CH 15

Lin Zhixia turned on the lights after he opened the door to their home, revealing an unobstructed view of the layout to Luo Qin. 

It was a small house, fifty square meters, and children’s toys and supplies were piled up everywhere, making the already small space even more cramped. It was cluttered but neat and clean. 

The living area had a gray sofa with light blue throw pillows and a light blue rug on the floor to match. On the coffee table in front of the sofa was a glass vase filled with eustoma and eucalyptus leaves. The decor was carefully tailored to the space. 

Luo Qin looked around the house silently. Although Lin Zhixia had made the place look cozy and inviting, Luo Qin still couldn’t help but frown. 

All the furniture looked old, the wallpaper was wrinkled and frayed around the edges, the floor was misshapen, swollen up at different places, creating creaks when one walked over them and there were rust stains on the bathroom door handle. The glass coffee table had a crack in it and the corners were wrapped in old rags to keep Lin Keai from hitting his head. 

Lin Zhixia had lived with Lin Keai in such a place for three years. And Lin Zhixia had said he considered this living space to be an upgrade from where he lived while pregnant. Luo Qin couldn’t even imagine what kind of life Lin Zhixia lived when he first left the Luo family. 

Lin Zhixia put down the packages in his arms and decided not to play host to Luo Qin. Instead, he took Lin Keai from his arms and brought the sleeping guy up into the bedroom. Luo Qin quickly followed after them. 

The bedroom was a small room with a balcony and it contained only a small bed on one side and a half wardrobe on the other. The carpet next to the bed was covered in puzzle pieces and Luo Qin recognized it as the one he had given Xiao Ai. 

The pieces of it were scattered about and only a quarter of it was put together, likely by Lin Zhixia. Next to the puzzle was a pile of cars, worn and loved, staged in some kind of collision, likely by Lin Keai. 

Lin Zhixia left to fetch a hot water bottle and placed it in the bed to warm up Xiao Ai. He carefully took off the little guy’s coat, tucked him under the covers and kissed his face gently. 

Only once this nightly routine was done did he turn and remember Luo Qin. Lin Zhixia felt a little embarrassed to realize Luo Qin had just been standing in the background, watching him put Keai to bed. 

Fortunately, Luo Qin didn’t comment. He looked at his watch and said softly, “It’s getting late. I’ll be off.”

Lin Zhixia stood up, “Let me walk you out.”

“It’s okay. Just relax.”

Lin Zhixia shook his head, “The hallway doesn’t have any lights and the stairs are very steep. I’ve had people fall before. Let me guide you down those, at least.”

Luo Qin helplessly nodded and followed Lin Zhixia downstairs. When they reached the bottom, Lin Zhixia gave a wide yawn and asked, “Do you remember the way out?”

Luo Qin nodded and Lin Zhixia yawned again, looking very tired. Luo Qin faced him and said, “Go to bed. I’m fine.”

Lin Zhixia was too tired to argue and he nodded, “Well, goodbye.”

Lin Zhixia went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. After he was done, he suddenly remembered that Xiao Ai had left his sweater on the balcony earlier and forgotten it. He went out to retrieve it and looked down at the street as he picked it up. His eyes fell upon Luo Qin, who hadn’t left yet, standing under a streetlight, smoking a cigarette. 

Lin Zhixia stood in the darkness of the balcony and stared for a long moment, stunned. Luo Qin always seemed so proud and superior but right now, the man looked…lonely. 

Luo Qin seemed to sense something and raised his head to look at the balcony. Instinctively, Lin Zhixia shrank back and quickly returned inside. 

*

When Lin Zhixia woke up early the next day, he opened the presents Luo Qin had given them. He had given Xiao Ai a small black jacket and little leather boots. The jacket looked so delicate and expensive that Lin Zhixia was reluctant to even touch it. Placed next to the clothes he had bought for Xiao Ai, it really stood out. 

Lin Zhixia’s heart felt sour.  

Lin Keai now had two dads; one looked fancy and the other looked shabby. 

On one hand, Lin Zhixia was thankful that Luo Qin could provide Lin Keai with good quality things. On the other hand, he was annoyed that he couldn’t provide these things for Xiao Ai himself. 

Luo Qin had said he had no intention of taking Lin Keai away but a sense of panic still arose in Lin Zhixia. He couldn’t help but compare himself to Luo Qin. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he had no chance of winning against someone like Luo Qin. 

Lin Keai sat up in bed and saw his dad staring into the wardrobe in a daze. He called out, “Dad!”

Lin Zhixia turned around, “Baby, you’re awake?”

Lin Keai rubbed tiredly at his eyes as Lin Zhixia helped him put on a sweater. He then picked up the little guy and stood in front of the wardrobe, “Look at the clothes Uncle Luo bought you.”

Lin Keai’s eyes lit up when he heard the words Uncle Luo. He happily stretched out his tender little hand to touch the clothes and said sweetly, “So beautiful!”

Lin Zhixia had been torturing himself over the disparity between the rich and the poor but he was very glad to see Xiao Ai so happy. There was nothing more important than Lin Keai’s happiness. 

“Why don’t you wear it today?”

“No!” Lin Keai turned his head away and waved his hand. “Today, I want to wear Bunny!”

‘Bunny’ referred to a jacket that Lin Zhixia had bought him last month. It was nicely padded and the hood had two little fluffy rabbit ears sewn on it so Lin Keai had named it Bunny.

Lin Zhixia was happy to have Xiao Ai pick the one he had bought and he kissed him loudly on the face. “Okay! Let’s wear Bunny.”

Lin Zhixia had hung his own present from Luo Qin in the closet. It was a very expensive looking khaki trench coat. It stood out next to his other clothes and looked like something straight out of a fashion magazine, like something a model on a catwalk should wear. It looked like it would last much longer than his own jacket, which had started to fray around the edges already. 

However, Lin Zhixia would never have a reason to wear such fine looking clothes. So he hung it in his closet to collect dust. 

*

Luo Qin started visiting the restaurant very frequently. He came so often and stayed so long that Lin Zhixia started paying attention to financial reports, convinced that the Luo family business was going to collapse from neglect. He had never imagined Luo Qin could be so idle.

But all the articles said that the Luo family was doing well financially, all thanks to the efforts of Luo Qin. Lin Zhixia stared at a photo of Luo Qin in one of the articles, his face was calm but the set of his eyebrows and mouth gave him a cold and indifferent look. 

It was completely different from the Luo Qin that appeared in front of Lin Keai. 

The Luo Qin in front of Lin Keai was just a clumsy father who tried hard to dote on his cub and did his best to be gentle. 

So the reason for Luo Qin always running to the restaurant had to be for Lin Keai. 

Lin Zhixia was worried. To his knowledge, Luo Qin was a man that was indifferent to family affection. Ever since high school, Luo Qin had moved out of the family home to live alone. Even though he let Luo Yao live with him, he didn’t particularly look after her. 

So why does he care for Lin Keai so much?

After two o’clock, the restaurant was slow. Lin Zhixia had just decided to sit down to rest when Luo Qin walked through the door. 

“Are you here to take us to dinner?”

Lin Zhixia wondered how annoying it must be for Luo Qin to always take them both out. 

“How about you just take Xiao Ai? The restaurant will be busy tonight because of the weekend.”

After all, Luo Qin was only here to spend time with Lin Keai. There was no reason for Lin Zhixia to always accompany them. 

Luo Qin frowned. 

Lin Keai was sitting in the kitchen eating chips. He must have sensed something because he put the chips down and came running out of the back. When he saw Luo Qin, he happily called out, “Uncle Luo! You’re here!”

He waved his two little arms excitedly and Lin Zhixia thought sourly, is he about to take off and fly into Luo Qin’s arms?

Lin Zhixia stopped the little guy’s frantic movements. “Uncle Luo is here to take you to eat delicious food tonight. Are you happy?”

Lin Keai looked at Luo Qin and nodded vigorously, “Yeah!”

Luo Qin squatted down and held Lin Keai’s little hand in his and whispered, “Xiao Ai, your dad doesn’t want to come with us.”

Why did that….sound like a complaint?

Sure enough, Lin Keai turned to pout up at Lin Zhixia, “No, dad! You have to come, too!”

“Xiao Ai, Dad has to look after the restaurant…”

Before he finished, Lin Keai started to cry loudly and Lin Zhixia’s brain went blank as he panicked. 

“Okay, okay! I’ll go.”

Luo Qin’s eyebrows relaxed, “I have an errand to run before dinner. I’ll be back to pick the two of you up at six.”

Lin Keai tilted his head up and said in a milky voice, “Okay~”

Although Lin Zhixia was complaining in his heart, he still agreed. 

As soon as Luo Qin left, the cashier girl came over to gossip. “Boss, wasn’t that Luo Qin just now? Why was he here? Do you know him?”

Lin Zhixia tried to suppress a smirk and hesitated to answer. The girl seemed to remember something and her eyes went to Xiao Ai. She said excitedly, “Wait! Is he Keai’s…

“Hush!” Lin Zhixia interrupted her quickly. She closed her mouth and he said, “Don’t tell anyone.”

She nodded repeatedly, eyes wide. 

She seemed to have stumbled upon a big secret accidentally. Actually, this little boss of hers was really impressive!