Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Feeling the slight sting of the wound pulling on his shoulder, Bai Sheng's face didn't even twitch.

The wound was still fresh, hadn't scabbed over yet—just sprayed with meds and covered with a waterproof dressing as a temporary protective layer. The wound was a bit deep but didn't need stitches. By now, Bai Sheng had almost forgotten he even had this wound.

No, not exactly forgotten—more like he was scared the little guy would notice, so Bai Sheng had purposely pushed it out of his mind. It wasn't until he couldn't hold back a laugh just now and yanked the wound that he remembered it again.

The waterproof dressing should've taken care of it, but maybe the movement had torn it open a bit more?

Bai Sheng shrugged it off mentally, not giving a damn about such a small wound.

Strong pheromones were one factor, but training was another. The Bai family's insane pheromone levels and physical build meant they never lagged in real fights either. Getting banged up during routine sparring and training was pretty normal, though once he hit adulthood, Bai Sheng rarely got wounds like this anymore.

Bai Sheng didn't pay it any mind, just looked down at Xiaobai Nuo, who was frozen stiff from his laugh.

The little cub looked up, still holding the half tomato, still pressed up against his dad's chest, and under his dad's gaze, shoved the tomato into his mouth.

Xiaobai Nuo squinted from the sourness, but once he chewed through, the sweet flesh calmed the little cub right down.

Xiaobai Nuo ducked his head and mumbled softly: "Daddy, don't make fun of Nuo Nuo."

As Bai Nuo said this, he stuffed another whole tomato into his mouth, squinting again from the sour bite, then obediently sat in his dad's lap and ate it like a good boy.

The same cycle over and over—squinting from the sour, then swinging his little feet from the sweet.

Adorable to death.

Right, can't laugh at you.

Bai Sheng smiled, unable to resist reaching out to pinch Bai Nuo's little cheeks.

The little cub's face was so soft—especially after half a year of being well-fed, it was even softer to pinch than when he first got here.

But before Bai Sheng could say anything else, he saw his cub pause, hesitantly turning his head to look over. His little nose twitched, like he was sniffing around for something, and he even leaned in closer.

Bai Sheng tensed up, unconsciously freezing, watching the little one look back at him all confused, tilting his little head like he was thinking, then stuffing another tomato in his mouth and squinting from the sourness again.

Crisis averted.

Bai Sheng's tense body relaxed. He couldn't help wondering: what was that little guy sniffing for just now?

The food? Outside smells that had stuck to him? Or blood?

But that couldn't be—if it really was blood, wouldn't his nose be a little too sharp?

The cub currently stuffing tomatoes into his mouth had indeed caught a faint, fleeting scent—one that made him uneasy on instinct.

But the scent faded fast. Xiaobai Nuo thought it was weird but couldn't put it into words, so he leaned back into his dad's arms and stuffed another tomato in his mouth.

He blinked his big eyes, popping them one after another, but after a few, Bai Sheng took the fruit plate away.

"It's too late. Eat a couple less—you can have more tomorrow."

Bai Sheng had already grabbed a quick bite and had the plates and bowls cleared away, only to have Xiaobai Nuo tug at his clothes and pull him toward his toy room.

Aunt Feng and the housekeeper had finished cleaning up with the staff, still unable to stop sighing.

"They're finally back. Watching these past few days was heartbreaking."

"The young master hasn't left Third Master's side much since he was brought back, has he?"

"No kidding. The young master's been staying in the main building lately, but when he comes back to check the flowers and the strawberry garden, you can always catch him holding Dou Dou and staring at it forever."

"Feng, you're off tomorrow, right? Since Third Master came back early, you can relax now."

"Exactly. If Third Master hadn't come back, I'd still be worrying about whether the young master was missing his daddy."

"But this is a first, isn't it? Third Master came back early instead of sticking to the original schedule."

Everyone in the Bai family had their own strong personality, but even the most procrastinating, laid-back Bai Sheng was pretty organized—he had everything planned out clearly. Normally, he wouldn't come back this much earlier than planned.

If you asked them, Bai Sheng had changed a lot as well.

From here, they could see the activity room in the distance, its door left open.

A big one and a little one sat on the carpet.

The tiny one was pulling out his storybooks and the drawings he'd done recently, showing them to his dad one by one.

Bai Sheng had already taken off his jacket, leaving just a dark gray-black shirt underneath. The buttons at his collar were undone, hanging loose and lazy, and his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, one hand propped on the floor.

Though Bai Sheng's expression was as calm as ever, he looked down and went through each item one by one, occasionally murmuring in response. The father-son moment felt especially warm.

That was a side of Bai Sheng he rarely showed—like this place had only ever been a house to him before, but now it was a home.

"Third Master's temper has really mellowed out."

Someone sighed, and a few others murmured in agreement.

By the time bedtime rolled around, the little cub had already finished telling his dad everything he'd done these past few days.

Bai Sheng first got the little one through his bedtime routine, then took another shower himself, thoroughly washing off the dust and exhaustion from the trip.

But when he came out of the bathroom, Xiaobai Nuo was nowhere to be seen.

Bai Sheng instinctively looked around, reaching for his phone to check the security cameras, then paused.

He remembered Nuo Nuo had been sleeping in the main building these past few days—had he been sleeping alone this whole time?

Now that he was used to it, had he gone back to sleep on his own?

The newbie dad standing in the middle of the room hesitated, not grabbing his phone to check the cameras first, but instead asking Cen Zhi a question.

Bai Sheng: Has he been sleeping alone in the main building lately?

Cen Zhi: ?

Cen Zhi paused for a few seconds, then sent a photo.

The photo was clearly taken in secret.

In the photo was Bai Qian, holding a paper magazine, glancing sideways at the small blanket beside him—with a little pillow on top.

Still wearing his usual stern face, but he looked a bit lost and dejected.

Bai Sheng let out an "oh" and put his phone away.

Okay, so it looks like he wasn't sleeping alone after all.

Then the door swung open, and Bai Sheng turned his head, watching as the little one came pitter-pattering in with his small pillow.

"Daddy, time to sleep! Nono went and got his pillow! Nono wants to try sleeping by himself after the New Year, okay?"

The little cub stopped in front of his dad, tilting his head up to look at him.

Since he'd been sleeping in the main building these past few days, his usual pillow had been left in that room, so the little one had gone to fetch his comfiest pillow.

Behind him, Dou Dou came rolling in with a clatter, and the little one picked him up and set him in the charging dock, which gave a crisp beep.

"Mm."

Bai Sheng crouched down, scooping up Xiaobai Nuo. He took the small pillow from his hands and placed it on the bed.

But this time, being close, Bai Sheng had just showered, still carrying the damp, fresh scent of a recent wash. Xiaobai Nuo wrapped his arms around his dad's neck, paused for a moment, then lowered his head to sniff around his dad's neck, finally stopping at his shoulder.

It was a faint smell of blood, barely noticeable under the scent of dust, but easy to pick up beneath the familiar fragrance of body wash.

Bai Sheng froze instinctively, looking down at his cub.

He wasn't sure if he could hide it.

After all, it was just a shoulder—if he covered it up, and with a little care, it shouldn't be a problem, right...

Then he watched as his cub's eyes started to redden instantly.

But the cub just looked confused.

"Daddy, why does it smell like blood?"

Oh no, Bai Sheng thought.

He tensed up slightly, then relaxed.

"It's nothing, just a scratch. If you hadn't mentioned it, Daddy would've forgotten all about it."

The moment Bai Sheng said that, the little cub's eyes welled up again.

"Daddy, tell Nono the truth—"

He pouted, carefully got up, avoiding Bai Sheng's neck and shoulder. He thought for a moment, then crawled out of his dad's arms. He sat down next to him, tugging at his dad's shirt.

"Didn't everything go smoothly? And isn't Daddy just going to work?"

The little cub didn't understand—what kind of work could hurt someone?

He stubbornly clung to his dad, trying to see which side was hurt.

He was actually very sensitive to the smell of blood, especially on people he knew well. He'd experienced it before—seeing an adult with that smell, and the next time he saw them, they were already gone.

In the apocalypse, they tried hard to hide the scent of blood, not just to avoid attacks from mutated creatures, but also to avoid being targeted by their own kind, who might see them as vulnerable.

That was incredibly dangerous.

So the effort to conceal the smell of blood instantly made Xiaobai Nuo think of something terrible. His eyes reddened, but he could tell it wasn't that serious.

And he couldn't help but feel a pang of worry.

So he looked like that—on the verge of tears, looking all pitiful.

That was exactly why Bai Sheng had wanted to hide it from the little cub.

Better not to let him think about what happened at that research institute.

That's what he thought.

But this situation was truly unexpected.

Bai Sheng's pupils contracted slightly. It was rare for him to be at a loss, trying to find a way to soothe the cub.

"Daddy went to work and accidentally scraped his shoulder outside. It's just a small wound. Nono bumps and scrapes himself all the time, and it heals up in no time, right?"

It just came with Bai Jin's 'joyful' workouts while it healed.

He reached out and gently brushed the corner of the little cub's eye.

"Don't cry, don't worry. Daddy's really strong."

The little cub closed his eyes at the gentle touch.

He didn't shed tears, but spoke in a quiet, muffled voice.

"Daddy is the strongest daddy in the whole wide world."

See, that's the way to think.

Bai Sheng was just thinking that when—

Then he heard Xiaobai Nuo speak again.

"But even the strongest daddy can get hurt."

Nono knew that already.

Wounds were definitely not something you show a kid.

And besides, Bai Sheng didn't think it was a big deal—it would scab over in a few days and heal in no time.

The wound was nothing compared to how hard it was to soothe this cub.

Bai Sheng looked down.

Xiaobai Nuo wasn't in his dad's arms; he was snuggled up against his dad's side, whispering, "Nono will feel heartache, Nono will be really, really sad."

He tried to explain, gesturing with his hands, then looked up at Bai Sheng. He didn't know how to convince him, so he just tentatively reached out.

"Nono will cry in front of Daddy, for real. Don't hide things from Nono, okay? Nono will take care of Daddy."

He was capable now—he was a Big Kid now, and he could take care of his dad.

He was testing his dad: Am I important to you? If you don't want to see me cry, then don't get hurt. Because just like the picture book says, however important Nono is to the family, that's how important the family is to Nono.

And Bai Sheng could never say no to this cub.

So Bai Sheng thought about it for a moment.

"Then how about Nono gets Daddy a glass of water?"

"Mm-hmm."

The little one climbed down from the bed and was about to scamper out.

Bai Sheng spoke up.

"It's gotten cold. Put on your shoes."

The floor was tiled, easy to clean and replace, with no wall-to-wall carpeting, just a separate rug in each room.

During summer, the little cub was used to running around barefoot, so now he hopped down and was about to dash out barefoot.

So Xiaobai Nuo ran back, put on his shoes, and ran out again.

Soon, the little one came back carrying a cup of water.

"Daddy, here you go."

Bai Sheng took it and sipped before patting the little one's head.

"You're so good, taking care of Daddy. Next time Daddy needs Nuo Nuo to take care of him, Daddy will tell you."

The little cub nodded, and his father lifted him back onto the bed.

The weather had turned cooler, so he now had a quilt with a light layer of cotton, and his little pillow sat right beside Bai Sheng's.

He was small, and his pillow was specially made—tiny, just the right size for him to hug.

But the little cub couldn't sleep. He looked around beside his father, then asked in a small, worried voice.

"Daddy, how long is the wound? Uncle Xu Chuan said you can't get a wound wet."

Daddy even went to take a shower—adults are so worrying.

Bai Sheng had already closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. He hummed softly and gestured with his hand to show Xiaobai Nuo.

The little one went quiet.

Bai Sheng's eye twitched. He opened his eyes again and saw the little cub hugging the quilt, half his face hidden, staring at him with pleading eyes, about to cry again.

Well, fair enough—the way he'd gestured, it was about as long as Xiaobai Nuo's hand.

Bai Sheng: ...

He'd nearly made him cry three times today.

Bai Sheng thought for a moment, then reached out and gently closed the little one's eyes.

"Sleep. You have kindergarten tomorrow, and didn't you say you'd take care of Daddy? How can you take care of me if you don't rest?"

The tiny cub let out a soft "mm" and obediently closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, Bai Sheng pulled his hand back and looked at the little one.

He hadn't actually shed many tears today, but the corners of his eyes were slightly red, standing out against his porcelain-white skin.

Bai Sheng waited until his breathing evened out, then closed his own eyes, but soon opened them again and sat up.

No, he should still apply a compress, so his eyes won't hurt tomorrow morning.

He remembered it should be a cold compress first, then a warm one?

Bai Sheng had a precise memory, but he still decided to double-check.

He got out of bed quietly, careful not to wake the easily startled little one.

At the door, he glanced back.

He thought: Such a crybaby.

But he himself rarely cried, yet this little one cried from heartache—three times in one night.

Meanwhile, the Savior's high command, having completely lost contact with H, had stopped in some remote small country, frantically resuming their research.

R's face was grim.

"Captured by the Z Federation? Are you sure? Alive or dead?"

"Not clear. Our people don't dare enter Z territory for now—the borders are locked down."

"Is the Z Federation joking? Lockdown? Over something like this? Clearly a nation lacking democracy and fairness—they're the biggest obstacle to technological progress this century!"

R paced back and forth, his handsome, deep-set face twisted with fury.

"H is still carrying a lot of research data and intel on the target. He'd better not have leaked much, and he'd better stay silent forever after being caught by the Z Federation—otherwise, K can take care of his family, but he can also turn that punishment on them."

The person beside him didn't dare say anything.

"Go deeper into hiding. Don't use any identities that have been exposed... no, no—scrap every identity connected to the ones H used. Rebuild the network from scratch, bit by bit. Don't contact the Bai family. I don't want to become the second H."

R went on.

"Dr. R."

Someone came in.

"Mr. Shen sent a message. He's agreed to your request and wants to go to the Z Federation."

R turned: "Oh, thank heavens, that's the best news I've heard in a while. What did he say?"

"He said he naturally hates the Bai family, and if he could see them utterly destroyed, he'd be thrilled—you've hit his weak spot."

The man said quickly.

"Is this Mr. Shen trustworthy, R?"

"Of course. Since he came to the lab, he's lived off the research institute. A few years ago, his already-damaged gland was completely ruined. Now, if he leaves the institute, he'd have at most two or three months. Think about it—he's clung to life like that all these years. Isn't that proof enough of his obsession? I believe hatred is what keeps him alive—hatred for the Bai family. And if he goes, he'll have help. Given the Bai family's situation, I think previous losers would be more than happy to cooperate with him to cause trouble for them."

R laughed.

Shen Ye—the alias of Bai Ye.

At least in R's eyes, he was a trump card against the Bai family.

Not to mention he'd originally been the researcher assigned to that little test subject, familiar with him inside and out.

"Tell him it's difficult to travel to the Z Federation in the near term, but he's been away from the lab for a long time—maybe he can try using his foreign identity. But advise him not to act rashly—oh, never mind, come on, give me the phone. I'll talk to him personally."

On the other side, Bai Sheng had already prepared the materials for the cold and warm compresses.

He had just returned to the room when he saw his little one groggily sit up and rub his eyes.

Bai Sheng stepped forward, gently pulled his little hand away, and before he could say anything, pressed the already wrung-out cold, damp towel onto Xiaobai Nuo's eyes.

"Daddy?"

The little cub asked sleepily.

"Just leave it on, or your eyes will hurt in the morning."

The little cub leaned against his dad, a damp towel over his eyes, and gave a little hum.

At the same time, a message came in on Bai Sheng's phone.

Bai Sheng looked down.

It was a message from Bai Liang.

He sent a whole string of messages.

Bai Liang: Are you asleep? Is Nono still awake?

Bai Liang: Don't lie to me! The research report has a preliminary analysis out, and it shows he's highly sensitive to the smell of blood!

Bai Liang: If he didn't mention it, he's hiding it, but he definitely knows!

It was rare to see Bai Liang this worked up.

Bai Sheng picked up his phone, replying while applying the towel to his cub's eyes.

Bai Sheng: Too late for that.

Bai Liang: ...He knows? He actually said it?

Bai Sheng: Yeah, he just leaned in, sniffed, and figured it out.

Bai Liang: ...He just blurted it out like that? He hides his own stuff but blurts out anything about adults right away? Wait, why aren't you asleep? Did he not forgive you? Ha, serves you right for keeping it from him.

Bai Sheng: He got so upset he cried, so I'm applying towels to his eyes.

Bai Liang: ...

Sorry, I'll leave you two to it.

Bai Liang: Wait.

Bai Liang: He just forgave you that easily? What about me? What do I do? I told him everything was going smoothly!

Bai Liang: He won't think his second uncle is a liar, will he?

Bai Liang: Tell him you forced me, an office worker, into it with threats!

It was clear he was freaking out.

But Bai Sheng wasn't worried.

Bai Sheng finished the cold towel, set it aside, waited a moment, then placed a warm towel over the little one's eyes. The cub tried to help, but at times like this, he'd only make things worse, so he lay there obediently, asking his dad to be gentle so it wouldn't hurt.

The warm towel over his eyes made him drowsy, especially at this hour.

The little cub quickly began to drift off again.

Bai Sheng finished, set the towel aside, and finally relaxed, his own tension easing.

He lay down beside the little one, feeling the cub snuggle up against him through the blanket.

Bai Sheng glanced at his phone again.

Bai Sheng: Done with the towel, he's asleep, we'll talk tomorrow.

Bai Liang: ???

You're really throwing your brother under the bus like this?

Bai Sheng was just about to put the phone down.

The cub, who had been asleep beside him, suddenly opened his eyes, still groggy.

His gaze was unfocused, but as if something had just occurred to him, he yawned hard and then spoke softly: "Forgot to say..."

He mumbled, his voice a bit slurred.

Then he snuggled his little head against his dad, in that especially soft, sleepy voice, yet sounding serious.

"Daddy, welcome home, Nono's been waiting for you this whole time..."

After saying that, he really fell asleep beside him this time, breathing steadily.

Bai Sheng: ...

He glanced at the phone he still hadn't put down.

...

In Fei City, Bai Liang sat on the hotel sofa, holding a whiskey glass. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and the glow of the computer screen fell across his face, giving him a sharp, intense look.

"You got forgiven that easily."

Bai Liang muttered softly, swirling the glass, listening to the ice clink against the rim as the drink's oaky aroma wafted up.

He rarely drank—Bai Jingyun was the one in the family who enjoyed a casual drink—but after sorting through all this and thinking about what he'd have to analyze later, Bai Liang couldn't calm his irritation without a sip.

But fine, judging by the looks of it, that cub really missed Bai Sheng.

It was a good thing Bai Sheng went back early.

Just then, his phone buzzed—a message from Bai Sheng.

Bai Liang raised an eyebrow.

Oh? Bai Sheng actually replied to him?

Could it be that Bai Sheng's temper had improved, and he'd become more...

Bai Sheng: He forgot to say welcome home earlier, so he forced himself to stay awake just now to say it, said he missed me, and his cheeks are really pinchable too.

Bai Liang: ?

A human? Ha, he'd need to be one first.

Bai Liang: Have some decency!!!