They would also help Pei Rong keep the existence of the child a secret.
Pei Rong: “Come play when you have time.”
When Pei Rong took the child away, the people at the police station were reluctant to part with him. He was the youngest child they had ever ‘caught,’ and he was too cute. He didn’t cry or make a fuss at the police station and he even successfully brought along these troublemakers.
When Pei Rong went out and saw a dog hole in the fence with a piece of clothing tossed nearby, he understood everything.
Jiang Yan heard that the child had been taken to the police station, and he immediately called after getting off the operating table. After listening to the whole story: “...”
“Blame me for forgetting. My neighbor has a dog, my parents like it, so I dug a hole to let the dog come over to play.”
The hole was really tiny; if Pei Ge had eaten an extra chicken leg in the past three days, he wouldn’t have been able to pass through it.
Jiang Yan asked sternly, “Did you make him too thin from hunger?”
Pei Rong: “...He wasn’t fat to begin with.”
Except for the arms and chubby face, children naturally had a vertical growth trend. Besides, Pei Ge’s level of physical activity was high.
The sleeping Pei Ge was as quiet as an angel, exuding a captivating charm. Every feature—eyebrows, eyes, lips, and nose — was exquisitely delicate. His eyelashes fluttered with the rise and fall of his chest, slightly curled from the sweat-dampened hair. It was unclear whom he inherited this trait from, as neither Lu Qin nor Pei Rong displayed such characteristics.
“When are you coming back to the country?”
“I’ve been assigned to a week-long surgery rotation recently, and I also want to go back to China.” Jiang Yan encouraged Pei Rong, saying, “Come on, Big Beauty Pei! Look at your own child with tears in your eyes.”
Two hours later, Pei Ge was awakened by hunger. Instead of braised pork, there was only a boiled egg.
Pei Rong ordered a meat and crab hot pot for himself, eating it with white rice.
Pei Ge rolled the egg on the table, slowly peeled it, and secretly dipped it into the soup of the meat and crab hot pot when his dad wasn’t paying attention.
Pei Rong tapped the table and said casually, “You’ve experienced being in the police station. Just call yourself ‘Dundun’ from now on and leave a criminal record in your name.”
Pei Ge, biting the egg, puzzled: “Okay, Dad.”
Pei Rong remembered what Patriarch Bodhi said to Sun Wukong: In the future, if you cause trouble, don’t mention me.
Pei Rong added two boiled silkworm beans to his son’s bowl and said, “Baby, promise me, if you get into trouble outside, don’t say your last name is Pei.”
Pei Ge: “Huh?”
Pei Rong: “Say your last name is Lu.”
After Pei Dundun finished eating, Pei Rong finally asked, “Did you do anything wrong today?”
Pei Dundun scratched his face, saying, “I... I should call the police uncle first.”
Pei Rong patted his head. “Yes, what if they come together to attack you?”
Pei Ge nodded. “It won’t happen again.”
Pei Rong asked, “Anything else?”
Pei Dundun looked up, “Huh?”
Pei Rong said, “Don’t turn mediation into adding fuel to the fire.”
***
Lu Qin’s secretary stayed at the airport for five days, but there was no sign of Pei Rong. Helplessly, he had to return without any leads.
On the other hand, Mrs. Jiang arranged a bunch of blind dates for Lu Qin.
“If you have a partner, regardless of gender, I won’t rush you. But you don’t have one now! What’s the point of working all day? I don’t remember giving birth to a robot.”
“Other people’s grandsons can already buy soy sauce. It’s time for you to meet new people. Your dad’s birthday is next week; I’ll ask if you’re coming home for dinner.”
Wanting him to go home, when they would only introduce him to another blind date.
“This time the girl looks really good, really. I’m not lying to you.”
Based on Pei Rong’s looks, Mrs. Jiang guessed that her son judged people by their appearance. Although she couldn’t find anyone better looking than Pei Rong, men and women each have their own charm and shouldn’t be compared. That girl would definitely catch Lu Qin’s eye.
Lu Qin had previously declined several blind dates arranged by Mrs. Jiang using the straightforward approach of “clarifying before dinner that he didn’t want to get married.” This method of rejection was quite efficient. Rather than explaining to Mrs. Jiang that his focus was on his career, he found it simpler to just have a meal together.
People always have to eat.
Mrs. Jiang said, “Miss Lin has set the time and place, at the Greenwood Manor. Have some fun there; if it gets late, stay overnight there, don’t come back.”
“Don’t say there’s work at the company; I’ll make your dad go to work.”
***
Pei Rong stayed at the Jiang family villa for three days and then moved back. After all, having Pei Ge eat boiled food every day was healthy but pitiful.
The grass in the orchard and flower beds was neatly trimmed, bringing a sense of peace of mind.
With such a vast area, Pei Dundun attempted to climb a tree, but he wasn’t a panda cub. Instead, he ended up tumbling like a little bear. Pei Rong had placed a thick layer of sponge padding around the base of the tree to cushion the fall.
Catching Pei Ge as he slid down once again, Pei Rong took off his protective gloves, crouched down, and said, “Dundi, let’s go fishing.”
Fishing was an activity that required extreme patience and silence, which suited the restless Pei Dundun perfectly.
Pei Rong glanced at an educational textbook and decided to tell his son the story of “Kitten Fishing”.
A cat chasing butterflies wouldn’t catch any fish.
Teaching Pei Ge made Pei Rong worry less, and as the boss, he had more time to spend at his own Greenwood Manor.
He took out a dusty fishing rod, and his actions of baiting the hook were not very skilled.
Pei Ge crouched down nearby, watching curiously.
Pei Rong boasted, “Ah, the last time I went fishing, you weren’t even born yet, so I’m a bit rusty.”
President Lu was attentive; he didn’t even let Pei Ge bait his own hook, hoping he would learn sooner.
“Your Dad caught a lot last time, so many—”
“Wow—!”
The fishhook dropped into the lake, creating a ripple.
“Keep your eyes on it. Don’t lose focus. If the float sinks, call Dad.” Pei Rong moved a reclining chair and peacefully closed his eyes.
Yes, fishing should be like this. Whether there’s a catch was secondary; what’s important was the tranquility it brought to the mind and spirit.
“Okay.” Pei Dundun sat on a small stool, propping his chin up, his gaze fixed.
Ten minutes later, there was not a single ripple on the lake’s surface. Pei Dundun turned his head and glanced at his dad, lifting himself slightly from the chair.
Pei Rong spoke up, “You won’t catch any fish like that.”
Pei Dundun whispered, “I’ll go to the house and get some water.”
“Fine.” Pei Rong snorted, planning to teach him a lesson about being unfocused later.
Pei Dundun hurried back and forth several times.
Pei Rong pretended not to hear, saving up examples to scold him all at once.
It wasn’t until he heard the sound of water being poured that he turned to see what Pei Dundun was up to, and he clenched his fist when he saw it.
Pei Dundun lugged four bricks and a dry branch from the orchard, panting heavily. He also went to the kitchen, borrowed a small pot from Uncle Zhang, and a lighter, piled bricks and branches, poured tap water from the bottle into the pot, and clicked the lighter, struggling to start a fire. It seemed he was putting in quite an effort, but it wasn’t quite enough.
Seeing his dad looking over, a fleeting look of guilt crossed Pei Dundun’s face as he handed the lighter to his dad, saying, “Dad, keep this dangerous thing.”
He gestured with three fingers. “Dad, we need three fish.”
Two for dad and one for him.
“When will we catch the fish?”
With everything ready, Pei Dundun eagerly looked at his dad, his eyes containing silent urging.
Pei Rong, who had never independently caught a fish: “...”
Back to the dream of the island pier.
Saying it a hundred times, that’s not the essence of fishing!
Pei Rong forced a smile. “We still need to wait a bit.”
He stared at the float with a sense of despair, silently repeating in his mind: You should go find your dad who knows how to set up a bait...
