Chapter 29: The adorable little boy
Chapter 29: The adorable little boy
While Tang Li Mei was pondering the situation that landed in her life, a four-year-old boy was currently struggling with the bandage that was around his knees.
His little face was contorted as small beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His eyes wandered towards the wall clock, which reflected the time of seven in the morning.
After sleeping for an entire night, his fever subsided, but his wounds were still aching. Although they were all superficial wounds, the ones on his forehead and knees were the most severe.
"Huff!!!!"
Looking at his small bathtub that was about to be filled, his face grew grim. The poor lad wanted to take a bath, but he was unable to undo the knot in his bandage.
Tang Xun always strived to be independent so that his mother had one less person to worry about.
From the moment he turned three and started to understand the world around him and how his mother often juggled between her work and him, he tried to do things by himself. If not big ones, at least something like taking a bath, dressing up, and doing homework.
Yet, right now, he was in a dilemma; his eyes wandered toward the door of his room in contemplation.
With small steps, he walked towards the wooden door, and with a click, he pulled it open and walked out of his room.
He looked at the adjacent door, which was closed. His big grey eyes looked aggrieved, and there was a slight pinkish hue on his cheeks.
He was contemplating.
He always told his mother that he was now a big boy and could take care of himself. But many a time he felt useless for troubling his mother over the smallest things, like now.
Stiffly clenching the baby blue towel that hung on his hips, he walked ahead.
As he was about to knock on the door, he stopped himself as a thought crossed his mind.
'What if Mama is still sleeping?'
He stared at the door in an aggrieved manner.
Slowly, with a hesitant look, his little chubby hands moved towards the door. As his hand grazed the door, it made an abrupt stop.
His mother doesn't have much time to rest, so he should have let her sleep some more, but Grandma Lan was also busy cooking.
'Then should I wait for Mama to wake up?'
With sagging shoulders, he turned around to walk towards his room when he suddenly heard the door to the guest room open.
A tall and muscular man walked out, dressed in a light grey shirt and black pants. He looked cold and domineering.
Han Zhixin's hair was wet, with a few droplets of water dancing around the tips.
As he looked up, he was stunned to see the small boy, clad in a towel, staring at him with wide eyes.
Tang Xun's mouth opened but suddenly closed.
Twisting the corner of the towel, the little bun looked at the floor. His cheeks were red with embarrassment.
Before, he unintentionally almost uttered the word 'papa' but suddenly remembered what his mother had said. His eyes were filled with sadness, and the corner of their rim turned red.
Han Zhixin looked at the bandage that seemed to be crumpled and pulled mercilessly countless times.
He couldn't help but smile at this. It appeared the boy was trying to clean himself up but was stuck.
His eyes twinkled with mirth, and his lips curled up slightly.
"Do you need help?" he asked the little bun.
The little bun looked up, staring at him for some time before moving his eyes toward the floor.
He was contemplating again.
He bit his lips as if trying to think of other ways to tackle the situation.
"It seems like the knot has tightened further instead." Han Zhixin teased while trying to contain his laughter.
The little bun stiffened, and his entire face was red as a tomato.
He was caught!!!!
And that too by the person he looked up to and wished to be his father. This embarrassed him further. He wanted to hide in his room and never come out.
He looked at the man from the corner of his eyes and felt relieved when he noticed the solemn expression on Han Zhixin's face.
"It's no-not like that; I'm a big boy now; I can do this myself." He stubbornly tried to save the little pride he had; yet, at the end of his sentence, it had almost turned into a whisper.
Han Zhixin was amused by staring at the little one's red face, which reminded him very much of the woman he just teased a few minutes ago.
Both mother and son were the same; while they needed help, they were too stubborn to ask for it and wanted to be seen as strong people.
Han Zhixin walked towards the little bun and kneeled in front of him to adjust to his height.
"You know, sometimes asking for help doesn't mean you are weak. Instead, it means that you are brave enough to face your shortcomings and ask for help. Not everyone can swallow their pride and ask that, so always remember this. Do you get it, little one?"
After listening to and understanding what the man in front of him said, the little bun finally gave in with a small nod.
Han Zhixin held out his hand for the little one to take. Tang Xun stared at the hand with glistening eyes, and his hands shook midway, but he steeled himself and held his.
He never realized how small and tender the little boy's hands were. Such tiny hands seemed to be engulfed by his hands. Han Zhixin looked at Tang Xun from the corner of his eyes and found him staring at their hands as well.
Warmth spread in Han Zhixin's heart and his lips curled up unconsciously.
It looks like he was not the only one overwhelmed by this emotion.
He didn't know what this feeling was, but it filled his heart with hope and happiness for their future.