Winter sunlight shone brightly on the ground, in a way that would effectuate a sense of laziness in a person. Bai Wu’s voice, however, was filled with enthusiasm.

“Papa, I want a hug.”

Bai Wu called out demurely. Both his arms were extended out widely as he sought a hug.

The boy successfully managed to draw Xu Lan’s attention to him and away from Li Xiu’s question. The faintly indiscernible smell of blood was an instinctive defense, preventing Li Xiu and Xu Lan from coming into contact.

Xu Lan stopped, confused about what was going on in the child’s mind. It was obvious that the boy was avoiding him just moments ago, yet he suddenly sought to be pampered.

“Papa…” Seeing that Xu Lan did not respond, he called out again while batting his eyelashes and biting his lips.

“Oh, I’ve only been carrying you for a while, and you’re already fed up with me? You want your father to carry you now?” A hint of cheerlessness could be heard underneath Hu Cheng’s teasing, after which he passed the boy over to Xu Lan.

“Let’s call it a truce, papa,” Bai Wu whispered by Xu Lan’s ear and hugged him tightly.

“Damn, why does it sound like a married couple’s conversation? Do you want me and Officer Li to leave you both alone?” Hu Cheng was standing fairly close, and so heard Bai Wu’s sentence. The boy’s face turned red upon hearing Hu Cheng’s response.

“I’m embarrassing myself in front of Officer Li. Let’s go and have our meal,” Xu Lan remarked apologetically to Li Xiu while hoisting Bai Wu up by the buttocks, which made the boy’s face even redder, to the point where it looked like blood was about to ooze out.

Adjusting his glasses ever so slightly, Li Xiu assured him that it was not a big deal.

Everyone there formed their own conclusions regarding the matter at the sight of the muscular man carrying the meek little boy. Hu Cheng sighed and walked ahead. He was the first to enter the Cantonese restaurant.

“Lao Xu, what happened to your neck?” Hu Cheng questioned Xu Lan suspiciously as soon as he took his overcoat off. The location of the mark implicated a hint of flirtatiousness. He knew that he had a child, but Xu Lan never mentioned a wife. Could it be from the female reporter that was present at the station?

“Hm?”

It took a while for Xu Lan to realize that the mark was a bite from when Bai Wu was angry! Do all dragons bite when they are mad? Bai Wu had a knack for leaving bite marks all over his body. A few days ago it was on his chest, now it was on his neck.

Are these the kind of characteristics that dragons have? It seemed more like something a dog would do. It was as if Bai Wu was making a sovereign vow…

Xu Lan’s temples pulsated and he quickly placed Bai Wu down on the chair as if the boy was a hot object.

“It was a mosquito,” he panicked and said.

“Ah, mosquitoes seem to be more heat-resistant nowadays. Haha….Officer Li, go ahead and order,” Hu Cheng chuckled then changed the subject and stopped teasing Xu Lan.

Hearing the conversation, Bai Wu became terribly flustered, and his face alternated between being flush and pale. He clenched his fist and bit his lips to the point of almost wounding them.

“Why’re you not eating? What’s on your mind?”

Noticing that Bai Wu kept quiet for a long time, Xu Lan took a piece of steamed chicken and gave it to him. Xu Lan’s warm breath upon the boy’s ears enveloped the child in a majestic energy.

“Ah, nothing!”

The panic-stricken boy simultaneously knocked over a bowl of soup and lifted his head abruptly, knocking Xu Lan’s jaw which almost brought the man to tears.

“How are you? Are you scalded?” Without even tending to himself, Xu Lan carried Bai Wu to check on the boy.

“Why are you so clumsy?” When he looked down, Xu Lan’s gaze was met with a pair of eyes that were streaming with tears. “Never mind,” he added.

“Is he alright?” Hu Cheng asked in a worried tone and stood up to check.

As a commissioner that was sent by the higher-ups, it was the first time that Li Xiu was completely ignored. Suffice to say, the boy’s position in everyone’s hearts were clear. Li Xiu did not get angry, he simply sat quietly and observed the two unsettled men tending to the boy.

“Would you like to go back to get a change of clothes? I’m worried he’ll catch a cold,” Li Xiu asked courteously as his gaze focused on Xu Lan.

“But…” It was an unspoken fact that Li Xiu was the main character of the day. Xu Lan was well aware of that, and yet everything was a complete mess because of Bai Wu.

“It’s alright, you should bring him home. We’ll have plenty of time to discuss the case after that. You wouldn’t want the kid to catch a cold. You should head back first.”

Finishing his sentence, Li Xiu undid the top button of his shirt. Just as expected, a cold glance was shot at him. ‘What an interesting child,’ Li Xiu smiled and thought.

“He’s right, Lao Xu. You should go back home and get him changed, he mustn’t stay wet like this.” With a slap of the thigh, Hu Cheng urged Xu Lan out.