The Cannon Fodder Dad of Three Villainous Cubs - Chapter 10

Only after bidding his close friends farewell did Ji Zishen run joyfully toward Ji Zhiqiu, painting a perfect picture of a loving father and a filial son.

The children were innocent and naive, so they didn’t think much of it. However, the display left them with a baseline impression of Ji Zishen’s family situation and relationships, completely unaware that it was a deliberate performance orchestrated entirely for their benefit.

Once they were well out of everyone’s line of sight, the smile vanished from Ji Zishen’s face, and he deliberately created some physical distance between himself and Ji Zhiqiu. “Daddy, what were you doing just now?”

Ji Zhiqiu didn’t react immediately, staring blankly at Ji Zishen.

Ji Zishen’s eyes curved into a smile, his gaze clear and pure, looking exactly like a completely ignorant, innocent child. “You looked like you were slapping yourself just now. Did I see it wrong?”

Ji Zhiqiu: “……”

He cleared his throat awkwardly and averted his eyes.

His intense guilt had peaked earlier, causing him to forget his surroundings and instinctively deliver a slap to his own face. He had assumed no one noticed, only to be brutally exposed by Ji Zishen in broad daylight.

Forcing a dry laugh, he quickly thought on his feet. “A mosquito landed on my face just now. I was slapping the mosquito.”

Ji Zishen asked, “Did you kill it?”

Ji Zhiqiu braced himself and replied, “No, I might have misseen it.”

Ji Zishen didn’t dwell on the topic, allowing Ji Zhiqiu to finally let out a massive sigh of relief.

Neither father nor son spoke another word. They walked along the secluded path, the remnant glow of the setting sun cascading over them, casting long, straight silhouettes.

Ji Zhiqiu suddenly remembered something. He held out the paper bag in his other hand toward Ji Zishen, saying mysteriously, “Take a look at what’s inside.”

Ji Zishen wasn’t genuinely interested and cast a searching glance at Ji Zhiqiu. Nevertheless, he forced his eyes to widen in feigned pleasant surprise. “Wow, it’s a…”

As he pulled out the small teddy bear plushie, his voice died in his throat, the astonishment on his face no longer entirely faked.

Only after a long pause did he lift his head to look at Ji Zhiqiu with an unreadable expression, his tone laced with utter disbelief. “This is for me?”

Ji Zhiqiu smiled and nodded. “I bought it at the neighboring mall. I specifically picked out the cutest one. Do you like it?”

Ji Zishen pressed his lips together, offering an incredibly earnest smile. “I love it.”

Infected by the boy’s apparent happiness, Ji Zhiqiu gently ruffled his hair.

Clutching the plushie, Ji Zishen lowered his head slightly. The moment he felt Ji Zhiqiu’s touch, out of his father’s line of sight, the smile on his lips vanished completely. His eyes darkened with a gloom that absolutely did not belong to a child his age pitch black and utterly devoid of light.

Ji Zhiqiu wanted to say more, but his phone suddenly rang, breaking his concentration. He made a “wait a moment” gesture to Ji Zishen and stepped aside to answer the call.

The moment Ji Zhiqiu turned his back, the child behind him lifted his head without warning, his gaze locking tightly onto his father’s retreating figure.

How did this fool know I like plushies, let alone buy one to give to me… What on earth is his motive?

There wasn’t a single shred of gratitude in Ji Zishen’s eyes only intense calculation and profound disgust.

Unfortunately, Ji Zhiqiu didn’t notice any of this. He simply felt a sudden prickling sensation on his back, as if something were about to bore a hole through him.

He hung up the meaningless telemarketing call and turned back to check on Ji Zishen, only to find the boy joyfully cradling the teddy bear, occasionally rubbing his cheek against it with eyes practically sparkling with adoration.

Seeing such a beautiful scene, the corners of Ji Zhiqiu’s mouth couldn’t help but arch upward.

Ji Zishen had grown up in an orphanage, suffering severe neglect and mistreatment during the years he craved affection the most. Unable to sleep at night, he had deeply envied his peers who owned little bear plushies, but no one had ever bought one for him. His psychology warped by the environment, Ji Zishen had ultimately decided to steal one, only to be caught red-handed and subjected to a vicious beating.

This incident had become a psychological demon for Ji Zishen.

No matter how precocious he was, he was still just a child. Although delayed compensation couldn’t replicate the spontaneous joy of the past, it was a comfort nonetheless slowly filling the void in his heart so he wouldn’t be trapped forever in a nightmarish childhood.

Originally, Ji Zhiqiu had planned to present the gift immediately upon meeting. However, considering that Ji Zishen wasn’t an ordinary kid possessing an incredibly mature, calculating mind, loathing adults while desperately wishing to become one he had hesitated.

A mature, stable “adult” would never openly appreciate a cute plushie. If he had given it to him in front of his classmates, Ji Zishen would have undoubtedly felt humiliated instead of surprised, and might have even harbored a grudge. That was precisely why Ji Zhiqiu had specifically waited until now.

Staring at Ji Zishen’s delighted expression, Ji Zhiqiu felt that all his efforts had been worthwhile.

Carried away by his success, he stepped forward, intending to hold Ji Zishen’s hand.

Ji Zishen’s expression stiffened, nearly breaking character. But looking at Ji Zhiqiu’s smiling face, he still extended his hand with immense rigidity, allowing himself to be led.

The father and son walked back together, the imagery exceptionally heartwarming though in reality, it was entirely Ji Zhiqiu’s unrequited sentiment.

Despite knowing the background plot, he had still underestimated Ji Zishen’s capacity for calculation.

Cradling the teddy bear, Ji Zishen spent the entire walk inconspicuously analyzing Ji Zhiqiu. While he couldn’t entirely see through Ji Zhiqiu’s fake smile, he assumed he had deduced the man’s true objective.

Ever since this fool had a biological son, he has always loathed me as an unwanted burden and wanted to throw me back into the welfare home.

The welfare home conducted periodic follow-up visits, which included interviewing neighbors for their observations and opinions. Ji Zhiqiu was merely cramming at the eleventh hour, rushing to placate him out of sheer terror that he might say something unsavory in front of the welfare staff.

Coming to pick him up in person and making him carry a plushie all the way home were both acts staged for the public, creating a false illusion of a loving father and filial son.

Having finalized his assessment, Ji Zishen slowly lowered his gaze, a mocking smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

Although he utterly looked down on this fool and had never truly considered him his father, this man was the most easily manipulated stepping stone available to him. If he were forced to return to the welfare home, he might never encounter another easy target of this caliber again.

No matter what, he had to secure his stay in this household.

As if he were a master of disguise, the darkness in his eyes dissolved instantly. When he lifted his head once more, he wore a pure, innocent smile. “Has Sicheng returned yet?”

Ji Zhiqiu shook his head. “Probably next week.”

Ji Zishen lowered his head again, the smile vanishing from his face in a flash.

With Ji Sicheng absent, there are only these two fools left at home the big one and the small one. That makes things much simpler.

……

Ji Zhiqiu brought his eldest son home, finding that the elderly lady from next door had already escorted Ji Yanyan back ahead of schedule.

A toddler’s memory is limited; since Ji Zishen had only been away for a week, Ji Yanyan actually found him a bit unfamiliar. Staring at this somewhat strange big brother, the youngest immediately forgot Ji Zhiqiu’s prior instructions and prepared to throw a tantrum.

Sensing imminent disaster, Ji Zhiqiu grabbed the brat by the back of his neck the handle of his destiny and hoisted the spoiled child right into the air.

With his feet dangling off the ground, Ji Yanyan struggled defiantly. “Put me down! Daddy is bad, so bad!”

The sound of a spoiled brat throwing a fit was incredibly piercing. Ji Zishen stood frozen in place; he was long accustomed to Ji Zhiqiu’s blatant favoritism and unprincipled indulgence.

To his utter astonishment, however, Ji Zhiqiu actually scolded Ji Yanyan fiercely this time. Instead of continuing his crying fit, Ji Yanyan simply pouted his lips and blew a bubble at Ji Zhiqiu.

Ji Zishen stood stupefied, unable to believe his own eyes. His sharp mind instantly perceived that during the single week he was away; something had quietly shifted.

His brow knit slightly. Before he could fully process it, Ji Zhiqiu turned his head without warning, waving at him with a warm smile. “Don’t just stand at the door. Come sit on the sofa and rest for a bit.”

Ji Zishen changed out of his shoes and sat on the sofa with extreme restraint, acting exactly like a cautious guest visiting someone else’s home.

Witnessing this display, Ji Zhiqiu recalled his past mistreatment and felt an escalating surge of self-reproach. If this continued, he would probably wake up in the middle of the night shouting, “I am guilty.”

With a heart full of pity, he gently stroked Ji Zishen’s cheek, speaking softly, “I made a brand-new quilt for you and aired it out until it’s nice and warm. Go try it out and see if you like it. I’ll go wash some fruit for you to eat.”

Ji Zishen looked up at him, forcing a pure, innocent smile as he replied crisply, “Thank you, Daddy.”

Ji Zhiqiu squeezed his cheek once more.

The moment Ji Zishen stepped into the bedroom, Ji Zhiqiu went to the kitchen to wash fruit and prepare dinner. Ji Yanyan came dashing over like a little bull, slamming right into his leg.

Ji Zhiqiu: “……”

Nearly stumbling into the sink in front of him, he braced his hands against the countertop and whirled around to glare at Ji Yanyan. “What on earth did you eat to have such an endless supply of bullish strength?”

Puffing out his cheeks, Ji Yanyan wanted to ram into him again. But this time, a prepared Ji Zhiqiu handled him with ease, using a single finger to hold the little bull at bay.

“If you keep this up, I’ll use my head to ram into you tonight until you’re rolling all over the bed.”

Ji Yanyan lost miserably every single time he played games with Ji Zhiqiu. Hearing this threat, he immediately protested, “Be gentler, I’m a baby!”

Ji Zhiqiu arched an eyebrow, speaking with a gentle smile, “Did you forget? I am a baby too.”

Unable to win against Ji Zhiqiu’s slick tongue, Ji Yanyan fell entirely silent. However, his heart remained defiant, cycling through eight microscopic expressions in a single second while protruding his lips high into the air.

Overwhelmed by the sheer cuteness, Ji Zhiqiu reached out to pinch his mouth. “Are you a little duck? Let me hear you quack a couple of times.”

“I am not a little duck.”

“You are a little duck.”

“I am not!”

“You are!”

Ji Zhiqiu had essentially treated his child like a live toy, tricking Ji Yanyan into letting out two literal quacks within a few sentences. Meanwhile, the movements of his hands never stopped as he began carving rabbit shapes out of apples for the two children.

The kitchen was noisy and chaotic. Ji Zhiqiu failed to notice that the bedroom door behind him had cracked open a sliver. Ji Zishen peered deeply through the gap, before slipping out of the apartment entirely without alerting a soul.

With a dark expression, he wandered aimlessly through the residential complex. The moment he spotted the elderly neighbor lady returning from her grocery run, a distinct glint surfaced in his eyes, transforming him instantly into a profoundly aggrieved, mistreated child.

He hunched his shoulders and kept his head pinned down, occasionally wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He bit his lower lip forcefully, but his muffled, suppressed sobs still drifted straight into the elderly lady’s ears.

The neighbor lady had always been warm-hearted and adored children. Hearing the sound, she immediately looked over, her expression laced with intense worry. “Child, are you all right?”

Like a startled little rabbit, Ji Zishen lifted his head in panic, exposing a pair of eyes already red and swollen from crying.

The elderly lady recognized him right away, gasping, “Aren’t you the eldest son from next door? Why are you out here all by yourself? Where is your dad? What happened?”

Seeing that he had been recognized, Ji Zishen bit his lip helplessly. He roughly wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand, forcing a fragile smile. “Grandma, Daddy… it-it was my own choice. I wanted to buy cotton candy for my little brother.”

The listener always reads between the lines of what the speaker implies; the neighbor lady’s brow instantly knit into a tight furrow.

Children are at their most innocent; even when they attempt to put on a brave front, they inevitably expose their genuine emotions by accident.

Coupled with Ji Zishen’s trembling, aggrieved, and pitiful appearance, the elderly lady under his careful manipulation automatically connected the dots to a darker narrative.

The kindly smile on her face could no longer be sustained. She gestured toward Ji Zishen, “Come here to Grandma.”

Ji Zishen pressed his lips together, stepping forward with immense caution.

Filled with profound pity, the elderly lady pulled a carton of milk from her grocery bag. “This milk is chocolate-flavored; my grandson loves it the most. You should have some too.”

Ji Zishen looked at it, tucked his hands behind his back, and shook his head repeatedly. This only intensified the elderly lady’s heartache, prompting her to forcefully shove the chocolate milk into his hands.

Only then did Ji Zishen hesitantly bite open the packaging, taking tiny, measured sips. His eyes lit up instantly the unmistakable look of a child who had never tasted good things.

Taking all of this in, the neighbor lady reconstructed the entire scenario in her mind.

When the family had first moved in across the hall, she had been immensely astonished that someone as young as Ji Zhiqiu already had three children.

Without even needing to pry intentionally, as the two households interacted over time, she inevitably discovered that out of the three children, only the youngest son was biologically his.

At the time, her heart had skipped a beat, feeling that with such a family dynamic, some child was bound to suffer. From their daily interactions, it was blatant that Ji Zhiqiu was utterly subservient to his biological son, spoiling him to a lawless degree that even she couldn’t bear to watch, while the two older sons were exceptionally obedient.

But what child is naturally sensible and obedient from birth? He was likely forced to be good just to secure his place in that household!

It was bad enough that he received no parental love, yet at such a tender age, he was already being forced to cater to his younger brother he was clearly just a child himself!

Just as the neighbor lady’s emotions reached a boiling peak, Ji Zishen abruptly stood up, preparing to rush back in a panic.

“Oh, don’t be in such a hurry! What are you going for?” the elderly lady asked hurriedly.

Ji Zishen forced a brave front. “Thank you, Grandma. The chocolate milk is delicious; I want to let my little brother try some. Besides, my little brother is still waiting for his cotton candy. If he doesn’t get to eat it, he will be very angry, and Daddy will…”

As if recalling something terrifying, he let out an uncontrollable shiver.

The neighbor lady had originally retained a shred of rationality, but witnessing this shiver, she lost it completely.

As a person of conscience, how could she stand by and allow such injustice to occur? Today, she absolutely had to meddle in this business.

The elderly lady stepped forward, taking Ji Zishen by the hand. “Don’t be afraid. Grandma will walk back with you.”

Wearing a look of total bewilderment, Ji Zishen simply nodded his chin. Out of the elderly lady’s line of sight, a smirk of absolute triumph surfaced on his face.

Didn’t Ji Zhiqiu want to put on a performance to secure a good reputation? Then I will ensure he fails spectacularly!

Fuming with righteous indignation, the neighbor lady led Ji Zishen back, knocking heavily on the apartment door.

A voice echoed from within, but muffled by the thick door panel, the words weren’t entirely clear. After a few seconds, the door swung open, revealing a completely bewildered Ji Zhiqiu confronting the elderly lady’s furious expression. “Oh, why have you come over?”

Preoccupied by her assumptions and blinded by rage, the elderly lady opened her mouth to unleash a torrent of scolding, only to be cut short by a childish voice from inside.

Ji Yanyan walked out from the inner room. “Daddy, big brother isn’t in his bedroom.”

Ji Zhiqiu, highly sensitive about the children’s safety, whirled around instantly. “How can that be? Isn’t your brother resting inside?”

“He really isn’t there. Can I eat all of the rabbit apples by myself then?”

“No, we must wait for him.” Ji Zhiqiu offered the neighbor lady an apologetic look, turning back frantically to search for his son, only to suddenly spot a corner of clothing behind her.

The neighbor lady was left entirely nonplussed by the sequence of events. She took a step to the side. “Didn’t you force the child to go out and buy cotton candy for his little brother?”

Ji Zhiqiu let out a gasp of pure disbelief, staring at Ji Zishen standing outside the threshold. “When did you go outside? Why didn’t you say a word to me?”

Only after blabbing it out did he process the context. “What cotton candy? Buying it for his little brother? But Yanyan isn’t allowed to eat sugar!”

Observing this massive misunderstanding unfold, the flames of fury in the neighbor lady’s heart were instantly doused. She asked in confusion, “What on earth is going on here? The child is missing, yet you as the father had no absolute idea? What were you doing?”

“Shenshen spent an entire week at the experimental base for military training. I was worried he would be too exhausted, so I had him head to his bedroom to rest first. I’ve been busy in the kitchen the entire time. After I finished slicing the apples, I sent Yanyan to call him…”

Ji Zhiqiu stared blankly at Ji Zishen. “Why are you outside? When did you slip out? And what is this about buying cotton candy?”

The neighbor lady’s gaze shifted between the adult and the child, finally resting squarely upon Ji Zhiqiu. His hands were still soaking wet, water droplets continuously dripping onto the floor; it was evident he had rushed to open the door, forgetting to even dry his hands.

His expression was entirely nonplussed, his gaze thoroughly infused with clear stupidity—looking exactly like the most harmless, simple-minded demographic of people on this planet. There wasn’t a single shred of malice to be found.

She instantly realized she had completely misread the situation. It was highly probable that Ji Zishen had slipped out on his own initiative out of a desire to buy cotton candy for his younger brother, only to get lost, and out of terror of Ji Zhiqiu’s potential scolding, the boy had started crying.

Ji Zhiqiu was so young, yet he had to look after three children all by himself; it was only natural that omissions would occur when he was stretched so thin. It really wasn’t easy for him.

Recalling her hostile assumptions just a moment ago, a wave of immense guilt washed over the neighbor lady. She patted Ji Zhiqiu’s shoulder with deep sympathy. “The three children are still so small; it really isn’t easy managing alone. If you ever run into any difficulties, just tell me. I will absolutely help you.”

Finishing her piece, she turned her head back. Though her expression remained affectionate, her tone turned stern: “Zishen, from now on, you must inform your daddy before you step out of the house. Running off on your own like this easily leads to accidents and makes your daddy worry. Do you hear me?”

Ji Zishen had never anticipated that the intricate web of deceit he had painstakingly woven would be dismantled so effortlessly by Ji Zhiqiu’s mere presence. Clenching his teeth forcefully, he squeezed out a smile that looked far more painful than crying. “I… I know my mistake now. I will definitely listen to Daddy from now on.”