The Child Raised by a Golden Retriever Boy-Mom - Chapter 6

Inside the room, two lit candles glowed, their jumping orange flames casting the shadows of two people huddled together onto the wall. The meager candlelight illuminated their faces as a wave of cozy warmth washed over them.

“Yubai, happy birthday.”

Feng You placed a hand-knitted hat onto Lu Yubai’s head. It was the perfect size, snugly covering his round little head.

“This is the first birthday I’m spending with you. I’ll be with you for every birthday from now on.”

Lu Yubai sat on Feng You’s lap and turned his head to look at his Golden Retriever Mommy’s face, which was lit brightly by the candlelight. He clapped his hands and gave a wide smile, revealing his pearly-white baby teeth.

“Do you like this gift?” Feng You asked.

The child nodded immediately.

“I’m glad you like it. I knitted it myself, and it is just the right size for my little cub.”

As he spoke, Feng You used a plastic knife to cut the birthday cake. Since children should not eat too many sweets, Feng You had specially ordered a kid-friendly version: low in sugar and fat with animal-based cream, so Lu Yubai could have a small portion.

Feng You scooped up a small piece of cake with the fruit covered in cream. He fed a tiny bit to the child. Having never tasted something as delicious as cream before, the boy’s eyes lit up instantly.

Feng You could not help but laugh and was about to feed him another bite. But before he could reach for it, Lu Yubai grabbed his hand.

The child opened his mouth and bit down on Feng You’s finger. He licked the finger clean as if it were a lollipop, then bit down hard with his teeth, showing the same spirit as when they first met and he bit Feng You’s chest.

“Yubai, be good. Let go.”

Feng You rubbed the child’s head, using gentle words to coax him into releasing his finger from between those tiny teeth. He met the child’s puzzled expression.

It tasted so sweet and delicious just a second ago; why does it taste wrong now that I am biting it?

Amused by this little misunderstanding, Feng You burst into laughter, his amber eyes curving into thin slits. He playfully pinched the boy’s cheek and explained:

“My sweet cub, the sweet stuff is the cream, not my hand. You have grown teeth and now you just want to gnaw on everything. Even puppies do not bite randomly like that.”

Likely due to teething, the child’s gums were itchy, and he instinctively bit things to relieve the discomfort. Since Lu Yubai could not speak yet, he always expressed himself through actions. The various knitted toys at home were always left damp from his chewing.

Knowing that illness enters through the mouth, Feng You washed and disinfected the toys frequently, while also trying to gently help Lu Yubai break the habit.

Lu Yubai clearly did not believe him. He had definitely tasted that sweetness; the flavor on the tip of his tongue would not lie to him. He grabbed Feng You’s wrist with both hands, determined to try again.

Feng You raised his hand high, forcing Lu Yubai to stand up and hop around, bouncing up and down in an attempt to reach his Golden Retriever Mommy’s hand. After jumping for a while without success, the child opened his mouth to cry.

The moment his mouth opened, Feng You launched a sneak attack, stuffing a spoonful of cream into it.

“…”

Lu Yubai’s cry stopped before it even started. He tasted that familiar sweet fragrance again; the melting cream was delicious. This time, it was not Mommy’s hand.

His emotions had just started to swell, but they were blocked before they could be vented. His physiological reaction could not stop quite so fast, so he swallowed the sweet melted liquid while tears continued to fall. Yet, because it tasted good, he smiled through his tears, looking quite comical.

Laughing, Feng You pulled Lu Yubai into his arms and smoothed down the short fuzz on the velvet knit hat.

“Did our little Yubai make a birthday wish?”

Lu Yubai did not fully understand the meaning of the words “birthday wish,” but he felt that since Mommy had asked him a question, he should answer. So, he nodded.

“Is that so? Then I wish for little Yubai’s birthday wish to come true.”

Lu Yubai stared curiously at the candles burning shorter and shorter, and the flickering flames at the very top. He had his own understanding of the word “birthday.”

A warm hat, bright fire, and Mommy’s very sweet fingers.

Lu Yubai still did not believe the taste came from something else; he instinctively remembered the fingers Mommy fed him with.

That night, the unconvinced Lu Yubai lay beside Feng You. He grabbed his Golden Retriever Mommy’s finger to gnaw on it, but as expected, he did not taste that familiar flavor.

“I told you it was not my hand. You are a stubborn little guy.”

Feng You did not stop the child’s behavior; he knew the boy would not give up until he verified it for himself a few times. He prepared to take the knit hat off Lu Yubai’s head to coax him to sleep, but as soon as he reached out, the child dodged him.

“Do you want to wear the knit hat even while sleeping?”

Lu Yubai covered his head and lay prone on the bed, fiercely guarding the hat. He nodded repeatedly, refusing to take it off no matter what.

“Well, it will keep you warm while you sleep anyway.”

Feng You did not persist in taking away the child’s favorite item. He pulled him over and tucked him in. From then on, Lu Yubai and his hat were inseparable. He would stand in front of the mirror to put it on properly, tugging at the brim if it was crooked.

Even when the weather warmed up occasionally, he never took it off, wearing it dutifully. Only on the rare occasions when Feng You forcibly took it to be washed would he squat in front of the washing machine, staring intently at the drum. His eyes would follow the machine’s rotation, tracking that light blue shadow.

As the end of the year approached, Feng You began tidying up the furniture and preparing things for the New Year. He wanted to prepare some gifts for Qin Xiaotang’s family next door to thank them for their help.

The mountain of toys in the house had all been sent over by Qin Xiaotang. Xia Chang’an was very happy to be an older brother and had generously contributed his toys. It was only because Lu Yubai was too small, unsteady on his feet, and unable to speak that Qin Xiaotang had not yet let Xia Chang’an play with his little brother.

Regarding this, Xia Chang’an had argued seriously with his mother. He believed that a brother who could not talk was just like his plush toys that could not talk, and therefore, they could play together.

“When your brother grows up a bit more, he will play with you,” Feng You comforted the boy. “At that time, you will have a very important task: slowly teaching your brother how to speak.”

“I will definitely teach him to say ‘Mama’! My mom says the first word I ever learned was ‘Mama’!” Xia Chang’an said with glowing eyes.

Hearing the word “Mama,” Lu Yubai looked over again and gave a smile, as usual.

Feng You wanted to make some handmade sausages and cured meats for Qin Xiaotang. Back at the factory, he and the older ladies would make some every Lunar New Year and hang them in the courtyard. He knew Qin Xiaotang’s family was quite well-off, so handmade items would better convey his sincerity than expensive gifts he could not afford.

While carrying Lu Yubai to the market, Feng You heard a lady at a stall mention making new clothes for her children for the Spring Festival. Many families in this era could buy new clothes whenever they wanted, but the tradition of buying new clothes for the New Year still remained.

Feng You also wanted to buy several sets of new clothes for Lu Yubai and one for himself for the holiday. Children’s clothes were easy to buy; once he measured Lu Yubai’s size and checked online reviews, he could purchase many items. He always wanted to buy more for the boy. His initial budget was for two or three outfits, but after seeing the buyer photos on the product pages, he could not help but buy a few more.

The house was already filled with Lu Yubai’s things: various toys and children’s supplies occupied the living space, crowding Feng You’s belongings into a small corner. Feng You told himself to be more restrained and not to spoil the child so much, trying to suppress his shopping urges. But whenever he saw something perfect for Lu Yubai while browsing, he would check the budget for this month, see there was enough, and buy it anyway.

Feng You then started picking clothes for himself.

His clothes were difficult to buy. Having broad shoulders and a narrow waist meant that if the waist fit, the shoulders would be very tight. But if the shoulders fit, the waist would be loose, making him look bulky. He found buying clothes online to be a massive headache and could only keep adding X before the size L.

The customer service representative, unconvinced, asked for Feng You’s measurements to recommend a suitable style. Feng You pulled a long-neglected tape measure from the cabinet and wrapped it around his chest. He intentionally pulled it a bit tight to make the number look slightly smaller, then carefully recorded the figures.

He typed “Chest 110, Waist 75, Hips 98, Shoulders 51” into the chat interface, only to receive a mysterious question mark from the agent. The status “Typing” stayed on the screen for a long time.

Just as Feng You was about to exit, a message popped up:

“A bodybuilder might need custom-made clothes or a trip to a tailor to adjust the sizing, dear. You could buy a slightly larger size and then take in the waist yourself.”

This was followed by several reference photos of clothing sizes.

“We suggest you choose 4XL or 5XL, dear.”

Feng You did not explain that he was not a bodybuilder, but simply a Golden Retriever Omega with large-breed genes. His golden tail swept the floor, brushing away the dust. After buying the clothes, he turned to search for tutorials on how to alter them. With his foundation in knitting, learning to sew and alter clothes was quick.

Is a 110cm chest really that exaggerated?

Feng You had little concept of it. He looked down in confusion and squeezed his full pectoral muscles. Aside from the trouble of picking clothes and being mistaken for an Alpha with great gym results, Feng You did not feel much of a difference.

Lu Yubai, wearing his little blue hat, ran over with a small toy to play with Feng You. He naturally climbed over his legs and sat on his mommy’s thigh.

“I happen to have the tape measure right here. Shall I measure Yubai’s height?”

Lu Yubai, holding his toy, nodded, but he was picked up by Feng You before he could even get settled. He was placed in the corner, standing straight and obediently against the wall.

“92cm. You have grown quite a bit, have you not?”

Feng You drew a mark on the wall and wrote the date and the height next to the latest line. Lu Yubai was an Alpha, after all; he was taller than the average two-year-old boy. Though in his Golden Retriever Mommy’s eyes, he was still just a little tot obsessed with his small blue hat.