“Daddy, Daddy! Little brother is coughing again!”
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, the two adults, who had stayed up late the night before and were sleeping in, were jolted awake early in the morning.
A soft, pale little hand pushed against a muscular, tattoo-covered arm. It was like an ant trying to shake a giant tree, yet it received an immediate response.
“Mm… Xiao Lizi? What’s wrong?”
Li Zhenting turned over with bleary eyes, seeing his precious daughter anxiously trying to climb onto the bed.
He reached out a long arm and pulled the child onto his chest. “Shh, keep it down. Your mother is still sleeping.”
Li Zi was indeed sleeping deeply today. She merely stirred at the commotion but didn't open her eyes.
“Daddy, Little Brother is coughing again.”
Xiao Lizi patted her own chest, mimicking a look of distress. She looked at her favorite father, pleading for help. “Just like this.”
The last of Li Zhenting’s sleepiness vanished instantly. He set his daughter on the floor and shook Li Zi awake.
“Li Zi, wake up. Xiao Ting might be having an asthma attack. Go find his medicine.”
Li Zi bolted upright. “What? Xiao Ting’s having another attack?”
She grabbed her clothes from the side and threw them on, not even pausing to check if they were inside out.
Seeing her awake, Li Zhenting scooped up his daughter and ran toward the next room. In less than ten seconds, he burst through the door of the second bedroom.
“Xiao Ting, are you okay? Daddy’s here. Are you feeling unwell again?”
The two children shared a bunk bed in a warmly decorated room. Xiao Ting, who had a weaker constitution, slept on the bottom bunk. At the moment, he was curled up entirely under the duvet, the fabric trembling incessantly.
Seeing this, Li Zhenting grew even more worried. He stepped to the bedside, reaching out to pull back the covers.
“Sweetheart, don’t hide under the duvet. There isn't enough air in there.”
However, the child gripped the edge of the blanket, refusing to let him move it.
“What’s wrong? Xiao Ting, it’s Daddy.”
He was frantic, terrified that something had happened to the boy inside.
“Li Zi! Hurry up!”
Li Zhenting didn't dare pull too hard, fearing his own strength. He could only shout toward the hallway.
“I’m here.”
Li Zi hurried in, clutching an inhaler.
“What’s happening? Why is he still under the covers?”
She saw the lump on the bed and then saw her partner standing there in a panic, and something began to feel off.
If the child was having an asthma attack, how could he possibly be hiding under the covers like this?
She gave Li Zhenting a look, signaling for him to calm down, and then glanced at Xiao Lizi, who was now standing remarkably quiet.
The little girl blinked her eyes, looking tense.
Something was fishy.
Li Zi was now certain that things weren't as they seemed. She quietly approached the children's bed and suddenly put on a look of feigned distress.
“Oh dear, what should we do? I was just about to ask Uncle Qingliu to make spicy crab tonight. It looks like our sick Little Ting won't be able to eat any.”
The little lump on the bed suddenly stopped moving. A moment later, he burst out from under the covers. His rosy little face was framed by an exquisite, adorable tiger onesie. He crawled clumsily toward Li Zi and Li Zhenting.
“No! Xiao Ting wants to eat spicy crab!”
Having blurted out his demand, he remembered his original goal and hastily let out a "Roar!" at the adults.
“Aowu, aowu! Happy New Year, Mommy and Daddy! The little tiger is here to give you New Year greetings. I want... I want a red envelope!”
Seeing her brother break character so easily, Xiao Lizi covered her face in exasperation.
Li Zhenting caught the tiny body, pulling him into his arms and helping him straighten the hood of the costume.
“Alright, tell me what’s going on. One of you needs to explain,” Li Zi said with a sigh of relief, setting the medicine on the side table with a faint, amused smile.
“Mommy…”
Xiao Ting, who was a bit smaller than other children his age, stared at her piteously with his sapphire-blue eyes.
She took a breath, unable to withstand the onslaught of cuteness, and turned to her daughter instead.
“Big sister, you tell us. Why did you scare us like that?”
Xiao Lizi gave her brother a look of utter disappointment before deciding to shift the blame.
“Auntie Tianwu told us to do it yesterday. She said if Little Brother wore this to give New Year greetings, Mommy and Daddy would be happy.”
Li Zhenting and Li Zi sighed inwardly.
“Daddy, did Xiao Ting do something wrong? Auntie Tianwu said Xiao Ting looks very cute in this. I thought you two would like it too.”
Xiao Ting and Xiao Lizi were twins. Due to a complication during birth, the younger brother’s delivery had been delayed, nearly resulting in a tragedy. Consequently, his health was fragile, and he suffered from mild asthma. Because of this, the two adults doted on him excessively—especially Li Zhenting and the grandparents, Li Shian and his wife, who treated him like the center of the universe.
Li Zhenting’s devotion stemmed from guilt, while Li Shian and his wife’s was pure grandparental indulgence.
Yu Tianwu and her circle also adored the two children. Since she and Liu Yan likely couldn't have biological children of their own, she was constantly enamored with Li Zi’s twins. she often came over to play with them, even joking about kidnapping them and taking them home.
Having an "Auntie" who refused to grow up was truly a mixed blessing.
“We love it. Xiao Ting is very cute. Just don't use being sick to scare Mommy and Daddy next time, okay?”
“Look at how scared you made your father,” Li Zi added, walking over to gently stroke his head through the tiger hood. She was rewarded with a sweet kiss from the child.
“I understand, Mommy.”
***
“Achoo!”
Walking down the street, Yu Tianwu sneezed out of nowhere.
“Someone must be talking about me behind my back,” she declared confidently to the person beside her.
The man next to her merely shook his head helplessly, reaching out to tighten her scarf.
“Did you do something mischievous again?”
“Brother Yan, how can you say that about me! I’m not that kind of person!”
Dressed entirely in red to mark her zodiac year, Yu Tianwu looked as if she wanted even her undergarments to be red. She pouted, lodging a complaint against Liu Yan.
“I feel like you’re loving me less and less, Brother Yan.”
“I’m not. I’m just speaking the truth on behalf of many people.”
Liu Yan pinched her lips shut, telling her to behave and stop acting spoiled in the middle of the street.
“Hmph, and you say you aren't. Ever since *that* incident, you haven't been as gentle as before,” Yu Tianwu muttered under her breath.
“What?”
Liu Yan only heard a string of muffled grumbles and asked in confusion.
“Nothing…”
The usually headstrong and willful woman shook her head quickly, indicating she hadn't said a thing.
“Ah, we definitely have to go to Li Zi’s house tomorrow. I miss my two babies already.”
At the mention of her godchildren, Yu Tianwu’s spirits lifted again.
She wondered if the two children had taken the advice she gave them.
*Ah~ Xiao Ting must look so cute in that little tiger suit.*
“If you like children that much, you could actually have one yourself. Don't you still have a pile of Omega fiancés waiting for you?”
Liu Yan, who had been hearing Yu Tianwu ramble about children lately, suddenly felt a prickle of annoyance and gave her a chilly retort.
Yu Tianwu’s excited expression froze instantly. She carefully scrutinized the man’s face and said, “I didn't mean it like that. I don't want a child…”
“Brother Yan, having you is enough for me.”
Liu Yan arched an eyebrow and ignored her.
Now, Yu Tianwu was genuinely starting to panic. It had taken her so long to chase Brother Yan back. She had seen exactly how cold this normally good-tempered man could be, and it had left her somewhat traumatized.
“Brother Yan, don't ignore me. I’ll cry for you, I really will! Waaaaah!”
Right there on the street, the woman—who already had a high head-turn rate due to her striking looks—began shamelessly clinging to the man, attracting even more stares.
“Alright, alright. I was joking just now. Stand up straight.”
Liu Yan truly had no defense against her. He could only laugh as he peeled her off him, continuing the previous topic.
“I was trying to say, if you really like children, we could adopt one.”
“If you don't mind,” he added.
“!!! Brother Yan, does that mean you’re willing to marry me?”
Yu Tianwu grabbed his hand in pleasant surprise.
After so many failed proposals, was she finally going to see the clouds part and the moon shine through?
“Mm.”
*I’ve never been able to do anything about you anyway. I might as well just surrender completely.*
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My Fierce Beta Husband is Surprisingly Sweet | Chapter 43 | A New Year Surprise | Novela.app | Novela.app
