“I f*cking asked you what you were f*cking doing! Who taught you that?” Xu Lan clenched his hand into a fist and wiped his lips with the web of his thumb. “Sss!”

‘F*CK! My lips are cracked from his biting. Which b*stard taught him this? I’ll beat him to death if I ever find out who it is,’ Xu Lan thought.

Bai Wu’s smile turned into a frown as he rubbed his thumbs. His pupils became sullen.

“I dreamt that Papa got together with the pretty big sister and didn’t want me anymore. So…” Bai Wu took advantage of Xu Lan’s guilt and spouted a big fat lie. He did not dare to look up at Xu Lan, so he lowered his head and rubbed his fingers. Xu Lan’s perplexed and bewildered expression was a reality that Bai Wu did not dare to face.

“Ay, what else could I possibly do to make you believe me? This shouldn’t be a problem in the first place! Ay! Forget about it, you wouldn’t understand it either. I’ll forget about her okay? I don’t want you to bring her up again! There’s no use crying over spilled milk, all you have to do is believe me.” Xu Lan shook his head.

Bai Wu’s heart skipped a beat. He sat silently at the edge of the bed and nibbled at his fingernails. At that time, Xu Lan loved him, but only with a familial love; Xu Lan looked at him as a son and would only pamper him in that manner. That was the reason for Xu Lan’s consent to Bai Wu’s requests for hugs and kisses. Once he realized that these feelings changed…that was something that Bai Wu was scared to think about.

“Because whenever it’s about this, Papa’s doesn’t take it seriously. I’m…I’m scared.” Bai Wu looked up at Xu Lan with his reddened eyes and tears began flowing immediately.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry.” Xu Lan hugged him and began patting him on the back to comfort him.

“Hic. Papa said the same thing last time. Why did Papa like her? I also like Papa. Hic.” Bai Wu cried as he dug up those issues from the past.

“I also like Bai Wu. I like Bai Wu the most, of course. Don’t cry, don’t cry. You’re so grown up now, it’s ugly for a handsome young man to cry his eyes out.” Xu Lan responded with a frown.

“Is it ugly?” Bai Wu immediately halted his crying and wiped away his tears.

“Mm! Grown-ups shouldn’t cry so much, understand? It’s embarrassing if other people see you like this, but you can still cry in front of me,” Xu Lan explained as he handed him a handkerchief.

“Papa, you always say that you ‘like’ me, but why is your ‘like’ different? Doesn’t ‘like’ mean a wholehearted and sincere ‘like’? It’s not fair. Bai Wu likes Papa alone with all of Bai Wu’s heart and soul, so Papa must only like me too!” Bai Wu replied firmly.

“…mm, there are many types of ‘like’. Slowly you’ll begin to understand. Don’t worry, Papa has promised you, and it’s serious this time. If it wasn’t, maybe you wouldn’t trust Papa anymore, haha.”

Xu Lan rubbed Bai Wu’s hair and let out a candid smile, but did not notice that hint of gloominess that flashed across Bai Wu’s eyes.

Just as Xu Lan was reinstated, he was admitted to the hospital, and right after that, he got drenched in a downpour. His body was unable to bear all of that. He turned over and stumbled while trying to get off the bed but was quickly caught by Bai Wu.

“Papa…” Bai Wu was worried.

“I’m alright, I’m alright. I’m just a bit dizzy. Eh? You look like you’ve grown much taller. I think we should get some new clothes. Let’s see if the ones I just bought can be returned, it’ll be a waste if we can’t.” Standing upright, Xu Lan’s eyes were parallel with Bai Wu’s chin.

It stressed Xu Lan out for him to see Bai Wu at this height! He hoped that Bai Wu would stop growing, as that meant the boy would eat a lot and require new clothes frequently. Xu Lan did not have the financial ability to support the needs of two grown men.

“Okay!” Bai Wu half-embraced Xu Lan and pursed his lips.

No one knew what went on in Bai Wu’s mind, not even Bai Wu himself. He was clueless and did not know what to do.