BTMDY Extra 15

Memories of last night flooded his mind, but the other person involved was nowhere in sight. He woke up to find a child tucked into his arms.

 

No matter how clever Lu Chengxuan was, he couldn’t make sense of what had happened.

 

He lay there, perfectly still, thinking for a long time, yet his head was still a mess of confusion.

 

His phone was in his shirt pocket, left in the wardrobe outside after his shower yesterday. Not wanting to wake the boy who was still asleep, Lu Chengxuan had to put aside the urge to call and find out what had happened.

 

There was no clock in the bedroom, so he couldn’t tell the time.

 

He could only guess the light coming through the gap in the curtains. It looked like early dawn, no later than eight at the very most.

 

Maybe Lin Shen had just gone to make breakfast and would be back soon.

 

With that thought in mind, Lu Chengxuan carefully rolled over and gently adjusted the little head of Lin Wangye, pressed tightly against his arm, so he could lie in the most comfortable position without squishing his chubby cheeks.

 

With nothing else to do, he quietly studied the boy in his arms.

 

Lin Shen had clearly gone to great lengths to hide his son, keeping it so secret even Lu Chengxuan, who watched him closely, only found out on the day he received the first birthday invitation.

 

The boy’s skin was fair and delicate, his dark eyes bright and sharp. Facing so many strangers in the banquet hall, he didn’t cry or fuss, showing he was well cared for and thoroughly spoiled.

 

Lu Chengxuan had known Lin Shen for a long time, so he wasn’t unfamiliar with how he looked as a child.

 

Looking closely, Lu Chengxuan couldn’t see Lin Shen in the boy at all. Compared to Lin Shen, who carried a mischievous, playful energy even as a kid, Lin Wangye looked far more obedient and sweet.

 

Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t Lin Shen’s biological son.

 

Genetics are complicated; it’s common for fathers and sons to look different.

 

Lin Wangye was delicate and pretty, probably taking more after his mother.

 

Even thinking that, recalling Lin Shen’s subtle expressions when he mentioned the boy’s mother, and his reactions last night, a shadow of doubt still lingered in Lu Chengxuan’s mind.

 

But since Lin Shen had gone through so much effort to hide everything, this wasn’t something that could be figured out overnight.

 

Anything that happens leaves a trace.

 

Lu Chengxuan had already sent someone to check yesterday, so there was no need to rush.

 

What really had him on edge was the current situation. He had been lying there for a long time, and Lin Shen still hadn’t come back.

 

Holding the same position for so long was exhausting, even lying in bed.

 

Lin Wangye shifted into several positions, hugging and clinging to him each time. That left Lu Chengxuan, acting as a human pillow, frozen in place, afraid even the slightest movement would wake and scare the child.

 

He didn’t know how much time had passed when the thing he had dreaded most finally happened.

 

Lin Shen didn’t come back. Instead, the boy woke up.

 

When Lu Chengxuan took his last shower, he had checked the time and guessed he must have fallen asleep around two, almost three in the morning.

 

At this age, kids don’t have school or work, so they rarely stay up late. Their body clocks are usually very consistent. The boy had most likely been quietly placed in his arms by Lin Shen sometime after three while still asleep. By normal standards, this was exactly when he would wake up.

 

When it came to most things in life, Lu Chengxuan usually handled them with ease.

 

But right now… he was genuinely flustered.

 

He hadn’t had much experience dealing with children, though he’d met them before. A child only one year old—whether they’d been weaned or not—was hard to predict, and even the bravest kids had an instinctive need to rely on familiar people.

 

And he had only met this boy for the first time last night. They were complete strangers.

 

If the child had a poor memory, he might not even remember him at all.

 

Knowing Lin Shen, keeping the boy hidden from the world probably had to do with protecting him. If the child cried or got scared from seeing unfamiliar faces, Lu Chengxuan had no idea how he’d handle it.

 

While Lu Chengxuan was running through all these thoughts in just a few seconds, Lin Wangye rubbed his little face against his arm. His long eyelashes fluttered a few times before he slowly woke up.

 

The boy woke in stages—slowly, almost hesitantly.

 

After opening and closing his eyes several times, Lin Wangye finally lifted his eyelids fully. They were so close that Lu Chengxuan could clearly hear his breathing, and the moment their eyes met, the boy looked completely bewildered.

 

Sitting up in response to the child’s confused gaze, Lu Chengxuan swallowed hard, rolling his Adam’s apple, and tried to soften his tone as much as possible.

 

“You’re awake… are you hungry?”

 

Having eaten well the night before, it was normal for him not to feel hungry right after waking.

 

Lin Wangye turned his head, scanning the surroundings. As he slowly realized he was in an unfamiliar place, with someone he didn’t recognize, his expression noticeably shifted.

 

Lu Chengxuan’s heart leapt as he saw the hint of panic in the boy’s eyes.

 

But Lin Wangye didn’t cry; he just seemed a little tense.

 

He looked toward the open bedroom door, listening for any movement outside, and confirmed no one else was there. He stared at Lu Chengxuan timidly, as if trying to figure out why he was stuck with this stranger and whether the man was friend or foe.

 

Lu Chengxuan wasn’t like Xu Suinian, who knew how to coax children. Interacting with kids had never been a subject he studied.

 

He had never needed anyone to coax him as a child.

 

In this sense, he was almost clumsy compared to someone who had grown up in a normal family environment.

 

After trying to speak gently, he still didn’t dare act too boldly in the face of the boy’s silence, instead carefully observing his reaction.

 

The two of them just stared at each other, silent.

 

Finally, Lin Wangye couldn’t hold it in any longer. In a small voice, he said,

 

“I… need to pee…”

 

At those words, it was like Lu Chengxuan received a long-awaited command. He rolled off the bed, walked to the boy’s side, and realizing there were no slippers he could wear, he cautiously opened his arms.

 

Lin Wangye didn’t let just anyone hold him.

 

Even the Lin family’s carefully selected trial-period nannies had to spend two days with him first; only if the boy agreed to be held could they stay.

 

The little master had no fixed standard for picking people—it all came down to whether he liked them at first sight.

 

Though he wasn’t familiar with Lu Chengxuan, the boy was used to being held. He had already developed a subtle, instinctive response to the gesture. Maybe it was because Lu Chengxuan looked trustworthy, or maybe because he had no other choice—but obediently, he climbed off the bed and walked over.

 

It was Lu Chengxuan’s first time holding a child. He was awkward, yes, but with a good memory, he followed the steps correctly, making sure Lin Wangye felt comfortable the whole time.

 

He carried the boy to the bathroom, unsure how much help he should give. Only when Lin Wangye twisted his body near the toilet did he understand what was needed.

 

Bending down, Lu Chengxuan set him on the floor.

 

Most children at this age still wore diapers, but it was clear Lin Wangye had been taught how to use the toilet. Smart as he was, he quickly pulled down his pants—but he froze in front of the toilet.

 

The Lin family probably had a children’s potty.

 

The regular toilet was too tall for him. He couldn’t reach, and he’d definitely end up peeing on the floor.

 

Prepared to flush, Lu Chengxuan was caught off guard. Lin Wangye’s little face twisted in frustration, and he looked up at him helplessly.

 

Lu Chengxuan felt equally helpless.

 

Worried the boy might strain himself, he quickly stepped out, pacing the small room for a moment. When he returned, he carried a chair and placed it in front of the toilet, setting Lin Wangye on it.

 

The boy stood steady, aimed properly, and his expression slowly relaxed.

 

Lu Chengxuan bent down to pull up his pants, then lifted him off, moved the chair to the sink, and set him on it to wash his hands.

 

After Lin Wangye finished, Lu Chengxuan faced another small dilemma.

 

“Do you brush your teeth normally?” he asked.

 

The boy, playing with the tuft of hair sticking up from his head in the mirror, turned and nodded.

 

“And do you brush them by yourself?” Lu Chengxuan asked again.

 

Lin Wangye blinked and shook his head.

 

“No.”

 

Lu Chengxuan let out a quiet sigh. Seeing that the hotel’s adult toothbrush and toothpaste weren’t suitable, he decided to call the front desk. Just as he turned, he remembered it wasn’t safe to leave the boy alone and bent down to pick him up before leaving the bathroom.

 

After calling the front desk to ask for a children’s toothbrush and toothpaste, Lu Chengxuan pulled his phone out of the wardrobe—and found a handwritten note tucked inside the pocket.

 

‘Something came up, help look after the child. Just keep him alive.’

 

The words were bold, casual, and slightly messy. Different from student days, but still recognizable as Lin Shen’s handwriting.

 

Lu Chengxuan thought for a moment and decided to call Lin Shen.

 

The automated message announced the line was busy.

 

He set the phone aside and looked up at the little boy, still staring at him with slight unease. Slowing his voice, he gently tried to calm him down.

 

“Your dad is busy. He’ll be back later, so don’t worry.”

 

Lin Wangye understood what he said, but still glanced at the phone, piecing together the words he knew to express what he wanted: “Daddy… phone.”

 

Lu Chengxuan reacted quickly, reading him perfectly.

 

“You want to call your dad?”

 

Lin Wangye rubbed his hands together and nodded.

 

Lu Chengxuan picked up the phone and called Lin Shen again. Still busy.

 

“Can’t get through,” he explained.

 

Hearing this, Lin Wangye’s small brows furrowed, clearly confused. From what Lu Chengxuan could guess about a child’s mind, only someone he trusted enough could calm him down.

 

But all he had here was Lin Shen’s contact.

 

Thinking fast, Lu Chengxuan immediately arranged to get Lin Qianqian’s contact info, and, just in case, brought Xu Suinian along.

 

No sooner had he sent the message than the hotel room doorbell rang.

 

The hotel staff had delivered the children’s toothbrush and toothpaste. Lu Chengxuan went to the door, took the items, first inspected them carefully, then looked up and asked,

 

“Are you sure this is okay for a one-year-old?”

 

The staff smiled. “Yes, this is designed for babies under two. The toothpaste ingredients are safe—even if swallowed accidentally, it won’t harm them. You can check the ingredients on the package. The toothbrush has a soft, non-toxic silicone head, the same material as a baby’s pacifier. It’s very gentle, perfect for cleaning baby teeth.”

 

“Alright, thank you.”

 

“And here’s some baby cream and disposable towels for the baby. Do you need them?”

 

“Yes, please.”

 

Back in the living room, Lu Chengxuan first checked the manufacturer and ingredients on the computer. Once satisfied, he opened the toothbrush packaging and sterilized it briefly with boiling water from the water dispenser before turning to meet Lin Wangye, sitting obediently on the sofa, eyes full of anticipation.

 

Seeing the boy’s expectant gaze, Lu Chengxuan went back to the computer, opened a browser, and searched ‘How to brush a one-year-old’s teeth,’ then watched a video carefully.

 

Lin Wangye tilted his head, confused. After a while, seeing Lu Chengxuan still ignoring him, he looked away and started playing quietly with the fuzz ball on his clothes.

 

After watching the video a few times and noting the steps, Lu Chengxuan finally stood, poured a cup of warm water from the dispenser, bent down, and carried Lin Wangye to the bathroom. He set him on the chair again and crouched in front of him.

 

“Take a sip, swish, and spit it out.”

 

Lin Wangye obediently followed, turning his head to spit the water onto the floor.

 

While he rinsed, Lu Chengxuan squeezed the toothpaste onto the brush, then hesitated. The video said most children resist brushing at first, and the first step was to coax the child to open their mouth—but it didn’t show how. The next step jumped straight to brushing.

 

Fortunately, Lin Wangye didn’t make it difficult.

 

He didn’t move the brush himself, but he knew what to do. After spitting out the water, he opened his mouth obediently and let out a soft little sound: “Ah—”

 

Lu Chengxuan breathed a genuine sigh of relief, almost feeling like he’d survived a small battle. He carefully guided the brush into the boy’s mouth, brushing each tiny emerging tooth with the gentlest touch, controlling the pressure with painstaking care.

 

For such a simple thing, he ended up sweating all over by the time it was done.

 

Luckily, washing the face was much easier.

 

He soaked a towel in hot water, wrung it out, and gently wiped the boy’s face a few times before squeezing some baby cream onto his soft, chubby cheeks.

 

As he turned to put the cream back on the sink, he noticed Lin Wangye had already raised his little hands and begun rubbing it on himself.

 

The gesture was so reminiscent of a small furry animal—like a squirrel or a tiny hamster.

 

Because Lu Chengxuan was both careful and inexperienced, something as simple as brushing and washing the boy had taken a long time.

 

Now it was his turn to wash, and that was another challenge.

 

He didn’t feel safe leaving the child out of sight—the bathroom chair had no armrests, and in a moment of inattention, Lin Wangye could fall and hurt himself.

 

So he held the boy while brushing his own teeth, only giving his face a quick, cursory wipe.

 

It was clear that whoever had taken care of Lin Wangye before hadn’t tried to do these things while holding him.

 

The boy found this new perspective fascinating. As Lu Chengxuan shaved, he stared intently and even reached out to poke the stubble.

 

Lu Chengxuan used a disposable manual razor—not a safer electric one.

 

Every time the boy reached, he paused, waiting for Lin Wangye to withdraw his hand before continuing, careful not to accidentally nick him.

 

After all that fuss, the morning routine was finally over.

 

Lu Chengxuan carried the boy back to the living room and glanced at the wall clock—half an hour had passed without him realizing it. He picked up his phone to check unread messages, and the information he had requested had already come through.

 

Before marriage, Lin Qianqian had a brief career in entertainment and still had some fans, so it wasn’t easy to get in touch with her quickly.

 

But Xu Suinian was a professional designer under the Lin group, so getting his work number had been simple.

 

Lu Chengxuan dialed the number, bringing the phone to his ear.

 

Luckily, it was a day off, and Xu Suinian was reachable and had a healthy routine. After only a few rings, the call connected, and a polite, refined voice answered.

 

“Hello, who’s this?”

 

Lin Wangye, with ears sharpened from just over a year of use, instantly recognized the voice through Lu Chengxuan’s proximity, even without speakerphone. His eyes lit up like shining stars.

 

“Sorry to bother you so early. I’m Lu Chengxuan.”

 

Noticing the boy’s reaction, Lu Chengxuan paused briefly, then continued into the phone.

 

“Lin Shen left his son here and asked me to help take care of him, but the child isn’t familiar with me and is a little uneasy. I can’t reach Lin Shen—his phone’s busy. Yesterday, the boy seemed very close to you. Could you please talk to him for a bit?”

 

After Lu Chengxuan finished speaking, there was a brief silence on the line.

 

On the other end, Xu Suinian set down his coffee cup, recalling what might have happened last night. His expression was complicated.

 

But if it was Lin Shen…

 

Then really, no matter how absurd the situation, it wouldn’t be surprising.

 

Xu Suinian didn’t hesitate long. After a pause of three or four seconds, he cleared his throat twice.

 

“Is Xiao Lin alone with you?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Lu Chengxuan glanced at Lin Wangye and said, “I think he might be a little scared of me… he just isn’t showing it.”

 

Xu Suinian understood immediately and said, “Then please put the call on speaker. I’ll see if I can talk to him.”

 

“Done,” Lu Chengxuan replied, pressing the speakerphone button.

 

Although Lin Wangye had only met Xu Suinian yesterday, children’s affections were often inexplicable. He had practically stuck to him all day.

 

Xu Suinian had even been the one to coax him to sleep.

 

But once awake, he was a different boy.

 

Unsure if the child could recognize his voice, Xu Suinian cautiously spoke, “Xiao Lin, are you listening to me?”

 

Hearing this, Lin Wangye’s expression immediately brightened.

 

“Yes! I’m listening!”

 

Xu Suinian couldn’t help smiling. “Can you tell who I am?”

 

“Uncle!” the boy shouted.

 

“That’s good,” Xu Suinian said, hearing the rising tone at the end and realizing the child wasn’t as panicked as Lu Chengxuan feared. He relaxed and continued slowly, “The uncle with you isn’t a bad person. Don’t be afraid. Your dad will come find you when he’s done with work.”

 

Lin Shen wasn’t home every day; he was often busy outside. Most of the time, Lin Wangye spent more time with his aunt and the family’s nannies.

 

Hearing Xu Suinian’s voice seemed to calm him. He didn’t feel such a desperate need to see his dad and tried to speak into the phone,

 

“Uncle, find Xiao Lin.”

 

Xu Suinian understood what he meant but looked out the window, slightly troubled. After a pause, he said, “Hmm… the uncle can’t come over right now. Xiao Lin, wait for your dad a bit. The uncle will figure out a way.”

 

To Lin Wangye, adults could solve anything. He nodded eagerly.

 

“Okay.”

 

“Then I’ll talk to the uncle next to you for a bit.”

 

At this point, seeing that Lin Wangye had completely relaxed, Lu Chengxuan turned off the speakerphone and held the phone to his ear.

 

“Are you able to come over now?”

 

“Hmm… didn’t you notice?”

 

Xu Suinian sounded slightly puzzled, then explained, “You’re still at that hotel from yesterday, right? That area is low-lying, the drainage isn’t great, and it hasn’t been fixed—you should know. The rain’s too heavy, several streets are flooded, and cars can’t get through. You won’t be able to leave anytime soon.”

 

Lu Chengxuan had only been in touch with Lin Shen and the person who got him the contact info after waking up; he hadn’t really been following any other news.

 

Hearing Xu Suinian, he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and glanced outside. Sure enough, he could vaguely see the street below turned into a sheet of water.

 

The rain was still pouring, not a single car moving—the traffic was completely paralyzed.

 

“Just realized,” he said. “It’s fine. I’m not in a hurry.”

 

“Mm. I probably can’t come over anytime soon either. Please take care of Xiao Lin for now. Lin Shen is definitely still at the hotel, just busy with something. Maybe he’ll be back soon.”

 

Xu Suinian paused briefly, then chuckled softly.

 

“Maybe fate itself doesn’t want you to leave.”

 

“This kid is really cute. He’s not that afraid of people. Smile more—Xiao Lin will like you.”

 

*

 

Meanwhile, the legendary ‘busy’ Lin Shen was:

 

Zzzz……

 

The moment he threw the kid down, he went back to the next room to nap, snoring like a freight train.

 

After waking up, he pretended to be very busy as he returned.

 

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