Because his favorite Big Sis had promised that he’d be able to eat good food at his brother’s place, Shen Xue agreed to look after his nephew and nieces. Who would have thought that little devil herself had also invited her cousin on her father’s side to accompany him?
A short while after Lu Xinyi’s phone call, Shen Xue was standing outside his older brother’s home, wondering if he really wanted to go inside to spend the night looking after the twins and his niece. True, this wasn’t the first time he would babysit for them, but it was the first time he was spending the night with them.
Shen Xue cursed his luck as soon as Lu Xiulan answered the door and opened it for him. Both were stunned for a few moments after seeing each other. It was only when they heard Qing Qing squealing behind Lu Xiulan that they broke out from their daze regarding the little girl.
“Uncle Xue, play with me!” Little Qing Qing demanded. She stretched her chubby little arms towards Shen Xue, indicating that she wanted to be lifted by him.
Shen Xue said nothing but gave Lu Xiulan a side glance before picking up his niece.
“Did your mommy tell you what happened to your daddy?” he asked Qing Qing as he cradled her with one arm and turned to walk inside her brother’s home.
“Yes. Mommy said Daddy is hurt.” That instantly soured the little girl’s mood, “When are they going to come home? I miss Mommy and Daddy,” Qing Qing questioned him.
Shen Xue wasn’t surprised at all, seeing her struggle not to cry as she missed her parents.
Turning his head to look at his niece, Shen Xue saw wide brown eyes and dark hair of Qing Qing’s. She was truly a mixture of both of her parents and wondered which traits she inherited from them.
“Once the doctor said he’s ready to go, they would be here, Qing Qing.”
Shen Xue gently pinched her chubby cheek and hoped that this girl wouldn’t inherit his older brother’s s.a.d.i.s.tic streak, saving him from troubles in the future; but hey, when did he ever say ‘no’ to his favorite niece, eh?
Who could blame him? Not only Qing Qing was spoiled by her parents but also by her Grandpa. Each of them had taken every chance they could get to spoil Little Qing Qing.
Eventually, with Lu Xiulan’s help, Shen Xue watched as the twins and Qing Qing continued to play happily with a few toys scattered around their playpen, still full of energy. He groaned as he looked at his watch.
It was already 11 PM, and he wondered how these children could not be so tired when he was ready to flop down on his bed and sleep.
A few minutes later, Lu Xiulan took the initiative and helped the twins wash up before tucking them to bed while Shen Xue looked after his niece who still refused to go to sleep, insisting on calling her mommy.
In the end, Shen Xue wad left no choice but to give his sister-in-law a call.
“Why’s my Qing Qing isn’t sleeping yet?” Lu Xinyi asked her daughter.
“Mommy, you still aren’t going home with Daddy?”
A deep sigh could be heard at the other end of the line, which made the little girl’s heart sink even lower than it already was. It was rare for Shen Lingqing to be parted too long away from her parents, and she surely had been missing them this time.
“Not yet, darling. The doctors said Daddy needs to recuperate here. Daddy also woke up earlier and was asking for our Qing Qing,” Lu Xinyi admitted softly to her daughter, “Are you behaving yourself well to your Uncle Xue and Auntie?”
“Yes… but I miss you, Mommy…” the little girl confessed while Shen Xue sat beside her as she talked to her mother. She also wanted to talk to her daddy, but Uncle Xue said he must be sleeping at this time.
“I miss you too, darling, but Daddy needs to stay. We’ll be home soon, but until then, listen to your Uncle Xue, okay? Uncle Lingyu told me he will also visit you tomorrow.”
Watching his niece while listening to their conversation, Shen Xue thought that there were so many changes that happened to their lives especially to his brother. He was glad that, finally, Shen Yi was living and prioritizing his own life.
For the past years since their Uncle Jin’s death, his brother had taken to himself to look after their family and sacrificed himself for their sake. Now, Shen Xue was impressed that Lu Xinyi had managed to make his brother smile.
It was even more impressive that his brother had learned to trust and rely on the people around him. His once cold and reclusive brother was easier to get along with these days, especially now that Qing Qing was born.
After hanging up to his sister-in-law, Shen Xue ushered the little girl to her own room and tucked her to bed. Thankful for her minimal fussing, he leaned over to give his niece a light kiss on her forehead.
“Your Daddy isn’t here today to read your storybooks. Tonight, Uncle Xue will read it for you, okay?”
Little Qing Qing nodded and snuggled next to him, eager to hear her favorite bedtime story.
“Uncle Xue, when’s Daddy coming home?”
Shen Lingqing asked her uncle as he was about to leave her room. The smile on Shen Xue’s face faltered.
“I don’t know, sweetheart, but I promise you, he’ll be fine. I don’t know anyone stronger and braver than your daddy. Does Qing Qing know someone else?” he asked her playfully, hoping it would lessen the girl’s worries over her parents’ absence.
Shen Lingqing shook her head and clutched the blanket on her hands tighter. Thinking about what her uncle said, her young mind couldn’t think of anyone better than her daddy. Her daddy was her idol after all.
“Daddy is the best…”—she started but paused when she remembered something—”also my mommy.”
How could she forget that her mommy was the best in terms of cooking her meals?!
“But what about Uncle Xue?” Shen Xue pointed to himself.
The little girl frowned at that. She couldn’t say he’s the best uncle because her Uncle Lingyu was also good. Ah, this was too hard for her young mind to decide. In the end, she decided to be truthful to her uncle.
“Uncle Xue is Qing’s special uncle. Uncle should also promise not to leave Qing alone, or I’ll tell Daddy you took one of his cars to play.”
Shen Xue almost choked on that. Since when did this little girl learn how to bargain with her elders?
Indeed, he’d taken out one of the newest sports cars his brother recently bought for a test drive, but he didn’t think his niece was able to remember something that happened a week ago. He initially thought that children at her age easily forget things and lose focus, but Qing Qing proved otherwise.
Ah, she’s really his brother’s daughter, alright. Why was he questioning this kid’s intelligence again?