This Alpha Is So Devoted to His Wife - Chapter 9

“He is naturally allergic to eggs, and his body has a poor adaptability to the implant. If you had brought him here any later, he could have easily gone into anaphylactic shock. The symptoms of poor implant adaptability will likely last for a while. He will definitely feel uncomfortable—itchy and in pain. When he sleeps at night, try to hold him so he doesn’t scratch his skin. If he develops a fever, seek medical attention immediately.”

“You need to be especially careful during this time. Avoid protein and sweets, and under no circumstances should you let him have any eggs again.”

“His allergy is likely inherited from his dad, who only got better after becoming an adult. This child will probably also need to wait until he’s close to adulthood for his immunity to improve and for the allergy to get better. Don’t worry too much.”

“The most important thing is his diet.”

Outside the hospital room, Lu Xing He holds his dad’s hand, watching Duan Yu Luo’s two dads talk to the doctor. He is also worried as he looks up at the doctor. Maybe because the doctor’s tone is serious and he doesn’t understand all the Chinese words, his eyes start to turn red.

He looks at his dad anxiously. “Dad, what did he say?”

He feels very scared and guilty.

Clemens is also worried. Not a single adult was not scared just now. When Duan Yu Luo was carried out, his whole body was red from the severe allergic reaction. If they had found him any later, the consequences would have been unimaginable. He knows this incident might not be entirely his son’s fault, but he still needs to scold him out of courtesy.

After all, the two little guys were hiding together.

“Zai Zai can’t eat eggs. He’s allergic to eggs, it’s not edible. If he eats it, he will get a rash and a fever.”

Lu Xing He hears this and starts to cry, his eyes moist. He quickly walks in front of Duan Yu Luo’s dads, looks up at them, and says in his not-so-fluent Chinese, “…I’m sorry, it’s me. I promise that was a one-time thing. I… I should have protected him.”

It’s all my fault for letting Zai Zai eat cake.

Duan Yu Luo’s dads look at Lu Xing He, a little surprised. They didn’t expect this little guy to take all the blame. They know how much their son loves sweets, and the more they tell him he can’t have something, the more he wants to eat it.

It must have been Zai Zai who wanted to eat it himself.

“Uncle knows Zai Zai wanted to eat it. It’s not your fault,” Duan Yu Luo’s dad says, bending down and patting Lu Xing He’s little head. He sees him crying so sadly. “Are you scared that Zai Zai is sick?”

“…Mmm,” Lu Xing He says. He turns to look at the hospital room, wanting to see how Zai Zai is, but he’s not tall enough. The thought of how miserable Zai Zai looked just now makes him feel miserable, too. “I’m scared.”

“Then can you help Uncle watch over Zai Zai from now on? He can’t eat eggs. If he eats eggs, he’ll get a full-body rash. He also can’t have sweets right now because he just had an implant. Eating sweets or cake will make his body reject the implant.”

Lu Xing He thinks for a moment. “So the robot was put into Zai Zai’s body?”

“Yes. That’s how we found Zai Zai just now. So, can you help Uncle with this?”

Lu Xing He nods with a determined look. “Yes!”

“You’ll definitely give him some,” his brother, Luo Yu Duan, mumbles softly from the side.

“I won’t. I promise.” Lu Xing He looks at Zai Zai’s dads, his little face very serious, his eyes pleading. He points to the hospital room. “Can I…”

“Go ahead,” Duan Yu Luo’s dad says, opening the door for the little guy.

Inside the hospital room, Duan Yu Luo is already awake, whimpering in discomfort. Even with his other dad sitting by the bed trying to coax him, he still looks like he’s about to cry, especially with the nurse next to him, getting a needle ready for the injection.

“I don’t want a shot!” Duan Yu Luo says, scared and angry. He turns his back on his dad and the nurse, hugging his little arms. His back looks like an angry gas can.

His fair arms, neck, and cheeks are still covered in the allergic rash.

“If you don’t get the shot, you’ll stay itchy and in pain. The robot inside your body will get angry again.” Duan Yu Luo’s dad tries to coax him, sitting by the bed, but he seems to have no way to handle this little troublemaker. “The robot already knows you secretly ate cake and left all those red spots on you. If you get angry, the robot will know again.”

“No, it won’t…” Duan Yu Luo pouts. He feels so itchy. Big tears roll down his face. “I didn’t secretly eat cake…”

“Uncle Duan, Zai Zai didn’t secretly eat cake.”

Duan Yu Luo hears the familiar voice and immediately turns around. He sees his good friend, Lu Xing He, walking in. His eyes instantly light up as if he’s found his savior. “Xing Xing!” He holds out his little hand to him.

Lu Xing He sees the many red spots on his beautiful little doll’s face, and his heart sinks a little. He reaches out and holds the little hand that’s reaching for him. It’s so hot; he must be in so much pain.

He sees Duan Yu Luo let go of his hand to scratch his face and instinctively holds it tighter.

“Zai Zai, don’t scratch.”

“It’s itchy!” Duan Yu Luo feels uncomfortable again. His face, already red from the allergy, becomes even redder as he whimpers.

“You have to get a shot.” Lu Xing He sees the nurse getting the needle ready. He goes over, holds Zai Zai’s hand, and comforts him. “Good, my baby, you are very brave.”

Duan Yu Luo’s dad, who’s on the side, hears what the child says and is silent for a few seconds. He looks up at Clemens, who is walking over, a subtle smile on his face.

Good, my baby?

Clemens hears his son using the words he normally says to his mom to comfort Duan Yu Luo. He sighs in frustration, then walks to his son and bends down to whisper in his ear. “Bennett, those are words adults say to babies. We can use a different phrase.”

“Why not? He is my baby,” Lu Xing He says, his face very serious as he explains. “So I can say it, it’s not even an issue.”

Clemens: “…” My son wouldn’t really be raising Zai Zai as his own son, would he?

Lu Xing He doesn’t say anything else to his dad. He continues to coax Duan Yu Luo. “If you get the shot, I’ll come to your house to play with you tonight, okay?”

“Will you recite the 68 Ultraman names for me?”

“Okay.”

Duan Yu Luo bravely holds out his arm. He’s scared and frowns, but he’s also courageous. He holds Lu Xing He’s other hand. “Get the shot. I’m not scared!”

The nurse, who was already ready, gives him the shot the moment he says this.

Less than two seconds later, a loud wail comes from the room.

And in less than ten seconds, the crying gets softer.

The adults didn’t even have to do anything. Lu Xing He took care of the little troublemaker, who’s usually a crybaby and afraid of shots, all by himself.

Now, on the hospital bed, the two little boys are hugging each other, leaning into one another.

Lu Xing He is four years old, and being a mixed-race child with tall parents, his height far surpasses other kids his age. When he hugs Duan Yu Luo, he really looks like he’s holding a little doll.

He gently pats Duan Yu Luo’s shoulder, comforting him in a very grown-up manner, and even wipes his tears and snot, doing everything meticulously.

“Daddy, why is my brother so well-behaved in front of Lu Xing He?” His brother, Luo Yu Duan, holding his dad’s hand, looks at the scene and asks.

His dad is silent for two seconds. He doesn’t know either. Why is his son so attached to Lu Xing He? What kind of charm does this kid have? But seeing Lu Xing He handle this little troublemaker, he suddenly realizes that maybe this isn’t a bad thing. At least someone can handle this little troublemaker.

He can cure his picky eating.

He can cure his fear of shots.

He can fix everything. This is so much less work.

“It looks like Xing Xing is a little warmhearted boy.” Seeing this, Duan Yu Luo’s dad seems to have a general idea of why his son likes Lu Xing He so much. He smiles at Clemens. “It seems he’s learning from your example. A single word from Xing Xing is more effective than anything we say.”

Clemens laughs. “He’s probably just using the things I say to his mom. He really likes Zai Zai, too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t love taking care of him so much. It’s thanks to Zai Zai that Bennett has adapted so well to living in the country.”

The adults don’t think too much about it. It’s only natural for kids this age to have good friends they get along with.

“Daddy, can I stay with Zai Zai tonight?” Lu Xing He hugs Duan Yu Luo, who’s still whimpering from the shot. He uses a tissue to wipe his snot and asks his dad for permission. “He needs me by his side.”

Clemens shrugs. “I think you need to talk to his dads.”

So Lu Xing He looks at Duan Yu Luo’s dads and repeats his request, his eyes incredibly sincere.

“Uncles, can I stay with Zai Zai tonight?”

Duan Yu Luo’s dads are also a little curious. Why is this child so calm and serious at such a young age? He really is incomparable to their two kids. Since he asked, they naturally agree. After all, besides the shot, he also needs to take medicine.

Maybe Lu Xing He can also quickly coax their little troublemaker to take his medicine, saving them from a whole night of hassle.

They naturally agree.

Sure enough, after they return home from the hospital, taking the medicine that night goes incredibly smoothly.

In the bedroom, Lu Xing He hands the medicine to Duan Yu Luo and explains the backgrounds of some Ultraman characters in a mix of Chinese and English. Zai Zai, who’s absorbed in the story, obediently takes his medicine. He doesn’t make a fuss or cry, doesn’t ask for candy, and even finishes his milk.

“I’ve taken my medicine, Xing Xing. Was I a good boy?”

“Good job.”

“Hehe.” Duan Yu Luo is so happy from his friend’s praise that he rolls around on the bed. “I’m always a good boy!”

Lu Xing He is afraid he’ll get itchy again, so he reminds him not to roll around.

The dads are peeking through the crack in the door. They look at each other and think that this little mixed-race kid, Lu Xing He, is really reliable. A single compliment from Lu Xing He makes their son so happy, it’s more effective than anything they can say. They don’t even need to be there.

Looks like we have a secret weapon now.

The two little guys lie down on the bed to sleep together.

“Zai Zai, do you know Bodhisattva?”

“Bodhisattva? What’s that?”

“Make a wish.” Lu Xing He sits up, facing the floor-to-ceiling window. He kneels, puts his hands together, his face incredibly pious, his small body straight. “You can make a wish with them.”

“Are you making a wish?” Duan Yu Luo sees him kneeling and also kneels, curiously moving his head closer to him.

The little boy, who just got out of the bath, still smells like strawberry shower gel and milk from before bed. His hair is a bit messy, making his face look especially cute and innocent. His big eyes are like gems, staring at him intently.

So well-behaved, so, so well-behaved.

But his dad said not to kiss people without permission.

Lu Xing He meets Duan Yu Luo’s gaze and nods. “Yes, I have a wish now.”

“What wish are you making?” Duan Yu Luo sees Lu Xing He’s kneeling position, moves his little knees, and sits on his feet, copying him. He also puts his hands together and faces the window. “Is this how you pray?”

Lu Xing He sees that his little hands are interlocked and reaches out to adjust them so they are together. “No, it’s like this, de.”

Maybe the ending sound of his Mandarin is a little off, but a small “poof” sound comes from his cheek, and from the corner of his eye, he sees Duan Yu Luo laughing so hard he falls back on the bed. His sleepsuit bunches up, revealing his chubby little belly. His little feet kick in the air, he’s so happy.

The sound of ‘de’ seems to have hit a funny spot for Duan Yu Luo.

“Xing Xing, your Mandarin is so funny~”

Lu Xing He sees that Duan Yu Luo’s cheeks are already red from his allergy, and with this laugh, they become even redder, like apples. Even though he’s laughing at him, his eyes are curved like crescent moons, and Lu Xing He suddenly feels a little embarrassed. He’s not angry anymore. He reaches out and pats the little belly that’s sticking out, showing his good nature.

“Don’t laugh at me. I’ll work hard to learn.”

“I’m not laughing at you. Xing Xing is cute. I want to learn from you!” Duan Yu Luo finishes laughing and crawls back up. He kneels in front of Lu Xing He, puts his hands together like he did, and bows to him. He blinks his eyes. “Is this how you do it, Xing Xing?”

To make him laugh, he changes the position of his hands to a camera gesture and moves them close to Lu Xing He’s eyes.

The distance between them is instantly at its closest. It feels like he’s fallen into the other boy’s gem-like black eyes, like a world from a fairy tale.

A cute little “click” sounds next to his ear.

“Xing Xing is so handsome. You can’t be angry~” After taking the picture, Duan Yu Luo sits back on his bottom, puts his hands together, and bows to Lu Xing He, begging, “Please, please, don’t be mad.”

Lu Xing He looks at the little doll kneeling in front of him. He also puts his hands together, closes his eyes, and remembers what his grandma taught him: a sincere heart makes a wish come true. He silently prays to the Bodhisattva.

Duan Yu Luo sees him close his eyes and follows suit. But he’s confused, so he secretly opens his eyes and peeks at Lu Xing He. When he sees he hasn’t opened his eyes, he gets even more curious. “Xing Xing, what are you wishing for? Tell me.”

Lu Xing He finishes his prayer and opens his eyes, just in time to see his little doll blinking at him. The red allergy spots on his cheeks make him look so incredibly cute. He reaches out and pats Duan Yu Luo’s little head.

“Guess.”

Duan Yu Luo pouts. “Hmph, I’m not guessing!”

Lu Xing He laughs when he sees this.

In his heart, he quietly wished to the Bodhisattva:

— I’m praying for you, get better fast. He hopes his little doll won’t get sick and will get better quickly.

He doesn’t know if Bodhisattva can understand English. He’s afraid he’ll say something wrong in Chinese, so he starts with English. He hopes his wish will come true quickly.

Moonlight shines through the floor-to-ceiling window, casting the shadows of the two little figures onto the floor by the bed, kneeling on the bed with their hands together. In the shadows, the taller one finishes his prayer and turns to the smaller one next to him.

He sees the little one kneeling crookedly, with his hands together, making a wish. He’s mumbling, “Then I want to eat cake…”

Lu Xing He closes his eyes again. He’s a little greedy; he wants to make one more wish to the Bodhisattva.

When he grows up, he wants to open a super, super, super big cake shop for Zai Zai.

It’ll be the biggest in the world.

A cake shop that specializes in cakes with no eggs.