Chapter 24: Dongdong’s Counting Method

Qin Zhan, who had always been sharp, immediately sensed the change in Dongdong and Qin Jiadong’s mood. He knew he might have said something wrong, but after thinking it over, he couldn’t figure out what.

Just as he was confused, Dongdong spoke in a daze, “Dad, this is my older brother, from uncle’s family, not my good friend.”

Qin Jiadong also said, “Little Uncle, I’m Jiadong.”

Qin Zhan: “…” Why did he feel a bit embarrassed? Especially in front of these kids. “Sorry. After your dad and mom got married, they moved out of the capital. I haven’t seen you before.”

“Well, I haven’t seen Little Uncle either,” Qin Jiadong said honestly. So just now he didn’t recognize him either.

“Dad, Uncle, Brother and Sister live with us,” Dongdong said, his earlier grievance now gone. He started chattering and telling Qin Zhan about home. “But Uncle also went to fight bad people. He hasn’t been back for days. Grandpa said once Dad came back, Uncle would too. Dad, now that you’re back, will Uncle come back today too?”

Qin Zhan was a little surprised to hear that Qin Shun and his niece and nephew were living at the Qin house. He thought his older brother’s whole family had moved in. Then hearing that Qin Shun also went to fight bad people, he assumed his brother was working on a case and said, “Then I don’t know. Maybe your uncle will come back today, maybe not.” As he spoke, he carried Dongdong toward home.

Qin Jiadong walked beside them. Hearing their conversation, he slowly said, “Even if my dad doesn’t come back, it’s okay.” Though his dad hadn’t returned for several days, he didn’t miss him at all.

Public Security Bureau

Qin Shun was looking over unfinished case files and suddenly sneezed. He had been eating at the canteen and sleeping in the dormitory these days. Though he was used to such environments, they were nothing like home. He wondered when he could go back, and while thinking about it, he continued flipping through the files.

He had no idea that his filial son had said it didn’t matter if he didn’t come back and that he wasn’t missed.

Qin Household

Aunt Zhang had already prepared lunch. She looked out from the courtyard, waiting for Qin Zhan to bring back Dongdong and Qin Jiadong. When she saw Qin Zhan carrying Dongdong back, she was delighted. It looked like the father and son were getting along very well.

“Grandma Zhang, I’m back.” Before entering the yard, Dongdong saw Aunt Zhang in the courtyard and called out loudly.

“Grandma Zhang, I’m back too.” Qin Jiadong followed his little brother’s lead. This past year, with Qin Jiadong and Qin Wenjing at home, the family had felt more lively.

And at that moment, what had once felt like an empty house suddenly seemed full of life thanks to these two voices.

“Yes, yes, you’re back. Lunch is ready. You can come and eat.” Aunt Zhang smiled as she returned to the kitchen to bring out the food.

Once inside the courtyard, Qin Zhan put Dongdong down. But Dongdong held tightly onto his neck and refused to let go. He even tried to hook his little chubby feet around Qin Zhan’s waist. Unfortunately, his feet were too short and fat, so he couldn’t hook them.

Qin Zhan supported his bottom with his large palm and asked, “What’s wrong?” while looking down at the child in his arms.

“Dad, carry me to eat,” Dongdong said coquettishly. He didn’t feel strange to Qin Zhan at all, nor was he embarrassed because he met his father for the first time. This was his dad. Dongdong’s dad. He gave his request as if it were completely natural.

“Alright.” Naturally, Qin Zhan didn’t refuse and carried him to eat.

This kind of interaction between father and son was new to Qin Zhan, but it felt natural too. Qin Zhan figured this was probably due to Dongdong’s personality.

Qin Jiadong watched the father and son pair. He didn’t understand. Being carried by Dad wasn’t comfortable at all. He preferred walking on his own.

Because there was a birthday celebration for Dongdong that night, lunch was simple. But even a simple meal in the Qin household was better than what most families had.

The Qin family had plenty of food money. Father Qin, Mother Qin, and Qin Shun handed over their monthly egg and meat tickets to Aunt Zhang to manage. Although the family was large, they had many tickets, so they ate meat more often than most families.

During lunch, Dongdong happily picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and placed it into Qin Zhan’s bowl, grinning as he said, “Dad, eat.”

Qin Zhan, who hadn’t been given food by someone in years, was momentarily stunned. Ever since he could pick up food himself, he hadn’t let adults give it to him. Now, receiving this loving gesture from Dongdong felt special. Since he had already realized that he had neglected Dongdong for the past three years, naturally, when he received food from Dongdong, he picked up the public chopsticks and prepared to give Dongdong a bite too.

But with the chopsticks in hand, Qin Zhan realized he didn’t know what Dongdong liked to eat. So he asked, “What do you like to eat? I’ll get it for you.”

In the eyes of the Qin family, Aunt Zhang was like a family member. So she ate at the table with them rather than taking a portion to eat elsewhere like other stepmothers.

Watching the interaction between father and son, she planned to chat with Mother Qin about it when she got back. She even felt that Qin Zhan would make a good father. So… Qin Zhan should probably get married.

Qin Zhan had no idea that his actions had sparked Aunt Zhang’s interest in his marital prospects.

Dongdong pointed at the steamed egg and said, “Dongdong eats egg.”

Qin Zhan then used a spoon to scoop some eggs for him.

Dongdong liked to mix white rice with steamed eggs. With that combo, he could finish a whole bowl of rice. With the egg his dad gave him, he quickly used a spoon to mix it into his bowl of white rice, then took bite after bite without touching the other dishes.

While eating, Dongdong kept looking at his dad as if his dad were the very egg rice in his bowl, eating with great joy.

Qin Zhan had seen other kids before. Although he hadn’t interacted with them personally, he often went to Chen Zhengming’s house for meals because they were close, so he had spent time around Chen Zhengming’s children too. But he had never seen any child like Dongdong—just especially adorable.

Seeing him eating bite after bite, Qin Zhan also picked up a pair of chopsticks and gave him a bit of vegetables.

Though Dongdong was well-behaved, he was also a picky eater. He liked steamed eggs and meat but didn’t like vegetables. In fact, he disliked all vegetables. When he saw that his dad had put vegetables in his bowl, his smooth brows furrowed.

Just as Aunt Zhang was about to say that Dongdong didn’t like vegetables, she saw him blink, then pick up the vegetables and eat them. She was wide-eyed. Oh my, our Dongdong actually ate vegetables.

Qin Jiadong also knew that Dongdong didn’t like vegetables. But when he saw Dongdong eating them today, he couldn’t help but wonder—were today’s vegetables especially delicious? So he took a bite too, but they tasted the same as always.

Compared to Dongdong disliking vegetables, Qin Jiadong liked meat. It was because he used to eat mostly vegetables with hardly any meat. Now that he could eat meat, of course he focused on the meat dishes.

After eating a bite of vegetables himself, Dongdong also gave his dad… one piece of vegetable. Dongdong could use chopsticks, but not very well. He could only pick up one piece at a time.

So this lunch ended with the father and son exchanging food with each other.

After finishing lunch, Dongdong had to go back to school, but he was reluctant and held onto Qin Zhan’s pants. “Dad, when I get back from school, will you be gone? Will you go fight bad people again?”

If that’s the case, then he wouldn’t go to school. He wanted to stay with Dad.

Qin Zhan patted his little head and said, “That won’t happen. I have two months of vacation, so I can spend many days with you.”

Dongdong didn’t know how long two months were, so he asked, “Dad, how many days are two months?”

“Sixty days.” Qin Zhan answered.

Dongdong stretched out his hands and started counting, but he could only count to ten. So he sat on the sofa, took off his shoes, and used his chubby toes to continue counting. Ten fingers plus ten toes, Dongdong could count to twenty, but it was still not sixty as Dad said. So he asked again, “Dad, which is more, sixty days or twenty days?”

Qin Zhan laughed silently, “Sixty days is more. Sixty days is three times twenty days.”

Dongdong didn’t know how long three times twenty days was and looked at him in confusion. But hearing that sixty days was more than twenty days still made him happy.

Qin Zhan explained, “It means you count from one to twenty-three times.”

Dongdong understood. He took a ballpoint pen from the drawer of the coffee table, then drew a wobbly number 1 on his big thumb.

Qin Zhan, Aunt Zhang, and Qin Jiadong didn’t understand what he was doing. Qin Zhan asked curiously, “What are you doing?”

Dongdong proudly said, “When I draw the number 1 on all my fingers and toes three times, it will mean three times twenty days.” Right now he only drew one, and there were still many more to go, which meant Dad could stay with him for a long time, so he could go to school without worry.

“You… are really smart.” Qin Zhan praised.

It was like a little tail popped up on Dongdong’s bottom as he smiled sweetly and said, “Grandpa and Grandma, the uncles and aunties at the hospital, and Grandpa Yang all say I’m the smartest.”

Speaking of the hospital, Dongdong remembered Mom, “Dad, can you go see Mom with me?”

Now that Dad was back, Mom would surely be happy too. He wanted to tell Mom about it. Maybe Mom missed Dad just like he did. If she heard Dad was back, she might wake up.

If Mom woke up, he would tell Mom that he wanted to sleep with Dad and Mom at night. Other kids all slept with their parents.

Dongdong, who just turned three years old today, still didn’t know that his Dad and Mom didn’t have the kind of relationship he thought they did.

Qin Zhan also wanted to know about Ning Xin’s condition, so he agreed, “Alright, when you go see Mom, I’ll go with you too.”

“Yay.” Dongdong jumped up happily, “Then Dad, I’m going to school.”

“Go ahead. Isn’t today your birthday? When you get home from school, I’ll give you your birthday present.” Qin Zhan couldn’t help teasing him.