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Chapter 19
Editor: Princess
After finishing the delicious and nutritious porridge, Qin Huanxi took Mo Siyuan back to the room to take a bath. Mo Siyuan had already learned to sleep alone a year ago.
His baby’s room was decorated in a very warm and elegant style, with every piece of furniture and ornament carefully selected, making it clear that Mo Shaoheng had put a lot of thought into Mo Siyuan.
Qin Huanxi went to the bathroom first to run the bathwater. And Mo Siyuan, on his own initiative, climbed onto the chair by the bathroom window, fiddling with the toys piled all over the table, swinging his legs as he waited. Qin Huanxi chuckled, shaking his head, then he went back to the room to fetch his baby’s change of clothes.
“Xiao Yuan, come take a bath.” Once the bathtub was filled, he tested the water temperature and called Mo Siyuan over.
Mo Siyuan put the toys down obediently and ran over. After Qin Huanxi helped him undress, the little boy stomped up the steps into the large, round, comfortable bathtub. He squeezed the floating bath toys in his hands and grinned happily.
Qin Huanxi couldn’t help but laugh. Then he sat on the edge of the bathtub and gently washed his little one’s body.
As Mo Siyuan played with his toys, he looked up at Qin Huanxi, who was helping him bathe seriously. And seeing the tenderness and affection in Qin Huanxi’s eyes, he suddenly felt very happy, his heart brimming with warmth.
“Big brother Huanxi, will you always, always stay with Xiao Yuan? Will you always, always love Xiao Yuan like this?”
Qin Huanxi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed. Raising his wet hand, he pinched his little one’s nose.
“What nonsense is that little brain of yours thinking? Xiao Yuan will always be big brother Huanxi’s precious treasure. Of course, Big brother Huanxi will always, always stay with Xiao Yuan, always, always love Xiao Yuan, and only love Xiao Yuan. Satisfied?”
“Mmm!” Mo Siyuan squinted his eyes in satisfaction.
After a moment, he suddenly lowered his head, his soft little hands clutching the toy as he said in a dejected tone.
“I’m not Daddy’s real child, so the people at Grandma’s house don’t like me. Grandma won’t let me call her that, and she won’t let me go back either…”
Qin Huanxi’s hand abruptly froze. Looking at his little one’s sorrowful face, a sharp pain pierced his heart. His grip on the bath sponge tightened, but after a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down slowly.
The Mo family’s matriarch had always been a stubborn and rigid person. Otherwise, Mo Shanshan wouldn’t have ended up staying at Mo Shaoheng’s place all this time. He didn’t know why Mo Shanshan didn’t win the old lady’s favor, but given that she was even so harsh to her own biological granddaughter, it wasn’t a surprise that she was like that towards Mo Siyuan, who was merely an adopted child.
Qin Huanxi didn’t care whether the old lady accepted his baby or not. He didn’t even mind if she ignored him altogether or refused to let him step foot in the Mo family’s main house. However, if she dared to bully or mistreat his precious little one because of this, then he would never sit back and endure it just because she was an elder.
He opened his arms, cupped Mo Siyuan’s soft little hands in his palms gently, and said seriously, “It doesn’t matter whether Xiao Yuan is Daddy’s real child or not. What’s important is that Daddy loves you very, very much. Not only Daddy, Sister Shanshan and Big brother Huanxi also love you very, very much. Got it?”
Mo Siyuan nodded. “Mmm, Daddy doesn’t go home either. Daddy said, where Xiao Yuan is, that’s home… Xiao Yuan doesn’t like Grandma either. Grandma is so mean, so mean. She said Xiao Yuan is an unlucky bad child, that Xiao Yuan caused his real daddy and grandparents to die, and that because of Xiao Yuan, no one wants to marry Daddy…”
“Nonsense!” Qin Huanxi’s eyes narrowed, a hidden fury flickering in his gaze. He hadn’t expected the mighty Mo family’s matriarch to be so cruel and heartless. No wonder Mo Shaoheng had left the Mo family at such a young age to forge his own path.
This kind of person was extremely snobbish, only valuing those who could bring her power and benefits. To her, those without value were as worthless as dirt—not even worth a glance. Yet, when facing him, the young master of the Qin family, she put on a different, kindly facade.
Qin Huanxi held Mo Siyuan’s small body in his arms with heartache.
“Xiao Yuan, don’t listen to their nonsense. The ones who say those things are the real bad people. How could Xiao Yuan be an unlucky bad child? Xiao Yuan might not remember, but you must always know—your birth was something that made Daddy and your grandparents proud. You’re not allowed to say things like that again, understand? Otherwise, Daddy and Big brother Huanxi will be very, very sad.”
“Really?” Mo Siyuan’s eyes widened. “Then why can’t Daddy find a wife? Isn’t it because of Xiao Yuan?”
Qin Huanxi almost choked on his laughter. He reached out and flicked the little guy’s forehead with his finger.
“Since when is it your business whether Daddy finds a wife or not? Why, do you want a mommy?”
“Xiao Yuan doesn’t have a mommy. Even Daddy doesn’t know who Xiao Yuan’s mommy is.”
Mo Siyuan actually didn’t have much of a concept of a mother. Other children had moms and dads, but he only had a daddy. Whether in the past or now, he had only ever had Daddy—never a mommy.
But the thought of calling some stranger “Mommy” didn’t really appeal to him either. Still, Daddy was already so old and hadn’t married yet. That didn’t seem right…
Besides, Uncle Fengyu had told him that lots and lots of pretty ladies liked Daddy, but Daddy just didn’t like them.
Mo Siyuan’s whole little face scrunched up in thought as he pouted, looking at Qin Huanxi’s handsome face right in front of him. Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him, and his tangled expression instantly brightened up. He was so excited that he practically bounced.
“Big brother Huanxi can be Xiao Yuan’s mommy!”
“Cough, cough—!” Qin Huanxi nearly lost his balance and fell into the bathtub, mentally chanting “children say the darndest things, children say the darndest things…”
But on a deeper level… this little guy actually hit the nail on the head.
However before he could respond, he suddenly heard the sound of slightly hurried breathing. Looking up, he saw Mo Shaoheng standing at the bathroom door, his tall figure wrapped in a white bathrobe, exuding an inexplicable allure.
And the flash of awkwardness that crossed Mo Shaoheng’s face told Qin Huanxi that he had probably been standing there for quite a while… and had heard every word, including his little one’s explosive statement.
However he wasn’t particularly embarrassed. After all, no one would take a child’s joke seriously.
He turned his gaze back to Mo Siyuan, pinching his little cheeks. “What on earth is that little brain of yours thinking all day? Daddy’s marriage isn’t something for you to worry about. Now, stand up, hurry and finish bathing, then go to sleep like a good boy.”
“Why?” Mo Siyuan asked, tilting his head. “Can’t Big brother Huanxi be my mommy? Big brother Huanxi is so pretty, even a hundred times prettier than a lot of the mommys in my class. I want Big brother Huanxi to be my mommy.”
He leaned in close, his little face practically pressed against Qin Huanxi’s, staring straight into his eyes.
“You’re just a little child—do you even know how much a hundred times is?” Qin Huanxi really felt like sighing and rubbing his forehead.
How was he supposed to explain such a complicated issue to a six-year-old? Should he tell him that he was a man and couldn’t be a mother? But who knew how much a child this young actually understood about gender? The moment he said it, this little rascal would definitely start digging deeper, asking why men couldn’t be mothers.
So should he just tell him the truth, that he was actually the real daddy? That he was the one who carried him to term and gave birth to him?
“I do know!” His little chatterbox flailed his arms around enthusiastically. “A hundred times is this much, this much, this much—so, so much!”
In the end, Qin Huanxi just sighed and said, “Alright, alright, this much, this much. Xiao Yuan, be good and listen. You’re still young, so you don’t need to think about grown-up matters.”
Mo Siyuan pouted, tilting his little head up to look at Mo Shaoheng. “Daddy, I don’t want any other sisters or aunties to be my mommy.”
Mo Shaoheng was silent for a moment, then he said seriously, “Alright, no other sisters or aunties will be your mommy.”
“Hehe…” The little guy was finally satisfied. He was so happy he squeezed his toy duck, making it go “quack, quack, quack” nonstop.
Qin Huanxi glanced at Mo Shaoheng. And seeing his serious expression, he figured he was just trying to comfort him. But now that he thought about it, he really hadn’t heard of Mo Shaoheng having anyone around him—no men, no women. His private life was very clean, and at his age, he still didn’t seem to have any plans for marriage or children.
After nearly ten minutes of fussing around, Qin Huanxi finally finished giving Mo Siyuan a bath. He dressed him in an adorable pajamas set, then picked him up and handed him over to Mo Shaoheng. “Uncle Mo, take Xiao Yuan to bed first. I’ll tidy up the bathroom.”
Mo Shaoheng took Mo Siyuan in his arms, looked at Qin Huanxi for a moment, then said, “Someone will clean up tomorrow. It’s late, you should sleep early.”
Qin Huanxi nodded. Then he bent down to drain the bathtub, dried his hands, and followed Mo Shaoheng out of the bathroom. When he entered the bedroom, he noticed a neatly folded bathrobe placed on Mo Siyuan’s bed. Instantly understanding, he picked up the bathrobe and said, “Thanks, Uncle Mo. I’ll go shower in the guest room’s bathroom.”
Mo Shaoheng placed Mo Siyuan on the bed, tucked him in, and then straightened up. “The guest room isn’t in this building. Use my bathroom.”
Qin Huanxi looked at him in surprise. Someone like Mo Shaoheng was bound to have some level of cleanliness obsession. He seemed like the type who wouldn’t like outsiders touching his personal space—especially his bedroom. He was the same way.
Mo Shaoheng reassured Mo Siyuan a bit more, then walked up to Qin Huanxi and said, “Let’s go.”
Qin Huanxi glanced back at Mo Siyuan. His little one was watching him with big, expectant eyes. He smiled. “Xiao Yuan, go to sleep first. Big brother Huanxi will be back soon.”
“Big brother Huanxi, hurry back after your shower. I still want to hear a bedtime story.” Mo Siyuan said in a pitiful voice.
“Alright, Big brother Huanxi will tell you a bedtime story when I come back.” Qin Huanxi bent down to pat his baby’s forehead, then gave him a quick peck before grabbing his clean clothes and following Mo Shaoheng out of the room.
Mo Shaoheng’s master bedroom was right next to Mo Siyuan’s. This was Qin Huanxi’s first time inside. The decor was just like the impression Mo Shaoheng gave off—cool and distant, with a European-style interior. There was a spacious balcony outside the room, furnished with a table and chairs. And on the table sat a wine glass and a bottle of red wine.
“The bathroom’s over here.” Mo Shaoheng pushed open the bathroom door.
“Thank you.” Qin Huanxi didn’t hesitate, stepping in and shutting the door behind him. Mo Siyuan was still waiting for him, so he wasn’t planning to take a long, relaxing bath. He quickly showered, dried off, and put on the bathrobe.
When he stepped out, he saw Mo Shaoheng sitting on the balcony, drinking. Curious, he walked over. “Uncle Mo, aren’t you keeping Xiao Yuan company?”
Mo Shaoheng didn’t answer directly. Instead, he tilted his chin slightly, signaling for him to sit. Only then did he say, “Xiao Yuan is already asleep. Want a drink?”
Qin Huanxi let out a small breath of relief and sat down in the chair across from Mo Shaoheng. And watching as the man poured him a glass of wine, he didn’t refuse. Resting his chin in his hand, he said, “It’s really late. Normally, the little guy would have been asleep by now, but he insisted on staying up.”
Mo Shaoheng handed him the wine glass, then lifted his own, clinking it lightly against Qin Huanxi’s.
Qin Huanxi smiled, taking a small sip and savoring the rich flavor. Looking out at the beautiful night view, he sighed, “Uncle Mo, you really know how to enjoy life. Sipping wine under a night like this, there’s a certain charm to it, it’s quite relaxing.”
Mo Shaoheng leaned back in his chair. “I told you, you can stay whenever you want.”
Qin Huanxi chuckled. “Then I won’t be polite in the future, so Uncle Mo, don’t be stingy with your fine wine.”
Mo Shaoheng didn’t answer, but the slight curve of his lips deepened. He wasn’t just saying those words as a courtesy. Whenever he was with Qin Huanxi, he always felt at ease. And the closer he got to him, the stronger that sense of familiarity became.
Qin Huanxi took another sip of wine, then hesitated before asking, “Uncle Mo, can I ask you something?”
“Hmm?” Mo Shaoheng’s voice was deep and magnetic, perhaps even more so after drinking. “Go ahead.”
Qin Huanxi drank another sip, as if gathering courage. The question he was about to ask was sensitive, and he wasn’t sure how Mo Shaoheng would react. But in the end, he spoke. “Uncle Mo, do you know who Xiao Yuan’s mother is? He told me today that he never had a mommy. Have you ever looked into his background?”
Qin Huanxi carefully observed Mo Shaoheng’s expression. There was no change, nor did he answer immediately. This made Qin Huanxi subtly exhale in relief.
He had always known, that if Mo Shaoheng really did investigate Mo Siyuan’s origins, there was no way he could have hidden the fact that he had given birth.
Mo Shaoheng looked at Qin Huanxi, noticed his slight nervousness, and finally spoke in a low voice. “No. I don’t want to know.”
“Why?” Qin Huanxi blurted out subconsciously. Mo Shaoheng gave him a strange look, making him even more confused. After nearly a minute of silence, just when Qin Huanxi thought he wouldn’t get an answer, Mo Shaoheng spoke, his voice tinged with chagrin.
“Would you deliberately dig into the past of someone you like—find out they got married and had a child—just to make yourself miserable?”
“Pfft—” Qin Huanxi was glad he hadn’t been drinking at that moment, otherwise he would’ve definitely spat wine all over Mo Shaoheng.
That was… ridiculously straightforward.
But at this moment, he actually felt relieved. Because although there was an unknown, strange feeling in his heart, he could be sure that Mo Shaoheng still didn’t know about Mo Siyuan’s background. However thinking about it carefully, though, something felt a little off….
He had only just breathed a sigh of relief for less than a minute when he suddenly realized another layer of meaning hidden in Mo Shaoheng’s words. The heat on his face shot up instantly. What Mo Shaoheng just said—he could completely take it as a confession to “Ning Xue”.
Did this person really like his past self?
He forced himself to stay calm and apologized, “Sorry, Uncle Mo, I shouldn’t have brought this up.”
“It’s fine.” Mo Shaoheng wasn’t actually angry, just a little frustrated. Back when he adopted Mo Siyuan, Ning Xue had just passed away, and he simply hadn’t been in the right state of mind to think too much about it. It wasn’t until he had calmed down later that he realized— Ning Xue and his parents had all passed away, but in the whole upheaval of the Ning family, there had never been any mention of a wife for Ning Xue.
Naturally, he had never deliberately looked into Ning Xue’s life after graduation. His son was already this old, so of course, there had been a marriage at some point. Either he was already divorced, or something unexpected had happened. At that time, he had just come to understand how deeply he cared about Ning Xue, and his instinct was to avoid Ning Xue’s past, forcing himself not to dwell on it.