TL: FallenMoon

Xing Xing’s watery round eyes blinked.

Xing Xing hesitated for a while and spoke in a very soft voice, “I learned to bathe by myself…”

When Dad was hospitalized, Xing Xing was taken care of by the neighborhood grandmas. Xing Xing wasn’t used to bathing with anyone other than Dad, so during that time, Xing Xing learned to bathe on his own.

Yu Bai was surprised. “You learned to bathe? When?”

Xing Xing said, “When Dad wasn’t here… Xing Xing has been able to bathe by myself for a long, long time!”

Xing Xing’s chubby little hands hugged Yu Bai’s leg, and his soft little face rubbed against Yu Bai’s leg—it was the action Xing Xing liked to do when he is being coquettish.

‘When Dad wasn’t here’ referred to the month Yu Bai was hospitalized.

Realizing this, Yu Bai’s gaze toward Xing Xing contained some complex emotions.

The son who used to enjoy playing with rubber ducks while bathing with him had quietly grown up and learned to bathe on their own during the month he was hospitalized.

For most parents, it’s a good thing when their child grows up. Because when children grow up, they can do things on their own, and parents don’t have to worry as much.

But Yu Bai didn’t want Xing Xing to grow up so quickly.

In the process of growing up, a child is bound to experience some hardships.

And Yu Bai didn’t want Xing Xing to suffer.

Especially when he recalled memories from his previous life and knew that according to the original trajectory of this world, the hardships Xing Xing should have faced would have turned an inherently kind and warm-hearted child into a selfish and cruel demon…

Now, Yu Bai just wanted to grasp the limited time and let his son grow up in love, rather than step by step toward the abyss like in novels.

Yu Bai squatted down and gently pinched Xing Xing’s smooth and delicate little face, like peeling a boiled egg.

Yu Bai’s gaze met Xing Xing’s innocent round eyes.

Yu Bai spoke gently, “Children of Xing Xing’s age still need their parents’ help when bathing. It’s amazing that Xing Xing can bathe on his own!”

Xing Xing was praised by Yu Bai, and an immediately shy but slightly proud smile appeared on his face.

“But…” Yu Bai smiled, “Just because Xing Xing can bathe on his own doesn’t mean Xing Xing can’t bathe with Dad, right?”

Xing Xing’s watery round eyes looked at the ground. “Right, but…”

“But what?”

“But… but…” Xing Xing whispered, “If Dad bathes with me, Dad will get tired…”

Today, Dad went to buy vegetables early in the morning, and after buying vegetables, he still has to string them.

After stringing the vegetables and taking a nap, Dad has to go outside to set up a stall again…

During the process of setting up the stall, Dad’s arms and legs become sore. And after finishing setting up the stall, Dad’s arms and legs will surely be even more sore.

Xing Xing also remembered that when Dad was hospitalized, it was initially the neighborhood grandpa who helped him bathe.

The neighborhood grandpa always had to finish watching his TV dramas before taking Xing Xing to bathe. So the neighborhood grandma scolded the neighborhood grandpa for not taking Xing Xing to bathe quickly. Then the neighborhood grandpa said that bathing a child was troublesome and time-consuming, and by the time they finished bathing, his TV dramas would be over…

The neighborhood grandpa and grandma thought Xing Xing was still young and couldn’t understand the content of most adults’ arguments, in reality, Xing Xing understood everything and firmly remembered these things in his mind.

So Xing Xing remembered that adults helping children bathe would waste a lot of time and effort.

Dad is already so tired, and Xing Xing doesn’t want Dad to help him bathe and becomes even more tired!

Now Xing Xing can bathe on his own completely without needing Dad’s help!

After Xing Xing finished speaking, he lifted his little head and looked at Yu Bai, his watery round eyes blinking.

After hearing what Xing Xing said, Yu Bai could hardly suppress the anger in his heart.

“Who said I would get tired if I help you bathe!”

His son was so well-behaved and gentle, like a gentle little kitten when held in his arms. He would never show his claws to him.

His overflowing paternal love made it impossible for him to see helping his son bathe as a difficult task!

There were quite a few people in the community who liked to gossip. Could it be that Xing Xing accidentally overheard things he shouldn’t have while Yu Bai was hospitalized? Otherwise, how could Xing Xing have such thoughts?

Perhaps Yu Bai spoke a little louder when he was angry, and Xing Xing keenly sensed that Yu Bai was unhappy. A thin mist appeared in his round eyes.

Did Xing Xing say something wrong?

Yu Bai’s anger came and went quickly. When he saw the glistening teardrops in Xing Xing’s eyes, he immediately embraced him.

“I’m sorry, Xing Xing. I spoke a little loudly just now, but I’m not angry with you,” Yu Bai said. “I truly, truly love you. When we bathe, we play while washing. When we play, we only feel happiness, not tiredness, right? So, bathing with you doesn’t tire me at all!”

Xing Xing made an effort to hold back the tears in his eyes and buried his little head in Yu Bai’s neck, asking softly.

“Dad, do you really, really love me?”

Yu Bai smiled. “Hmm! I love you so, so much. You are the person I love the most in this world!”

Xing Xing said, “In this world, I also love Dad the most!”

In the days without Dad, although everyone was kind to Xing Xing, he was still unhappy.

Because Xing Xing knows that no one’s kindness towards him is as great as Dad’s.

Xing Xing wants to be with Dad forever, and he won’t let anyone have a chance to take away his Dad!

Dad belongs only to him!

——

Before going to sleep, Yu Bai counted the money in his wallet and the extra amount on his phone.

He reached an obvious conclusion.

Starting a snack stall was indeed the right decision!

In just one afternoon, Yu Bai earned an amount of money that exceeded his previous daily salary!

Tomorrow, he had to go to the Sanjiaokou early in the morning to continue his stall…

This time, Yu Bai had a dream filled with the scent of copper.

Unfortunately…

The next day, Yu Bai overslept!

When Yu Bai pushed the snack cart and hurriedly went to the Sanjiaokou with Star, he realized that the students of Qingqiao Elementary School had already left.

Losing a wave of customers wasn’t the worst situation for Yu Bai.

The worst part was that the few snack vendors who set up stalls late yesterday were all early today.

Not only did their snack carts completely occupy the spot where Yu Bai had set up yesterday, but they also took all the good locations in Sanjiakou!

Yu Bai’s snack cart couldn’t even squeeze into Sanjiaokou. He was forced to settle for a less favorable location, along the road near Qingqiao Elementary School, where most of the student’s parents had already left.

This place was quite a distance from Qingqiao Middle School and High School, and there was no bus stop there. Very few students would pass through this road on their way home.

Furthermore, the nearest Qingqiao Elementary School had already dispersed, along with the students and their parents. Qingqiao Kindergarten next to Qingqiao Elementary School would definitely be dismissed earlier than the elementary school!

Lastly, Yu Bai’s snack cart was a cheap second-hand model and small in size. Now that he was blocked by the two snack carts in front, the students couldn’t see him from a distance.

With a disadvantageous location, invisible signage, and limited customers, the situation was quite unfavorable.

Even though Yu Bai’s teppanyaki was fragrant, the uncooperative wind blew it all toward the kindergarten, and none of it reached Qingqiao Middle School.

Various difficulties piled up, forming a mountain that stood in front of Yu Bai, an insurmountable obstacle.

Even Xing Xing, who went out with Yu Bai to set up the stall, sensed that something was wrong.

With two snack carts blocking the view, Xing Xing couldn’t even see the other two corners of Sanjiaokou, no matter how hard they tiptoed.

Xing Xing frowned and said, “Dad, what should we do?”

Author’s note:

Xing Xing: Thank you, sisters, for the landmines and nutrient solution. Xing Xing… I’ll let you touch my little hands! Just once, okay? Don’t touch too much!

PS:

Ever since I started writing this story, my gastritis has been acting up

So these days, I’ve been stuck on the toilet, unable to do much

I’ve already been to the hospital twice

I hope I can recover before the Lunar New Year [looking at the ingredients for the New Year’s Eve dinner at home, drooling has already started]

Tears streaming down my face

There will be a second update tonight.

TL’s note:

A friend will be taking over this series as I am so busy with life that I can’t find time to continue translating. It was fun and I enjoyed translating this. Too bad, I’m too busy. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you’ll still continue reading this series until the very last chapter.