ mean?”

“It means being two-faced, appearing to be a good person but actually having bad intentions. It’s another way of saying Uncle is a bad guy.” Wen Yu couldn’t resist rubbing the puffed-up cheeks again. “Did he tell you anything else?”

“N-no, nothing else…” Wen Xiaoyi watched his dad’s expression, catching a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. He brightened up—it seemed Dad didn’t dislike that person after all.

He really could make Daddy happy.

Then…

Wen Xiaoyi giggled and burrowed into his dad’s arms, falling asleep contentedly.

—

Early the next morning, Wen Yu saw the strangely eager Wen Xiaoyi out the door.

He watched as Xiaoyi walked over to the person with the straw hat.

From a distance, that person didn’t dare lift the brim of the hat even a tiny bit.

Noting the white-knuckled grip on the hat’s edge, Wen Yu raised an eyebrow.

He took out his phone and texted Gu Wei.

[Qingqing Feather: Where is Xue Shu?]

[Playboy: !]

[Playboy: Are you thinking of reconsidering and returning to him?]

[Qingqing Feather: That’s called ‘a good horse doesn’t turn back to graze’…]

[Qingqing Feather: Wait, could you be more careful with your words?]

[Playboy: Hey, as long as you get it, right?]

Wen Yu’s hand paused—how did he understand that reference?

No.

[Qingqing Feather: Stop changing the subject. Where is Xue Shu?]

[Playboy: So you’ve really thought it through? I fully support you and my brother rekindling your relationship. If you haven’t made up your mind, why ask where he is?]

[Qingqing Feather: I’m just asking where he is.]

[Qingqing Feather: And there’s nothing to rekindle.]

[Playboy: Sigh, alright then.]

[Playboy: Where else? Keeping vigil in an empty house, all alone.]

[Qingqing Feather: …]

This person’s wording always managed to surprise Wen Yu.

He waited a moment before sending his next text.

[Qingqing Feather: I saw him.]

Gu Wei replied immediately.

[Playboy: Impossible.]

[Qingqing Feather: He saw me too.]

[Qingqing Feather: …]

Wen Yu closed the messaging app and leisurely waited for the messages to start pouring in rapidly.

[Playboy: What? What?]

[Playboy: That guy made his move!!!]

[Playboy: Wishing you a happy marriage in advance.]

[Playboy: Yes!]

[Playboy: Ooh la la.]

[Playboy: When you two eventually get together, you must, must remember to thank me.]

……

Wen Yu snorted a laugh.

[Qingqing Feather: Just kidding, I didn’t actually confront him directly.]

[Qingqing Feather: But now I know where he is.]

[Playboy: ?]

[Playboy: ?]

[Playboy: ?]

[Playboy: You…]

[Playboy: Please don’t tell him I was the one who spilled it.]

[Playboy: I don’t want to die yet.]

[Playboy: I have a family to support…]

Wen Yu laughed, a rare, relaxed laugh, and continued to tease him.

[Qingqing Feather: Well, actually, I did catch a glimpse of him. I was just checking with you. He probably has an idea himself too, he just doesn’t want to admit it yet.]

[Playboy: That’s good, that’s good.]

[Playboy: He… he’s just a bit awkward.]

[Playboy: Actually, he didn’t mean to mess up your life. He's having a hard time with it too.]

[Playboy: If possible, I hope you can have a good talk with him and listen to what he has to say.]

[Playboy: Maybe… maybe you’ll change your mind.]

[Playboy: Really, trust me on this.]

Wen Yu hesitated for a good while, finally exhaled, and typed a line.

[Qingqing Feather: Okay, I’ll consider it.]