But after a long while, he still didn’t hear Brother Xiao Tang’s voice. The little one quietly opened his eyes and immediately saw Brother Xiao Tang standing by the bed, looking at him. Caught.
The little one shyly shrank back under the covers. Tang Dou bent down and picked up the little one, then felt his back, which was slightly damp with sweat.
“Where did Youyou run off to?” He had just changed the little one’s sweat towel before his nap, and now it was wet again.
Besides, the little one’s eyes were clear and bright, showing no sign of just having woken up.
“I was looking at the other child, and at Shen Dad’s orchid.”
Tang Dou lifted him up. “So that’s it. Was it nice?”
Su Youli didn’t hesitate. “Yes, the orchid was beautiful.”
And that child he saw from afar; though he was quite far away, and the little one couldn’t really see his face clearly, he thought he probably looked nice too. That afternoon, Su Youli washed up in Shen Dad’s room after his nap. But the sink in his room was too high, so he had to stand on a small stool. After he finished washing up, Tang Dou carried him downstairs to play.
According to the “Parenting Manual,” Su Youli was a child who had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds. Yet napping in Shen Minyan’s room hadn’t caused any issues. It seemed blood ties were indeed a wonderful thing. When Shen Minyan returned to his room after work that evening, he found many little items that belonged to the small child.
In the bathroom, a small toothbrush and cup had appeared, along with a little blue stool. Beside the stool sat a pair of tiny slippers smaller than his palm. On the large, somber bed, there were now two cute stuffed toys, and a small blanket was neatly folded on the pillow. Shen Minyan carefully set the folded little blanket aside and could almost catch a faint milky scent in the air.
If the little one weren’t so afraid of him, he would want to sleep with him every day, too. He had learned the soothing techniques, but had no chance to use them.
—
Early in the morning, Tang Dou took Su Youli’s hand and began their morning exercise. Due to his personality and the change in living environment, Su Youli hadn’t left the Shen villa grounds since arriving. But the Shen villa spanned thousands of square meters; even just walking around the property was plenty for the little one to explore.
The Shen family’s medical team had come with various instruments on the second day after Su Youli’s return to give him a physical examination, along with another, more accurate paternity test. The results showed that Su Youli, at over three years old, had bone development significantly below average for his age.
Considering what Su Siwen and Qin Kun had described about how Su Youli had been abandoned in a trash can by criminals, his physical development might have been affected at that time. The Shen family looked at the little dumpling held in Tang Dou’s arms, munching on a small apple, and watching cartoons intently. He was fair and chubby, with plump cheeks. Though he was a bit short, he certainly wasn’t skinny.
His two fathers had raised him well. The medical team’s recommendation was to intervene through diet and appropriate exercise. For example, eating more fish and shrimp, getting more exercise, and spending more time in nature. Back on Yunshui Street, Su Youli had woken up early every day to follow Kunkun around, so what was painful for other children—waking up early—was just routine for him.
He did the same things as when he followed Kunkun to see him off to work back on Yunshui Street, except now the person he was seeing off was Shen Dad, along with Shen Lin gege, who woke up angry every morning. After seeing off his father and brother, the little one stood at the gate, gazing into the distance, until a vibrant figure appeared.
The little one immediately let go of the butler’s hand, dashed forward, and shouted in his sweet little voice, “Brother Xiao Tang!”
Tang Dou picked up the child and spun him around. The little one’s giggling laughter would ring out. The little one showed his small white teeth. Kunkun used to play with him like this, too. After breakfast, Su Youli was led by Tang Dou for a walk, aiding digestion while getting some exercise. Seeing the little one gradually adapting to his new environment, Tang Dou breathed a sigh of relief.
The little one had been in Beicheng for nearly half a month now. Every day, he had to have more than five phone calls with his two fathers back in Nancheng; two video calls before bed, and calls before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Su Youli had come to understand that even though he no longer lived with his fathers, as long as he could hear their voices, it felt like they were still by his side.
Even in summer, the temperature around seven or eight in the morning was a bit cool for the little one. Su Youli wore a very light sun-protection jacket and small sneakers. He didn’t hold Brother Xiao Tang’s hand, walking on his own, stopping to observe any pretty or interesting little plants he saw. The little one reached a flowerbed. The entire fence was covered with lush vines, blooming with beautiful flowers.
With a soft “wow,” the little one carefully reached out to touch them, then leaned in his little nose, wanting to smell the tiny flowers’ scent. A rustling sound came from inside the flowerbed. Su Youli blinked, curiously peeking in. Thick plants blocked his view. The little one took a few steps along the fence. A child was squatting with his back to him, holding a stick, drawing something in the sand with his left hand.
The Shen villa also had a dedicated children’s playground for the little one, complete with slides, swings, and sand. Children were naturally curious. Even though he had his own playground, seeing another child’s playground made him want to try it too. The little one gripped the fence rails, which were spaced widely enough for his small body to slip through.
But Su Youli didn’t do that. He just held on, mustered his courage, and said in a small voice to the child inside, “Hello, are you playing in the sand?”
The boy holding the stick paused noticeably at the sound. He stopped his movements and turned his expressionless face to look. A chubby, round face. A bit short. It was the silly little one who had been hiding and watching him yesterday. Pei Xu turned his expressionless face back and continued drawing with his stick. Su Youli was a bit stunned.
As a child who was doted on everywhere he went, this was the first time he had experienced someone not liking him. The little one pouted, biting his lower lip as he held the fence.
“Brother Xiao Tang, that child doesn’t like me,” Youyou said, feeling wronged.
Tang Dou crouched down. He recognized the boy inside; it was the quiet, robotic little boy he had seen before. Afraid that Youyou might be hurt after his first brave attempt at making friends was rejected, Tang Dou knelt down and stroked the little one’s hair. “He’s just not used to talking to new children. It’s okay.”
He gently squeezed the little one’s palm, which was a bit red from gripping the fence so tightly, and smiled. “No one could dislike Youyou.”
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