Chapter 31: Handling the Situation

One day later, at 1 PM.

Miaomiao had a habit of taking afternoon naps. Ming Can stayed with him in his bedroom, listening to an audio story until he fell asleep. Then, she quietly left, grabbed her violin from the music room, and headed to the rehearsal venue for the concert.

As Chi Xiao drove into the neighborhood, he happened to see Ming Can hailing a taxi by the roadside. The young woman was dressed in a white down jacket and black pants, wearing snow boots. Despite the heavy winter attire, her graceful figure was still evident. Her hair was styled into a beautiful scorpion braid, and she carried a violin case on her back. She looked youthful, lively, and radiant—a striking splash of color against the wintry landscape.

The two of them just missed each other, as if timing it perfectly to avoid a meeting.

The home’s door lock code was a combination of Miaomiao’s lunar and solar calendar birthdays. Chi Xiao entered the house and was greeted by the sight of a spacious, luxuriously decorated home. The windows were spotless, and the living room featured a small play area occupying a quarter of the space. The balcony was filled with cold-resistant evergreen plants, and every corner exuded a warm, lived-in atmosphere.

Miaomiao was asleep in his room, so Chi Xiao stayed there too, sitting in Miaomiao’s child-sized study and typing away on his laptop.

Even though no one else was home besides him and his son, Chi Xiao didn’t wander around or use things carelessly. He was accustomed to restraint and propriety, maintaining discipline even when alone.

About half an hour later, Miaomiao woke up. Seeing his dad, he jumped out of bed and ran barefoot into Chi Xiao’s arms, licking his lips. “Good afternoon, Dad~ Can I have something sweet? I dreamed about it, hehe~”

Chi Xiao: “…”

Kids these days are way too clever.

Chi Xiao got up and went to the kitchen. In no time, he prepared a bowl of sweet fruit salad for Miaomiao. It required no cooking skills—just the ability to cut fruit. Miaomiao took a bite and exclaimed, “Dad, you’ve transformed! This sweet and sour salad is so delicious!”

Chi Xiao: “…”

No need to thank me. It’s from the supermarket.

The afternoon stretched on, and Miaomiao, feeling a bit cooped up, begged Chi Xiao to take him out to the small park in the neighborhood.

The park was just downstairs, filled with various children’s play equipment. Chi Xiao agreed, thinking it would be good for the kid to get some exercise, so he took Miaomiao downstairs to play.

Little did he expect that less than ten minutes into playing, while trying to show off a difficult move on the swing, Miaomiao failed spectacularly and fell face-first into the dirt. The entire park full of kids was terrified and started crying.

Chi Xiao’s heart leapt to his throat. He had been keeping a close eye on Miaomiao the entire time, but the moment he glanced down at his phone, the kid had fallen.

“Wah… Dad-bro… Brother, wuwu…” Miaomiao cried as he got up from the ground, remembering to switch his way of addressing so as not to call Chi Xiao “Dad” in public.

Dressed like a little ball in thick winter clothes, and with the soft grass beneath the swing, Miaomiao wasn’t hurt—just covered in dirt.

Chi Xiao picked Miaomiao up and carried him home, clumsily comforting him. “Miaomiao, be good. Don’t cry. Falling down is no big deal.”

Taking care of a child was nerve-wracking. Chi Xiao hadn’t felt this tense even during his college entrance exams.

Miaomiao nodded, clinging to his dad’s shoulders, leaving a muddy, tear-stained handprint on Chi Xiao’s down jacket.

Back home, Chi Xiao stripped Miaomiao down and checked him over to make sure he wasn’t injured. Then, he took him to the bathroom for a bath.

Sitting in the bathtub, Miaomiao’s mood shifted like the wind. He had already stopped crying and was now grinning, telling Chi Xiao he wanted to take a bubble bath and play with his rubber duckies.

As the warm water slowly filled the tub, the father and son made a pact to keep today’s fall a secret from Mom. Whoever spilled the beans would be a little dog.

Miaomiao’s skin was fair, like Chi Xiao’s and Ming Can’s. Not yet at the age where he would shoot up in height, his arms and legs were still chubby, splashing in the water like sections of lotus root rolling around.

It wasn’t until today that Chi Xiao finally felt some real sense of “this beautiful little kid is actually my son.”

Because of Ming Can’s presence, he had been willing to accept this bizarre situation from the start. But for his early-twenties soul to truly embrace the mindset of a father wasn’t so easy.

Chi Xiao brought a stool and sat by the bathtub, keeping Miaomiao company as he played in the water.

Floating on the water were three colorful rubber duckies. Miaomiao declared they were Mom, Dad, and himself. He made three little bubble hats for the duckies, thought it was hilarious, and asked Chi Xiao to take a photo of them.

“First, take a family photo of the three ducks,” Miaomiao directed. “Then take a wedding photo of Dad Duck and Mom Duck!”

Chi Xiao couldn’t help but laugh. Following Miaomiao’s childish chatter, he couldn’t resist asking about the future. “Do Mom and Dad have real wedding photos?”

“Yeah, super big ones,” Miaomiao said. “They’re hanging at Dad’s house. I see them every time I go there!”

Chi Xiao smiled, but his lips suddenly froze mid-smile. He asked, “Dad’s house? Mom and Dad don’t live together?”

Miaomiao: “No, they don’t.”

…

Chi Xiao was stunned, his hand submerged in the bathwater clenching slightly, as if grasping something icy and piercing.

He remained silent for a long time before asking in a very low voice, “Your mom and I… got divorced in the future?”

“No, you didn’t get divorced,” Miaomiao said, noticing the change in his dad’s mood. His voice also softened. “Mom and Dad just don’t live together.”

Chi Xiao continued to ask about their future living arrangements and learned that Miaomiao spent half the month with his dad and the other half with his mom. As for his parents, unless absolutely necessary, they never saw each other.

This wasn’t a divorce but rather a post-marriage separation, each living their own lives.

So, even after marrying him and having his child, she still didn’t like him and didn’t want him in her life.

Chi Xiao pulled his hand out of the water, shaking off the droplets, and gave a self-deprecating smile.

Miaomiao lost interest in taking photos of the duckies.

He really liked the way his parents were getting along now—relaxed and natural, like friends. He was a little afraid that one day they might suddenly become like they were in the future, and he didn’t like that.

Miaomiao wriggled his arms and legs in the water, pouting as he said, “I want to go pick up Mom today.”

While his parents were still on good terms, he wanted to see more of them being friends.

Chi Xiao didn’t respond.

Miaomiao: “How can I pick her up by myself? I don’t know how to drive.”

Chi Xiao sighed. “I’ll take you to pick her up. Let me ask her first.”

Actually, before coming today, he had already considered whether to pick up Ming Can in the evening. He just hadn’t gotten around to asking.

After helping Miaomiao rinse off and get dressed, Chi Xiao finally took out his phone and sent Ming Can a message: 【Should I pick you up later?】

Miaomiao lunged over to press the voice message button and shouted, “I’m coming too! Mom, I miss you so much~”

About ten minutes later, during a break from her violin practice, Ming Can saw the two messages.

Hearing Miaomiao’s soft, adorable voice, Ming Can felt half her body melt. She also replied with a voice message: “Sure~ Mom will wait for you to pick me up~”

Only after sending it did she remember this was Chi Xiao’s WeChat.

She immediately recalled the message.

But it was too late.

Ming Can’s soft, sweet voice came through the phone, like a bowl of honeyed water—so sweet it sent a shiver down his spine, electrifying his entire body.

Chi Xiao clenched his jaw, watching as Ming Can recalled the voice message and then sent an address along with a new text: 【I’ll be done in about an hour. Just wait by the roadside, and don’t get out of the car.】

Chi Xiao: 【ok】

Before heading out, the clothes Miaomiao had dirtied earlier were just finished washing and drying. Chi Xiao put them away in the closet and dressed Miaomiao in a cool all-black outfit before taking him out to pick up Mom.

Half an hour later, the black car was parked by the roadside outside a concert hall. A row of tall, bare plane trees lined the street, with scattered pedestrians walking briskly beneath them. The scene was bleak and desolate.

A brand-new car seat was installed in the left rear seat. Miaomiao, who had been strapped in, managed to free himself and climbed into the front passenger seat, pressing his face against the window to look outside.

As the sun set, the air seemed tinged with coral hues, and the distant sky was ablaze with fiery clouds, a spectacular sight.

After waiting for about ten minutes, groups of young people, each carrying instrument cases, began streaming out of the concert hall.

Miaomiao scanned the crowd and quickly spotted Ming Can. Her tall figure and striking presence made her stand out in the sea of people, her bright, fair face particularly eye-catching.

“Dad, look! Mom’s over there!” Miaomiao pointed out the window, urging the young man in the driver’s seat to take a look.

Chi Xiao unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over slightly. In the blazing sunset, the girl in a white short down jacket walked slowly toward them. Her scorpion braid was slightly loose, with strands of hair framing her snow-white skin. Bathed in the golden-red glow of the setting sun, she smiled as she walked, chatting with a boy beside her.

“Huh?” Miaomiao leaned closer to the window, blinking. “Uncle Yixiao is here too.”

The four of them walked side by side, laughing and talking. Ming Can was in the middle, with two girls carrying violin cases on her left, and on her right was Chen Yixiao, empty-handed.

Chi Xiao naturally saw him too, his eyes darkening and his brow furrowing slightly.

“You know him?” Chi Xiao asked Miaomiao. “That guy next to your mom?”

Miaomiao nodded. “Uncle Yixiao is Mom’s friend.”

Chi Xiao let out a cold laugh. “Friend? They get along well in the future?”

“…” Miaomiao tried to use his superpower to hear his dad’s thoughts, but this time, the superpower was definitely, absolutely, and unquestionably broken. All he heard in his mind was a long string of mechanical “beep—” sounds, and nothing else.

Miaomiao suddenly felt a bit lost. “I guess they get along okay?”

Chi Xiao: “When you’re staying at Mom’s house, have you ever seen this person come over?”

Miaomiao had never seen his dad with such an expression before—cold, gloomy, his eyes dark like the endless depths of the ocean. He was a little scared and shrank his neck. “I don’t remember.”

Chi Xiao: “You really don’t remember?”

That was a lie. Miaomiao just didn’t dare to say it, but he was too young to manage his expressions. The words “I’m lying” were practically written all over his face. Chi Xiao stared at him intently.

“Just tell me the truth,” Chi Xiao said softly, exhaling as he placed a large hand on Miaomiao’s head. “I won’t get mad.”

Miaomiao lowered his head, thinking back, and slowly said, “Uncle Yixiao has been to the house a few times. He’s had dinner with us.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he peeked up at his dad.

And you said you wouldn’t get mad! His eyes now looked like icy daggers, cold and sharp. His jaw was clenched tightly, his face as if covered in frost. Just one glance made Miaomiao shiver, wishing he could wrap himself in another down jacket over his windbreaker.

“Dad…”

“It’s fine.” Chi Xiao’s hand on his head was still gentle, though a bit stiff and awkward, lacking warmth. “Go back to your seat. Mom’s coming.”

Miaomiao quickly scrambled back to the rear seat and strapped himself into the car seat.

Finally, he had time to ask the system: “Uncle 33, my superpower is really broken this time! Dad said a lot of things, but I couldn’t translate any of it!”

System: [It’s not broken. Did you hear a long string of “beep—” sounds?]

Miaomiao: “Yes.”

System: [That’s because I blocked your dad’s thoughts. He was cursing, and it’s not suitable for children.]

Miaomiao: ???

Outside the car window, Ming Can walked to the roadside with her friends. Spotting the familiar car not far away, she pretended her ride had arrived, said goodbye to her friends, and walked toward the car, bathed in the coral hues of the sunset.

Chi Xiao had been watching her out of the corner of his eye. Now, he looked away, his lips pressed into a thin line, and silently fastened his seatbelt.

In the future, she and he were married but living separately. She had close male friends, and even Miaomiao knew about this person, affectionately calling him “Uncle Yixiao.”

Chi Xiao couldn’t get more details from Miaomiao, nor was it appropriate to keep interrogating a five-year-old. But even with just a few words, he could grasp the essence of the situation. In that future timeline, Ming Can treated her husband as nothing more than a nominal accessory—present in name only. She lived her life vibrantly and freely without him, and perhaps even planted a bit of green on his head^[1]The phrase “planted a bit of green on his head” is a metaphorical expression, often used in Chinese culture to imply that someone has been cheated on or betrayed in a romantic … Continue reading.

Now, looking at the present.

When Ming Can faced him, beneath her polite and proper demeanor, there was always a complex mix of wariness, scrutiny, and calculation. But just outside the car window, she walked side by side with the student council president, chatting and laughing, her expression relaxed and natural. Even from a distance, it was like a breath of fresh air.

The contrast was stark.