He Put His Coat On Me

Ning Shixue and Xie Yaoyao’s reconciliation was brief.

Xie Yaoyao clutched his little spoon, urging him incessantly in his milky voice.
You eat more, why you, not good at eating!

Before, he would have thought the little cakes were all his and wouldn’t have shared them with Ning Shixue.

But after being tormented by Ning Shixue for a few days on the variety show, Xie Yaoyao now defaulted to everything being half Ning Shixue’s, even letting Ning Shixue have the larger share.

Ning Shixue, wrapped in a blanket and slumped in the back seat, finished the little cakes with the chubby kid, taking turns bite for bite.

Tang He’an had also attended the banquet, but Ning Shixue hadn’t seen him all evening.

These kinds of banquets were divided into inner and outer areas.
Especially since Elder He was a towering figure in the film industry.
Even though Tang He’an was already a senior in the industry, he still didn’t have the chance to meet Elder He.

But even for a D-list, completely unknown star like Ning Shixue, coming here wasn’t a loss.

The banquet was filled with famous directors, screenwriters, Elder He’s students and disciples, and popular big-name actors.
Just getting one’s face seen a little was beneficial.
The original host’s agent, Lu Li, had frantically sent him dozens of messages, urging him to go network and suck up to people.

Unfortunately, Ning Shixue was a salted fish.
He had no desire to be famous, preferring to hide in the car and eat cake with the little chubby kid.

Ning Shixue waited in the car for another hour or so, until Xie Zhaozhou sent him a message instructing the driver to take him and Xie Yaoyao on ahead.
Only then did they leave.

Where we going?
Xie Yaoyao asked, swinging his little feet.

Ning Shixue lowered his eyes, playing his old-fashioned red-and-white game console, his fingertips constantly colliding with the falling blocks.
He told him,
Going to your grandma’s house.

Xie Yaoyao’s little face instantly fell.
He pouted, even the baby fat on his cheeks puffing out.

Xie Yaoyao’s father, Xie Sui, was the eldest son of the Xie family.
From birth, he had carried great expectations.

Ning Shixue remembered that in the original novel, Xie Sui didn’t appear much—after all, he was already dead.
But every mention described him as very gentle, a man of upright character.
He was Liao Yanwan’s most beloved and most outstanding son.

Among her sons, only Xie Sui’s name was one she had insisted on choosing herself.

She also doted on Xie Hanzhou.
But no one could replace Xie Sui.
After Xie Sui’s accident, Xie Yaoyao became her sole comfort.
She actually treated Xie Yaoyao very well.

It was just that this ‘goodness’ bordered on obsession, like stubbornly guarding some precious, regained treasure.

You have to sleep with me tonight oh,
Xie Yaoyao stuck out his little bottom, propping his chubby hands on Ning Shixue’s legs.
His fair, tender face was shoved right up close to Ning Shixue’s as he worriedly told him,
Otherwise house too big, you get lost.

He really was worried Ning Shixue wouldn’t know the way.
But the little kid also had a bit of selfishness.
He didn’t want to sleep with Grandma.

Every time he went to Grandma’s house, he had to sleep with her.
Sometimes, waking up groggy in the middle of the night, Liao Yanwan would be staring blankly at him, her eyes red.

Xie Yaoyao had been scared into crying when he was little.

But Liao Yanwan wouldn’t let him cry.
As soon as he cried, or even just pouted a little, Liao Yanwan would suddenly get angry.
Because Xie Sui had been very well-behaved as a child, never crying or fussing.

Ning Shixue had to burst his bubble.
‘I can’t decide that either.
You’ll have to ask your big daddy later.’

He didn’t really care about going against the Xie family.
It wasn’t like Liao Yanwan could kill him.
But the prerequisite was that Xie Zhaozhou didn’t interfere.
After all, according to the original novel, he would really die at Xie Zhaozhou’s hands.

The bond between Ning Shixue and Xie Yaoyao shattered once more.
Xie Yaoyao, tears streaming, couldn’t understand, at three and a half years old, how he could be betrayed repeatedly by Ning Shixue.

They had done everything together these past few days.
Slept together, ate together, even when he went to the bathroom at night, Xie Yaoyao squatted outside waiting for him.

Anyway, Ning Shixue was always with him.
Now he didn’t want to sleep with him.

Why was it like this?

Xie Yaoyao heavily propped his chubby face in his hands and plopped his bottom down onto Ning Shixue’s coat, which was lying on the back seat.

When they arrived at the old Xie residence, Xie Yaoyao still hadn’t moved.

His fair, soft cheeks puffed slightly with each breath.
Like a bratty kid, he lay face-down on the back seat, refusing to get up.
A few short, pale little fingers struggled to cling to Ning Shixue’s coat.

Young Master Ning…
the driver opened the door for them but didn’t dare go over to pick up Xie Yaoyao.
He wiped cold sweat from his forehead and looked helplessly to Ning Shixue for help.

It’s fine,
Ning Shixue waved his hand.
Then he tilted his head and asked Xie Yaoyao with leisurely composure,
Are you really not giving it to me?

Xie Yaoyao had just cried, his milky voice soft and trembling yet still fierce.
He muttered,
No way.

Hmph.
He wanted to freeze the bad stepdad to death.

Actually, he knew it was just a coat, not wearing it wouldn’t do anything.
His fierceness was a bit bluster.
And he didn’t actually want Ning Shixue to die; he just wanted to scare him a little.

‘Don’t regret it, okay?’
Ning Shixue’s eyes curved.

He had a pair of very standard peach blossom eyes.
When they curved, it easily gave a gentle illusion.
But those eyes held nothing except indifferent coldness and mischief.
Even a small child would instinctively feel wary.

Xie Yaoyao’s big, dark eyes stared at him unblinkingly.

Ning Shixue got up and got out of the car.

–

Not long after they left the He Family Mansion, Xie Zhaozhou also left.

He had just arrived at the old Xie residence when he saw Ning Shixue and Xie Yaoyao standing in a standoff in front of the car.
Under the distant night sky, only their blurred figures were discernible.

Xie Zhaozhou’s dark eyes instantly sank.

Although Ning Shixue hadn’t done anything outrageous on the variety show and had been very well-behaved tonight, that didn’t mean he completely trusted him.
He opened the car door and walked over, his face cold.

Then his steps faltered.

Xie Zhaozhou looked up to see Xie Yaoyao wearing Ning Shixue’s long coat.
His soft, chubby little body was completely swallowed up, his short legs unable to move properly, the coat’s hem trailing on the ground.

His fair, tender cheeks were puffed out, his face full of defiance.
But the whole kid was trapped in the clothes, wobbling unsteadily, only appearing comical.

Ning Shixue was equally something to behold.
Draped over his shoulders was Xie Yaoyao’s little pink piglet blanket.

The pinkest, roundest little piglet was waving at Xie Zhaozhou, saying ‘Hi hi.’

Xie Zhaozhou: “…”

Xie Zhaozhou’s jacket hung over his arm.
He took a deep breath, then spoke, humbly seeking clarification.
May I ask what exactly you two are doing?

He cover my blankie,
Xie Yaoyao struggled to poke his little head out from the coat, the chubby kid tattling first.

The coat was too long; he almost stepped on his own foot and fell on his bottom.

Ning Shixue, hearing this, felt this couldn’t stand.
He was a bit embarrassed, but looked hopefully at Xie Zhaozhou, also tattling with little conviction.
‘He wear my jacket.’

Xie Zhaozhou: “…”

Give it back to him,
Xie Zhaozhou said, looking down at Xie Yaoyao.

Although he didn’t spend much time with him, he understood Xie Yaoyao well enough to guess what had happened.

Xie Yaoyao was reluctant.

But even if he returned it now, Ning Shixue couldn’t wear it anymore.
The coat’s hem was covered in dust.

Ning Shixue took off Xie Yaoyao’s little blanket and was about to walk off in just his shirt.
They were already in the courtyard, only a few dozen meters from the old residence.

But Xie Zhaozhou suddenly raised his hand, half-lowering his eyes, and draped the jacket from his arm over Ning Shixue’s shoulders.

The jacket still carried his body heat.
That cold perfume scent instantly enveloped Ning Shixue.

Ning Shixue said quietly,
‘Sorry.’

He wasn’t naive enough to think Xie Zhaozhou had any special intentions.
At most, Xie Zhaozhou thought it would be embarrassing for him to go into the Xie residence wearing a blanket covered in little pigs.

That’s why he gave him his jacket.

Xie Zhaozhou was more than half a head taller than him.
Even his shadow could completely cover Ning Shixue.
He seemed to let out a low chuckle.

Ning Shixue looked up.

Not blaming Young Master Ning,
Xie Zhaozhou said, half-smiling, glancing at the blanket in his hand.
His voice was cold, but his lazy tone was somehow a bit provoking.
Blame me for being older, unable to quite understand today’s youth’s aesthetic.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Thanks.
Got passively-aggressively mocked.