Chi Yao sat in a wheelchair. Although he could walk, he knew he still needed to be careful with his body. In this life, he vowed not to neglect his health like he did in the previous one. So, he stayed in the wheelchair, holding the baby while the aunt^[1]not related aunt, just how you address a woman that is older than you. pushed him from behind.

As they entered the elevator and the doors were about to close, someone rushed in. Chi Yao continued looking straight ahead, unaware of the excitement on the man’s face.

Chi Yao wasn’t sure if this choice was the right one, but on the day of the surgery, the scene of the man crying in front of his tombstone touched him deeply. Having someone exceptional loving him seemed like a good feeling. He thought, perhaps it’s worth giving both the man and himself a chance.

Although Chi Yao was uncertain about the future, one thing he knew for sure: both he and the baby would be happy.

The baby, already awake, was looking around with big eyes, his tiny hands grasping his small toy—a green dinosaur that Chi Yao had bought. The baby seemed to like it very much. Chi Yao played with him while behind him, Fu Rong had taken over pushing the wheelchair. Chi Yao didn’t say anything.

That silence alone was enough to let Fu Rong know the outcome.

The car was waiting downstairs, and Fu Rong lifted both Chi Yao and the baby into his arms. Chi Yao held the baby, while Fu Rong held them both—two weights that now constituted his entire world.

The plane tickets had already been bought—first class, with a private car taking them directly to the airport and through a special lane, so no need to wait in line for security checks.

After a while, Fu Rong took the baby from Chi Yao and fed him. Over the past few days, Fu Rong had become quite skilled at it. He loved watching the baby suck on the bottle, his little face puffing up adorably.

Fu Rong had never thought of himself as someone who liked children. He had never considered whether he wanted kids or not, especially since the Fu family had other younger members. No one would dare pressure him about children. But now, this little one had appeared in his life, and in an instant, he was a father.

Despite having received many things in life that others could only dream of, Fu Rong had never felt truly fortunate—until now. This little one, along with Chi Yao, was different from anything he had ever experienced.

After feeding the baby and wiping his mouth with special baby wipes, Fu Rong handed him back to Chi Yao. Even though the baby couldn’t speak yet, it was obvious from the way he looked at Chi Yao with his big eyes who he felt closest to.

Once back in Chi Yao’s arms, the baby immediately smiled and made a different sound. Chi Yao nuzzled the baby’s face with his cheek, and after fussing for a bit, the baby fell asleep. The aunt took the baby so Chi Yao could rest, as his abdomen was still healing.

The plane took off, and Chi Yao, covered with a blanket, leaned on Fu Rong’s shoulder and drifted off to sleep. The flight was only two hours, and when they landed, Chi Yao was still a bit groggy. Fu Rong carried him off the plane, with the aunt and bodyguards following behind.

They returned to Chi Yao’s villa, where the baby had his own nursery and didn’t share a room with Chi Yao. The baby woke up every few hours during the night, and Fu Rong made sure this didn’t affect Chi Yao’s rest. They hired two nannies to take care of the baby in shifts, while the aunt focused on cooking.

During the day, Chi Yao often spent time with the baby, but Fu Rong hadn’t moved in yet. Chi Yao had softened somewhat, and Fu Rong knew not to rush things.

He only stayed away at night, but during the day, he practically moved his office to the villa. This allowed him to be close to both Chi Yao and the baby.

Sometimes, when his assistant came over with documents, he couldn’t find Fu Rong and would spot him outside feeding the baby. The baby seemed to be getting more familiar with Fu Rong and clearly liked him.

However, it was still obvious that the person the baby loved the most was Chi Yao.

After about a month of rest, Chi Yao’s body had almost fully recovered, and the baby’s full moon^[2]30th Day Celebration and Man Yue (满月)Man Yue, translated “Full Moon”, is celebrated a month after the baby is born. 30 days indeed represents the cycle of a full moon. The 30th day marked the … Continue reading arrived. To celebrate, they held a full moon banquet at a restaurant, inviting a few close friends.

Xue Zhongming and others were invited, including Shen Ling. Chi Yao called Shen Ling, asking him to join them for a meal.

When Shen Ling arrived, he saw Chi Yao holding a little baby, fair and chubby. Though the baby’s features hadn’t fully developed yet, his smile was incredibly cute.

Shen Ling stood at the entrance for a moment until someone nudged him, prompting him to walk into the private room.

He handed over his gift, which was received by a nanny, as Chi Yao didn’t accept it himself. The nanny placed it on a table already full of presents.

---

Knowing that Chi Yao has a baby, it doesn’t matter how the baby came to be. Since it’s Chi Yao’s child, the baby is cherished, and everyone gave valuable gifts.

Chi Yao didn’t open any of them. His house is already filled with baby things that he and Fu Rong bought.

Recently, Fu Rong has been acting like he’s caught a shopping fever, almost buying something every day. The house is filled with items Fu Rong bought—some for Chi Yao, and some for the baby.

Chi Yao notices this and understands that this is Fu Rong’s way of pursuing him, and he accepts it.

“Your…baby?” Shen Ling looked at the child in Chi Yao’s arms. The baby, with big, dark eyes like black grapes, didn’t seem scared of strangers. Noticing someone else coming over, the baby stared at them with its large eyes.

“Can I hold him?” Shen Ling asked Chi Yao.

Chi Yao’s gaze darkened slightly, as if he didn’t want to hand the baby over. Despite being friends, his feelings toward Shen Ling had changed, and they weren’t as close as before.

“Okay, he’s really cute,” Shen Ling said, seeing Chi Yao’s expression and understanding his reluctance. He didn’t insist further.

At that moment, a familiar face approached. Shen Ling knew Fu Rong had been busy lately but didn’t know exactly what he’s been busy with. He wasn’t one to dig for information since it didn’t seem necessary. Shen Ling, with his friendly demeanor, always attracted many admirers of both genders and enjoyed the attention.

Losing one or two admirers didn’t bother him much.

However, seeing Fu Rong approach and completely ignore him while taking the baby from Chi Yao’s arms made Shen Ling’s eyes narrow. If he wasn’t mistaken, Chi Yao and Fu Rong used to be at odds. How did things change in just a few months? The atmosphere between them now seemed impenetrable to others.

Fu Rong took the baby, who was wearing a diaper but still might get uncomfortable, so Fu Rong knew when it was time for the baby’s needs. Carrying the baby, Fu Rong mentioned something to Chi Yao before heading toward the restroom.

As Fu Rong passed by Shen Ling, he finally acknowledged him with a slight nod, which counted as a greeting, and then continued on his way.

Shen Ling’s eyes followed Fu Rong for a while before turning sharply back to Chi Yao.

“Care to explain?” The person who used to be Chi Yao’s rival, someone he didn’t get along with, was now so close they could casually take a baby from his arms.

For a moment, Shen Ling almost thought the baby might actually belong to Fu Rong.

But Fu Rong and Chi Yao are both men—how could they have a baby together?

Shen Ling felt like he was going crazy for even thinking such a thing.

“He’s been pursuing me recently,” Chi Yao said without hiding anything, directly telling Shen Ling about it.

“Him? Fu Rong is pursuing you?” Shen Ling was so surprised his voice suddenly grew louder.

Everyone in the room heard it. In fact, many had already noticed something was going on. After asking around, it became clear what might be happening.

Now that Shen Ling knew, several people glanced his way. His two former admirers, who once seemed like rivals, now appeared to be getting together. Shen Ling didn’t know how to feel about that.

His surprise left him momentarily speechless, his face frozen in shock.

“Are you joking?” Shen Ling asked.

“No.” Chi Yao shook his head, his expression serious.

Shen Ling thought it was ridiculous, but the reality before him was hard to deny.

Fu Rong soon returned, holding the baby, his focus entirely on the child. It was as if no one else in the room mattered except the baby and Chi Yao.

As Fu Rong approached, Shen Ling spoke up, “Fu Rong…”

Fu Rong looked at him briefly before turning back to Chi Yao. “He’s getting sleepy. Let the nanny take him to rest.” There was a small room in the restaurant’s private dining area, and Fu Rong handed the baby to the nanny, who took him inside to sleep.

Only then did Fu Rong’s gaze settle steadily on Shen Ling.

“You’re here,” Fu Rong smiled.

This person rarely smiled. Most of the time, he wore a calm expression, not cold but not particularly warm either. Seeing him smile so casually now, Shen Ling couldn’t find the right words. Suddenly, he realized what it was.

It was the smile of a father, a loving, doting smile.

“Fu Rong, you never said a word about this,” Shen Ling remarked. It was clear that Fu Rong and Chi Yao had been like this for some time, but Shen Ling had been completely in the dark.

For some reason, it didn’t used to matter to Shen Ling, but seeing Fu Rong and Chi Yao together now, they seemed perfectly matched. The sight left him with an inexplicable discomfort.

Shen Ling forced a smile.

“Well, it’s not like I was hiding it; you just never asked,” Fu Rong replied, his lips smiling but his eyes devoid of humor.

Knowing Fu Rong’s personality, Shen Ling didn’t press further and took a seat.

Fu Rong pulled out a chair, waiting for Chi Yao to sit before sitting down himself.

These small, subtle gestures were new to Shen Ling. Fu Rong had never been this way before. It wasn’t an act; Fu Rong had genuinely changed.

Meanwhile, Chi Yao, who had been absent for a while, had returned. The explanation given was that Chi Yao had gone to another city for surgery.

The surgery’s timing coincided with the baby’s birth.

Had Chi Yao been a different gender, Shen Ling would have immediately assumed the baby was Chi Yao’s biological child.