There was no airport in Yunshui town, so they had to go to the city to catch the plane. Shen Minyan was worried at first that the journey would be too much for the little guy, and also that he might be too scared to say if he felt unwell. So he kept asking, “Youyou, do you have a headache? Does your tummy feel bad?”
Su Youli kept his head turned, looking out the window. When he heard Shen Dad ask him, he didn’t answer verbally, but each time he shook his head in response. Shen Lin looked at his dad with a hint of disdain. He thought it was kind of cringey how his dad, with that intimidating face, used such a sappy tone.
“Youyou, have you ever been on an airplane before?” Shen Lin changed the subject.
Hearing the word ‘airplane’ did indeed pique the little guy’s interest. He had seen Stitch ride on a plane in the cartoon. Holding a Stitch doll in his arms, he blinked and said softly, “Youyou has never been on a plane.”
He was too young. Qin Kun and Su Siwen had taken planes many times for medical treatment, but they were always afraid the child wouldn’t handle it well, so they never brought him.
“How about gege takes you on a plane, okay?” Shen Lin asked.
Su Youli nodded with an “Mm.”
The two, one big and one small, started chatting about airplanes, leaving Shen Minyan completely unable to get a word in. After Youyou was laughing at his brother’s jokes, Shen Lin turned his head and looked at his father with a smug expression. He tilted his mouth and let out a “Pfft” at Shen Minyan.
Shen Minyan barely managed to stop himself from raising his hand, wanting to smack the little brat on the head. He held back. Youyou was already scared of him; if he saw him hitting Shen Lin, wouldn’t he be even more frightened? He’d let this little rascal off just this once!
The airport was crowded, so Shen Lin held Su Youli in his arms. Shen Minyan reached out several times but still couldn’t take the little guy from his brother’s embrace. Adults felt uncomfortable after a few hours in the car, let alone a child just three years old. Held by Shen Lin, Su Youli looked rather listless. He sat in his seat without a word, clutching the Stitch doll tightly in his arms.
Shen Minyan sat next to his two sons and called a flight attendant to bring a children’s meal. Soon, Shen Lin took a spoon and scooped up some steamed egg custard to feed Su Youli. Su Youli pressed his little lips together and refused to eat. He shook his head, his eyes reddening. The little guy looked so pitiful it was heartbreaking. Shen Lin scratched his head, thought it over, and decided to let Youyou contact Uncle Qin and Uncle Su before takeoff.
“Youyou, how about I call Uncle Qin, okay?”
The little one, who had been hanging his head gloomily since boarding, immediately looked up. “Okay!”
Shen Lin dialed Qin Kun’s number, feeling a bit guilty. “Uncle Qin, it’s me, Shen Lin.”
Qin Kun and Su Siwen suddenly got a call from Shen Lin, their hearts clenching with worry.
Had something happened to Youyou!
“What’s wrong with Youyou?” Su Siwen asked loudly from beside him.
The little guy, holding Stitch, leaned his body against the phone his brother was holding. Hearing the familiar voice on the line, he immediately called out, “Daddy!”
The child’s voice sounded full of energy. Su Siwen sighed with relief. “Hey, is Youyou being good?”
Shen Lin let Su Youli hold the phone. “Youyou is being good. Youyou won’t cry.”
Listening to him report to his two fathers in his baby voice, Shen Lin patted his head. How could his little brother be so good?
That phone call did a lot to lift the little guy’s spirits. On the call, Qin Kun and Su Siwen took turns comforting Su Youli, telling him for the umpteenth time that they would definitely come to Beicheng to see him. Su Youli sat in his seat. After hanging up, he was in much better spirits, swinging his little feet and starting to look out the window at the scenery.
After the plane took off, Shen Minyan remembered the little guy hadn’t eaten much. He called for a fresh children’s meal. The first one, which had gone cold, was being eaten bit by bit by Shen Lin. The flight attendant brought over the steaming hot children’s meal. The three of them were a really good-looking family. As the flight attendant placed the tray on the fold-down table, she looked up and met a pair of eyes sparkling like stars.
It was a well-behaved, adorable little one. The flight attendant smiled. “Little one, what would you like to drink?”
Su Youli held his little spoon, his little brows furrowed. “Dad says Youyou can’t have drinks.”
Shen Minyan put down his laptop and spoke for his youngest son, “A glass of milk for him, please. Thank you.”
“Alright.”
Su Youli blinked and also said, “Thank you, jiejie.”
The flight attendant had rarely seen such a well-behaved child. Not only was he cute, but he was also incredibly good. He hadn’t made a single fuss since boarding.
“You’re welcome. Let me know if you need anything.”
Su Youli nodded and continued eating with his spoon. Zhang Shun, sitting next to Shen Minyan, was completely captivated by the little one. Zhang Shun had gotten married last year but didn’t have children yet. He was a workaholic and never really liked kids much. But after spending a few days with the little young master, he felt human babies were simply the most heartwarming existence in the world.
Shen Minyan felt a burning gaze from beside him fixed on his youngest son. He frowned and asked, “Do you need something?”
Zhang Shun smiled apologetically. “No, no. It’s just that the little young master is incredibly cute.”
*Of course my son is cute*, Shen Minyan thought to himself.
“Youyou, do you want to come sit with Dad?”
Su Youli’s body flinched. The rice on his spoon spilled onto the tray. Before the little guy could reach for the fallen rice, Shen Lin grabbed a tissue and helped wipe it up.
“Youyou doesn’t want to sit with you!” Shen Lin said to his father.
Shen Minyan nearly lost his composure and immediately retracted the thought that his son was cute. At least his two older sons weren’t cute. Not at all!
“Gege.”
Shortly after takeoff, the little guy tugged on his brother’s sleeve. He covered his ears with both hands, his expression pained.
Shen Lin leaned down. “What’s wrong, Youyou?”
Feeling a bit unwell, Su Youli said, “Youyou’s ears hurt.”
Not only did his ears hurt, but he also felt like he was going to throw up. He was still young and couldn’t clearly express his discomfort. Shen Lin was startled, thinking the seatbelt was too tight. He quickly unbuckled it. “Is that a little better?”
The little guy shook his head. His eyes were watery, and he kept his hands over his ears. Seeing this, Shen Minyan quickly pressed the call button. A flight attendant came over right away.
“This little one seems to have some symptoms of airsickness.”
“What should we do?”
Shen Minyan also looked at her. The flight attendant looked a bit puzzled. Usually, parents would prepare in advance before flying with a child.
“Do you have any candy? Giving him something to chew on and guiding him to swallow more can help reduce ear pain.”
Shen Minyan’s hands were empty. He had nothing in his pockets. The flight attendant gave him a look. Though she was smiling, Shen Minyan felt she was silently scolding him.
*Just how did this father manage to be so unprepared?*
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