Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Li Zhilin, who was handing strawberries to the little one, paused. He could already sense the subtle shift in his colleagues' gazes.

If they were bold enough to shout under Bai Sheng's nose right now, using a popular internet meme, it would go something like: "Baby, say goodbye to your foster father by blood! Now making their entrance are your biological parents—who don't share a single drop of blood with you!"

Boss, hand over the kid!

Assistant Li let out a soft sigh and looked at the toddler again.

Ever since the boss started bringing Xiaobai Nuo to work, even the coffee shop guy downstairs, who usually radiated resentment, seemed noticeably happier. He would even wait at the shop door around the time the boss got off work, just to say goodbye to Xiaobai Nuo.

Bai Group had always offered generous salaries and excellent benefits, but no matter how good the perks, work was still work—resentment still ran high. Plus, recruitment was based on ability, and some of the more capable individuals had rather eccentric personalities. It was hard to say they had a strong sense of belonging to Bai Group, with its inherently cold corporate culture.

But now, Xiaobai Nuo’s arrival perfectly filled that gap—it was essentially the same as getting a cat to boost morale at work.

So, boss, were you hiring employees or raising loyal followers?

Yesterday, for the first time, he saw this group receive an urgent notice to handle matters concerning the Liu family without a hint of dissatisfaction. Instead, they were filled with the pleasure of avenging their little one and the eagerness for double overtime pay. They struck wherever it hurt the most, and even if Bai Group suffered some losses as a result, well, it was the boss's money—the boss didn't care.

The lunch break passed quickly. Xiaobai Nuo had already returned to his father's office, holding the carefully selected strawberries.

The strawberries in the box had been washed and placed in a transparent plastic bowl, which the little one held in his arms as he sat beside his father.

The fruit provided by Bai Group was of excellent quality—the strawberries were large, sweet, and perfectly suited to the little one’s taste. He would pop one into his father’s mouth, then, with his eyes crinkling in a smile, hold a big strawberry in both hands and take bites.

Bai Sheng glanced at him, watching as the little one practically floated with happiness. He was a little distracted.

Truth be told, he hadn’t fully recovered from being kissed by this little guy earlier—he was still feeling a bit floaty.

He considered himself a good father. He had managed to embolden the little one a bit, and the sense of security from being spoiled had fostered a certain "willfulness," no longer as cautious as before.

See—if he wanted something, he could achieve it. Including raising a kid.

Bai Sheng curled his lips slightly with a hint of arrogance.

Perhaps his gaze lingered on Xiaobai Nuo for too long. The little one, who was munching on strawberries, looked up at his father and then managed to stuff the remaining half of his strawberry into his mouth. His little cheeks were puffed up, and he reached into the transparent fruit basket beside him to pick another big, red strawberry, holding it up to Bai Sheng.

His cheeks were full, and his voice was muffled, but his actions were deliberate—extremely considerate.

"Dad… eat… good, like it, Nono really likes strawberries—chew chew chew."

Bai Sheng snapped back to reality. He took the strawberry and couldn’t resist poking the little one’s cheek. As he pressed, one side of the cheek sank, and when he let go, the cheek puffed back up as the strawberry shifted back into place.

Xiaobai Nuo was busy chewing, and when his father poked him, he looked up with a confused expression.

Bai Sheng suddenly understood why so many parents online enjoyed teasing their kids—playing with a toddler this age was so much fun.

With that thought, Bai Sheng instinctively glanced around.

Hm, Ms. Cen Zhi wasn’t watching.

With this kid around, Bai Sheng had gotten used to arriving late and leaving early, and handling documents at home. Of course, he also didn’t want to be too predictable, avoiding a repeat of that time when someone waited to ram his car in revenge.

Today, Bai Sheng took Xiaobai Nuo back to the Bai family estate early. Cen Zhi was in the main building, and Bai Sheng brought the little one there.

After playing with toy cars, doing puzzles, and looking at picture books, the little one fetched the small box he had collected in his father’s office that morning, filled with various shiny metals and coins.

Then, he started a treasure hunt with his grandmother indoors.

Although payment methods were diverse and cash was rarely used, there were still plenty of coins accumulated over the years, casually stored in corners of the house. Plus, the Bai family often traveled abroad on business, so foreign coins were even more common at home.

Xiaobai Nuo played with his grandmother for nearly an hour, filling his little box halfway.

After the treasure hunt, the Bai family members gradually returned home.

In the past, they weren’t in the habit of heading straight to the main building after work, but recently—especially Bai Jingyun—coming to the main building and staying until after dinner had become routine.

And because of the great-grandfather, the eldest uncle’s status had risen in the little one’s eyes. With all the gifts arriving lately, the toddler would even greet him at the door when he got off work.

But today, it wasn’t the eldest uncle who returned.

Bai Liang tugged at his tie, a hint of fatigue in his expression. He turned his head slightly at the sound, his side profile cold, his smile seemingly absent in the shadows of the entryway, his eyes behind his glasses devoid of emotion.

He looked at Xiaobai Nuo, who had run over to the door, carrying a hard paper candy box.

Bai Liang instinctively put on his usual smile and blinked, as if trying to shake off the exhaustion in his eyes—he had stayed up for several nights verifying an experimental deduction. Even the most energetic alpha couldn’t hold up.

"Oh, here to welcome your second uncle?"

Bai Liang wasn’t close to this little one, but because he had seen the kid’s painful scene in the lab when he was with Bai Sheng, he couldn’t be cold to a child. He bent slightly and joked.

Xiaobai Nuo had thought it was his eldest uncle coming home. He looked up at his second uncle, paused for a moment, then spoke in a childish voice: "Second uncle, welcome home."

Bai Liang smiled, then noticed Cen Zhi walking behind Xiaobai Nuo. His smile faded a little.

It hadn’t been obvious during group meals, but now, seeing her second son, Cen Zhi’s expression also became somewhat flat. She nodded: "You’re back?"

Bai Liang replied: "Mom, I heard there was some trouble with Cousin’s variety show. Do you need any help?"

"It’s fine. You focus on your work. I can handle your cousin’s issues."

Cen Zhi’s interaction with Bai Liang was clearly not as natural as with her other children. She added: "Xiao Si is coming back later. Do you want to meet her?"

"Hm?"

Bai Liang had been about to change his shoes but paused at her words, frowning slightly.

Xiaobai Nuo noticed and looked between his grandmother and second uncle.

The little one didn’t really understand. Even in the books, the Bai family’s villains weren’t described in detail. In the story, the Bai family were just stepping stones and stumbling blocks on the protagonist’s path, destined to collapse and fall apart in the conflict.

Villains were cold, evil, twisted, and one-dimensional.

But now, in Nono's eyes—even the great-grandfather, who scared him the most—wasn’t that kind of villain.

Dad, Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, Auntie, Grandma, Grandpa, Great-Grandfather... they were all like Nono—they were all people.

Bai Liang seemed to think for a few seconds before quickly "giving in."

In truth, he didn’t know why he had come here instead of going to sleep. Probably because, in the past few days, he had seen on his Moments feed how lively the household was and couldn’t resist coming over. His nature as someone who loves a good show made him enjoy watching the Bai family bicker, but the days of fatigue had drained his mood.

Still, he smiled and said: "She’s coming back? Then I’ll skip greeting Grandpa. I’ve been up for a few nights. I’m going to sleep."

Cen Zhi nodded.

“Yeah, sure. Remember to eat, don’t be like your dad—totally ignoring his gut.”

Second Uncle was about to leave. Xiaobai Nuo watched the man about to turn around and suddenly remembered something: “Second Uncle, wait!”

“Hm?”

What?

Bai Liang stopped in his tracks and looked back at the little one again.

He watched as Xiaobai Nuo shoved the box filled with coins from various countries into Cen Zhi’s hands and then ran off with a patter of little feet.

Soon enough, the kid came running back with the little soft clay figure he’d made earlier clutched in his hand.

“Second Uncle, you’re leaving, right?”

“Yeah, Second Uncle doesn’t want to see your aunt. If you need me, come to my place.”

If Bai Sheng allowed it.

Second Uncle would sell kids, you know.

Bai Liang thought to himself, a polite smile still on his lips, his voice calm and steady.

But he stood in the shadow of the entryway, looking out of place and lonely.

The little guy raised the light blue soft clay figure high and handed it to Bai Liang.

“Second Uncle, Nuo Nuo made soft clay figures. Everyone gets one, and Second Uncle gets one too. Let Dou Dou keep you company.”

That soft clay figure had been appearing far too often on Moments lately. Now, presented right in front of him, it was as if it pulled him into that world from those posts.

Bai Liang hesitated for a moment, then suddenly smiled. He pointed at himself. “For me?”

“Mm-hmm!”

“Don’t waste your care on unimportant people, Nuo Nuo.”

Bai Liang smiled as he pushed up his glasses, his expression unchanged. But seeing the little guy’s slightly confused look, he playfully poked his cheek, then took the small clay figure.

He straightened up, stretched slightly, and placed his hand on the door handle.

“Well, I’ll take this one.”

Xiaobai Nuo took back the little box from his grandmother and rubbed his cheek. Before he could say anything, Bai Sheng, who had just come down from upstairs, caught the whole scene.

Bai Sheng clearly looked down on Bai Liang—or rather, in the Bai family, except for Cen Zhi, whom he didn’t dare look down on, and his own child, everyone else was beneath his notice.

Bai Sheng scooped the little one up, carefully took out a handkerchief, and meticulously wiped his face—giving an extra wipe where Bai Liang had touched him.

Then he lazily scared the kid: “Get too close to Second Uncle, and he might sell you.”

That wasn’t entirely wrong. That fox Bai Liang had always been the type to sell people out and still get them to count the money.

“Wah! Nuo Nuo doesn’t want to be separated from Daddy.”

The little cub’s eyes widened in shock as he clung to his father’s arm. So Second Uncle kidnaps kids?

“But Daddy won’t let Nuo Nuo be sold.”

“Daddy’s the best!”

Bai Sheng was addicted to teasing his cub, but this time, he hadn’t even managed to laugh before he got smacked by Mom.

Cen Zhi, who had just whacked Bai Sheng on the head with the little one’s picture book, hid the book behind her back when the kid looked over.

Bai Sheng glanced over his shoulder, then flopped onto the sofa with the cub in his arms, casually scratching his head.

He hadn’t even gotten a chance to show off yet.

Bai Sheng wasn’t upset. He just thought to himself.

Today, Nuo Nuo had kissed him. He still hadn’t had a chance to mention it.

Soon came dinner time. The old master was eating out with his old buddies and wouldn’t be back till after dinner. Bai Jingyun had an emergency meeting and wouldn’t be coming back to the old residence today. Bai Qi walked in right then.

Bai Qi had brought another gift for the little guy. She looked around seriously, didn’t spot any ‘competitors’ like Bai Jingyun, felt satisfied, and waited to see the little cub.

But after Xiaobai Nuo called out “Auntie,” he was completely absorbed by the food on his high chair table. He was now clutching his little spoon, eyes blissfully squinting as he dug in.

Bai Qi waited for a long time.

Bai Qi couldn’t help thinking: So there really isn’t one for Auntie?

She hadn’t cared about the Liu family, so the little guy shouldn’t mind that, right?

Hmph, of course. It wasn’t like she wanted that ugly little clay figure badly.

It’s just that Grandpa had one, so how could she be left out? Of course, this was purely Bai family competitiveness, nothing else.

As for coming back today? She’d said before that this little one was really weird, to the point where Big Brother and Third Brother almost seemed to get along—unimaginable. She would observe this little guy carefully to see if there was something off about him. Today is just observation—nothing to do with that clay figure.

As for the gift? Of course, it was a thank-you for the little guy helping her out with the light last time. What else could it be? Did she think she would pick it out, have someone buy it, and carry it back?

Ha, as if.

The little one’s food was already portioned out. He finished quickly and stared longingly at the adults’ food, like a stray puppy just brought home, still hungry. But Bai Sheng wiped his face clean and put him down to burn off his meal.

With a cub in the house, even a quiet one, the whole place suddenly became ‘lively.’

The little guy’s footsteps pattered around. The little surveillance bot behind him rolled along with a clatter. Wherever he went, servants cheerfully greeted him.

Bai Qi wasn’t used to this kind of chaos. She quickly finished her own meal, sat in her chair, and thought to herself.

This observation game was just about over.

Then the footsteps drew closer.

“Auntie, Auntie!”

Hm?

Bai Qi looked down. She caught a warm patch of light in her eyes, like a morning star rising from her palm.

She was stunned.

“A return gift. Nuo Nuo made it.”

Xiaobai Nuo handed Bai Qi the last small clay figurine made after Dou Dou.

And it was different from the others—this yellow Dou Dou clay piece was stuck onto a palm-sized light-up base, currently emitting a warm light.

"Auntie, Dad said this is called a light-up display stand. Press here and it'll light up."

It's not that he was playing favorites; every little clay figurine was designed by Xiaobai Nuo. The little one originally wanted to add a small light to Dou Dou's body, but he couldn't make it work, so he stuck on this tiny light-up stand instead.

Bai Qi automatically took the little clay figure from him.

It was a really childish clay thing, but super cute.

"Thank you for the gift, Auntie."

Xiaobai Nuo grinned, his eyes crinkling. Bai Sheng glanced over once, then looked away.

Bai Qi couldn't help turning her head: "...Smooth!"

Before Bai Qi could say anything else, the door opened again.

The old master was home.

Xiaobai Nuo hesitated for just a second, glanced at his dad, then at Dou Dou, mustered his courage, and padded over to the door with Dou Dou.

"Great-grandpa."

The little cub's voice rang out.

"Welcome home."

Bai Qi turned, then glanced at Bai Sheng. Bai Qian had gone upstairs to take care of something, and Cen Zhi had gotten a call and changed her plans to go out. Now it was just Bai Sheng and Bai Qi in the living room.

Bai Sheng had also finished eating. He still had that relaxed but intimidating air, looking at his phone, texting someone or other.

Bai Qi raised an eyebrow. "Third brother."

Without the little cub around, the atmosphere among the Bai family's top Alphas instantly turned cold, becoming tense and confrontational.

Bai Qi's tone turned cold: "I have no issue with you handling Liu Dong however you want, and I can lend a hand. But don't dismantle the Liu family entirely—I still need them. If it comes to that, I'll step in."

Bai Sheng glanced over lazily and sneered: "Are you asking my permission?"

"No, I'm informing you."

Bai Qi replied flatly, crossing her arms and leaning back.

"Liu Sen and her kid—even if we take Liu Dong down and get her a professional manager or something, that's as far as my goodwill goes."

She wasn't going to try to pick her up again, and she didn't intend to listen to her begging.

With Xiaobai Nuo not around, this was how the Bai family was. Even when Bai Sheng and Bai Qi had no real conflict, they didn't bother with pleasantries.

"You've held onto that favor for a long time."

Bai Sheng stood up and said casually, not indicating whether he agreed.

"You quarrel so fiercely with Bai Liang, yet you're close with outsiders. You're different from the eldest, second, and fifth—and from me too."

Was he really that different from her? Bai Qi had the strongest emotions among the Bai heirs of this generation.

In the past, Bai Sheng was certain he was different from Bai Qi too. But now, after getting used to having Xiaobai Nuo around, he wasn't so sure.

He just knew that now he wouldn't let anyone bully his little cub.

Bai Qi didn't stand. She just said softly: "Close with outsiders? No one in the Bai family cares about others' feelings, right?"

...No, it seemed someone cared now.

The little cub's voice came from the door: "Great-grandpa, did you catch any fish? ...Huh? No fish?"

Both Bai Sheng and Bai Qi heard the old master's somewhat irritated and firm voice: "Today I just went to check it out. Haven't even chummed the spot yet. Tomorrow—for sure, there'll be fish."

Bai Sheng walked to the door, watching Xiaobai Nuo circle around Bai Yan, and said: "Grandpa, you've been chumming the spot for days now. Still not ready? Or just admit you went to feed the fish. Nono asked if the fish you caught were tasty—I told him I'd make fish soup."

"...Shut up."

Wait, something was off.

The old master, who had just been welcomed home by the little cub for the first time, snapped out of it and looked at Bai Sheng in confusion: "Who's cooking?"

Today, feeling pumped up by the little cub's praise and thinking he could do anything, Bai Sheng had added cooking for the little guy to his to-do list.

"Me."

Wait, did Nono ask his dad to make fish soup?

The little guy saw his dad come out and ran back to him. Anyway—

"Dad is the best! Dad can do anything!"

Xiaobai Nuo was basically a dad-complimenting machine. Ever since Bai Sheng fixed Dou Dou, Dad had become, in Nono's eyes, absolutely amazing.

Old master: ...

Bai Qi, listening from inside: ...

Are you kidding me? What's up with this guy? Being all cheerful all day—isn't that weird?

Under their speechless stares, Bai Sheng picked up the little cub, as if he'd finally found the perfect moment to say: "After all, Nono said so himself, and he came over specially to kiss me."

Old master: ...?

Bai Qi: ...What?

So after all that buildup and waiting, he just wanted to say that to someone? Ha, as if anyone cares about that kiss?

Having said his piece, Bai Sheng couldn't be bothered with anyone else and finally carried the kid out of the main building toward where they lived.

"Will Dad cook tomorrow?"

Xiaobai Nuo held his dad's neck with one arm and clutched the small box he'd been collecting all day with the other. His dad had pulled the little hood over his head, flattening his curly hair, as he listened.

"Don't squirm too much. It's windy tonight. Keep your hood on."

Bai Sheng said this, thinking he really should learn a thing or two, just in case something came up and he couldn't take good care of the kid.

Bai Sheng was indeed a bit nervous.

After all, it had only been a short while since he got this little cub, and how many things had already happened?

The little one didn’t know what his father was thinking. He wasn’t picky about food, except for lemons and sour oranges, so he nodded obediently.

“Nono will help daddy!”

He said, then looked down at the little box in his arms.

Nono wanted to save all of these coins. When he had enough, he could support daddy too.

Just then, Bai Sheng stopped in his tracks.

The little cub instinctively turned to look and saw Assistant Li waiting at the door.

“Uncle Li.”

“Little Master.”

Assistant Li’s expression softened slightly as he handed the items he was holding to Bai Sheng.

“Boss, here you go.”

“Mm.”

Bai Sheng nodded to Assistant Li, then carried both the cub and the bag into the house.

The little cub was a bit curious about the bag Bai Sheng was carrying.

After entering, the little one greeted Grandma Feng and the others, and then his father scooped him up and opened the bag.

Inside was a strawberry-shaped piggy bank.

It was made of a special material, durable and beautiful, sparkling under the light.

“Daddy?”

The little one looked at the beautiful jar, then at Bai Sheng.

Bai Sheng nodded, pointed at the jar, and said with complete indulgence for the little one’s collection of trinkets: “It’s Nono’s. Put everything you collected today in there. Later, carry it to your bedside yourself.”

He even reached in to help the little one collect the coins and drop them into the piggy bank one by one.

Xiaobai Nuo watched. He didn’t recognize it as a piggy bank; he only knew that when he wanted Dou Dou back, daddy fixed Dou Dou, and when he wanted to collect these metal coins, daddy gave him a beautiful jar.

It was like living in a dream.

If only it could always be like this—always like this.

The little one dropped a few coins too, listening to them clink and fall. It was too dreamlike, and he felt a little uneasy.

“Daddy, Nono already has so much.”

He stretched out his arms and gestured, as if recalling something someone had said, his eyes blinking.

“Nono will become greedy. He’ll get spoiled.”

Greedy, spoiled children aren’t liked. Nono wanted to be liked, so he had to be good. Nono wanted to keep things like this forever, so he kept telling himself to treasure it and not be greedy. Then he would be happy.

But then Xiaobai Nuo heard Bai Sheng say, “No, you won’t.”

“Even if you do,” Bai Sheng dropped a few more coins into the piggy bank, looking at his cub—he wished his cub could be a little more mischievous—“then go ahead and get spoiled—let daddy see.”

Bai Sheng wanted this little one, who was always so cautious, to know that his cub could be a little more greedy.

The little one looked up at him, his innocent round eyes slightly dazed. Then after a moment, he hugged the strawberry piggy bank and looked at it carefully. In truth, he had been happy from the very start. Even though he was afraid of becoming greedy, he couldn’t help being happy.

Author’s note:

Baby: Just breathing.JPG

Auntie: Your tactics are formidable.

Dad: “I’ve been building up to this all day”—you guys know the cub kissed me, right?

Great-grandfather, Auntie: ???