DASB Ch38

 

After feeding the babies and burping them, Huo Rulan let the little ones lie on his belly to rest, letting them babble away.

He gently stroked their little heads and turned to Ye Xi to talk about tomorrow’s plans:
“Tomorrow at nine in the morning, we’ll go to the hospital for vaccinations. After that, we’ll do a physical check-up, and then we can head to Mom and Dad’s for lunch.”

“Sounds good. You should also get a check-up, it’s been a month.”
Ye Xi lay beside him, touching his abs, giving them a squeeze. “They’re not as firm as before.”

Huo Rulan raised an eyebrow, subtly sucked in his stomach, and made up his mind to start working out tomorrow.

Ye Xi didn’t notice anything. He propped up his head and watched the bubble-blowing Chen’an and Jingxing. These two little ones looked more like him, though he wondered if they might resemble Huo Rulan more as they grew up.

He looked up at the man’s profile, elegant brows and eyes, a high nose bridge, lips a bit thin but soft when kissed, and they’d turn red when kissed for long.

As Ye Xi watched, Huo Rulan suddenly leaned in and kissed his lips again and again.
“Am I good-looking?”

Ye Xi got lost in his eyes. “You are.”

But Huo Rulan replied sincerely and tenderly, “You’re even more beautiful. I hope the babies take after you when they grow up.”

“Ah-woo~”

Little Chen’an grabbed Huo Rulan’s abs and looked up at him, then turned to look at Ye Xi, flashing a toothless grin and humming gleefully.

Jingxing followed suit, turning to stare at Ye Xi, stretching his chubby hands toward him with a sweet smile.

Two identical little cuties smiling at him, Ye Xi couldn’t resist getting up and planting kisses on both of their cheeks.

The babies giggled even harder, babbling and chirping non-stop on Huo Rulan’s chest.

After the kisses, Ye Xi turned to lie back down, but Huo Rulan leaned over and asked, “Nothing for me?”

With two big pairs of baby eyes watching them, Ye Xi’s ears turned red. He quickly gave Huo Rulan a peck on the cheek.

Huo Rulan let out a satisfied sigh. “Soft and sweet.”

He patted Chen’an and Jingxing’s chubby backs. “Sleepy now, right? Time to sleep.”

The babies: “???”

The little ones lifted their heads uncertainly, scratching at Huo Rulan’s chest.
“Ah-puh~ Awoo~”

“Okay, okay, sleep time.”

Huo Rulan gently stroked their backs and hummed a lullaby. Within five minutes, both were fast asleep on his chest, tiny fists tucked against their puffy cheeks, absolutely adorable.

Huo Rulan tilted his head to make sure they were truly asleep, then carefully picked them up and placed them in the crib, tucking them in.

He dimmed the lights, then turned around, pinned Ye Xi down by the waist, and kissed him deeply. The lighting turned hazy, and on the wall, two intertwined silhouettes slowly appeared.

Two hours later, Huo Rulan sat up, grabbed a couple of tissues to wipe his mouth, glanced at his phone, the babies wouldn’t wake up for milk just yet.

He tossed the tissues, pulled down Ye Xi’s rumpled clothes, helped him back into his underwear, then gently carried his flushed, glassy-eyed lover to the bathroom to bathe him.

Ye Xi lay dazed in bed after the bath. Huo Rulan sat at the edge, reaching out to caress his face.

Ye Xi immediately caught his hand and looked up at him, soft and sleepy.

“No more… I’m tired. Wanna sleep.”

Huo Rulan chuckled, ruffled his hair gently, and said with affection: “I know. You sleep. I’m just going to apply some ointment, you might be sore tomorrow.”

As the cool medicine touched his skin, Ye Xi shivered slightly in his half-dream state. He could feel Huo Rulan’s fingers spreading the ointment, but he was too sleepy. Even as his face burned with heat, he couldn’t open his eyes.

Once he was done, Huo Rulan dressed him, tucked him in, then got up to check on the babies in the crib, they were still asleep.

He prepared two bottles of milk and, before they could start crying, picked them up and placed them on his lap to feed.

The little ones held their bottles themselves, sipping eagerly.

“Mm-hmm~ Gulp gulp~”

Sometimes they’d release the nipple to breathe, then latch on again.

Huo Rulan looked down at his adorable babies, then up at his exhausted, sleeping lover in bed.

He couldn’t help but smile, his eyes filled with endless love.

***

The next morning, Huo Rulan encountered a dilemma.

His babies didn’t like thick clothes, just putting them on made them start fake-crying.

Holding two puffy jackets, Huo Rulan stood by the crib looking at them.

“Huo Chen’an. Huo Jingxing.”

“Ah-woo ah-woo~”

Chen’an looked at him with tear-filled eyes, clutching his hands together pitifully.

Beside him, Jingxing pouted dramatically, as if the moment Daddy put on the jacket, he’d burst into tears.

Huo Rulan… felt like a helpless old father.

He glanced at Ye Xi still asleep and leaned in close to whisper,

“Okay, okay. No jackets for now, but don’t cry. Little Papa’s still sleeping.”

Miraculously, the two little drama kings stopped crying and broke into big grins.

Huo Rulan: “…”

He rubbed his aching temples.
“You two little tricksters… Did you forget to drink Granny Meng’s soup in your past lives?”

The babies just flashed gummy smiles in response.

Resigned, Huo Rulan picked them up and carried them to the baby bathroom to change diapers and give them a bath. After washing and powdering them, he brought them back to the room.

He prepared two bottles of milk, let them drink while holding the bottles themselves, and then went to wake Ye Xi.

He kissed Ye Xi’s cheek, crouched by the bed, and propped his face up with both hands, admiring his sleeping expression.

Same soft features, same gentle vibes, he had three treasures like this. Huo Rulan smiled silently, eyes crinkling. He leaned in to give Ye Xi another kiss.

Just as he was about to leave, a hand pressed against the back of his neck, and a soft touch met his lips.

Ye Xi opened his eyes and looked at him, completely awake now, without the usual sleepy haze.

After letting go of the back of Huo Rulan’s neck, Ye Xi turned his head and looked into his eyes. “Good morning.”

Huo Rulan lowered his gaze and smiled. He stood up, then knelt on one knee beside the bed and leaned over. His left hand clasped Ye Xi’s right hand, fingers interlocking firmly, the two rings clinking together with a soft sound.

In the crib, the two little ones were hugging their milk bottles, gulping down milk, their chubby legs kicking occasionally. While drinking, they’d pause to make little hums and catch their breath.

On the large bed beside them, their big daddy was pressing down on their little daddy, doing who knows what. Those pale slender legs rubbed against the sheets for a moment… and then stilled.

Huo Rulan straightened up, picked up a flushed Ye Xi, and carried him into the bathroom. Passing the crib, he turned his head and said to the babies:

“Finish drinking and play quietly, okay? Don’t cry. Daddy’s going to give little papa a bath and then he’ll come out.”

Chen’an and Jingxing popped their pacifiers out with a “pop,” their big round eyes looking at him as they babbled sweetly, “Yi-ya~ mm-hmm~”

Huo Rulan nodded. “Good. Keep drinking, Daddy will be quick.”

Seeing them put their pacifiers back in and continue drinking, Huo Rulan brought Ye Xi into the bathroom. He placed Ye Xi’s bare feet on top of his own and started filling the tub with warm water.

Ye Xi, standing on his feet, wrapped his arms around Huo Rulan’s neck and leaned against him, face bright red.

After the tub was full, Huo Rulan helped him undress and lowered him into the water, then began washing him gently.

The marks on Ye Xi’s skin were like red plum blossoms sprinkled on snow, vivid and eye-catching.

Huo Rulan felt a bit guilty… and a bit warm.

He lowered his gaze and quickly washed Ye Xi, then wrapped him in a towel and carried him out to get dressed.

On the way out, he glanced at the crib again. The empty bottles lay nearby, and the little ones were happily playing with their own chubby fingers.

Seeing everything was fine, he laid Ye Xi on the bed, applied ointment to his skin, and dressed him in a sweater.

Ye Xi, still sore, didn’t want to wear the sweater. He lay on the bed, gently pushing away the sweater in Huo Rulan’s hands and whining, “I don’t want to wear it…”

Huo Rulan, holding the sweater, sighed helplessly and fetched a loose T-shirt and thick pants instead. “Okay, T-shirt is fine, but you have to wear the coat.”

“And thick pants too, it’s cold outside.”

After dressing Ye Xi, Huo Rulan brought over thick socks and shoes, knelt beside the bed, and carefully put them on for him.

Once everything was ready, Huo Rulan carried the twins and helped Ye Xi downstairs. After breakfast, just as they were about to leave, the two little ones absolutely refused to wear their thick coats.

Huo Rulan, holding the two fluffy baby jackets, was so angry he nearly wanted to spank them.

“We agreed, didn’t we? No coat was fine earlier, but once we go outside, you have to wear them. It’s cold.”

His tone was firm, but his movements were impossibly gentle as he dressed them, even carefully putting on their warm little hats.

Wrapped up snugly and unable to move freely, the tearful little babies leaned pitifully against their little papa.

Ye Xi held the babies while laughing and comforting them: “Okay, okay, the coats are really cute. Look, little papa is wearing one too.”

Perhaps they understood. Chen’an and Jingxing, who had been drooping on Ye Xi’s shoulders, wobbled their heads up to look at him. Their little hands tugged at his coat, and they grinned.

Huo Rulan came down dressed in a long black coat, tall and elegant. The babies looked at him and instantly stopped crying. The teardrops hanging from their lashes teetered but didn’t fall, and they rubbed their faces against Ye Xi’s neck, babbling “Awoo awoo~” nonstop.

Ye Xi laughed, “They’re scared of you now.”

Huo Rulan walked over with the small bag Ye Xi had packed the night before, wrapped an arm around Ye Xi’s waist, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then kissed both babies on the forehead.

He chuckled, “Two little troublemakers.”

At the hospital, they headed straight to the top floor. In the injection room, Huo Rulan sat holding the twins in his lap.

“Which one of you wants to go first?” he asked gently.

Unaware of what was coming, Jingxing kicked his feet happily and grinned.

“Oh, Jingxing wants to go first? Alright, you go first.”

Huo Rulan glanced at Ye Xi. The two of them couldn’t help but laugh.

Ye Xi took the half-dazed Chen’an and sat to the side, unable to hide his smile.

Huo Rulan took off Jingxing’s coat and pulled down his clothes to reveal his chubby arm.

The nurse wiped his arm with alcohol while softly speaking to him, and in one swift motion, gave him the first shot.

Poor Jingxing had been too busy grinning at the nurse. He only realized the pain after a moment and let out a big “WAH!” and started crying.

While soothing him, Huo Rulan exposed the other arm for a second shot, and then the third in the thigh. After all three were done, the poor baby was crying miserably.

Huo Rulan kissed his forehead and stood up to walk him around to calm him down.

In Ye Xi’s arms, Chen’an had already started crying in sympathy from the sound of his brother’s sobs, tears spilling as he whimpered in Ye Xi’s arms.

Huo Rulan placed Jingxing in Ye Xi’s arms and picked up Chen’an for his turn.

Another round of crying followed.

After the shots, Chen’an reached for Ye Xi crying, and Ye Xi cradled him lovingly, gently kissing his forehead and patting his back to soothe him.

On the way to the physical exam, the two little ones stubbornly refused to let Daddy hold them. They clung to Ye Xi’s clothes, hiding in his embrace, still sniffling pitifully.

Huo Rulan, defeated, quietly followed behind them, carrying the bag.

 

---

If you like the story please vote on NU or support me on ko-fi