Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Jiang Jining liked Xingxing.

This realization made Fu Yuze feel both moved and a sense of connection.

Nothing clarified his thoughts more than seeing two adorable people snuggled together: if possible, he even wanted Jiang Jining to appear in his life in a legitimate, fitting way.

Only he himself knew it wasn't a whim.

Last night's dream proved it.

Just one glance from the balcony, and his heart had grown so wicked.

During his shower this morning, Fu Yuze felt his morals and reason wrestling—how had he criticized Bian Jiacheng for having ill intentions toward Jiang Jining back then?

He'd forgotten.

How had he confidently declared he wouldn't be attracted to a pretty young man staying at home?

He hadn't examined the question carefully at the time.

How had he promised to take good care of Jiang Jining?

He had taken care of him, taken very good care of him, had him eating two big bowls right away.

All problems resolved themselves.

When it came to romantic experience, Fu Yuze had none. Even determining his orientation was because he had never felt any desire to explore the opposite sex's body. Since childhood, he had only ever considered a lifetime commitment to food, and to him, that seemed perfectly normal.

Appetite was also a form of desire. The heart was close to the stomach; satisfying one could suppress the other, keeping love and sexual desire within controllable limits.

Now that balance was broken.

After Jiang Jining appeared, dreams reflected the heart, their lewdness making Fu Yuze wonder if he had been sexually repressed for too long?

Yet, the subject of his dream was still a child.

A gentleman is judged by his actions, not his thoughts.

A night passed, and Fu Yuze could still remain as calm as still water.

The allure and charm of dreams were nothing compared to the scene before him now, which confirmed that his feelings for Jiang Jining were more than just a fleeting impulse.

In just ten seconds.

Fu Yuze first mentally reviewed his interactions with Bian Han and his general impression of her, then spared a second to prepare an explanation for Bian Jiacheng—nothing more than Jiang Jining leaving on his own, asking him to personally bring Jiang Jining home.

Good.

The situation was still quite stable.

Xingxing suddenly straightened up in Jiang Jining's arms, raised his little arms, shook his body twice, eagerly opened his hands, his eyes bright, "Whee—"

Jiang Jining turned and saw Fu Yuze, so he walked closer with the child.

Xingxing was immediately eager to leap over.

Fu Yuze raised an arm to block, and Xingxing threw himself onto his forearm with a burst of giggles.

Jiang Jining was glad he hadn't let go, swiftly pulling the child back, and couldn't help but gently pat his little hand, chiding, "...That was too dangerous."

"You too." He frowned at Fu Yuze. "What if he fell? Why didn't you hold him properly?"

"If you'd let go, I would have just picked him up."

Fu Yuze briefly enjoyed the sight of the beauty's annoyed expression, then opened his hands to show his apron. "Wouldn't want to get him dirty."

He smiled faintly, reaching up to scratch the child's chin and cheek. The little one also tilted his head, letting him touch and nuzzle his palm.

A perfect picture of fatherly affection and filial piety.

Jiang Jining was momentarily speechless, realizing his admonishment was inappropriate, so he changed the subject: "You... his mother went to look for something in the car. I'm just holding him for a while."

"Is that so?" Fu Yuze looked behind him.

"You hold him." Jiang Jining saw how clingy Xingxing was to Fu Yuze, not letting go of his hand, and said, "I'll take your apron for you."

Fu Yuze averted his gaze and took the initiative to take it off, setting it aside.

He scooped up the little one from Jiang Jining's arms, holding him against his chest with one arm, and brought Ji Huan's diaper bag from the chair into the hall. "It's getting hotter. Come inside and play with him. We'll eat soon."

Since he had run into a family member, Fu Yuze didn't plan to hide anything.

"I'll go upstairs to rest."

Jiang Jining couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

He had watched TV with the nannies. This world was monogamous. Even if Fu Yuze and his wife weren't married, they had a lovely child, raised so well, and the child's mother was so strikingly beautiful, dignified, and gracious—the two of them must have feelings for each other.

He hadn't heard clearly before.

But how... could he not ask about it?

"What's wrong?"

Fu Yuze was worried he might be unwell.

Just like with Xingxing, he took Jiang Jining's hand and squeezed it to check the temperature. It was warm, fine.

Jiang Jining immediately pulled away.

Fu Yuze's hand hung in the air for a moment before slowly withdrawing. In that second, he knew he had crossed a line.

"Sorry," Fu Yuze said.

Jiang Jining, under Xingxing's innocent gaze, felt a surge of guilt. Seeing Fu Yuze still looking somewhat puzzled, as if at a loss for words, he wondered:

Didn't he think this was wrong?

Jiang Jining thought for a moment and tried to advise: "...Your baby is very cute, very much like you. His mother is also very kind. Whether you live together or not, if you talk too much with outsiders in front of her and the child... it would likely hurt her feelings."

Fu Yuze was still mentally calculating boundaries when he heard this, and his eyebrow twitched uncontrollably.

Perfect timing.

Just then, Ji Huan walked in.

Without a second thought, Fu Yuze called out, "Sis-in-law."

Sis... I mean, sister-in-law?

Jiang Jining looked at him, then at Ji Huan, staring blankly for a moment.

"Why are you alone with Xingxing?"

Fu Yuze first asked where the nanny was, then threw in casually, "Where's my brother?"

"Ah Sheng had a last-minute meeting. Xingxing was too restless to stay put at home, so I brought him over first to let him run around a bit." Ji Huan briefly explained the situation.

Fu Yuze hummed in acknowledgment, thinking to himself he wished he hadn't suggested Fu Huaisheng take Xingxing out to burn off energy.

Jiang Jining was shy around strangers and probably wasn't very comfortable with this kind of situation.

A surprise visit.

No wonder he jumped to conclusions.

To wrap up the introductions, Fu Yuze said to Jiang Jining: "Ji Huan, founder of the Yunzhi brand, my eldest brother's wife, Xingxing's mother."

When it came to introducing Jiang Jining to Ji Huan, he was terse, just saying "Jiang Jining."

Fu Yuze had his own personal reasons.

However, Jiang Jining didn't mind—his own identity was awkward to explain; the more said, the more mistakes could be made.

Sister-in-law...

Eldest brother's wife.

Xingxing looked a bit like his biological uncle Fu Yuze, they were as close as father and son, and Fu Yuze had experience taking care of children.

The logic was completely sound.

Jiang Jining cringed at his own rashness.

Fortunately, Fu Yuze didn't mind his earlier unsolicited advice at all. Collecting himself, he greeted, "Miss Ji."

Ji Huan smiled. "No need to be so formal. You look so young, just call me sister-in-law like Yuze does."

Jiang Jining thought that would be more convenient too. "Sister-in-law."

Fu Yuze's lips curved into a faint smile.

He scooped up the nephew who was intently gnawing on his face from his shoulder, even his scolding carried a hint of laughter. "Aren't you getting me dirty?"

"Come here, let Mommy hold you."

Ji Huan clapped her hands and took her son back, adjusting his bib, then looked at Fu Yuze, Jiang Jining, and the dining table behind them. "This... are Xingxing and I mooching off of Xiao Jiang?"

Jiang Jining shook his head.

Fu Yuze hadn't mentioned having a guest today at all.

If he had, he definitely wouldn't have been so rude earlier.

"Perfect timing to eat together." Fu Yuze pulled out chairs opposite each other for the two of them, served rice, and placed it in front of each. He asked, "Is my brother not coming to eat?"

"If we wait for him to finish, everyone will be eating cold food."

Ji Huan asked Fu Yuze to grab the child's plate, and after taking it, said, "Don't worry about Xingxing for now."

There's a guest.

Once a messy eater is at the table, the adults won't get to eat in peace.

But Fu Yuze was very principled. He picked up the little bean who tried to climb down as soon as he started eating, kept a firm grip on him, and sat down next to Jiang Jining, saying, "You eat properly too, set a good example."

Jiang Jining: "..."

Was Fu Yuze treating him like a child by saying that? He retorted, "I don't need you to tell me."

Fu Yuze came over and fastened Xingxing's bib again, wiped his little hands twice, placed a soft, stewed rib from the plate that had cooled to a suitable temperature near the little one's mouth, watched him blink and lick it, then promptly put it in his hand. "Eat it yourself."

And so, Xingxing sat in Fu Yuze's lap.

He didn't struggle anymore, his fan-like eyelashes fluttered a few times as he nibbled and munched in small bites.

Ji Huan seemed unfazed, not even making a move to intervene. She took a sip of soup and smiled. "Delicious, your cooking skills have improved."

Jiang Jining watched, wide-eyed, and still had a small opinion: "He's so little, eating by himself will dirty his face and hands..."

After eating like this, he'll be a little mess.

"We'll clean him up after."

Fu Yuze had roughly figured out Jiang Jining's ranking of food preferences. Using serving chopsticks, he piled a small mountain of food into a separate section for him. "For a kid like him who doesn't like to eat, the priority of self-feeding outweighs everything else."

Jiang Jining looked at the relatively well-behaved Xingxing. "He doesn't like to eat?"

But the baby is so plump and fair!

"Much worse than you."

Fu Yuze arranged things for the big one, then the little one.

Hearing this, Jiang Jining sought confirmation from Ji Huan, who was happy to explain: "Don't let Xingxing's roundness fool you. If we don't force him to eat, he'll only drink milk. This can't go on."

Fu Yuze was a notoriously picky eater since childhood.

As someone who's been through it, if he was willing to take the initiative to manage his nephew's eating, from the elders in the Fu family down to the professional nannies, no one would stop or interfere with any of his methods.

Including letting the apple of the family's eye eat off the floor.

The conversation at the table was simple.

With a cute little eater beside him, Fu Yuze's cooking methods and utensils today were different from usual, full of rustic charm, and the ingredients were dug up by hand himself.

Before he knew it.

Jiang Jining even went for a second helping.

So this is what it feels like to be hungry and then full... It's wonderful. He never had the chance to be hungry before, let alone do physical labor. Every day was spent either lying down, sitting, or reclining.

Fu Yuze praised him for finishing his plate. "Not bad."

But Jiang Jining didn't want that kind of praise.

He glanced at Ji Huan's smiling face, his ears secretly turning red. Just as he was about to retort, Fu Yuze looked at Xingxing, who was biting into a cornbread dipped in meat juices, smoothed down the stray hair on his forehead, and said, "Xing Zai ate well today too."

Jiang Jining trailed off: "..."

Never mind, saying it would just make it weirder.

After eating his fill, Xingxing licked his lips, marking the end of the meal.

Ji Huan was about to take her son to wash up when her phone, which had been quiet on the table, buzzed. She glanced at it, stood up, and said, "Hold on, I need to take a work call."

Jiang Jining nodded.

Fu Yuze took charge of wiping down the grimy little kid, but the boy was still greasy, so he decided directly, "Let's head upstairs for a bath."

Jiang Jining, recalling his rough feeding method earlier and looking at the small, fair, and tender Xingxing, couldn't help but worry, "Have you ever bathed a child before?"

Fu Yuze rolled up his sweatshirt sleeves, "Nope, but we can try."

"..."

Jiang Jining was truly unimpressed. He glanced at Ji Huan, who was still handling work, stood up, and said, "Should I help you?"

Fu Yuze couldn't have asked for more, "Perfect."