A Single Father’s Troubles - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Is Hubby Good?

Once that roar came out, both sides fell silent.

Kuang Ye turned his head away, his chest heaving violently.

A deathly silence filled the narrow stairwell.

Lin Tingwan’s eyes slowly reddened. He raised his hands to cover his face, his throat feeling as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper, his voice dry and hoarse beyond recognition: “…How about, we just forget it.”

These were words he had prepared long ago, but the moment they were spoken, Lin Tingwan felt as if his heart had suddenly become hollow.

Kuang Ye exploded upon hearing this, laughing in extreme anger: “Are you threatening me?”

He roared out ferociously, “Where do you get the nerve to threaten me?!”

Kuang Ye stared hatefully at the fellow in front of him. Crying? What reason does he have to cry? I’m the one who should be crying, right?

The person who said “let’s break up” without a word, the person who secretly had a child, who was it exactly?!

Kuang Ye’s violent rage was almost tangible, enough to set Lin Tingwan ablaze. Lin Tingwan was both terrified and trembling, his heart in his throat, fearing Kuang Ye would ignore everything and rush in front of Guagua.

He knew he had done wrong; he was guilty and getting what he deserved, unable to blame others. But this feeling was truly too painful. The immense psychological pressure made Lin Tingwan feel like he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t help but start crying, his chest heaving. Like a piece of paper that had been soaked, his whole being became wrinkled and worn.

Large teardrops rolled down his sharp chin. Kuang Ye forced himself to turn his head away and not look at him. With his eyes closed, his sense of hearing became exceptionally sharp; Lin Tingwan’s sobbing was intermittent and choked, making Kuang Ye’s heart soften.

He let out a sigh and used two fingers to help wipe away the tears on Lin Tingwan’s eyelashes. The moment his hand touched his face, he felt something was wrong. Lin Tingwan’s face was small to begin with, but now it felt like there was no meat on it at all. Kuang Ye cursed a profanity in his heart.

“Have you not been eating or sleeping properly these past two days?”

Lin Tingwan paused, not daring to lie. “I… I ate, just didn’t have much of an appetite…”

“Just because you’re afraid the little brat will find out about us?”

Tears hung from Lin Tingwan’s lashes. Biting his lip, he nodded hesitantly. A heavy tear fell, landing on the back of Kuang Ye’s hand, the heat making Kuang Ye’s hand flinch.

Lin Tingwan somewhat embarrassedly reached out to wipe that tear away. Instead, his finger was caught by Kuang Ye and brought to his mouth for a sharp bite.

“Ah!”

Kuang Ye didn’t show any mercy with that bite. Lin Tingwan cried out, and when he pulled his hand back to look, another layer of mist rose in his eyes.

On his clean white knuckle were four small tooth marks, bitten so deep they looked like a small ring etched there.

Lin Tingwan looked at his “victimized” finger with a piteous expression, feeling aggrieved: If you want to talk, talk. Why bite? Do you really think you’re Guagua?

Normally, seeing this piteous little look, Kuang Ye would definitely pull him into his arms for a gentle kiss and hug. But today Kuang Ye was truly angry. He let go of his hand and turned to walk outward.

“If I catch you not eating properly again, I’ll feed you myself!”

Lin Tingwan froze for a moment, and once he snapped back, he hurried to grab his hand. “Hey, Kuang Ye, where… where are you going?”

Kuang Ye pulled open the door and walked out of the stairwell, his cold gaze glancing at Lin Tingwan, his face terrifyingly sour.

“To be a ‘male third party’ who can’t see the light! I’ll wash myself clean and wait for your call at any time!”

Kuang Ye was clearly beyond furious; his voice nearly knocked the elevator over.

A dumbfounded Lin Tingwan stared wide-eyed.

What male third party? What ‘wash clean’? What on earth is Kuang Ye talking about?

Lin Tingwan waited anxiously for the elevator to descend, then waited at the door for a while longer. Seeing that Kuang Ye hadn’t made a sudden return, he guiltily pulled open his front door.

The moment he entered, a small “attachment” grew onto his leg.

Lin Tingwan quickly squatted down. Guagua held his face and checked him up and down. Seeing no injuries, he let out a massive sigh of relief and lunged into his embrace, his voice buzzing with excitement, “Daddy, you beat the liar, right!”

“Uh, baby, that person outside wasn’t a liar. He’s… a friend of Daddy’s.”

“Eh? Not a stepfather-liar?” Guagua’s eyes went wide. The child had absolute trust in his father and didn’t doubt for a second why Lin Tingwan said he was a liar before but now a friend.

Moreover, this empathetic child thought of his behavior just now and immediately lowered his small head in guilt. “Then… then I misunderstood Uncle. Daddy, I want to apologize to Uncle. I shouldn’t have said he was a liar.”

“Daddy, is Uncle still outside?”

“Uncle has already left. Uncle isn’t angry; he even gave you gifts.”

He quickly opened the bags Kuang Ye had left behind one by one in front of Guagua.

Kuang Ye said they were meeting gifts for Guagua and told him to handle them. He had no choice but to bring them back. The bags were large and heavy; he had dragged and carried them in.

They were stuffed full: a pair of GUCCI Ace children’s shoes, a small basketball, a set of electric magnetic fishing toys, a luxurious six-story children’s toy garage with tracks, and a set of Naef building blocks.

Every time Lin Tingwan took something out, Guagua let out an exclamation of wonder. By the time all five gifts were arranged neatly before him, Guagua’s jaw nearly hit the floor, enough to fit an egg in.

His eyes were round and wide, looking at Lin Tingwan in disbelief, crying out, “Daddy, are these all for baby?”

“Mhm, they’re all for you.” Seeing the child touch this and then that, looking utterly overjoyed, Lin Tingwan whispered a “thank you” to Kuang Ye in his heart. “Good boy, which one do you want to unwrap first?”

Guagua didn’t unwrap any of them. He suddenly stood up and walked toward the door without a word.

Lin Tingwan was baffled by his actions and called him back, “Where are you going, baby?”

“Daddy, I’m going out to find Uncle to say thank you!”

Lin Tingwan pulled the child back and told him Uncle had already gone far away.

Usually easygoing, Guagua appeared exceptionally stubborn now. He didn’t give up, opening the door and looking around inside and out. Only after seeing no one did he withdraw his gaze dejectedly.

“Uncle walks too fast!”

Lin Tingwan thought: If he didn’t leave, your Daddy would have died of fright.

Guagua was downcast for a bit, then said: “Daddy, call the good uncle and tell the good uncle to come play at our house!”

Let Kuang Ye come play at home? I really don’t dare!

Lin Tingwan quickly snatched back the phone Guagua was about to touch, coaxing him, “Uncle is very busy. Calling him will disturb him. Good boy, we won’t call, okay?”

“But baby wants to apologize to him.” Guagua poked his fingers piteously. “If I don’t apologize, I won’t be a polite baby.”

Guagua had only ever been clingy with him. He had never seen Guagua pay so much attention to another person. Lin Tingwan was startled could this be the innate father-son nature?

He asked cautiously: “Why do you like this… uncle so much?”

“Because Uncle is a good person. I like good people,” Guagua answered crisply.

Lin Tingwan never expected this reason. He was speechless for a while, then asked: “Brother Wangwang, Grandpa Bian don’t they treat you very well too? You don’t want to see them this much?”

“Uncle likes baby even though he hasn’t seen the cute baby! He bought me so many, many gifts. Uncle must be a super-duper good person. So I like him too!” Guagua’s answer was perfectly logical.

Lin Tingwan: …………

Why is it that I can’t find a rebuttal?

Guagua had truly fallen in love with this “good uncle” he’d never met. To get Lin Tingwan to agree to let the other person visit, he used his ultimate “cute attack”: “Daddy, let Uncle come play at our house. I’ll be so very good to Uncle, I’ll give him animal crackers!”

Usually, once Guagua acted cute, Lin Tingwan would have said “okay, okay” long ago. But for this specific matter, he absolutely dared not agree, much less let Guagua know that the “good uncle” who gave the gifts was the “big bad guy” who scared him into nightmares and made him take off his clothes to attract mosquitoes.

“Alright, when Uncle is free, Daddy will ask him,” Lin Tingwan said perfunctorily.

“Then when will Uncle be free?”

Lin Tingwan thought: He will never be free.

“I’ll let Uncle come when he has time. Let’s go look at the new toys. Daddy will play with you, okay?”

The child’s attention span was indeed only three seconds long, and he was immediately distracted by Lin Tingwan.

“Hooray!”

Looking at the child’s profile as he focused on unwrapping toys, Lin Tingwan let out a silent sigh of relief.

Children have short memories. As long as he didn’t mention Kuang Ye again for a while, the boy should forget soon.

Lin Tingwan comforted himself with some self-deception and soon, amidst Guagua’s urgent calls, tossed the matter to the back of his mind and went to unwrap toys with his son.

On the other side.

Kuang Ye, who had rushed over to be a stepfather only to fail and get his nose snubbed, sat back in his car with a sour face. Just as he was about to start the engine, his nose itched—A-choo! A-choo! Three more sneezes.

“Dammit, I took so much of that crap medicine and it’s useless!”

Kuang Ye drove toward the villa.

He was furious; he didn’t even want to stay here today.

The car had just made a turn when his phone, which had been “broken” all day, finally rang with that cursed notification sound.

Kuang Ye pulled over to the side of the road and looked. It was a photo sent by Lin Tingwan.

The photo was taken in the living room. On the brownish-yellow sisal rug, a tiny child had his back to the camera, quietly playing with a red block.

Wife: Thank you for the gifts, he likes them very much.

Kuang Ye gave a cold snort, thinking to himself: Who cares if that brat likes them? He thought he was typing coolly, completely unaware that his curled lips were harder to suppress than an AK-47.

yeeze: I bought a lot. The rest are at my place. When are you coming to get them?

Kuang Ye asked with ill intent.

Lin Tingwan had just escaped the tiger’s den with great difficulty; he would absolutely not seek death a second time.

Wife: There are already so many gifts. Give the rest to other children.

Kuang Ye’s face turned black.

yeeze: Where would other children come from???

Who thinks everyone wants kids as much as he does?! If Lin Tingwan couldn’t give birth, as long as Lin Tingwan didn’t have two kids in three years, it would be because he didn’t work hard enough!

Seeing those three piercing question marks, Lin Tingwan could almost imagine the scene of Kuang Ye pressing the screen hard while typing. He quickly soothed him.

Wife: I mean your friends’ kids or relatives and such.

Wife: I’m going to bathe Guagua now~ You should rest early too, don’t get too tired. Goodnight.

Kuang Ye irritably tossed his phone aside. He wanted to be tired, but who would give him the chance?!

For the next few days, Kuang Ye waited patiently for Lin Tingwan’s “summons.”

Monday, no news. Tuesday, no news. … It went on until Friday, and still! No! News!

Kuang Ye’s precarious patience finally collapsed.

Friday night, Lin Tingwan was at home tidying up Guagua’s clothes for the change of season when his phone chimed. As he went to grab it, he accidentally bumped his hand on the door.

As if having a bad premonition, Lin Tingwan’s heart was pounding with anxiety. He picked it up and saw the caller ID was Kuang Ye.

Lin Tingwan wore a bitter face, stealing a glance at Guagua—who was focused on playing with his track cars then walked light-footedly into the room, closed the door, and answered the call.

The moment the call connected, he heard a cold laugh.

“You really think of me as a male concubine, don’t you, hmm?”

Lin Tingwan was on the verge of tears: “N-no…”

“No? No, and you haven’t contacted me for five days?!” Kuang Ye was furious, his voice nearly lifting the ceiling off Lin Tingwan’s house.

Lin Tingwan moved the phone further away, rubbing his vibrating ear, and explained guiltily: “Isn’t it… isn’t it because I’ve been with Guagua playing with the gifts you sent every day? I haven’t found any free time.”

Actually, Lin Tingwan really couldn’t be blamed for this. As a single father, he had to work during the day and take care of the child at night. Guagua was only three even though he was very sensible and obedient, he was still at an age where he couldn’t be left alone and needed an adult’s eyes. Where would Lin Tingwan find the time to go find Kuang Ye?

Moreover, the toys Kuang Ye sent made Guagua overjoyed; the first thing he did every day upon returning home was play, and he wanted Lin Tingwan to play with him. Usually, they played until seven or eight, then Lin Tingwan gave him a bath, played a bit more, and then he went to sleep.

One blink, and a day passed. Another blink, and a week passed.

So it wasn’t that Lin Tingwan didn’t contact Kuang Ye; he truly had no time.

Of course, being a little afraid was also true. He was indeed subconsciously avoiding contacting Kuang Ye.

Kuang Ye let out a mocking laugh: “So me sending gifts was me digging a pit for myself?”

“Then when will I finally wait for you to find a moment in your busy schedule to deign to come and favor me?”

Lin Tingwan heard the sarcasm and truly felt like crying. “Kuang Ye, don’t talk like that, I’m scared.”

He was genuinely afraid, his back tensing and his scalp tingling. Although it was through a screen, he always felt the threat as if someone were nipping the back of his neck with sharp canine teeth.

“In half an hour, I’ll be waiting for you downstairs at your house.” Kuang Ye didn’t give him any room for rebuttal at all. Before he could speak, he frightened him with an ill-tempered warning: “My patience is limited. You’d better be obedient, otherwise I don’t mind knocking on your door again.”

This threat was truly too vicious. Lin Tingwan held the phone that had been aggressively hung up, standing in the room at a total loss, looking ready to cry.

7:30 PM.

A slender young man stepped out of the elevator, looking around blankly.

He wore a warm-white down jacket, and beneath the high collar, he revealed a fair, smooth face. Coupled with the unique, pure aura he carried, he didn’t look at all like a man nearly thirty; he looked more like an eighteen or nineteen-year-old student.

Sitting in the car, Kuang Ye was struck by Lin Tingwan’s appearance. The Lin Tingwan before him overlapped with the Lin Tingwan in his memory. Time had left almost no traces on him. If one had to say something, it was that he was perhaps even more beautiful than before. Previously he was green like a shy little rabbit. If someone looked at him, he would shyly purse his lips and lower his head to dodge.

But now, the innocence and clarity of his youth were well-preserved, yet the previous cowardice and shrinking were gone. He could look you straight in the eye with that guileless gaze.

This was quite miraculous.

There were many things Kuang Ye couldn’t find the answers to himself. How could someone he only spent forty-odd days with linger in his mind for over four years? Not only did his friends think it was unbelievable, but he couldn’t figure it out himself either.

But Kuang Ye had to admit. He had seen so many men and women, yet no one was as full of temptation for him as Lin Tingwan.

He wanted him.

Lin Tingwan soon found the familiar black Mulsanne parked not far away.

To be honest, he didn’t like this car. After all, his not-so-pleasant reunion with Kuang Ye had started with this car.

However, he didn’t say anything, walking to the car. Kuang Ye opened the door and concisely uttered two words, “Get in.”

Lin Tingwan got into the car obediently and buckled his seatbelt.

Kuang Ye didn’t look at him, nor did he say where they were going, starting the car.

Lin Tingwan felt his silence was different from usual and felt uneasy. At a red light, Lin Tingwan finally couldn’t hold it in and asked cautiously, “Kuang Ye, where are you taking me?”

“I sent Guagua to a friend’s house temporarily. We probably have about three hours. It’s not convenient to pick him up too late.”

Lin Tingwan had neither relatives to rely on nor close friends. In his dilemma, Zhao Congfang happened to call saying she missed Guagua. Lin Tingwan sent Guagua over as if grabbing a life-saving straw. Although the Bian family hinted repeatedly that they hoped Guagua would stay over tonight, Lin Tingwan decided to pick up the child early.

“The time is that tight?” Kuang Ye turned his head to look at Lin Tingwan, his gaze lingering for a moment on Lin Tingwan’s rosy, soft lips. His lips were slightly parted, and his soft red tongue flashed for an instant.

Kuang Ye withdrew his gaze and muttered to himself: “Then I’ll have to be quick.”

Kuang Ye changed his original plan to go to the villa and instead found a five-star hotel by the road and parked.

“We… we’re here?!”

Lin Tingwan looked at the sign of the luxurious five-star hotel and was a bit dazed.

Kuang Ye tossed the keys to the valet and led Lin Tingwan toward the lobby.

“A suite.” Kuang Ye took a card from his wallet and handed it to the front desk, then turned to ask Lin Tingwan: “Did you bring your ID?”

“Ah? No.”

Kuang Ye never mistreated himself. Sometimes when they were tired from playing out, he would find a hotel to rest. Lin Tingwan thought this was the same situation. Since Kuang Ye hadn’t shown any abnormality, Lin Tingwan didn’t think much of it.

But the moment the room door was swiped open, he was pressed against the wall. Scorching lips blocked his mouth, and that familiar scent that permeated deep into his soul arrived aggressively without warning. His daze gave Kuang Ye a chance, his nimble tongue easily prying open his teeth and driving straight in.

During Kuang Ye’s messy, almost devouring kiss, Lin Tingwan finally snapped back to reality. While struggling desperately, he tried to use words to bring back Kuang Ye’s sanity.

“Kuang… Kuang Ye… stop for a moment, I… I can’t breathe…”

Kuang Ye turned a deaf ear. Those sweet lips pulled him back into his memories instantly. He remembered the piteous way Lin Tingwan struggled in his arms, his cries for mercy as weak as a kitten’s—just like his green body, it only made one lose their reason further.

Kuang Ye thought of these past events until he was almost obsessed; he couldn’t hear Lin Tingwan’s pleas at all now, roughly tearing at Lin Tingwan’s clothes.

Lin Tingwan felt a chill at his chest. Seeing the out-of-control look in Kuang Ye’s eyes, his scalp tingled with fear, and he shouted in panic: “Wait a moment, Kuang Ye, don’t… don’t do this…”

Kuang Ye’s hand touched somewhere, and Lin Tingwan was forced to let out a low cry. That single soft hum half-pained and half-sweet made both their movements pause.

Kuang Ye buried his head by his neck and laughed softly.

“Stop for what? Don’t you like it too?”

Being exposed, Lin Tingwan’s face burned with heat.

Kuang Ye took his hand and placed it on his chest muscles. Lin Tingwan’s hand was held by him, unable to dodge. His hand touched the warm skin, and as if possessed, he actually squeezed it twice.

Kuang Ye looked at him playfully. As if waking from a dream, Lin Tingwan’s face flushed red instantly.

“I… I’m not, I…” Lin Tingwan explained in a panic, feeling like he was dying of embarrassment under Kuang Ye’s increasingly meaningful gaze.

Kuang Ye soothed him by pinching his earlobe, his head leaning on his shoulder. His low laughter seemed to come from his chest: “It’s all yours, no one is fighting you for it.”

Lin Tingwan wanted to cry even more.

Kuang Ye’s roaming hand suddenly stopped. He let out a “Eh?” and squeezed twice more: “You seem to have gotten a bit fatter?”

“W-what?”

His hand cupped Lin Tingwan’s white, soft chest, carefully using his fingers for comparison. Fair, delicate flesh spilled through his fingers. Kuang Ye nodded with certainty and whispered, “Fatter. There’s more meat here. Previously one hand could…”

Lin Tingwan quickly raised his hand to cover his mouth, his eyelashes trembling. He was practically crying: “You… stop talking!”

Seeing those beautiful eyes welling with mist, Kuang Ye thought he was just shy and hurried to pull him into a hug to coax him. “Not fat, not fat, everything looks good!”

He held Lin Tingwan, kissing him repeatedly. Before the continuous sweet words could be spoken, the phone rang without warning.

“Wait… Kuang Ye, let me answer the phone…”

Lin Tingwan struggled to dodge Kuang Ye’s fervent kisses, but Kuang Ye wickedly pinned his hands.

“Ignore it.” Kuang Ye treated the ringtone entirely as background music, kissing even more fiercely.

Lin Tingwan was kissed until his brain lacked oxygen, feeling dizzy.

The ringing lasted for a while then stopped.

Kuang Ye was happy for a moment, saying, “See, it hung up itself.”

Before he finished speaking, the phone rang tenaciously again.

Lin Tingwan pushed away the large head Kuang Ye had buried at his chest and said very seriously, “I’m answering the phone!”

Only then did Kuang Ye unwillingly loosen his grip a bit, though his arm still possessively encircled Lin Tingwan’s waist.

Lin Tingwan picked up the phone, instinctively glancing at Kuang Ye.

Kuang Ye became alert instantly, staring at his hand.

Lin Tingwan answered the phone: “Hello. Bian Wang…”

“Daddy, Daddy!” As soon as the call connected, Guagua’s soft voice came through the speaker.

“Hey, baby.”

“Daddy, are you done being busy? I’m a bit sleepy, I want to go home.” The child’s voice sounded a bit weary, lacking energy.

Lin Tingwan pushed away the hand Kuang Ye had at his waist and stood up. He stepped off the bed, bent down to pick up his clothes scattered on the floor, and said, “Okay, baby, wait for me a moment. I’ll come over now.”

Kuang Ye glared at him. Lin Tingwan gave him an apologetic and somewhat coaxing smile. But his hands didn’t stop straightening his clothes.

“Baby, give the phone to Brother Wangwang.”

“Oh!”

“Hello, Brother Tingwan, it’s Bian Wang.” Bian Wang took the phone.

“Bian Wang, I’ll come pick up Guagua in a bit. Can you let him sleep for a while?”

Bian Wang said: “It’s fine, don’t make the trip. I’ll drop Guabao off. I happen to be running an errand for my mom that way. It’s on the way.”

Zhao Congfang also chimed in on the side: “Xiao Lin, don’t come over. It’s cold outside; let this big lummox drop him off.”

“Alright, then I’ll trouble you, Auntie.”

After hanging up, Lin Tingwan looked at Kuang Ye with trepidation, signaling with his eyes that he had to leave.

Kuang Ye surprisingly didn’t get angry, only reminding Lin Tingwan: “That guy with the surname Bian stay away from him.”

“Eh?” Lin Tingwan looked over blankly. “You mean Bian Wang?”

“Mhm.” Kuang Ye’s expression was very poor.

“He and I don’t have that kind of relationship, we’re just friends.” Lin Tingwan found it bizarre.

Kuang Ye thought to himself: Only you think you’re friends. The way that kid looks at you is like he could eat you alive. But he certainly wouldn’t say this out loud. Lin Tingwan was a very dull person; saying it would instead backfire and might even help the kid. Let the kid suffocate in silence, Kuang Ye thought wickedly.

“Anyway, just listen to me. I’m going to the restroom, then I’ll take you back.”

The sound of rushing water came from the restroom. A few minutes later, Kuang Ye walked out naked from the bathroom, water droplets clinging to him, that certain part swaying as he walked.

Lin Tingwan saw it by accident and was dazed for two seconds before quickly turning his back.

Kuang Ye looked at the small patch of red ear showing through his dark hair and gave a laugh. He grabbed a towel and casually wiped off the water, then walked over and hugged him from behind.

Lin Tingwan shivered instinctively. Realizing something, he placed his hand on Kuang Ye’s bulging upper arm; it was cold to the touch.

Lin Tingwan cried out in shock: “Taking a cold shower in this weather, are you crazy!”

He quickly pulled over the quilt to drape over Kuang Ye. Kuang Ye watched Lin Tingwan go to the bathroom to get a bathrobe and carefully put it on him, and his mood was indescribably good. He pulled back the Lin Tingwan who was about to get his clothes, used a bit of force, and pulled him into a hug. “Stop busying yourself, just let me hold you for a bit.”

Lin Tingwan stood there helplessly and let him hold him, exchanging their body heat through the thin fabric.

Lin Tingwan looked at Kuang Ye’s misty hair with a complex expression. He was a man too; he knew clearly why Kuang Ye took a cold shower. Lin Tingwan didn’t know if he should push him away or let him continue holding him; his mind was a mess.

After holding him for a while, Kuang Ye felt that if he kept holding him, the effect of the cold shower would vanish again. He proactively let go of Lin Tingwan’s waist, got dressed, and said, “Let’s go, I’ll take you back.”

When checking out at the front desk, the receptionist instinctively looked at the time on the screen and asked cautiously: “Is there anything the guest is unsatisfied with regarding the room? We can change rooms for you.”

A room costing over two thousand yuan, and they left in less than half an hour???

“I have business.”

Kuang Ye returned the key card and led Lin Tingwan away.

The valet had just parked the car and hurried back, also stunned to hear the guests were leaving. He had no choice but to go and bring the car back out.

They stood at the door waiting for the car. The receptionist couldn’t help but complain in her sisters’ group: “Two handsome guys booked the presidential suite today. There were marks on the bed, then they were out in half an hour. My fantasy about handsome guys is truly shattered, ahhhh.”

Fortunately, it was just private chat; Lin Tingwan and Kuang Ye had no idea about such a small incident.

Lin Tingwan was still a bit dazed sitting in the car. This considerate Kuang Ye made him feel both strange and afraid. He suspected this was some new tactic of Kuang Ye’s, wondering if he would be taken somewhere else midway. Only when the car stopped steadily downstairs at his house did Lin Tingwan realize he had been judging a gentleman’s heart with a petty person’s mind.

Lin Tingwan looked at Kuang Ye with a complex gaze, wanting to say “Are you okay? Why are you suddenly so good to me?” but no matter how he looked at it, it seemed full of provocation. So he didn’t know how to ask.

He was full of conflict. Kuang Ye, however, already understood what he wanted to say. He raised his hand to stroke the stray hairs by Lin Tingwan’s ear and proactively asked: “Do you think I’m especially good, especially understanding?”

“Mhm.” Lin Tingwan nodded honestly and added: “Right now, yes.”

Kuang Ye was amused and laughed, “Would it kill you to say something nice?”

Lin Tingwan looked at him helplessly, appearing worried he would get angry again.

Kuang Ye’s gaze gradually softened. He suddenly leaned in and kissed Lin Tingwan’s red ear tip, saying very gently, “Be good, Hubby will dote on you.”

Lin Tingwan thought to himself: Am I not good already, not obedient enough? I’m almost acting like a doormat.

The atmosphere in the car was very good, a faint tenderness flowing between the two.

Kuang Ye thought for a moment, held Lin Tingwan’s hand, and said, “I respect that you won’t let me see Lin Xiangning. But your sexual orientation cannot be changed, and the child will grow up; he will find out himself. Have you thought about this?”

Lin Tingwan remained silent, unable to speak.

Of course he knew. He said those things to Kuang Ye back then because he couldn’t think of any other good reason. He had already confessed to Guagua long ago Guagua even knew his own origin so why would he care about sexual orientation? He just didn’t dare let Kuang Ye and Guagua meet. He was afraid the truth about the child would be discovered.

“I don’t think hiding it is a good tactic.”

“I understand. I will slowly explain to him.” Lin Tingwan looked up into Kuang Ye’s eyes. “Then what about you? Don’t you hate children? If you live with me, can you accept a child appearing in your life?”

“I won’t lie to you; even now, I hate children.”

Lin Tingwan’s heart sank.

Then he heard Kuang Ye say: “But if it’s your child, I will try to accept it. Perhaps I won’t be a good father, but I will work hard to be one.”

He looked into Lin Tingwan’s eyes and asked softly, “Do you understand what I mean?”

Lin Tingwan naturally didn’t understand.

He could understand fuck buddies living together, but how did it get to the matter of “being a good daddy”? Why would Kuang Ye think this way? How exactly did he see him?

Instinctively, Lin Tingwan felt he shouldn’t ask further. He very sharply closed his mouth, not continuing the topic, and said: “I’m getting out of the car now.”

“Wait.” Kuang Ye pulled him back. Lin Tingwan looked over in confusion.

Kuang Ye sat in the driver’s seat with his legs apart, arching an eyebrow at him: “Hubby is so good, it’s not too much to ask for a kiss, right?”

He actually just wanted to tease the fellow. But unexpectedly, Lin Tingwan hesitated for a moment, then like a little snail poking its antennae from its heavy shell, he slowly leaned in and gave a very quick kiss on his cheek.

That kiss was gone in a flash, so fast it almost seemed like it never existed.

But Kuang Ye felt it. He raised his hand and touched the moisture on his cheek in disbelief, his nose seeming to still carry that calming scent of Lin Tingwan’s.

He instinctively turned to look at Lin Tingwan. Lin Tingwan was extremely shy, turning red from head to toe, curled up in the chair like a cooked shrimp. His eyes flickered, not daring to look at Kuang Ye at all.

Kuang Ye’s breathing hitched. He held Lin Tingwan’s waist and kissed him fiercely. The slight pain on his lips made Lin Tingwan cry in his heart. He regretted it! He had caused trouble! Kuang Ye was already a fire, and he had actually sought death by pouring oil on it; now the fire was burning fiercely, about to burn him to death.

Just when Lin Tingwan truly felt he was going to die from lack of oxygen, a sliver of Kuang Ye’s remaining sanity saved him. Just as Kuang Ye’s fingers were about to touch the edge of Lin Tingwan’s shirt button, he stopped.

Kuang Ye leaned on Lin Tingwan’s shoulder, panting slowly.

Lin Tingwan’s body was stiff, not daring to move an inch.

After a few minutes, Kuang Ye finally calmed down. He touched Lin Tingwan’s face which had broken into a cold sweat and said with a tired gaze, “Don’t provoke me like that again next time. In the end, you’re the one who suffers. Why bother?”

Lin Tingwan looked at him piteously, thinking to himself: You’re the one who asked me to kiss you, and after I did, you can’t handle it.

But he only dared to say this in his heart. If Kuang Ye really went crazy, he couldn’t take it.

Kuang Ye seemed to have guessed his unsaid words and gave a low laugh. He reached out and helped him pull his collar to the top. “Go on.”

Lin Tingwan got out of the car and looked at Kuang Ye through the window.

The light at night wasn’t great. Even in such blurred light, Kuang Ye was still breathtakingly handsome.

Lin Tingwan inexplicably felt his heart beat a bit fast. This unprecedented, strange emotion made him very uncomfortable. He didn’t dare look further and turned to leave.

A moment later, an iron-gray Volvo stopped at the entrance of the compound.

The car door opened, and a tall boy stepped out carrying a sleeping child.

Lin Tingwan took the child, and after a brief conversation, they departed.

Kuang Ye withdrew his gaze. The boy standing by the car, after seeing the father and son off, shifted his gaze imperceptibly over and locked eyes with Kuang Ye.

Kuang Ye’s sharp gaze rested on the boy’s face.

The boy’s face usually brimming with smiles was now ice-cold, staring back at Kuang Ye calmly.

The two gazes were like sharp arrows striking each other fiercely. In an instant, sparks flew and the tension was palpable.

Finally, both moved their eyes away and simultaneously muttered a profanity in their hearts.