Chapter 44: Taking Yu Chu to Work

Yu Chu was sleeping when he felt something warm touching his face. He woke up from his dream and opened his eyes abruptly to see Chi DuoDuo lying on the side of his bed.

Chi DuoDuo was first stunned, then withdrew the hand on his face, smiling in surprise, “Xiao Chu, you’re awake?”

Yu Chu looked at him calmly and asked, “What are you doing?”

Chi DuoDuo said, “I called out to you twice, but you ignored me, and I wanted to find out whether you were asleep or dead, so I came to feel if you were still around.”

Yu Chu slowly sat up from the bed, squinted at the window, and asked, “Where’s your uncle?”

“He’s making us breakfast.” Chi DuoDuo slipped down the side of the bed, tiptoeing around, “Xiao Chu, do you still want to sleep? I think you can stay in bed.”

“Hmm.” Yu Chu replied.

Chi DuoDuo ran to the closet, pulled open the door, turned back and asked attentively, “What do you want to wear today, Xiao Chu? I’ll get it for you.”

Today, he wore a black and white striped T-shirt, and his hair was combed by Xie XingMu with a partial parting, like a little cherub in high spirits.

“Whatever, you pick it.” Yu Chu replied.

Seeing Chi DuoDuo struggling to reach the clothes on tiptoe, but his chubby little legs were too short to reach even half of the closet’s height, he lifted the quilt to get up, “Forget it, I’ll do it myself.”

Chi DuoDuo responded cheerfully, “Then choose one for yourself, and I’ll put it on for you when you find it.”

The little boy had been trying to take care of Yu Chu since he saw him yesterday, and Yu Chu, suspecting that Chi DuoDuo thought he was a new toy or pet, said, “I’ll put it on myself, you can go out.”

“Ah, you don’t need me to dress you?” Chi DuoDuo asked, tilting his head in concern.

“Yes.”

Chi DuoDuo said, “Okay, if you do, you have to call me.”

Yu Chu followed Chi DuoDuo to the door, then locked it, before he began to undress. When he unbuttoned two buttons, he gave a start and found himself not wearing the same clothes he had worn during the day yesterday, but a set of dark blue pajamas with yellow ducklings printed all over them.

Yu Chu remembered drinking last night with Xie XingMu on the rooftop, drinking and talking. He should have gotten drunk. When he was alone at home, he would never have dared to indulge himself but he had fallen asleep when drunk. If he had fallen asleep after getting drunk, how did he still come downstairs to change into pajamas then go back to sleep?

Yu Chu was a little confused, but this wasn’t a big deal. He continued to take off his pajamas, hanging the changed pajamas on the back of the chair by the bed, and then rummaging through the closet for clothes to wear. These clothes were hung yesterday by Xie XingMu, so only now did he see the student-like white shirts, and light yellow, light blue, and light green T-shirts of all kinds. While rifling through those T-shirts, he saw one had a printed brown bear’s head on the chest area.

Yu Chu: … 

He ended up choosing a black and white striped one from the pile and put on a pair of white shorts, tucking the hem of the shirt into the shorts. When he got dressed and came out of the bedroom, he saw Xie XingMu standing in front of the kitchen counter, the three fires on the stove were burning, each with a pot on it, all steaming.

Xie XingMu heard the door open and turned off the fire, placed the lid on top of the pots, and began to serve breakfast to the table.

“I freshly fried dough sticks, steamed buns, and rice cakes…” Xie XingMu put three big plates on the table and asked Yu Chu, “Do you want milk, vegetable congee or soy milk?”

Yu Chu had already walked to the table, sat down naturally, and answered, “Congee with buns and vegetables.”

Chi DuoDuo, who was sitting next to him, suddenly surprised Yu Chu with a sharp voice, “Xiao Chu, we are wearing the same clothes!”

Yu Chu looked at the black and white striped T-shirt Chi DuoDuo had on, and then looked at the black and white striped T-shirt he had on, and they were indeed the same. Chi DuoDuo tilted his head to Xie XingMu and said, “Uncle! You also have to wear the same clothes as us!”

“This is what you kids wear.” Xie XingMu took off his hair net and poured Chi DuoDuo a cup of hot milk, then gave Yu Chu his share of green vegetables and soy milk.

Chi DuoDuo pouted, but when Yu Chu heard this, he looked at Xie XingMu and asked, “Kids?”

Xie XingMu paused, put the vegetable congee in front of Yu Chu and said, “Adults don’t have to wear it.”

Yu Chu wanted to retort and was about to take the chopsticks that were placed in front of him.

A warm, large hand suddenly pinched his wrist, Xie XingMu pulled him away from his plate as he asked, “Hey, have you brushed your teeth and washed your face? Did you just come to eat breakfast right after waking up?” 

Chi DuoDuo was drinking milk, and his eyes widened as he heard the words, hurriedly putting down the milk cup and urging Yu Chu, “Xiao Chu, brush your teeth and wash your face, quick.” Seeing that Yu Chu didn’t move, he lowered his voice again to soothe, “Be good, quickly. Uncle will finish everything before you come back. “

Yu Chu was stared at by the big and small relatives and his sophomoric words were finally swallowed. He finally went to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, the uncle and nephew pair were still eating, so Yu Chu walked to the table and sat down and took a bite of the big bun in front of him.

He chewed twice, half opened his mouth and stopped chewing.

“What’s wrong?” Xie XingMu asked inexplicably, “Burned your mouth? It’s been cooling for a while, it shouldn’t be hot.”

“How can this bun be sweet?” Yu Chu’s face looked as if he was struck by lightning.

“The milk bun is originally a sweet bun, what’s wrong? You don’t eat sugar?” Xie XingMu asked suspiciously, “I saw you eat sweet sugary things in the past.”

Yu Chu slowly chewed the bun with bulging cheeks, waiting to swallow the bite before saying, “I’ve never eaten a sweet milk bun before.”

Xie XingMu saw that there was still most of the bun left and said, “Then give it to me to eat, eat the other one first.”

“Forget it, I can barely eat one.” Yu Chu said and took another bite.

Chi DuoDuo ate very slowly, and while eating he also asked Yu Chu random questions. Regardless of what response Yu Chu had at all, it was as if, as long as Yu Chu heard it, he was very satisfied.

Xie XingMu urged him to hurry up, saying that he had to go to kindergarten and he had to go to work. Chi DuoDuo then stopped talking and just buried his head in his rice cake.

When Chi DuoDuo finished his breakfast and grabbed his backpack, Xie XingMu started to clean up the table and took the plate with the milk buns and found that the three buns were all gone. On the side, Yu Chu was burping while walking towards the sofa. Xie XingMu dumbfoundedly laughed.

“We’ll see if there’s anything to eat at the bureau later, it shouldn’t be too busy today.” He said as he wiped the table.

Yu Chu turned his head and asked, “Is it a must for me to follow you all the time?”

“Until the person behind Yu ShiQing is caught, you have to follow me all the time.”

Yu Chu felt that Xie XingMu wasn’t comfortable leaving him alone in the house, so he didn’t say anything else against it. When the three of them went out and took the elevator to the parking lot, Chi DuoDuo started to rush Xie XingMu, “Uncle, hurry up, if I’m late, I won’t get a perfect attendance!”

“Who’s to blame for not getting a perfect attendance, baby? Who took several minutes to find Little Duo panda?” Xie XingMu started the vehicle, while mouthing off lightly.

Chi DuoDuo rolled his eyes, “Then blame Panda Little Duo.”

When they arrived at the kindergarten entrance, it was hard to say goodbye again. Chi DuoDuo stood at the passenger door, tiptoeing at Yu Chu inside, “Xiao Chu, I can only see you after school this afternoon. You’ll miss me so much.”

Xie XingMu bent down and gave him a head pat, “The teacher is standing at the door, go quickly.”

Yu Chu watched the two hurriedly run towards the kindergarten gate. Chi DuoDuo said something anxiously to Xie XingMu who hopelessly turned and ran back. Xie XingMu ran to the passenger door, reached under Chi DuoDuo’s armpit, and lifted him to the car window, where Chi DuoDuo leaned forward and gave the stunned Yu Chu a quick kiss on the cheek, softly saying, “Xiao Chu, good bye!”

Xie XingMu then carried Chi DuoDuo again and ran towards the kindergarten gate.

Yu Chu sat on the passenger side, staring at the two’s backs for a moment. Xie XingMu handed Chi DuoDuo to a young teacher and talked a few more words before waving goodbye and walking towards the road.

Xie XingMu got into the car and drove it to the city bureau, and Yu Chu followed him into the criminal investigation brigade. Today there were many people in the office, and they all greeted Xie XingMu. Xie XingMu responded, took Yu Chu to his captain’s room compartment, and said, “Just hang out here with me. After work, I will take you for a walk.”

“Xiao Chu.” Yu Chu heard Li SiMing’s voice, and then a hand was placed on his shoulder. Li SiMing took Yu Chu’s shoulder affectionately and asked, “Did you watch those two episodes yesterday? My aunt is back home, and she brought her geeky boyfriend with her.”

“I watched them.” Yu Chu said.

In fact, the two episodes he watched yesterday with Chi DuoDuo rambling in his ears, so it was impossible to focus on what exactly happened.

“That little sister-in-law is good at causing trouble. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law just restored their relationship for a few days, but that won’t last. Just wait and see what’ll happen today, it’s definitely going to be bad…”

Yu Chu was used to being hugged like this, moving his shoulders to break free, wanting Li SiMing to let go but he hugged him very tightly then looked at him sideways and asked, “Xiao Chu, I usually pay attention to you, but now that I have you in my arms like this, I realize that you have good skin, like a girl.”

The morning sun shone in from the wide window of the criminal investigation brigade and fell on Yu Chu’s face, reflecting on the already fair skin as if it was glowing. Li SiMing smoothly lamented, thinking that the more he looked, the more he was unable to move his eyes away.

“Really… Hey, I can even see your pores. Let me touch, don’t move. I want to touch it, it must be very smooth and tender—”

“Aren’t you supposed to work during office hours? What’s this nonsense here?” Li SiMing was stretching his arm out toward Yu Chu, when Xie XingMu, who walked in front of them, suddenly stopped and turned to look at him coldly.

“Ah, Team Leader Xie, I’m going out in the field today.” Li SiMing retracted the hand that was reaching out to touch Yu Chu’s face, as he was smiling.

“You’re going out in the field and it’s almost nine o’clock, so why are you still here?” Xie XingMu’s face was still cold, and his gaze darted at the arm still holding Yu Chu’s shoulder.

Li SiMing withdrew his hold on Yu Chu’s shoulder and said, “Isn’t it usually after ten o’clock?”

“You don’t have a reason to be out there before ten o’clock?”

“…Oh.”

Xie XingMu took Yu Chu to his office and sat down, but before leaving, he took out his tablet and put it on the table, saying, “This is your tablet, play some games by yourself, I’m going to Lin Ju’s office. I’ll be back later, and then I’ll find you a tablet with a bigger screen, so you can watch those TV shows.”

He said as he rummaged in a drawer, took out a tablet, and pressed the unlock button. There was no response from the tablet, so he said to himself, “There’s no charge.” He started to look for the charger in the drawer.

This was the tablet that Yu Chu threw in Xie XingMu’s car before, knowing that Xie XingMu was returning it to him in such a seemingly thoughtful way, he continued to wriggle then took the machine naturally.

“Use it, I’ll just figure it out. You’re busy yourself.”

Xie XingMu stopped rummaging, “Okay, then you can rest here. If you’re tired, just lie down on that sofa for a while, there are blankets in the cabinet.” He pushed the cup of coffee on the table in front of him, “This is the coffee we just brought, drink it, I’ll be back later.”

“Alright.” Yu Chu answered obediently.

Xie XingMu stared at him for a few seconds, and when Yu Chu tilted his face in confusion, he suddenly reached down and patted his head, then turned and went out of the captain’s room. As Yu Chu began to survey the room, he found that it was large, with only a desk, a bookcase with some small items, and a sofa in front of  the desk. Because it was in the hall separated by a single room, the sound insulation wasn’t good. Outside the footsteps of walking and talking could be clearly heard.

Looking at the machine on the table, he touched the screen, habitually clicked on WeChat, and sent Xie XingMu a ‘Sky Rabbit twisted butt’ over.

He thought Xie XingMu wouldn’t reply, but after only two seconds, a new message popped up.

[Xie XingMu: What’s up?]

[Yu Chu: Nothing.]

Immediately after, Xie XingMu’s message was sent over intermittently.

[Xie XingMu: Bored? I asked Jiang ShaSha to find a cable to charge the tablet. You can watch TV series by yourself.]

[Xie XingMu: As long as you don’t leave the room, we can chat.]

[Xie XingMu: What do you want to eat at noon? I’ll take you to eat.]

[Xie XingMu: If you want to sleep on the couch, you must remember to take out the blanket. It’s in the drawer under the bookcase, and turn up the heating two degrees.]