Chapter 26: Getting Along

When the person across from her closed his eyes, Ming Can could clearly see his dark, distinct eyelashes casting a small fan-shaped shadow under his eye sockets.

It bore a slight resemblance to Miaomiao’s peaceful sleeping face.

Her gaze lingered unconsciously, but before two seconds had passed, his eyes suddenly snapped open, his cool, sharp pupils catching her stare.

Who made a wish that quickly? He was probably just going through the motions.

Men really were the most perfunctory creatures in the world.

Ming Can silently criticized him in her mind, not expecting him to blow out the candles either. She reached under the flat cardboard cake, gently pulled the mechanism, and the candles instantly retracted back into the cardboard, disappearing from view.

What remained was a bare cardboard cake—it couldn’t be cut, let alone eaten.

“After all, it’s Miaomiao’s heartfelt gift,” Ming Can said. “Senior, why don’t you take it with you?”

Chi Xiao nodded, picking up the “cake” from the table. It wasn’t even as big as his palm, fitting perfectly into his pocket.

“Thank you.”

“No need, no need,” Ming Can smiled warmly. “I haven’t even wished you a happy birthday yet.”

The man had been peacefully celebrating his birthday when she dropped a bombshell on him, leaving him disoriented. Ming Can felt a little guilty, but not too much.

Having said all she needed to say, she prepared to leave, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Senior, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now. We’ll talk again soon.”

Chi Xiao stood up with her. “I’ll walk you out.”

Ming Can paused, smiling. “How are you going to walk me out? By drunk driving?”

She didn’t mean to mock him; her smile was purely sympathetic—it seemed the guy’s brain had truly been fried by the shocking news she had brought.

If he wasn’t planning to drive and just wanted to accompany her home, that was even more unnecessary. It wasn’t that late, and he probably still had a bunch of friends waiting for him upstairs in the private room, right?

Thinking this, Ming Can pulled out her phone and called a ride.

Chi Xiao walked her downstairs.

Just as they stepped out of the elevator, he received a call from his roommate, Zhu Yida.

“Birthday boy, where’d you go? Why aren’t you back yet?” Zhu Yida, who had drunk quite a bit, was fired up and speaking recklessly. “Did you fall into the bathroom? Do we need to come fish you out? How are we supposed to live without you—”

His voice was too loud, piercing Chi Xiao’s eardrums. He couldn’t help but hold the phone further away.

The two of them walked out of the club’s entrance side by side.

Ming Can could hear Chi Xiao’s friend shouting through the phone, sounding like a regressed monkey.

The outdoor wind was cold. She tightened her collar, turned around, and lightly patted Chi Xiao’s arm with a newfound sense of camaraderie, speaking earnestly: “Go back. Drink to your heart’s content.”

Chi Xiao: “…”

Ming Can knew his mood must be as chaotic and gloomy as the roadside goldenrain tree swaying in the wind, but he was doing his best to hide it.

Tonight, he needed to let it all out. Being too reserved and restrained wasn’t healthy.

Only by venting his emotions could he accept reality and take on the responsibility of raising a child.

The car Ming Can had called had already arrived, parked not far ahead with its hazard lights flashing.

Chi Xiao: “Be careful on the road.”

By the time he finished speaking, Ming Can had already lowered her head and stepped into the wind. He didn’t hear her reply, only saw her slender figure hurrying away, disappearing into the back seat of the car without looking back.

No matter how you looked at it.

It all felt like a dream.

It wasn’t until the car had driven off, its taillights disappearing into the distance, that Chi Xiao finally turned and went back inside.

Recalling how she had faced him today—still proud, polite, yet distant.

With that demeanor, she had firmly told him that they had a child together.

Him and her.

In the future.

They had a child.

Chi Xiao’s right hand slipped into his coat pocket, feeling the square cardboard with a transparent film layer on the back, connected to a small arrow and a few strips of paper painted with candles.

A very simple mechanism: pull the arrow down, and the candles pop out; pull it up, and they retract.

Chi Xiao kept his hand in his pocket, his fingertips lightly brushing the arrow on the back of the cardboard. His tall figure walked out of the elevator and into the long hallway.

The carpet in the club’s hallway was thick and soft, giving a slight sinking sensation with each step.

He walked slowly, and halfway through, he suddenly lowered his head, his tongue lightly touching his canine tooth, finally allowing the corners of his mouth to curve upward freely.

Soon, he returned to the private room.

Pushing the door open, several people came over to scold him—

“Where’d you disappear to without a word? We’ve been waiting so long the flowers have wilted!”

“Brother, you’ve barely had anything to drink today. Did you sneak off to the bathroom to throw up?”

“Looking at his face, he definitely threw up…” Zhu Yida walked over, squinting at him with drunken eyes. “Wait, no—he actually looks pretty happy? Did something good happen out there?”

Chi Yao also squeezed into the crowd, slinging an arm over his brother’s shoulder. “Brother, I was out of line earlier. Don’t take it to heart. Let’s have a few drinks, you take a sip, I’ll down a glass—consider it my apology.”

“No need,” Chi Xiao patted his shoulder. “You take a glass, I’ll take two.”

Chi Yao: “How’s that fair?”

“It’s fair,” Chi Xiao removed his brother’s hand from his shoulder, walked into the room, and pressed the service bell on the wall.

The waiter arrived quickly, asking what they needed.

Chi Xiao held the drink menu, flipping to a certain page. His long, jade-like finger ran down a list of eye-watering numbers:

“Bring us the most expensive drinks you have. All of them.”

–

The next day, in a certain male dormitory at A University.

It was nearly noon, but the dorm curtains were tightly shut, not a single ray of sunlight penetrating the darkness inside.

The heavy air and lingering smell of alcohol pressed down on the occupants, keeping them in a deep slumber.

In his dream, a few sentences looped over and over, a hazy voice echoing in his ears—

“You and I have a child.”

“He looks like me… and like you.”

“Did we get married?”

“Maybe.”

…

The scene shifted.

Leaving the warmth of the indoors, stepping outside, a cold wind hit his face. The goldenrain trees lining the road trembled endlessly in the wind.

A white car was parked not far away, its hazard lights flashing.

The girl beside him was about to get into the car and leave.

Around her neck was the scarf he had given her years ago. As the cold hit, she instinctively pulled the scarf tighter, burying half her face in it.

“I’m leaving,” the girl said, raising her hand to lightly hook his arm. Her radiant face broke into a smile as she spoke gently to him, “Don’t drink too much. Go home early.”

As the words fell.

Chi Xiao jolted awake, his eyes opening to the familiar ceiling of his dorm.

A thin layer of sweat covered his body, making him uncomfortable.

He remembered last night—the group had drunk without restraint until the early hours of the morning. Chi Xiao had barely been able to stand straight by the end, swiping his card at the counter to pay. The amount deducted was a long string of numbers, so long he couldn’t even remember how many digits it had.

The four roommates returned to the dorm, but only Chi Xiao had the strength to take a shower. He didn’t even dry his hair, collapsing onto his bed the moment he climbed up, instantly unconscious.

His self-control had always been strong. This was the first time in his life he had gotten drunk, the first time he had been so unrestrained.

Fortunately, he hadn’t blacked out. His memories were still firmly intact.

Especially…

Chi Xiao reached toward the side of his bed, grabbing his phone and lighting up the screen.

11 a.m.

The other three roommates were still sound asleep, their snores rising and falling.

Chi Xiao squinted slightly, opening WeChat and finding a certain chat window.

“Sun Moon Volcano.” It was the name she had set for herself. He hadn’t changed her nickname.

And there were no new messages in the chat window.

Chi Xiao ran a hand through his hair and got out of bed.

The dorm was stuffy, so he was only wearing a T-shirt and cotton pants. The black thick jacket he had worn last night was now draped over the back of his chair.

The pockets were empty.

Chi Xiao walked around to the right side of his desk and slowly pulled open the top drawer.

If he remembered correctly, he had put it in here last night…

In the dim, hazy light, a colorful cake drawn on a piece of cardboard and a sealed bag containing a few strands of hair gradually came into view, lying quietly in the drawer.

It really wasn’t a dream.

He let out a sigh of relief, propped his hand on the desk, and inexplicably laughed for a while. Then he bent down, pulled out a bottle of water from the box under his bed ladder, and drank half of it in one go, his Adam’s apple bobbing heavily.

He headed to the bathroom. Outside, the sky was bright, and the north wind slammed against the floor-to-ceiling windows with loud bangs.

The water from the faucet was icy cold. Chi Xiao cupped handful after handful, splashing it on his face. His mind gradually cleared in the process, and the last traces of drunkenness fading away.

The not-so-clean mirror reflected the young man’s pale, sharply defined face.

Water droplets clung to his eyelashes and temples, reflecting the intense light from outside, adding a touch of liveliness and wildness to his handsome but overly cold features.

After freshening up, Chi Xiao returned to the dorm. His roommate across the way had just woken up, clinging to the bed railing like a lump of mud, peeking his head out to look down.

“Brother Xiao… Brother Xiao…”

Chi Xiao had just put on his sweater when he heard the hoarse, half-dead voice from above, sounding like someone who had been digging graves all night: “Brother Xiao… could you… grab me some breakfast…”

Chi Xiao: “It’s 11 a.m.”

“Then lunch,” the roommate shamelessly added. “My meal card is on the table, or maybe in the jacket I wore yesterday. Check the pockets.”

Another roommate, woken by the noise, yawned before his eyes were fully open. “Brother Xiao’s already up? Damn, he drank the most last night.”

Zhu Yida was the last to wake up, his voice raspy like a broken bellows. “Was last night real? I remember all of us getting completely wrecked by Old Chi.”

“It was real. You’re not dreaming.”

“Brother Xiao was wild last night.”

The roommate who had asked Chi Xiao to bring food squirmed in bed, clutching his head. “My head is killing me. Brother Xiao, if you’re feeling rough, you don’t have to get me food…”

“I’m fine,” Chi Xiao said. “I’m heading out anyway. Anyone else want me to bring something back?”

He paused, seemingly too lazy to look for their meal cards, and added, “My treat.”

The dorm fell silent for a moment.

Zhu Yida let out a meaningful “tsk” and said, “Brother, from last night until now, you’ve been in an unusually good mood…”

Chi Xiao: “If you don’t want it, forget it.”

“I want it, I want it! I’ll have spicy stir-fry!”

“I’ll take a pickled fish set meal, and a juice. Thanks, brother!”

…

–

In the dim, warm, and cozy bedroom.

Ming Can hugged her soft blanket, her body relaxed, her breathing even, and her sleep sweet—until she was awakened by a series of crisp, childish voices.

“Mom, mom…” Miaomiao knelt by the bedside, his small hands gently pushing Ming Can’s shoulder. “The sun’s shining on your butt. Wake up already. I want to play with the tablet…”

Ming Can lazily opened her eyes, picked up her phone, and glanced at the time.

Wow, it was already past nine.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear the alarm,” Ming Can said, stretching as she sat up. She pinched Miaomiao’s cheek and asked, “Did Auntie Zhang wake you up?”

Miaomiao shook his head. “I got up by myself.”

Ming Can: “That’s impressive! Did you wash your face and brush your teeth?”

Miaomiao: “Of course. I even had breakfast.”

Auntie Zhang would come before 8 a.m. every day to prepare breakfast, while Miaomiao’s daily routine was mainly handled by Ming Can. Auntie Zhang only stepped in to help when Ming Can wasn’t around.

Seeing that Ming Can was up, Miaomiao turned toward the window and shouted, “Open the curtains!”

As the smart curtains slowly opened, the bright morning light rushed in, illuminating everything in the room with clarity.

Ming Can picked up her phone from the nightstand and opened WeChat. Seeing that someone hadn’t sent her any messages, she pouted, guessing that he had probably been drinking last night and was still asleep. She casually tossed the phone aside.

“Mom, the tablet.”

“Wait a second,” Ming Can swatted away his outstretched hand, which looked like he was begging for food. “All you think about is the tablet. I’ll get it for you after I finish washing up. You can only play for half an hour this morning.”

Miaomiao: “Hehe, okay.”

Heading to the dining room.

Auntie Zhang was busy in the kitchen. Seeing Ming Can coming for breakfast, she wiped her hands clean, brought over the warm breakfast, and set it on the table before sitting down across from Ming Can.

Ming Can picked up her cup and took a sip of sweet soy milk. “Auntie, do you have something to say?”

“Yes, yes. I should have mentioned it a couple of days ago, but you were so busy with exams, running around nonstop, so I thought I’d wait until you were done.”

Ming Can guessed immediately: “You need to take some time off?”

Auntie Zhang: “Yes, my daughter is getting married before the New Year, and I need to help her with the preparations. Also, my hometown is out of town, so I’ll need a longer break for the New Year.”

Hearing this, Ming Can fell silent for a moment.

If that was the case, wouldn’t Auntie Zhang be unavailable for most of the winter break?

Seeing Ming Can’s serious expression, Auntie Zhang quickly added, “Don’t worry. If you need someone, I can find a reliable replacement.”

Ming Can remained silent.

The job of a nanny was different from that of a driver. Ming Can didn’t use a fixed driver because she was worried about exposing her relationship with Miaomiao. That’s why she took taxis every day, changing drivers frequently. But a nanny had to come to the house and take care of Miaomiao. No matter how careful they were, some level of intimacy between Ming Can and Miaomiao would inevitably be exposed to the nanny’s eyes. It all depended on how the nanny interpreted it. Therefore, the nanny position couldn’t be changed too often. The more it changed, the higher the risk, and it wasn’t good for the family’s safety either.

After thinking for a while, Ming Can made a decision and said to Auntie Zhang, “It’s okay, no need to find a replacement. Miaomiao and I will be going back to our elders’ place for the New Year. His parents will also be there, so there will be plenty of people to take care of him.”

Auntie Zhang: “That’s good to hear.”

Auntie Zhang went back to her work, leaving Ming Can sitting at the dining table, feeling overwhelmed.

Fortunately, she wasn’t fighting this battle alone anymore. Last night, she had roped someone into sharing the burden.

Hopefully, he’d be of some use when the time came.

After finishing breakfast around 10 a.m., Ming Can took away Miaomiao’s tablet and sent him off to play with his toys.

In the living room, the mother and son were each doing their own thing—one sitting in a pile of toys, the other on the sofa.

With the final exams over, time seemed to stretch endlessly. The hour hand on the clock slowly moved past 11, inching toward noon. During this time, Ming Can kept opening WeChat, tapping on someone’s profile picture so much that it felt like she might wear it out.

He should be awake by now, right?

If he was awake, didn’t he have anything to say to her?

Was he planning to pretend to agree on the surface but secretly drag his feet, avoiding his responsibilities as a parent?

Ming Can didn’t hesitate to assume the worst about the person on the other side of the chat window.

Finally, she couldn’t hold back and sent a message to Chi Xiao: 【Good morning, Senior】

【I was wondering, when do you plan to get the paternity test done? If you’re not familiar with this, I can recommend a few testing institutions for you.】

Her words were dripping with impatience, practically screaming, “Hurry the hell up.”

Chi Xiao received Ming Can’s message just as he had returned from an errand outside the school and was lining up to buy lunch for his roommates.

At this point, less than half an hour had passed since he had woken up that morning.

Chi Xiao’s finals had ended earlier than most, and since most people at the school were still in the middle of their exam period, very few had left campus. As a result, the cafeteria was still packed during meal times.

Normally, Chi Xiao would join the shortest line, but today, for the first time, he was standing in one of the longest lines. His tall, striking figure stood out, drawing a crowd of admirers who joined the line, making it even more congested.

He stood in the middle of the crowd, indifferent to the noise around him, his eyes fixed on his phone screen as he typed a reply: 【It’s already been sent for testing.】

Ming Can didn’t know that he had only just woken up and that the first thing he did after leaving the dorm was to go for the paternity test.

In her mind, she only gave Chi Xiao’s efficiency a “not bad, not too slow” rating.

Different institutions took varying amounts of time to produce results. Ming Can sincerely hoped that the institution he had chosen would be fast, preferably delivering results within three days. Auntie Zhang was taking time off the day after tomorrow, and after that, figuring out meals for her and Miaomiao would become a problem.

Ming Can stared at her phone screen, debating whether to press him about how long the results would take.

They had agreed earlier that after he got the test results, they would divide the parenting responsibilities.

Ming Can was anxious, but since Chi Xiao had already gone for the test, if she appeared too impatient, he would undoubtedly feel immense pressure. What if he developed a rebellious attitude or even started to dislike her? That wouldn’t be good.

Ming Can was genuinely afraid of scaring off her new co-parent.

While hesitating, her phone vibrated again with a new message.

Chi Xiao: 【I’m planning to buy an SUV.】

Chi Xiao: 【Want to come with me to check it out?】

Ming Can’s eyes widened as she read the two lines several times.

Now that’s what I call initiative!

This is exactly the kind of initiative I’m talking about!

Ming Can remembered that Chi Xiao’s current Lexus sedan was quite spacious, with ample room in the back. However, compared to an SUV, sedans naturally fell short. SUVs had more space, better safety features, and greater storage capacity—making them the best choice for family vehicles.

Last night, Ming Can had briefly mentioned to Chi Xiao that she needed him to be the driver. At the time, he hadn’t believed her, so he hadn’t agreed. Later, Ming Can hadn’t brought it up again. She hadn’t expected him to take it to heart, and now, even before the test results were out, he was willing to buy a car. This genuinely surprised and delighted Ming Can.

“Sweetie,” Ming Can put down her phone, ran over to the pile of toys, and lifted Miaomiao up by his armpits. She looked at him seriously and said, “You’re about to have a dad.”

Miaomiao: “?”

He didn’t have time to activate his superpower to read his mom’s mind, so a bad feeling immediately crept into his heart. He asked with great concern, “Is it still the same dad as before?”

“Of course,” Ming Can said. “This afternoon, I’m going with him to buy a car. Do you want to come along?”

“Yes! Of course, I do!”

Miaomiao squirmed excitedly, and Ming Can quickly lost her grip, gently setting him back down on the floor.

Ming Can: “I’ve already told him that you’re his son. I think he’s probably accepted it by now?”

Miaomiao: “So, can I call him Dad now?”

Ming Can thought for a moment. “I’m not sure. This afternoon, you’ll get to interact with him. Be restrained, be polite, and decide whether you can call him Dad based on how things go.”

Even someone like Ming Can, who loved children so much, had felt her head buzzing when Miaomiao first called her “Mom.” It had felt very strange and wasn’t easy to accept. It had taken her a long time to get used to it.

Ming Can and Chi Xiao had agreed on WeChat to meet at 3 p.m. that afternoon. He would come to pick her and Miaomiao up at her building.

A little after 2 p.m., Chi Xiao arrived.

He sat in his car, lost in thought for half an hour, then got out and stood in the cold wind for another half hour.

At exactly 3 p.m., the glass door of the building opened, and a series of light, quick footsteps approached.

Chi Xiao looked down to see a little bean sprout wearing a yellow knitted hat rushing up to him. This time, instead of immediately hugging his leg, the child slowed down and stopped beside him, gently tugging at his sleeve.

“Good afternoon, brother.”

The little bean sprout looked up at him with a sweet smile, revealing eight neat, white teeth. His voice was clear and crisp as he spoke earnestly and politely,

“Brother, you’re my dad, and I’m your son, Miaomiao.”