Xie Qichen saw the little penguin with eyes sparkling like black gemstones, arms outstretched, seeking a hug. His heart softened and melted instantly.
Before, there was only Tan Mo.
Now, there was also a little one waiting for him at home.
The man squatted halfway down in front of the child, smiling mischievously as he teased, “When did Paopao get here? I didn’t see you at all.”
The little boy, with round cheeks like a white dough bun, stared at him innocently and explained in a childish voice, “Paopao has always been standing next to Mommy…”
Tan Mo smiled, also squatting down beside him to ruffle his hair, “Right, it’s just that Daddy’s eyesight isn’t very good. Paopao ran over by himself earlier to stand here with Mommy and wait for Daddy to come home. Paopao really missed Daddy, right?”
Upon hearing this, the little penguin obediently nodded. Seeing this, Xie Qichen scooped him up into his arms, his eyes and brows brimming with smiles.
“Mm, Daddy missed Paopao too.”
Xie Qichen carried him toward the entrance. As he changed into slippers, the nanny approached to inform them that dinner was ready.
Tan Mo handed her luggage to the nanny and followed behind father and son, watching Xie Qichen fly his son like an airplane while the little one laughed nonstop. She couldn’t help but smile too.
In his daily work, Xie Qichen was known for his seriousness and aloofness, but in front of his son and Tan Mo, he exuded a warm, down-to-earth tenderness that felt especially genuine.
Thinking back to her high school days, when she secretly admired Xie Qichen from afar, he had seemed as distant and refined as the moon in the sky. How could she have imagined that years later they would marry, that he would become her husband, the father of her child, and that they would have such a warm family together?
The beautiful dream she once imagined had come true—and it was even more wonderful than she had ever imagined.
During dinner that evening, Xie Qichen sat beside the little boy. Now that the child was beginning to learn how to feed himself, Xie reminded him to eat properly and promised to play with building blocks and give him bear-shaped biscuits afterward. The little boy became especially obedient, wearing a little cow-print bib, hugging his bowl and spoon, and eating one bite at a time with intense concentration.
Though his movements were clumsy and the table looked like a battlefield afterward, his effort was commendable and deserved praise.
After dinner, Xie Qichen wiped the little boy’s face with a wet wipe, smiling helplessly.
“How come you always end up looking like a little kitten after every meal?”
Paopao mumbled something cutely in reply and obediently extended his little white hands for the man to wipe.
Finally, after wiping his hands, he called out in his sweet voice, “Daddy, bear biscuits…”
Xie Qichen picked him up, “Okay, I’ll take you to get them.”
Father and son went upstairs to the nursery first. It was a rare moment of leisure, so Tan Mo let them play alone while she went to film a video.
A little after eight in the evening, Tan Mo finished her work and went to the nursery. Pushing the door open, the little boy, already bathed, ran toward her with excited footsteps, “Mommy…”
Though he was a boy, he was the most affectionate and knew just how to melt hearts with his baby voice.
Tan Mo smiled and scooped him into her arms, walking further into the room and looking toward the man sitting on the foam mat, leisurely reading a book.
“Did you take Paopao to bathe earlier?” she asked.
Xie Qichen looked up, “Mm, he refused to let Auntie Chen bathe him and insisted I stay with him.”
Auntie Chen was the nanny hired specifically to care for the child.
Tan Mo sat down beside him and was immediately pulled into an embrace. She smiled, “I told you Paopao really sticks to you. He was so happy when you came back.”
Xie Qichen lowered his eyes gently, smiling, “It’s a pretty amazing feeling.”
“Mm?”
“The feeling of being needed by the little one.”
It was a feeling you couldn’t understand before having children—like when the little boy reached out his arms for a hug today, his eyes filled only with him. This feeling came from the deep bond of blood.
At this moment, the little boy was still innocent and pure, his little world filled only with Daddy and Mommy. For a child, parents are their entire world.
Raising a child was troublesome and exhausting, but there were also many moments of happiness.
Tan Mo sighed, “Back then, I was abandoned by my birth parents, but now my adoptive parents took me in and raised me. Now that I have a child, I finally understand how hard it must have been for them. It’s what they call ‘Only by raising children do you understand your parents’ kindness.’”
Xie Qichen gently patted her head, “How about we take Paopao to visit your parents for two days this weekend?”
Tan Mo nodded, “Great idea. They really love Paopao.”
Paopao, sitting in Tan Mo’s lap playing with toys, lifted his head curiously, “Who loves Paopao?”
Tan Mo smiled, “Grandpa and Grandma, of course. They love little Paopao so much. We’ll go back this weekend, and Grandpa can take you fishing, okay?”
The little boy joyfully nodded, “I love Grandpa and Grandma too…”
A child’s world is simple—just whoever is kind to him, he loves in return.
Tan Mo and Xie Qichen played with their child for a while longer before handing him over to the nanny. Tan Mo went to take a shower first. Afterward, she prepared the baby’s milk formula, while Xie Qichen finished some work and then took a shower himself.
When the man finally came out of the bathroom, he saw only one lamp was left on in the room. Tan Mo was lying on the bed, playing with her phone.
She was wearing only a light blue spaghetti-strap top, her fair, slender legs exposed. Her long black hair cascaded down her back in soft waves like seaweed, smooth and pure as untouched jade.
After giving birth, Tan Mo had regained her figure beautifully, even more alluring than before.
Yet, her fair oval face still carried a youthful innocence, sometimes making her look like a student who hadn’t graduated yet.
Hearing a sound from behind, she curved her lips into a smile but didn’t turn around, pretending not to notice as she continued scrolling through Weibo.
Two seconds later, she suddenly felt herself flipped over, her ankle caught. She let out a startled squeak as she was pulled closer.
The man loomed like a lurking beast, his knees on either side of her, his dark eyes burning as he stared at her. His voice, like embers from a fire, rumbled out:
“Trying to tempt me on purpose?”
A glint of mischief flickered in Tan Mo’s eyes as she innocently blinked at him, “What do you mean, on purpose? I don’t understand.”
As her words fell, her lips were punished with a bite. Her heart fluttered as his low, husky chuckle escaped through the kiss, “I know you’re pretending.”
Tan Mo pleaded, “Xie Qichen, I’m sorry…”
After a while, he finally broke the kiss. Tan Mo breathed in small gasps, her lips glistening with moisture. She pouted stubbornly, “If someone fell for it, then it was on purpose.”
Xie Qichen was about to kiss her again when suddenly a gentle knock came from the door.
The two exchanged glances: ?
The knocking continued. A few seconds later, a sweet little voice came from outside, “Daddy, Mommy—”
Tan Mo realized the little one was outside the door. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she playfully teased him, “Xie Qichen, your son is calling you.”
The man, whose mood had just begun to rise, only responded with silence.
Tan Mo pushed his chest, “Aren’t you going out to see him?”
Xie Qichen’s expression darkened slightly. Frustrated, he pulled Tan Mo into another kiss before sighing in resignation.
What a little lamp-lighter he had brought into the world.
A few seconds later, the man finally stood up and walked to the door. Opening it, he saw the little human cub standing there.
The child was wearing pajamas, one hand clutching a little rabbit, the other holding his pillow, as if he had packed all his belongings for a journey and was ready to set up camp here.
The nanny beside him looked apologetic, “Sir, Paopao insisted on coming to sleep with you.”
Paopao looked up at him, “Daddy.”
Xie Qichen patted his head, “Paopao, be a good boy and go back to sleep with Auntie Chen.”
The little boy refused. Quick as a flash, he darted into the room from the side, only to be caught immediately.
Xie Qichen narrowed his eyes and directly called him by his full name, “Xie Shaoqing, you dare run in again?”
The little boy stretched out his arms toward him, his eyes brimming with grievance, “Paopao wants to sleep with Daddy…”
Just that adorable, affectionate look made it impossible to resist him.
What a clingy little one.
Xie Qichen smiled helplessly, picked him up, and finally said to the nanny, “It’s okay, Auntie Chen. You can go back first.”
“Alright.”
Closing the door, Xie Qichen carried him inside. Tan Mo was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching them with a smile, “You just got back from a business trip today. Of course, he wants to stick with you and sleep together.”
The man placed the little boy on the bed. Seeing Tan Mo’s teasing and mischievous expression, he leaned close to her, his deep voice whispering in her ear:
“What are you so happy about? Do you think I’ll let you escape?”
Tan Mo’s cheeks flushed.
This man was really…
Finally, the little boy lay down obediently. Tan Mo and Xie Qichen each lay on either side of him. Tan Mo smiled at the little one and said, “Paopao, let Daddy tell you a story, okay?”
“Okay…”
Xie Qichen picked up the storybook beside him, “What story do you want to hear?”
“I want to hear the story about the little bunny planting carrots.”
The little boy never got tired of it, always wanting to hear the same story over and over.
“Alright, Daddy will tell it to you. Now, close your eyes and listen carefully,” Xie Qichen gently patted him, beginning the tale, “Once upon a time, in the forest, there lived a little bunny…”
Tan Mo propped her head up beside them, listening with a smile and a sense of wonder.
The employees at the company would never imagine that the man known for his decisiveness and authority at work had such a gentle side.
The little boy had been lively all evening and was now very tired. After just a few minutes of listening, his eyes were already closed and he was fast asleep.
After a while, the man placed the storybook aside. Tan Mo, who had gotten up to drink water, lay back down beside him and was immediately pulled into his arms. Her fingers traced circles on his chest as she smiled sweetly:
“Gege, I want to hear a bedtime story too.”
That sweet, soft “Gege” sent a rush of heat surging through Xie Qichen’s body. He smirked at her, his breath heavy:
“No bedtime story, but I can offer some bedtime activities.”
Tan Mo blushed, meeting his gaze, “You weren’t planning to let me off tonight anyway.”
“Mm…”
Then Xie Qichen got up and gently carried the sleeping little boy out. Tan Mo’s heart was completely stirred up. She had thought that letting the little one sleep in their room would stop him from getting any ideas…
A while later, the man who had settled the child returned to the room, pulled back the light blanket, and lay down. He immediately pulled the girl curled in the corner into his arms, his voice no longer needing to be restrained:
“Now, no one will interrupt us anymore.”
Tan Mo blushed, “Someone never gives up until they get what they want?”
“You’ve owed me a week’s worth. Isn’t it time to pay up?”
Tan Mo’s ears turned red. Xie Qichen teased her slowly:
“Did you miss me this week?”
Tan Mo slyly looked away, “Not at all…”
The man chuckled lowly, “Alright, I’ll make sure you admit it later.”
A passionate kiss fell upon her lips, and Tan Mo’s breath was captured by him.
The night deepened…
—
The next day was a bright and sunny winter day.
Tan Mo slept until the sun was high in the sky.
When she woke up in the morning, she kept her eyes closed and shifted slightly, “Hngh…”
She felt like she had been beaten up.
Argh! So mad QAQ.
How could this man not seem like he was in his thirties at all!
She had been pretending not to miss him last night, but later, as the man teased her with different ways of asking if she had missed him, Tan Mo quickly tearfully admitted the truth.
Thinking about everything that had happened, she buried her face in the blanket, too embarrassed.
Judging by how the man had acted last night, like he hadn’t had her in days, Tan Mo was very reassured that he hadn’t been up to anything while traveling…
After a while, the bedroom door opened, and Xie Qichen walked in from outside.
“Awake?”
She saw him looking so refreshed and pulled the blanket over her face, not wanting to acknowledge him.
The man smiled and came over, pulling her into his arms, “What’s wrong? Not talking to me? Are you uncomfortable?”
Tan Mo pretended to be angry and kicked him lightly, “What do you think? I’m so tired I feel like I ran three thousand meters. I don’t even want to get up today.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen’s lips curved into a smile. He gently soothed her, “Sorry, Mo Mo. I lost control last night and hurt you.”
Tan Mo gave a soft hum, her chin caught and her lips gently kissed by him.
Even though they had a child, their post-marriage intimacy was still intense, which was normal. After all, they had essentially rushed into marriage, skipping a long dating period. They hadn’t been married for very long, and Tan Mo was still quite young. Xie Qichen had no prior romantic history—Tan Mo was his first.
After years of restraint and with deep affection for each other, their passion for each other was only natural.
Tan Mo, gently coaxed, quickly lost her little temper and obediently curled into his arms, listening to him whisper things in her ear. Her cheeks turned into little tomatoes.
Finally, Xie Qichen opened the drawer and looked inside, “We should restock soon.”
Tan Mo blushed and softly bit her lip, “It feels like we just bought some, and they’re gone so fast…”
Xie Qichen smirked, whispering seductively, “Do you think they’d last longer on you?”
“…”
The young girl, already stirred with appetite, had a pink glow on her face.
Thinking back to a while ago, when her roommate Chang Yue started dating someone and came to Tan Mo for advice about intimate matters, even asking for brand recommendations for condoms, Tan Mo had given a few of her favorites. Later, she asked Xie Qichen’s opinion.
At that time, the man had been sitting on the sofa in a suit, legs crossed, reading a book in his crisp white shirt with the collar slightly open. Upon hearing her question, he spoke in his deep voice, calmly describing the different sensations compared to what Tan Mo usually experienced.
The contrast between his refined appearance and his words had left Tan Mo blushing furiously.
This man was such a tease—he was just doing it on purpose to embarrass her.
In the end, Xie Qichen didn’t say anything. Tan Mo looked at his silent expression and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Xie Qichen hugged her from behind and whispered huskily by her ear, “Nothing much. Just thinking about which one to use tonight.”
After the couple decided not to have a second child, Xie Qichen no longer dared to take any risks or rely on luck. He continued buying those items as frequently as before.
Tan Mo buried her face in his chest out of shyness, saying, “Anyway, you go buy them yourself. I won’t get involved…”
Xie Qichen smirked. “Okay.”
After lingering in each other’s arms for a while, Tan Mo finally decided to get up and turned her attention to their little one. “Where’s Paopao?”
“He just finished breakfast and is now upstairs playing with the nanny on the third floor.”
“Why did you wake up so early today?”
“Last night I carried him back to his room. I was afraid he might get upset if he woke up and didn’t see us, so I went to accompany him early this morning.”
“You’re actually quite thoughtful…”
After getting up and freshening up, Tan Mo went upstairs to find their little one. As soon as he saw his mother, Paopao clung to her. “Mommy slept in…”
Tan Mo glanced at the culprit beside her who had caused her to oversleep and nodded leisurely, “Yes, it’s mainly Dad’s fault.”
Paopao looked at Xie Qichen with a confused expression. The man held Tan Mo’s hand, gently scratched her palm, smiled helplessly, and then ruffled his son’s hair.
“Mommy was very tired, so she slept in today. It’s not like how Paopao usually does.”
“I didn’t sleep in today…”
After playing for a while, Xie Qichen took his son and accompanied Tan Mo downstairs for breakfast.
Recently, Aochuang had developed a new drone, which Xie Qichen brought home. Their little one was very curious about flying objects and followed his father to play with it after breakfast.
Tan Mo sat under the shade of a tree in the backyard, watching the father and son playing with the drone. She couldn’t help taking out her phone and capturing a photo.
In the picture, Xie Qichen was leaning against a pavilion, skillfully controlling the drone. He stood tall and upright, while the little one joyfully jumped around chasing it. The man looked at his son with a gentle smile on his face.
A breeze stirred the branches and leaves, sunlight shone brightly, and the scene was as beautiful as a painting.
Seeing this, Tan Mo’s eyes also curved into a smile. Having them by her side in this life was truly wonderful.
Winter passed and everything came back to life, and “the little sapling” was growing up healthily.
By the following May, their little one had already turned two years old.
As he grew taller and his hair thickened, the little one began to resemble a handsome young boy. Given that both Tan Mo and Xie Qichen were exceptionally good-looking, their son inherited their outstanding genes and quickly stood out among his peers. His features were delicate and handsome, particularly his eyebrows and eyes, which bore a striking resemblance to his father’s.
Many people who saw him said that when he grew up, he would definitely become an extremely handsome young man, considering how good-looking Xie Qichen already was.
Regarding this, Ji Shu, who was the godmother, teased Tan Mo, saying, “You once said your husband was a heartthrob attracting many admirers. I guess in a few years, you’ll have to start worrying about your son attracting admirers too.”
After all, everyone had witnessed how much Xie Qichen had been adored by girls since childhood.
Who knows, maybe the little one would even become a version 2.0 plus of Xie Qichen.
And if he turned out to be a playboy like a sea king… oh my, that would be something.
To this, Xie Qichen said, “It shouldn’t be that bad. You and I are both so faithful and devoted. If our son really becomes a playboy, then it must be a genetic mutation.”
“But what if the mutation really happens?”
Xie Qichen chuckled lightly and calmly replied, “Then I’ll beat him back to normal.”
…
Discussing the necessity of a father guiding his child to walk the right path.
However, both Tan Mo and Xie Qichen indeed paid great attention to shaping their child’s character. As the saying goes, “What a child is at three, he will be at seventy.” Often, a child’s personality is already formed at a very young age, and personality often determines destiny. Therefore, it was not only about letting the child grow up healthily, but also about ensuring his physical and mental well-being.
Although Xie Qichen usually spoiled his son a lot, he was very principled and strict when it came to important issues.
Therefore, the little one was raised to be well-behaved, cute, and lovable.
Time passed quickly, and this year their little one had already turned three and was of age to start kindergarten.
He attended the best bilingual international kindergarten in Licheng, where the environment, food, and education were all top-notch.
Since he was very smart, the little one had started attending early education classes at the age of one, so going to kindergarten wasn’t difficult for him to accept.
However, on the first day of being sent to kindergarten, the little one was pitifully sobbing as he clung to Tan Mo’s back, asking if she could accompany him to school. Later, Tan Mo promised to take him to the ocean park on the weekend, and the little one was comforted and obediently followed the teacher inside.
Originally, Tan Mo was worried that her son might struggle in the kindergarten, but when she went to pick him up in the evening, she saw him happily hopping and waving goodbye to his teachers and classmates, looking very happy, which finally relieved her worries.
After some time in kindergarten, the little one had fully adapted to the kindergarten life.
In the evening, Xie Qichen returned home from the company, spent some time with Tan Mo first, and then went to his child’s room.
The little one, who was sitting on the floor playing, saw Xie Qichen and his eyes lit up. He immediately ran over and clung to him.
“Dad…”
The man smiled and picked him up. “What is Paopao doing?”
“I’m playing with race cars. They go super fast,” the little one gestured with his small hands. “Zoom, they just zoom past…”
“That fast, huh? Then show Dad how it’s done.”
The two sat down on the carpet, and the little one demonstrated for him. After a while, Tan Mo came in and sat beside them with a smile. “Just checked the class group chat. Paopao has a little homework to finish tonight.”
Paopao obediently put down the race car and walked to Tan Mo. “Mommy, what homework?”
“The homework is for every child to talk about what their parents are like in their hearts, and then tomorrow in class, the teacher will ask you all about it.”
Tan Mo looked at her son and smiled. “Paopao, tell me first what Mommy is like in your heart?”
“The little one said, “Mommy is the most beautiful and prettiest…”
Tan Mo chuckled happily.
No wonder she had such a good son!
Seeing how happy Tan Mo was, the man beside her smiled helplessly and looked at his son, his voice deep. “What about me then?”
The little one looked at Xie Qichen, tilted his head, and thought seriously for a few seconds.
“Dad… is the oldest.”
Xie Qichen: ????
Hearing this, Tan Mo couldn’t help but burst into laughter beside him. Xie Qichen, who hated being called old the most, had a dark expression and angrily lifted the little one up close. “When did your dad become the oldest?”
The little one replied in his baby voice, “Yesterday I heard Mommy say you’re an old man. I’m only three years old, and you’re already in your thirties.”
Xie Qichen: …
This son was raised in vain.
Tan Mo didn’t expect the little one to be so clever, picking up on the playful banter between her and Xie Qichen. She couldn’t hold back her laughter and corrected him seriously. “Paopao can’t say things like that. Dad isn’t old at all. Look, Dad is still very young, like a teenager.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen, who was sitting beside her, couldn’t help but smile helplessly and pulled her into his arms. “Tan Mo, are you intentionally teasing me?”
This son and this wife, neither of them made him feel at ease.
Eventually, Tan Mo corrected the little one’s thoughts, and he went to Xie Qichen to snuggle and praise him for being handsome, which made Xie Qichen feel helpless and charmed.
What could one do with such a clever and mischievous son?
After starting kindergarten, the little one indeed developed more independent awareness and became even more energetic and playful. Fortunately, he had a sense of limits and didn’t cause too much trouble.
One day, after coming home from kindergarten, the little one saw other children using their pocket money to ride the rocking horse and felt especially curious and envious. When he came home that evening, although he didn’t say it outright, Tan Mo could tell that the little one was particularly curious about having pocket money.
Since children have no concept of money, it’s essential to establish a good understanding of it from an early age.
After discussing with Xie Qichen, Tan Mo decided to give the little one five dollars as weekly pocket money. Each time they passed the street in front of their school, there was a rocking horse that cost one dollar per ride. Tan Mo told him that he could freely spend this five dollars however he wanted, including riding the rocking horse.
In addition, Tan Mo bought him a small penguin-shaped piggy bank, where he could save his money. He was very happy about it and carefully put part of the money in the piggy bank while keeping the rest in a compartment of his dinosaur backpack.
Later, the nanny who was responsible for picking up and dropping off the little one told Tan Mo that the little one really liked the rocking horse and was very generous, sometimes even treating his classmates.
Tan Mo thought it was fine. Although this amount of money was not significant, the nanny could take the little one to play every day if needed. However, this could help cultivate the little one’s ability to manage money.
Moreover, Tan Mo observed that the little one wouldn’t spend money every day. He started saving it, and the money in the piggy bank gradually increased.
One day, when she asked her son, he said he wanted to buy a toy car. Tan Mo agreed, saying that as long as it was his money, he could spend it however he liked.
As time passed from autumn to winter, and nearing the Chinese New Year, Xie Qichen, as usual, became increasingly busy, constantly traveling on business trips.
His workload was intense, often working non-stop and even pulling all-nighters. Tan Mo felt heartbroken for him.
Sometimes, Xie Qichen would leave home very early in the morning to go to the company and wouldn’t return until after ten o’clock at night, by which time the little one had already gone to sleep. From the child’s perspective, he hadn’t seen his father for many days.
He ran to ask Tan Mo why his father hadn’t been home for several days. Tan Mo gently patted his head and comforted him, saying, “Dad is working, so he’s very busy and tired.”
The little one looked puzzled, “What is work?”
“Work is what kids do when they grow up, just like how Paopao goes to kindergarten every day. Dad works hard so he can earn money to take care of Paopao and take him to the amusement park. So Paopao should be a good boy at home, and you’ll see Dad soon, okay?”
The little one nodded, “Okay…”
The next day, Xie Qichen had to travel on business again. He didn’t see the man for another three or four days.
It wasn’t just the little one who missed him; Xie Qichen, as a father, felt the same.
So, three days later, Xie Qichen finished his work ahead of schedule and rushed back to Licheng.
It was already past ten in the evening when he got home and went to his child’s bedroom first.
He quietly opened the door and went inside, originally intending to just check on the little one, but the child was awakened by the noise. Seeing him, the little one was overjoyed.
“Dad——”
Xie Qichen picked him up, and the little one hugged his neck and clung to him.
Eventually, Xie Qichen put him down, smiling as he asked, “Dad hasn’t been home these past few days. Has Paopao been a good boy?”
Paopao nodded, “I’ve been eating and sleeping well every day. Mommy praises me every day.”
The man smiled, “So amazing, Paopao.”
Paopao looked at him and asked, “Dad, is your job really tiring? Mommy said you didn’t even sleep at night.”
Xie Qichen smiled slightly, hiding the fatigue in his eyes, and ruffled his hair, “It’s okay. After a while, Dad won’t be so busy anymore, and then I can take Paopao to the amusement park.”
The little one asked in his sweet voice, “Mommy said you work to earn money. How much money do you need to earn?”
Xie Qichen was momentarily taken aback, “What’s wrong?”
Then the child ran to the bedside, opened the drawer, and Xie Qichen watched in confusion. After a while, the child came back holding his little penguin piggy bank.
Inside was the 25 dollars he had saved painstakingly over three months. He handed the penguin to Xie Qichen and said, “Dad, is this enough?”
“Hmm?”
The little one blinked his bright eyes, looked earnestly at Xie Qichen, and asked in his sweet voice,
“Paopao doesn’t want to buy a toy car or go to the amusement park anymore. I’ll give you all my money. If Dad has money now, he won’t have to work so hard anymore, right?”
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