Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Pfft!

Bai Jingyun, who had let the little cub down, also showed a slightly sour, twisted expression, but he laughed at the astonishment on Aunt Feng's face.

This kid didn't inherit any of Bai Sheng's slyness at all—he was way too honest, wasn't he?

"Didn't your dad ever tell you to stay away from me?"

Bai Jingyun's usually expressionless face wore a faint smile, as if amused or mocking.

"I won't go easy on a kid like you."

"Young Master, teasing a little kid like this is a bit much..."

Aunt Feng never expected Bai Jingyun to tease the cub like this. Though licking a lemon slice was just a mischievous prank, Aunt Feng's heart ached for this little cub.

She was just an ordinary beta, and facing these top Alphas, especially one who seemed hostile to them, took a lot of courage.

But from the past two days, it was clear that Xiaobai Nuo was extremely well-behaved—a quiet, never-fussy, poor little thing who'd never had anything of his own.

She should have taken a detour—but that wouldn't work either. In the old mansion, one could easily run into any of the young masters and ladies, and encounters were inevitable—it was impossible to avoid running into someone.

Before Bai Jingyun could speak, he heard the little one's usual soft, sweet voice: "Bad Uncle!"

Nono had thought that anyone who gave him food couldn't be bad. Nono was almost ready to trust you.

But you made Nono lose so bad!

The childish, tender voice rose at the end from the sourness, but he didn't cry. He just hugged Aunt Feng and protested in a babyish voice.

A subtle emotion flickered across Bai Jingyun's face.

...Uncle?

Oh, right. This little one would indeed call him uncle.

Watching the little cub scrunch up his face, protesting so softly—the Bai family had never had anyone so soft and sweet.

Bai Jingyun was used to coldness, mockery, and many other emotions. Suddenly faced with this soft little cub, his expression slightly relaxed. He touched the tip of his nose, feeling a weird twinge of guilt.

Before Aunt Feng could retreat with the cub in her arms, Bai Jingyun stepped aside slightly, blocking her path. He stared at the cute little face and muttered, a little surprised.

"Isn't that a bit much?"

It was just a lick—was it really that sour?

Bai Jingyun suddenly remembered—children's taste buds seemed to be more sensitive than adults'.

Tsk.

He didn't really give a damn about a kid's feelings, but since he'd started it, he wasn't about to make him cry, was he?

Bai Jingyun leaned in for a look.

He wasn't crying.

Seeing the cub's wide-eyed accusation, this little thing didn't seem afraid of him at all.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bai Jingyun saw a figure at the end of the path. His eyes went cold again. He reached out, like he was about to take the cub from Aunt Feng.

"You can't take a joke."

As he spoke, his hand was only halfway out when it was smacked away.

A sharp slap—Bai Jingyun's hand was smacked away.

He silently stepped back and glanced at his instantly reddened hand.

He looked up at Bai Sheng, whose clothes were a bit disheveled and who was frowning at him with irritation.

Bai Jingyun was genuinely surprised—not by Bai Sheng's force, but by how fast he had arrived, clearly agitated.

This guy had only been with the kid a few days, and now he cares this much?

Bai Jingyun looked back at the little cub, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

Then the next second, the little rascal, whom he thought would definitely make a fuss, let out a whimper and reached out to Bai Sheng, calling softly, "Dad, Dad—"

He was taken by Bai Sheng, and his tattling voice was ridiculously cute: "Dad, Dad, that thing earlier—was that called 'lemon'?"

Halfway through, the cub, still fixated on the sour taste in his mouth, paused for two seconds. After being 'hit' by the lemon, he almost forgot the culprit's name, looking uncertainly at Bai Jingyun.

Bai Jingyun: ... "Lemon."

"Thank you."

The polite little one nodded instinctively in thanks, then turned back to keep complaining, tilting his face up.

"Dad, Dad, Uncle's lemon 'hit' me."

Bai Sheng: ...

Lemons can't hit people.

...Never mind.

Bai Sheng adjusted the cub in his arms and looked at Bai Jingyun.

Their eyes met, both laced with mockery.

"Big Brother certainly has the leisure to bully a kid."

Bai Sheng's lips curled into a sharp smile, his voice icy.

"Is the company that slow these days?"

"Not as slow as you," Bai Jingyun replied, his expression unchanged. "You've even got time to raise a kid."

Bai Sheng couldn't be bothered to beat around the bush with Bai Jingyun. His relationship with his eldest brother was the worst of all. He didn't have any real feelings about this brother, but since childhood, Bai Jingyun had disliked him. Bai Sheng understood—as the eldest son of the Bai family, being outdone in everything and hearing about it all the time would naturally make anyone resentful. But Bai Sheng wasn't about to give in because of some messy family ties.

So he just warned,

"Nono is easily scared. If you have something to say to me, Big Brother, come straight to me. There's no need to scare Nono in the morning. We're brothers—no need to pretend, right?"

Bai Sheng held the little one securely, thinking to himself that he shouldn't have agreed when the cub wanted to take a turn around the old mansion. Just walking in the small garden would have been fine—even with someone watching, accidents could happen.

But he had overestimated Bai Jingyun. Bai Sheng's eyes grew colder.

He had originally thought that Bai Jingyun, no matter what, wouldn't resort to pressuring him or laying a hand on a child.

Morning?

Bai Jingyun coldly stared at Bai Sheng, not even bothering to explain.

The little one, who had been tattling in his father's arms, lifted his head. The sourness had passed, and he sensed the tense atmosphere between his father and his uncle. The cub blinked.

Suddenly, in a moment when no one dared to speak, he piped up softly: "Daddy, in the morning, Nono was too close to the thorns. It was Uncle who moved Nono aside."

Even though Uncle was a bad uncle, Nono is a fair and truthful little cub.

Holding onto Bai Sheng's neck, the cub's voice was soft, but still sounding a bit resentful as he tattled again.

"But just now, Uncle's lemon 'hit' Nono."

Serious yet lispy—talking about being hit by a lemon and all that, it was ridiculously cute.

Bai Sheng and Bai Jingyun's gazes both landed on the little cub's face.

The two, who had been at odds since childhood, were both momentarily speechless, and the atmosphere strangely softened and eased.

Bai Sheng finally couldn't resist tousling the little cub's curly hair, then weighed the light bundle in his arms.

"Where would a lemon get hands and feet to hit you? We're not coming here to hang around next time; let's go home for dinner."

Bai Sheng couldn't be bothered to talk to Bai Jingyun anymore. He turned and left, carrying the cub.

Bai Jingyun was left watching the little one being carried off by Bai Sheng, a slightly complicated expression on his face.

Bai Jingyun saw from a distance the cub stick out his tongue and mumble vaguely to his father: "It 'hit' Nono's tongue."

Then Bai Sheng popped a piece of milk candy into the cub's mouth. The little one, who had been so upset moments before, instantly perked up, happily hugging Bai Sheng's neck and snuggling close.

"Eat, Nono likes eating."

In an instant, he forgot everything that had just happened.

Are kids' moods always this changeable?

Just a moment ago, he was calling him a bad uncle without letting up.

Watching them leave, Bai Jingyun slowly made his way back to the small bar.

The child's milky voice gradually faded away. The sky darkened, the sunset disappeared, and as the lights came on, only the cold white glow of the lampposts in Bai Jingyun's courtyard remained. Silence fell again. At that moment, the world seemed split into two different colors.

Bai Jingyun continued slicing the lemon, his expression icy.

Was he thinking about that little one? Of course, he had already said he wasn't the type to lay a hand on a child, and since the other was Bai Sheng's cub, he naturally wouldn't have any special feelings for him. He was just irritated that today's prank had gone a bit too far.

Bai Jingyun lowered his eyes to the lemon slices on the table. The slice the little cub had licked was already thrown away. Instead of mixing a drink, he picked up another lemon slice and put it in his mouth.

Mmm, that's really sour.

They were almost at the doorstep.

Bai Sheng was still talking to the little one.

The cub held the small monitor in his hands, and Aunt Feng was still following behind, listening to the Third Master's unusually grumbling monologue.

"See? Outside, everyone is a bad person."

Bai Sheng said this while casually pinching the cub's cheek.

The cub was savoring the milk candy in his mouth. He didn't chew, just bulged one cheek, held Bai Sheng's neck, and though it was unclear if he fully understood, he vaguely repeated his father's last words in his milky voice: "Bad person, bad person!"

Bai Sheng continued.

"Here, only Daddy is good to you. So don't get curious and get too close to others. Tomorrow, your grandfather is coming back. In the afternoon, we'll go eat at the house in the middle. You don't need to talk to your uncle, and you don't need to pay attention to your grandfather. If you want to make friends, Daddy has found you some playmates your age. I'll take you to meet them."

The little cub squinted blissfully: "Meet, meet!"

Bai Sheng squinted, pinching his cub's little cheek again.

Did this little one really understand?

Why did it feel like the cub had been 'enchanted' by the candy?

"Did you understand what Daddy just said?"

Xiaobai Nuo blinked, still holding the candy in his mouth, and nodded vigorously.

"Nono heard everything."

The cub, cheeks puffed, smiled with curved eyes.

Compared to his slightly cautious attitude before, he was now much more affectionate.

"Being so obedient? Not afraid Daddy might trick you? Or say nonsense to fool you?"

Bai Sheng looked at this easygoing cub, who even tattled about being hit by a lemon in such an adorable way. He really worried that the little one might get bullied someday.

The cub blinked, still mumbling a bit: "It's okay. Nono will always stand by Daddy's side anyway." Even if he had to be the villain cub, he'd stand by Daddy's side.

Always stand by my side...? Bai Sheng was stunned for a moment. He averted his eyes slightly and asked as he pushed open the door: "Then what's with that silly smile?"

The little one gestured with his little hands: "Because today Nono got to eat two pieces of candy. Nono is so happy today!"

The cub, smelling of milk candy, tentatively hugged his parent's neck again. Seeing that Bai Sheng didn't resist, he held on a bit tighter and continued: "Daddy gave his candy to Nono. Nono really likes Daddy."

Author's note:

Nono: Two sentences to turn his dad into putty in his hands.jpg

Uncle: So sour — 'Don't get me wrong, I'm talking about the lemon.'