Chapter 42
The next day.
Shang Xi wore a loose pair of black work pants with a short, loose white tank top. She was tall, with long legs, and as she moved, the hem of her tank top swayed, revealing a glimpse of her slender waist.
She was thin, having moved plants herself over the years, busy all the time. Not to mention six-pack abs, but she had some definition.
Thinking about today's parent-child activity, she also dressed her son in a small pair of work pants and a white short-sleeved shirt.
The little wolf cub was extremely happy, tugging at his own little work pants, then looking at his tall-legged mom, his excited ears perked up.
They were wearing the same clothes!
As they left the room, he lifted his chin slightly, his little lips curled in satisfaction.
At the staircase landing, Shang Xi saw Red Tail rushing up and wanting to hug her. She narrowed her eyes and stopped him in time, "No hugs, I'll go downstairs by myself."
Red Tail pouted slightly.
Shang Xi remained unmoved and pretended to be serious, "If you try to hug me again, I won't tell you a story."
Red Tail whimpered, unhappy, "Shang Xi is cheating!"
But ultimately, the desire to hear a story prevailed, and he withdrew his eager hands.
Shang Xi looked at his sulking expression and suddenly smiled. She reached out and gently pinched Red Tail's face, her eyes filled with helpless tenderness, "Okay, good morning, Red Tail."
"Hmph, good morning to you and the cub." Red Tail didn't get to hug anyone and went downstairs with a whimper.
Shang Xi shook her head helplessly and smiled. She felt like if she had a sister, she would probably be like Red Tail.
She smiled, but then stopped abruptly.
Gu Wen was coming down from the third floor, his gaze fixed on her face, she didn't know how long he had been looking.
Shang Xi immediately suppressed her smile, nodded at Gu Wen, and then shook her son's hand, "Say hello to your dad."
She wondered if Gu Wen would misunderstand again? She wasn't smiling at him.
When did he stand there? Not a sound.
Having experienced being misunderstood before, Shang Xi was genuinely afraid of this self-conceited lone wolf.
Gu Wen saw her smiling a second ago and then instantly stopped when she saw him, his brow furrowing slightly.
Was her attitude towards herself and other werewolves a bit too much?
Even during meals.
When did her seat become so far from his?
Gu Wen sat at the head table, looking at Shang Xi in the fourth position on the left, lips pressed tight.
Black Tail sat in the first position on the left, Green Tail sat in the first position on the right, like Gu Wen's left and right arms. They didn't care who sat where, when Shang Xi suggested changing seats last time, Black Tail didn't think much about it and just agreed with an "Oh."
Now, Gray Tail was still alive, Shang Xi forgave them, and they returned to the days of telling stories. He was currently happy, sitting next to the head of the family and enjoying his meal.
Suddenly, he felt the head of the family looking at him.
With a piece of meat in his mouth, he chewed vigorously, looking foolish when he looked up.
"..."
Gu Wen pursed his thin lips, his gaze turning cold. "You've been in the human world for so long, yet you still eat like a wild boar, so uncouth."
Black Tail, meat in mouth, looked bewildered and innocent. "Master, I've always been like this."
Why did the master suddenly pay attention to his eating habits?
They had already made progress by learning to use human utensils.
Black Tail silently decided to switch back with Shang Xi. Sitting next to the master might be enjoyable, but the pressure was too much.
After finishing breakfast, the family of three got into the car headed for the kindergarten. They arrived just in time.
Gu Wen wore a black casual hoodie and put on a black mask, revealing his stern brows and eyes. He carried the toddler and walked alongside Shang Xi into the kindergarten.
As soon as they arrived, they immediately caught the attention of other parents. They whispered among themselves, thinking Gu Wen couldn't hear.
"Look, the high-profile family of three is here."
"The man is wearing a mask again. Who is he exactly?"
"Ah, look at that husband, all his attention is on his family. Unlike mine, always claiming to be on a business trip. But do we really need that extra money?"
"That lady is so beautiful. But her outfit today makes her look like a college student who hasn't graduated yet."
"Is he some kind of celebrity? Always wearing a mask."
"Some say he looks like that Gu family, but their child's surname is Shang. Would someone of Gu's status let their child take the mother's surname?"
"Are you suggesting... no no no, it couldn't be him. I haven't heard of him getting married."
Gu Wen: ...
He had grown accustomed to these human whispers, listening silently.
"That woman is so gorgeous. Look at the man with her, couldn't take his eyes off her."
Upon hearing this, Gu Wen frowned and glanced towards the man to his right, who was stout with a protruding belly, squinting his eyes, staring at Shang Xi without blinking.
Beside him sat a woman and child, the woman adjusting the child's collar.
Gu Wen's brows furrowed, a coldness shadowing his dark eyes.
Stepping forward subtly, he blocked Shang Xi, staring coldly at the man in the distance. The man hastily averted his gaze.
A hint of disdain flashed in Gu Wen's eyes. He despised the human tendency towards infidelity in relationships. Despite being married, they still couldn't help but be attracted to others based on appearance.
Humans were too greedy, never satisfied with what they had.
Like himself, he could sense some women stealing glances at him, some not even bothering to conceal their blatant stares.
Ha.
At that moment, a man in a white sports hoodie, casually dressed, entered with a child in tow, accompanied by a woman.
He was tall, handsome, with short black hair. Gu Wen sensed a slight shift in the atmosphere with his arrival.
"Oh my god! His child is also attending Junlin? I never knew!"
"What do you mean his child? I heard it's his sister's child. His sister passed away due to complications from childbirth. Is that woman his girlfriend?"
"Ah, what a pity. Childbirth is truly like passing through the gates of hell, even if you're wealthy..."
Gu Wen glanced at the man briefly, then disinterestedly looked away.
The man he saw, engaged in real estate business, was called Rong Wen.
What he didn't expect was for Rong Wen to be holding the hand of a young girl and walking towards him.
Gu Wen furrowed his brows slightly; he didn't want the other party to greet him here.
Rong Wen walked straight over, not even sparing Gu Wen a glance, and fixed his gaze on Shang Xi, his eyes filled with surprise and joy. "Little Xi."
Gu Wen: "..."
His dark eyes widened slightly.
He then heard Shang Xi's equally astonished voice, "Big Brother Rong?"
Seeing her gaze shift towards the woman in white beside him, Rong Wen said, "She's my cousin."
"When did you bring Baby Shang to transfer schools?" Rong Wen asked softly, reaching out his hand. "Shang Shu, do you still remember Uncle Rong?"
Baby Shang pursed her lips and nodded, "Uncle Rong."
At the same time, she reached out her small hand and shook the large hand opposite her.
Then, he looked at the slightly shorter girl beside him and said, "Younger Sister Rong, hello."
The young girl was extremely pretty, dressed in a white princess dress. She held Rong Wen's hand tightly, gazing at Shang Shu as if she were happy, but then, as if remembering something, she snorted and averted her gaze.
Seeing this, Rong Wen's tone carried a hint of helplessness. "Since we last met, she's been asking me to find Shang Shu for her. I was afraid of disturbing you. She's throwing a tantrum now."
Shang Xi: "It's okay. She likes playing with Baby Shang. It's me who's become the villain..."
Rong Wen had pursued her for over half a year before, but she simply didn't have that kind of feeling. After she rejected him, he gracefully left without further entanglement.
Adult matters were incomprehensible to two children playing together. All they knew was that they couldn't see each other, which made them sad and want to cry.
Rong Wen said softly, "Don't say that about yourself; you're great."
Shang Xi felt somewhat embarrassed, not knowing how to respond.
Gu Wen's face had been darkening by the second.
The more he listened, the more irritated he became. He didn't even know what he was doing here; what business did he have with their reminiscing and chatting?
"Who is this...?" Rong Wen had already noticed the imposing man beside Shang Xi, and he had a somewhat uneasy feeling in his mind.
Before Shang Xi could speak,
Gu Wen coldly spoke up, "Hello, I am Shang Shu's biological father." He emphasized the word "biological" with added weight.
Rong Wen's expression stiffened momentarily, but he quickly concealed it. "Hello, I am Rong Wen."
After this, Rong Wen's mood visibly dampened. Although he maintained his composure and smiled as he conversed with those who approached him, there was a hint of exhaustion in his smile.
His status in this country was undoubtedly prominent. Today marked his first time attending the school event for the little girl, which genuinely surprised the parents, who were all relatively affluent. But they couldn't compare to the Rong family.
Perhaps Rong Wen's mood was genuinely affected. He made excuses to rest, not wanting to deal with it anymore, and sat at the back, occasionally glancing in Shang Xi's direction.
At nine o'clock, the event began.
On the playground.
The principal, dressed in a gray suit, held a microphone and spoke, "We're delighted that all of you parents have taken the time to witness the growth of your children. Today, we..."
He wasn't overly verbose, finishing his speech briefly and announcing the start.
"Today, we've prepared a few small games," the female teacher announced. "First up, we have the Family Fun Relay: parents hold hands tightly while their child sits on top, and they compete to see who can move the farthest in a certain distance within ten seconds."
Parents lined up eagerly at the starting line, swiftly clasping hands as their children gleefully took their seats.
Upon hearing the teacher's instructions, Shang Xi withdrew her gaze from Rong Wen and coordinated with her cousin. Shang Xin took her place on their hands.
But when it came to Shang Xi's turn, things got a bit awkward.
Her relationship with Gu Wen was already complicated, with him previously showing resistance to her touching him. Should she extend her hand now or not?
To outsiders, they were a stunning couple, but who would have thought they now seemed like strangers?
Shang Xi glanced at Gu Wen, who had already reached out his hand, seemingly understanding her inner conflict. He softly said, "Let's put aside everything else for the sake of our little one."
"Okay."
Since he put it that way, Shang Xi didn't hesitate, reaching out her hand directly, and their hands clasped tightly.
In that moment, both of them paused.
Shang Xi subtly lowered her gaze and said, "Little one, hop on."
As Shang Bao climbed on, some parents had already started running towards the finish line.
"We're falling behind! Hurry!" Shang Xi exclaimed, realizing they had wasted time.
She tightened her grip on Gu Wen's hand and started walking.
Feeling the warmth in his hand, Gu Wen's eyes flickered with an indiscernible emotion.
He also tightened his grip on the woman's hand and started walking.
Shang Bao tugged at their clothes, lips curving up.
Shang Xi didn't want to lose. She and Gu Wen were both tall with long legs, so they quickly went from last to first place.
Their family arrived first.
The teacher exclaimed into the microphone, "Wow! Family number three, the Shang Shu family, is in first place!"
Shang Bao suddenly burst into laughter, his tiny teeth shining as the wind swayed his tuft of hair.
Shang Xi caught her breath, letting go of Gu Wen's hand and joking, "Are you so happy to get first place, little one?"
Shang Bao held onto his parents' clothes, smiling without saying a word.
Gu Wen's brows furrowed as he looked at his empty hand, silent.
The teacher suddenly exclaimed, "Second place goes to the Rong Xin family!"
Shang Xi glanced over and met Rong Wen's gaze. He gave her a gentle smile.
Shang Xi gestured a thumbs-up to him after some thought.
Rong Wen nodded.
Seeing this scene, Gu Wen's eyes darkened. His legs almost involuntarily stepped forward, standing in front of Shang Xi, blocking her from the other man's gaze.
He appeared so abruptly.
It caught Shang Xi off guard, and from her perspective, she only saw the man's neck peeking out from his collar, revealing deep collarbones.
"..." She paused, shifting her gaze away.
Gu Wen said, "The next game is about to start. Don't get distracted."
Shang Xi nodded.
Rong Wen saw the man blocking Shang Xi and their interaction, a hint of disappointment flickering in his eyes before he withdrew his gaze.
The child's biological father had returned. Were they in love?
The man wore a mask, yet he always had a feeling of familiarity. Were they going to live together now?
He had too many questions.
At this moment, the female teacher picked up the microphone and started the second game: "Teletubbies: Parents back to back, holding hands, with a large ball between them at the starting line, ready to go. Upon hearing the command, quickly move towards the child standing at the endpoint. After receiving the ball, roll it back to the starting point. Ten seconds start! Countdown, ten, nine,..."
With the recent physical contact, Shang Xi no longer hesitated. She turned her back to Gu Wen, reaching out her hand.
Gu Wen's eyes deepened, lips slightly pursed as he also turned his back, taking the initiative to grab her hand and then, clasped it tightly.
Shang Xi was taken aback. Back-to-back with a ball, was it necessary to hold hands?
As the female teacher said, "Start," they began to step forward.
A group of adorable children stood at the endpoint, waiting for their parents.
The teacher exclaimed, "Classmates, cheer for your moms and dads!"
The kids started shouting, "Dad! Mom! Go for it! Go for it!"
Some children were too excited; their faces turned red.
In this lively atmosphere, Baby Shang, standing alone, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and black shorts, caught Shang Xi's attention. She was suddenly filled with excitement, "Alright! Mom is coming, Baby Shang, wait for Mom!"
She quickened her pace, saying to Gu Wen, "Mr. Gu, hurry up, cooperate with me."
If they didn't coordinate well, the lightweight ball could easily slip away.
For example, the parents nearby lost the ball, and their child, who shouted the loudest, burst into tears upon seeing them lose.
Gu Wen: "…"
He didn't really understand the thoughts of human offspring.
But he was afraid of his own offspring crying.
So, he cooperated with Shang Xi, reaching the endpoint first, handing the ball to Baby Shang. The child had to roll it back to the starting point to win.
"Baby Shang, go for it! Go for it!" Shang Xi, along with other parents, cheered loudly.
"Darling, you're the best, Mom believes in you."
Baby Shang bit his lip, hearing his mom's voice, his little face tense, yet he rolled the ball back quickly and steadily.
Shang Xi was also excited, feeling the man beside her silent. She nudged him with her elbow, "Hey, give our son some encouragement. Why are you so quiet?"
She usually spoke politely to Gu Wen, but at this moment, she was caught up in the excitement.
Gu Wen glanced down at her, seemingly not understanding why her emotions changed so dramatically.
He appeared to be the calmest person present, dressed in all black, standing tall, like an outsider.
Shang Xi was already caught up, continuing, "Look at other dads; their voices are deafening. Hurry up and cheer for our son."
A nearby mother seemed to overhear her words and asked, "Is your husband not speaking because his throat is uncomfortable?"
Shang Xi hadn't noticed the term "husband" and paused, "Is your throat uncomfortable?"
Gu Wen felt inexplicably pleased.
He glanced at his little one and gently said, "Shang Shu, bring home the top prize for your mom."
His deep voice resonated, causing the mother who had just spoken to blush, seemingly surprised by the man's melodious tone.
Upon hearing her father's words, Baby Shang let out an excited howl, feeling a rush of adrenaline. His cheeks flushed, almost revealing his ears, but thanks to his dad's coaching, he had learned to control himself.
Mom wants the top spot!
He was determined to give it to her.
And he did.
Meanwhile, Shang Xi was still lost in thought, perplexed: What did it mean by her wanting the top spot? But she did indeed hope her son would come in first? Huh? Something about it just didn't seem right.
The female teacher's passionate voice echoed across the playground: "Wow! Shang Shu's family has once again clinched the top spot! Fantastic! So, isn't unity and harmony the most important in a family, right?"
Baby Shang's face lit up with excitement, and he immediately leaped into his mother's arms, hugging her tightly.
"Mom, I got first place."
"Yes, I know, you're the best."
Gu Wen watched the mother and son, a slight smile tugging at his lips.
——
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