Chapter 91

Chapter 91

What is "Xiao Nuo's triumph"?

Anyway, I've messed up, messed up.

Since things have come to this.

Among the options of dropping to his knees to apologize and apply to take the child back to his residence, or honestly sending him back,

Bai Jin chose "both".

He quickly turned off the mini monitor's switch, and while Bai Sheng hadn't caught up yet, he glanced at the shortest route home and figured out a shortcut.

"Ah, Dou Dou!"

Xiaobai Nuo was looking at Dou Dou, whose voice had been turned off. He held the mini monitor in his little hands and shook it back and forth, fumbling to turn on the switch when suddenly his uncle stuffed a pack of snacks into his hand.

"Help your uncle with something."

It was obviously a special children's snack.

The packaging had colorful fruits painted on it, and inside were various shaped colorful fruit and vegetable cookies. Probably for health reasons, these cookies were made cute but the colors weren't that bright.

"What kind of help?"

Xiaobai Nuo blinked, instinctively holding Dou Dou properly without mentioning turning the voice button back on. The little one took the cookies, made a curious "hmm" sound, and tried to tear open the packaging with his small hands.

The packaging was filled with air, so it was hard for the little boy's tiny hands to tear open.

"Meet someone with your uncle."

The little guy tilted his head, not really understanding why he needed to be taken out just to meet someone. After all, they were at his own home, he was familiar with his uncle, and his dad would be coming soon, so he wasn't nervous at all. He blinked his sparkling big eyes and looked at his uncle curiously.

Then Xiaobai Nuo felt his uncle hold him a little tighter and suddenly say, "Alright, we're leaving!"

Xiaobai Nuo: ?

The next second, he tightly hugged his uncle who dashed out, and his little milk voice instinctively cried out.

"Waaah!! Uncle!! Bad guy!!! Big bad guy!!!!"

Isn't he already a big bad guy? Doesn't need this extra shout.

Bai Jin held Xiaobai Nuo tightly, wrapping his arms around the little guy, slightly leaning forward, using the straw hat he had grabbed from the door to protect the little one's head. He easily leaped over the half-meter tall decorative wall, and seeing the little boy looking at him nervously and reaching out to pull his hair, he couldn't help but laugh.

"We have to get back before your dad comes. Just let him take a look, you don't even have to talk to him. Your uncle will take a slightly shorter route. Don't worry, I know this shortcut like the back of my hand; I could find my way back with my eyes closed. Even if I fall, you won't get hurt. Most of this path is flat; I'm just running a bit faster—ouch—go easy on the hair-pulling!"

You won't stop until you've pulled your uncle bald, right?

After the registration check, the car carrying the Yu brothers had already arrived at Bai Jin's residence entrance.

Bai Jin hadn't returned yet, so Yu An simply took Yu Zai out of the car and waited at the door. Since they switched to an internal car of the Bai family mansion at the entrance, the seemingly quiet alpha was still holding his own bag.

He was eleven years old, and compared to an average alpha, his personality was indeed too quiet—so quiet that Yu An found it hard to adjust.

And to be honest, he didn't really know this younger brother well. When his father married this little stepfather, Yu Zai had already been born from the gestation pod, and he himself was about seven or eight years old then.

When Yu Zai was too young, he, being a mischievous seven- or eight-year-old alpha, naturally didn't dare to touch him carelessly. It wasn't until he was about to enter junior high that he finally played with this brother for two years. After junior high, he started clashing with Bai Jin, and then as the heir of the Yu family, he naturally went abroad to study.

Yu An's fond memories of this cute younger brother were just those few years. After all, it was a blended family, and his status as heir couldn't be shaken. Even if his new stepfather treated him well, he didn't often go to that home after junior high.

But compared to before, isn't Yu Zai even quieter?

Yu An looked down thoughtfully at the crown of his little brother's head.

"I didn't know your stepfather signed you up for so many tutoring classes? And that bag, are you sure you don't want me to carry it for you?"

Yu Zai first shook his head, then looked up at Yu An.

"It's okay, big brother. Stepfather said letting me learn more will put his mind at ease in the future."

Why isn't he lively at all?

Yu An shrugged, reached out, and ruffled Yu Zai's head.

"Alright, alright, but why did you insist on coming in? I told you I'm just here to deliver something and apologize. Even though Bai Jin is black-hearted, he wouldn't go so far as to..."

"Are you really okay?"

Yu Zai looked at Yu An's face, with a seriousness that bordered on stubbornness.

"You won't get into trouble?"

"Of course not."

After finishing ruffling his head, Yu An patted the top of his head.

"What could happen to me?"

"Because you've been busy lately, always anxious and stressed."

Yu Zai hugged the bag in his hands.

Big brother had always been good to him since childhood, and he was his favorite person in the Yu family. Moreover, being with big brother was the only place where he could relax and rest.

So even though Yu An had said it several times, Yu Zai was still worried.

"I'm anxious and stressed because that brat Bai Jin has been burning with anger for several days. I'm afraid he'll try to swindle me again—"

Yu An muttered. He heard a sound and turned to look.

"Hey? Is he coming?"

Then Yu An saw Bai Jin rushing over in a fluster. Bai Jin looked down, tightly holding something with one hand while protecting it with a straw hat, and within a few breaths, he was right in front of them.

Yu An: ?

"Why is he in such a hurry?"

Before Yu An could finish his sentence, he saw a little head pop out from Bai Jin's arms as he stopped.

That straw hat was finally placed on the little guy's head, making his black hair messy, and his face was fair with a rosy flush, like a ripe peach, fresh and chubby-cheeked. In his arms, he was still holding a round monitor and a pack of snacks, and he straightened up softly.

"Uncle, Nuo Nuo can't even open his eyes."

"This wasn't torn open either, was it?"

Bai Jin said as he took the snack bag from the little one's arms, tore it open, and then placed it back in Xiaobai Nuo's hands.

"Thank..."

The polite little kid, who instinctively wanted to say thank you, remembered what his uncle had just done and swallowed his thanks. Xiaobai Nuo turned his head.

A bad guy doesn't deserve Nono's thanks.

Then Xiaobai Nuo saw the Yu brothers standing at the door.

The little guy was startled by the strangers at first.

Instinctively, he shrank into his familiar uncle's arms, then curiously peeked out.

Bai Jin was a bit out of breath. He held Xiaobai Nuo properly, glanced around to see if the "tiger" he had sent away had followed, then looked at Yu An with his chin slightly raised, a hint of pride and smugness.

"Look, my little nephew, Bai Nuo."

In front of others, Xiaobai Nuo showed his uncle some respect.

He gave a soft smile and murmured, "Hello."

The tiny cub, clutching a bunch of stuff, had big bright eyes and soft little hands and feet. Nestled in his uncle's arms, carefully protected, he only showed a little bit for them to see.

Yu An had seen photos of the little guy before.

But he couldn't help gasping.

He looked way cuter than in the photos, okay?

But why did Bai Jin act like he had snuck a gosling from a goose nest? All jittery, afraid of getting pecked by the big goose.

Yu An thought: "...Cute, really cute, but you didn't sneak him out, did you?"

"Don't we have something to discuss? Let's go inside first."

Bai Jin, satisfied, carried the cub into the house. He had always said that no matter how cute and quiet other cubs were, none could compare to the one in his arms.

Thinking this, he even bribed the little guy by stuffing various snack packs into his pockets.

It seemed premeditated.

But Bai Jin had originally planned to let them have a look and then send the cub back.

Now that he had been discovered, he decided to face the music, waiting for the parents to come find him.

Yu Zai followed behind his brother. Seeing that the situation wasn't as tense as he had imagined, he breathed a sigh of relief and curiously glanced at Xiaobai Nuo.

Such a tiny little brother.

But he only looked once, then silently followed, clutching his bag.

Just as they entered the house.

Directly opposite the door, a large picture frame displayed a painting of a big monster drawn with watercolor markers.

It clashed with the surrounding décor.

The cub, who had just pressed the Dou Dou button and was stuffing a cookie into his mouth, suddenly saw this painting and turned to look at his uncle.

Ever since the main building also had the little guy's framed paintings, other members of the Bai family started getting ideas.

So now, each Bai family member had one of little Xiaobai Nuo's watercolor marker paintings.

Xiaobai Nuo rarely went to places other than his own home and the main building, so he didn't know that the big monster he had painted for his uncle was facing the door.

Bai Jin watched as Xiaobai Nuo's cheeks puffed up slightly, and then he treated the fruit cookie like it was his uncle, gnawing on it with his little teeth.

"Is this, uh, painted by your little nephew?"

Yu An was a bit surprised.

He hadn't expected Bai Jin to like his little nephew so much.

Bai Jin looked at Xiaobai Nuo, who was gnawing on the cookie, and watched him cover his face in embarrassment, mumbling, "Nono didn't paint this one well. Uncle is bad."

Bai Jin responded with a laugh.

Yu An couldn't help but glance at the cub hiding his face and peeking through his fingers, marveling at how adorable he was, when something occurred to him.

"Xiao Zai, you like drawing too, right?"

Yu An turned to his brother. Although Bai Jin's little nephew was cute, his brother was also a well-behaved little A-cub, no problem, he could accept that.

"How about I also hang up the paintings you..."

Before he could finish, he paused slightly. He saw Yu Zai looking up, seemingly dazedly at the painting, with a faint... envy in his eyes?

Envy of what?

Although his homework was usually heavy, his personal hobbies should be normal, right?

Before Yu An could figure it out, the door behind them was suddenly pushed open: "Bai Jin."

Bai Jin, standing beside them, jumped like a cat on a hot tin roof.

And Xiaobai Nuo immediately spoke: "Daddy!"

Bai Jin's movement startled Yu Zai, who was looking up.

The bag in Yu Zai's hand slipped, and from the unzipped opening, several notebooks slid out, including textbooks, exercise books, and a sketchbook.

Several brightly colored fragments tucked inside the sketchbook were also exposed.

The moment the cub in Bai Jin's arms saw his father, he reached out, and Bai Sheng took him away. Bai Jin instinctively looked at Yu Zai, scratched his head, and helped pick up the items.

"Ah, sorry, my bad. Did I scare you?"

Just like when he met Xiaobai Nuo, no matter how arrogant Bai Jin was, he wouldn't bully a child.

Yu Zai shook his head. "It's okay."

Not many items had fallen. Yu An bent down, and he picked up the sketchbook and couldn't help frowning.

"...Brother?"

Yu Zai instinctively reached out, but Yu An had already opened it slightly, seeing a few picture fragments inside.

Now was clearly not the time to talk about this. Yu An took a deep breath. He wasn't stupid, but he knew that with the current family situation, there were many things he shouldn't get involved in. After all, both of his fathers were there, and he was just a half-brother (on their father's side). What could he do? But from the tutoring class to Yu Zai's willingness to follow him, a realization formed in Yu An's mind.

This painting was clearly torn by Xiao Ba.

Yu Zai's eyes darted a little, but in the end he took the notebook from his brother's hand, still maintaining a calm expression.

That was just the faintest hint of envy... and sadness.

Because he was not the heir of the Yu family, he had to carve out his own path, so his little father was very strict with him from a young age. Thus Yu Zai had to suppress his nature, be sensible, and be considerate of his little father.

He had just thought of his favorite painting—the one his little father had torn up, calling it a frivolous pursuit. He had picked up the pieces one by one, tucked them into his notebook, and kept them by his side for fear of losing them, all the while telling himself it was fine, it was fine—but just now, seeing the scene he had only ever dreamed of here, he couldn't help but feel a bit sad.

Yu An was silent for a moment, then tried to force a smile. "Ah, it's okay. How about I talk to little father about it when we go back?"

Meanwhile, Xiaobai Nuo, already burrowed in his father's arms, looked over at them. His father held him tightly.

Although Bai Sheng ignored everyone, he saved Bai Jin some face in front of outsiders—he didn't simply kick him. He merely glanced at the Yu brothers, then swept a warning look at Bai Jin.

At that moment, the little one took out the snacks he had gotten from his uncle, stuffed them into his father's mouth, and while feeding him, he blinked over at them. "That painting—was it made into a puzzle?"

Xiaobai Nuo was very good at puzzles. Some puzzles were the paper kind that couldn't be done over, so they had to be taped together.

The little one still had some leftover tape in his pocket. In his soft baby voice, he said, "Nono has tape. Uncle, do you want to use it? Nono plays puzzles too, sometimes."

The little one dug in his pocket, waving his tiny hands. "I need to tape them one by one, then the pretty picture won't break again."

Hearing this, Yu Zai instinctively tugged at Yu An's clothes. Still composed—unlike a child his age—he shook his head. "It's okay, brother. I just drew them casually. Don't bother."

"I found it!"

The little one found the tape his grandmother had given him earlier from the pile of snacks his uncle had stuffed in his bag.

"Uncle, here you go. Grandma said that for a puzzle you worked so hard on, it'd be a shame if the pretty picture got ruined again."

Because it didn't feel like something unimportant to him—Nono never carries unimportant things with him. The little one smiled at them, gesturing, no longer as shy as when they first met.

In the little cub's world, tape was the answer to fixing broken things!

Yu Zai was slightly stunned.

But Yu An had already taken the tape from him. His expression softened a little, and then he smiled.

"Thank you, little friend."

He tucked the notebook under his arm, holding the tape.

"I've never done a puzzle before, but I'll try to put it together."

"Mm-hmm." Xiaobai Nuo nodded.

Yu Zai looked from Xiaobai Nuo to his brother. "He'll try to put it together?"

Would his brother help him put it together? Using the tape that little kid gave him?

If his brother finished the painting, his little father wouldn't tear it up, right?

...Feeling a bit happy. Coming here—was this actually a good thing?

And Bai Sheng, holding the cub, swept a glance at Bai Jin before leaving.

"Come to the main building when you're done talking."

With that, Bai Sheng carried Xiaobai Nuo out the door.

They could still hear the little one talking to his father.

He was tattling.

"Uncle is a bad guy. He picked Nono up all of a sudden, there was a big wind, and Nono couldn't open his eyes. And he wouldn't let Dou Dou talk! Big bully!"

"Mm, Dad'll talk to him later."

Bai Sheng's voice drifted in from somewhere in between.

Bai Jin: ...Talk with words or with fists?!

The little one's soft voice gradually faded, with only the last few sentences still faintly heard.

"Uncle gave Nono snacks, and Nono gave half to Dad. Dad, are you hot? Nono has a hat, I'll block the sun for you..."

So thoughtful.

Although he had already felt the little one's thoughtfulness just now, at this moment Yu An rubbed his nose and had to admit that this wasn't just an adorable cub in appearance, but also one that was truly heartwarming.

Which link did he come from? Was it some kind of hundred-billion subsidy sale? Is that still going on?

Yu An couldn't help rubbing his nose and looked at Bai Jin.

And... you really snuck him out?

The criticism session for Bai Jin was held in the afternoon.

Bai Liang even made a list, posting a list of someone's crimes of stealing the cub.

Bai Qian and Grandpa sat on either side of the activity room door, blocking Bai Jin's escape route.

Bai Jingyun was the one holding Bai Jin down, Bai Qi was flexing her fists nearby, and Bai Sheng stood at the back holding the cub, watching.

Cen Zhi held out her finger, and as Bai Liang said each charge, she repeated it, jabbing Bai Jin's forehead.

"Sneaking off with Nono?"

"Climbing over the wall with Nono?"

"Turning off the surveillance audio?"

"Taking Nono to meet strangers?"

Cen Zhi sneered after each sentence.

"Are you any different from those alpha brats online who make videos about suddenly getting a cub?! They sneak the cub to school to show off, and you also snuck Nono out and ran off?"

Bai Jin was looking for a chance to escape—he'd been caught by his big brother as soon as he entered the door. Looking at the scene before him, he felt something was wrong; he had to get away. But at his mother's words, he couldn't help muttering, "If I secretly took him to school, Third Brother would murder me."

This was true.

Cen Zhi: ...

Cen Zhi reached to pinch Bai Jin's ear, and Bai Qi was waiting eagerly behind her: "Mom, let me do it. I'll do it."

I'll rip his ear off!

Bai Jin: !!

Watching Bai Qi approach, Bai Jin suddenly made a clever move, unexpectedly breaking free from Bai Jingyun's grasp and fleeing in panic. Getting beaten was certain, but did everyone have to show up?

Cen Liu, laughing so hard he couldn't stand straight, locked the window and couldn't help glancing at Bai Jingyun—"Can't you handle this? You let him get away?"

Bai Qi went after him immediately.

Bai Jingyun's face darkened. He turned around, grabbed a small blanket from the sofa, and threw it at Bai Jin.

Cen Zhi followed.

Xiaobai Nuo only blinked for a moment, and the scene in front of him turned into utter chaos.

The little one looked confused, hurriedly got up from his father's arms, his tiny hands resting on his father's arm, calling out repeatedly.

"Grandma, Grandma!"

"Oh, Nono, it's okay, we're just playing around..."

Cen Zhi had said that, thinking the little one was scared of the commotion, when she saw what the little one was handing her.

Bai Sheng burst out laughing.

In the midst of the chaos, Xiaobai Nuo handed Grandma a wooden long-handled massage mallet.

Cen Zhi: "...Good child, knows that Grandma's hands get sore from hitting this kind of idiot."

Cen Zhi took the massage mallet.

Bai Jin was running around the room, trying to avoid being dragged to the activity room, when he suddenly saw that his mother now had a weapon in her hand.

And an inch longer means an inch stronger.

Bai Jin: "...! Great nephew, you're so loyal!!"

The little rascal contentedly sat back in his father's arms, scrunched up his little nose, and spoke softly to his father, "Uncle scared the brothers."

Not just that.

Bai Sheng thought of the news from Xie Yu; the three little ones thought Nono had encountered human traffickers at home, almost called the police, and couldn't be stopped from rushing over.

Bai Jin, you've done all sorts of bad things; you deserve this.

Bai Sheng hadn't even started to teach Bai Jin a lesson.

Or rather, after he brought Xiaobai Nuo back, his mood wasn't very good.

Because he seemed to have seen a negative example—the overly 'well-behaved' child from the Yu family, exactly what he didn't want Xiaobai Nuo to become.

The new dad inevitably got anxious again. He didn't think he would raise his own cub to be like that, but Xiaobai Nuo was usually too considerate and well-behaved, which gave him a subtle sense of worry: was there something he needed to improve? Were there precautions not mentioned in written parenting manuals? Could he make him more lively?

He was even too worried to even feel like hitting his younger brother.

"Being lively is good."

Bai Sheng, holding his own cub, couldn't help but softly say a sentence—a little messy bunny is fine too.

Xiaobai Nuo sat in his father's arms and looked up at his father.

"What?"

Then his father patted his head, and he squinted his eyes from the touch.

"Being a real child at a child's age is a good thing; overly well-behaved children tend to be unhappy."

So it's better to be a bit willful.

Xiaobai Nuo blinked his eyes and looked up to ask his father.

"Dad, am I very well-behaved?"

Bai Sheng looked down to meet the little one's eyes, pinched his cheek once, and nodded.

It's precisely because he's too well-behaved that he feels anxious.

And it makes him care too much about all the changes in him.

Bai Sheng pinched twice; it felt so good that he couldn't resist gently flicking the little one's cheek, which was getting softer and rounder.

"Then Nono is very happy."

Even after being pinched, the little one was good-natured, rubbed against his father's hand, leaned back into his father's arms, and gently swung his little feet.

"Nono has told Dad this before."

He nodded his little head to affirm himself; he was an honest baby: "Because Dad is so, so, so good, Nono feels very happy."

As the little one spoke, he used his little hands to gesture, trying to show how good his father was, his star-bright eyes looking at Bai Sheng, then he scrambled up, imitated his father and touched his face, and then hugged his father's neck.

"Well-behaved children aren't happy; that's not the case for Nono," he nodded seriously, in a tone that conveyed no one was as good as his dad, and he whispered to his father, "As long as Dad is here, Nono is very happy."

Bai Sheng came back to his senses, looked at the little rice cake clinging to him, and suddenly laughed, seeming to feel that his anxiety was indeed unfounded, and he pinched his own cub's face again.

Of course, Bai Sheng's reflection only lasted a brief moment; he wasn't the type to self-reflect by nature. It was only after raising the cub, due to Xiaobai Nuo's special situation, that he had to carefully assess how to raise this little one, and when raising a cub, where could there be standard answers?

But at this moment, Bai Sheng's slight irritation over not finding a standard answer was melted away by the adorable cub clinging to him.

He was fine now.

So—the 'human trafficker' was about to be in big trouble.