Lu Yan heard Xiao Heng speak with a frigid tone: “Xiao Qishan would never be willing to let an illegitimate child stick to his side. He’ll be sending it abroad the following month. If you don’t mind, then sure.”
Xiao Qishan.
Perhaps Xiao Heng’s father?
This time, the lady neither denied nor acknowledged it. She put on an attitude that made it seem as though this matter had nothing to do with her. She chuckled without a care halfway through her speech: “This kid has no connection to me whatsoever, it’s all a whole mishap, I'll take the cash... and you can have the kid, it’s all so simple and straightforward.”
“Don’t show up to search for me again.” She said at last.
From the time when the lady had first shown up, Lu Yan felt that there was something amiss with Xiao Heng’s state of mind. As if he was wordlessly expressing a sudden, intrusive thought: If you didn’t intend on keeping him, then why did you give birth to him.
Since you never had the intention of raising him,
Just why did you give birth to this child.
He would’ve voiced these out loud, but in the end, he stayed silent, up until the lady slammed her door shut.
This whole affair was truly messed up.
While Lu Yan is pondering, the child that is currently being cradled in his arms is sleeping quite restlessly. Sensing the commotion in the building, the child blinked open his eyes, feeling quite muddled after sleeping, with a pair of watery eyes, subconsciously searching for a familiar figure in this foreign environment.
Lu Yan: “He’s woken up, seems like he’s about to wail again.”
Xiao Heng was about to take the child from Lu Yan’s arms. However, as a result, he was still one step behind. Once he made contact with the vest that the child was currently wearing, he had already started whining: “Waaaaah——”
Xiao Heng was at a loss on what to do: “What song did you sing just a moment ago?”
Lu Yan said: “The Frog Band, Little Leaping Frog.”
“......”
Without even mentioning what band that was, when Xiao Heng heard the term ‘band,’ he realized why such a song would exist within Lu Yan’s music collection.
While he spoke, the child was sucking on the pacifier, cheeks bulging as though there were stuff being crammed into his mouth. He then loosened up his cheek, with hands clutching into a fist, full of vitality prepared for a second round of wailing.
The two unmarried gentlemen who had no experience whatsoever with taking care of children could only rely on The Frog Band’s nursery rhyme to coax the child.
But it’s useless no matter how much Lu Yan tried to ribbit this time around.
Lu Yan had a flash of inspiration: “Perhaps he prefers your singing.”
Xiao Heng almost wanted to engrave the word ‘refusal’ on his forehead: “He won’t like it.”
Lu Yan: “You can give it an attempt.”
Xiao Heng: “Attempting to J…….” 8.1
[1]: Maybe confusing, the original sentence is like this: 我是个J8. According to research, j8 has a vulgar definition and it’s considered a rude language, and j8 is equivalent to 他妈.
Xiao Heng was mid-sentence through his profanities and didn’t continue in the end.
“This song is quite simple, you’ll understand it after listening to it once.”
As Lu Yan spoke, he set the tune for him, replacing the lyrics with ‘La.’
Xiao Heng is further irritated by him, yet he still patted the child on the back and according to Lu Yan’s tune, he whistles twice.
Lu Yan had been playing music for quite a long time. He had a keen perception towards various types of tones, and he couldn’t help but have the habit of capturing and recording them.
He habitually carried around a digital voice recorder, and he’d record any sound he takes interest in: the sound of droplets during rainfall, the noise of a tire rolling on a muddy puddle, the clamor made by the street vendors in the overcrowded grocery market.
Although Xiao Heng’s tune wasn’t accurate, his tone was similar to his personality, both aloof and frigid.
Lu Yan felt internally restless.
Eager to record.
The two people wasted half a day whistling inside the building, yet the child continued to wail regardless, even extra fiercely. This fierceness was in contrast to the two people who stood still like two idiots.
Xiao Heng tolerated his patients: “Again?”
“Nevermind,” Lu Yan gave up, “What are the reasons when he usually wails?”
Xiao Heng frowned and gave a quick summary: “Starving, sleepy, maybe troubled.”
At this moment, the infant began sucking on the pacifier after he finished his second round of wailing, with his little fists settle in front of his chest.
Xiao Heng had only come up with those possibilities randomly, but they were indeed somewhat related to their actual situation. The two of them glared at the pull ring of the pacifier that the infant was sucking on and said: “It’s hungry?”
The infant blinked his eyes, delivering a keen acknowledgment from his mouth, similar to a response.
Before they went out, Xiao Heng had fed him once, thinking that he wouldn’t have to waste more than two hours traveling back and forth, never thinking of this scenario before. He only thought he lost his temper due to the interruption of his slumber.
If he really was starving, the period of time it took to get from Xiacheng District to the city center by car wasn’t short. They couldn’t leave the infant wailing the whole way.
Lu Yan asked: “Did you bring a bottle of milk?”
“Inside the vehicle.”
Xiao Heng went downstairs to retrieve the bottle of milk. In the meantime, Lu Yan was upstairs cradling the infant while boiling water.
Lu Yan would’ve never thought that his purpose of being a class stand-in would result in having an extra infant sucking on a pacifier in his arms. He sighed, gently patting the infant on his back, saying: “Don’t cry ah, your brother will be back in a moment.”
Although this infant’s brother is inadequate in terms of coaxing, yet there was still a bit of professionalism when it comes to preparing the milk powder. His technique is adept, especially when he tested the temperature on the back of his hand, even comparable to those baby milk advertisements being broadcasted.
But the whole process of preparing condensed milk was combined with a mix of tolerance and irritability for the infant’s brother. It was rather peculiar; he presented a “Laozi won’t do this, no matter what” kind of attitude, but his hand movements were executed tenderly.
Lu Yan poured out the remaining water: “Your baby-coaxing skills are so awful, but your way of preparing the milk is pretty passable. Is there no one looking after him at your home?
Xiao Heng said: “There are servants.”
The term ‘servants’ was truly faraway ideal for the Xiacheng District resident Lu Yan.
Of course, he would’ve never thought that even though there are servants, those servants would never diligently pamper an illegitimate son that nobody cares about. The infant is allergic to ordinary condensed milk, no one even take notice after feeding for a few days.
Lu Yan watched as Xiao Heng pinch onto the ring of the pacifier and pull it out of the infant’s mouth, then taking out the bottle of milk.
The infant loosened his fists and began drinking as he cuddled the bottle of milk.
If this moment happened when they were downstairs, perhaps Lu Yan would’ve teased him a bit, but after that commotion 601 just caused, he simply wanted to heave a sigh when looking at this infant. He’s just a few months old, and he didn’t receive the care he deserves.
“Hey, you pop punk.”
Lu Yan was currently lamenting when he heard Xiao Heng call out to him.
Despite the mayhem of family affairs being exposed to an outsider, and though it was still somewhat awkward, Xiao Heng sincerely said: “Thanks for today.”
……
Showing gratitude, huh.
“Wait a moment.”
Lu Yan gestured for him to halt: “Go back to your speech before, what did you just called me. A pop what?”
Lu Yan doubted that Xiao Heng didn’t listen at all when he was doing his self-introduction last time. According to this young master’s temperament, if he can memorise just the four words “Jobless vagabond, Lu Yan,” from all his sentences, it could still be considered decent.
Of course.
The irritable young master asked: “What should I call you?”
“Lu Yan,” Lu Yan was enraged into smirking, “Lu as in landmass, Yan as in procrastination.”2
[2]: Original: 陆地的路，延宕的延, since there are a lot of similar pronunciation in Chinese characters, Lu Yan is describing the specific characters in his name by pairing them up with phrases, you can only discern the meaning if you understand Chinese.
There’s no need for Xiao Heng to linger here any longer after finish preparing condensed milk, Lu Yan pushes open the window by his side, watching as the model vehicle drove out Seventh District gateway.
Having witnessed them leave, only then did Wei-ge go up from downstairs, sitting in the living room as he chatted with Lu Yan: “How’d it go, just overheard you guys quarrel with 601?”
“No quarrels,” Lu Yan said, “It’s just, 601 had a baby...”
Others’ family affairs, there was no reason for him to reveal so much.
Lu Yan had just started, then soon came to a halt: “There’s no need for you to ask anymore.”
“I’m just pretty curious. I’ll be dreadful if you don’t inform me.”
“Go on being dreadful.” Lu Yan said.
“...” Wei-ge was enraged. “You didn’t have this attitude when you asked me to lend you the motorbike!”
“That’s another matter.”
Lu Yan finished rinsing the vegetables, grabbing a knife then beginning to slice tomatoes.
Wei-ge grabbed the apple on Lu Yan’s table, taking a bite then saying: “But on the topic of children, no one who does this profession would be willing to give birth, even if it was accidental. They would rather send them to other households than raise them themselves.”
Lu Yan’s hand that was gripping the knife paused: “What?”
Wei-ge shook his head and heaved out a sigh: “You guys don’t understand — with that kind of identity, how would it be possible to raise a child ah.”
“Prostitute! Do you even understand what a prostitute undertakes?”
“Those weren’t just rumors. I went out a few days ago to collect my bills, that fucking bastard still owed me a debt but continued messing around with his nuttiness in a nightclub. I found her with a sweep of a glance when I bumped into her in a nightclub. Those who do this line of work, they’re rotten to the bone, preferring to lie back and make fast money... Only a few take this path due to desperation. Once you get entangled in it, you might not be able to escape in this lifetime.”
“They can’t raise them even if they wanted to. They can’t avoid it themselves. Would they let the child get entangled in this kind of complication for the rest of their life?”
When Lu Yan heard this, he recalled back to when Xiao Heng asked that lady, “Your kid, still want it or not?” He didn’t even want to see the lady’s hidden expression under the smoke that she let out while smoking.
“Wei-ge,” Lu Yan interrupted him, “Do me a favor, how about you cooperate with me to disclose the situation regarding 601?”
It hasn’t been a while since Xiao Heng returned home when a exclamation of “Aiyo” came from the carved sandalwood entrance outside, follow by the noise of car engine gradually getting closer.
A servant jogged out of the kitchen, leaning forward to open the door, and waited in front of the entrance in advance.
When the man entered from the outside, the servant took his clothes and lower his head: “Mr. Xiao——”
This man is no more than forty years old, wearing a western-style attire. Everything from his lack of affection to his solemness was engraved in his bones. He didn’t even spare a glance at the servant by his side, walking directly towards the living room, having the attitude of someone who’s habitually served as a high-status individual.
The man lowered his voice and questioned: “Has Xiao Heng returned yet?”
The servant responded: “He’s returned, the young master took a trip outside today, and has been stayed at home since then.”
Xiao Heng sat on the sofa within the guest room, doesn’t even give out a react after hearing the commotion from outside, it was only up until Xiao Qishan exited the porch and walk towards the living room, then did he took the television remote controller and casually switches a channel.
Just like how Xiao Qishan ignored the servant, he also used the same attitude towards him.
Xiao Qishan strolled in front of him, blocking the screen just right. Xiao Heng’s gaze fell upon the exquisitely-made coat buckle in front of him, then he slowly raised his gaze to look at Xiao Qishan.
“How many days have you been absent from school?”
Other than displeasure, there was nothing else on Xiao Qishan’s expression, and he said in irritation: “You, in particular, only know how to hang out with the Di and Qiu families’ youngsters. Once hosted a nightclub inside the house, and opened a gambling house the other time, what are you all doing, do you have any shame left, do you understand what opinions outsiders have on you — a bunch of good-for-nothings!”
“I relied on my connections just to have you attend C University, never mind if you don’t often listen in class ——you still have to attend no matter what, you must obtain the graduation certificate.”
“…..”
Xiao Heng had obviously noticed Xiao Qishan’s frown, that expression full of loathsomeness. Compared to having a “good for nothing as a son,” his dissatisfaction mostly came from the fact that this good for nothing son caused him to lose face from outsiders.
“We’re not alike. You can even manage to fuck out a child.”
Xiao Heng leaned backward, undoing a few buttons on his shirt, his entire body displaying a lazy attitude, and carelessly said: “——you’re truly incredible.”
“Pa——”
Without batting an eyelid, Xiao Heng sturdily took the slap head-on as it ascended.
He wiped the corner of his lips with his fingers, asking Xiao Qishan: “Satisfied?”
Based on Xiao Qishan’s expression, if he didn’t express his anger, he would be unable to acknowledge that he bears a trace of fear towards his son at the bottom of his heart, yet not being able to understand when this fear had appeared originally: “Tonight, Chief Wang from the Hengjian Investment Group is hosting a banquet. You will come with me.”
He added: “Your mother will also show up.”
Xiao Heng just received Lu Yan’s message as he was outside the banquet hall. His mother, whom he hadn’t gotten in touch with for over half a year, got off the Bentley.3.
[3]: A car brand
The lady wore a mermaid tail dress that was black in color, and she held onto Xiao Qishan’s hand.
Proclamations of praise surrounded them: “Mr. Xiao and Mrs. Xiao truly bear a deep devotion for each other. It’s been so many years, yet their affections still bear true.”
“Agreed, such true affection.”
“….”
This night banquet is specifically associated with the upper class.
The lights illuminated the surroundings, shining on various evening gowns adorned with diamonds and jewelry, manifesting a suffocating yet stunning glow.
Checking his phone screen, a certain person named as “Pop Punk” on his phone sent him a few messages:
[Pop Punk]: There’s both good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first.
[Pop Punk]: Alright, I won’t mess around with you anymore.
[Pop Punk]: 601….
……
Xiao Heng didn't care about 601 at a time like this.
It didn’t matter what 601 was.
He just wanted to stay as far away from here as possible.
Fifty meters ahead.
Xiao Qishan was adjusting his wife’s scarf, the two exchanging glances and smiled. while he is conversing with the others nearby, he glanced at Xiao Heng’s direction, gesturing for him to come over quickly.
Where are you?
I’ll come to find you.
Once Xiao Heng finished typing those two sentences, he smirked at Xiao Qishan. Just as Xiao Qishan was assuming that he was about to come over —— he turned around and left under the gazes of the crowd.
Translated by: Piggybank
Edited by: Yukki/Muku