It wasn't long before Ji Lingchuan returned with Xiangxiang.
On the way back, Xiangxiang's attitude towards Ji Lingchuan was obviously more affectionate than before. He kept pulling at Ji Lingchuan and chatting away, clearly regarding him as one of his own.
Ji Lingchuan didn't find it annoying. Listening to the child babbling about things only kids could understand by his ear, a faint smile appeared in his eyes.
"Xiangxiang!"
At this moment, they heard a child's call. Xiangxiang and Ji Lingchuan both looked over and saw several kids standing by the street, looking at him in surprise and envy.
"Brother Dabao, Brother Ergou, Brother Xiaomin." Xiangxiang greeted them obediently one by one when he saw them.
Seeing this, Ji Lingchuan reined in the horse.
The kids swarmed around and chattered away. "Xiangxiang, how come you get to ride a horse today?"
"You even have so many things in your arms. You're really generous today!"
"Can you let me ride the horse too?"
"Me too! Let me have a go!"
"Xiangxiang, who is this person? I've never seen him before." Another child sized up Ji Lingchuan with a bit of fear and curiosity.
Xiangxiang curled his little hands and blinked his eyes. He hesitated.
Big Brother Bobo had been so nice to him today. Not only did he take him for a ride on the big horse, but he also bought him so many delicious and fun things. Only dads would do this. Dabao's dad often brought little trinkets home for him.
He didn't have a dad before. Since Master Dad was the closest person to him, to avoid being laughed at as a kid without a dad, he always called him that. But Master Dad said he couldn't call him that anymore and should call him Jiujiu instead. Then he wouldn't have a dad.
But Master Dad said he would have a dad. Today, Big Brother Bobo was just as nice to him as a dad.
Could he... call Big Brother Bobo "Dad"?
Xiangxiang looked back at Ji Lingchuan and met the man's dark phoenix eyes. Xiangxiang was still a bit afraid of him and said, "This is Big..."
Ji Lingchuan said to the kids on both sides, "I'm his dad."
Xiangxiang's eyes widened.
The other kids also widened their eyes and opened their mouths so wide that it seemed they could fit an egg in them.
Finally, a child exclaimed, "Xiangxiang, so this is your dad!!"
"Your dad looks like a real hero. He's much more imposing than my dad!"
Xiangxiang instinctively straightened his chest and tilted his head slightly. "That's right. My dad is very powerful! He can fight wars and beat bad guys!"
The kids got even more excited. Their eyes were filled with admiration as they looked at Ji Lingchuan.
After bidding farewell to his friends, Xiangxiang was even more excited. He kept looking back at Ji Lingchuan, feeling as sweet as if his heart was filled with honey.
Ji Lingchuan noticed his little expression. He found it amusing but kept a straight face and said,
"Xiangxiang, do you know how a little baby is born?"
Xiangxiang shook his head very obediently.
Ji Lingchuan said, "When a woman and a man get married in a wedding ceremony, they will have a little baby. Those are the baby's mom and dad. Xiangxiang has a mom, so naturally, he should have a dad. Although I wasn't there to see you born and grow up, I am your real dad. You don't have to be hesitant. You can just call me that."
Xiangxiang seemed to understand but also seemed confused. He asked straightforwardly, "But Dad and Mom didn't have a wedding ceremony. I didn't see it."
Ji Lingchuan said, "Don't worry. In a few more days, you'll see Dad and Mom get married. By then, our family will never be separated again."
In the small courtyard, Song Yihuan was sitting under a tree, holding a hot water bottle in her hand and mending Xiangxiang's clothes. After being away for a month, she noticed that Xiangxiang had grown a bit taller, and his clothes were a bit short.
As she embroidered, she looked towards the gate.
Ji Lingchuan had taken Xiangxiang out for a while. She wondered how the father - son duo were getting along.
Ji Lingchuan was usually so serious. What method would he use to make Xiangxiang call him Dad?
Just as she was thinking, she heard the sound of horse hooves outside, and she also heard Xiangxiang's happy laughter. Soon, the gate was pushed open, and Ji Lingchuan led Xiangxiang in. As soon as Xiangxiang saw Song Yihuan, he ran towards her and proudly held up the small wooden horse and the candied haws in his hands.
"Mom, look. This is the small wooden horse Dad bought for me! And, and the candied haws!"
Hearing him call "Dad" so naturally, Song Yihuan raised her eyebrows and looked at Ji Lingchuan, meeting the man's deep eyes.
Song Yihuan squatted down, took a bite of the candied haws in Xiangxiang's hand, and smiled with her eyes bent. "The candied haws Dad bought for Xiangxiang are really sweet."
From this day on, Xiangxiang finally had a dad. He was extremely happy and kept calling "Dad, Dad" around Ji Lingchuan all night. He even ignored Song Yixuan and Feng Tingyun.
However, at night, Xiangxiang still wouldn't give up. Holding the little tiger that Song Yihuan embroidered for him, he tugged at Ji Lingchuan's sleeve and complained with teary eyes,
"I want to sleep with Dad. I want to listen to Dad tell stories."
Song Yihuan's back had still been aching from being tossed around by him last night. Seeing this, she pushed Ji Lingchuan out of the room following Xiangxiang's wishes and said anxiously, "It's a rare thing that Xiangxiang is willing to get close to you. You father - son duo need to spend more time together to bond."
A vein throbbed on Ji Lingchuan's forehead. He picked up the child and carried him out of the room. He said expressionlessly to Xiangxiang, "The only one who can sleep with Dad is Mom. Dad can fulfill your other wishes, but this one is a no - go. Do you understand?"
When he had a straight face, he looked extremely serious, like a fearsome god. Xiangxiang was so scared that he hugged the little tiger tightly and burst into tears with a "waaah".
"Dad is so mean. Waaah, I don't want Dad anymore. I want Mom!"
Ji Lingchuan remained unmoved. He threw him into Song Yixuan's room and then returned to Song Yihuan's room.
Hearing Xiangxiang crying, Song Yihuan was extremely anxious. "Why are you scaring him? He's just a little kid. What does he know?"
Ji Lingchuan grabbed her waist to prevent her from escaping. He whispered in her ear, "You can tell what a man will be like at the age of three, and his character is set at the age of seven. It's time to set some rules for him now, so that he won't get more and more unruly as he grows up."
After saying that, he lowered his head and kissed Song Yihuan's lips, blocking all her dissatisfaction and complaints.
As their tongues intertwined, Ji Lingchuan murmured, "You've owed me for four years. You have to make up for what I've missed bit by bit, my wife."
The fire in Song Yihuan was ignited by him. She couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and get lost in the waves with him.
This lovemaking lasted a long time. Song Yihuan was exhausted from the torment.
She didn't even remember what he did later. Before she fell asleep, she only remembered him asking in her ear, "After we get married, let's have a few more kids, okay?"
She didn't even know how she answered. She just fell asleep on his arm.