Published: March 8, 2025
“Stop, stop, stop!” Chu Yang hurriedly called for a halt.
“What’s wrong?” The little fellow wagged his tail, looking quite pleased with himself.
“What do you mean? I don't quite understand," Chu Yang furrowed his brows. "I get the first line, but what does ‘Feng Ge laughs at Kong Qiu’ mean? Feng Ge... what song is that? Kong Qiu... what is that? A hill full of holes? And... where is the Yellow Crane Tower?”
The little fellow was at a loss, staring at Chu Yang with wide eyes and a speechless expression. “Such an ancient famous saying... I really have no words to say to you..."
Chu Yang scratched his nose, thinking: Did I just embarrass myself?
He had to change the subject. “So, what’s your second condition?”
“The second condition is to be a bit lenient with me,” the little fellow pouted. “Don’t micromanage me over everything, and I should have my own room... If you satisfy these two points, I’ll help you!”
Chu Yang was taken aback. “Help me?”
“Help you chase after your wife!” The little fellow said confidently, “With my help, it will definitely be twice the result with half the effort! Don’t you believe it?”
“I believe it!” Chu Yang nodded vigorously.
The two of them exchanged glances, both nodding. Then, the little fellow stretched out his small hand, and Chu Yang extended his larger hand; they shook hands ceremoniously, and the agreement was reached!
Just then, the palace maid brought over bird’s nest porridge, followed by several others carrying dozens of small dishes and snacks.
“In front of you, I can only eat to keep my mouth shut,” the little fellow muttered under his breath before starting to devour the food.
Chu Yang sat in his chair, resting his chin on his hands, watching his son while pondering those phrases. Hmm, there’s one thing that is undeniable: that’s probably a poem...
Halfway through the meal, Tie Butian hurried back. The moment he saw his son gorging himself at the table, he was astonished that Chu Yang, as the father, was just watching.
Suddenly, he exploded with anger. “I say, even if you haven’t raised a child before, you should have seen one, right? A child this small, eating by himself—what if he chokes? What if he gets stuck? Can’t you feed him?”
Upon hearing this, both the father and son rolled their eyes in unison.
Feed him? Chu Yang roared in his heart: Why don’t I let this little brat feed me instead? Am I supposed to feed him? What a joke.
Clearing his throat, he racked his brain for an excuse. “It’s not that; rather... we need to cultivate his independence from a young age! Otherwise, he’ll face big losses in the future... The earlier he develops this skill, the better. It may seem a bit harsh for a child of his size right now, but for his long-term future, it’s the best thing!”
Tie Butian was about to say something when he suddenly heard an excited voice from the side, “Wow!”
Tie Butian turned to look and saw the little fellow’s chubby face covered in food juices. He innocently exclaimed, “Mother, this uncle is right; eating by myself is definitely more delicious than being fed by others. It’s so tasty!”
He looked so innocent and adorable.
Chu Yang let out a small groan and turned his face away.
“Good boy, Little Yangyang, is it really that delicious?” Tie Butian said lovingly.
“Yes, yes, yes…” The little fellow nodded vigorously, looking utterly adorable.
Tie Butian let out a sigh of relief. He shot Chu Yang an apologetic glance, meaning: You were right; I misjudged you. I didn’t expect you to be such an expert at raising children...
Chu Yang pretended to graciously accept the praise, wearing a confident smile. In reality, he felt a bitter laugh inside, silently cursing: Little brat!
Tie Butian picked up a cup of tea and took a sip, looking lovingly at her son as he ate.
In the next moment, the little fellow said something that made Tie Butian choke on her drink.
“Mother, this uncle is so nice! Can we make him my dad?”