Ji Dongyang froze. He stared at the little guy, then glanced at Zhou Yining. “Did he just call me Papa?”

Zhou Yining hadn’t expected Zhengzheng to suddenly call for his father either. She blinked. “It seems so…”

Ji Dongyang smiled. He placed his son on his lap and rubbed his small head. “Come on, say it again.”

Zhengzheng was very cooperative. He stomped his little feet on his father’s legs, waved his small hands, and let out a few more syllables: “Pa… pa… pa…”

On the TV screen, a scene was playing where the “Little Flower Vase” was chasing Qin Sen for chocolate, shouting, “Papa.” Zhou Yining rested her chin in her hand and said thoughtfully, “Zhengzheng probably learned it from the TV. I wonder who he’s actually calling…”

Ji Dongyang: “…”

A moment later, he turned off the TV.

He teased his son. “How did you say it just now?”

Zhengzheng had already crawled over his legs and headed toward his mother. He smiled, revealing a few small, white teeth, and said in a milky voice, “Ma… ma…”

Zhou Yining’s motherly love overflowed. She picked up her son and kissed him several times, holding him tightly. The little guy probably felt uncomfortable being held so tight, so he sank his small teeth into her shoulder. Children didn’t know their own strength; one bite later, Zhou Yining hissed in pain and frowned as she pulled him away.

Ji Dongyang took the little guy and inspected her fair shoulder. Frowning, he asked, “Does it hurt?”

Zhou Yining shook her head. “It’s fine.”

Zhengzheng was still teething, but he rarely bit people. Ji Dongyang had been bitten a few times, but this was the first time for Zhou Yining. She grabbed a teething biscuit and stuffed it into her son’s mouth, lecturing him, “You can’t bite people in the future, understand? Here, eat a biscuit.”

Zhengzheng happily gnawed on the biscuit, kicking his legs excitedly. He couldn’t stay still and wanted to crawl on the carpet.

Ji Dongyang set his son down, then wrapped his arm around Zhou Yining’s shoulder, his thumb rubbing over the two small teeth marks.

Zhengzheng crawled to the table by himself and took more biscuits from the box. Accidentally, he knocked it over. Round biscuits scattered everywhere, rolling across the floor and onto the carpet.

Ji Dongyang went over to clean up with a slight headache. The little guy’s destructive power had been quite strong lately.

Zhou Yining pressed her lips together and picked up her son. “I’ll take him over to play with Coffee.”

Coffee still lived next door, as did the nanny.

The moment Zhou Yining arrived next door, Coffee jumped to the entrance to welcome her, stretching lazily in front of her. Zhou Yining smiled and placed Zhengzheng on the sofa. Coffee jumped up as well.

Zhengzheng liked Coffee too. His small hand touched the cat’s fur as he babbled. After a while, his hand went for Coffee’s tail. His tiny hand was just the right size to wrap around the tail. He stroked it again and again, giggling happily.

When Ji Dongyang came over, Zhou Yining took the chance to ask, “Can Coffee come back to live with us now?”

Ji Dongyang said, “Wait until Zhengzheng is a year old.”

Zhou Yining: “Alright.”

Coffee waved its tail, brushing against the little master’s face. It tickled Zhengzheng, making him laugh even happier. He turned to look at his father, blinked, and suddenly shouted a few sounds: “Y$*^……Y……”

Zhou Yining was confused. “What is he saying?”

Ji Dongyang bent down and stared at his son. “What do you want?”

Zhengzheng held his breath for a moment, looked at his father expectantly, and said in a milky voice, “Fish… fish…”

Ji Dongyang smiled. He picked up his son and went to get the dried fish. Zhengzheng hugged the jar of dried fish, shaking it happily. Ji Dongyang put his son on the carpet. The moment Coffee smelled the fish, he immediately jumped onto the carpet, lying prone in front of the little master, waiting to be fed.

Zhou Yining suddenly understood. She looked at Ji Dongyang. “How did you know he wanted the dried fish?”

Their son couldn’t speak properly yet, just babbling. Sometimes she couldn’t guess what he was saying at all, but Ji Dongyang always guessed accurately.

Little Zhengzheng was already sitting on the carpet, feeding dried fish to Coffee.

Ji Dongyang: “Just a guess.”

Zhou Yining: A Best Actor with Level 10 proficiency in Alien Language.

…

After Zhengzheng turned one, Ji Dongyang agreed to let Coffee live under the same roof. The little guy could speak now; he called “Mama” and “Papa” very clearly and could say some simple phrases. His learning ability was very strong. Watching her son grow up day by day gave Zhou Yining a sense of accomplishment.

The tiny dumpling from back then could now talk and walk.

Zhou Yining and Ji Dongyang had an agreement: before Zhengzheng started kindergarten, they would try to stagger their work schedules. They couldn’t both be filming out of town at the same time, leaving the child to the nanny and housekeeper.

Ji Dongyang had more rest time during the year than Zhou Yining, so Zhengzheng spent more time with his father. Father and son, plus a cat. Usually, Zhengzheng played with the cat while Ji Dongyang watched from the side, a script, book, or laptop at hand.

Working while watching the child.

Zhou Yining had been filming in Hengdian for the past few months, only able to come back twice a month at most. Every month, Ji Dongyang would take Zhengzheng to visit the set, staying for a few days each time. They were photographed by paparazzi every time, though thankfully, the paparazzi blurred Zhengzheng’s face.

The show Dad is Back had called Yang Xun, asking if Best Actor Ji could bring little Zhengzheng on the show. If there was no schedule this year, next year would work too!

Little Zhengzheng was slightly older than Jing Xin’s son. If both Qin Sen and Ji Dongyang could be on the show next year, the ratings would absolutely explode.

Ji Dongyang: “Not going.”

Two year old Zhengzheng ran over. “Papa, when is Mama coming back?”

Ji Dongyang moved his gaze away from the computer screen and looked at his son. “Mama has no holidays this month.”

Zhengzheng: “Then can Papa take me to see Mama?”

Ji Dongyang set the computer aside. Zhengzheng proactively climbed onto his father’s lap. Ji Dongyang asked, “You want to go?”

Zhengzheng nodded vigorously. “Yes.”

Ji Dongyang remembered what Zhou Yining had said on the phone last night. He smiled, placed the mouse pad on the sofa, and held his son with one arm while scrolling with the other to check flight tickets. Zhengzheng was very familiar with this webpage. His eyes lit up instantly. “Papa, when are we going?”

Ji Dongyang clicked the mouse. “Tonight.”

Zhengzheng jumped down happily and hugged Coffee, who was curled up at the other end. “What about Coffee?”

“He can’t go.”

“Then when can he go?”

“Never. He has to watch the house.”

“Oh…”

Coffee meowed aggrievedly.

Ji Dongyang checked the time, picked up his son, and walked into the nursery. “Time for your nap.”

Zhengzheng twisted his small body. “But Papa, I don’t want to sleep.”

“You have to sleep even if you don’t want to.” His tone left no room for negotiation.

“But I can’t fall asleep.”

“If you don’t nap, you won’t grow tall. You’re starting kindergarten soon. What if you’re the shortest one? Mama will be worried.”

“Alright…”

Before this, Zhengzheng had believed his father’s words implicitly. It wasn’t until three months later, when he started kindergarten and realized he was the tallest boy in the class, that he felt he had been scammed by his dad.

At 5:00 PM, Ji Dongyang took his son to the airport.

Father and son wore matching black hats, brims pulled low.

Zhou Yining had bought these hats. She loved buying matching father son outfits for them: hats, sunglasses, clothes, etc. Ji Dongyang hadn’t liked wearing them at first, but he got used to it.

Photos of Ji Dongyang appearing at the airport holding Zhengzheng were quickly posted online.

Fans were excited every time they saw Ji Dongyang with his son.

“The image of Dong-ge holding a child is so loving. I really couldn’t imagine it before!”

“I wonder if Dong-ge and Yining will have another child. A little princess. I can’t imagine what Dong-ge’s little princess would be like; probably kisses, hugs, and being held high every day.”

“Even though his eyes are mosaic blurred, you can tell he’s a little Dong-ge. In a dozen years, he’ll be another handsome guy.”

“Zhou Yining is simply a winner in life! Crying with envy…”

…

When Zhou Yining called Ji Dongyang last night, she had asked him, “Do you miss me?”

Ji Dongyang had chuckled low in his throat but didn’t answer.

Zhou Yining was used to it, but she hadn’t expected him to bring their son to visit the very next day. He hadn’t told her in advance; she only found out after Zhang Ran saw the photos on Weibo.

The Best Actor was as closet-romantic as ever.

Her scenes tonight wouldn’t finish until after 9:00 PM.

When Zhou Yining returned to the hotel, Ji Dongyang was watching cartoons with Zhengzheng. Zhengzheng usually went to sleep at nine, and now it was nearly ten. He was clearly tired, his eyes barely staying open as he leaned against his father’s chest. He was holding on by sheer willpower; he wanted to wait for Mama to come back before sleeping.

Zhou Yining called out softly, “Zhengzheng.”

She picked up her son from Ji Dongyang’s arms. Zhengzheng: “Mama!”

Zhou Yining kissed her son’s small cheek and asked with a smile, “Do you want to sleep?”

Zhengzheng nodded. “Papa and I were waiting for you.”

Zhou Yining looked at Ji Dongyang, who was looking right back at her. She placed her son on the bed. “It’s very late. Sleep for now. Mama doesn’t have work tomorrow morning, so I can play with you.”

Ji Dongyang walked over and stuffed her pajamas into her hands. “I’ll handle this. You go shower.”

Zhou Yining shook her head. “I haven’t seen Zhengzheng for over a week. I’ll go after he falls asleep.”

Ji Dongyang nodded. Her soft voice filled his ears as she told Zhengzheng a story.

Under the warm yellow light, her profile was soft and beautiful, her gaze gentle.

Every time Ji Dongyang saw her like this, he felt incredibly lucky.

A while later, Zhou Yining turned to look at him and whispered, “Zhengzheng is asleep.”

Ji Dongyang nodded. Zhou Yining picked up her pajamas and walked up to him, sniffing him lightly. There was the faint scent of body wash. Ji Dongyang wrapped his arm around her soft waist, rubbing it gently. Zhou Yining stood on tiptoes and kissed his lips lightly, hooking her arms around his neck as she jumped onto him. Her long, straight legs wrapped around his waist, and Ji Dongyang supported her soft hips.

She breathed gently into his ear. “To the bathroom…”

Tilting her head, she kissed him on the lips.

Ji Dongyang carried her, kissing passionately all the way into the bathroom.

…

Zhou Yining’s scenes were in the afternoon, so the couple took Zhengzheng for a stroll nearby. They didn’t refuse photo requests from fans they encountered, though they didn’t let Zhengzheng be in the shots.

Fans looked at the incredibly handsome Zhengzheng with envy. We really want to hug Little Dong-ge!

Zhengzheng was long used to this. Seeing people surround him, he wasn’t afraid or shy.

At noon, Ji Dongyang took them to a nearby restaurant for lunch in a private room.

After Zhou Yining ordered, she rested her chin in her hands and looked at the father and son opposite her, a smile on her lips. “How many days are you staying this time?”

Ji Dongyang tapped his long fingers lightly on the table. “Five days.”

Zhou Yining nodded. “I happen to have a day off after that. I can go back with you.”

Zhengzheng lost his balance and leaned his small head against his father, looking excited. “Really? How many days can Mama stay?”

Zhou Yining looked apologetic. “Only two nights.”

Zhengzheng grabbed the hem of his father’s shirt. “It’s okay. Papa can bring me to see Mama again.”

Zhou Yining looked at Ji Dongyang. After her scenes wrapped, his new movie would be preparing to start filming.

The dishes arrived.

Zhou Yining put a small chicken leg in Zhengzheng’s bowl. Zhengzheng didn’t really like chicken legs, but since Mama gave it to him, he ate it all.

Zhou Yining picked up some fungus and carrots with her chopsticks. Accidentally, she picked up too many carrots. After all these years, she still didn’t really like the taste of carrots. Habitually, she picked the carrots out, extended her chopsticks, and placed them in Ji Dongyang’s bowl.

Ji Dongyang had just given Zhengzheng some fungus and carrots. When he turned back, he saw several extra pieces of carrot in his own bowl. He looked at her silently.

Zhengzheng was using the children’s chopsticks Zhou Yining kept in his small backpack.

Like his mother, he didn’t like carrots.

Seeing Mama put her carrots into Papa’s bowl, he picked up his own carrots with his small chopsticks. carefully moving them over, intending to put them in Papa’s bowl too.

Ji Dongyang glanced at him, his gaze slightly cold.

Zhengzheng looked up and met his father’s eyes. His small chopsticks froze in mid air, his small hand almost losing its grip…

Father and son locked eyes in a standoff.

The most terrifying thing is when the air suddenly goes quiet 🙂

The small chopsticks slipped, and the carrot fell onto the table.

Ji Dongyang took the carrots Zhou Yining had just placed in his bowl and put them into Zhengzheng’s bowl. “Eat them all. No picky eating.”

Zhengzheng slowly put down his small chopsticks. He looked at the extra carrots in his bowl, then looked at his mother. “Mama doesn’t eat them either…”

Ji Dongyang looked at Zhou Yining deliberately, a smile in his eyes.

His gaze seemed to say: Look at the bad habits our son learned from you.

Zhou Yining slowly turned her head, pretending to look out the window.

“She doesn’t like to eat them, so you have to eat more.”

Zhengzheng tilted his small head to look at his mother, then nodded in compromise. “…Oh, alright.”

NOTES

Closet-romantic (闷骚): Slang for someone who appears cool/stoic on the outside but is passionate/romantic on the inside.

Hengdian: A famous film studio city in China, often called “China’s Hollywood.”

Translator’s Note: And that concludes the “Little Bun” arc! The dynamic in the Ji household is firmly established: Mom is the queen, the son has to eat the carrots she rejects, and Dad enforces the rules (while spoiling Mom). It’s a sweet, realistic look at their family life.

Next up, we dive into the much-anticipated side story of the two super agents: Wan Wei and Yang Xun. Get ready for a clash of personalities and a rekindling of old flames!

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