Chapter 167: I don't mind

(1)

Shu Shu instinctively wiped the corner of her eye with her finger, feeling moisture.

It was indeed tears.

After a pause, Shu Shu pretended she was also surprised, speaking thoughtfully: "Hmm, it seems I had a nightmare, but I kind of forgot the specifics of what I dreamed about."

Pei Muyin gently comforted Shu Shu, saying: "Good dreams are omens of imminent fortune, while nightmares are the opposite of reality, so sister, those bad things will not happen at all."

Shu Shu couldn't help but laugh, pinching her daughter's soft cheek: "Eh, then whether it's a nightmare or a good dream, only good things will happen; wouldn't I be taking too much advantage?"

Pei Muyin said seriously that it wouldn't happen, then she asked Shu Shu if she wanted to sleep a bit more.

What time is it?

It's almost ten-thirty.

Shu Shu was surprised; it's so late, normally she wakes around six, and she didn't stay up late yesterday, yet she slept so deeply.

Perhaps it's because the content of her dream was too much?

I'm not sleeping anymore.

Shu Shu threw off the covers, got up to wash up; while brushing her teeth, she looked at herself in the mirror, shook her head, trying to shake off that heavy emotion lingering in her chest.

When Shu Shu and Pei Muyin walked downstairs, the lower floor was empty.

Shu Shu looked left and right: "Where are they?"

Pei Muyin explained: "Dad and older brother went out for morning exercise."

As soon as her words fell, there was movement at the entryway.

Pei Du in sportswear and Shu Lingchen walked in.

The boy, holding a baseball cap, casually fanned himself; the man behind him, whose eyebrows and eyes resembled the boy's, reflexively closed the door, turned his gaze, and his eyes precisely landed on Shu Shu.

After a moment, Pei Du said: "There's porridge in the pot."

At this time, everyone had already eaten breakfast, except Shu Shu.

Sister, I'll go get you some porridge~

After saying that, Pei Muyin rushed to the kitchen.

She had just taken out a clean glass bowl from the cabinet when the spoon for serving porridge was handed to her.

Pei Muyin turned her head, saw Pei Du, then smiled and took it: "Thanks, Dad."

Muyin.

Huh?

Pei Du asked calmly: "Did you stay up late last night?"

"No, I and my sister both went to bed very early." Pei Muyin, while carefully ladling porridge, answered: "But sister had a nightmare, and, um... she probably dreamed of something rather sad."

Something sad?

Pei Muyin said: "Mhm, sister even cried."

Cried?

Pei Du furrowed his brows.

The porridge Pei Du cooked was sweet potato millet porridge, looking good, with a clean, sweet, soft and sticky texture.

Shu Shu sipped it spoonful by spoonful.

At this moment, Shu Lingchen was outside changing the water for the fish in the courtyard, and on his way out he called his sister Pei Muyin to come help.

And Pei Du.

As noon approached, he was in the kitchen preparing the meat ingredients needed for cooking later.

A bowl of porridge gradually emptied.

Want more?

A familiar low male voice filled the entire dream.

Perhaps the porridge was too delicious; Shu Shu didn't even lift her head, and casually replied: "Mm, no thanks, Xiao Du, I'll be eating later, can't drink too much porridge."

Only after saying the last word did Shu Shu realize what she had said; she lifted her head, and the two stared at each other stiffly.

This, is not in a dream anymore.

""

The air seemed dead silent for a few seconds.

"Xiao, Du?" Pei Du repeated those two words with an analytical tone, curiously asking: "Yinyin, are you calling me?"

I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die.

The aftereffects of that dream are really strong!

Shu Shu's fingers dug hard into the bowl's edge, then she put on a puzzled expression without blushing or racing heart, looking at Pei Du:

"No, when did I call you? You must have misheard; I said 'little—belly, I'll be eating later, can't drink too much porridge.'

"I meant the 'belly' in 'belly', not the 'Du' in Pei Du."

"" Why does it feel like my explanation made things even worse?!

However, Shu Shu felt her explanation was quite convincing, nicely delivered.

This person will probably believe it, right?

Shu Shu secretly glanced at Pei Du's expression; the handsome man quietly looked at Shu Shu for a moment, the corner of his mouth lifting in a gentle arc, his tone mild.

"Hmm, let's just say I misheard."

"" What does 'just pretend I misheard' mean? The stubborn Shu Shu insists: 'You just misheard.'

Pei Du nods, obediently corrects: "Okay, I misheard."

Shu Shu: "……"

Pei Du also says: "Yinyin can call me like that, I don't mind."

After a pause, he adds: "Of course, the other forms of address are also fine."

He doesn't mind either.

"……"

The more he says, the more it feels like she's guilty as a thief and he sees through but doesn't expose; Shu Shu's gaze focuses on Pei Du's lips.

Her palm suddenly feels a bit itchy.

I really want to cover his mouth so he won't speak anymore.

He just says things that make people want to dig a hole.

Pei Du reaches out his hand toward Shu Shu.

Shu Shu doesn't understand, thinking Pei Du is about to do something again, she asks warily: "What are you doing?"

Pei Du candidly says: "Give me Yinyin's bowl, I'll wash it."

Oh, that's how it is.

Shu Shu then hands the bowl to Pei Du; after receiving it, Pei Du stays in place, not immediately leaving, lowers his eyes and seriously analyzes for a moment, then says: "Xiao Du sounds nice."

Shu Shu: "……!" She hasn't finished explaining that she wasn't calling him?

Then he softens his tone: "I mean, the 'Du' in Pei Du."

Shu Shu: "!!!"

Cover it! Cover his mouth!

Shu Shu seems to have figured out why she just misspoke.

Besides losing memory, there are also subtle changes in appearance due to growing over time.

The little rascal is exactly the same as in my memory's dream.

It's normal for her to feel dazed.

(2)

Tonight, besides making dinner, Pei Du also boiled soup.

Two hours after eating, the four of them sat at the table, each with a bowl.

Shu Shu lowered her head to look at her bowl, seeing in order: pig heart, American ginseng, lotus seeds, red dates, goji berries...

What a familiar "formula".

This is a calming soup to aid sleep, specially suitable for those prone to nightmares.

"……"

Shu Shu froze a moment, subconsciously looked across the table at Pei Du, who seemed to have been looking at her already; their eyes met.

How does he know.

Shu Shu then wondered—Oh, it should be the daughter.

Pei Du, without changing expression, said as if to everyone: "You can drink more."

Shu Lingchen curiously poked the meat in the bowl with chopsticks, couldn't tell what it was at first, and it didn't seem like spare ribs.

"Lao Pei, what soup is this?"

Pei Du glanced aside, answered his son: "It's a soup that helps sleep."

"Helps sleep?"

Shu Lingchen immediately thought of himself.

Yes, the father who had been missing for over ten years across sea, land, and air suddenly "came back from the dead," and this person has been right in front of us all along—it's "kidnapper" Lao Pei, Lao Pei is the biological father.

For him, the "turkey chick baby," this is hardly not a huge mental shock; for several nights he's been in a state of disbelief, excited to the point of not sleeping well.

This indeed also somewhat affected his sleep quality.

Thinking about this—

Shu Lingchen instantly looked at Pei Du with a face full of emotion: "Lao Pei, you're so thoughtful!"

Not only thoughtful, but also meticulous.

Without any hints, he actually figured out just by observation that he would sleep poorly.

Points added, points added, points added.

Not giving points would be unjustifiable.

Shu Lingchen directly lifted the bowl and took a big gulp, then after exhaling, decisively gave Pei Du a thumbs-up: "Wow, the taste is really not bad!"

"Lao Pei, I'll drink all of your heartfelt intention!"

Then Shu Lingchen took another big gulp, the result being he drank too fast and choked.

"Cough cough cough!"

It startled everyone at the table.

Shu Shu frowned, hurriedly went to pat her son's back, while patting she said: "Drink slowly, who's rushing you?"

Pei Du then pushed the tissue box over, and Pei Muyin casually took out two tissues and handed them to Shu Lingchen, asking worriedly: "Brother, are you okay?"

"Cough cough cough... Thanks, sis, cough cough, I'm fine." Shu Lingchen turned his head away, covered his mouth with a tissue and coughed a couple times, then turned back and solemnly answered his mother's words: "You don't understand, this is Lao Pei's heartfelt intention toward me; getting a little excited is quite normal."

Shu Shu: "……"

She subconsciously glanced at Pei Du.

Pei Du: "."

Pei Muyin, dazed, reacted: "Brother also can't sleep well?"

Ng, it's a bit, actually the problem isn't big—I didn't even take it to heart. Shu Lingchen responded extremely naturally, feigning difficulty: "But I can't resist Lao Pei being so enthusiastic; he even specially brewed calming soup. Oh dear, I feel so embarrassed."

Pei Muyin curled her lips: "Then brother, drink a bit more." It turned out Dad's calming soup was specially made for brother; they really get along well~

Shu Lingchen gave an OK sign: "Got it."

After listening to the conversation of the silly kid's son and the cute daughter, the two people present who mutually understood tacitly why the calming soup was brewed—

Shu Shu: "……"

Pei Du still: "."

Only saw the youth, while drinking, turn his head to Pei Du and flash a brilliant smile: "Lao Pei, I will definitely sleep well tonight, thank you."

"……" Pei Du opened his mouth, still unable to bear to explain, finally only said: "No need to be polite."

After that, indeed.

Shu Lingchen directly drank three big bowls of soup, enjoying it even more than dinner, to the point people thought he hadn't eaten enough; Pei Du asked if he wanted a bowl of noodles.

Shu Lingchen rubbed his belly: "Burp, no burp, no need, I burp, I'm full, burp."

Shu Shu couldn't help but cover her forehead.

A hint of helplessness flickered in Pei Du's eyes as he pondered what dish to make tomorrow that his son likes, as compensation for not clearing up the misunderstanding.

…

The summer-retreat days passed like this, day by day, in leisure.

During this period, Pei Du went on several short trips; after each trip he would return to this city's villa.

On the second-to-last day before the summer vacation ended, the four finally packed their luggage and set off back to An Shi.

Because among the family of four, three had to start school.

Upon entering the house.

Shu Lingchen flung himself onto the sofa like a horse freed from its reins, speaking affectionately to the sofa: "Sofa, it's been so long—did you miss me? I missed you too. You know, when I play games I love lying on your soft cotton the most."

Hearing that, Shu Shu and Pei Muyin almost simultaneously rubbed the goosebumps on their arms.

Shu Shu asked: "Isn't that your confession lines to the sofa in your room?"

Shu Lingchen hurriedly shushed his mom, deliberately lowering his voice: "Can't talk nonsense, it will hear."

Then he turned, using a gesture of covering his ears to cover one side of the sofa's backrest, solemnly saying: "Don't listen; those are just words trying to sow discord between us. Except you, I won't fall for any other sofa."

Shu Shu: "……"

Going crazy, confirmed.

…

After school started, the three became senior-year students.

On the registration day, Pei Du was free; he drove the three to San Zhong School.

Upon getting in the car.

Shu Shu had just sat down when she noticed something "familiar" hanging behind the rearview mirror.

A pale yellow pudding puppy charm, like a wind chime.

Shu Shu recognized it.

That was the one she herself made.

At that time she spent time with her daughter making these handicrafts; after finishing, she gave them all to her daughter so she could dispose of them freely.

So her daughter gave one to Pei Du, who directly hung it in the car.

Not only that.

Shu Shu also saw that Pei Du's car key had the same pudding puppy charm, made by her daughter. Of course, since her daughter gave it to him, he has the right to decide what to do with it.

But…… such an adorable thing appearing in the aloof-style car creates an indescribable sense of contrast.

Shu Shu's gaze lingered too long.

In the rearview mirror, the man in the driver's seat lifted his eyes and caught her red-handed.

"……"

At this moment Pei Muyin also got in the car; she also saw the new charms on the rearview mirror and car key, and exclaimed in surprise: "Dad, you put them in the car!"

Then Pei Du's low, soft voice sounded: "Hmm, occasionally trying a different style also changes the mood."

It's unclear whether this reply was to the daughter or to Shu Shu, whose surprised expression was too obvious.

"……"

So this is his reason for switching from aloof style to cute style?

…

School registration day is always especially lively.

A group of kids who hadn't seen each other for several months, upon meeting, exchanged all kinds of greetings, especially the boys, slinging arms over shoulders.

Bo Luo Zai looked Shu Lingchen up and down, scratched his head: "Brother Chen, you didn't say you basically spent this vacation outdoors? Why aren't you tanned?"

"It sounds like I've ever been dark; my fair skin is innate, because I……" Shu Lingchen paused, then said: "Because my parents' skin is fair, so it's genetic."

"Envious."

San Zhong is somewhat humane; aside from individual special cases, senior students are not re-assigned to classes based on grades.

Just need to change classrooms; the people remain the same classmates, and the homeroom teacher is still Lao Liu.

Lao Liu thought he had walked into the wrong classroom.

Because he didn't see those colorful kids in his class; taking another look—hey! Everyone's there, just… all with black hair.

Finally grew up.

Lao Liu couldn't help but cheerfully joke: "Looks like Zhao Heping and classmates gained a lot this summer; I wonder what the other classmates gained."

Shu Lingchen crossed his legs, silently thinking:

What did you gain?

He gained a father.

…

The graduating class is about to start evening lessons.

Pei Du sometimes goes on business trips; after evening class, the three of them are always picked up and dropped off by Pei Muyin's driver.

After a few days of restlessness, everyone finally settled into a study state.

Then about a month passed.

Zhou Zhi accompanied Pei Du to An Shi, holding a stack of letters he had taken out of the mailbox at the main residence in Jing Shi.

The addressee was clearly written as Pei Muyin.

——these are letters of invitation to join from the Berlin Su Le Orchestra.