“Bye, Uncle Pilot, bye! See you next time!”
The helicopter dropped the family off at their destination, and Lu Zaizai got down reluctantly, waving goodbye to the pilot, who smiled, waved back at him and then took the helicopter away.
Lu Zaizai looked back three times, mumbling, “When will I ever get to fly in a helicopter like this again? Didn’t Uncle say it was a gift for me? Can I keep it at home?”
Lu Ying snickered, “Lu Zaizai, you know what, there’s no place to park a helicopter at home.”
Qin Zhuopu stroked the child’s head, “There will be plenty of opportunities for you to play with it when you go on holiday in the future. This helicopter is registered under your name, so it belongs to you.”
Lu Zaizai shook his fist and said, “Then I want to be a pilot when I grow up, I want to fly my own helicopter and take Dad, Uncle and my friends out to play!”
“Okay, pilots need to take care of their eyes, so don’t watch TV indiscriminately in the future, okay?”
“Yes, I’ll definitely be a pilot when I grow up!” Lu Zaizai was full of confidence.
Lu Ying didn’t bother to pay attention to him anymore. Last time, he said he wanted to be a policeman.
Qin Zhuopu proudly said: “You’re athletic, you’ll be good at it!”
“Where are we going now?” Lu Ying asked, looking at the night sky.
“First take you to eat, then we’ll go back to our house and rest, then tomorrow we’ll go to Grandma’s house.”
“Wow, we’re going to have a big meal! I can’t wait!” Lu Zaizai ran forward happily, in high spirits.
Qin Zhuopu smiled and sighed: “Every time I see him, he grows up a little more. It’s so fast. He’ll be as tall as me in two years. I used to think he was a chubby baby, but now he looks like a young boy.”
“Really? I don’t see that much change looking at him every day. But he has definitely grown taller; it’s just that he hasn’t lost any meat.” Lu Ying smiled.
Qin Zhuopu coughed softly, “This… he can’t lose weight?” He thought it wasn’t good for a child to be too fat. Although Lu Zaizai was not particularly fat, it would definitely be better to be thinner and more handsome. For example, Lu Ying was so good.
Lu Ying squinted at him: “What, you think my son is too fat?”
“No, how can I dislike my own son? But he is little now. When he gets older and enters puberty, what if he becomes sensitive and rebellious because of his appearance?”
Lu Ying spread his hands, “I don’t think he will. Besides, he has a special physique. Eating helps him grow. Dr. Hu said he is fat only temporarily, he will be fine after he becomes an adult.”
“I see, that’s good, I just worried about it.”
Lu Zaizai turned around and shouted at the two men walking side by side, “Will you two hurry up, don’t just talk about love, I’m still hungry!”
“Haha, coming, coming.”
Lu Zaizai wanted to eat seafood, so Qin Zhuopu took the two to a private seafood restaurant. The father and son undoubtedly cared more about the food than the pompous luxury.
Smiling as he watched the father and son feast, Qin Zhuopu felt that watching them was more enjoyable than eating himself. He was full soon and helped the two guys shell various kinds of seafood.
“Why does this place taste so good!” Lu Ying couldn’t resist licking his fingers.
“It’s really delicious.” Lu Zaizai grabbed a large crab, unable to stop eating.
Qin Zhuopu smiled: “This old place has always had a good reputation, but I don’t like seafood much, so I don’t come here often.”
“Uncle, why are you such a picky eater? You don’t like seafood even though it’s so delicious.” Lu Zaizai looked at Qin Zhuopu with pity.
Qin Zhuopu looked at him blankly, “If you dare to say that Uncle is a picky eater, I won’t peel the shrimps for you.”
Lu Zaizai scowled: “You didn’t peel them for me in the first place, you gave all the peeled ones to Dad.”
“…hey, I didn’t notice that.” Only then did Qin Zhuopu realise that all the peeled shrimps had been put into Lu Ying’s bowl; he was rendered speechless by his son’s comment.
“Pfft,” Lu Ying laughed, grabbing a piece of shrimp meat and stuffing it into Qin Zhuopu’s mouth, “Thanks for peeling the shrimps, handsome.”
“Oooh, yummy.” Qin Zhuopu tilted his head and swallowed the shrimp, happily, continuing to peel.
Lu Zaizai made a face watching him: “Shame on you.”
The two had developed a thick skin and continued to cling to each other no matter what their son said.
Advertisements
Lu Ying hissed and sighed, “This tastes amazing, better than the seafood made by the Shen family.”
“The Shen family has one of the best signature dishes, their seafood is more average.”
“En en, their chicken, duck and fish are all delicious.”
“This plate is ready for you, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Go ahead.”
Qin Zhuopu got up and left the private room, went to the bathroom and washed his hands properly a few times, smelled them and still felt the smell, so he tossed and turned for a long time before coming out.
“Mr. Qin! It’s really you!”
There was a voice full of surprise. Qin Zhuopu looked at the woman who was happily walking towards him. Few people wouldn’t recognise her face. She was a big celebrity, popular for many years in the entertainment industry, with excellent abilities and a good family background of a rich n generation. Qin Zhuopu and her brother were classmates for many years and were also considered neighbours. In his eyes, this movie queen was still stuck in the image of a little sister from years ago; he actually hadn’t seen her since he went abroad.
“Oh my, it’s been years since I’ve seen you, do you still remember me, Mr. Qin? I’m Ye Suqin, I used to live next door.”
Qin Zhuopu nodded and smiled, “Of course I remember you. I even met your brother at the conference not long ago. I’ve seen the movies you’ve been in. Your acting skills are amazing. You were outstanding as a child, this path is very suitable for you.” Qin Zhuopu complimented genuinely; although he didn’t follow stars, he would remember more or less those with good acting skills, not to mention that this was his childhood neighbour.
Ye Suqin was instantly embarrassed by the compliment, her girlish heart overflowing with joy. She lowered her eyes and said shyly, “I never thought Qin Zhuopu would watch my movie, hehehe. Is Mr. Qin here for dinner? Then I won’t bother you. Next time I have the chance, I’ll invite Mr. Qin for tea.”
“Okay, I’m going then.” Qin Zhuopu smiled and turned to go back to the private room.
Ye Suqin watched Qin Zhuopu leave with a sigh. Only then did the agent beside her dare to say something: “Could this be the very same President Qin from Guanhai Group?”
“Which President Qin?” Another pretty actress next to the agent, Chu Weili, asked.
“Who else but Qin Zhuopu can be such a handsome and manly-looking president?” Ye Suqin’s eyes were full of yearning, “It’s a pity…” It’s a pity he didn’t like women, otherwise she would have gladly chased her male god since junior middle school! But everyone in the community knew that Qin Zhuopu was not interested in women. She later even fantasised about the male god and her own brother, only to be discouraged within seconds. Her brother’s face was too ugly! Disgusting!
“In person he’s even more handsome and compelling than in magazines.” The agent didn’t ask what was a pity. Anyway, since it was someone Ye Suqin couldn’t get, everything was a pity.
“Mr. Qin of Guanhai Group? Ah, the diamond bachelor Qin Zhuopu?” Chu Weili’s eyes were wide and filled with disbelief. She had actually met the real person!
“Yes yes yes, that’s him. Don’t be a nymphomaniac, go and eat, it’s time to get out of our misery and have a big meal.” Ye Suqin walked on her high heels to the private room at the other end of the corridor.
Chu Weili, who fell back, choked and muttered to her agent in a low voice, “I can’t believe I got to meet Mr. Qin in person. Sister Ye, really, why didn’t she introduce us?”
The agent said seriously, “She has her own arrangements. If you want to be introduced, why don’t you talk to her yourself?”
“…I just talked about it casually.”
After eating and drinking, Qin Zhuopu took Lu Ying and Zaizai home. After washing, Lu Ying unpacked, took out the ginseng box and handed it to Qin Zhuopu to take a look: “What do you think of this ginseng? It is my birthday gift to Grandma.”
Qin Zhuopu was surprised: “The quality is very good. It’s rare to see pure natural wild ginseng nowadays, and this one can be worth three to five million.”
“This really worth so much? Grandpa gave it to me.” Lu Ying clutched his chest, it hurt so much!
Qin Zhuopu patted him on the shoulder, “Keep the ginseng for yourself, I’ve already prepared a gift from you to give to Grandma.”
Lu Ying shook his head, “No, I don’t need it. I said I would give it to Grandma, so I won’t go back on my word. Besides, I’m young and healthy and don’t need it, so this kind of supplement is more suitable for Grandma. The gift that I prepared myself represents my feelings, right?”
Qin Zhuopu smiled, “You seem to be very fond of Grandma.”
Lu Ying nodded: “She likes me, of course I like her.”
Qin Zhuopu sighed. Lu Ying’s heart was actually very simple; whoever treated him well, he would treat even better and more sincerely.
From behind, he wrapped his arms around Lu Ying and rubbed his neck, urging in a low voice, “It’s late, you’ve eaten so much today, let me help you exercise?”
“Sure ^_^”
In the morning, outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the greenery was verdant. Birds were singing and a few rays of sunlight were shining through the gaps in the curtains. The two men slowly opened their eyes, cuddling on the big bed. Lu Ying lazily rolled over and sleepily muttered, “The birds outside your house are so lively… greeting you early in the morning.”
Qin Zhuopu closed his eyes again: “Never mind those birds, let’s sleep a little longer.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, there was an explosive knock on the door. Once he heard that movement, Lu Ying knew: it was his son Lu Zaizai!
“Wake up, wake up! The sun is already shining! Dad and Uncle, get up and have breakfast!” Lu Zaizai shouted at the door of the bedroom, continuing to bang.
“……”
With this way of being woken up, Qin Zhuopu could do nothing else but resign himself to his fate and say, “We’re getting up, stop knocking. You can go and have breakfast by yourself.”
“Hurry up, Dad, I’ll go eat with the housekeeper uncle.”
“Hey, the child is in such good spirits.” Qin Zhuopu wiped his face helplessly.
“Pfft, you still want to sleep with the kid around? Dream on.” Lu Ying was used to it, pushed away the blanket and looked at the new clothes hanging neatly next to the bed: “I’m wearing this?”
“Yes, I specially customised a few sets from the new autumn collection for you. This set and mine are a couple’s outfits. Today we will wear them together.”
Lu Ying blushed slightly: “So blatant, you are so high-profile.”
“That’s for sure, the person I like is so good-looking, so I should show off to everyone and make them envy and be jealous. Come on, let me help you dress…”
Lu Ying covered his eyes and laughed: “So good at praising me. Won’t other people envy me?”
“But I’m already yours.”
“Hahaha, of course, that’s true, you only belong to me!”
Qin Zhuopu was originally going to have someone come and fix Lu Ying’s hair, but as soon as Lu Ying put on his clothes, Qin Zhuopu forgot about that, his mind full of the riveting lover in front of him. Exquisite, aristocratic, carrying a wanton, bewitching aura when he smiled but with his clear eyes filled with youthful innocence and enthusiasm, Lu Ying was impeccable from head to toe. Qing Zhuopu thought how lucky he was that they loved each other.
He rubbed Lu Ying’s hair casually; no need to add anything to the perfect picture. With a smile, he leaned down and gave Lu Ying a kiss on the mouth: “Love you.”
Lu Ying looked at himself in the mirror and was quite embarrassed. It was the first time he had ever worn such a formal outfit. He and Qin Zhuopu were both wearing black high-fashion suits with dark patterns, but Qin Zhuopu’s was short and his was a mid-length tuxedo. Qin Zhuopu himself had combed his hair neatly, but ruffled Lu Ying’s short hair into a little mess, almost making him look like a refined and happy little prince.
Lu Ying stifled a giggle for a moment, tilted his head up and pouted before kissing Qin Zhuopu: “Me too!”
Qin Zhuopu walked out of the room holding Lu Ying’s hand and went down the winding stairs.
Advertisements
When Lu Zaizai, who was enjoying breakfast in the dining room, saw the two of them, his small mouth suddenly opened into an ‘o’ shape, and then he burst into a bright smile and clapped: “Wow! Dad and Uncle are so handsome today! Especially Dad is like a prince. I have never seen him dressed so well. Dad, you are 1.9 metres tall today!”
Looking at his son with a thumbs up, Lu Ying smiled and narrowed his eyes: “Dad and Uncle have always been very handsome. What about you? Why haven’t you changed your clothes yet?”
“I want to finish my breakfast before I get dressed. Dad, you guys eat quickly.” Lu Zaizai cleverly stopped the housekeeper and picked some dishes for his dad and uncle before the housekeeper could do it.
“Thank you, Zaizai.”
The family of three was happy.
The housekeeper stood next to them, wondering in his heart: this child keeps calling Mr. Qin ‘Uncle’, but how can he look like Mr. Qin’s own son? Except for the extra flesh on his face, he looks like a carbon copy of Mr. Qin.
After the meal, Lu Zaizai changed into the same style of parent-child outfit and the family stood together in harmony. Qin Zhuopu couldn’t help but smile and ask the housekeeper, “Do we look like a family?”
The housekeeper nodded repeatedly and said sincerely, “It’s family!” Not to mention the way they all had similar smiles, the older ones looked like a married couple and the younger one looked like their son.
Qin Zhuopu nodded seriously and took Lu Ying’s hand in his left hand and his son’s in his right. The family walked to the car and headed straight to the Song family’s old residence.
Soon after they got into the car, Grandma called and asked, “My grandson and your wife are coming? What time will they be here?”
Qin Zhuopu said helplessly, “Grandma, I told you several times last night that they were coming, they’re all here. I’ll be at your house in half an hour. Grandma, feel free to prepare delicious food, my son and wife are both particularly good eaters.”
Lu Ying gave him a little jab in passing.
“Hahaha, good, good! I have it all prepared, just waiting for you to come!” The old lady laughed heartily over the phone, overjoyed.
The mere sound of her joyful laughter made people feel good about themselves. Lu Ying’s nervousness dissipated; no matter what, he had come over today to celebrate Grandma’s birthday and didn’t need to care too much about anything else.
The area around the Song family home was wide and usually not very crowded, but today there was a constant flow of traffic. Originally, Grandma planned to hold the birthday banquet just to see Lu Ying. She wanted to have a party for her own family only; but then she thought she shouldn’t. Since Lu Ying had agreed to come, she had to make it a big gathering so that all her friends and relatives could get to know him! It was a good idea to give Lu Ying face and also show her own daughter how to be an elder, haha. She was already eighty-six, so she could make it a lively celebration. Who knows if there will be another one next year?
Mrs. Qin’s heart felt very complicated as she watched her elderly mother’s excitement. Her brothers, nephews, sisters-in-law and other family members were all enthusiastic about this banquet. Of course, outsiders didn’t understand why her mother was holding another birthday celebration but the family knew it very well: it was just to see Lu Ying and the child, or even to welcome Lu Ying and the child.
Mrs. Qin hung her head in shame; she, Zhuopu’s own mother, was no match to her son’s grandmother.
As the sun rose, the guests arrived at the Song family home one by one. The spacious hall connected to the open area outside the house, and a sumptuous spread of drinks and food had been prepared there, with the waiters shuttling back and forth. The adults were chatting and the children played around the fountain.
Grandma sat in the hall, looking at her watch every now and then.
Mrs. Qin sighed: “Mom, don’t be so anxious, they’ll come when it’s time.”
“What can I do if I am anxious?” Grandma glared.
Mrs. Qin was silent for a moment, tempted to ask: who is Zhuopu’s biological mother???
“Grandma! Cousin’s car has arrived.” A young man ran over and told the old woman with a smile.
Grandma stood up in excitement, “Help me to the door!”
“Grandma, pay attention, don’t rush. Oh, I just caught a glimpse of my cousin’s boyfriend in the car window, wow, my cousin is so lucky!” The young man was usually serious but now he was talking with a playful smile. The old woman was amused and laughed.
The driver pulled open the car door and Qin Zhuopu was the first to get out. Then he reached out and half-carried Lu Zaizai down. Finally, it was Lu Ying’s turn. Qin Zhuopu took Lu Ying’s hand and took his son’s hand as well, “Let’s go, follow me in.”
The big one and the little one followed Qin Zhuopu towards the red carpeted mansion, passing through the neatly arranged green lawn and finally arriving at the front door. Qin Zhuopu caught a glimpse of his grandma waiting at the door and immediately smiled at Lu Ying, “It seems that my grandma can’t wait to see you and Zaizai.”
“……” Lu Ying also saw the old woman. Her face was kind and gracious, and his heart felt a lot relieved
“Zhuopu!” Grandma greeted her grandson excitedly, but her smiling eyes looked straight at Lu Zaizai, and then at Lu Ying. Her smile grew brighter and brighter.
“Happy birthday, Grandma.” Qin Zhuopu gave his grandma a hug and leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Look, I’ve brought my wife and son with me. This is Lu Ying, whom you’ve always wanted to meet, and my son, Lu Zaizai.”
“Good, good!” The old woman was genuinely excited.
Lu Ying looked at the old woman in front of him and smiled sincerely as he handed over the birthday gift: “Happy birthday to Grandma, live longer than Southern Mountains (an idiom wishing people longevity).”
“Good boy, I’ve finally met you…” Grandma’s hands shook with excitement, as if she wanted to take Lu Ying’s hand but shrank back for some reason. After holding back for a while, she exclaimed, “My good grandson… where did you find this little boy fairy… This, this… Grandma really doesn’t know what to say to compliment you, oops! Good, very good! Great! Thank you for the gift to Grandma.”
“Pfft, Grandma, don’t overpraise him. Your grandson is not bad either.” Qin Zhuopu burst out laughing, and the cousins at the back of the room also laughed.
Lu Ying blushed from the compliments. Oh my god, Qin Zhuopu’s grandma was so fashionable and good at blowing rainbow farts. He had heard of fairy girls, but it was the first time he was labelled as a ‘boy fairy’. The sweet-talking old lady was so cute (*^▽^*)
“Yes, yes, yes, my grandson is not bad either, you’re a fairy couple together!” Grandma hurriedly agreed with her grandson, and everyone laughed at once.
Qin Zhuopu put his hand on his son’s shoulder and pushed him over to his grandma, “Zaizai, this is Grandma.”
The old lady immediately held up her old-fashioned glasses.
Lu Zaizai followed in a loud voice, “May Grandma be healthy and live a long life!”
The old lady couldn’t hold back any longer and took two steps forward to grasp Lu Zaizai’s chubby hands, gripping them tightly and leaning down to face him closely, “Good boy, good boy! You’ve grown so well and are so energetic!”
“Thank you, Grandma.” Lu Zaizai blinked.
“Good boy, good boy.” The old lady stared at the child, her expression stunned. She was finally seeing this long-awaited child, close at hand, and the more she looked, the more amazed she felt. The child, was he really not Zhuopu’s son? Was it a psychological effect or was it just her old eyes playing tricks on her, making her think that the fat child looked exactly the same as her grandson when he was little?
The old lady was not the only one who was surprised.
Many of the relatives in the house felt that it was too good to be true. How could Qin Zhuopu and his lover, two men, have such a son that resembled them both so much? At first glance, the boy looked like Qin Zhuopu but at second glance, he also looked like Lu Ying.
Those who knew the inside story even sighed: Lu Ying’s child actually resembled Qin Zhuopu.
No one was more shocked than Mrs. Qin.
She was the first person to see Lu Zaizai, even before her own son. But before, she had never felt there was any resemblance between Lu Ying’s son and her own son.
Today, as she watched the three of them walk hand in hand, maybe it was because they were wearing the same colour parent-child outfits, she was in a daze for a moment. Lu Zaizai really looked like Zhuopu’s son.
But how could that be? Lu Zaizai was indeed Lu Ying’s biological son, and his appearance was also very convincing. Especially those eyes that looked like Lu Ying’s.
The old lady personally welcomed Lu Ying and his son, and all the guests present looked at them and remembered Lu Ying’s appearance and message. From now on, Lu Ying would be a proper member of the Qin family and the grandson of the Song family.
When the most waited guests arrived, the old lady waved her hand for the guests to liven up. No need to surround her; those who could dance should dance, those who wanted to chat should chat. Her purpose had been achieved.
She kept holding Lu Zaizai’s hand affectionately and went to sit down in the hall. She kept asking Lu Zaizai what he wanted to eat and drink. It looked like she didn’t have time for Qin Zhuopu.
Qin Zhuopu smiled helplessly, “Grandma, I’ll take Lu Ying for a walk.”
“Go on, go on, keep him good company.”
“Zaizai, you stay with Grandma and talk.”
“Oh.” Lu Zaizai had food and drink and was not too bored.
Qin Zhuopu then took Lu Ying to meet his aunts and uncles, his cousins and a horde of other relatives. Lu Ying followed him around for half a day and got to know many people. He was so relieved that all of Qin Zhuopu’s relatives were very nice, the elders were friendly to him and the younger ones… couldn’t wait to surround him. Especially a few younger ones who brought him food and drink, then secretly glanced at him, blushed and ran away.
Finally, a little girl came with a bouquet of flowers and shyly held it up to Lu Ying: “For you!”
“……” What do you mean?
Lu Ying was taken aback, smiled and bent down to take the flowers: “Thank you, little fairy.” He looked down and sniffed the flowers; they smelled so good.
The little girl had tears in her eyes, “I, I want to take a picture with you… woo woo…”
“Pfft, of course you can! Why are you crying, be a good girl and stop crying, if you keep crying the picture won’t look good.” The corners of Lu Ying’s mouth twitched and he hurriedly wiped the little girl’s tears.
The little girl sobbed and squinted at Qin Zhuopu, “Look at him glaring at me all the time… woo woo, he’s going to eat me…”
Everyone laughed out loud.
“……” Lu Ying laughed so hard he couldn’t straighten up, looking at Qin Zhuopu’s terrifying and helpless expression.
Qin Zhuopu looked up at the sky and rolled his eyes, put on the kindest smile and said to the little girl, “I won’t glare at you anymore. Okay, now I allow you to take a picture with my little boy fairy. Be a good girl and smile.”
The little girl squeezed out a smile that was worse than crying.
“Hahaha… you go away. We’ll take the photo by ourselves.”
At the banquet, there were professionals responsible for taking pictures, as well as specially invited artists to leave their works as a beautiful souvenir. So, every year when the old lady celebrated her birthday, there was no shortage of family photos. This year was no exception.
When the family photo was taken, Grandma strongly requested that Lu Ying and Lu Zaizai stand close to her. Lu Ying originally felt that he was not suitable to participate, but the old woman was so enthusiastic that he couldn’t refuse.
In the picture, the old lady, the birthday girl, was sitting in the middle, with her elder sons and grandsons on her left and her only daughter, Mrs. Qin, and her daughter’s only son, Qin Zhuopu, on her right.
After the photo shoot, the parts of the big family took photos separately.
Qin Zhuopu held Lu Ying and his son, “Let’s have a family portrait too, shall we?”
“Yes, yes.” Lu Zaizai was the first to agree; he thought it was fun anyway.
Lu Ying tilted his head and smiled, “Of course, it’s great.”
And so, that day, the first family photo of the family of three was born.
Elder Qin, who was too old to travel, was having tea at home. He knew that today was his in-law’s birthday banquet and that his grandson would take Lu Ying and Lu Zaizai to it. When would Lu Ying and the boy come to the Qin family together?
The housekeeper hurriedly came over with a tablet in his hand, “Mr. Qin has sent you a message, Old Master, take a look.”
Elder Qin nodded, took the tablet and swiped it open.
A family portrait came into view, a happy family of three.
The old man stared at the picture and his old hands suddenly shook.
***
Mini-theatre:
Old ladies gathering to play cards.
Old lady A: My grandson has found a wife who is a top student.
Old lady B: My grandson has found a wife who is an artist.
Grandma Song: My grandson found a wife who is a little boy fairy.
Everyone: ……
Mini-theatre-2:
Reporter: Mr. Lu, what do you think about your fan support group?
Lu Ying: …I have a fan support group?
Reporter: Of course you do, look, this one called Grandma Song Always Supports Little Boy Fairy is your number one fan.
Grandma: It’s me, it’s me!
Lu Ying: (*/w＼*)
Mr. Qin: …your grandson is ashamed.
“Bye, Uncle Pilot, bye! See you next time!”
The helicopter dropped the family off at their destination, and Lu Zaizai got down reluctantly, waving goodbye to the pilot, who smiled, waved back at him and then took the helicopter away.
Lu Zaizai looked back three times, mumbling, “When will I ever get to fly in a helicopter like this again? Didn’t Uncle say it was a gift for me? Can I keep it at home?”
Lu Ying snickered, “Lu Zaizai, you know what, there’s no place to park a helicopter at home.”
Qin Zhuopu stroked the child’s head, “There will be plenty of opportunities for you to play with it when you go on holiday in the future. This helicopter is registered under your name, so it belongs to you.”
Lu Zaizai shook his fist and said, “Then I want to be a pilot when I grow up, I want to fly my own helicopter and take Dad, Uncle and my friends out to play!”
“Okay, pilots need to take care of their eyes, so don’t watch TV indiscriminately in the future, okay?”
“Yes, I’ll definitely be a pilot when I grow up!” Lu Zaizai was full of confidence.
Lu Ying didn’t bother to pay attention to him anymore. Last time, he said he wanted to be a policeman.
Qin Zhuopu proudly said: “You’re athletic, you’ll be good at it!”
“Where are we going now?” Lu Ying asked, looking at the night sky.
“First take you to eat, then we’ll go back to our house and rest, then tomorrow we’ll go to Grandma’s house.”
“Wow, we’re going to have a big meal! I can’t wait!” Lu Zaizai ran forward happily, in high spirits.
Qin Zhuopu smiled and sighed: “Every time I see him, he grows up a little more. It’s so fast. He’ll be as tall as me in two years. I used to think he was a chubby baby, but now he looks like a young boy.”
“Really? I don’t see that much change looking at him every day. But he has definitely grown taller; it’s just that he hasn’t lost any meat.” Lu Ying smiled.
Qin Zhuopu coughed softly, “This… he can’t lose weight?” He thought it wasn’t good for a child to be too fat. Although Lu Zaizai was not particularly fat, it would definitely be better to be thinner and more handsome. For example, Lu Ying was so good.
Lu Ying squinted at him: “What, you think my son is too fat?”
“No, how can I dislike my own son? But he is little now. When he gets older and enters puberty, what if he becomes sensitive and rebellious because of his appearance?”
Lu Ying spread his hands, “I don’t think he will. Besides, he has a special physique. Eating helps him grow. Dr. Hu said he is fat only temporarily, he will be fine after he becomes an adult.”
“I see, that’s good, I just worried about it.”
Lu Zaizai turned around and shouted at the two men walking side by side, “Will you two hurry up, don’t just talk about love, I’m still hungry!”
“Haha, coming, coming.”
Lu Zaizai wanted to eat seafood, so Qin Zhuopu took the two to a private seafood restaurant. The father and son undoubtedly cared more about the food than the pompous luxury.
Smiling as he watched the father and son feast, Qin Zhuopu felt that watching them was more enjoyable than eating himself. He was full soon and helped the two guys shell various kinds of seafood.
“Why does this place taste so good!” Lu Ying couldn’t resist licking his fingers.
“It’s really delicious.” Lu Zaizai grabbed a large crab, unable to stop eating.
Qin Zhuopu smiled: “This old place has always had a good reputation, but I don’t like seafood much, so I don’t come here often.”
“Uncle, why are you such a picky eater? You don’t like seafood even though it’s so delicious.” Lu Zaizai looked at Qin Zhuopu with pity.
Qin Zhuopu looked at him blankly, “If you dare to say that Uncle is a picky eater, I won’t peel the shrimps for you.”
Lu Zaizai scowled: “You didn’t peel them for me in the first place, you gave all the peeled ones to Dad.”
“…hey, I didn’t notice that.” Only then did Qin Zhuopu realise that all the peeled shrimps had been put into Lu Ying’s bowl; he was rendered speechless by his son’s comment.
“Pfft,” Lu Ying laughed, grabbing a piece of shrimp meat and stuffing it into Qin Zhuopu’s mouth, “Thanks for peeling the shrimps, handsome.”
“Oooh, yummy.” Qin Zhuopu tilted his head and swallowed the shrimp, happily, continuing to peel.
Lu Zaizai made a face watching him: “Shame on you.”
The two had developed a thick skin and continued to cling to each other no matter what their son said.
Advertisements
Lu Ying hissed and sighed, “This tastes amazing, better than the seafood made by the Shen family.”
“The Shen family has one of the best signature dishes, their seafood is more average.”
“En en, their chicken, duck and fish are all delicious.”
“This plate is ready for you, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Go ahead.”
Qin Zhuopu got up and left the private room, went to the bathroom and washed his hands properly a few times, smelled them and still felt the smell, so he tossed and turned for a long time before coming out.
“Mr. Qin! It’s really you!”
There was a voice full of surprise. Qin Zhuopu looked at the woman who was happily walking towards him. Few people wouldn’t recognise her face. She was a big celebrity, popular for many years in the entertainment industry, with excellent abilities and a good family background of a rich n generation. Qin Zhuopu and her brother were classmates for many years and were also considered neighbours. In his eyes, this movie queen was still stuck in the image of a little sister from years ago; he actually hadn’t seen her since he went abroad.
“Oh my, it’s been years since I’ve seen you, do you still remember me, Mr. Qin? I’m Ye Suqin, I used to live next door.”
Qin Zhuopu nodded and smiled, “Of course I remember you. I even met your brother at the conference not long ago. I’ve seen the movies you’ve been in. Your acting skills are amazing. You were outstanding as a child, this path is very suitable for you.” Qin Zhuopu complimented genuinely; although he didn’t follow stars, he would remember more or less those with good acting skills, not to mention that this was his childhood neighbour.
Ye Suqin was instantly embarrassed by the compliment, her girlish heart overflowing with joy. She lowered her eyes and said shyly, “I never thought Qin Zhuopu would watch my movie, hehehe. Is Mr. Qin here for dinner? Then I won’t bother you. Next time I have the chance, I’ll invite Mr. Qin for tea.”
“Okay, I’m going then.” Qin Zhuopu smiled and turned to go back to the private room.
Ye Suqin watched Qin Zhuopu leave with a sigh. Only then did the agent beside her dare to say something: “Could this be the very same President Qin from Guanhai Group?”
“Which President Qin?” Another pretty actress next to the agent, Chu Weili, asked.
“Who else but Qin Zhuopu can be such a handsome and manly-looking president?” Ye Suqin’s eyes were full of yearning, “It’s a pity…” It’s a pity he didn’t like women, otherwise she would have gladly chased her male god since junior middle school! But everyone in the community knew that Qin Zhuopu was not interested in women. She later even fantasised about the male god and her own brother, only to be discouraged within seconds. Her brother’s face was too ugly! Disgusting!
“In person he’s even more handsome and compelling than in magazines.” The agent didn’t ask what was a pity. Anyway, since it was someone Ye Suqin couldn’t get, everything was a pity.
“Mr. Qin of Guanhai Group? Ah, the diamond bachelor Qin Zhuopu?” Chu Weili’s eyes were wide and filled with disbelief. She had actually met the real person!
“Yes yes yes, that’s him. Don’t be a nymphomaniac, go and eat, it’s time to get out of our misery and have a big meal.” Ye Suqin walked on her high heels to the private room at the other end of the corridor.
Chu Weili, who fell back, choked and muttered to her agent in a low voice, “I can’t believe I got to meet Mr. Qin in person. Sister Ye, really, why didn’t she introduce us?”
The agent said seriously, “She has her own arrangements. If you want to be introduced, why don’t you talk to her yourself?”
“…I just talked about it casually.”
After eating and drinking, Qin Zhuopu took Lu Ying and Zaizai home. After washing, Lu Ying unpacked, took out the ginseng box and handed it to Qin Zhuopu to take a look: “What do you think of this ginseng? It is my birthday gift to Grandma.”
Qin Zhuopu was surprised: “The quality is very good. It’s rare to see pure natural wild ginseng nowadays, and this one can be worth three to five million.”
“This really worth so much? Grandpa gave it to me.” Lu Ying clutched his chest, it hurt so much!
Qin Zhuopu patted him on the shoulder, “Keep the ginseng for yourself, I’ve already prepared a gift from you to give to Grandma.”
Lu Ying shook his head, “No, I don’t need it. I said I would give it to Grandma, so I won’t go back on my word. Besides, I’m young and healthy and don’t need it, so this kind of supplement is more suitable for Grandma. The gift that I prepared myself represents my feelings, right?”
Qin Zhuopu smiled, “You seem to be very fond of Grandma.”
Lu Ying nodded: “She likes me, of course I like her.”
Qin Zhuopu sighed. Lu Ying’s heart was actually very simple; whoever treated him well, he would treat even better and more sincerely.
From behind, he wrapped his arms around Lu Ying and rubbed his neck, urging in a low voice, “It’s late, you’ve eaten so much today, let me help you exercise?”
“Sure ^_^”
In the morning, outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the greenery was verdant. Birds were singing and a few rays of sunlight were shining through the gaps in the curtains. The two men slowly opened their eyes, cuddling on the big bed. Lu Ying lazily rolled over and sleepily muttered, “The birds outside your house are so lively… greeting you early in the morning.”
Qin Zhuopu closed his eyes again: “Never mind those birds, let’s sleep a little longer.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, there was an explosive knock on the door. Once he heard that movement, Lu Ying knew: it was his son Lu Zaizai!
“Wake up, wake up! The sun is already shining! Dad and Uncle, get up and have breakfast!” Lu Zaizai shouted at the door of the bedroom, continuing to bang.
“……”
With this way of being woken up, Qin Zhuopu could do nothing else but resign himself to his fate and say, “We’re getting up, stop knocking. You can go and have breakfast by yourself.”
“Hurry up, Dad, I’ll go eat with the housekeeper uncle.”
“Hey, the child is in such good spirits.” Qin Zhuopu wiped his face helplessly.
“Pfft, you still want to sleep with the kid around? Dream on.” Lu Ying was used to it, pushed away the blanket and looked at the new clothes hanging neatly next to the bed: “I’m wearing this?”
“Yes, I specially customised a few sets from the new autumn collection for you. This set and mine are a couple’s outfits. Today we will wear them together.”
Lu Ying blushed slightly: “So blatant, you are so high-profile.”
“That’s for sure, the person I like is so good-looking, so I should show off to everyone and make them envy and be jealous. Come on, let me help you dress…”
Lu Ying covered his eyes and laughed: “So good at praising me. Won’t other people envy me?”
“But I’m already yours.”
“Hahaha, of course, that’s true, you only belong to me!”
Qin Zhuopu was originally going to have someone come and fix Lu Ying’s hair, but as soon as Lu Ying put on his clothes, Qin Zhuopu forgot about that, his mind full of the riveting lover in front of him. Exquisite, aristocratic, carrying a wanton, bewitching aura when he smiled but with his clear eyes filled with youthful innocence and enthusiasm, Lu Ying was impeccable from head to toe. Qing Zhuopu thought how lucky he was that they loved each other.
He rubbed Lu Ying’s hair casually; no need to add anything to the perfect picture. With a smile, he leaned down and gave Lu Ying a kiss on the mouth: “Love you.”
Lu Ying looked at himself in the mirror and was quite embarrassed. It was the first time he had ever worn such a formal outfit. He and Qin Zhuopu were both wearing black high-fashion suits with dark patterns, but Qin Zhuopu’s was short and his was a mid-length tuxedo. Qin Zhuopu himself had combed his hair neatly, but ruffled Lu Ying’s short hair into a little mess, almost making him look like a refined and happy little prince.
Lu Ying stifled a giggle for a moment, tilted his head up and pouted before kissing Qin Zhuopu: “Me too!”
Qin Zhuopu walked out of the room holding Lu Ying’s hand and went down the winding stairs.
Advertisements
When Lu Zaizai, who was enjoying breakfast in the dining room, saw the two of them, his small mouth suddenly opened into an ‘o’ shape, and then he burst into a bright smile and clapped: “Wow! Dad and Uncle are so handsome today! Especially Dad is like a prince. I have never seen him dressed so well. Dad, you are 1.9 metres tall today!”
Looking at his son with a thumbs up, Lu Ying smiled and narrowed his eyes: “Dad and Uncle have always been very handsome. What about you? Why haven’t you changed your clothes yet?”
“I want to finish my breakfast before I get dressed. Dad, you guys eat quickly.” Lu Zaizai cleverly stopped the housekeeper and picked some dishes for his dad and uncle before the housekeeper could do it.
“Thank you, Zaizai.”
The family of three was happy.
The housekeeper stood next to them, wondering in his heart: this child keeps calling Mr. Qin ‘Uncle’, but how can he look like Mr. Qin’s own son? Except for the extra flesh on his face, he looks like a carbon copy of Mr. Qin.
After the meal, Lu Zaizai changed into the same style of parent-child outfit and the family stood together in harmony. Qin Zhuopu couldn’t help but smile and ask the housekeeper, “Do we look like a family?”
The housekeeper nodded repeatedly and said sincerely, “It’s family!” Not to mention the way they all had similar smiles, the older ones looked like a married couple and the younger one looked like their son.
Qin Zhuopu nodded seriously and took Lu Ying’s hand in his left hand and his son’s in his right. The family walked to the car and headed straight to the Song family’s old residence.
Soon after they got into the car, Grandma called and asked, “My grandson and your wife are coming? What time will they be here?”
Qin Zhuopu said helplessly, “Grandma, I told you several times last night that they were coming, they’re all here. I’ll be at your house in half an hour. Grandma, feel free to prepare delicious food, my son and wife are both particularly good eaters.”
Lu Ying gave him a little jab in passing.
“Hahaha, good, good! I have it all prepared, just waiting for you to come!” The old lady laughed heartily over the phone, overjoyed.
The mere sound of her joyful laughter made people feel good about themselves. Lu Ying’s nervousness dissipated; no matter what, he had come over today to celebrate Grandma’s birthday and didn’t need to care too much about anything else.
The area around the Song family home was wide and usually not very crowded, but today there was a constant flow of traffic. Originally, Grandma planned to hold the birthday banquet just to see Lu Ying. She wanted to have a party for her own family only; but then she thought she shouldn’t. Since Lu Ying had agreed to come, she had to make it a big gathering so that all her friends and relatives could get to know him! It was a good idea to give Lu Ying face and also show her own daughter how to be an elder, haha. She was already eighty-six, so she could make it a lively celebration. Who knows if there will be another one next year?
Mrs. Qin’s heart felt very complicated as she watched her elderly mother’s excitement. Her brothers, nephews, sisters-in-law and other family members were all enthusiastic about this banquet. Of course, outsiders didn’t understand why her mother was holding another birthday celebration but the family knew it very well: it was just to see Lu Ying and the child, or even to welcome Lu Ying and the child.
Mrs. Qin hung her head in shame; she, Zhuopu’s own mother, was no match to her son’s grandmother.
As the sun rose, the guests arrived at the Song family home one by one. The spacious hall connected to the open area outside the house, and a sumptuous spread of drinks and food had been prepared there, with the waiters shuttling back and forth. The adults were chatting and the children played around the fountain.
Grandma sat in the hall, looking at her watch every now and then.
Mrs. Qin sighed: “Mom, don’t be so anxious, they’ll come when it’s time.”
“What can I do if I am anxious?” Grandma glared.
Mrs. Qin was silent for a moment, tempted to ask: who is Zhuopu’s biological mother???
“Grandma! Cousin’s car has arrived.” A young man ran over and told the old woman with a smile.
Grandma stood up in excitement, “Help me to the door!”
“Grandma, pay attention, don’t rush. Oh, I just caught a glimpse of my cousin’s boyfriend in the car window, wow, my cousin is so lucky!” The young man was usually serious but now he was talking with a playful smile. The old woman was amused and laughed.
The driver pulled open the car door and Qin Zhuopu was the first to get out. Then he reached out and half-carried Lu Zaizai down. Finally, it was Lu Ying’s turn. Qin Zhuopu took Lu Ying’s hand and took his son’s hand as well, “Let’s go, follow me in.”
The big one and the little one followed Qin Zhuopu towards the red carpeted mansion, passing through the neatly arranged green lawn and finally arriving at the front door. Qin Zhuopu caught a glimpse of his grandma waiting at the door and immediately smiled at Lu Ying, “It seems that my grandma can’t wait to see you and Zaizai.”
“……” Lu Ying also saw the old woman. Her face was kind and gracious, and his heart felt a lot relieved
“Zhuopu!” Grandma greeted her grandson excitedly, but her smiling eyes looked straight at Lu Zaizai, and then at Lu Ying. Her smile grew brighter and brighter.
“Happy birthday, Grandma.” Qin Zhuopu gave his grandma a hug and leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Look, I’ve brought my wife and son with me. This is Lu Ying, whom you’ve always wanted to meet, and my son, Lu Zaizai.”
“Good, good!” The old woman was genuinely excited.
Lu Ying looked at the old woman in front of him and smiled sincerely as he handed over the birthday gift: “Happy birthday to Grandma, live longer than Southern Mountains (an idiom wishing people longevity).”
“Good boy, I’ve finally met you…” Grandma’s hands shook with excitement, as if she wanted to take Lu Ying’s hand but shrank back for some reason. After holding back for a while, she exclaimed, “My good grandson… where did you find this little boy fairy… This, this… Grandma really doesn’t know what to say to compliment you, oops! Good, very good! Great! Thank you for the gift to Grandma.”
“Pfft, Grandma, don’t overpraise him. Your grandson is not bad either.” Qin Zhuopu burst out laughing, and the cousins at the back of the room also laughed.
Lu Ying blushed from the compliments. Oh my god, Qin Zhuopu’s grandma was so fashionable and good at blowing rainbow farts. He had heard of fairy girls, but it was the first time he was labelled as a ‘boy fairy’. The sweet-talking old lady was so cute (*^▽^*)
“Yes, yes, yes, my grandson is not bad either, you’re a fairy couple together!” Grandma hurriedly agreed with her grandson, and everyone laughed at once.
Qin Zhuopu put his hand on his son’s shoulder and pushed him over to his grandma, “Zaizai, this is Grandma.”
The old lady immediately held up her old-fashioned glasses.
Lu Zaizai followed in a loud voice, “May Grandma be healthy and live a long life!”
The old lady couldn’t hold back any longer and took two steps forward to grasp Lu Zaizai’s chubby hands, gripping them tightly and leaning down to face him closely, “Good boy, good boy! You’ve grown so well and are so energetic!”
“Thank you, Grandma.” Lu Zaizai blinked.
“Good boy, good boy.” The old lady stared at the child, her expression stunned. She was finally seeing this long-awaited child, close at hand, and the more she looked, the more amazed she felt. The child, was he really not Zhuopu’s son? Was it a psychological effect or was it just her old eyes playing tricks on her, making her think that the fat child looked exactly the same as her grandson when he was little?
The old lady was not the only one who was surprised.
Many of the relatives in the house felt that it was too good to be true. How could Qin Zhuopu and his lover, two men, have such a son that resembled them both so much? At first glance, the boy looked like Qin Zhuopu but at second glance, he also looked like Lu Ying.
Those who knew the inside story even sighed: Lu Ying’s child actually resembled Qin Zhuopu.
No one was more shocked than Mrs. Qin.
She was the first person to see Lu Zaizai, even before her own son. But before, she had never felt there was any resemblance between Lu Ying’s son and her own son.
Today, as she watched the three of them walk hand in hand, maybe it was because they were wearing the same colour parent-child outfits, she was in a daze for a moment. Lu Zaizai really looked like Zhuopu’s son.
But how could that be? Lu Zaizai was indeed Lu Ying’s biological son, and his appearance was also very convincing. Especially those eyes that looked like Lu Ying’s.
The old lady personally welcomed Lu Ying and his son, and all the guests present looked at them and remembered Lu Ying’s appearance and message. From now on, Lu Ying would be a proper member of the Qin family and the grandson of the Song family.
When the most waited guests arrived, the old lady waved her hand for the guests to liven up. No need to surround her; those who could dance should dance, those who wanted to chat should chat. Her purpose had been achieved.
She kept holding Lu Zaizai’s hand affectionately and went to sit down in the hall. She kept asking Lu Zaizai what he wanted to eat and drink. It looked like she didn’t have time for Qin Zhuopu.
Qin Zhuopu smiled helplessly, “Grandma, I’ll take Lu Ying for a walk.”
“Go on, go on, keep him good company.”
“Zaizai, you stay with Grandma and talk.”
“Oh.” Lu Zaizai had food and drink and was not too bored.
Qin Zhuopu then took Lu Ying to meet his aunts and uncles, his cousins and a horde of other relatives. Lu Ying followed him around for half a day and got to know many people. He was so relieved that all of Qin Zhuopu’s relatives were very nice, the elders were friendly to him and the younger ones… couldn’t wait to surround him. Especially a few younger ones who brought him food and drink, then secretly glanced at him, blushed and ran away.
Finally, a little girl came with a bouquet of flowers and shyly held it up to Lu Ying: “For you!”
“……” What do you mean?
Lu Ying was taken aback, smiled and bent down to take the flowers: “Thank you, little fairy.” He looked down and sniffed the flowers; they smelled so good.
The little girl had tears in her eyes, “I, I want to take a picture with you… woo woo…”
“Pfft, of course you can! Why are you crying, be a good girl and stop crying, if you keep crying the picture won’t look good.” The corners of Lu Ying’s mouth twitched and he hurriedly wiped the little girl’s tears.
The little girl sobbed and squinted at Qin Zhuopu, “Look at him glaring at me all the time… woo woo, he’s going to eat me…”
Everyone laughed out loud.
“……” Lu Ying laughed so hard he couldn’t straighten up, looking at Qin Zhuopu’s terrifying and helpless expression.
Qin Zhuopu looked up at the sky and rolled his eyes, put on the kindest smile and said to the little girl, “I won’t glare at you anymore. Okay, now I allow you to take a picture with my little boy fairy. Be a good girl and smile.”
The little girl squeezed out a smile that was worse than crying.
“Hahaha… you go away. We’ll take the photo by ourselves.”
At the banquet, there were professionals responsible for taking pictures, as well as specially invited artists to leave their works as a beautiful souvenir. So, every year when the old lady celebrated her birthday, there was no shortage of family photos. This year was no exception.
When the family photo was taken, Grandma strongly requested that Lu Ying and Lu Zaizai stand close to her. Lu Ying originally felt that he was not suitable to participate, but the old woman was so enthusiastic that he couldn’t refuse.
In the picture, the old lady, the birthday girl, was sitting in the middle, with her elder sons and grandsons on her left and her only daughter, Mrs. Qin, and her daughter’s only son, Qin Zhuopu, on her right.
After the photo shoot, the parts of the big family took photos separately.
Qin Zhuopu held Lu Ying and his son, “Let’s have a family portrait too, shall we?”
“Yes, yes.” Lu Zaizai was the first to agree; he thought it was fun anyway.
Lu Ying tilted his head and smiled, “Of course, it’s great.”
And so, that day, the first family photo of the family of three was born.
Elder Qin, who was too old to travel, was having tea at home. He knew that today was his in-law’s birthday banquet and that his grandson would take Lu Ying and Lu Zaizai to it. When would Lu Ying and the boy come to the Qin family together?
The housekeeper hurriedly came over with a tablet in his hand, “Mr. Qin has sent you a message, Old Master, take a look.”
Elder Qin nodded, took the tablet and swiped it open.
A family portrait came into view, a happy family of three.
The old man stared at the picture and his old hands suddenly shook.
***
Mini-theatre:
Old ladies gathering to play cards.
Old lady A: My grandson has found a wife who is a top student.
Old lady B: My grandson has found a wife who is an artist.
Grandma Song: My grandson found a wife who is a little boy fairy.
Everyone: ……
Mini-theatre-2:
Reporter: Mr. Lu, what do you think about your fan support group?
Lu Ying: …I have a fan support group?
Reporter: Of course you do, look, this one called Grandma Song Always Supports Little Boy Fairy is your number one fan.
Grandma: It’s me, it’s me!
Lu Ying: (*/w＼*)
Mr. Qin: …your grandson is ashamed.
