Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Meanwhile, Bai Sheng, who had also taken Xiaobai Nuo out to eat, was thinking—this was really serious. Xiaobai Nuo cared about this little camera more than he had imagined.

Because the little one, who was always very careful with food and would forget everything else while eating, with little sparkles floating around him, was clearly not in high spirits at lunch today.

Even food couldn't cheer Xiaobai Nuo up.

Bai Sheng's brows furrowed, getting more annoyed.

The rest of the Bai family didn't know yet that the little one had been bullied, but the Liu family was on par with the Xie family in terms of scale, not exactly small. Bai Sheng was making big moves, and Bai Jingyun, who paid the most attention to Bai Sheng, would probably figure it out soon.

Bai Sheng couldn't care less about that. He was only fixated on the little guy who usually chattered away in his ear, telling him about everything he did, now looking listless, with a faint redness around his eyes, clinging to Dou Dou and not letting go. After placing Xiaobai Nuo into the baby chair and fastening the seatbelt, Bai Sheng calmed his emotions and glanced at Halle Garrison, who was poking his head in and out of the restaurant entrance.

This foreign gentleman was clearly curious about Xiaobai Nuo, but because the little one was in low spirits and only called him "uncle" obediently before having little reaction, Harley had the sense not to come over at this moment. He knew that when a young child was sad and upset, a stranger forcing themselves on them might only make the little one more uncomfortable.

So, even though he couldn't get over from the very first meeting at how Bai Sheng could have such an adorable little Omega kid—far cuter than in the photos—Harley maintained a safe distance.

But it had to be said—Mr. Bai San, maybe you should take a photography class or something? What kind of photos are you taking? If you could capture even a tenth of his cuteness!

Bai Sheng closed the car door before walking over to Harley.

"Mr. Harley, sorry I wasn't a better host today. I'll have someone from my office take you back to the hotel."

"Mr. Bai, you're way too kind. Your child is as adorable as you said. You're a good father. I like the atmosphere between you and your child; it makes me feel you're not just a cold-hearted money-making machine. Just kidding, Mr. Bai. I believe our cooperation will go smoothly. If you encounter any trouble abroad, I'd be happy to offer some assistance."

Harley extended his hand and shook Bai Sheng's, then couldn't help asking.

"Oh, if you don't mind me asking, does the little angel want a godfather?" Overseas, such things were normal, and he would be very happy to...

"No need." Bai Sheng's gaze turned somewhat wary.

Trying to steal my kid?

Harley: ... Wow, you didn't even hesitate. Stop looking at me like I'm a kidnapper!

Harley smiled.

"Then let's meet next time. Next time, Hope you've gotten the little guy all cheered up."

At the same time, the car window rolled down. The little one, still with red eyes, sitting in the child seat, looked over sweetly again. "Goodbye, Uncle."

Still feeling upset himself! Harley felt like his heart was being ripped out—he thought he could have several more collaborations with Bai Sheng, just to see this adorable little Omega a few more times. After all, it was truly wonderful; the adult world was complicated, but a little one like this seemed to melt away all that adult numbness and irritation.

The moment Bai Sheng brought Xiaobai Nuo back to the Bai family residence, several parties received the news.

In Bai Jingyun's office, still on his lunch break, Bai Jingyun was sitting there with headphones on, rare for him—not looking at documents, but doodling on a piece of paper.

As if he heard something, he raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at his phone, which was propped up on a stand. "A toy from this brand?"

On the other end was a male Beta in a button-down shirt, yawning sleepily. He was abroad, with the night sky behind him, and he propped his chin with a slightly annoyed look. "Don't ask, just listen and write. I've already done the research for my own nephew. These brands are safe bets. Don't ask me how I studied them. I'm not your assistant. Get your assistant to look it up. I'm just giving you my personal experience."

Bai Jingyun nodded noncommittally.

The other person on the video call was Lin Ren, the same one who had recommended snacks suitable for young children last time. He was a year younger than Bai Jingyun, a schoolmate and friend, currently on a business trip abroad and hadn't returned. He had a nephew a few years older than Xiaobai Nuo and had just gone through the phase of coaxing a four or five-year-old, so he was experienced.

That was why Bai Jingyun had pulled him up for this round—Lin Ren was also still up.

"Funny thing is, don't you hate your third brother the most?"

"Bai San is Bai San, and Nuo Nuo is Nuo Nuo."

Bai Jingyun didn't hide it. He laid his cards on the table: he needed to find a way to elevate his own status in Xiaobai Nuo's heart, before the rest of the Bai family catch on and get the same idea.

"Fine, I can't figure you out."

Lin Ren yawned again.

"That's it?"

"That's about it for toys."

"Then go get some sleep. I'm hanging up."

Lin Ren: ... "Hey, kid, why do you use me and then dump me like that again!!!"

"Good night." Bai Jingyun, without even changing his expression, ended the call.

Then he made a call, ordering someone to send Lin Ren the limited-edition sports car he liked.

The Lin family was also a major business partner of Bai Jingyun's. And to be honest, although Bai Jingyun wasn't exactly a people person, he wasn't as arrogant as Bai Sheng, who thought everyone around him was a moron. It was just that besides Lin Ren, he really didn't have many friends.

But just as he was about to put down the phone, Bai Jingyun paused, hearing a report from his people.

Although Bai Jingyun had recently reduced his actions against Bai Sheng, his people still instinctively kept an eye on Bai Sheng's every move.

Now Bai Jingyun raised his eyebrows slightly.

"What do you mean? Bai San took Nuo Nuo home? Got bullied outside?"

"Go get the details if you don't have them. Check where Nuo Nuo was this morning, ask what happened. Scrap today's regular meeting. I'm leaving the office this afternoon. Text me if anything comes up."

With that, Bai Jingyun picked up the suit jacket draped nearby and got up.

The assistant outside heard the noise and happened to be going out as Bai Jingyun walked out. The assistant caught a bit of the conversation and looked slightly confused.

He heard their boss say, with obvious dissatisfaction, "What the hell is Bai San even doing?"

At the old Bai mansion, the old man at home had also received the news. He was practicing his calligraphy with a brush, but upon hearing this, he raised an eyebrow and set down his brush.

Meanwhile, Xiaobai Nuo had already pitter-pattered up the stairs with Dou Dou and entered Bai Sheng's bedroom.

The little one had been sleeping with his dad for the past couple of days, even moved Dou Dou's charger into Bai Sheng's room.

Bai Sheng followed behind him. Aunt Feng, who had returned with them, was fuming and telling the other staff in the house about what had happened today.

Bai Sheng entered the room and watched the little one put Dou Dou on the charger. The familiar charging light didn't turn on, and the little monitor's battery was almost dead.

It seemed the charging contact was also broken.

Bai Sheng thought to himself. He had no idea how to comfort a kid. He had tried to comfort the little one all the way home, but ended up being comforted by the little guy instead, with the little one saying he was fine and "Don't worry, Dad."

Bai Sheng said nothing, simply urging the delivery person to hurry up and send the items.

His kid was about to cry again.

Xiaobai Nuo pursed his lips: "Hello, Dou Dou, don't die."

"Partial data loss, movement impaired, battery critically low. Hello, don't be sad. Dou Dou has completed its task excellently. After inspection, this unit will shut down in sixty seconds. Perhaps this unit cannot be turned on again, but there are thousands of other Dou Dous, and we are all the same."

"They are not the same. Nono's Dou Dou is unique, boohoo... Dou Dou, don't die. Dad said he would fix you."

The little kid started crying again after discovering the monitor couldn't charge.

For the little one, charging the monitor was like eating, and if you could eat properly, you'd survive. But now the monitor couldn't even eat; in the apocalypse, it usually meant it was already sick or injured and near death.

The little one was genuinely sad for the monitor's inability to 'eat.'

"Thank you for saying Dou Dou is unique. Don't cry for Dou Dou. Dou Dou is a monitoring AI designed for kids. Human philosophers usually define death in two parts: one is the physical demise, and the other is being forgotten by loved ones. Losing life is the first death, being forgotten is the second."

"But for AI, there is only one death: being forgotten. The opposite of forgetting is remembering. As long as all our shared experiences are remembered, Dou Dou will always be here, and Dou Dou will always be with Nono as he grows up."

"If only Nono hadn't knocked you down back then... boohoo..."

Seeing that the little monitor had once again made his kid cry with just a few words, it was quoting extensively from classics and databases—having a database was great, it could search anything—but—

Bai Sheng: ...It can be fixed. Did you hear me, you little smart-ass? I said I can fix it!!!! If you make this little one cry again, I'll dismantle you right now.

Bai Sheng strode in, looking at the little monitor that had only sixty seconds left but had somehow lasted longer.

Bai Sheng held Bai Nuo in his arms, his sad little curly hair drooping. The little kid, still covered in dust, nestled into his father's arms, looked up, and pleaded in a soft, babyish voice: "Dad, Dad, Dou Dou can't eat. Fix Dou Dou so he can eat."

The little one trusted his father, but he was also nervous. He had never experienced something like this before, and everything he once owned had never come back after being destroyed.

For Xiaobai Nuo, losing meant losing forever.

"Hello, Dou Dou."

Bai Sheng took a deep breath and spoke. He really didn't know how to comfort a kid, so he chose to give the little one a sense of security in a way he was used to.

The monitor responded: "Hello, how can I help you? Low battery, low battery—"

"I will help you repair the damaged data parts, replace the storage board, overhaul the motherboard..."

Bai Sheng's voice was slightly hoarse, casual yet fluent. He had only looked up the little monitor's parts on his phone but already understood its structure fairly well.

"That sounds very professional. According to analysis, the repair steps you mentioned are all correct, and some skills can only be done by senior engineers—low battery, shutting down in ten seconds—"

Bai Sheng looked at the broken little monitor, then down at the kid in his arms, who was looking at him with hope, wishing his father could be omnipotent.

The little monitor's shutdown countdown changed to one, and its lights went out instantly.

So, yes.

Yes, if Nono wanted, Dad could be omnipotent.

As the little one’s eyes gradually lit up, Bai Sheng spoke to Dou Dou, but his eyes were on Xiaobai Nuo in his arms.

Calm and reliable, he wiped the little one's face with a tissue.

"Hello, Dou Dou. See you later."

Author's note:

Bai family: What the hell is Bai Sheng good for!

Bai Sheng: "I'm pissed."