The villa was more than large enough for all of them to stay, and it was clean inside. The little guy curled up in his father’s arms, his little tummy growling.
“Kun Kun, Youyou is hungry.” Su Youli covered his belly, a little embarrassed.
Qin Kun had already prepared food, but he’d originally planned to drop Youyou off at the hotel and bring it back. Now, he could just serve it right away. Tang Dou was busy unpacking the little guy’s luggage, following Zhang Shun upstairs. The little guy’s dark eyes looked up toward the second floor. He was carried to the table and sat down.
“Dad~” The little guy pointed upstairs, turning to look at Qin Kun.
Qin Kun tried to coax him into eating something, but the little guy pressed his lips together and insisted on finding Su Siwen. Su Youli was an angel baby, but he had a stubborn streak. If he said he wanted to see his Little Dad, then he was going to see his Little Dad. Without seeing his Little Dad, he wouldn’t eat a single bite. Qin Kun exchanged a look with Shen Minyan. They had no choice but to carry him upstairs.
Inside the second-floor room.
A thin young man stood behind the door, his ear pressed against the wood, trying to make out the sounds outside. The room was lit with warm yellow light, casting a gentle glow across his profile. To his right rested a lightweight cane. The villa was covered in thick carpet throughout, muffling almost all footsteps.
Su Siwen had been standing for a while. The knee that had undergone surgery not long ago began to throb with pain. He picked up his cane and walked back into the room, a faint, self-deprecating smile on his lips. He was the one who hadn’t wanted Youyou to see him like this. Now that Youyou really hadn’t come, why was he feeling sad?
“Dad, open the door.”
A muffled child’s voice came through the door. The voice was soft and milky, the knocking not very forceful. Su Siwen froze, his hand gripping the cane. His heart surged with emotion. Was he hallucinating? How could he be hearing Youyou’s voice? Wasn’t Youyou supposed to be taken to a hotel by Qin Kun? How could he be here?
“Dad, it’s Youyou. Open the door.”
The door was pounded on more loudly than before.
“Your Little Dad might already be resting. Let’s wait a little while, okay?” Shen Minyan crouched down, took Su Youli’s little hand, and blew gently on his palm, which was a bit red from all the hard knocking.
The little guy was sulking. He hung his head and refused to say a word. After Shen Dad finished blowing on his hand, he raised his little hand again, ready to keep knocking. Click. The door opened. The little guy’s small hands hung in midair. Su Siwen’s eyes reddened the moment he saw Su Youli. Children really did grow up fast, changing every day. The Youyou standing before him now looked a bit taller, with signs of growth everywhere. His leg was wrapped in a soft, chubby little body hugging him tightly. Su Siwen looked down and met his son’s eyes. They were full of tears, pitiful and aggrieved.
“Baby, how did you get here?”
The moment Su Youli saw Su Siwen, his tears burst forth. Big, heavy tears fell to the ground. His little hands clung tightly to his father’s pants. He looked up with tear-blurred eyes at his dad. Apart from the overwhelming longing for his father, the main reason for his uncontrollable crying was how much his dad had changed. Su Siwen had always been on the thinner side, and after getting sick, he had lost muscle and become weak. But he had never looked like this before.
Because of the medication, he couldn’t eat, and his body had become even more gaunt. Clothes that used to fit him now hung loosely on his frame. His body could be hidden by clothing, but the state of his face couldn’t be faked. His cheeks were hollow, his eye sockets slightly sunken. He looked utterly haggard. The little guy had never seen his father like this. He hugged his dad in a panic, his voice choked with sobs as he called out to him.
Su Siwen’s heart ached. He bent down, wanting to lift the little guy into his arms and soothe him, just like before. His baby was the easiest to comfort. A few words were all it took to calm him down. But now, apart from his rehabilitation sessions, he couldn’t lift heavy objects or overuse his leg.
His hand rested on the little guy’s head. His voice was as gentle as ever: “Baby, Dad is fine. Here, feel for yourself.”
He took the little guy’s small wrist and guided it to touch his knee. The bone had been repaired, and the wound on the skin was very small. The internal pain was invisible from the outside. The little guy stopped crying, his mouth pouting, his eyelids drooping. He reached out his hand with a mixture of doubt and trust to touch his father’s knee. Before this, Dad had never let him touch it. Afraid of hurting his father, the little guy used very, very little force. His palm rested softly on Dad’s knee.
“…Dad, it’s bone.” The little guy’s voice was still thick with tears. He could feel his father’s kneecap.
Su Siwen nodded. “It’s healthy bone. Dad’s leg is getting better, slowly.”
Dad never lied. So Youyou believed him easily. Qin Kun lifted the little guy and brought him close to Su Siwen.
“Come on, give your Little Dad a kiss.”
The little guy’s eyelashes still held shimmering tears. His pale cheeks were streaked with tear tracks, his face flushed from crying.
He sniffled, pursed his little mouth, and leaned his face forward: “Mwah, mwah.”
Su Siwen greeted Shen Minyan and led them all into the room. Su Siwen supported himself on his cane and sat down on the sofa. The little guy squirmed restlessly in Qin Kun’s arms. Qin Kun knew him best. He placed him into Su Siwen’s arms. The little guy immediately grabbed onto Su Siwen’s clothes, tilted his face up, and called out “Dad” twice in his milky voice.
Su Siwen’s eyes grew hot, tears swirling in them. His arms wrapped tightly around the little one in his embrace.
“Youyou, Dad missed you so much.”
The little guy pressed his cheek against his father’s chest, still sniffing. “Dad lied to Youyou.”
Su Siwen smiled. “How did Dad lie to you?”
The little guy lifted his head, his expression serious. “Dad lied to Youyou, saying he was already better. But Dad isn’t better at all.”
Dad was still in pain. Dad had lost so much weight. Brother Yang Yang had said that only people who didn’t get enough to eat were very, very thin. Thinking about his dad not having enough to eat for so long made the little guy sad again. Tears welled up and fell with a plop. Su Siwen took the tissue Qin Kun handed him and wiped away the little guy’s tears. Even though he was much thinner, his spirits seemed relatively good. His eyes were clear and bright, full of hope for the future.
“Baby, after we cry, let’s stop crying, okay?”
Su Youli nodded. Then he heard his Little Dad continue: “Do you believe in Dad?”
The little guy answered without hesitation: “Youyou believes.”
Su Siwen smiled, gently pinching the chubby flesh of his cheek. His voice was slow and soft: “Dad has already had two surgeries. There’s just one more left, and then he’ll recover. Then Dad can play with Youyou.”
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Talia63 On MAC’60s Chapter 92
im crying sobs
this chapter really made me so emotional TT You You rarely cries like that