Su Lang had grown used to this expression of his. He carried him out to wash his bottom and change his diaper.
Only aftereverything was done to the little one’s satisfaction did the boy finally settle down and sleep.
It was as if the child were Su Lang’s nemesis: whenever Su Lang got close to Lin Zhilan, no matter how deeply the boy was sleeping, he would wake up. The moment Su Lang picked him up, he would calm down immediately and even grin at him.
There were times Su Lang wanted to just toss the little brat out.
It wasn’t until Li Jiang returned that Su Lang found an opening.
After dinner, Su Lang went out to walk his son as usual, and ran straight into Li Jiang, who was only just getting back.
Li Jiang took off his hat and leaned in to look. “Hey, this son of yours looks great.”
He was like a soft, fluffy pale steamed bun—round cheeks, big bright eyes, chubby little arms with rolls of baby fat. Solid, soft, and cuddly.
As if understanding the compliment, Su Li smiled at him, revealing a toothless grin.
Li Jiang was even more amused. “This kid understands?”
Su Lang paused for a few seconds. “… He must like you.”
“Really?” Li Jiang was flattered.
“Really,” Su Lang nodded. “Want to try holding him?”
When Wang Rou had Li Xuan, Li Jiang wasn’t around.
By the time he came back, Li Xuan already knew a few simple words.
Li Jiang had never held such a tiny baby before.
Su Lang showed him how to position his arms and placed the child into his embrace.
Li Jiang looked nervously at Su Li, and the next second, Su Li smiled another soft, squishy grin at him.
“Hey, he really does like me.”
Su Lang said lightly, “How is it? Like it?”
Li Jiang nodded. “Like it, like it.”
“Then you can raise him for a day.”
“What?” Li Jiang looked up, stunned.
Su Lang said, “Let you experience the joy of raising a kid.”
Li Jiang hurried after him with the baby. “You’re joking, right?”
Su Lang showed through action that he was not joking.
“Later, give him a bottle, change his diaper once. This little guy can sleep straight through until morning bugle call. Simple.”
Li Jiang looked down at Su Li in his arms, then at the bottle, formula, and diaper that had been shoved into his hands, a bit dazed.
Su Lang patted Li Jiang on the shoulder. “Thanks for the trouble. I’ll treat you to a meal some other time.”
“Hey…”
Li Jiang wanted to say more, but Su Lang gave him a brief glance and shut the courtyard gate.
Li Jiang stood outside the gate, looking down at Su Li in his arms.
The child was staring at him with those round eyes, blowing bubbles, completely unafraid of strangers.
“Kid, cry a couple times. Get your dad to come out.”
Su Li, as if amused, smiled at him again.
Li Jiang muttered to himself, “Isn’t he pretty well-behaved? Why does your dad look so eager to get rid of you?”
Li Xuan was already asleep. Aunt Hehua was still cooling off in the yard.
Seeing her son holding a baby, she quickly went over. “Who have you brought back?”
Li Jiang laughed. “The old Su family’s kid. He said I could raise him for a day.”
Aunt Hehua: “…”
Li Jiang even held Su Li up for her to see. “Look, he’s smiling at me.”
Aunt Hehua did like Su Li well enough.
Actually, when Li Xuan was little, he had been a lot like Su Li.
Back then, Wang Rou wasn’t in great shape either, and she cried a lot—Aunt Hehua’s heart was always in her throat.
Li Jiang wasn’t around. She took care of her grandson and her daughter-in-law all by herself, and she managed to get through it.
When Su Li was being lovable, he was truly lovable. But when he started crying, she was too old now to handle him.
Seeing her son bring Su Li over, Aunt Hehua quickly waved him off. “Alright, alright, if you want to take care of him, go ahead. See how hard raising a kid really is.”
She picked up her palm-leaf fan and quickly went back to her room.
Li Jiang chuckled and carried the baby into the house.
Wang Rou was sitting up in bed reading. When she heard the noise, she immediately put down the book, lay down, and closed her eyes.
After they had talked things out before, the couple had a good stretch together.
Their child was already ten, but the two of them acted like teenagers in a crush, testing each other’s boundaries.
They had just made some progress when Li Jiang got deployed for a mission.
Probably because intimacy relies so much on touch, close eye contact, and time spent together—being apart too long makes the body get used to being alone.
After not seeing each other for nearly a year, Wang Rou felt awkward around him again, instinctively holding back.
Li Jiang, however, didn’t feel any distance at all.
But he had noticed Wang Rou’s discomfort when he first got home that morning.
That was why he brought the baby back.
With a child around, Wang Rou would probably feel more at ease.
Wang Rou’s pretense of sleeping wasn’t very convincing.
Her eyelashes kept fluttering—clearly fake.
Li Jiang stood by the bed holding Su Li, a small smile on his lips, but he didn’t call her out.
“Xiaorou, asleep?”
Her eyeballs shifted under her lids, but she didn’t answer.
Li Jiang didn’t know how to start, when suddenly Su Li in his arms let out an “ah.”
Wang Rou’s brows knit slightly, pretending to be woken up as she opened her eyes.
Li Jiang sat down on the edge of the bed. Wang Rou’s eyes fell immediately on little Su Li.
“Huh, why did you bring him back?”
Li Jiang laughed. “Lao Su said I could raise him for a day.”
He seemed pretty happy about it. Wang Rou glanced at him and reached out a finger to tease Su Li, saying casually, “Do you even know how?”
Of course, Wang Rou knew how difficult Su Li could be.
When he was lovable, he was truly a delight. But when he threw a tantrum, only Su Lang could handle him.
Li Jiang had been roped into babysitting by Su Lang.
Li Jiang’s lips curved upward as he stared into her eyes. “You can teach me.”
Wang Rou looked away and played with Su Li instead.
Li Jiang hadn’t washed up yet. Seeing the two of them having fun, he wanted to put Su Li down on the bed.
But the moment the baby’s bottom touched the sheet, Su Li started crying.
“What’s wrong?”
Li Jiang was flustered and quickly picked him back up.
Wang Rou, seeing him scrambling, couldn’t help but purse her lips and smile.
“Maybe he’s hungry?”
Li Jiang’s eyes lit up in realization, and he rushed to get the formula and bottle.
Wang Rou watched him pace around with the baby. She told him to put the child next to her, then taught him how to mix the formula.
By the time Li Jiang had cooled the boiled water, mixed the milk, and came back in, he saw Wang Rou sitting sideways, coaxing the baby.
Her hair was loosely pinned, with a few stray strands falling beside her cheek. Su Li reached out a little hand to grab at them, and Wang Rou would smile softly, gently tapping the tip of his nose.
Li Jiang stood by the door, frozen.
Until Wang Rou looked over. “Done? Why didn’t you bring it over?”
It was Li Jiang’s own self-appointed task, so Wang Rou didn’t help. Instead, she taught him how to feed the baby and burp him.
It was his first time feeding an infant, and Li Jiang was a bit clumsy, but he managed to get through the motions.
After the burping was done, he let out a breath of relief.
Su Li’s head was drooping; he looked like he was about to fall asleep.
But the moment Li Jiang tried to lay him down on the bed, the boy started crying again.
That was when Li Jiang finally realized just how badly Su Lang had tricked him.
