Qin Kun’s handmade noodles were superb. The little guy could eat a big bowl at once, plus a fried egg.
“Then it depends on your performance!” He casually wiped the drool from the little guy’s mouth and carried him to wash up and get dressed.
By the time the father and son had tidied themselves up, Su Siwen was still sleeping. Qin Kun saw him turning over in bed a few times, looking like he was about to wake but not quite. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, putting his hand under the covers to massage his legs.
“Kun Kun, is Dad in pain?” The little guy spoke very quietly, afraid of waking Dad.
Qin Kun said it didn’t hurt. It was just a little itchy. A scratch would fix it. Su Youli, with his little curly hair, lifted the covers, stuck his head in, and gently pressed his little hands on Dad’s knees. His expression under the covers was very serious. Su Siwen, who hadn’t been sleeping soundly, slowly relaxed his furrowed brows and continued his sweet dream.
After breakfast, Qin Kun carried Youyou to the other villa. It was only a few minutes’ walk through the side door. The path between the two villas had also been renovated, very friendly for someone like Su Siwen whose legs weren’t convenient. The villa was neat and clean. Qin Kun casually ran his hand along the cabinet in the entryway. Not a speck of dust. The butler had come early to turn on the villa’s air conditioning. It was now as warm as spring inside.
Little Su Youli crouched down, took out his little slippers from the shoe cabinet, changed into them himself, and raised his hand to take off his little hat. The shoes in the cabinet were all new. Qin Kun only had to glance to know they were his and Siwen’s sizes. But the pair on the little guy’s feet looked like they had been worn for a while. Qin Kun was a bit puzzled.
“Youyou, do you come here often?”
The little guy stood familiarly on the small stool next to the cabinet. He only needed to reach out to easily get the yogurt on top.
The little guy held the yogurt and turned to look at Dad. “Yes.”
Mom and Dad said this house would be Big Dad and Little Dad’s home from now on, and they would live together forever. The little guy was overjoyed. Every time Grandpa Li called people over to repair the garden or paint the walls or clean the yard, he would come over with Grandpa Li. To improve his work ability, Tang Dou had even bought him a set of cleaning tools suitable for children.
Behind the kitchen side door, there was also a patch of land, where a cream-yellow little bucket was placed, containing the little guy’s little shovel for farming. When Dad wasn’t back, every day after kindergarten, he would come over to clean up a bit. Then he would sit at the door in a daze for a while, resting his chin on his hand, looking at the horizon and thinking of his two dads.
Drinking the yogurt his son handed him, Qin Kun carried him upstairs. The scene before him shocked him. On the second-floor corridor hung several of Siwen’s award-winning works, and several were drawings Su Youli had done at kindergarten. Each painting was framed, showing the Shen family’s care.
Qin Kun stood in front of a painting in a daze and asked Youyou, “Why is your Little Dad’s painting here?”
The little guy in his arms opened his round eyes, his expression reproachful. “Dad, don’t you know?”
Qin Kun: “Hm?”
“Mom said Little Dad is amazing. These paintings are all works he won awards for in competitions.”
Su Siwen’s youth was poor. Entering competitions meant prize money. So from high school to university, he entered many, many competitions. Su Siwen didn’t care whether the competitions were authoritative. As long as he placed in the top three, his living expenses for the coming period were secured. His works were downloaded by Chu Ying from the official websites of several major competitions, printed, framed, and hung here for display.
“Dad, this is your and Little Dad’s room.”
The little guy stood on his tiptoes and turned the doorknob. The room’s decor was clearly different from last time, with many more wood-style furnishings. Qin Kun felt it was a bit like their old house on Yunshui Street. After showing Dad around the room and helping Dad unpack, the little guy got his wish and ate the handmade noodles Dad made for him. Just a small bowl, which an adult could finish in one bite. By the time the little guy finished eating, Su Siwen came over slowly, yawning.
He came through the main door, which had a fingerprint password lock. When he went out, he met Butler Li, who told him the password was Youyou’s birthday and that they should remember to record their fingerprints for convenience. Su Siwen didn’t plan to record his fingerprint, nor did he plan to stay here long.
The little guy, still a bit hungry after the noodles, was fed a small piece of beef by Su Siwen. His mouth was covered in oil, and he smiled and said, “Thank you, Dad.”
When Su Siwen saw the paintings hanging on the wall, his first reaction was shock, his heart full of emotion. Almost all the works here were painted when he was in his early twenties. Others competed for honor. He competed for a living. These paintings, to him now, were youthful and brash, as if every line had used up all his skill.
His fingertip touched one of them. If he remembered correctly, this painting was the gold award winner in a large-scale painting competition. He had used the prize money to pay two years of tuition. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t moved. Looking at this painting reminded him of those full and busy years. Su Siwen’s student days were unfortunate. He had blamed himself for taking too long to grow up, for not being able to give his parents a better life before they passed away. But many times he also felt he was lucky. He had met a lover who could walk side by side with him.
His career happened to be his hobby, and he was also very lucky to have met many good teachers and friends on the path of painting. With his teacher’s help, he won the gold award the first time he entered a newcomer painting competition and made it onto the school’s honor roll. After graduating from high school, parents hired him as a tutor at a high salary, giving him the money to attend university. A cold palm was suddenly squeezed by a soft little hand. Su Siwen looked down and met a pair of clear, big eyes.
“Dad, this is my drawing.” The little guy was a bit happy, pointing at the painting next to it.
A simple white sheet of paper, small, framed inside. The little guy had drawn the Shen family’s garden. The flowers in the garden were colored in bright colors by him. Blue filled the entire sky, and in the upper right corner hung a golden sun, Grandpa wearing sunglasses. This painting was probably a kindergarten assignment. The upper right corner of the paper even had a pretty 100 marked in red pen.
“It’s beautifully drawn, and you even got a hundred. So Youyou is a little painter too.”
The little guy’s face was red. He buried his head in Dad’s knees, giggling like a little chick.
The little chick took Su Siwen to another room on the second floor. “Dad.” The little guy stood aside, smiling, letting Dad open the door himself. Su Siwen narrowed his eyes and cooperatively raised his hand to open the door. Before him was a spacious, bright space, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the outdoor scenery. The solid wood easel had a luxurious grain. On the long table by the window were neatly arranged painting tools, with paints and brushes all complete.
A thick cashmere rug and the velvet sofa in the center looked soft and comfortable. This was the second time Su Siwen was shocked today. Chu Ying and Shen Minyan had actually built him a studio! Before this, he had only taken Chu Ying’s words about treating him and Qin Kun like younger brothers as politeness. He hadn’t expected, hadn’t expected…
He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak. The little guy beside him couldn’t wait, circling the wheelchair. “Dad, do you like it here?”
After saying that, the little guy happily threw himself into his arms, tilting up a tender little face, his eyes full of stars when he smiled.
“Mom, Dad, and I designed it together. I chose this sofa. Dad, do you think it looks good?
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Nai On TMPC Chapter 102