Chapter 398

In the evening, Fang Lao Ban prepared a table of sumptuous dishes to entertain the family of three.

At night, the temperature in the mountains was much lower than in the city; Xia Xi put on a jacket and, together with Xu Yanfeng, strolled along the path outside the villa. The boss was romantic, having installed rustic lanterns along the way, their bulbs wrapped around the treetops like glowing fruits growing on the trees.

Zi Heng bounced ahead, holding the lantern that Fang Lao Ban had given him.

Unidentified insect chirps twined around her ears, and the evening breeze brought a richer floral scent than during the day, making Xia Xi feel very content. She only suggested turning back when her calves began to ache.

On the way back, Zi Heng already knew the route and ran at full speed.

Xia Xi worried about him and reminded from behind: "Slow down, be careful not to fall."

"I know——"

Zi Heng's voice came from the bend ahead, the lush vegetation blocking his silhouette.

Xia Xi shook her head.

By the time Xu Yanfeng and Xia Xi returned to the villa, Zi Heng had already arrived, playing with a cat in the courtyard; a tabby cat leapt onto his shoulder, looking disdainful. Zi Heng shrank his neck, carefully carrying the cat to the doorway just to show it off to his parents.

"Mom, look quick!"

Xia Xi couldn't help but laugh.

Xu Yanfeng lifted the cat down with one hand: "One bite from it and you'll behave."

Zi Heng gave the kitten a name: "This cat doesn't bite people."

Xu Yanfeng took the opportunity to ask: "Do you like kittens or puppies?"

Zi Heng thought for a moment and said: "I still prefer dogs; dogs can grow big and be impressive."

Xu Yanfeng glanced at Xia Xi and smiled: "Your mom also likes dogs; how about we get one for our family later?"

Zi Heng widened his eyes: "Can we?"

He really wanted to keep a dog, but when they lived abroad earlier, his mother was busy with work, making it inconvenient to have one.

"What's wrong with that?" Xu Yanfeng said. "Let's get one when we go back."

Zi Heng cheered, ran back to his room, and went to wash up on his own initiative. He looked extremely happy, humming a tune.

Xia Xi thought for a long time but couldn't recall any memory of her liking dogs; she looked puzzled at Xu Yanfeng: "When did I ever tell you I liked dogs?" Although she actually did.

Xu Yanfeng looked back at her, after a moment he softly scoffed: "You said it yourself and now you don't remember."

Xia Xi narrowed her eyes, continuing to recall: "Really?"

Xu Yanfeng pinched her cheek, his tone carrying an unnatural hint—it was their shared memory, how could she forget?: "Once after a meal, we went downstairs for a walk and met a young person walking a dog in the neighborhood; your eyes were full of envy, and you asked the dog's owner if you could pet the dog; the owner agreed, you petted it for a while and told me you also wanted to keep one. I said if you want one, just get one, but you refused, saying you were still in school and had no time to care for a dog, and keeping one would mean responsibility. I said we could get one after graduation, and you said after graduation you'd have to work."

He described it in excessive detail, and Xia Xi had a faint impression: "I think I'm remembering."

Xu Yanfeng eyed her suspiciously: "Really remembered? Then tell me, what did we say afterward?"

Xia Xi: "……"

She remained silent for a long time, and Xu Yanfeng stared at her face: "Go on, say it."

Xia Xi clicked her tongue and slapped him with her hand: "How can you be so nasty?"

Xu Yanfeng denied the evaluation: "How am I nasty?"

Xia Xi really had remembered, not just making excuses to him. Later, he said there was a nanny at home who could take care of the dog, so she wouldn't have to worry. At the time she spoke without thinking, blurting out, "Wouldn't that mean if we had a kid we'd also dump the kid with the nanny?" After a while, Xu Yanfeng laughed and replied, "Give it a try."

She thought that topic was long over, so at first she didn't react, asking him, "Try what?"

He said, "Try having a baby."

Xia Xi pushed him away and walked toward the room: "I'm going to take a bath."

The next morning, awakened by the birdsong of dawn, Xia Xi lay in bed stretching; Xu Yanfeng had already gotten up, pulled open the curtains, and filled his view with lush, dripping greenness.

Xia Xi lingered in bed a while before getting up to wash up, then went to call Zi Heng.

Zi Heng sat on the bed, eyes heavy with sleep, rubbing the corners of his eyes and said: "Mom, I had a dream last night that I had a big dog."

Xia Xi couldn't help but laugh: "It's your dad's fault; he insisted on bringing up dogs yesterday."

Hearing the mother-son conversation, Xu Yanfeng had just taken the tray from Xiao Liao's hands—it was their breakfast—he turned and placed it on the dining table, saying: "Wait a bit longer; your dream will soon become reality."

After the family finished breakfast, they took the fishing gear provided by Fang Lao Ban and headed for the reservoir.

The route to the reservoir had two options; one was easier, built by a construction crew hired by Fang Lao Ban and paved with stone slabs. The other was more primitive, a mountain trail blazed by predecessors, winding and rugged, with weeds taller than a person growing along both sides.

Considering the child, Xu Yanfeng chose the easier stone-paved path.

Even so, because the distance was considerable and the slope steep, walking was not easy. Along the way, Xu Yanfeng occasionally asked Zi Heng if he was tired; the little fellow was full of vigor, huffing and puffing as he carried his small backpack, which also held bottled water and fruit, shaking his head and saying: "Not tired."

Xu Yanfeng turned his head and asked Xia Xi: "Are you tired?"

Xia Xi answered truthfully: "A little."

Perhaps it was because she hadn't climbed mountains in a long time; the flat path she walked the night before was fine, but once she got onto this mountain road with one slope after another, she was knocked back to her original state.

Xu Yanfeng took off the fishing-gear pack from his shoulder, held it in his hand, squatted in front of her, turned his head and said: "Come on up, I'll carry you."

Xia Xi glanced at the distant reservoir, then at the man's broad back within reach, as if shocked—if he carried her all the way, he'd surely collapse from exhaustion.

"Get up," she said, patting Xu Yanfeng's back, "You don't need to carry me; I'm just a bit tired, not unable to walk."

Xu Yanfeng: "Stop dawdling, get up."

Xia Xi glanced at Zi Heng sitting ahead waiting for them; Zi Heng covered his mouth and snickered: "Mom, just let Dad carry you; you walk super slow."

Xia Xi: "……"

Xu Yanfeng chuckled: "Hurry up."

Xia Xi's cheeks flushed slightly; she leaned onto his back, both arms climbing onto his shoulders, encircling his neck. Xu Yanfeng turned his head sideways and softly asked: "All set?"

Xia Xi pressed her lips together and hummed in affirmation.

Xu Yanfeng hooked his hand behind her knee, easily lifting her onto his back, while his other hand still held the fishing-gear pack. Seeing he seemed a bit awkward, Xia Xi voluntarily offered: "Let me hold the pack."

Xu Yanfeng smiled, didn't refuse, and lifted the pack higher. Xia Xi took it in her hand, feeling its weight was not light.

Seeing his parents catch up, Zi Heng stood up, brushed off the dust on his pants, and kept running forward; his small stature seemed to possess inexhaustible ox-like strength.

"Actually I can walk fine," Xia Xi said quietly, staring at his neat, distinct profile.

She wasn't that delicate; it was just a hike, feeling a little tired was normal, but she hadn't reached the point of being unable to walk.

"I know." Xu Yanfeng said, "I want to carry you."

""

Xu Yanfeng each step was steady, he wasn't out of breath, and still had spare energy to admire the scenery along the way; he turned his head and softly reminded Xia Xi: "There's a squirrel."

Xia Xi widened her eyes in surprise and looked around, unconsciously lowering her voice: "Where is it?"

Xu Yanfeng: "Left."

Xia Xi looked to the left; this area was a verdant pine forest, not knowing which tree the squirrel was on, she moved her eyes and strained to search.

Suddenly, a warm touch pressed against her cheek; Xia Xi startled, withdrew her gaze to look at the person before her, who was smiling, his smile seeming like a successful scheme, obviously deliberate, taking advantage of her inattention to steal a kiss.

You tricked me.

She actually fell for his trick so easily.

Xu Yanfeng stopped walking, the corner of his mouth curling up, and said seriously: "Who tricked you? Look for yourself, there really is a squirrel."

Xia Xi had resolved not to be fooled again, but she couldn't help herself; drawn by his words, she looked left again, a fluffy little creature leapt from one tree to another, its big eyes darting about, pausing for a few seconds before disappearing.

Xu Yanfeng knew she had seen it: "How about that, I didn't trick you, right?"

Mom, Dad, hurry up!

Zi Heng had run far ahead; turning back, he saw his parents standing there chatting. He put his hands on his hips and sighed; at this pace, when would they ever reach the destination?