Ban Zhenye stood at the doorway with a lunchbox in hand and saw Ji Xuan staring wide-eyed at a little boy in front of the door.

From where she stood, Ban Zhenye could only see the boy’s back. He was dressed very lightly. Though the weather had already started getting cold, and most kids were wearing long sleeves, this boy still had on a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and a pair of flimsy sandals.

At that moment, the boy also looked up at Ji Xuan. In his hand was a standard hospital bedpan.

Ji Xuan closed his eyes, doing his best to suppress his overwhelming anger, and asked, “Xiao Yu, did you do this on purpose?”

Unfortunately, the stern atmosphere Ji Xuan had tried so hard to build evaporated with Xiao Yu’s next words.

Eyes sparkling, Xiao Yu turned to Ban Zhenye and said, “Miss Ban, you’re back? You brought food? Hurry, hurry, help me set up the table—let’s eat first!”

Xiao Ruoguang also turned around happily, eyes lighting up as he looked at the lunchbox in Ban Zhenye’s hands. “Have you eaten yet?” he asked eagerly.

Ban Zhenye: …Well, the kid is adorable, just a bit too skinny.

Ji Xuan: “…” Is this on purpose too?

Xiao Yu couldn’t move, but if she could, she would’ve clapped her hands on the table and shouted, “Let’s eat, let’s eat!”

Ji Xuan took the bag from Ban Zhenye and turned to Xiao Yu, asking coldly, “You still want to eat?”

Immediately, both Xiao Yu and Xiao Ruoguang looked up at him, eyes wide and shining like deer caught in headlights—only full of hunger instead of fear. Ji Xuan almost felt blinded by the sparkle. Taking a deep breath, he said, “When I ask you a question, just answer it.”

Xiao Yu instantly put on a pitiful face. “But we’re hungry!”

Xiao Ruoguang clutched his stomach and chimed in, “Starving!”

Ji Xuan: “…Fine, let’s eat first!”

Faced with two pairs of pitiful, pleading eyes, Ji Xuan finally gave in. He figured it was better to feed them first and deal with everything else later.

And then, to his horror, he heard Xiao Ruoguang cheerfully shout, “Thanks, Ungrateful dad!” before turning to fetch the bed tray.

Ji Xuan: “…” Is it too late to take the food back?

Ban Zhenye: “…” Ungrateful dad?

Xiao Yu: “Uh… he meant venetian blinds dad!”

Ji Xuan let out a cold chuckle. “Oh? And why exactly am I ‘venetian blinds’?”

Xiao Yu jumped in immediately, “Because you open and close whenever you feel like it!”

Ji Xuan: “…”

Xiao Ruoguang struggled with the bed tray, first dragging it close to the bed, then crouching down to push it up from underneath. Ji Xuan frowned at the sight and finally stepped in to help set it in place properly.

Xiao Ruoguang turned back to Ji Xuan with a grateful smile and said, “Thank you, Ungrateful dad.”

Ji Xuan: “…” No matter how you hear it, it still sounds like Ungrateful dad.

Trying to redirect his thoughts, he asked, “Where’s the caregiver?”

Xiao Yu gave him a look like he was an idiot. “We’re practically starving—who has the money for a caregiver?”

Meanwhile, Xiao Ruoguang carefully took out the lunchboxes. His hands were steady—remarkably so for a three-year-old. One by one, he opened each container, letting out an excited “Wow!” every time.

“Mommy, meat! We’re having meat today!” Xiao Ruoguang exclaimed joyfully when he uncovered a dish of stir-fried beef with green peppers. He looked up at Xiao Yu with sparkling eyes.

Xiao Yu gave him a benevolent smile and nodded, doing her best to look like a responsible, loving mother.

Then, Xiao Ruoguang opened another container—pork rib and daikon soup. “Wow! Mommy, we’re having pork rib soup today!”

Hearing his soft little voice and the delight in every word, Ji Xuan felt a pang in his chest—an ache so strong he nearly wanted to scoop the kid up and squeeze him tight. His eyes were even starting to sting.

But just before the tears could rise, Xiao Ruoguang turned toward him, eyes shining with pure gratitude, and said, “Thank you, thank you, Ungrateful dad!”

Ji Xuan: “…” Yeah, the kid’s words really aren’t the nicest.

Whatever twinge of emotion he’d felt earlier completely evaporated under another round of being called Ungrateful dad. Hmph, had to be the kid’s mom putting that in his head—trying to turn the child against him.

Xiao Ruoguang stood up on the bed and reached out to hug Ji Xuan. His arms were too short, so he only managed to hug a small part of him—but he looked absolutely delighted. His eyes sparkled with admiration and affection.

Ji Xuan: “…” Huh? Doesn’t look like he’s been bad-mouthing me after all. Maybe I was overthinking it.

“Ungrateful dad,” Xiao Ruoguang said sweetly, “thank you for coming.”

Ji Xuan: “…” Nope, definitely bad-mouthing me.

Then, Xiao Ruoguang turned around, scooped up a spoonful of rice, and began feeding Xiao Yu. He followed with some vegetables, then soup—so attentive it made Ji Xuan’s chest ache again.

Unable to keep watching, Ji Xuan cast a cold glance at Ban Zhenye.

Ban Zhenye: “…” Oh, kiddo…

She quickly stepped in. “Sweetheart, let me feed her—you eat first, okay?”

Xiao Ruoguang looked at her hesitantly and said, “Is that really okay?”

Xiao Yu quickly chimed in, “It’s fine, baby. Nothing wrong with it. Once she’s done feeding me, your dad will pay her.”

Xiao Ruoguang immediately lit up. “Wow! Ungrateful dad is amazing!” He looked at Ji Xuan with eyes full of admiration.

Ji Xuan instinctively straightened his back a little, clearly pleased. Xiao Ruoguang then handed the spoon to Ban Zhenye and sat across from them to start eating.

Ji Xuan pulled up a chair and sat beside him. “Is it good?”

Xiao Ruoguang nodded vigorously, his mouth still full of food. “Mm-hmm!”

Ji Xuan reached out and gently patted his head. It was still a bit large compared to his tiny frame. Xiao Ruoguang leaned into his hand with a little nuzzle, and Ji Xuan’s heart instantly melted.

That soft moment only made him angrier deep down—angry that Xiao Yu had hidden the child from him. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she had even raised him in such poor conditions.

After the two had eaten their fill, Ji Xuan asked Ban Zhenye to check on the hospital fees, including future costs, and to arrange for a caregiver. Ban Zhenye took note of everything and headed out.

Only then did Ji Xuan finally look at Xiao Yu and ask, “Did you hide the child from me on purpose?”

Xiao Yu, now full and content, lay back with Xiao Ruoguang napping peacefully beside her. Both wore completely satisfied expressions, clearly uninterested in acknowledging Ji Xuan at all.

Ji Xuan: “…” Weren’t we supposed to talk after eating?

Xiao Ruoguang, after enjoying the blissful feeling of a full belly, sat up and looked at Ji Xuan with a cheerful smile. “Ungrateful dad, did you come to give us money too?”

Ji Xuan: “…What do you mean?”

“I saw other kids yesterday—their dads came by and brought lots of money. I didn’t know why, I used to think it was just kind strangers giving us money. But all the money the kind strangers gave is already gone. Today we only have…”

He pulled out a small bag from under his pillow, opened it, and showed it to Ji Xuan. “This is all we have left! Ungrateful dad, could you give us a little? I want to buy something yummy for Mom tomorrow.”

Ji Xuan looked down at the small pile of money—just a single lonely one-yuan coin and two ten-yuan bills. Silently, he took out his wallet and tossed all the cash he had into the bag.

Xiao Ruoguang let out another amazed, “Wow!”

“This is the kind of money the nice people bring—it can buy so many things! Thank you, Ungrateful dad!”

Ji Xuan spoke heavily, “Kid, can we make a deal? When you call me ‘dad,’ could you maybe… leave out the ‘Ungrateful’ part?”

Xiao Ruoguang tilted his head and asked curiously, “Why?”

Ji Xuan was instantly stumped. Why, indeed?

Xiao Ruoguang offered matter-of-factly, “But you are Ungrateful dad!”—After all, that’s what Mom saved him as in her phone.

Ji Xuan: “…” If Ji Yu were standing in front of me right now, I wouldn’t hold back.

Xiao Ruoguang carefully zipped the little pouch shut, gave it a gentle hug, then leaned close to Xiao Yu’s ear and whispered—loud enough for Ji Xuan to hear—
“Mommy, this is Ungrateful dad’s money. Let’s save it. Tomorrow, can we ask Ungrateful dad for some more? Money disappears so fast. He only gave us ten bills this time. That’s less than what the nice person gave us before. It probably won’t last long.”

Xiao Yu gave him an approving look that clearly said: Good job.

Just then, Ban Zhenye returned from outside and was immediately greeted by the sound of Ji Xuan’s latest outburst from Room 506: “Xiao Yu—stop corrupting my son!”

Ban Zhenye: “…”

Hmm. Already thinking of him as your son, huh?

=^_^=