Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Xiaobai Nuo curled into Bai Sheng's arms as he always did when sleeping, tucking himself into a tiny ball.

This was originally a very affectionate gesture.

But because of the nightmare not long ago, Bai Sheng only felt a tightness in his chest, a stifling anger with nowhere to release.

This kind of irritation with no clear target to blame was something Bai Sheng had never experienced before.

The little cub held his neck, warm breath spreading across his skin, slightly damp. He sniffled hard, his voice plaintive and choked: "Did Nono kill the fish?"

"My fault."

Bai Sheng heard the little cub's words and replied without a moment's hesitation.

"Why is it Daddy's fault?"

The little cub's small hands still hugged Bai Sheng's neck, but he straightened up, his baby voice still carrying a nasal tone. His eyes were indeed red, and he looked at his father like this.

"Even adults shouldn't lie to children."

Bai Sheng put the small monitor back into the cub's arms and simply carried the cub upstairs. After saying this, he turned and spoke to Aunt Feng.

"Don't prepare breakfast for now. I'll take him to the main building to eat."

Aunt Feng looked worriedly at Xiaobai Nuo and quickly nodded.

"Alright, Third Master."

The little cub was still holding onto his father, just now carrying an extra Dou Dou. After hearing his father's words, he pouted his lips and emphasized.

"Daddy did nothing wrong."

Bai Sheng went upstairs to grab his phone, paused, and looked at the little cub in his arms. After locking eyes with the little one, the cub reiterated: "Daddy can never be wrong."

He burrowed back into his father's embrace.

"Nono loves Daddy the most."

He continued in a tiny voice: "The most, most, the very most."

It was the kind of love where not even Daddy himself could say he was bad.

Bai Sheng let out a breath and hugged the cub tightly.

He urgently contacted Bai Liang, but the phone was busy, messages unanswered. The lab assistant said he wasn't in the lab. After waiting a moment, Bai Sheng frowned and sent a message in the group chat.

#Bickering But Loving Family#

Bai Sheng: Anyone seen Bai Liang?

Bai Jin: ? You're up this early?

Bai Jingyun: Did Bai Liang upset Nono?

Cen Zhi: ????? Who changed the group name?

Cen Zhi: Bai! Jin! Get over to the main building right now!

'Cen Zhi changed the group name to #Loving Family#'

Cen Zhi: What happened with Bai Liang?

Bai Sheng: Nono found out.

Just five words.

The previously lively group chat went silent.

About half a minute later, only Bai Qian, who wasn't at the Bai family estate, and Bai Jingyun, unaware of what had happened yesterday, asked in confusion.

Bai Qian: Found out what?

Bai Jingyun: What do you mean?

These two messages seemed to break the silence, and the group became lively again.

Cen Zhi: Nono found out? When? He didn't cry, did he?

Bai Jin: He could tell that much?

Bai Qi: Haven't seen Bai Liang.

Cen Zhi: Can't reach him?

Bai Sheng: I'll take Nono to the main building first.

So early in the morning, the Bai family gathered urgently.

The fish that a group had brought back yesterday hadn't been sent away yet and were now in a small tank.

After all, these dull gray fish, except for Xiaobai Nuo, who cherished them like treasures, no one else really wanted to keep. Even if they were bought from various markets, no one bothered to retrieve them.

Bai Sheng's place was quite far from the main building, especially since he was carrying a cub.

So he was the last to arrive at the main building.

Bai Qi and Bai Jin had already arrived before him.

Bai Qi hadn't gone to work yet; she was in a T-shirt and shorts, her hair tied up high, her cold features tinged with irritation.

Bai Jin seemed to have just finished working out, not yet showered. Plus, the summer morning wasn't all that cool; he seemed to be radiating heat. His ears twitched as he heard a sound, and he immediately straightened up.

But Bai Jin's ear tips were red, as if someone had pinched them. He rubbed his ear and was about to speak when Ms. Cen Zhi, standing beside him, interrupted.

"When Nono gets here, you're not allowed to speak."

Bai Jin: ?

Why?

Bai Jin looked at Ms. Cen Zhi discontentedly, trying to argue for his right to speak.

Ms. Cen Zhi had the final say, looking at Bai Jin.

"A blunt Alpha like you who says things that easily irritate people is not allowed to speak."

Bai Jin: ?

"No, Mom, this is gender discrimination. Of course, if alphas aren't allowed to speak, then my gender can be a bottle, a cup, or a teddy bear cookie."

I want to talk, let me talk!

Bai Qi couldn't help turning back to glance: "Don't ruin the cuteness of the teddy bear cookies, okay?"

Bai Jin: "Mmph mmph mmph—"

Cen Zhi covered Bai Jin's mouth.

"What does it have to do with alphas? I'm discriminating against you."

Bai Sheng walked in just then, holding the little one.

The tiny cub was still clinging to his father, with big round eyes, drooping at the corners, flushed red, looking pitiful and like he'd been wronged, but when he saw everyone, he obediently greeted.

"Grandma, Auntie, Uncle..."

"Ah, come here, let Grandma see. Yesterday the little fish turned belly-up, Second Uncle took it to try to save it—it might not be dead for sure. Don't cry, Nono."

Seeing the young cub, Cen Zhi quickly let go of Bai Jin and rushed over, concerned, trying to take Xiaobai Nuo from Bai Sheng's arms.

But unexpectedly.

Today, Bai Sheng didn't even humor his mother, holding Xiaobai Nuo without letting go.

Cen Zhi glanced at Bai Sheng with a hint of confusion, slightly startled by his extremely bad expression, and couldn't help raising an eyebrow.

This wasn't the time to dwell on it.

"I texted Bai Er but got no reply, his phone's busy, and no one else has seen him—no idea where he ran off to."

"I stopped by Second Brother's place on my way here."

Bai Jin raised his hand, finally speaking up.

"I asked the servants at Second Brother's house. They said he might have left in the middle of the night, taking a bag with him. They didn't see any fish. As for upstairs, Second Brother rarely comes back, and cleaning is done by hired help. They're usually not allowed upstairs or into the rooms. Anyway, I looked around and didn't see the fish."

"Maybe he got a message in the middle of the night and went to the lab—it's not like he only stays at Sheng'ang University. As far as I know, he's been busy with a lot of things lately. Didn't he have to leave yesterday before we even finished talking?"

Bai Qi crossed her arms, clearly displeased.

She wanted to say more, but seeing Xiaobai Nuo's expression, she only pressed her lips together and fell silent. Finally, since she was one of those who coaxed the little guy yesterday, she stopped, feeling a bit guilty.

She offered a dry consolation, without venting her dissatisfaction with Bai Liang, nor bringing up how she had tried to save the fish yesterday but was rejected by the others, which would only add to the little one's sadness.

"...Maybe it didn't die after all, right?"

That's what she said.

But knowing Bai Liang as she did, Bai Qi thought that the fish might not really matter to him.

The little cub, still clinging to his father's neck, didn't cry or fuss.

He was also holding Dou Dou, listening to the adults talking.

Nono's little fish might have died.

The little one lowered his head in sadness: "I want to tell Great-Grandpa."

Because Nono didn't take good care of it, the little fish that Great-Grandpa gave Nono died.

"What?"

The little one's voice was too low, Bai Sheng couldn't hear clearly, so he found himself bending down to ask the little cub again.

Then he heard the little one speaking to him again.

"I need to tell Great-Grandpa, Nono didn't take good care of the fish. It's the fish that Great-Grandpa worked so hard... to catch."

This was also Xiaobai Nuo's first time raising a small animal and facing the loss of a little life that was so deeply tied to his own.

Kids can't really escape dealing with saying goodbye.

Bai Sheng was silent for a moment.

It was just a fish. Even if it was one that Great-Grandpa had gone to so much trouble to catch, no one would think it was this little one's fault.

The current generation of Bai family heirs just thought it was a fish. They were used to things just naturally passing through their hands, and none of them had ever been around to watch a little kid grow up.

But in the little cub's world, a fish was a big deal.

Bai Sheng wasn't the only one who stayed silent.

Bai Jin couldn't hold back either. He pushed himself up decisively, his brow darkening, and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

Cen Zhi glanced at him.

"Mom, Third Brother, you comfort him. I'll head to school to find Second Brother."

Bai Jin casually waved his hand and was out the door in a few steps.

Bai Qi also instinctively took a couple of steps forward, then took out her phone: "I'll ask Grandpa. He should be doing his morning workout around now."

Ever since Grandpa said he wanted to settle down in Ang City, he had set up a place on a plot of land outside the old family compound and moved out of the main building. He only occasionally came to the main building for meals or to see Xiaobai Nuo. Most of the time he hung out with a few of his buddies, either drinking tea or fishing—peaceful and easy.

Cen Zhi had initially offered to comfort him, but when she saw Bai Sheng's face, she hesitated and decided not to step in.

After all, as a mother, she had hardly ever seen Bai Sheng with such an expression—like someone had trespassed into his territory and ticked him off, or like a fierce beast awkwardly bowing its head to try to groom its cub.

Clearly, he didn't want anyone else to take over comforting the little one in his arms.

So Cen Zhi sat nearby and watched.

Bai Sheng really didn't know how to comfort people. He just looked at Xiaobai Nuo in his arms, who was trying hard to control his emotions but looked especially dejected. Somewhat awkwardly, imitating the parents he had seen in the past, he lowered his head and gently kissed the little one's forehead.

Xiaobai Nuo was startled, raised his hand to touch his forehead, looked up at his father, and then tears welled up in his eyes more and more, and his dad reached out and wiped them away.

He closed his eyes and said softly, "Dad, Nono is just a little sad. Nono is going to be brave."

Teaching the little guy all kinds of emotions, teaching him everything—that's what parents are supposed to do.

But Bai Sheng had never done such things before. Having suddenly acquired a cub, even though he tried hard to learn, he always felt he couldn't keep up with the speed at which the little one was encountering the world.

So he said, "Nono, the life of a little fish is fragile by nature. There can be all kinds of sudden illnesses. It's not just about care. Nono has already been very brave, even braver than Dad. If you're unhappy, tell Dad. No parent is always right."

He really didn't know how to soothe someone, so he just did what he'd seen, kissed the little guy's forehead, gently patted his back, and murmured comforting words.

But Nono just felt that Dad was right.

But the little one rubbed his forehead and didn't answer. He leaned into Dad's arms again, gave a gloomy little nod, and then spoke again, "Why... isn't Grandpa here?"

He figured it out so fast.

Cen Zhi immediately answered, softening her tone.

"Grandpa had a small issue during his check-up. He'll stay in the hospital for two days and come back after some treatment."

The little one looked over at her, big eyes still holding tiny teardrops that Bai Sheng hadn't fully wiped away. "Grandpa wasn't here yesterday, and Grandpa made a promise to Nono. Is Grandpa feeling unwell but didn't tell Nono?"

Cen Zhi: ...

When it rains, it pours! She dared not hide it, nor was it easy to say.

Cen Zhi chose to shift the blame.

"Grandpa isn't unwell, just a routine check-up. Of course, it's all Grandpa's fault. Nono knows Grandpa never opens his mouth—how could he make a promise and not tell Nono? What a bad Grandpa. Let's ignore him."

"We should care about him."

The brave little guy from before suddenly became pitiful again, replying in a subdued voice.

"Nono wants to see Grandpa, to make sure Grandpa eats his meals."

Grandpa can't have anything happen to him. If something happens to Grandpa, Nono will be very, very, very sad.

Much sadder than now.

Cen Zhi paused for a moment. "Okay, Grandma will take Nono along when she goes to see Grandpa later."

He was too well-behaved, so well-behaved that it left people at a loss.

What good deeds did Bai Sheng do in his past life to deserve such a wonderful kid in this one?

Outside, Bai Jin and Bai Qi met. The two hadn't actually gone far and had overheard bits of the conversation inside. Now the little one's voice was fading.

Only then did they stop.

Bai Qi yanked at her hair tie, irritably pulling it off and retying it, her black hair swishing behind her. Her voice was cold: "I told you yesterday—better to give it to me than to Bai Liang. He definitely wouldn't give a damn about that fish."

Bai Qi said with certainty, wearing an "I told you so" expression, just as stubborn as yesterday. "After all, he's just that kind of nasty piece of work."

But we wouldn't dare leave it to you either, you know—you kill anything living.

"Yeah, if we'd left it to you, at least we'd have found the fish, dead or alive, by now."

Bai Jin put one hand in his pocket, also a bit irritated. He watched the car approaching from the road, scratched his head, let out a breath, and continued.

"It'd been better if he'd cried yesterday. Not like just now—it made people's hearts clench."

If the little one had cried his heart out yesterday, they'd just have been flustered trying to soothe him. Not like now—barely holding back tears, pitiful, one look made them feel awful and helpless.

"And Second Brother too—where the hell did he go? Whenever you need him, he's nowhere to be found, and he won't let anyone tail him. What's he trying to do, is he crazy?"

Bai Jin opened the car door and waved at Bai Qi.

"I'll come straight back if I don't find him."

Bai Qi looked down and started arranging some company matters. It was still early, so she gave a nod.

"I'll go find Grandpa."

By the time Bai Yan arrived,

the little one had already had his tear-streaked face wiped by Dad, perched obediently in Dad's arms, clinging to Dad's neck like a well-behaved little koala.

Until he saw Great-Grandpa.

The little one slid down from Dad's arms, ran pitter-patter to Great-Grandpa, looked up at Great-Grandpa for a few seconds, blinked his heavy-lidded eyes, and then hugged Great-Grandpa's leg.

Bai Yan had never seen such a scene. His body stiffened. Instinctively, he wanted to say stubbornly, "Don't cry, it's just a fish. Great-Grandpa will catch you another one." But with the little one hugging him, and remembering that he had said something similar before and gotten burned, he swallowed his words.

Afraid of scratching the little one's delicate skin, Bai Yan placed his cane farther away as he crouched down, using a rarely seen gentle tone.

"It's okay, don't cry."

"Nono didn't take good care of the little fish."

The little one had learned from Dad and Grandma what happened yesterday. He let go of Great-Grandpa's leg, gestured, without a sound, but tears spilled out.

"Nono didn't know the sunlight moves every day. Great-Grandpa, will the little fish really die? Nono doesn't want the fish to die, sob. Nono likes the little fish Great-Grandpa caught for Nono."

"Don't cry, don't cry."

Even if he understood the reasoning, a child would still cry when he wanted to.

Bai Yan awkwardly wiped the little one's eye corners, only to find that he had reddened them a bit due to his heavy-handedness. Under Bai Sheng's gaze, he withdrew his hand sheepishly.

It's okay, Great-Grandpa will keep fishing for you, catch a hundred!

Although he really wanted to say that.

But Master of Empty Hands, Mine-Stepper Bai Yan still honestly swallowed his words.

Bai Yan glanced toward the window. Last night, several windows there had been urgently fitted with new screen curtains.

The servant from Bai Sheng's side had brought the small fish and placed them in the little one's original spot. The two small fish had been fed by the little one and were now swimming back and forth in the tank.

To be honest, Bai Yan couldn't tell the difference between these fish. He couldn't be bothered to recognize many people, let alone small fish.

So where the hell did that guy Bai Liang go?

The old man couldn't help thinking the same.

Just then, he got word from the security at the entrance.

"Bai Liang is back?"

Cen Zhi said doubtfully into the phone.

"He's heading this way? Okay, got it."

The little one blinked his big eyes and looked at her.

...

On the road leading to the entrance of the old Bai family mansion, a car was driving slowly.

Bai Liang sat in the back seat, on his phone, with a bag beside him.

He spouted off foreign technical terms one after another, leaning back with a slight frown as he continued the conversation.

He switched back to Chinese after a moment.

"So it's not those bacteria causing the problem? It must be the water temperature change, plus swim bladder disorder from overfeeding, right? As long as we confirm the main cause, we're good. Control temperature and feeding, and up the oxygen, right? Then the measures I took before leaving should be correct? I read that paper by the professor next to you about how those bacteria hide, just to make sure the odds are low, okay?"

Bai Liang rubbed his temples wearily and continued, with a helpless chuckle.

"It's not about whether it's important. I barely know that kid. I just don't want a five-year-old to cry, alright? Of course, this trip was probably for nothing. He didn't even notice, I'm just doing this to make myself feel better..."

Although Bai Liang didn't think that fish was particularly important, after yesterday's argument, he couldn't just let it go.

Wasted effort or not, it's only one night of his time, no big deal. He was already used to staying up for experiments.

Then Bai Liang got out of the car, carrying his stuff, and paused.

He saw a group of people standing at his doorstep.

Bai Liang: ?

He looked uncertainly at the house, then at them, then at the time.

It was barely past eight o'clock.

"Am I not supposed to be home?" he hesitated.

"Is that fish still alive?"

Bai Liang spoke at the same time as Bai Qi, who rushed up.

Since he hadn't slept much, his brain took a second to catch up. He instinctively looked behind Bai Qi.

Bai Sheng was holding the tiny kid. The little guy was so pale his red-rimmed eyes really stood out as he stared hopefully over.

"Second Uncle..."

Bai Liang was about to ask Bai Sheng why he had that look—did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed?—when he heard the child's voice.

Bai Liang: ...

"How did he figure it out? That fish is practically identical except for being a bit thinner. If he had asked, Bai Sheng could have easily brushed it off."

How did he find out, and even cry?

Bai Liang, who always had a smile on his face, looked a bit shocked.

"He discovered it yesterday but didn't say anything. Today he snuck off to check, and Third Brother caught him at it, which made him cry. We haven't been able to reach you all morning."

Bai Qi explained quickly, staring straight at Bai Liang. She didn't have much hope, but asked anyway.

"Is that fish still alive?"

Bai Liang: ... "I've been on the phone with a friend abroad and haven't paid attention to anything else."

Bai Liang hadn't expected his night's work to pay off so well.

He adjusted his glasses.

"Ah... it's alive."

Bai Liang saw Bai Qi's eyes widen a little when she heard the fish was alive, thinking to himself, 'How selfish does she think I am?' And if I'd left it to you, it'd probably be dead. He raised his hand to push up his glasses again.

"Follow me."

Little Bai Nuo hurriedly trotted behind his Second Uncle and entered a room on the second floor.

There were lots of instruments inside that Little Bai Nuo couldn't make sense of.

A small oxygen machine wrapped in cloth was quietly bubbling air into a shallow water tray.

In the shallow tray, the drab little fish was held in place. It didn't look lively yet, but it was much better than yesterday, with its tail constantly swaying.

The thermometer beside the tray was giving off a dim glow.

Bai Liang took off his jacket and pulled a small bottle from the bag he'd brought, carefully measured the right amounts, and then poured a little into the shallow tray.

"This is a water conditioner."

Bai Liang looked at Little Bai Nuo, who was staring up at him. He crouched down to explain to the kid, then added to the others.

"Yesterday I looked under a microscope and found some bacteria. This isn't my specialty, so I wasn't sure if those bacteria were affecting the fish, since treatment methods differ. So I brought a sample to a friend's lab nearby and had them look for any problems. These are the reports. Of course, no need to look—after ruling them out one by one, we confirmed they didn't affect it. It's just swim bladder disorder from a sudden temperature change after eating."

Bai Liang showed the child the printed reports and let him look at the small bottle of medicine in his hand.

"Second Uncle had it specially made. For the next few days, control the temperature and oxygen, keep it in the shallow tray with the drops of medicine for four or five days, and then it can go back into your little fish tank. Second Uncle will help take care of it when he has time, so don't cry. I shouldn't have tried to trick you yesterday."

Little Bai Nuo took the small medicine bottle Bai Liang handed him, looked at Second Uncle, then at the little fish. He stared hard for a while, as if making sure.

"Second Uncle, the little fish isn't dead."

"Yeah, the fish isn't dead. But how did you tell? Because it's skinnier?"

Bai Liang smiled soothingly, still keeping his distance from the kid.

He still didn't know why he'd spent all night messing in a field he didn't know—what a waste of time.

But the next second, Bai Liang's eyes widened slightly.

The kid, who barely knew him, suddenly hugged him tight, his soft cheek pressed against Bai Liang's neck. He let out a relieved breath, his voice still thick with sobs: "...Because the little fish is the little fish, just like Second Uncle is Second Uncle. Nuo made an effort to remember, so I'll recognize him anytime... Nuo will help take care of the little fish, too."

The tiny child had to stand on tiptoe to hug him, his sobs not yet faded, his round eyes full of tears, seeking comfort thankfully.

"Thank you, Second Uncle, for saving the little fish."

Bai Liang: ... This is.

He felt uncertainly—what had seemed like a waste of time.

Now, unexpectedly, a sense of... accomplishment spread from his heart, something even his various successful experiments hadn't brought him.