Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Cen Liu, always trying to 'take away and eat later,' watched the little one being carried away by his father.

After finishing the puppy cake, he got up and stretched a bit.

He smiled and murmured, "Something sweet really perks you up."

Of course, the sweetest thing couldn't be eaten—that was a 'world destruction button' switch. Biting that would be game over.

Cen Liu glanced at his phone, then muttered.

"These guys are really relentless in causing trouble for the Bai family... First it was Bai San, now Bai Jingyun? Tsk, what's he been messing with lately? Why's it a whole circus around here? But I won't comment on his past partners."

Cen Liu greeted the old butler of the Bai family, and while walking out, he made a call.

"Hey? ...Yeah, take care of all those rumors. Log the ones repeating the same crap, file a report, then dig into the guys behind it. I'll talk to the head of the Bai family when I get a chance... Ah? The Cen family offshoots slunk off when there was nothing for them? Haha, I knew they'd bail fast. Even their parents couldn't win a debate against me when I was a teen, so these kids don't stand a chance—Caring about the Bai family? Don't even—I mean, sure, we bickered as kids, but the Bai family is basically my family, you know?"

Cen Liu let out a light laugh, opened the car door waiting outside the Bai family's main house. Though tired, he was still spirited.

"I'm not letting anything that'll upset my aunt or my cute little nephew go down on my watch."

Still.

If only he could live a bit closer.

Cen Liu hung up, rubbed his chin, and felt stumped.

The Cen company was way too far, and the surrounding area was all Bai family land.

Too hard to get a slice of that pie, huh?

...So if it's that tough, just let me hug him once! What's the big deal?!

Bai Sheng, that jerk!

June came to Ang City, and soon it was almost July.

The temperature kept climbing day by day, and Canghua Kindergarten's summer break was just around the corner.

After running a low-grade fever for over ten days, Bai Jin finally got back to normal. After a routine gland check, they confirmed there were no lasting issues.

But his fever hung on longer than expected. The doctor guessed past estimates were based on normal alphas. 3S-class alphas, even if rare, might be more sensitive to gland-affecting meds.

Which also showed how bad direct contact could be for Bai Jin.

At the same time, Bai Jin needed a good rest.

He'd gotten used to staying in, not going out at night, watching the little guy build with blocks, fold paper, draw, play with toys, and learn pinyin and characters... then he'd tease the kid and get walloped.

Of course, there was another big thing coming up for the Bai family.

July 23rd—Xiaobai Nuo's birthday.

This would be the little one's first birthday with the Bai family.

The Bai family adults were all busy prepping.

Six months ago, nobody could've guessed they'd be fighting over what color the flowers at the banquet centerpiece should be.

And as the little one's biological father.

Bai Sheng definitely had the final say at a banquet like that.

It was early July, and today was a day off from kindergarten. In a few days, the kindergarten would have summer vacation.

The little guy had been busy learning pinyin and Chinese characters with his grandma, picking up some simple idioms.

That was usually stuff for kids about to start elementary school.

But the kid was seriously smart. Without even knowing pinyin, he'd already memorized a ton of characters just by sight.

And next semester, when the kids move up to pre-K, there would be a small idiom competition in the city. The school picked out a dozen kids from a few classes to join.

Among them were the 'Four Little Ones' who always hung out together.

So recently, the little guy had been enthusiastically watching various children's educational videos and reading idiom picture books with phonetic notation. He was busier than his dad, Bai Sheng, all day long.

Right then, the sun hadn't even come up yet.

The little cub, still knocked out, was curled up in his dad's arms, dead asleep.

Ever since coming to this world, Xiaobai Nuo had been having blurry dreams, with only a few clear images.

The little guy had been watching Grandpa's meals like a hawk lately, and the image of Grandpa being sick hadn't appeared yet. Today, Xiaobai Nuo started dreaming again.

The tiny cub felt himself floating and sinking somewhere, looking around confusedly at everything.

Then he saw a familiar figure, carrying something while walking on the road.

He had a few assistants with him, but he didn't hand off the colorful bags he was carrying. His expression was cold and heavy, ignoring all the noise around him as he walked forward.

It was Uncle!

Xiaobai Nuo tried hard to see Uncle's face clearly.

Mm-hmm, Nono had experience with this.

What was it this time?

Disaster? Accident? Or bad guys appearing?

The tiny cub tried hard to see everything around him.

Uncle was already on Nono's side, so Uncle shouldn't worry. Nono would make sure Uncle was fine!

But as the little one looked around, everything was still blurry and hazy. Suddenly, he heard a low cough from behind.

Xiaobai Nuo turned around, confused, and saw Bai Jingyun frowning a little, his chest heaving a bit fiercely, as if trying to suppress his discomfort.

The assistant next to him stepped up and said something Xiaobai Nuo couldn't quite make out.

The little cub was a bit dazed.

"Uncle? What's wrong?"

Nono couldn't find anything.

Was Uncle sick?

Xiaobai Nuo struggled to get closer, and then suddenly saw blood trickling from Bai Jingyun's fingertips. At that moment, Bai Jingyun's face turned deathly pale. Someone seemed to be running over from behind, shouting something Xiaobai Nuo couldn't make out.

The bag Bai Jingyun was holding fell, and the colorful candy wrappers inside—colorful wrappers that Xiaobai Nuo would adore at first sight—rolled all over the ground, adding splashes of color to the stark red blood.

Candy, toys.

—They were for Nono.

...

The central air conditioner hummed softly, regulating the room temperature, without disturbing the sleeping father and son.

The little cub suddenly trembled a few times in his father's arms.

Bai Sheng, holding his sleeping child, slowly and drowsily opened his eyes.

As the weather grew hotter, Bai Sheng wasn't sleeping very well.

The central air conditioning was running normally, but unlike previous years when Bai Sheng found the temperature comfortable, now it wasn't.

This year, because of the little cub, the central air conditioning temperature had been raised by two degrees—not just in Bai Sheng's residence, but also in the main building.

Such a temperature was naturally not hot during daily activities.

But the problem was that Bai Sheng had to hold the little one while sleeping every day.

He was like a little sticky bun, especially at night when he felt most insecure; he loved clinging to Bai Sheng.

So Bai Sheng, who initially worried about crushing the little one, now slept lightly because of the heat.

Bai Sheng instinctively checked the sky.

The sky was still dim. In summer, that meant it was very early.

At this hour, even if the little one usually woke up early, he wouldn't normally be awake yet.

Bai Sheng looked down at his little cub in the faint light from outside.

Even after half a year of careful care, the little cub was still smaller than other kids his age—especially compared to Bai Sheng. When he lay in Bai Sheng's arms, he looked like a cute little ball.

His little arms and legs were wrapped tightly around Bai Sheng. His face, resting on Bai Sheng's arm, looked even rounder because of his naturally chubby baby cheeks. His black curls were messy, his lips slightly pursed, his big eyes closed, and small tears were leaking out.

Tears? Leaking out?

Bai Sheng snapped awake.

"Nono? Nono?"

Bai Sheng reached out and gently shook the little one, calling softly.

Bai Sheng frowned and checked the little one's temperature.

It was normal.

A nightmare?

Bai Sheng shook him a few more times gently, and the little one drowsily opened his eyes.

Xiaobai Nuo blinked his big eyes, saw his dad, and snuggled closer, pressing against him pitifully.

Looking a bit listless.

"Daddy."

The little cub could never describe those dreams.

But unlike past dreams that had some pattern or clue, the dream about Uncle scared Xiaobai Nuo.

Because back in the apocalypse, while scavenging for supplies, he actually saw a gravely ill adult suddenly cough up blood and even fragments of organs, then fall down and never get up again.

Everything there was gray—people and objects alike.

Only places washed clean by water showed a stark, out-of-place red.

For a child, the apocalypse left countless psychological scars.

Nono used to have nightmares like that back then.

Would Uncle be like that too? Fall down and never get up?

Uncle was supposed to appear later in that book, so would he get hurt? Or sick?

Although they didn't get along well at first.

Now Uncle is on Nono's side, and Dad and Uncle [Bai Jingyun] don't argue anymore. Before, Dad and Uncle even exercised together with Little Uncle [Xu Chuan].

"Had a nightmare?"

Bai Sheng asked softly, patting the little one's back to soothe him.

Watching the little cub buried in his arms respond with a subdued "mm-hmm."

"It's just a dream."

Every time the little one showed signs of insecurity, Bai Sheng's heart ached. He took a deep breath but still spoke gently.

"Do you want to sleep a bit more? It's still very early, not yet your wake-up time."

The little cub nestled in Bai Sheng's arms shook his head.

"Daddy."

he said in a muffled, childish voice.

"Nono is awake now."

"Then lie in bed for a while and think about what you want for breakfast. You can still text the kitchen to have them prepare an extra portion."

The cub, usually excited about food, responded listlessly today.

Bai Sheng couldn't help but frown. He grabbed his phone and sent a message to Xu Chuan.

It was also about time for the little one's regular check-up.

Xiaobai Nuo needed a long time to recover. After breakfast, he looked a little better. He was sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of warm sweet milk that Grandma Feng had warmed, and drinking it in small sips.

When Xu Chuan came to visit, the little one had a milk mustache. He blinked his big eyes obediently and looked over.

Xu Chuan: Adorable!

Xu Chuan immediately grinned and came over to do the routine check-up on the little one.

"Everything's good. Both height and weight show very healthy development. It seems the injection they gave him at the research institute back then has no lingering effects now. But you still need to be careful—after going through all that, his immunity is much lower than a normal child's."

Xu Chuan packed up his medical kit and portable instruments, noticing that the little guy was staring at him with a serious but adorable expression, his tiny fingers hooked around the stethoscope.

Ahh, so cute.

Xu Chuan remembered seeing photos of the little one at the Bai residence, once dressed up as a little doctor. He had already prepared for this.

From his medical bag, he fished out a customized miniature stethoscope.

"Do you like stethoscopes? How about Uncle gives you this one, okay?"

"Uncle Xu, can I really listen with this?"

Xiaobai Nuo blinked, looking up at Xu Chuan.

Xu Chuan smiled: "Of course. It's a mini version of your uncle's."

So Xiaobai Nuo started playing with the stethoscope out of curiosity.

Bai Sheng, still frowning, asked, "He's been low on energy since morning—seems like he had a nightmare. He's not as lively as usual even after eating. Is he really not sick?"

"A nightmare, huh?"

Xu Chuan thought about it for a moment and said quietly to Bai Sheng, "Boss, you gotta understand—your nightmares and Nuo Nuo's nightmares are different. He may have seen things you can't imagine, so it's normal for nightmares to affect him."

As Xu Chuan spoke, he noticed Bai Sheng's expression change. His own expression grew complicated, and his mind couldn't help jumping to some connections. As a high-level medical professional who had studied around the world, he knew a lot—it was easy for him to think of something unpleasant.

Xu Chuan, who had just managed to freak himself out with that thought: ...Alright, stop thinking about it.

"...Just take him out to get some sun and play more afterward. He'll probably forget about it."

Xu Chuan shook off those thoughts and looked at Bai Sheng seriously.

"Physically, no abnormalities. He's just too cute!"

"Just too cute…"

Bai Sheng, lost in thought, repeated it under his breath, then paused. He automatically gave Xu Chuan a look like he was a 'kidnapper,' then pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Alright, I understand."

So the little one's scheduled playtime was canceled, and Bai Sheng took him for a walk around the Bai family's ancestral home, taking him to play on things like the swing that had been set up for him.

Halfway through, Xiaobai Nuo seemed to catch on and perked up.

He was a reserved little cub; he wouldn't say anything when something bothered him.

Bai Sheng glanced at the time.

The sun was climbing higher and getting hotter. It was almost lunchtime.

Bai Sheng led Xiaobai Nuo to the main building.

A good number of family members were home today.

Mainly because they'd all managed to free up half a day to settle the arguments over the little one's birthday party.

Bai Sheng had taken the whole day off.

Of course, the uncles and aunties at Bai Sheng's company, who had been looking forward to Xiaobai Nuo's day off, all groaned in unison.

Lunch was ready, and everyone in the main building saw Xiaobai Nuo being carried in by his dad, still clutching the tiny stethoscope.

"What's wrong with him?"

Cen Zhi was reviewing work documents, then looked up to see the little one get down, greet everyone, and then start patrolling the area like some kind of small feline. She turned to Bai Sheng in mild surprise.

"He had a nightmare last night."

Bai Sheng glanced around.

"Is Bai Jin not here? And Bai Jingyun hasn't come back yet?"

"Oh, Xiao Wu had a morning class. Your eldest brother called and said he'd be back after lunch."

Cen Zhi answered.

"A nightmare? Did the doctor see him?"

"He said it's nothing serious. He felt much better after playing on the swing and hammock for a while."

Bai Sheng followed his little boy.

He watched Xiaobai Nuo imitate Uncle Xu, putting the stethoscope on everyone's chest, tilting his little head to listen carefully.

From great-grandfather to grandparents and his older cousin (on his mother's side), then to the rarely-home second uncle and the aunt who kept her distance from second uncle—he had already listened to his dad's chest.

He even went to Grandpa Butler and all the uncles, aunties, and grandparents he knew.

"So, what did you hear?"

Bai Sheng looked at his little cub sitting on the rug, tilting his head in confusion, and found it amusing.

"Dad, Nuo Nuo still doesn't get it."

"Even with something like Uncle Doctor's, Nuo Nuo still can't figure it out."

All he can hear is just thump-thump-thump from everyone.

Bai Sheng almost laughed, but seeing the little guy look up with genuine concern—this little cub was really worried about everyone.

"Dad, if someone is sick, can you tell with this?"

"Just listening with this isn't enough. To diagnose illness, you need a lot of tests—like the ones Nuo Nuo has had before."

Bai Sheng said.

The Bai family does annual checkups. Not all together, but everyone's already had theirs this year.

But since the little guy mentioned it...

Bai Sheng exchanged a glance with Cen Zhi, who was sitting beside the little one.

Was there a connection between nightmares and illness?

Xiaobai Nuo blinked his eyes, said “oh,” and then continued asking his father.

“Can everyone still have check-ups?”

The little one raised his hand, gesturing, his short little arms as if trying to encompass everyone in the household within his reach.

“Grandpa used to feel unwell but didn’t say anything, can’t everyone get checked again?”

So it was indeed Bai Qian’s stomach problem that made the little one anxious, right?

It was said that earlier Xiaobai Nuo had said something like, “Grandpa, don’t die.”

Cen Zhi turned her head in anger to look at Bai Qian, who was sitting not far away.

Taken aback, Bai Qian: ?

Cen Zhi picked up the little cub and affectionately nuzzled his cheek.

“Actually, aside from the annual physical check-up, there are also routine check-ups. Nono, don’t worry. If these guys don’t take it seriously, Grandma will give them a spanking.”

Xiaobai Nuo blinked his eyes, turned to look at the ‘top of the food chain,’ and thought, “Oh right, Grandma is here!” The slightly uneasy expression on his little face gradually dissipated.

He clapped his little hands together, then raised them high, reverent and adoring.

“Long live Grandma!”

Cen Zhi lifted her chin slightly, enjoying her little treasure’s praise.

Cen Liu kept reaching out from behind—it was so unfair. Even when it was his turn, Bai Sheng still held Xiaobai Nuo to listen to the heartbeat.

There was no chance to get his hands on him!

Bai Jin also didn’t return before lunch; he came back even later than Bai Jingyun.

As soon as Bai Jingyun entered, the earnest little Xiaobai Nuo started listening to him with the stethoscope.

Bai Jingyun: ?

The uncle’s expression was a bit subtle. He gently supported the little cub, who was kneeling on the sofa and leaning over, and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?” The little one asked seriously, “Uncle, are you sick?”

Bai Jingyun was a bit bewildered.

“No.”

The top Alphas have very good physical health and rarely get sick.

The most fragile one at home right now should be Bai Jin.

“Uncle, if you feel any discomfort, you have to go see the doctor, okay? Don’t follow Grandpa’s example; Grandpa is a bad role model.”

Bai Qian couldn’t help but look over and wanted to speak.

Then he heard the little one continue, patting his own little chest: “But Nono is keeping an eye on Grandpa.”

Bai Qian: ...

He sat back down.

He felt fine again.

As for Bai Jingyun’s heartbeat, the little one listened hard but still couldn’t make sense of it. He could only let out a breath, sit down softly to one side, and say, his chubby little cheeks round and plump, which made Bai Jingyun, who was closest, find him extremely cute.

But even though he was utterly charmed, Bai Jingyun only showed a brief dazed expression, then grunted in acknowledgment.

Then he watched the little one fiddle with his little stethoscope, then take out candies and fruits, and push them all in front of Grandma—a devout offering.

Long live Grandma!

To be honest, Cen Zhi was getting used to it. She put down her phone, picked up the little one, and informed Bai Jingyun: “I’ve scheduled a comprehensive physical check-up for everyone the day after tomorrow.”

The little one clapped his hands like a seal.

Cen Zhi added: “The coverage is very comprehensive!”

Bai Jingyun: ... ???

Although Bai Jingyun couldn’t understand, under Cen Zhi’s request and Xiaobai Nuo’s expectant eyes, he could only compromise.

And obviously, the whole family had already given in.

In the afternoon, Bai Jin was on his way home. He heard that a guest would be visiting him today, so he might not return to the main building first.

The family meeting was planning to temporarily exclude him.

They planned to discuss things on the second floor, also as a surprise for the little guy. The activity room on the first floor was watched over by the servants, and the little one had Dou Dou by his side, so the whole family felt at ease.

Especially since Xiaobai Nuo had taken his father’s tablet, and was on a video call with his brothers, reading an idiom picture book.

The little one flipped to a new page, blinked his eyes, and said: “Little man... Hello, Dou Dou.”

“I’m listening. Please go ahead.”

“What are these two characters?”

“These two characters are ‘de zhi’. The idiom is ‘xiaoren de zhi’, a derogatory idiom meaning a petty person who gains power becomes insufferably arrogant. It refers to a villain or bad person gaining favor and then showing off in an obnoxious way. Would you like me to make a sentence or sing an idiom song to help you remember?”

“No need, thanks, Dou Dou.”

“Okay, I’m glad to help! You’ve learned so many idioms today. You’re amazing!”

Praise! That’s praise.

Nono loves to hear praise.

The little one’s eyes crinkled with a smile.

Both on the screen and among the Bai family members who hadn’t yet gone upstairs, everyone watched the little one lying on the ground, swinging his little legs back and forth—the tiny little guy was clearly in a good mood.

Then, everyone heard him speak:

Is it a word that describes a villain? Nono is also a villain, so does that mean Nono is also a petty person getting his way?

The little one had just learned the new idiom and was using it incorrectly. He tilted his head in confusion and asked. He'd just been praised too!

Then the little guy nodded solemnly.

"It must be like this."

After all, it says 'little person,' and Nono is tiny compared to Daddy.

The Bai family: ???

Don't apply it to yourself!!!!!

But before they could speak,

they heard Xiaobai Nuo resting his cheek on his hand, looking at the brothers over there, tilting his chin up a little, and saying in a soft voice.

"Nono is the little 'Nuo' getting his way."

Help, it's just too cute.