🔸𝐍𝐎 ℓσɳɠεɾ 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃🔸

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

It had been a week already since Yibo's sudden arrival at his home and Zhan was a little afraid that he would barge in again the next day. But he was very grateful when Yibo did not show up the following week.

Xiao Zhan laid a sleeping A-yaun in his crib just before ten thirty and took the baby monitor that Wen Qing had given him into the bathroom with him for a much needed shower. He couldn't remember the last time he'd allowed himself to indulge in a longer shower. Lately it had just been a quick necessity and less of a pleasure. He turned the temperature up until his skin turned pink from the heat and simply stood under the spray, letting the warmth loosen the muscles in his neck and shoulders. It had felt like his shoulders were pressed to his ears for the past week. Lack of sleep usually did that to him; paired with lack of proper nutrition for the last three years and he'd been wound tight as a bobbin.

After his shower, he put on a pair of soft sleep pants and a thin tank top and turned out the lights. He wasn't going to fuss around and waste any time getting into bed when there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to stay there long anyway. Even though he'd slept for so long these days, Xiao Zhan had no problem falling asleep once his head hit the pillow.

It was still dark outside when he awoke to A-yaun's fussy whines through the baby monitor. Part of him wanted to look at the clock beside his bed but he knew he'd be disappointed so he turned his head away as he got out of bed.

"I'm coming, little dumpling. Mama's coming." He shuffled into the nursery, little shapes of elephants projected onto the walls from the nightlight. A-yaun was sitting up, hands wrapped around the bars of his crib, yanking as hard as his little arms would allow. His nose sounded a little stuffy. Could that be why he kept waking up in the middle of the night? Was his room too dry? Could a humidifier solve all their problems? Xiao Zhan picked up his son, cuddling him to his chest and sat down in the rocking chair Jiang Cheng had bought for him.

"Hey, hey. Calm down A-yaun. You don't need to yell so much. I'm right here, aren't I? Here, let's use a little of this." He dug through the wicker basket in the set-in shelves beside him until he found the menthol rub and took a small amount onto his finger, rubbing it gently on A-yaun's chest. Just to be safe he tapped his upper lip with the residual gel. "There we go. Isn't that better? It'll be better soon. Shh, shh. My poor baby." He hated seeing his son like this but if a stuffy nose was the culprit, at least he knew what was wrong.

Fortunately, the rub was working. Unfortunately, being able to breathe unhindered only made A-yaun realize he was awake and out of his crib. He began wiggling in Xiao Zhan's grip until he was set down on the plush carpet. Knowing he wasn't going back to sleep any time soon, he got a box of foam alphabet letters from the shelf and sat down in front of his son to settle in for a play.

By the time he finally laid A-yaun back in his crib it was just before five in the morning and Xiao Zhan couldn't even muster the energy to return to his bed. He pulled a blanket from the closet and laid down on the floor next to the crib. Maybe they wouldn't be waking up for an early breakfast after all. Tomorrow they'd go to the store and get a humidifier, but he'd sleep as long as A-yaun allowed.

Which turned out to be exactly an hour and a half. His poor dumpling just couldn't breathe. Xiao Zhan wasn't mad at him; he could never, but he was just so tired.

After a quick breakfast for his son and a piece of toast for himself, Xiao Zhan bundled them both up and they headed to the store. He was glad that he had some money with him.

But he was surprised when he was forced to make many stops in the market while aunties made cooing noises over how cute his A-yaun was. No matter how many times it happened, Xiao Zhan couldn't help but feel proud. He had the cutest baby ever!

They finished shopping like that, him grabbing groceries and aunties playing with his son.

-

It was almost five o' clock in the evening when he heard someone knock the door.

Xiao Zhan was confused. Wen Ning and Wen Qing had gone out of the city for two days so it couldn't be them. Neither Jiang Cheng nor Jiang Yanli had informed that they would be coming. So it couldn't be them.

Who could it be exactly?

Xiao Zhan placed A-yaun down on the rug along his toys and went to answer the door.

He was more than surprised to see Wang Yibo standing there.

"Zhan Ge," Wang Yibo called out.

Last time when Yibo had barged into his house, he had cleared things up with Yibo. He had clearly reminded the other that they were no longer married.

So, why was here now?

Not wanting to trouble himself with the unwelcomed visitor, he attempted to close the door.

"Zhan Ge, wait." Yibo stood between the door and the doorway, not letting Xiao Zhan close it. "I want to talk to you." He said.

"Who are you?" Xiao Zhan asked bluntly.

"I..." Wang Yibo was already broke with the happenings of his home and now that Xiao Zhan asked such a question, he could not just... take it in!

"Please..." Was all that he could say in the end. He was too hurt to say anything.

Just when Xiao Zhan was about to spat some other harsh words, A-yaun began crying. It was so loud that Xiao Zhan instantly panicked.

"Baby!" He ran to A-yaun with Yibo following him in.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Zhan asked, carrying A-yaun onto his arm.

A-yuan wailed harder pointing at a toy that had been thrown to the far end of the hall.

"Did you throw it? Being naughty, huh?" Xiao Zhan asked hugging A-yaun close and getting up to fetch the toy.

But he was taken aback by Yibo who stood beside him with face full of emotions. "Here." Yibo said, holding out the toy that A-yaun had just threw.

A-yaun instantly quieted down, stretching his little hands to get the toy and even giggled when Yibo took the toy a little away from him, not handing I in. A-yuan moved forward in Xiao Zhan's arms trying to get the toy but Yibo moved away, again. Xiao Zhan held A-yaun tightly in his arms a fray d that his baby would fall and his heart was filled untold emotions at the scene displayed in front of him.

A-yaun and Yibo....

Father and son....

They were....

Xiao Zhan was pulled away by his thoughts when A-yaun giggled harder, seemingly had gotten the you onto his hands after his hard attempts. Along with his baby giggling, Xiao Zhan heard another strained voice giggle too.

He turned his head towards the voice and was stunned to see Yibo giggling at A-yaun, tears flowing down his cheek. He seemed so devastated yet very happy.

It seemed as if, Wang Yibo was really happy to see A-yaun!