“Dad…” He looked at Pei Xiuyuan. He was very surprised by his reaction.
“Xiao Chen, I know that you are anxious about getting a new mother. I will not force you to accept her right away. I am sure that you will someday when you feel her kindness. You are my son. I will always love you the same way as I used to. Nothing will change. Don’t worry.”
Oh my god!
Pei Zichen was so overwhelmed by his feelings that he felt like his heart was almost bursting!
His father was telling him that he loved him! He loved him!
He was so happy that he did not know what to say to his father!
He jumped into his arms and shouted, “I love you, Dad! I love you!”
Pei Xiuyuan’s expression softened as he was hugging his young boy. “Go to sleep now. You will not grow any taller if you do not sleep.”
He seldom expressed his feelings toward other people as he was more of an introvert.
Pei Xiuyuan was rather annoyed at being interrupted in the middle of something exciting today. But he felt sorry for his son when he saw his face. He was insecure. His face was telling him that he was very scared that he would be abandoned by his father. He felt sorry because he did not do his best as a father to make him feel safe and secure.
“Will Dad stay with me?”
“Yes.”
“Dad…” at this very moment, Pei Zichen felt very happy! He was so touched.
Parents meant the whole world to a child. He would always be hoping for his parents’ companion. It is the same for the parents, wishing to have their children by their side when they are old.
Pei Xiuyuan hugged him and said, “Sweet dreams.”
Lying on his father’s arms, Pei Zichen forgot all about his anxiety. He knew that his father loved him.
He would not be an abandoned child!
Looking at his son’s sleeping face, the face of someone long gone popped up in his mind.
His eyes darkened. “I will take care of our son. I promise.”
He paused for a while. Then, his deep voice broke the silence again.
“She is a nice woman. She will be kind to our son.”
The next morning, when the father and the son woke up, Lu Man had already served breakfast. She was waiting for them to get dressed and join her for breakfast.
Lu Man could not sleep after Pei Xiuyuan went to his son last night. So she had surfed the internet to learn some recipes that children would like for breakfast. It was her first time making breakfast for a child but she had managed to prepare so much food that looked and smelled good already. She would say she was quite talented in this.
Pei Zichen was a young foodie. When he saw so much delicious food on the table, his mouth started watering. He fought against his urge and put on a cold face. Hmph! He was the eldest grandson of the Pei family! He would not be easily bribed with just a meal!
“Let’s dig in. your mother is a good cook.” Pei Xiuyuan looked at all the food on the table and he suddenly felt a bit down. His son had got so much super-cute food to choose from to eat, but he had only so few choices! How could that be?
Could he protest about this unfair treatment?
Pei Zichen took his chopsticks and picked up some food to eat. It was so delicious that he almost showed it on his face! But he reminded himself of his plan and quickly made an awful face. He pretended that the food tasted so bad that he jumped out of his chair, got to the bin, and threw up into it.
Lu Man was shocked. Did the food taste that badly? She was always very confident in her cooking skills, but now she was unsure about it.
Pei Xiuyuan’s lip twitched. This nasty boy, did he really need to go this far?
Pei Zichen came back and sat down. He put on a sorry face and said, “I am sorry, Dad.”
He was clearly telling them that he wanted to behave and eat as being told by his father, but he just could not do it because the food tasted simply too awful that he could not even swallow!
Pei Xiuyuan looked at his naughty son. He laughed in his head. This silly boy, he must be thinking that he would be fooled!
He calmly said, “If you do not like the food, then you do not have to force yourself to eat.”
Lu Man stood up immediately and said, “Xiao Chen, what do you like to eat? I will make something else for you.”
“It does not matter what kind of food it is, it will taste the same if it is the same person who makes it.” He was implying that he hated all the food that she made!
Lu Man was speechless.
Lu Man had never experienced being ostracized by someone.
“Then what do you want to eat? I will go out and buy it for you.” She did not want to give up being a good stepmother.
As Pei Zichen was about to say something, Pei Xiuyuan interrupted.
“Xiao Chen, are you hungry? Can you wait just for a while? I will bring you out for breakfast after having my breakfast. Then, I will send you home.” Pei Xiuyuan looked at his son.
Pei Zichen was so excited when he heard his father saying that he would bring him out for breakfast and send him home. Even though he was very hungry, he could still endure it. “I am not very hungry yet, Dad.”
His father must love him very much. He was not angry when he showed his dislike for her food. He had even promised to bring him out for breakfast!
“Good.” Pei Xiuyuan smiled slyly. His smile was mischievous.
Lu Man was sure something must be wrong with his smile. But she did not know why.
Pei Xiuyuan moved all the food in front of him. “This food looks tasty.”
He started to eat happily. Lu Man and Pei Zichen were stunned by his action.
“Yum. It was really delicious!” He enjoyed the food very much. It was all written on his face.
Pei Zichen got even hungrier when he saw his face!
“The shrimp balls are the best! The texture is so bouncy on the outside and the shrimp filling is so full of flavor! The food is splendid!” Pei Xiuyuan took half a bite of the shrimp ball and showed the shrimp filing to his son. His face was as if telling him that he was eating the best food in the world!
Pei Zichen liked shrimp balls very much. Now that he was seeing his father eating them, his mouth watered even more.
Perhaps it was because he was growing up, Pei Zichen was a big eater. He could eat a horse every time in the morning after a night of sleeping. Everyone in the Pei family knew that.
Naturally, Pei Xiuyuan knew it perfectly well. And he even knew that his son did not eat much the previous night. He must be very hungry right now!
Using his peripheral vision, he saw that his son was staring at the food in his mouth and he was salivating. His smile got bigger.
He swallowed the food that his son wanted.
Pei Zichen could not bear it and bit his lower lip.
After taking a few more bites, Pei Xiuyuan looked at his son and asked. “Xiao Chen, I know that shrimp balls are your favourite. The shrimp balls that your mother has made are very delicious. Are you sure you do not want to have some?”
Pei Zichen wanted it badly! He was starving! In fact, he woke up because of his hunger! He wanted to devour all the food when he left the room. The food smelled so nice and looked so delicious!
But…
“Dad, I do not like it, really.” Nobody would know how hurtful it was to him to say this instead of the truth. This was a very difficult decision that he had to make.
“Oh, really? Then I will eat them all! It is such a pity that you do not like them. They were so delicious!” Pei Xiuyuan devoured all the food without even thinking.
Everything was finished. Nothing was left.
Seeing him enjoying the breakfast so much, Pei Zichen felt miserable. It was the most torturous morning for him!
When one is starving, it is very frustrating to see someone eating good food in front of him. It is even more frustrating when that person seems to be enjoying the food. It was just too frustrating!