Chapter 25
Editor: Princess
Mo Siyuan watched excitedly as the staff carried in a large glass aquarium.
The aquarium was already set up with white sand, artificial mountains, variously shaped pebbles of different sizes, and seaweed. After the staff had placed the aquarium, he was so excited that his little face turned red, and he danced towards Qin Huanxi.
“Big Brother Huanxi, let’s quickly put the little turtles in!” Mo Siyuan excitedly held up a small plastic fish tank containing two palm-sized Brazilian red-eared sliders. This plastic tank was given to him by the shop owner who, seeing how cute, shy, and polite he was, made an exception and gave it to him.
The little one was overjoyed about this and repeatedly said “Thank you, uncle.”, delighting the shop owner so much that he also gave him two packages of turtle food. However, living in such a small fish tank wasn’t good for the turtles’ growth, so the little one was very worried. Qin Huanxi then bought him a large glass aquarium.
Qin Huanxi held down his bouncing little body and took the small fish tank from his hands: “Be good, Big Brother Huanxi will help you put the little turtles into the aquarium. Xiao Yuan, remember to feed the little turtles from now on—once in the morning after you wake up and once in the evening after school. Remember that?”
“I remember!” Mo Siyuan smiled brightly, clinging to the glass aquarium. When he saw the little turtles poking out their heads and slowly crawling on the pebbles, he shouted again excitedly, “The little turtles are moving, moving, moving! They must really like their new home. Big Brother Huanxi, do you think we should give the little turtles names?”
“Alright, would Xiao Yuan like to try naming the little turtles himself?” Qin Huanxi patted his little treasure’s head, encouraging him to use his imagination. Although Mo Siyuan’s personality was gradually changing, becoming more lively around them, he was still somewhat reserved when out in public.
Mo Siyuan tilted his little head and began to think about it seriously, mumbling to himself, “What should I call them?”
Qin Huanxi felt his heart melting at the sight of his darling baby. Crouching down, he hugged him, nuzzling him.
Then from the corner of his eye, he noticed a maid bringing out snacks. He picked Mo Siyuan up and said, “Xiao Yuan, be good. We can take our time with the naming. Let’s have some snacks first while we think.”
“Young Master Qin, the snacks are ready. You and Little Young Master Yuan must be hungry. Please have some snacks to tide you over, the kitchen is still preparing dinner.” The butler said with a smile to Qin Huanxi and Mo Siyuan, his tone carrying a faint respect.
“Thank you.” Qin Huanxi expressed his gratitude, placing Mo Siyuan on a chair. The snacks prepared by the kitchen were several translucent crystal buns that immediately whetted one’s appetite.
He took a small plate, picked up a bun, placed it on the plate, and set it in front of Mo Siyuan, saying, “Here, eat the bun, but be careful, it’s hot.”
Mo Siyuan picked up his chopsticks and began to eat by himself obediently.
Mo Shaoheng had really raised Mo Siyuan well. He had heard Mo Shanshan say that Mo Siyuan could eat by himself when he was four years old, without fussing or making a scene, and without being picky. What’s more he would obediently finish the nutritious meals prepared for him by the kitchen and wouldn’t eat snacks without restraint.
“I’ve got it!” Mo Siyuan’s eyes suddenly lit up, and his two small, fair hands clapped together, making a crisp sound. “Big Brother Huanxi, can we call them Yao Wang and Bu Zhou?”
Mo Siyuan slid off the chair as he spoke and ran to the aquarium, waving his little hand to signal Qin Huanxi to come over.
Laughing, Qin Huanxi shook his head helplessly, walked to his side and bent down to ask, “Which one is Yao Wang? Which one is Bu Zhou?”
“Hmm…” Mo Siyuan drew out the sound, carefully examining the two little turtles crawling on the rocks. He pointed his small finger at the darker, slightly larger little turtle and said, “This big one is called Yao Wang, and the smaller one is called Bu Zhou.”
Qin Huanxi patted his baby’s head, smiling appreciatively: “Xiao Yuan is so clever. From now on, you must take good care of Yao Wang and Bu Zhou. If Xiao Yuan can take good care of them, after some time, Big Brother Huanxi will buy you a little puppy to raise. How about that?”
“Really?” Mo Siyuan’s eyes widened, and he was so excited that he nearly jumped.
He had always wanted to raise a little puppy. Before, when Sister Shanshan took him out to play, he liked to go to pet shops to look at those cute kittens and puppies. But Sister Shanshan said he was still young and needed to learn to take care of himself first before he could better care for kittens and puppies, otherwise, they would be too pitiful.
“Big Brother Huanxi is the best.” Mo Siyuan’s eyes curved into crescents as he smiled, his mouth grinning so wide that he couldn’t close it completely. He had only mentioned once that he wanted a little puppy, and Big Brother Huanxi had remembered. Big Brother Huanxi really did love him the most, and he liked Big Brother Huanxi the most, most, most.
Mo Siyuan became more excited the more he thought about it, and unable to control himself, he plunged like a little cannonball into Qin Huanxi’s arms, causing the crouching Qin Huanxi to step back, while his short little arms encircled Qin Huanxi’s neck tightly.
Qin Huanxi steadied himself with a mixture of helplessness and amusement, bending down to comfort his excited little one: “Alright, we’ve named the little turtles. Let’s go finish our snacks before they get cold. After you finish your snacks, it will be time to feed the little turtles, and then you need to do your homework.”
“Can I feed Yao Wang and Bu Zhou first? They haven’t eaten anything since they arrived, they must be starving.” Mo Siyuan looked longingly at the little turtles in the aquarium, his eyes full of wonder.
“Alright, let’s feed the little turtles first.” Qin Huanxi gave in. His little one’s heart was completely devoted to the little turtles now.
Qin Huanxi patted his little head, bent down to open the cabinet under the aquarium, took out a bag of turtle food and a bag of dried shrimp, and handed them to Mo Siyuan, saying, “The little turtles are still small, so you can’t feed them too much at once. Xiao Yuan must remember this.”
“Then I’ll give Yao Wang and Bu Zhou just a few pieces of turtle food and a few shrimps.” Mo Siyuan opened the bag, grabbed a few pieces of turtle food, and threw them in. Then seeing a little turtle stretch out its head and eat a piece of turtle food, he cheered excitedly, “Big Brother Huanxi, Yao Wang ate it!”
Qin Huanxi, seeing his baby’s excited expression, smiled and patted his head.
“Big Brother Huanxi, do Yao Wang and Bu Zhou need to hibernate?” Mo Siyuan looked up and asked. “Don’t little turtles need to hibernate?”
Qin Huanxi smiled: “Xiao Yuan is so smart, remembering all the knowledge I taught you. Little turtles do need to hibernate, but Yao Wang and Bu Zhou are still small, and so don’t need to hibernate yet. As long as we control the water temperature to suit their growth, they can stay active and eat even in winter.”
“That’s great…” Mo Siyuan clapped his little hands, delighted beyond measure.
When Mo Shaoheng entered the hall with Qi Fengyu and He Jingyi, he saw two figures, one large and one small, surrounding a glass aquarium. Mo Siyuan was happily chattering away non-stop, interspersed with Qin Huanxi’s gentle, clear explanations. The corners of his stern mouth curved upward subconsciously, his eyes becoming exceptionally tender.
“Go buy two more turtles.” He suddenly turned to Qi Fengyu.
Qi Fengyu was about to greet Qin Huanxi and Mo Siyuan when he suddenly heard Mo Shaoheng’s voice. He froze as if struck by lightning, the smile on his face gradually crumbling.
After a good while, he finally found his voice: “Boss, what did you just say? I think I have some ringing in my ears.”
“Be back before dinner.” Mo Shaoheng said, quickly walking into the hall.
Qi Fengyu’s face twitched as he pointed at Mo Shaoheng’s retreating figure, so choked up that he couldn’t say a word.
He Jingyi raised his wrist, speaking coldly and indifferently: “You have one hour, 59 minutes, 59 seconds, 58 seconds…”
“Damn it!” Qi Fengyu was so provoked that he almost jumped up. He turned and ran out, gritting his teeth as he ran, “Deadpan face, just you wait…”
He Jingyi lowered his arm calmly, a faint hint of amusement flashing behind his glasses as he walked up the steps with composure.
“Daddy…” Mo Siyuan, hearing footsteps, turned around and saw Mo Shaoheng coming in, and flew over to him quickly.
Mo Shaoheng handed his removed coat to the butler, caught the pouncing Mo Siyuan, and said softly, “What’s this, very happy today?”
“Mmm, happy!” Mo Siyuan wrapped his arms around Mo Shaoheng’s neck, nuzzled his face against Mo Shaoheng’s, then pulled back to look directly into Mo Shaoheng’s eyes and said, “Big Brother Huanxi bought me two little turtles today. I named them—the big one is called Yao Wang, and the small one is called Bu Zhou. Isn’t that nice?”
Mo Shaoheng: “…”
“Pfft…” Before Mo Shaoheng could answer, a clear laugh came from the entrance of the hall. Su Yang, pulling Mo Shanshan, walked in, “Xiao Yuan, why call them Yao Wang and Bu Zhou? How did that little head of yours come up with those names?”
Mo Siyuan looked at Su Yang in confusion: “From the book of mythology stories I read yesterday. Sister Su Yang, you haven’t you read it?”
“Ahem…” Being looked down upon by a six-year-old child made Su Yang feel very bitter. She stepped forward, took Mo Siyuan from Mo Shaoheng, and vigorously rubbed him, “Little brat, what are you so proud of? I’ll tickle you!”
“Hahaha… Sister Su Yang, Xiao Yuan was wrong, I’ll never dare do it again…” Mo Siyuan, being ticklish, burst into laughter.
Qin Huanxi smiled and naturally walked to Mo Shaoheng’s side, watching Su Yang and Mo Siyuan chase each other around the hall while Mo Shanshan reminded Mo Siyuan to watch his step. Suddenly, he felt that such days were really nice, with trustworthy people and the most important treasure accompanying him, along with straightforward and compatible friends.
However, he suddenly felt that Mo Shaoheng was also a very magical person. In others’ eyes, Mo Shaoheng was the decisive authority of the Mo family, the person who sat in that position by stepping on the flesh and blood of the entire Mo family. At the same time, he was the feared Uncle Mo of the underworld, the Yama who had walked through blood flowing on knife edges.
Yet this very person who rarely smiled and inspired awe and fear also had his unique charisma that made people unconsciously rely on him. Apart from his own treasure particularly liking this father, even Mo Shanshan and Su Yang trusted this person so much, preferring to stay by Mo Shaoheng’s side rather than returning to face their cold homes.
“What are you laughing at?” Mo Shaoheng suddenly asked in a deep voice.
Qin Huanxi was startled, only now realizing that he had accidentally laughed out loud. He looked at Mo Shaoheng with a teasing expression and said, “I was thinking that it seems particularly easy for Uncle Mo to earn the respect and dependence of the younger generation.”
“Younger generation?” Mo Shaoheng savored these two words in his mouth, looking into Qin Huanxi’s eyes, his tone rising, “You?”
Qin Huanxi was stunned, inexplicably feeling a bit at a disadvantage. Then he raised his chin and said, “I’ve always understood the traditional virtue of respecting the elderly and caring for the young. Does Uncle Mo feel that I haven’t been respectful enough? When I pick Xiao Yuan up from school tomorrow, should I prepare a substantial gift for you?”
However the moment he finished saying this, he suddenly felt that this sentence had a particularly “profound” implication. And looking at Mo Shaoheng’s meaningful expression, he turned away and said, “I was just joking, Uncle Mo, please don’t take it seriously. I’m going to help Xiao Yuan with his homework.”
Mo Shaoheng laughed deeply, his mood quite pleasant, and strode forward, following in Qin Huanxi’s footsteps.