Xuan Yuncheng politely declined. “I’m perfectly fine here.”

When Ruirui managed to make their dad angry in a moment, he’d be the first one out the door.

The little girl wrinkled her tiny brow and looked back at Xuan Yanyu. “Daddy, Brother won’t come over.”

Xuan Yanyu beckoned the little girl over with a wave of his hand, then reached out and patted the little dumpling who was cozying up to Yan Yunning. “Say whatever it is you have to say, quickly. Don’t disturb Mommy and me while we’re resting.”

The little dumpling turned his head and stuck his tongue out at Xuan Yanyu, pulling a face. “I’m talking to Mommy. Daddy can’t eavesdrop.”

Xuan Yanyu cradled the soft, sweet-smelling little girl without sparing the little dumpling a single glance. “Fine, say what you have to say and leave immediately afterwards.”

The little dumpling pouted, then turned and wrapped his arms around Yan Yunning’s neck, blinking his eyes cheekily. “Mommy, can baby sleep in your room tonight?”

Yan Yunning tweaked the little dumpling’s tiny ear. “Go ask Daddy.”

“Daddy, can baby sleep in your room tonight?” The little dumpling looked at Xuan Yanyu, smiling adorably.

“No. Say what you came to say and then go back to your room.” Xuan Yanyu was combing his daughter’s hair, paying no attention to the little dumpling’s deliberate attempts at cuteness.

“Mommy~” The little dumpling pressed his little face against Yan Yunning’s cheek, his voice soft and pillowy. “Mommy, I want to stay~”

Yan Yunning was helpless. “Sweetheart, if you want to stay, Daddy has to agree. Mommy won’t be able to look after you in the middle of the night.”

Ruirui and Jiaojiao had servants who would come to their rooms at regular intervals through the night to tuck in their blankets and check if they needed the bathroom.

If Ruirui stayed in her and Xuan Yanyu’s room, having the servants come in at night would be inconvenient.

If the servants didn’t come, then she and Xuan Yanyu would have to look after the child themselves. She’d barely manage to get up in the night, so it would fall to Xuan Yanyu — and if he didn’t agree, Ruirui naturally couldn’t stay.

Xuan Yun-yao’s little mind turned for a moment. “I understand, Mommy.”

He’d just sneak in later at night.

Yan Yunning smiled. “Understand what?”

The little dumpling let out a few sly laughs, leaned close to Yan Yunning’s ear, his big round eyes rolling about. “Mommy, did you lie to Daddy?”

Before Yan Yunning could say anything, Xuan Yanyu gave him a pat on his little bottom. “Don’t bother saying things that are nonsense. Go back to your room.”

The little dumpling pushed his father’s hand away and lifted his chin. “I’m not talking nonsense. Grandpa said it — Mommy lied to Daddy.”

Xuan Yanyu’s brow creased. “Why would Grandpa say something like that? Explain it to Mommy clearly.”

If Xuan Yun-yao weren’t his son, he would have given him a good scolding long ago for stirring up trouble like this.

“Mommy.” The little dumpling nestled into Yan Yunning’s arms, his little hand curling around the ends of her hair, his tone slow and unhurried.

“You said Daddy looked good wearing the little rabbit bed sheet, so I wore it for Grandpa and Grandma to see too. But Grandpa said it didn’t look good — and Grandpa said Mommy was only flattering Daddy, that it actually doesn’t look good at all!!!”

“Ahem.” Yan Yunning pressed a hand to her forehead.

The little dumpling rattled on some more: “Grandpa said from now on I shouldn’t copy Daddy, because Daddy doesn’t look good in it. It really doesn’t look good.”

Xuan Yanyu pinched the little dumpling’s ear. “Xuan Yun-yao? When did I ever wear a little rabbit bed sheet?! Did you dream that about me?!”

Yan Yunning swatted his hand away and rubbed the little dumpling’s ear soothingly.

“Mommy, Daddy bullied me.” The little dumpling’s eyes went red.

“Sweetheart, Daddy didn’t mean it.” Yan Yunning gave Xuan Yanyu a kick. “Apologize to my baby.”

The little dumpling stole a smug look at Xuan Yanyu.

The latter narrowed his eyes slightly. Meeting Yan Yunning’s gaze, the man’s composure faltered. “My wife, you’re just going to let him talk nonsense like that?”

Yan Yunning reminded him, “You did wear it once — that time you got drunk at my brother’s place. I couldn’t find your pajamas, so I just made do for you.”

The little dumpling nudged Xuan Yanyu’s foot with his own. “Apologize to me. Listen to what Mommy says.”

Xuan Yanyu drew a deep breath. “How did you even find out about that?”

The little dumpling declared righteously, “I looked at Mommy’s phone.”

Xuan Yanyu clenched his back teeth. “Who told you to look at Mommy’s phone?”

“Mommy, Daddy is being mean to me.” The little dumpling shrank into Yan Yunning’s arms, tiny hands clutching tightly at her nightgown.

“Mommy will help you give Daddy a smack in a moment. For now, let Mommy walk you back to your room.” Yan Yunning picked up the little dumpling and climbed off the bed, reaching out her free hand to take Xuan Yuncheng’s. “Let’s go, sweetheart. Mommy will see you both to your rooms.”

Xuan Yuncheng gave a quiet nod and let Yan Yunning lead him by the hand without any fuss.

She walked Xuan Yun-yao to his room, watched as he settled obediently under the covers, and only then closed the door and took Xuan Yuncheng to his room.

——

Around ten o’clock at night, after the servants had withdrawn.

Xuan Yun-yao threw back his thin blanket, carefully opened his bedroom door, and poked his little head out. Seeing no servants in the corridor, he quickly shut the door behind him and sneaked off to the master bedroom.

The master bedroom door was not fully closed. The little dumpling tiptoed closer and heard his father doing an imitation of the Big Bad Wolf, while his sister begged in fright for Daddy to tell a different story.

The little dumpling let out a huff. He stopped tiptoeing altogether and deliberately stomped his footsteps as he walked to the bedside. Not seeing Yan Yunning, he stretched out a finger and poked Xuan Yanyu on the back. “Where’s my mommy?”

Xuan Yanyu turned around. At the sight of the little dumpling’s sulky expression, his eyebrow arched slightly. “I was just about to ask you the same thing. Where is my wife? Didn’t she walk you back to your room? How come she still hasn’t come back?”

If Ruirui hadn’t turned up, he would have assumed Ningning was still coaxing Ruirui to sleep.

The little dumpling’s eyes were rimmed with red, as if he were on the verge of tears. “Mommy walked me back to my room and then left with Brother.”

“Mommy will be back in a little while.” Xuan Yanyu lifted the little dumpling into his arms and used the pad of his finger to wipe away the tears. “Do you miss Mommy?”

The little dumpling said nothing. Tears dripped down his face one after another.

Mommy was coaxing Brother. Daddy was coaxing his sister. He was so pitiful…

“You’re that upset, huh.” Xuan Yanyu held the little dumpling helplessly and spoke in a low, soothing tone. “Don’t cry. Daddy will take you to find Mommy, all right?”

The little dumpling turned his face away and kept crying.

Xuan Yanyu let out a sigh. “Can you tell Daddy why you’re crying so hard?”

The little dumpling wiped his tears and said accusingly, “Mommy went to be with Brother, and Daddy is with Sister. There’s nobody to be with me…”

The more the little dumpling said, the more aggrieved he became.

“Sister will go back to her own room to sleep when Mommy returns. Mommy is spending time with Brother because it’s been a long time since she spent any with him. Brother is older than you and your sister, but he’s still a little child too.”

“Doesn’t Mommy spend more time with you and your sister than with Brother?”

Xuan Yanyu watched as the little dumpling’s crying gradually began to ease, pulled out a tissue, and wiped his tears. “Mommy has only spent time with Brother this once, and you’re already crying. Wouldn’t Brother feel very sad about that?”

“Just now, Mommy was holding you the whole time and didn’t hold Brother or Sister. If Brother and Sister were to both cry the way you are, wouldn’t Mommy be very tired?”