Chapter 91: Hug Me

Miaomiao pretended not to notice how speechless his dad was and kept babbling nonstop, venting his frustration over the discrimination against kids with superpowers.

Chi Xiao sat in the driver’s seat, silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, he started laughing, as if he found every inexplicable thing his son did irresistibly adorable.

Realizing that his dad didn’t grasp how miserable he was at all—worse, he was even laughing—Miaomiao’s magical counterattack ended in failure. Dejected, he finally stopped babbling.

In a corner where no one was watching,

A six-year-old boy quietly crumbled.

“Dad,” Miaomiao mumbled, “you still haven’t told me where you’re moving to.”

Chi Xiao smiled and said, “I’m moving into the biggest room in the house.”

“The biggest room in the house… Mom’s room?!” Miaomiao’s emotions soared like a rollercoaster, shooting straight from the lowest valley to the highest peak. “Really? You two are going to share a room and sleep together?”

Chi Xiao replied cautiously, “It’s just a possibility—I’m working on it.”

“You have to work hard then,” Miaomiao said. “I like it when you two sleep together!”

“……” Chi Xiao’s ears burned at his words.

It was just an innocent child’s talk—Miaomiao was simply expressing his pure wish for his parents to have a good relationship.

At a red light, Chi Xiao casually asked, “You’ve probably never seen your mom and me living together before, have you?”

“Nope.” Miaomiao answered honestly, “Dad would go to Mom’s room sometimes, but he always left before bedtime. Mom never let you sleep in her room.”

Chi Xiao stared at the long line of brake lights ahead, their glow reflected dark red in his pupils. He asked in a calm voice, “How often is ‘sometimes’?”

Miaomiao thought for a moment and said, “I don’t remember… probably not very often. Sometimes you wouldn’t see each other for months.”

That was… a pretty low frequency.

If his guess was correct, in that timeline, he and Ming Can were married in name only—practically just friends with benefits, and even that was only to meet the bare minimum of physical needs.

Chi Xiao let out a soft sigh. Before the light turned green, he glanced back at Miaomiao and saw him pouting, staring blankly ahead, lost in thought.

Chi Xiao called out, “Hey, little one, what are you daydreaming about?”

Miaomiao pouted and said, “I still think Dad and Mom should live together.”

Chi Xiao thought for a moment before responding in a gentle voice, “There’s no law in the world that says parents have to live together. Even when a man and a woman get married and become husband and wife, they are still two individuals with independent thoughts. Respecting each other’s feelings should always come first—no one can force it. If two people truly like each other, they will naturally come together and want to share a room.”

Many external factors can lead to a marriage, making it more of an outward ceremony rather than an inner bond. Only when feelings are genuine will two people naturally stick together—otherwise, it’s just forced.

Miaomiao had understood this from a young age. But now, in this world, seeing that his parents could have such a good relationship, he couldn’t help but feel sad. “So… Dad and Mom in their thirties really didn’t like each other at all?”

The light turned green. Chi Xiao started the car and said softly, “It was probably just your mom who didn’t like me.”

He couldn’t think of a single reason not to like Ming Can. Her sharp tongue, her strong-willed nature, her fiery temper—none of it had ever bothered him. Getting close to the sun naturally comes with the risk of being burned. Besides, he had always known that deep down, she was actually very gentle. She just didn’t easily let others in.

On the way home, Chi Xiao stopped by a bakery to buy bagel sandwiches for dinner. He also picked up two croissants filled with different flavors of cream—an offering for a certain woman who had sworn she couldn’t eat another bite and that her stomach was going to burst.

Not long ago.

Two people, both with an otherwise impeccable sense of time, had—against all odds—lost track of it entirely while tangled up in bed. As a result, when it was over, they were left with barely any time to spare. Chi Xiao had to rush out to pick up Miaomiao and didn’t even have a moment to change the sheets and duvet cover in the master bedroom, which were now drenched with various unidentifiable fluids.

Even in a half-conscious state, the woman on the bed still had enough energy to complain about how sticky the sheets felt. She refused to sleep there. With no other choice, Chi Xiao wrapped her up in a clean blanket and carried her to his own bed.

Now, after bringing Miaomiao home, Chi Xiao pushed the bedroom door open again. In the dimly lit room, Ming Can was lying on her side, her fair arms slipping out from beneath the covers. Since there were no plush pillows or stuffed animals on the bed, she had pulled down a goose-feather pillow and was clutching it tightly in her arms, her cheek pressed against it in quiet dependence. Her lips were still a deep, swollen red.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, she smacked her lips softly, her eyelashes trembling slightly—she was on the verge of waking up.

“Ming Can.” Chi Xiao bent down and gently brushed her hair back. “Get up and eat something.”

Half-asleep, Ming Can heard someone calling her, but her exhausted body refused to respond. She ignored it completely.

It was only a little past eight. She hadn’t eaten a proper dinner, and if she continued sleeping like this in utter exhaustion, she might end up with low blood sugar.

Chi Xiao reached for the pillow in her arms and gently tried to pull it away. “Don’t sleep anymore. Wake up.”

Ming Can frowned in protest, her grip tightening instinctively, as if afraid the pillow would be taken from her.

As a child, she had liked hugging something while sleeping, but she had never been this dependent on it.

It was a habit she had developed during her mother’s final days.

Su Zhi Ning had been diagnosed with breast cancer. By the time it was discovered, it had already become malignant, but there was still a fairly high chance of clinical recovery. Unfortunately, breast cancer is particularly sensitive to anxiety and depression. During her treatment, she found out about her husband’s betrayal—not just a single mistress or a couple of affairs, but a reckless string of meaningless flings, indulging in excess without restraint.

With that, Su Zhi Ning’s illness became incurable.

During that time, almost every night, Ming Can would climb onto the hospital bed and cling tightly to her mother. Only by feeling her warmth and heartbeat could she fall asleep.

Yet, even so, Su Zhi Ning’s life still slipped away forever within the embrace of her dependent daughter.

Years had passed since then. The pain and sorrow of that time had gradually faded with it, and what remained was a simple, unremarkable habit—one that was almost impossible for Ming Can to break.

Under Chi Xiao’s relentless pestering, Ming Can finally opened her eyes. But she still refused to let go, pressing her chest against the pillow as she muttered, “Why are you stealing my pillow?”

Chi Xiao: “I think this is actually my pillow.”

“……” Ming Can finally took in her surroundings. This was his room. But so what? “I don’t care. Everything in my house is mine.”

Just a moment ago, Chi Xiao had been worried that going so hard their first time might have broken her. But seeing her bounce back after just one nap—full of energy, back to her usual sharp tongue—he figured she had excellent endurance. She could take it.

He leaned in, kneading her soft, fair cheeks, and asked, “Do you really like hugging something to sleep that much?”

Ming Can’s whole body ached. Thinking about how he had teased her into saying all sorts of things before she passed out, she could feel the heat rising to her face. Annoyed, she snapped back at him in a haughty tone, “What’s it to you?”

“Mm.” Chi Xiao nodded, then shamelessly suggested, “From now on, just hug me.”

……

Ming Can was stunned for a moment by his sudden audacity. Under the blanket, her knees rubbed lightly against the pillow in her arms. Unconsciously, she imagined replacing it with the man in front of her—then immediately recalled the way he had pinned her knees apart not long ago, rough and domineering.

Heat surged through her in an instant. Panicked, she shoved the pillow away and kicked the blanket aside. This wasn’t her bed—if she messed it up again, it would be beyond embarrassing.

“Who wants to hug you?” Ming Can huffed, wrapping herself in the blanket as she sat up. Her cheeks were inexplicably flushed, and her dark eyes glared up at him. Muttering under her breath, she added, “You’re too… something.”

Chi Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Too what?”

“……”

He had actually heard her just fine.

But seeing her expression—like she’d explode on the spot if he pressed further—Chi Xiao decided to let her off this time. Instead, he spoke with rare sincerity: “It’s not like I tense up when I sleep. Most of the time, I’m soft.”

Ming Can scoffed, “It’s not like I haven’t slept hugging you before. On New Year’s Eve, you jabbed me the whole night.”

From his chest to his abs and then… well, everywhere, he was as hard as a rock. Mentally, she didn’t mind hugging him, but physically, it was honestly uncomfortable.

“That’s because I barely slept that night,” Chi Xiao said. “I was tense the whole time.”

“Why didn’t you sleep?”

He glanced at her, amused. “What do you think?”

Ming Can pulled the blanket higher around herself, wrapping it snugly around her neck. In a muffled voice, she muttered, “If you can’t sleep when I’m hugging you, then why do you want me to do it?”

“You’ll get used to it.” He lowered his gaze, his voice dropping into a soft murmur. “Just hug me more from now on.”

Ming Can froze for a second, blinking. She tried her best to suppress the upward twitch of her lips and, after a brief pause, let out a quiet, “Oh.”

That was as good as saying yes.

—

A few days later, in early April, the Qingming Festival arrived. The entire city was shrouded in misty rain.

Before dawn, Ming Can went to Miaomiao’s room to help him get up and wash. She picked a plain black pullover sweater from his wardrobe for him to wear.

After breakfast, just as the sun began to rise, the three of them set out for the cemetery in the outskirts to pay respects at the grave.

Heavy clouds blanketed the sky, casting a gray gloom over everything. The cemetery was damp and cold, the cobblestone paths slick with rainwater. Chi Xiao held Miaomiao’s hand firmly, making sure he didn’t slip and fall.

This was a private cemetery—quiet and elegantly maintained. Su Zhi Ning’s tombstone stood among rose bushes and evergreen shrubs, flanked by cypress trees. The headstone was simple, engraved only with her name, without any mention of her husband’s surname.

Miaomiao was clearly not visiting for the first time. Though the cemetery was well-maintained and kept clean, he still rolled up his sleeves and, along with his parents, carefully wiped down his grandmother’s tombstone, sweeping away the freshly fallen petals and leaves.

The surroundings were utterly silent, as if even the birds had yet to wake. Ming Can had deliberately come this early—she didn’t want to run into her father or any other members of the Ming family.

At all other times, she could play the role of the obedient daughter without a care. But on this day, she absolutely refused to stand alongside her father.

“Mom, you became a grandmother at just forty-three,” Ming Can said casually, standing before Su Zhi Ning’s grave. “His name is Miaomiao, and he’s the sweetest little boy in the world.”

Miaomiao stood straight and proper beside his mother. Just then, he noticed a dragonfly flitting over from behind the tombstone. Its wings seemed damp from the rain, and it hovered low, its wings buzzing as if whispering something.

Dragonfly: [Fly… fly… up to the treetops… up to the vast, endless sky…]

Miaomiao tilted his head back, watching as the dragonfly disappeared into the air. Then he heard his mother begin introducing his father.

“Mom, this is Miaomiao’s dad, Chi Xiao,” Ming Can said. “He’s also my boyfriend. He… is a good man.”

“……” Chi Xiao waited for a moment. “That’s it?”

“Being a good person isn’t enough?” Ming Can thought for a moment, then added, “He’s also someone who treats me very well.”

“But… I don’t like him just because he’s good to me. I like him because he is a good person.” Her voice softened. “There are some things happening at home right now, and I think… being with him, I shouldn’t—”

“You definitely won’t.” Chi Xiao held Ming Can’s hand firmly and said with absolute certainty, “You definitely won’t have a bad life. You definitely won’t be unhappy. You definitely won’t regret it.”

Ming Can pressed her lips together and smiled. “You talk big.”

“In front of my future mother-in-law, I have to show determination.”

Hearing the word “mother-in-law,” Ming Can shot him a glare and playfully punched him in the back.

They had only been together for a few days, and he was already calling her that? How could there be someone this shameless?

The dragonfly had flown beyond sight. Just then, Miaomiao withdrew his gaze and tugged on Ming Can’s sleeve. “Mom, is that Great-Grandma?”

Ming Can followed his line of sight. Through the soft morning mist, an elderly woman in a black dress slowly emerged. Her presence was elegant and refined. When she spotted Ming Can standing alongside one tall and one small figure, a flicker of surprise crossed her face.

“Cancan?”

“Grandma? Why are you here so early?”

Ming Can’s expression remained calm. Before coming, she had already discussed with Chi Xiao and Miaomiao what to do if they ran into someone familiar. The most likely encounter was with her grandmother. Ever since her mother and grandfather had passed away, her grandmother had moved into a mountain estate near the cemetery where her husband and daughter were buried. She had always been an early riser, and on Qingming Festival, it wasn’t surprising that she would visit her loved ones early in the morning, making it highly probable that they would cross paths.

The realization that, even after more than ten years, her grandmother was still alive—and that Miaomiao knew her—was an immense relief for Ming Can.

She and her grandmother were very close, but she had already decided to keep Miaomiao’s true identity a secret from her. Lately, both she and Chi Xiao had a growing sense that one day, Miaomiao might return to his original world. When that time came, it would be painful enough for the two of them. There was no need to let an elderly woman also experience the sorrow of losing a loved one.

Ming Can introduced Miaomiao to her grandmother without mentioning his last name, simply saying he was Chi Xiao’s younger brother.

As for Chi Xiao…

Zhao Yanru, nearing seventy, had silver-streaked hair, yet her eyes remained as clear as those of a young person. She carefully examined Chi Xiao from head to toe before nodding with a smile. “You’re Cancan’s partner, aren’t you? Such a fine young man.”

Then, turning to Miaomiao, she added, “You two brothers really look alike.”

The little boy was both handsome and adorable. The more Zhao Yanru looked at him, the fonder she felt. Holding Miaomiao’s hand, she asked, “Do you want to come to Grandma’s place later to play?”

Miaomiao, realizing he couldn’t call her “Great-Grandma,” obediently followed his parents’ lead. “Sure! Thank you, Grandma!”

The relatives from Ming Can’s mother’s side felt completely different from those on the Ming family’s side. Zhao Yanru was warm and gentle, making people feel at ease, like a spring breeze. Her presence reminded Chi Xiao of Su Zhi Ning, whom he had met years ago at Teacher Leting’s house.

Su Zhi Ning’s daughter, Ming Can, had a fiery temper, like a tiny but powerful firecracker. Yet, her mother was the complete opposite—gentle and soft to the core. Only with a mother like that could someone as bold and confident as Ming Can have been raised.

Unlike Ming Shu, who had scrutinized Chi Xiao with sharp eyes, Zhao Yanru didn’t size him up in a judgmental way. She believed children should have the freedom to date whoever they wanted, as long as they were happy. Decades of experience in reading people told her that while Chi Xiao, like Ming Zheng, was almost too handsome for his own good, his gaze was open and upright. And when he looked at Ming Can, that clarity softened into something unmistakably tender—so focused and unwavering that it seemed as if no one else existed in the world.

Ming Zheng had never looked at Zhi Ning like that.

As the three followed Zhao Yanru to pay respects at Grandfather’s grave, the sky finally brightened. The sun’s rays struggled to pierce through the lingering clouds, casting a soft glow over the cemetery. Afterward, Zhao Yanru led them on foot to her villa in the mountains.

Su Zhi Ning had been a woman of many talents in her lifetime. She could play several musical instruments, but her most outstanding skill had been painting. In Beicheng, she had been a well-known artist. Inside Zhao Yanru’s villa, a long corridor was dedicated to her daughter’s works, the walls lined with framed paintings. Every time Ming Can visited her grandmother’s home, she would linger in that corridor for a long time, as if drawn to the art by an invisible thread.

Today was no exception.

The paintings hanging in the corridor were mostly bright and lively, full of cheerful colors and playful themes. As Chi Xiao and Miaomiao followed behind her, taking in the artwork, they reached a watercolor painting bathed in warm yellow hues. Ming Can suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“This is…”

The scene in the painting looked strangely familiar.

Ming Can stared at the painting, her thoughts swirling.

The towering, lush trees surrounded a children’s activity center, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. In the sandbox at the center, a boy and a girl crouched barefoot, facing each other as they carefully built a sandcastle.

The boy wore a simple T-shirt and long pants, while the girl was dressed in a pink, puffy princess dress. Ming Can vaguely remembered owning a dress like that when she was little.

“It looks a lot like the playground in my old neighborhood,” Chi Xiao suddenly said beside her. “That day, you were wearing this dress.”

Ming Can immediately knew which day he was talking about.

All these years, she had walked past this painting countless times. Only now did she realize—the two children in the painting might be her and Chi Xiao.

If her guess was right, this was a scene from the day they first met, the day they built sandcastles together.

Teacher Leting had once mentioned that when she and Su Zhi Ning found them that day, they had simply stood nearby, smiling as they watched the two children play. Perhaps it was in that moment that her mother was inspired to capture the scene in this painting.

Ming Can and Chi Xiao exchanged a glance, an indescribable sense of fate spreading through their hearts.

“Tea is ready. Do you two want anything else to eat?” Zhao Yanru walked over from the living room. “What are you looking at so intently?”

“Grandma, this painting…” Ming Can took a deep breath and asked, “Can I take it with me?”

“Of course,” Zhao Yanru said with a gentle smile. “Everything that belonged to your mother is yours. I’ve just been keeping them here for you.”

The tea water bubbled on the tea table, making a gurgling sound. Zhao Yanru didn’t take a closer look at the painting. Instead, she waved her hand, signaling the children to come over for tea and snacks.

Ming Can took a few steps forward, then looked down and realized that Miaomiao hadn’t followed. He was still standing under the painting, staring at it in a daze.

She walked back, bent down, and took Miaomiao’s small hand. “Baby, what are you looking at?”

“It’s this painting again.” Miaomiao pointed at the picture on the wall. “So magical.”

Ming Can was puzzled. “What’s so magical about it?”

Miaomiao thought for a moment and said seriously, “Mom, a few days before I came here, I also went with you to visit Great-Grandma.”

Ming Can was stunned for a moment before realizing that when he said “here,” he meant “this world,” and the “you” in the second half of his sentence referred to his mother from his original world.

In other words, a few days before he crossed into this world, he had visited Great-Grandma with the Ming Can from that world.

“And then?”

“That day,” Miaomiao looked at the painting on the wall and said, “you also asked Great-Grandma for this painting.”