DASB Ch37

 

After placing the finished dishes on the dining table, Huo Rulan told Rong Lan and took off his apron to go upstairs and call Ye Xi for lunch.

The lighting in the room was soft, not too dim, not too harsh. Huo Rulan first went to the crib to check if the babies were awake. Seeing that they were still asleep, he turned toward the bed.

“It’s lunchtime.”

Huo Rulan crouched at the bedside, lightly caressing Ye Xi’s cheek with his fingers. He leaned in and kissed the corner of Ye Xi’s mouth. “Ye Xi, baby.”

Ye Xi, disturbed, groggily reached up and tugged on Huo Rulan’s ear, mumbling, “Okay okay, I’m up.”

He flailed a bit with his hands and feet but then fell silent again…

Huo Rulan chuckled and kissed his face, continuing to rouse him. “Today’s lunch includes clear soup noodles, steamed fish, boiled shrimp…”

Before he could finish listing the menu, Ye Xi slowly sat up, eyes still closed, and tugged on Huo Rulan’s clothes, mumbling that he wanted to eat.

Huo Rulan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He helped Ye Xi put on his shoes and carried him out of the room. Before heading downstairs, he glanced at the crib, the little ones were still sleeping.

Downstairs, Rong Lan was serving rice. Seeing the couple all lovey-dovey, she felt genuinely comforted. “Come eat.”

Seeing Rong Lan, Ye Xi flushed red and quickly tried to slide off of Huo Rulan’s lap. He poked him in the waist to make him let go.

Huo Rulan pretended not to notice and calmly carried him to the dining room, placing him on a chair.

He ruffled Ye Xi’s messy, fluffy hair and told them to eat first while he went back up to bring the babies.

Ye Xi lowered his head, still red in the face, avoiding Rong Lan’s gaze. She smiled warmly and ladled soup into a bowl for him. “Here, drink some soup.”

Ye Xi accepted it, replying in a shy, tiny voice, “Thank you, Mom.”

Upstairs, Huo Rulan leaned over and gently massaged little Chen’an’s chubby hand, whispering softly, “Chen’an, baby.”

Disturbed mid-nap, Chen’an pouted and looked ready to cry. Huo Rulan gently patted his chest. “Time to wake up.”

The little one blinked teary eyes at Huo Rulan and softly whimpered, “Wahh~” as if protesting.

Huo Rulan smiled and held his hand, then went to wake up Jingxing.

But despite using the same gentle method, this little guy threw his head back and wailed dramatically. Chen’an, affected by the sudden noise, also started pouting and crying in grievance.

Huo Rulan was instantly overwhelmed. “Okay, okay, let’s go drink milk, drink milk!”

He tried to soothe them while picking up the two pitifully crying babies and heading downstairs.

Hearing their cries, Ye Xi’s heart broke. He rushed over to comfort them. “Feeling so wronged, huh?”

Little Chen’an blinked tearily at him. “Mmm~”

Little Jingxing grabbed Ye Xi’s shirt with one hand and waved with the other. “Wahh~”

The two nestled in Ye Xi’s arms, looking up at him, babbling with teardrops clinging to their lashes. Their mouths still quivered, and after babbling, they snuggled against their little daddy’s chest as if they’d suffered great injustice.

Huo Rulan came over with two milk bottles and gently transferred them to the playpen in the living room. But as soon as they left Ye Xi’s arms, the two babies immediately started bawling again.

Huo Rulan quickly fed them the bottles, and only then did peace return.

Watching the two drink milk in silence, their cheeks puffing in and out, Huo Rulan finally sighed in relief.

From the dining room, Rong Lan turned her head and laughed. “Those two are just like Rulan when he was little. His dad used to wake him for milk and he’d cry just like that, so pitiful.”

Ye Xi burst out laughing. “So they take after their big daddy.”

In the living room, Huo Rulan blushed hearing that, but he couldn’t resist gently pinching the babies’ chubby cheeks. “Little brats,” he muttered, but his gaze was as soft as a spring breeze.

After lunch, Rong Lan headed home.

Huo Rulan coaxed the twins to sleep and tucked them back into their crib. He set out a fruit platter on the coffee table. “Keep an eye on the babies. I’ll just pop into the kitchen real quick.”

He leaned on the sofa and kissed Ye Xi softly. “I love you.”

Ye Xi’s ears turned bright red. Looking up with sparkling eyes, he hugged Huo Rulan’s waist. “I love you too.”

The two stayed clingy for a while before Huo Rulan finally went into the kitchen to heat up the herbal medicine Rong Lan brought.

The bitter smell of traditional medicine was pungent and might upset the babies if they smelled it. Huo Rulan shut the kitchen door tightly, warmed the medicine quickly, and drank it all in one go despite the bitter taste.

He changed into clean clothes upstairs and returned to the living room. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Ye Xi had been watching him the whole time. As soon as he sat down, Ye Xi leaned into his arms and sniffed. “Smells bitter.”

“Wanna taste it?” Huo Rulan teased, wrapping his arms around Ye Xi’s waist and leaning in for a long kiss. Afterward, he gently wiped Ye Xi’s lips.

But Ye Xi wasn’t focused on the kiss. His eyes shimmered with concern. “Why are you drinking herbal medicine? Are you in pain again?”

Huo Rulan kissed the corner of his eye and hugged him. “No pain. But… I noticed you keep looking at my hair with such guilt. So I figured I’d try herbal treatment to bring the black back. It’ll look younger.”

Ye Xi touched his white hair, on the verge of tears again, but afraid to wake the babies, he held it in.

“No crying,” Huo Rulan said softly, hugging him and massaging the back of his neck. “You just recovered. Crying too much is bad for you. It’ll all get better, I promise.”

Ye Xi buried his face in Huo Rulan’s chest and nodded silently.

After a while, Huo Rulan carefully picked up the drowsy Ye Xi and tucked him back in bed. He then went downstairs, gently lifted the playpen, and carried it upstairs to his side of the bed.

He tidied the babies’ blankets, made sure they were warm, then slipped under the covers and wrapped his arms around Ye Xi for a nap.

Sunlight streamed through the windows. The room was warm and quiet.

***

When the babies turned three months old, Huo Rulan and Ye Xi had to take them to the hospital for vaccinations and a check-up.

The night before the appointment, Ye Xi was organizing the paperwork they’d need at the hospital—until he was suddenly pulled up by Huo Rulan, who had just showered and was wearing only a bath towel around his waist.

He said with a grin, “Come see if anything about me looks different.”

Ye Xi blinked in a daze, looking him over slowly and muttering hesitantly, “…You look even better than yesterday?”

Huo Rulan leaned down and kissed his forehead. “No.”

He lifted his still-damp hair to show Ye Xi. “Look, my new hair is growing in black.”

Ye Xi grabbed a dry towel and began drying his hair while inspecting it. “The new hair really is all black and it’s growing fast too.”

Huo Rulan wrapped his arms around Ye Xi’s waist, lowering his head so Ye Xi could reach more easily, and stuck to him with a whiny tone: “We’re this close and you’re not even gonna kiss me?”

Ye Xi gave him a playful glare, his ears flushing red, and lightly scratched his abs in warning. “Don’t be a perv. The babies are watching.”

Huo Rulan immediately straightened up and turned toward the bed, only to meet two pairs of round, black eyes. The two little ones were lying on their pillows, practicing lifting their heads.

When they saw Daddy looking at them, they grinned toothlessly and drooled, making bubbly “eiwu eiwu~” sounds as if greeting him.

Huo Rulan: “…”

“…Weren’t they asleep?”

“They woke up again.” Ye Xi finished drying his hair and pushed him away. “Go put on clothes. It’s cold, you’ll catch a chill.”

It was already chilly in November, and even with the windows shut and the heater on, Ye Xi still worried about him walking around half-naked.

Huo Rulan leaned down and whispered something in his ear.

Ye Xi blushed and shoved him, running out of the room.

Huo Rulan watched him dash away, smiling warmly. “What are you shy for? Slow down, I’m not chasing you. Don’t trip!”

From downstairs, Ye Xi’s voice called up: “Hmph!”

Huo Rulan chuckled, shook his head, changed into pajamas, and got into bed beside the babies.

“Now that you can lift your heads, should we try rolling over?”

“Ah-puh~”

“Yi-ya~”

“Alright!”

Huo Rulan laid the babies flat and lay down beside them. He lifted his own leg, then tapped theirs. “Lift your legs.”

“Then roll over.”

He slowly demonstrated rolling onto his side, then looked at them.

The two babies tilted their heads to look at Daddy, mimicking him. They slowly and clumsily twisted their little bodies to follow his example.

Jingxing picked it up quickly. After he managed to roll over, he lifted his legs and giggled with baby babble.

Huo Rulan kissed his little head. “Jingxing, you’re amazing!”

The little guy smiled with crescent eyes and reached out to tug at his brother, who was struggling. “Yi-ya~ mm-hmm~”

Huo Rulan gently stopped Jingxing’s hand and kissed the almost-crying Chen’an. “Chen’an can do it too. Let Daddy help, okay? Watch me again.”

The little one looked at Daddy, lips trembling and eyes watery, then tried again.

He finally rolled over, but immediately started crying softly with a quivering mouth.

Huo Rulan’s heart ached. His eyes reddened as he scooped Chen’an into his arms. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. You did it! Chen’an is amazing!”

“Mm-hmm~” The baby balled his little fists and rubbed his face, trying to burrow into Daddy’s chest.

Jingxing, still lying down, grabbed Huo Rulan’s shirt and let out little whines. Huo Rulan picked him up too and gently stroked their backs.

But instead of nestling into Huo Rulan’s arms, Jingxing scooted over and hugged his older brother, then immediately chomped on Chen’an’s chubby cheek while babbling softly.

Huo Rulan didn’t stop them. They were twins, connected at heart. No one understood them better than each other.

Sure enough, Chen’an’s crying stopped. He wrapped his chubby arms around his brother and rubbed foreheads with him gently.

The two little ones stuck close, murmuring baby babble to each other for a while. Huo Rulan quietly watched from the side.

This time, it was Jingxing leading the roll-over practice, encouraging Chen’an with every move and a soft “mm-hmm~.” Chen’an followed him diligently. Once both of them rolled over, they lay on their tummies, kicked their legs, and grinned at each other, squealing happily.

At the doorway, Ye Xi had been standing quietly for a long time. He wiped his eyes and walked over, leaning into Huo Rulan’s arms to watch the babies play.

“Chen’an’s body isn’t as strong as Jingxing’s…”

“He just reacts a little slower, it’s okay,” Huo Rulan replied, kissing Ye Xi’s hair. “With me here, if nothing else, I’ll pamper him for a lifetime. I’ll make sure he has no worries.”

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Tripple Update today since its my birthday

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