The little one's voice continued, "How's grandpa... and you're going to make me ribs tonight, right? I messed up today. They all laughed at me, it's all your fault... Alright, I forgive you, who told you're my mom."
Listening to the child's coquettish tone, Chen Jin felt his heart swell with warmth, but sadly, he couldn't hear her voice through the receiver. He missed it so much—her voice, her appearance, everything about her.
After the call ended, Xiao Bao was about to return the phone to the teacher when he looked up and saw a tall figure in front of him. He tilted his head back and, with his childish voice, said, "Uncle, you're in my way."
Chen Jin froze, the moment of contentment shattered. His son had called him "uncle"? Was there anything more frustrating than this? He stopped mid-step, sluggishly processing the situation.
Xiao Bao frowned, thinking this adult was rude, but he sighed and decided to walk around. Chen Jin quickly snapped out of it, calling after him, "Uh, Xiao Bao."
The two words were stuck in his throat, not coming out easily.
Xiao Bao turned around cautiously, tilting his head and asked, "How do you know my name?"
Chen Jin smiled and crouched down, gazing into his dark, bright eyes. He answered leisurely, "Because I'm your fan."
Xiao Bao wasn't unfamiliar with the word "fan." His mom often told him how many more people liked him. He understood that fans liked him, so he lowered his guard, his face lighting up with a big smile.
To prove his "fan" status, Chen Jin pulled out his phone and showed him, "See, I've saved all your pictures, every single one."
Xiao Bao leaned over to take a look and shouted, "This was taken this morning!"
Sensing the familiar milky scent of the child, Chen Jin's already excited heart surged with emotion. He almost wanted to hug him and kiss him a few times. He suppressed the urge and half-jokingly said, "So, little star, can you sign for your fan?"
This time, Xiao Bao didn't understand. Chen Jin took out a notebook and pen, removing the pen cap when he realized a practical problem, and asked, "Can you write your name?"
Xiao Bao nodded. "Mom taught me."
Chen Jin handed him the pen, supporting the notebook with his palm, watching as Xiao Bao gripped the pen in that awkward way that reminded him so much of his own childhood. As he watched his son struggle but concentrate, it felt like a surreal, heartwarming experience. It was a strange, touching sensation...
When Xiao Bao reached the character "Bao," he hesitated for a moment, then finished writing and inspected it. He wondered why it looked so different from how his mom wrote—why was it so ugly? He looked up, startled. "Why are you crying?"
Chen Jin, lost in his emotions, felt a bit embarrassed. He quickly covered up, saying, "No, just got something in my eye."
Xiao Bao smiled. "Mom always says that too."
Chen Jin froze, then heard him confidently add, "I can blow it better." After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Do you want me to blow it for you?"
Chen Jin numbly agreed, and then he felt the soft little body lean towards him, lips pursed, blowing a gentle, lingering breath. His chest immediately surged with emotion, his nose stinging. He could no longer resist, pulling the child into a tight embrace.
Xiao Bao was startled, squirming anxiously. Chen Jin choked out, "Xiao Bao, don't move, just... let me hold you."
Someone walked by in the corridor, curious eyes glancing their way. Chen Jin paid no attention, completely absorbed in the joy of being reunited with his son, reveling in this long-awaited hug that had taken three years. For Xiao Bao, this warm embrace was a novel experience, and it felt pretty good. He remembered his mom teaching him not to get too close to strangers, but... was a fan considered a stranger? Did knowing someone make them no longer a stranger?
He asked, "What's your name?"
The person holding him froze for a moment, then softly replied, "My name is Chen Jin."
At around 5 p.m., Lin Wan got off the bus near the kindergarten. She had received a call from home at noon, saying that her father had suddenly fainted. She immediately took a leave of absence and was rushed to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed it as a complication of diabetes, and after some injections and medication, they observed him for the afternoon. She had been busy all day and missed her son's performance.
At the kindergarten entrance, parents began picking up their children. As soon as Lin Wan entered the gate, she heard a familiar voice calling, "Mom..."
She followed the sound and looked over, seeing two figures sitting on a wooden bench under a tree. When she saw the person next to Xiao Bao, she froze instantly. That person was looking at her, his eyes filled with clear joy and familiar warmth. Her heart skipped a beat—after all this time, he still remembered her.
Xiao Bao stretched his legs and smoothly slid off the bench. The man beside him reached out to catch him, but Xiao Bao patted his bottom, seemingly saying something. The man grabbed the jacket and small backpack on the bench, standing up.
Lin Wan nervously observed the series of movements, watching as the man calmly stood up, holding Xiao Bao's hand, and elegantly stepped forward, each step confident and steady. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, but then, a trace of irritation bubbled up inside her.
The pair quickly walked up to her. Xiao Bao looked up, beaming, and introduced, "Mom, this is my new friend, Chen Jin."
Lin Wan was stunned, and turned her gaze toward Chen Jin. He smiled nonchalantly and said, "Better than being called 'uncle.'"
Xiao Bao, unaware of the situation, tugged at his mother's hand and said to Chen Jin, "This is my mom, isn't she pretty?"
Chen Jin smiled back at him, then turned his gaze to Lin Wan, and softly said, "She's very beautiful."
Lin Wan felt a flush rise to her face, feeling as if she had been playfully teased. She had imagined many scenarios of meeting this person again, but never had she imagined it would be her son introducing them to each other. She sighed helplessly in her heart, looking down just in time to see the hands the two of them were holding. A sense of frustration immediately arose, and she bent down, saying to her son, "Xiao Bao, we need to go home now. Say goodbye to your new friend."
Chen Jin quickly responded, "Let's eat together."
Lin Wan remained indifferent, but he pressed on, "You've had a long day too. Wouldn't it be better to eat out and go home to rest early?"
Seeing her son's eager expression, Lin Wan couldn't avoid it. She knew there were things she couldn't run away from, so she nodded in agreement.
Chen Jin ordered a variety of dishes, including some of their favorites and a few northern dishes Xiao Bao had never tried before. Xiao Bao couldn't use chopsticks, so he used a spoon with his left hand and a fork with his right, having a blast. Chen Jin placed a bit of every dish in front of him, occasionally wiping his mouth with a napkin. Watching this made him look like a caring father.
Xiao Bao ate happily, chatting excitedly. Every other sentence was "Chen Jin," which made Lin Wan frown. However, the man didn't mind, accepting it with ease. The conversation jumped from "Pleasant Goat" to "Ultraman," then to a few pictures on Weibo. Chen Jin seamlessly followed along, clearly well-prepared.
Watching the harmonious interaction between father and son, Lin Wan felt a mix of emotions. She was both pleased and a little resentful. She had raised her son for years, but in just one day, he had been won over.
After dinner, Xiao Bao rubbed his round belly, claiming he couldn't move. Lin Wan pretended to try and lift him, but Chen Jin beat her to it. She could only grab the bags and follow behind. Once outside, Chen Jin hailed a taxi and naturally carried the child inside. Lin Wan paused for a moment, then followed him inside.
As the car started, Xiao Bao immediately began yawning and fell asleep not long after. Chen Jin continued holding him, lovingly kissing his hair, forehead, closed eyes, and small clenched fists. Lin Wan sat quietly beside them, feeling a mix of emotions. Her heart ached, and she turned her head to look out the window.
After a while, she heard him ask, "How's your father today?"
Her heart warmed, but she secretly cursed that little traitor who was sleeping, mumbling, "It's a complication, he has to stay in the hospital for a few days."
When they arrived downstairs at the apartment, Lin Wan was about to carry Xiao Bao, but Chen Jin quickly said, "He's heavy, let me do it."
Lin Wan replied indifferently, "I've been carrying him for three years, I'm used to it."
Chen Jin was taken aback. She seized the opportunity to take Xiao Bao from him, not bothering to say goodbye. She turned and walked toward the building. Chen Jin quickly caught up, grabbing her arm. "Wanwan, let's talk."
She didn't even look at him, calmly replying, "What's there to talk about? I'm tired and need to sleep early."
Chen Jin didn't insist but said simply, "I'll wait for you."
He didn't specify how he would be waiting.
Lin Wan hurried upstairs, placed Xiao Bao on the bed, and wiped his face with a towel. Seeing his plump belly, she felt uneasy, so she gently massaged him for a while. After the bath, she stared at herself in the mirror, sighing at the unfairness of time's effects on men and women. Returning to the bedroom, she found herself inexplicably drawn to the window. Looking down, she saw a solitary figure standing still downstairs, a flicker of red light from a cigarette, raised and lowered...
Without even needing to see his face, she knew it was him.
Because she was familiar with it.
Lin Wan stared blankly for a while, then turned off the light and lay down. Xiao Bao usually slept with her, and hearing his soft, shallow breathing made her fall asleep peacefully. But tonight, that soothing sound didn't work. After tossing and turning, she got up and went to the window again. The person was gone, but she saw a faint red glow from the stone bench at the end of the corridor. She smiled inexplicably, then went back to bed and tried to sleep again.
This time, she finally fell asleep and had a dream. In the dream, she heard rhythmic drips of water. She listened carefully, realizing it was the sound of rain. Suddenly, she woke up with a start, only to find the place was pitch dark.