Chapter 61: So He Eats Spicy Strips Too
“Aowu~”
Having finished eating with great dedication, the White Dumpling licked the broth clean from his plate and then looked up at Lin Xia.
Lin Xia understood the cue and grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth. After a thorough cleaning, the White Dumpling was once again a neat and tidy little tiger.
“Aowu?” Daddy, where are we going later? Now full and content, the White Dumpling sat aside to digest his meal.
“Hmm… What about you?” Lin Xia asked Tang Yinlang. He and the White Dumpling were heading to the pet shop, but he wasn’t sure if Tang Yinlang would stay at the hospital or go somewhere else.
“I want to make a trip to my grandparents’ house to tell them I’ve recovered,” Tang Yinlang said. He wanted to inform his grandparents in person so they wouldn’t worry.
“Is your injury really okay? Did the doctor allow you to be discharged?” Tang Yinlang still had bandages wrapped around his head, and Lin Xia wondered about the state of the wound.
“It’s fine now. I can take them off in a few days.” The White Tiger clan had thick skin and robust constitutions; their recovery abilities were strong, and flesh wounds healed quickly.
“That’s good, then.” Lin Xia felt relieved, then turned to the White Dumpling. “We’ll go to the pet shop in a bit.”
“Aowu?” Will Daddy come to the pet shop after going to Great-Grandma’s house? The White Dumpling looked expectantly at Tang Yinlang.
“Of course. Once I finish my business there, I’ll come to the pet shop to find you,” Tang Yinlang said with a smile.
“Baby, is it okay if you call him ‘Papi’ or ‘Daddy’ from now on? Otherwise, if you just call ‘Baba’ (Dad), we won’t know which one of us you’re calling.” Whenever Lin Xia heard the White Dumpling call out “Baba,” he habitually wanted to respond.
“Aowu?” Can An An call him Papi? The White Dumpling waited for Tang Yinlang’s reply.
“An An can call me whatever he likes,” Tang Yinlang smiled gently, stroking the White Dumpling.
“Aowu!” Papi!
The White Dumpling called Tang Yinlang “Papi” sweetly, his voice like honey, making anyone who heard it feel warm and fuzzy inside.
“An An, can Papi kiss you?” Tang Yinlang wanted to smother this little sweetheart with kisses.
“Aowu!” Before Tang Yinlang could even prepare himself, the White Dumpling stood up and planted a kiss directly on Tang Yinlang’s cheek, then shyly burrowed into Lin Xia’s arms.
“You already kissed him, why are you being shy now?” Lin Xia laughed, using his slender, fair fingers to poke the White Dumpling’s chubby little bottom, forcing the dumpling to wag his tail to swat Lin Xia’s hand away.
“Aowu!” Daddy, stop it! Papi, save An An! The White Dumpling sent a distress signal to Tang Yinlang.
“…Ahem!” Tang Yinlang didn’t dare tell Lin Xia to stop, so he just looked at him with a gentle, pleading expression.
“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. We should get going to the pet shop.” Lin Xia stifled a laugh and withdrew his hand. Seeing that no one was poking his butt anymore, the White Dumpling scrambled up, leaped out of Lin Xia’s arms, and kept his distance.
“Aowu!” Daddy, An An will walk by himself! The White Dumpling shook his body, trying to shake off the goosebumps.
“Mm-hm.” Lin Xia nodded; letting the White Dumpling walk on his own was fine too.
After packing up, the family left the hospital. The White Dumpling, who had insisted on not being held, ended up in Lin Xia’s arms anyway. When they got into the elevator, the dumpling got a bit scared and whined for Lin Xia to pick him up, completely forgetting his earlier declaration.
“Aowu!” The White Dumpling squeezed his eyes shut, yelping at the sensation of weightlessness.
Once they stepped out of the elevator, the White Dumpling finally dared to open his eyes. He lay limply on Lin Xia’s arm, looking like he had just escaped a tiger’s den.
Lin Xia and the White Dumpling went home first to pick up Molly before heading to the pet shop, while Tang Yinlang took a taxi to his grandparents’ house.
“Aowu!”
Once in the car, the White Dumpling turned back into a lively little tiger. Sitting in the passenger seat, he let the wind blow through the window, feeling incredibly cool.
“Don’t catch a cold,” Lin Xia cautioned.
“Aowu!” An An knows! Upon hearing this, the White Dumpling lay down, sprawling on the seat like a cushion.
“So good.” If he weren’t driving, Lin Xia would have given the White Dumpling a big kiss. An obedient, well-behaved dumpling was simply irresistible.
“Aowu?” Daddy, will Papi still sleep in the same bed with us? the White Dumpling asked. On TV, moms and dads always slept together, but at first, Lin Xia and Tang Yinlang hadn’t slept together—they didn’t even share a room until Tang Yinlang turned into a big white tiger.
“…” This was a question worth considering. Lin Xia hadn’t felt anything wrong with sleeping next to a big white tiger. But now, Tang Yinlang had not only returned to human form but also regained his memories. Lin Xia wouldn’t be facing a silly, adorable tiger, but his lover. Would sleeping together be moving too fast?
Lin Xia admitted he wasn’t quite ready to live together properly, even though they were currently in a state of semi-cohabitation.
“We’ll see,” Lin Xia gave an ambiguous answer.
“Aowu…” An An really wants to sleep with Daddy and Papi. Papi can even turn into the Big White Tiger to play with An An… The White Dumpling counted on his paws as he spoke.
“Daddy will discuss it with Papi.” Lin Xia couldn’t bear to refuse the White Dumpling, and guilt welled up inside him. He had been so focused on his own unpreparedness that he had ignored the White Dumpling’s feelings.
The White Dumpling wanted a complete family; he wanted both fathers with him. Lin Xia couldn’t let his own hesitation force the White Dumpling to wait even longer for a whole family.
“Aowu!” Okay! Hearing there was a chance, the White Dumpling’s voice filled with excitement.
Father and son quickly returned home, brought Molly into the car, and drove to the pet shop.
“Aowu!” The White Dumpling ran into the shop with great strides, looking majestic.
“Slow down,” Lin Xia called out from behind, worried he might fall.
“Aowu!” Good morning, Brother Ziyu, Brother Xiao Pang! As soon as he entered, the White Dumpling saw Wang Ziyu and Xiao Pang.
“Good morning, An An!” Wang Ziyu, knowing the White Dumpling was of a different race, treated him just the same as always. The only change was that he now knew the dumpling could understand him, so he was much more careful with his language to avoid corrupting the innocent little kid’s mind.
“Aowu?” Brother Ziyu, what are you doing? The White Dumpling watched curiously.
Wang Ziyu and Xiao Pang were squatting on the floor looking at Ergou, who was lying there panting heavily with his tongue out.
“Morning. What are you guys doing?” Lin Xia, following closely behind, saw the scene as he entered.
“Brother Lin, you’re finally here!” Seeing him was like seeing a savior. Wang Ziyu excitedly stood up and grabbed him to “complain.”
“Didn’t Ergou need to lose weight? Xiao Pang and I wanted to follow the diet plan you made. But he only moved a few times before flopping on the ground, and no matter how much we call him, he won’t get up.” Wang Ziyu looked full of resentment.
Yesterday, after Lin Xia created the diet plan, he authorized Wang Ziyu to oversee its execution. Wang Ziyu started with full confidence, but Ergou simply wouldn’t cooperate. Even under their forced attempts, the dog only exercised for a few minutes before playing dead.
“Really?” Lin Xia squatted down to check Ergou, wanting to see if he was sick.
“He’s fine, just tired.” After a preliminary check, Lin Xia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Ergou wasn’t sick and unable to move; he was clearly just tired and refusing to budge.
“You are so lazy.” Xiao Pang looked at his chubby dog with disdain, surprised at Ergou’s lack of perseverance.
“Woof…” Ergou lifted his head and barked once, as if refuting his little master.
“This won’t do,” Lin Xia said thoughtfully. “Rest for three more minutes, then you have to get up and run. If you don’t run, there’s no lunch for you today.”
regarding Lin Xia’s threat, Ergou only gave a symbolic protest whimper before continuing to lie there, unmoved.
“…” Lin Xia felt his authority was being challenged, but he didn’t have a good solution at the moment. However, he wasn’t in a rush; with a pet that wouldn’t budge, patience was key. Besides, Lin Xia needed to establish authority. He would starve Ergou for lunch to show him they were serious.
“Brother Lin, is Ergou really not getting any food for lunch?” Xiao Pang was a bit worried; he felt bad thinking of Ergou going hungry.
Since Ergou had joined their family, he had never missed a meal. Looking at Ergou’s overly voluptuous figure, it was obvious how well he ate.
Big Sister Sui sold aquatic products, and her husband sold pork, so the family never lacked meat. Everyone in the family was chubby—including the pet dog—except for Big Sister Sui, who just couldn’t gain weight.
“If Ergou doesn’t cooperate with the exercise, then no lunch,” Lin Xia said with a nod.
“Alright then.” Xiao Pang sighed, patting Ergou’s head sympathetically. He then went back to the sofa to do a “Ge You Slouch,” happily munching on a spicy strip (latiao).
“Brother Lin, Brother Ziyu, want one?” Xiao Pang offered the spicy strips to them.
“Yes!” Wang Ziyu pounced over quickly and joined in the eating.
“Is that the shredded squid kind? I want one too.” Seeing it was his favorite shredded squid flavor, Lin Xia’s cravings kicked in.
The “shredded squid” wasn’t made of real squid but flour shaped like it. Still, it smelled delicious—you could smell it from a room away.
“Here!” Xiao Pang enthusiastically handed one to Lin Xia.
“Aowu?!” Daddy, didn’t you say you don’t eat spicy strips?
The White Dumpling looked at Lin Xia eating the spicy strip with a shocked expression, feeling his worldview shattering. Didn’t Daddy say he didn’t eat these? Why was he eating one after another?!
“Daddy eats spicy strips occasionally, you just haven’t seen it.” Lin Xia didn’t eat them often, only when there were new products or his favorite flavors. Since the White Dumpling hadn’t seen it before, he assumed Lin Xia didn’t eat them. How could anyone not eat something as delicious as spicy strips?
“Aowu?” Can An An eat some then? Seeing his dad eat them, the White Dumpling was eager to try.
“No, you’re still too young.” Lin Xia’s best excuse was always “you’re too young.” Whenever he said that, the White Dumpling would obediently listen.
“Aowu…” Okay… The White Dumpling resigned himself to waiting until he grew up. Once he grew up, he could do so many things.
“How about Daddy makes you fried chicken and fried bean curd sticks when we go back?” Lin Xia patted the White Dumpling’s head, using fried chicken to divert his desire for spicy strips.
“Aowu!” Okay!
At the mention of fried chicken and fried bean curd sticks, the White Dumpling almost drooled. Lin Xia’s fried chicken and bean curd sticks were delicious—especially the bean curd sticks, which were perfect as snacks.
“Brother Lin…” Aside from the White Dumpling, Wang Ziyu and Xiao Pang were also staring at Lin Xia with glowing eyes.
“There’s enough for you too. I’ll make it tomorrow and bring some over.” Lin Xia laughed; it felt like looking at two small animals begging for food. He couldn’t not feed them.
“Oh yeah!” Wang Ziyu and Xiao Pang high-fived happily.
“Alright, back to work.” Lin Xia left the sofa to get busy.
“So Ergou just stays lying on the floor?” Xiao Pang called out to Lin Xia, unable to believe he was just letting Ergou lie there without taking any measures.
“Let’s leave him for now.” Lin Xia glanced at Ergou, deciding to let him be. Although Ergou loved to eat, he was currently full, so tempting him with food wouldn’t work to make him exercise. They had to wait until he was hungry.
Author’s Note: Fried chicken, beer, crayfish, BBQ, grilled fish, oysters, roast duck legs, fried noodles, fried rice, Malatang, Maocai, hot pot… Ahhh, I’m going crazy!
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