Lu Qin found his voice and pinched his face: “Uncle policeman has to maintain public order. Daddy will make it for you when we get home.”
“Wow—thank you, Daddy!”
Every crisp call of “Daddy” made the police officer more emotional. He apologized to Mr. Lu and personally opened the car door for him while he was holding the child.
“Take care.”
Lu Qin handed his tear-soaked coat to the bodyguard, rolled up his sleeves, and squatted in front of Pei Dundun.
Reason returned; he wanted to confirm some things.
The way Dundun chatted with the police officer... was too familiar.
“How does Dundun know that policeman?”
Pei Dundun earnestly confessed his ‘crime’: “I participated in a group fight and was caught by the police uncle.”
Lu Qin pressed further: “Who were you fighting with? Were you hurt?”
Pei Dundun, demonstrating his genius storytelling skills, vividly described the whole process in great detail, even mentioning how many sips of milk those big brothers took in total.
“Daddy said this was instigating trouble, so Dundun also has some fault.”
Lu Qin opened his mouth. He and Pei Rong didn’t get into trouble because of tax issues, but this kid was a bit wild.
If he still didn’t understand who was causing trouble, he might as well resign early and let Dundun take over his position as president.
The dire scenarios he imagined didn’t exist.
Dundun was indeed a bit tricky. Pei Rong must have thought it absurd and went along with his words to deceive him.
Lu Qin couldn’t help but reflect. Despite having abstained and being clear-headed, why did he still believe Pei Rong’s words so deeply after three years?
Did all his experience go to waste?
If this continued, wouldn’t he fall into the same trap as three years ago? Being crudely defined by Pei Rong through money, making mistakes without realizing it, and when Pei Rong couldn’t stand his demands and control anymore, he would leave abruptly, and it would be too late to fix things.
He should guide the development of this relationship, towards the direction he wanted. Letting Pei Rong lead him by the nose, Lu Qin would only remain a “sugar daddy.”
He had to let Pei Rong know that they had other possibilities.
Later, Lu Qin talked with Zhou Hang. From the moment Pei Rong entered the industry, he despised the unspoken rules, only taking the resources provided by the company, and refused any “favors” from investors during their talks.
Lu Qin stepped on Pei Rong’s minefield right from the beginning.
“Daddy, can Dundun still eat instant noodles?”
“Yes,” Lu Qin snapped back to reality.
***
Pei Dundun ate the instant noodles that Daddy Lu Qin had meticulously prepared and generously forgave him for taking him to get a shot.
After spending two days together, he became familiar with his grandparents and was willing to go out and play with them.
Madam Jiang eagerly showed him around... the properties.
“All of these are Dundun’s homes. You can live in any of them.”
Pei Dundun nodded. They were all very nice, but none had the pond at Daddy’s house; Daddy’s house was still the best.
***
In the afternoon, President Lu had a meeting at the company. The senior management felt quite uneasy without the presence of the little prince—as without his son there, President Lu reverted to his unfathomable demeanor, completely controlling his expressions, with a cold face that could freeze anyone who dared speak nonsense.
While his subordinates droned on, the stern Lu Qin was contemplating how to clarify to Pei Rong that he didn’t need to see a urologist.
It was tricky; having a reaction in front of Pei Rong equated to revealing everything, nullifying his efforts.
Because someone else had a reaction and Pei Rong happened to see it?
This wasn’t damage control, this was seeking death.
Lu Qin pressed his temples, and the reporting manager broke out in a cold sweat: Did he say something wrong?
As evening approached, the setting sun cast its rays through the pleated leaves. Looking out from the 27th floor’s floor-to-ceiling windows, the sunset stretched for miles, grand and magnificent.
Tomorrow would be a clear day.
Lu Qin suddenly had an idea.
He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, tall and graceful, exuding an air of noble elegance.
“Pei Rong.”
Lu Qin’s voice was neither cold nor warm. “I need to discuss something with you. The parenting book says that if a child cries and is startled during the day, they might wake up scared at night. Do you think you should find time to sleep with Dundun for a night?”
President Lu’s rhetoric was excellent, subtly suggesting that he had been diligently reading parenting books, portraying himself as a reliable and wealthy partner.
Pei Rong pondered for a moment. Indeed, every time Pei Dundun got a shot, he would cry. This was the first time he hadn’t been by Dundun’s side, and it was possible Dundun might sleep poorly due to a lack of security at night.
Children could easily get a fever from being frightened, and a fever meant they need an injection. For Dundun, this was a vicious cycle. Additionally, there could be fever reactions even after getting vaccinated.
Pei Rong started to worry.
The request was reasonable; he couldn’t just let go completely for the sake of a moment of freedom.
Lu Qin said, “I won’t have someone follow you. Don’t overthink it. We all want what’s best for Dundun, don’t we?”
There was no falsehood in his words.
Even if it wasn’t for his own desire to see Pei Rong, Dundun would want to see him.
“Okay.” Pei Rong glanced at the time. Uncle Zhang was going into the city tonight, and he could catch a ride with him.
“I’ll probably arrive around eight. Is Dundun staying at your old place?”
Lu Qin replied, “Yes, I’ll tell the security at the gate to let you in.”
After hanging up the phone, President Lu gripped his phone tightly. Pei Rong hadn’t suggested staying at a hotel. Could this mean he hoped to stay at his house?
Clinging to this slim hope, Lu Qin sincerely suggested to Madam Jiang and Lu Jianye that they stay somewhere else tonight.
Madam Jiang didn’t understand, but Lu Jianye seemed to catch on and said, “We haven’t been home for a few days. Let’s go back and get some child supplies. Dundun said he liked it today. We’ll bring him back to stay another day.”
Madam Jiang got excited at this: “I can’t control what happens at Lu Qin’s place, but our furniture at home must be covered with protective strips. We’ll cover them all tonight.”
After sending his parents off, Lu Qin looked at Dundun, who had just returned from outside, and flicked his sunhat.
“Good news. Your dad is coming to see you tonight.”
Pei Dundun, like a well-behaved little lamb, had two horns on his hat. Upon hearing this, his eyes lit up, and he hugged Lu Qin’s leg, knocking off his hat. “Really? Really? My dad is coming to see me?”
Can a little agent who hasn’t completed his mission see his dad?
“Of course, because Dundun is very well-behaved. I’ve arranged it for you. Whether your dad can stay here and sleep with you tonight depends on Dundun.”
Lu Qin lost his conscience: “If Dundun can get his dad to stay here, I’ll make instant noodles for you again tomorrow.”
Pei Dundun was overjoyed: “Okay.”
Dad Pei usually doesn’t refuse his requests for anything other than instant noodles.
Dad Lu would give him instant noodles again.
Great!
Pei Dundun didn’t forget to ask for benefits for his father: “Can you make red wine braised beef and fried meatballs for my dad?”
Lu Qin: “Sure.”
At eight in the evening, Pei Rong, with a small gift for Dundun—a toy car with a special agent badge—appeared at the villa’s entrance.
Lu Qin, holding Dundun, had been waiting at the door. Seeing Pei Rong, their eyes lit up simultaneously. The former slightly restrained himself, while the little boy directly leaped into Pei Rong’s arms.
Lu Qin’s throat felt tight. He couldn’t let the little boy quickly enjoy a life where the three of them lived together every day. He felt guilty.
He could only promise that this day was not far away.
While handing over the little boy, Lu Qin smelled a faint scent on Pei Rong, like sweet honey, evoking images of a bear enjoying a happy time licking it. It was like a veil that eroded his reason.
He calmly took two steps back: “Have you eaten? Dundun said he wanted to wait for you to have dinner together.”
Pei Rong: “I can eat a bit more.”
Lu Qin prepared a dinner ten times better than the one at the sanatorium. While eating the braised beef, Pei Rong recalled the feeling of holding Dundun just now. The little boy had gained weight. It seemed he liked Lu Qin’s cooking as much as he did.
Throughout the meal, Lu Qin behaved like a proper host entertaining a guest, watching Pei Dundun enthusiastically introduce his favorite side dishes to his father, restraining the urge to serve Pei Rong some food himself.
After all, it was the food he had made, and he wanted to introduce it too.
After dinner, Lu Qin gave Dundun a bath and quietly suggested that Dundun play with building blocks with his father.
He had bought a new set of blocks that could be assembled into a five-square-meter castle.
Sure enough, Dundun eagerly played games with Pei Rong, moving from one to another. Madam Jiang had bought him plenty.
They played until ten o’clock, when Pei Dundun, yawning, collapsed onto his father’s lap, his eyes watery: “Dad, stay here tonight and keep me company.”
Pei Rong gently rubbed his forehead: “Alright, Dad promises you’ll still see me when you wake up tomorrow. Now, sleep.”
Thinking about his father and instant noodles for tomorrow, Pei Dundun quickly fell asleep.
At the right moment, Lu Qin came out of the study, picked up Dundun, and placed him on the large bed in the master bedroom.
“Dundun is used to sleeping on this bed. You should sleep here tonight, too.”
Pei Rong stood by the bed, the dim night light casting a beautiful warm glow on his cheeks like a piece of jade. He looked at Lu Qin: “What about you?”
Lu Qin said righteously, “I am also worried about Dundun. I’ll sleep on the floor. If he cries at night, I’ll comfort him first. If I can’t, then you come.”
He was indeed very considerate.
Pei Rong assessed the situation. With Dundun around, it seemed unlikely that Lu Qin would do anything crazy. “Then I’ll trouble you, President Lu.”
Lu Qin replied, “It’s all for Dundun, it’s nothing.”
The night passed without incident, and Pei Rong and Pei Dundun slept soundly.
Lu Qin woke up in the middle of the night, touched Pei Dundun’s forehead to ensure he wasn’t having any adverse reactions from the vaccine, and then felt relieved.
As he withdrew his hand, he lightly brushed against Pei Rong’s hand, which was exposed on the silk blanket.
No calluses, smoother than silk.
Given Pei Rong’s poor sewing skills, how could he have believed the lie about using a sewing machine?
With his wife and child both well, Lu Qin felt even more at ease.
Early the next morning, when Pei Rong woke up, he felt something pressing against him. He squinted for half a minute before understanding.
What happened to sleeping on the floor?
He reached out to push Lu Qin back, creating more space between Lu Qin and the little one so he could get up.
Then President Lu grabbed his wrist.
Pei Rong tried to pull his hand away. “President Lu, weren’t you supposed to sleep on the floor?”
Lu Qin easily let him go. “I went to the bathroom at night and didn’t notice there was someone on the bed. Out of habit, I got back on.”
Pei Rong lowered his eyes. “Oh... then this...?”
Lu Qin had been waiting for this moment. He stared into Pei Rong’s eyes. “This is a normal morning physiological reaction. Don’t you have it?”
It showed that he was healthy and fit, deserving priority in mate selection in nature.
