I Became the Rich Family’s Stepfather and Couldn’t Stop Laughing - Chapter 19

When Huo Siyi woke up, the pain in his head was gone, but he still felt extremely dizzy.

Although he had experienced drowsiness after taking medication before, those had been cases where he used the drug’s side effects to catch up on sleep; this was the first time he had directly blacked out.

Dr. White had drawn two vials of blood. He couldn’t give a specific diagnosis until the blood test results came back. While he was inclined toward a mild concussion from the two impacts, he couldn’t rule out the possibility that there was an issue with the new batch of specialized medication.

Dr. White spoke gently: “Sir, until the dizziness improves, you should rest here properly.”

Huo Siyi pressed his temples, his brow furrowed even tighter: “Here?”

Dr. White nodded slightly: “The Old Madam… has always paid no attention to the Madame or the Young Master in the manor.”

Dr. White had always been cautious and tactful. His words held two other meanings: First, to remind Huo Siyi that although the Old Madam had been quiet for two years, if there was truly a problem with the new medicine, she might still have cards to play. Second, everyone knew that Huo Siyi had always ignored the “wife” and the illegitimate son in this manor, never returning once in their two years of marriage. Because of this, the staff in the manor was the “cleanest” and most suitable for Huo Siyi’s convalescence.

Huo Siyi narrowed his long eyes, silent for a moment as he recalled his brush with death two years ago. He knew Dr. White’s suggestion was correct being careful was always for the best but… “You should know why I don’t come here.”

Thinking of Xi Ling, Huo Siyi’s brow twisted even more, especially when he thought of how greedy and ungrateful the man was, constantly “repaying kindness” to get what he wanted it disgusted him.

Over the years, to become his true partner or rather, a sharer in his wealth Xi Ling had caused countless troubles.

He had once sent psychological experts to treat him in depth. He wanted to know if the person who had saved him back then was truly the hallucination he’d had in a moment of despair while searching fruitlessly, or if he hadn’t remembered wrong, and the person simply developed a new personality after waking up from severe injury.

However, the person was very resistant and refused to go again after a single nominal trauma-counseling session.

But regardless of whether he could get an accurate answer, Huo Siyi was certain of one thing: Xi Ling was not the person from his memories at least, the current one definitely wasn’t.

It was likely that the psychologist’s deliberate guidance had made the other person realize the problem, leading him to mistakenly believe that he liked the plain-faced, simply dressed poor boy from the time of the rescue. Because of this, similar changes had appeared more than once.

Back then, Xi Ling would even find cheap clothes and deliberately distress them, and when he played the part, he really looked like the person Huo Siyi had been separated from for years in his “hallucinations.”

But it was only a superficial resemblance. He truly didn’t want to look at those low-class methods for even a second.

Even though the strange tactics used in these last two meetings reminded him of that person again, he would always feel even more disgusted with the greedy impostor in front of him after the memories faded.

After hearing Huo Siyi’s reply, Dr. White’s tone remained gentle and firm: “This is the safest place.” Because no one would ever think Huo Siyi would stay at the manor.

Huo Siyi leaned back against the headboard, his eyes closed as he pressed his left temple off and on. Perhaps it was psychosomatic, but after learning there might be an issue with the new medicine, he felt a strange, suffocating pressure in his brain.

Dr. White waited for a long time, but seeing that Huo Siyi said nothing more, he smiled and bid farewell, sending Xiong Bin in to take his place.

Meanwhile, as Dr. White’s medical vehicle left, the paparazzi hiding in secret spots outside the manor split into two groups one stayed behind, and the other followed the medical vehicle.

Ever since they had cashed in big on the #XiLingSecretlyMeetsYoungBoyToy# story not long ago, “Daju Entertainment” had been desperate to dig up more explosive material on this thread.

In the afternoon, they heard that two Rolls-Royces registered to Huo Siyi had collided in the parking garage of a Chuangsi branch one of the Cullinans was the same one Xi Ling had taken to the police station, and the other, according to a tip, belonged to Huo Siyi. With the keen instincts of paparazzi, they immediately rushed to the outskirts of the manor to stake it out.

They thought that at the very least, they could snap photos of Xi Ling changing cars when he returned, confirming that the rumors on anonymous forums that the divorced couple had smashed into each other in the company garage weren’t fake. Just thinking about it was exciting enough.

However, they waited until the sky was dark without seeing a thing. Just as they thought they’d been duped, a million-yuan business car appeared. It matched the security detail car that Huo Siyi had switched to, according to anonymous posts, and they were ecstatic.

Because this big scoop involved Huo Siyi, Daju Entertainment worried that Chuangsi’s PR team would strike too fast, so they carefully kept it under wraps, intending to hold it until the middle of the night to release it.

Even though traffic would be low in the early hours of the morning with only the “night owls” and a few international time-zone travelers awake the entire team at Daju Entertainment was confident in the hashtag #CarsCollideTearingOffMasksXiLingExHusbandAppearsAtManorForFirstTime#.

Of course, this wasn’t all they planned to use. Daju Entertainment’s paparazzi were still camping out around the manor, waiting for the next blockbuster headline after dawn.

For now, they were the only ones who knew that Huo Siyi still hadn’t left the manor. Even if other media caught wind of it and came to try their luck, Daju Entertainment, which had prepared a top-of-the-line high-definition drone, was confident they would get the exclusive front-page story.

Having lost his little human shield, Xi Ling was exceptionally nervous. Unable to grab the living, breathing, floppy-eared bunny child, Xi Ling had to grab a plush toy version that matched the pajamas to protect himself.

The sky was pitch black. He walked into Huo Siyi’s room with trepidation, and after a low “come in” in response to his knock, Xi Ling pushed the door open to find the room in total darkness.

Xi Ling’s nerves were stretched to the limit. He had always been afraid of the dark and terrified of ghosts. Subconsciously, he reached out and snap switched on the room’s main light.

As the light flooded the room, his gaze met Huo Siyi’s dark, brooding face.

A cold, icy glare shot out like two giant icicles. The man looked gloomier than imaginable, as if he’d just been dug up from the grave.

“Sumimasen! No offense intended!” Xi Ling snap switched the light back off.

After switching it off, he gasped for air as if he’d been frightened, patting his chest and muttering in a voice that was almost inaudible: “Touch the fur, don’t be scared…”

Huo Siyi: “…”

After seeing Huo Siyi, Xi Ling felt that his trivial fear of the dark was completely manageable.

The rapid switching of the light had left Huo Siyi seeing white spots even with his eyes closed. He took a deep breath: “I will be resting here for a few days…”

What??

No, no, no! He refused! This was his and Mianmian’s happy home!

Xi Ling was resisting with a million thoughts in his heart, and Huo Siyi who spoke as if he were catching his breath, finally spit out the second half of the sentence.

“During this time, you will stop those useless stunts. After the New Year, I can give you a chance to choose again.”

Xi Ling understood the first half: “What kind of chance?”

Huo Siyi’s patience was limited: “Don’t play dumb. Don’t you know what you want most?”

Xi Ling had always hated this kind of circular conversation in novels someone asks for “A,” and instead of answering “A,” they go around in circles and ask “Don’t you know what A is?”

He once suspected these paper characters were failing their literature classes, always going off the rails.

Xi Ling analyzed it quickly. A “chance to choose again” sounded like it had to do with the initial agreement choosing marriage or choosing money. But what the original host “wanted most” was Huo Siyi himself…

Xi Ling grabbed the two ears of the bunny plushie, his thoughts racing. It was necessary to clarify the transaction conditions proposed by the Riddler: “I don’t know, what is it?” Speak clearly.

Huo Siyi was silent for a moment: “After the divorce, I can give you five million a year to spend at your own discretion.”

Before he could finish, Huo Siyi called Xiong Bin in, and Xi Ling was escorted out.

Fine. He really was so annoyed by him that even one extra second of his presence was unbearable. Xi Ling was actually a bit curious about what kind of evil the original host had committed.

Five million a year to spend freely, the same benefits as a widow, and no restrictions on remarriage… If it were the beginning, he would have agreed without a second thought.

But now, there was no limit to swiping his card every day, so how was that not “free”? He could live in Huo Siyi’s mansion, drive Huo Siyi’s supercar, and fondle Huo Siyi’s cub…

Although the cub had just abandoned him once, he had used the kid as a human shield for a long time that afternoon. Thinking about it, he and the kid were a perfect match—closer than actual father and son!

Just as Xi Ling was thinking such chaotic thoughts, he walked out of the corridor and saw a floppy-eared bunny kid standing at the corner, peeking at him while holding a thick hardcover book.

Seeing Xi Ling walk out, the kid immediately lowered his eyes, looking so pathetic that Xi Ling couldn’t help but laugh.

“Isn’t this the little traitor cub who abandoned his dad!”

Huo Xingmian lowered his head, swaying his body as he rubbed against Xi Ling’s leg, humming and mumbling in his little milky voice: “I’m not, I, didn’t…”

Xi Ling picked up the cub and gave his little belly a big sniff before hugging him and walking away: “You little bad egg, how could you have the heart to leave me to face your dad all by myself!”

Huo Xingmian pouted: “I’m, still little.”

Xi Ling couldn’t help but let out a puff of laughter.

Huo Xingmian took the opportunity to hold up the storybook in his arms: “Classic of Mountains and Seas, it’s here, so fast.”

Xi Ling pinched the child’s nose: “You’re so clever, you really know how to take advantage of the situation.”

Huo Xingmian tilted his head and blinked in feigned ignorance, looking like a cute little baby who had no idea what his dad was talking about and just really loved listening to the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

Xi Ling, of course, wouldn’t let the kid off that easily for deserting his post. He had the nanny fill the massage tub with water, intending to bring the child in to soak and, along the way, explain the precautions for when his biological father stayed over.

Although the conditions Huo Siyi offered weren’t tempting at all, Xi Ling was too lazy to waste time harassing him anyway.

The fireworks they’d test tomorrow would be delivered directly, and he and the kid would have plenty to play with. Who had time for some lousy “ATM”?

The massage tub in the master bathroom was ridiculously large it looked like it could fit four people. Xi Ling always felt it was a waste of water to use it himself, so it was perfect to bring the kid along.

To the kid, the big tub was like a swimming pool. This time, Xi Ling didn’t put any essential oil bath bombs in, and he even got the kid a little swim ring.

With that, Xi Ling didn’t have to do anything while sitting in the tub; the random massage jets from the walls were enough to keep the kid tumbling about in delight.

Father and son soaked for twenty minutes, and the kid was once again blasted into Xi Ling’s arms by a powerful jet of water. At the same time, his little milky voice shrieked in excitement: “Ahhh, yay yay yay, hahahahaha…”

Before Xi Ling could give him a rub, the kid was blasted away by another jet. Seeing that time was up, Xi Ling turned off the massage function: “Alright, your skin will get wrinkly if you soak too long.”

The child’s smile froze instantly. He looked down at his little claws: “No, no wrinkles!” He could still play for another eon!

Xi Ling shook his head with mock seriousness: “Whether or not you get wrinkly doesn’t depend on your hands.”

This completely hit the edge of Huo Xingmian’s knowledge. He kicked his little legs underwater and moved closer, looking like he wanted to get close and have Xi Ling inspect him to prove there were no wrinkles anywhere.

Xi Ling grabbed the swim ring and pinched the kid’s little chin to check his cheeks and neck: “Eh? Mianmian isn’t wrinkly here, either.”

Huo Xingmian’s wet eyes instantly lit up with two 300-watt bathroom heater bulbs: “See!” He’d said he wasn’t wrinkly!

Xi Ling nodded thoughtfully, looked at the child’s fair, tender little arms, and rubbed his chin: “Finally, I have to check Mianmian’s inner arms.”

Huo Xingmian immediately turned them over for him to see. Xi Ling shook his head: “The inner upper arms need to be checked, too. Come, hold both hands high for Daddy to see.”

If Xi Ling had made such a request directly, Huo Xingmian would have thought it was weird. But with the playfulness drawing him in, followed by Xi Ling’s serious and meticulous inspection process, the three-year-old child who had already witnessed some of the sinister nature of humanity still foolishly believed his stepfather’s nonsense.

Whoosh! Huo Xingmian raised his two fair little arms high, showing off his inner upper arms, which were also completely wrinkle-free.

The moment he raised them, Xi Ling could no longer hide his suppressed, sinister grin.

Huo Xingmian realized something was wrong, but it was too late. With his hands raised high, the whole cub shoom slipped out from under the swim ring and submerged into the water with a glug-glug.

Xi Ling was amused to the point of boisterous laughter by the child’s expression of surprise and fury before he went underwater. He had kept his hands hidden under the water the whole time, and the moment the kid fell in, he caught him.

Seeing the soaking-wet cub with a tiny-but-ferocious expression, Xi Ling almost laughed like a pig: “Hahahahahahahaha!!!”

By the time the cub was wrapped into a Russian doll by a bath towel, his little face was still puffed up with anger. Xi Ling found him funnier the more he looked.

After the kid put on his panda pajamas and wiggled his butt to leave, he was chased down in two steps and hauled back by Xi Ling: “Where are you running when you haven’t even dried your hair?”

He couldn’t even walk steadily yet, but he ran exceptionally fast every time. Xi Ling was honestly impressed.

Huo Xingmian puffed up his little cheeks and turned his back: “Don’t pay attention to, stinky Daddy!”

After teasing the kid, Xi Ling felt refreshed and lighthearted: “Is that so? That’s terrible, then. Stinky Daddy won’t be able to tell Mianmian the Classic of Mountains and Seas tonight.”

Huo Xingmian’s little shoulders stiffened at these words, but perhaps because he’d been tricked too many times, the Classic of Mountains and Seas wasn’t enough to make him give in immediately.

After they both finished washing up, the cub, wearing his red-brown panda pajamas and swinging the big tail on the back of his suit, scurried to the side of Xi Ling’s big bed and skillfully pulled down his Ultraman toy to use as a stepping stone.

He rolled into the covers, leaving only a furry little head exposed, and hummed in a milky voice to Xi Ling: “Temporarily, forgive, Daddy…”

Xi Ling was overwhelmed by the cuteness and pounced on the bed, giving the now-fragrant, freshly bathed cub a fierce sniff.

Huo Xingmian found it annoying when Xi Ling’s hair brushed against his face and pouted in protest: “I am! Listening! To! Classic of Mountains and Seas!” Stop it!

Fifteen minutes later, Xi Ling had once again talked himself to sleep.

The cub in his arms was still full of energy, his two eyes wide like searchlights, his face clearly showing his curiosity about the rest of the story.

As a good father who loved his child more than his own life, Xi Ling naturally couldn’t bear to let the cub down. So he pointed to the goose-feather snow that had started falling outside the window at some point: “Mianmian, can you count?”

Huo Xingmian narrowed his eyes, revealing a dagger-like glare.

He’s just trying to fob me off with counting snowflakes because he doesn’t want to tell me the story, isn’t he?!

Xi Ling, of course, wouldn’t go that far. Seeing the cub had successfully been distracted, he nimbly hid the storybook under his pillow and excused himself: “Look at you, you’ve misunderstood Daddy again, haven’t you? I wanted to tell you that the snowflakes are countless.”

Huo Xingmian’s little eyes darted back and forth, clearly not believing him.

“With snow this big, we’ll definitely be able to build a snowman tomorrow.” Thinking of the Lamborghini tractor he’d seen the manor workers using to plow the snow two days ago, which had made him drool, Xi Ling grew excited as he spoke.

The cub in his arms was even more so. He had never played in the snow before; surely building a snowman would be fun, right? Even though the stepfather was “stinky,” everything he did with him was always super fun.

Xi Ling dangled the “carrot” in front of the cub and hugged him, lulling him to sleep with a drowsy voice: “Come on, let’s go to sleep early so we can wake up early tomorrow and build a snowman.”

Huo Xingmian immediately closed his eyes and buried himself in Xi Ling’s arms, forgetting all about the Classic of Mountains and Seas, his head filled only with going to bed early and building a snowman!

Author’s Note: Huo Siyi: “I have absolutely no interest in you.” Xi Ling nodded like a garlic-crushing machine: “Ah, right, right, right… Are you finished? Mianmian, hurry, hurry, go, go! We still have to drive the Lamborghini tractor and set off fireworks after building the snowman! Mwahahaha!” Huo Siyi: ?

Headlines First Look → “Shocking! Xi Ling’s Passionate Outdoor Procreation! Three-Year-Old Stepson Watches the Whole Time!”