In the early morning, ManMan, still drowsy, sat up in bed. After a moment of adjusting, he reached for the clothes he had picked out the night before—a creamy white pair of overalls.
Shen Huaichu entered the room at his usual time and, as expected, found his son already dressed.
Seeing him come in, ManMan stretched out his little arms and called out sweetly, "Daddy."
This was one of his son's habits.
Shen Huaichu, now accustomed to it, stepped forward and picked him up, receiving an adorable good morning kiss in return.
At first, Shen Huaichu wasn’t entirely comfortable with his son's little quirks and had even tried to be stricter with him.
But those eyes of ManMan’s were so much like Jing Yi’s that anyone who saw the two together would remark how, even though ManMan was a boy, he looked like a miniature version of Jing Yi.
And ManMan, for some reason, was never afraid of Shen Huaichu. Even when he put on a stern face, a little kiss from ManMan would melt it away.
Jing Yi often marveled at how her son had perfectly figured out how to tug at his father’s heartstrings.
But ManMan was a sweet child. Aside from his constant questions and occasional unintentionally blunt remarks, he was obedient and clever, rarely causing them any trouble.
After finishing his morning routine, ManMan held Shen Huaichu’s hand and walked out, his big, dark eyes lighting up with joy when he saw Jing Yi already seated at the dining table, waiting for them.
"Mommy, you’re up so early today!"
Jing Yi glanced at Shen Huaichu, who was trying to suppress a smile, and then looked down at her son, who was already starting the day with his usual enthusiasm.
"Yes, Mommy has something to do this morning, so I had to get up early." She wasn’t a fan of early mornings, but that was beside the point.
ManMan didn’t catch the self-deprecating tone in her voice and excitedly pulled Shen Huaichu over to the table.
Since Mommy was up for breakfast today, he wanted to sit right between his parents!
Shen Huaichu lifted his son and placed him in his special chair, then moved the prepared breakfast closer.
ManMan looked at the small bowl of yam and millet porridge in front of him, then at the variety of dishes on Jing Yi’s plate.
"Daddy, do I still have to eat porridge today?"
Jing Yi quietly moved her plate further away, not wanting to tempt her son, though his pitiful tone tugged at her heart.
Shen Huaichu also picked up his bowl of millet porridge. It had been prepared by their housekeeper, and ManMan had been eating it for the past few days. Even at kindergarten, the staff had been informed to provide him with a special lunch.
He could hear the disappointment in ManMan’s voice, but he had to stick to the plan. His son loved food, but just a few days ago, he had overeaten and ended up with indigestion, leaving the whole family worried.
"Yes, just one more day. If your stomach feels better tomorrow, you won’t have to eat it anymore."
ManMan looked pleadingly at Jing Yi, but all he got was a sympathetic look. He couldn’t see the delicious spread in front of her anymore.
Jing Yi couldn’t resist her son’s puppy eyes and quickly tried to finish her breakfast.
Seeing her haste, Shen Huaichu frowned slightly and said, "Take your time." Eating too fast wasn’t good for her stomach.
Then he turned to ManMan and said seriously, "Mommy didn’t overeat, so she can enjoy her breakfast, right?"
Shen Huaichu and Jing Yi believed in treating their child as an equal, especially now that ManMan could understand them. This approach had proven to be effective.
As expected, ManMan nodded earnestly, his little tuft of hair bouncing.
"Yes, Mommy. ManMan won’t look anymore. The millet porridge is really good too." He scooped up a spoonful and ate it with a smile.
Jing Yi chuckled and gently ruffled his hair.
"When you’re feeling better, we’ll go to Grandmother Wang’s and make something delicious!"
At times like this, Jing Yi felt incredibly lucky—she had an angel for a son, and, more importantly, his father was an angel too.
Everyone said ManMan looked like her, but Jing Yi thought he resembled Shen Huaichu, especially when he was deep in thought.
Jing Yi watched as Shen Huaichu continued to eat his porridge with ManMan, occasionally wiping his son’s mouth, his eyes filled with tender love.
People often joked that "as long as the dad keeps the kid alive, it’s a win," but in their household, it was a completely different story.
Ever since ManMan was born, Shen Huaichu had been the one taking care of him more often. He always said he hadn’t had time to prepare for fatherhood, but he had adapted to the role faster than she had.
While she was still figuring out how to be a mom and worrying about every little detail, Shen Huaichu had already taken charge of everything.
No one could compare to her husband in terms of dedication.
Shen Huaichu looked up and noticed Jing Yi staring at him. "What’s wrong? Don’t you like the breakfast?"
That couldn’t be—it was all her favorite dishes. He had even asked their housekeeper to learn some recipes from Aunt Wang.
Jing Yi smiled, her dimples showing. "No, I just wanted to try your millet porridge."
Shen Huaichu gave her a helpless but affectionate look and was about to scoop some for her when someone beat him to it.
ManMan, with his little tuft of hair, happily looked up at Jing Yi. "Mommy! ManMan will feed you! ManMan and Daddy have the same thing!"
He carefully lifted the spoon toward Jing Yi, his other hand protectively underneath it, looking utterly adorable.
"Thank you, ManMan!"
Jing Yi ate the porridge and lovingly patted his curly hair.
Meanwhile, Shen Huaichu, holding his spoon, froze for a moment, watching the mother-son interaction with a mix of amusement and resignation.
Well, he’d been beaten to it again.
Jing Yi noticed Shen Huaichu’s expression and teased, "What about you, Daddy?" Shen Huaichu’s lips curved into a smile as he scooped some porridge and fed it to Jing Yi.
Jing Yi pretended to savor it and nodded approvingly. "Not bad, very good."
ManMan’s eyes lit up, and he turned to Shen Huaichu. "Daddy, can I try yours too?"
Shen Huaichu chuckled and fed him a spoonful. It was all from the same pot—how could it taste any different?
ManMan imitated Jing Yi, tasting it carefully. "Not bad, very good!"
The mother and son, with their strikingly similar eyes, looked at Shen Huaichu with laughter in their gaze. Shen Huaichu’s smile deepened, his entire demeanor soft and warm.
After breakfast, it was time for ManMan’s usual kindergarten routine.
He obediently gave his mom a goodbye kiss and waited for her to return the gesture. Then, after watching her give Shen Huaichu a goodbye kiss, he took his father’s hand and headed out.
"Daddy, last week you didn’t take me to school, and my classmates kept asking about you."
"What did they ask?"
"They asked why you didn’t take me to school."
"And what did you say?"
"I told them you were on a business trip. Daddy, will you have to go on more trips?"
"Probably, yes."
"Okay, but try to come back early, okay? Otherwise, they keep asking me, and it makes me think of you. When I think about coming home and not seeing you, I feel a little sad."
"...Okay, I’ll always come back early."
