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ntranslator: baumkuchen editor: glitterypanda

nThe next day, Chi Xiaochi woke up to a delicious scent.

nFrom the direction of the kitchen, came a soft clanging of pots and pans, clinging and clanging, the homely atmosphere particularly calming.

nChi Xiaochi got up, put on some cotton slippers that were slightly too big for him, and trotted out of the bedroom.

nThis was the top floor of an old apartment in Binzhou’s Jiuchengqu. It spanned about 100 square meters, with two bedrooms and two living rooms. The neighbourhood wasn’t a very eye-catching high-class residential area, but it was quiet and conveniently located for transport.

nAs a single male, young, and owning a car and a house, Dong Feihong was absolutely the blue chip stock out of all blue chip stocks.

nJust as he walked over to the entrance to the kitchen, the blue chip stock walked out.

nThe blue chip stock, “You’re awake? How was your sleep?”

nChi Xiaochi nodded.

n“There’s a disposable toothbrush and washcloth in the bathroom sink cabinet.” Freshly stir-fried dishes in his hands, the blue chip stock gestured towards the bathroom. “I wasn’t fully prepared this time. When you come here next time, I’ll have a set of permanent living supplies ready for you.”

nChi Xiaochi let out a reserved expression. “No need to go through so much trouble.”

nThe blue chip stock expressed, this was what he ought to do.

nAs he washed up, Chi Xiaochi said to 061, “I suspect Dong Feihong is Dong Ge’s long-lost father.”

n061, “……” Actually it’s me.

nChi Xiaochi continued to speculate reasonably, “Or else why is he treating Dong Ge so well.”

n061, “……” Because it’s me.

nChi Xiaochi spat out the toothpaste in his mouth. “Liu-laoshi, what exactly is this person trying to do?”

n“Yesterday, when you were sleeping, I went and did a check on him,” 061 said, “Dong Feihong, 27 years old, a mangaka, single, has no unhealthy addictions, his father had a big argument with Dong Ge’s father when they were younger, so they had little contact with each other. He went to Japan to study and returned about three years ago. There was an accident two years ago, and he injured his hand, it was quite serious, too. Originally, he intended to go overseas for treatment, but at that time, it just so happened that several internationally renowned neurologists came to Binzhou for a study exchange, so he didn’t go.”

nChi Xiaochi nodded.

nThis actually explained the discrepancies from Dong Ge’s memories.

nWhen one’s life restarted, there would inevitably be some variations.

nIf Dong Feihong left the country to treat his hand, he wouldn’t be able to come back for about a year.

nIf he had, because of this, taken the opportunity to settle down overseas, him not appearing during Dong Ge’s most difficult time wouldn’t be strange.

nHe nodded. “Got it. I see now.”

n061, “……” Phew, successfully brushed it over.

nAfter Chi Xiaochi was done washing up, Dong Feihong placed a plate of julienned potatoes on the table.

nThe chopped onions were slightly curled from frying. Bits and pieces of chili peppers were scattered over the shiny, yellow, thickly chopped potatoes. Two bowls and two sets of chopsticks were arranged neatly on the table. The chopsticks were made of redwood, and the bowls were blue and white porcelain, filled to the brim with ricecongee, the rice grains almost mush from the boiling.

nDong Feihong said, “I started cooking the rice when you went to bed yesterday. I specially left it to cool for a while, it shouldn’t burn your mouth already.”

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nAfter Chi Xiaochi picked up the chopsticks, he then said, “When you don’t have anything to do at sports school on Saturdays and Sundays, just come to your uncle’s house. Leaving home at such a young age, even though you don’t say it, I know you must feel a little lost in your heart. Here, at your uncle’s place, there will always be a hot, home-cooked meal to eat, and a warm home to come back to. What do you think?”

nChi Xiaochi mulled over it in silence, unable to make up his mind.

nWith regards to this suddenly-appearing “uncle”, he still couldn’t trust him completely.

nBut if he was sincere, then the appearance of this uncle was absolutely beneficial to Dong Ge’s growth and education.

nHe didn’t hurry to answer, picking up some potatoes with his chopsticks and bringing it to his mouth.

nThen, he froze. He looked up at Dong Feihong.

nPractically simultaneously, 061 and Dong Feihong asked, “What’s wrong?”

nDong Feihong picked up his chopsticks and tasted the potatoes. “……Still tastes okay.”

nChi Xiaochi swallowed the food in his mouth. “I ate a chili pepper.”

nDong Feihong laughed. He got up to go to the water dispenser and retrieved a cup of warm water. “Eat slowly, there’s no rush.”

nChi Xiaochi silently nodded, but quickened his movements, finishing all the food on the table without saying a word.

nOnly when Dong Feihong and Chi Xiaochi went downstairs together and got into the car, did he continue the question he had been going to ask before being interrupted, “When your afternoon training on Friday ends, should I come pick you up?”

nChi Xiaochi fastened his seatbelt, then replied in the tone Dong Ge would have used, “……I need to train.”

n“Some relaxation is always necessary,” Dong Feihong said, “There’s a skating rink near my home. The owner was my junior high classmate.”

nHe’d already built a house, building another skating rink wasn’t a problem.

nChi Xiaochi thought for a moment, then nodded slightly, finally agreeing to Dong Feihong’s suggestion.

nWith a smile, Dong Feihong leaned over and tightened Chi Xiaochi’s scarf. “The car is a little old, it doesn’t have good heating, don’t catch a chill.”

nChi Xiaochi lowered his eyelashes, the long, soft and curly strands covering the faint melancholy in his eyes.

nAfter sending Chi Xiaochi to the sports school, Dong Feihong got into the car and wiped off the condensation on the car windows, preparing to find a place without any people or cameras to once again perform a vanishing act.

nInadvertently, he noticed several high-school aged Smarts in the distance, poking their heads out of a little alley across the road, staring at Dong Ge’s back and pointing.

nThen they retracted their tortoise heads back into the alley.

n“It’s him, that brat. Yesterday, he beat up my younger brother.”

n“Just that sissy boy? One against four?”

n“How scaryyy.”

n“Isn’t it? Really **ing scary. That younger brother of mine was terrified, even told me to not cause him any trouble cuz he has someone backing him. Bah! What a worthless person. Am I scared of him? He didn’t give my younger brother face, that’s like embarrassing me. How could I just let this go?”

n“Then let’s beat him to death?”

n“Beat him. But not to death, fortunately this thing is also an athlete. We can just disable him. Us bros don’t need to get into much trouble, we can just cut him up a little.”

n“This school is pretty well-managed, I don’t think they’ll let us in.”

n“What kid of this age doesn’t play hooky?”

n“Right, make your little brother watch him for us. There is bound to come a time when he’s alone. ……Who’s there?!”

nAs the group of people were chatting it up, they heard one of them, a tall and strong silver-haired fatty, call out.

nHe pointed at the entrance to the alleyway and said, “Just now, there was a figure standing there for a while.”

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nThe others looked over at the direction he was pointing in. There was nothing there.

nXue Yibo’s brother curled his lip. “You have a **ing problem with your eyes.”

nThe silver-haired fatty had constantly been facing the entrance to the alleyway. About two to three minutes ago, he’d noticed a group of abnormally shaped shadows by the entrance of the alleyway, but he hadn’t thought that it would be a “person”.

nBut just now, the shadows had moved.

nIn order to confirm his statement, he hurried to the entrance of the alleyway, stuck out his head and looked out——

nThere were several styrofoam boxes stacked by the entrance.

nAs the fatty was being mocked by the rest of his group, Dong Feihong appeared in the driver’s seat of his car.

n——The Dong Ge from before had been bullied sufficiently by Xue Yibo, giving his brother no room to butt in, so this scene had never occurred.

nAs he watched the fatty scratch the back of his head with a face full of befuddlement, Dong Feihong started the car, and started driving in a random direction.

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nbaum: ahh the food T T I’m hungry now

nalso, this is the last 5k chapter out of the long, long string of 5k chaps orz we’ll be done with half-chapter releases and be back to our usual full chapters soon~

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