Chapter 7 (1/2)

Black-Bellied Dad Chapter 7

“I’m back.” She isn’t sure when it happened, but she’s already gotten into the habit of reporting to Xu He Jun’s home right after getting off work. Most times, he’ll leave work before her. Having learnt a few simple dishes, he’s been diligently studying up on how to be a house husband. If there’s time, he’ll prepare 2-3 dishes for dinner.

Regarding this part of him, even Huang Shang Rong can’t find anything critical to say. Although she’s not hopeless with housework, she only knows basic cooking and cleaning. At the start, she had thought Xu He Jun would always rely on her—– regardless of whether it’s work or private matters. But unexpectedly, he’s performing well at work, brilliantly settling problems, while at home, although he’s not excelling, he’s transformed from someone with no life skills, to being more or less on par with her.

“You’re back!” Wearing an ap.r.o.n, he runs out of the kitchen carrying a huge pot of curry. “Today we’re also having curry. I want to defend my honour and master this dis.h.!.+”

Yesterday they also had curry. While she doesn’t particularly like curry, if someone’s cooking for her, she won’t nit-pick. Sometimes when she’s busy, the breakfast and lunch she prepares for He Jun isn’t particularly diverse or appetizing either, but he still finishes it without complaint. If they want nice food, since neither of them can make it, they’ll just eat out to a restaurant.

Dinner time, she eyes Xu He Jun. The more she looks, the more he resembles President Xu. Not so much while smiling, since the corner of He Jun’s lips have more charm, no – scheme, while one look at the president and you can tell that he’s a shrewd and devious old fox, as though his eyes can see right through you.

Only, their facial features are really similar! Before, at the conference, she hadn’t noticed due to the pressure, and the fact that she was too far from the president. Only today, having spent half an hour chatting with him face to face, did she realize that sense of familiarity was from He Jun!

Not to mention, mysteriously both their last names are Xu…..

No, impossible, a lot of people have the surname Xu. He Jun wouldn’t so lucky, to coincidentally be Xu Ying Zhang’s son.

Also, if he’s really the Xu family’s young master, why would he have nothing better to do than to act poor? His furniture is filled with second hand goods, why wouldn’t he change it? All the chopsticks, forks and utensils were also all cheap things bought from TWD$10[1] stores. Not to mention the pacifier in Hao Hao’s mouth was bought for $39 at a flea market…..

“Why are you so unsettled? Are you stunned by how handsome I am?” As Xu He Jun feeds his son baby food, he had noticed the change in Huang Shang Rong’s eyes, and casually asked.

“Do you know Xu Ying Zhang?”

“Xu Ying Zhang?” The gears in his head turn. “Of course I know him!”

“You really know him?”

“He’s our big boss and the meal ticket who pays our wages! How could I not know? It’s not like I have a loose screw in my head!”

True, his next retort will probably be, even if he knows the big boss Xu Ying Zhang, it’s not like Xu Ying Zhang would know him!

Really, what is she thinking? To think she’d randomly a.s.sociate these two people! Huang Shang Rong shakes her head, trying to stop these ridiculous thoughts. Placing her bowl and chopsticks down, she takes the plastic bowl from his hands.

“You eat first, I’ll feed Hao Hao!”

Xu He Jun scoops a few mouthfuls of food, when he recalls something, grabbing the paper bag beside him, looking at her with a sly grin “Guess what I bought today?”

Huang Shang Rong blinks. “What?”

“Wait!” He quickly pulls out a maroon coloured pillow from the bag, happily presenting it to her. “You’re usually the one buying things for Hao Hao, but as a father I should also put in some effort. Since my salary increased recently, it’s not too much if I buy a small gift for my son! Look at this pillow, it’s perfect for a one year old infant. It’s just right for Hao Hao to sleep on!”

“…” Didn’t he notice his son’s usual pillow is a folded blanket?

“There’s also this knee protector. Hao Hao currently likes to crawl around on the floor. If we put this on him, his knees won’t get injured.”

“…” That thing, even adults don’t like wearing it, why would a little baby?

“Also also, an infant medicine dispenser the shop a.s.sistant recommended. She said using this, it’s easy to feed medicine to a baby, and we can use it until he reaches 3.

“…” Doesn’t he know an empty 3cc needle is the easiest to use! No to mention if you go to a clinic, they’ll administer the medicine for you.

“And the best thing is this—maternal handbag!” Xu He Jun almost appears to be fawning before her. “When we take Hao Hao out in the future, we won’t need to use a large and clumsy bag anymore. Look, this handbag’s departments are clearly distinguished for milk powder, diapers, wet wipes….”

“Heavens!” Huang Shang Rong places her bowl and chopsticks down, crying out as she grabs the infant items he bought. To think he brought back all the ‘infant care products you absolutely shouldn’t buy’…. “You’re too wasteful!”

Xu He Jun is stunned. “How come?”

“Why are you squandering your hard earned money?”

“Buying good things shouldn’t be considered wasteful…”

“It’s not the same. Your career is only just starting and in the future, there’ll be a lot of things you need to spend money on. You should use it on more practical things, for example —-“ She points to his sofa. “Look, this sofa has been used at least 20 years! The stuffing is almost showing, it needs to be replaced!”

Second hand for second hand, it can be exchanged!

“But that can still be used….”

“Hao Hao can walk now. If we’re not careful, one day he might secretly place the stuffing in his mouth, that…. Isn’t that dangerous?”

Xu He Jun’s eyes widen, “Removed!”

“Also the table. This table’s legs aren’t the same length. Don’t you think it’s always wobbling around? This should also be changed. You should also install a water filter rather than filling your water up outside. Don’t you think the water has a bitter taste.…”

All at once, Huang Shang Rong points out what new items he needs to buy, and what needs to be replaced. Just listening, Xu He Jun’s head starts to explode.

“How would I know what to buy or replace first?”

“You can ask me!”

“This…” Xu He Jun scratches his head, He had wanted to say that due to his promotion and raise, he could buy more things with the extra money in his account. But he hadn’t thought he needed to clear out so many things…. Truly living above ones means! “But you’ve always been buying more things for Hao Hao! You spend more money than me!” He remarks with discontent.

She answers “I have a plan.”

“What plan?”

“I’ll separate my salary into 5 parts, and spend no more than 1/5 of it on Hao Hao. Combined with your income, it’s more than enough to raise a child. I’ll use another 1/5 for mortgage, and at least half will go to a term deposit. The rest I’ll invest in a diverse portfolio.”

“What?” An office worker, yet she can divide her income into 5 parts, she’s really incredible! He currently doesn’t earn as much as her. After deducting his spending and his son’s living expenses, it’s really hard for him to imagine being able to allocate a portion of it to investments. If he was given several hundred thousand, he’d manage investments, but when its tens of thousands[2], what can he even do with it?

To think, being a commoner isn’t just copying college students in skimping on food and clothing expenses, but also managing their finances….

Looking at Xu He Jun’s overwhelmed state, Huang Shang Rong sympathetically asks “What kind of life were you leading before?”

Waving his palms at her, a thought appears in his mind. Jumping up from his chair, eyes sparkling as they widen. “How about this, why don’t you become my treasurer?”

“What treasurer?” How much money does he think he has?

“In the future, you can manage all of my salary. Every week, you can give me petty cash, and dictate how much money I can spend. Mnn, alright, let’s do it this way.” That way he won’t always have to wrack his brain over what to buy and what not to buy.

As he says it, he runs back to his room, taking out a seal to give her.

Originally, she had thought he was joking, when he suddenly pushes his bank seal into her hands. Huang Shang Rong’s blocks, pus.h.i.+ng it back to him.

“… that’s something your wife should do, it has nothing to do with me.” This brat, is he actually stupid or just pretending? Or is he secretly proposing? She doesn’t like being placed in an ambiguous position, so she pushes it back to him, refusing to blur the lines.

“If you marry me, wouldn’t you be my wife?”

“You’re insane!”

“In the future, my money will be yours, while your money… it’ll still be yours okay? I know women always keep some money beside them to feel more secure. You can just keep it!”

He clearly doesn’t have much money, yet he’s still brazenly acting like a generous man. She’s mixed between exasperated and amused.

Huang Shang Rong looks at the bank seal pushed back into her hands, feeling an inexplicable feeling rising in the back of her throat. She’s constantly wandering around by herself, used to sorting things on her own. While He Jun has been pus.h.i.+ng his way through, wanting to eat her up, relying on her to sort his affairs, strangely, she doesn’t seem to hate the way things are.

Is she destined to spend her life slaving away?

“Placing your bank seal in my hands, if we break up, don’t even think about getting it back.” She starts giving him a reality check.

Xu He Jun moves closer, drawing her in with his stare. “Do you plan on breaking up with me?”

“N-no, I don’t.” She’s only thinking of the worst case scenario.

“Then isn’t that fine, I don’t plan on breaking up with you either.” Not to mention he’ll be relying on her. He smiles brightly, holding back the last phrase. “I believe you, Shang Rong.”

“Circ.u.mstances will always change, its better if you take your money….” She had wanted to return the seal back to him, when Xu He Jun straightens, pressing against her lips, not letting her refuse again.

“I won’t take back things I’ve already given away.” That moment, he smiles as he leans closer, pus.h.i.+ng back the hand she’s using to hold his bank book and seal.

She had wanted to reprimand him for behaving so selfishly, but it’s hard to refuse when he smiles like that! Is it his smile that makes her waver each time, or is it his imposing manner? Huang Shang Rong really can’t make any sense of it.

Xu He Jun suddenly changes his expression, staring at her with fascination.

“Every time I see your troubled expression, I can’t help but find you cute.”

Huang Shang Rong usually doesn’t blush easily, but there’s no helping it. Once the person speaking changes to Xu He Jun, he seems to have a special ability to make her melt.

“What are you saying!” She softly pushes at him.

Xu He Jun easily pulls her to his arms. Huang Shang Rong naturally knows the intent in his eyes, and obediently accepts his lips, wrapping both her hands around his shoulders, enjoying his pa.s.sionate kisses.

His kisses are strong and deep, both careful and forceful, his hands gradually becoming restless. At first they were only lightly brus.h.i.+ng against her waist, before continuing to lift her skirt, wrapping her long legs around his waist, stroking the seams lightly then roughly. While his other hand leaves her waist and wanders up, appearing to caress her unceasingly.

“Hao Hao’s watching us from the side!” Huang Shang Rong exclaims.

“I want you, tonight.”

This whole time, he’s only verbally eaten her tofu, occasionally getting handsy. Once she uses his son as an excuse, he knows it’s time to stop, never forcefully taking her. Yet today, he seems uncharacteristically unyielding. Glancing at the bank seal on the table from the corner of her eyes, her mind brightens, an idea suddenly flas.h.i.+ng through her head—–

“Giving me that bank book and seal, was your intention to propose?”

Xu He Jun’s voice seems somewhat dry, “I know with my current abilities, I don’t have the means to buy you a diamond ring—-

Maybe if I liquidated all my a.s.sets I could buy you a third rate gem, but I know, to me your existence is more valuable than any diamond.”

This brat! His honeyed words can really charm someone to death! Even someone as fierce as her can’t help but lose their guard, he really has the potential to be a gigolo.

“Idiot!”

“If you want, I can give you everything. Even though this tiny book can’t be considered much, but in the future, I’ll give you everything in my life without reservation, you can dictate how to use everything of mine, alright?”

Right, having arranged it for so long, he’s definitely proposing marriage to her.

It’s not meticulously planned, or filled with flowery words. But, even she knows he didn’t have those intentions. The words he said today, it’s not something anyone can easily say.

She believes him, all because of those sincere eyes. While he normally has that silly smile, right now, she can’t see a hint of doubt in his eyes.

“Aright.” Only after she replies, does Huang Shang Rong notice the tears welling in her eyes from his speech.

“Then….” His voice turns low, as he leans towards her, whispering in her ears, “You can shower first and wait for me in bed, I’ll put Hao Hao to sleep and find you right after.”

Huang Shang Rong turns red, looking at his handsome face. In the past she hadn’t found him particularly attractive, and had always regarded him as a younger brother. How come recently, the more she looks, the more she finds his masculine air calming and deep.

She gently pecks his face, showing a bashful expression that only Xu He Jun has seen. “Then you should hurry!”

Ah! Is she trying to encourage him or harm him? That soft and delicate appearance of hers makes all the cells in his body pound. But he can only let go for now, letting her run back into the bedroom, before turning his head back to stare at his son on the infant chair, endeavouring to reason with him.

“Hey brat, after being fully fed, it’s time for you to sleep!”

But why would Xu Hao appreciate his efforts? He grins, exposing his two teeth, as if telling his old man that he’s still full of energy.

“You…” Xu He Jun sternly warns him, “It wasn’t easy for me to have your mother within my grasp. If you still can’t distinguish between good and bad and let her escape, then don’t blame me for not warning you.”

“Mummy…” An infant who had just learnt how to speak, he only knows how to say this.

“That’s right, your mother’s inside.” Xu He Jun picks up his son, placing his head on his own shoulder, soothing him to sleep. Although there’s a sense of urgency in his heart, smelling the milky scent on his son’s body, and feeling the small heartbeat in that tiny warm frame, he can’t help but slow his actions, carefully lulling his son to sleep.

Having finished her bath, Huang Shang Rong had wanted to see how he went in putting his child to bed. Opening the door, she sees her son leaning against him, already drifting off to sleep, eyes half-lidded, saliva almost falling onto his father’s shoulders.