Chapter 57

Jing Miao sniffed, ran down the stairs, threw his arms around him, and began whining:
“I’m scared. Gege, I’m scared. Why were you ignoring me, why weren’t you talking to me? I’m scared!”
The tightness around Xi Siyan’s heart eased a little.
He carried him to the sofa, sat down with him, and apologized softly:
“Sorry, baby. I’m sorry. Don’t be scared. It’s okay.”
He also realized that from the supermarket to home, his state had been frightening.
“Gege was a little tense just now, a little worried. I scared you. It won’t happen again, okay?”
Jing Miao murmured, “Gege, don’t stop talking to me like that again.”
Xiaoxiao climbed onto the sofa and nuzzled Jing Miao, ears lowered in a pleading way, asking for pats.
Neither of its owners had paid attention to it since they got home. It felt wronged too.
The corgi made small whimpering sounds.
Jing Miao was about to pet it when Xi Siyan grabbed his hand.
“Don’t touch!”
He stopped him loudly, startling both Jing Miao and Xiaoxiao.
“Gege?”
Only then did Xi Siyan realize he was being overly sensitive.
This little cutie had stayed in the villa all day and gone nowhere; it couldn’t be safer.
He slowly released Jing Miao’s hand.
Jing Miao’s hand came down onto the dog’s head.
He soothed it quietly:
“Xiaoxiao, go play by yourself first, okay?”
The corgi whimpered twice more, then obediently hopped off the sofa and went to the corner to play with a plush toy.
Jing Miao cupped Xi Siyan’s still-frightened face and kissed him.
“Gege, don’t be scared either. Miaomiao is with you.”
He pulled Xi Siyan’s hand under the hem of his fluffy pajamas and pressed it to his skin.
“Gege, touch me.”
This was always Jing Miao’s way of comforting Xi Siyan—
sensual and pure at the same time.
They had been together for many years.
They argued sometimes. They had bad moods too.
But never for long.
For Xi Siyan, no matter how huge the issue was, if Jing Miao’s eyes reddened, it was basically over.
For Jing Miao, he simply could not bear Xi Siyan being unhappy at all.
Jing Miao’s body was like a multifunction switch for Xi Siyan:
one touch could make him feverish, intoxicated, calm—
anything but troubled.
Xi Siyan slid his hand in and stroked him up and down.
The back of his hand brushed soft pajama fabric; the palm felt Jing Miao’s smooth, warm skin.
“Okay. Baby has to stay with me,” Xi Siyan said, holding him as he slowly regained his reason. “Always. For life.”
That night after 10 p.m., Hongcheng was suddenly locked down.
Immediately afterward, the Capital Health Commission issued a Level-1 emergency response.
They watched a movie.
Xi Siyan played games with him for a while.
Then he coaxed him to shower and sleep.
The bedroom still held traces of the passion they’d just shared: two sleeping figures, tightly curled together.
On the third day after Hongcheng’s lockdown, Xi Yucheng and several other officials were assigned temporarily to Hongcheng at a critical moment.
He appeared on the news, wearing a mask, eyes resolute.
Jing Miao stared blankly at the screen. It took him a long while to process what had happened in recent days.
He panicked, pointed at the TV:
“Dad! Dad is going to Hongcheng! There are already 3,761 sick people there!”
Xi Siyan had known long ago.
Not only that: one biotech company under Su Wan’s group had donated large sums and supplies to Hongcheng, and she would personally lead the team there.
Jing Miao, flustered, called Xi Yucheng over and over, but couldn’t get through.
Xi Siyan soothed him:
“Miaomiao, Dad is very busy right now. We shouldn’t distract him.”
“I w-want to say something to Dad… tell him to take care of himself. It’s dangerous there.”
Jing Miao sniffled.
“Dad can protect people who aren’t sick, right?”
Xi Siyan smiled.
“Mm. Miaomiao, Mom is going too. You can call her.”
Jing Miao froze.
“Why is Mom going too?”
The video call connected.
Su Wan was packing at home. Seeing Jing Miao, she asked gently:
“What’s wrong, Miaomiao?”
“Is Mom going to Hongcheng too?”
Su Wan paused, then raised her voice and cursed Xi Siyan:
“Xi Siyan! You can’t even keep this tiny thing hidden!”
Xi Siyan, helpless beside them:
“Mom, Miaomiao is an adult. He has the right to know.”
“Mom, don’t scold gege. I’m worried about you and Dad.”
Su Wan rolled her eyes at Xi Siyan so hard they nearly flipped over, then melted again when facing Jing Miao:
“Good child, don’t worry. Dad is going to be a hero. Mom is going to deliver warmth. You know Brother Gan Zisen, right? He’s going too, to help people.
We’re all doing very important things, just like Miaomiao teaching at a public-interest school.
It’s okay. Mom and Dad will take good care of ourselves.
You stay home with gege and be good. We’ll contact you when we have time, okay?”
Jing Miao nodded with red eyes.
“Miaomiao will be good. Mom and Dad must wear masks and gloves properly.”
He tried hard to remember what the news had said.
“Wash hands often. Eat properly.”
He lowered his head, sniffed, and wiped tears.
“I can’t live without Mom and Dad.”
Su Wan froze in front of the phone camera.
Without realizing it, this child had already been in their home for ten years.
She truly treated him like her own.
This big crybaby usually cried only because of Xi Siyan.
It seemed this was the first time he cried for his parents.
Su Wan’s eyes stung.
She felt indescribably bad.
“Mm, good Miaomiao. Give the phone to gege. Mom wants to say a few words to him.”
Jing Miao handed the phone to Xi Siyan.
Xi Siyan took it, voice much steadier:
“Mom, you and Dad be careful. Once you’re done, stay at fixed points. I know you’re worried about Dad, but running around blindly will only make him worry more.”
Su Wan snapped back:
“You think I don’t know? Don’t worry about that. Just take care of my son. He’s crying and you’re standing there doing what? Couldn’t you have not let him know?”
Xi Siyan gave a light laugh.
“Mom, Miaomiao should know this. He should know his parents are extraordinary people. That will guide him positively. He should also know his parents love him very much.”
Su Wan was briefly choked silent. When she spoke again, her voice was much softer.
“Siyan, take good care of yourself and Miaomiao. Wait for us to come back.”
“Mm. Come back healthy, and with honor.”
After hanging up, Xi Siyan coaxed Jing Miao:
“Miaomiao, no more crying. Dad and Mom went out to do good things. We should cheer for them. Crying is unlucky.”