TMDP CH 27

Chapter 27: Are You Abandoning Us?

Han Mingxiu was stunned as he watched Xia Ye silently shed tears. His voice softened, as if afraid of disturbing something fragile. “What’s going on? What do you mean by saying you’re leaving him with me? What… what are you trying to say?”

As he spoke, an icy chill crept into his heart. He stood frozen, watching Xia Ye roughly wipe his eyes with his sleeve, trying to steady his breath before speaking.

“All of Xia Li’s usual things are packed in the suitcase. I wrote down a list of notes—it details his daily habits and schedule. I hope you can keep things consistent for him. Kids need a regular routine,” Xia Ye sniffled.

“He’s not a picky eater and prefers vegetables to meat, but he loves seafood the most. Any kind of fish is fine, but he especially likes shrimp and crab. Although he doesn’t have allergies, don’t let him eat too much. Crab is cold by nature, and for kids his age, half a crab is enough. Any more and he might get an upset stomach.

“He has a habit of drinking milk before bed. If you plan to switch to a different brand, mix the new one in gradually until he adjusts. During the day, he’s not too dependent on milk, but he insists on having that one bottle before bedtime. Oh, and make sure he brushes his teeth after drinking milk before sleeping, or else he’ll get cavities…”

Han Mingxiu felt like he had been abruptly jolted awake from a dream. He opened his mouth to speak, took a few deep breaths, and finally lost control. Grasping Xia Ye’s wrist, he pulled him out of Xia Li’s room.

Even in his near-panic, Han Mingxiu was careful to close the door gently so as not to wake the sleeping child. Xia Ye found this detail oddly comforting—at least Han Mingxiu was beginning to show signs of being a father.

Han Mingxiu led Xia Ye down the hallway to another room at a brisk pace. Xia Ye stumbled along behind him, struggling to keep up. He thought about pulling his wrist free but knew it was futile against an Alpha’s strength. The Alpha’s pheromones overwhelmed him, leaving him slightly dizzy, but he couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

When they reached the study, Han Mingxiu pushed Xia Ye into the room and onto the sofa. He knelt in front of him, unable to hide his grief and disbelief. Trembling, he tried to suppress his panic as he asked, “Why are you telling me all this? If there’s something I don’t know, you can just tell me. Why say it all at once now? I… I won’t remember it all…”

“I’m leaving,” Xia Ye replied, touching Han Mingxiu’s cheek as gently as he had just touched Xia Li’s. “I know you might not remember everything, which is why I wrote it all down for you. You can look at it later.”

Han Mingxiu couldn’t pretend anymore. Tears streamed down his face, dripping onto Xia Ye’s hand. Xia Ye pulled his hand back and quietly watched him.

“Where are you going?” Han Mingxiu finally managed to ask in a hoarse voice. “Why do you have to leave?”

“Why shouldn’t I leave?” Xia Ye countered. “We broke up three years ago—our relationship ended then. If there’s anything left between us, it’s only Xia Li.”

“As for Xia Li, I’ve thought about it for a long time. He’s a Han family child, after all. Even if I don’t let go, if you want to take him, there’s nowhere I can hide. No matter where I go, even to the ends of the earth, you’d find me. Fighting over this with you would be a losing battle. I don’t want to waste my time and energy running and hiding—it’s pointless. Besides, Xia Li deserves better care. I don’t have the right to take that away from him. He’s suffered too much with me…”

“When I go to work, I leave him with Aunt Wang. But when she’s busy, I have to hire temporary nannies. Xia Li sometimes ends up with strangers—he must be so scared. And I’m scared too—scared that I might unknowingly leave him with someone impatient or even abusive. Even when I’m home, if I’m rushing to meet a translation deadline, I can only let him play by himself. He’s so well-behaved and never disturbs me, but I know he’s lonely. I truly haven’t been able to provide him with a good environment.”

Xia Ye’s voice choked with emotion as he thought about the care Xia Li deserved but couldn’t receive. “I asked Xia Li what he thought. He said he liked it here. The Han family really can provide him with a better environment. The main house has so many people—grandparents who love him and others to keep him company. When you’re busy with work, they can take care of him. The caregivers are consistent, so he won’t suffer severe separation anxiety.”

“He already has separation anxiety when he’s away from you!” Han Mingxiu couldn’t hold back a low roar. “If you leave just like that, what will he do when he wakes up tomorrow and doesn’t see you?”

“Xia Li knows,” Xia Ye said, holding back his tears.

“He knows you’re leaving?” Han Mingxiu couldn’t believe it. “And he’s letting you go?”

“I… I told him I had to work in another city for a while. I asked him if he wanted to stay with Aunt Wang or come here to play with the dog. He chose the dog…” Xia Ye couldn’t continue as he recalled how Xia Li’s eyes had lit up with joy at the mention of playing with the dog. Guilt overwhelmed him. He had lied to an innocent child, manipulated him, knowing he would choose the dog. He had betrayed Xia Li’s trust.

“How could you lie to him? How could you lie to me?” Han Mingxiu’s voice was choked with emotion as he accused Xia Ye.

Xia Ye took a deep breath, steeling his heart to withstand the accusation, and continued, “Xia Li really likes the dog. Let him spend more time with it. Have you picked a name yet? Xia Li said he wants to call it ‘Big Dog,’ because I told him Samoyeds grow very big…”

“Fine, we’ll call it Big Dog,” Han Mingxiu said, nodding through his tears as he leaned his head weakly against Xia Ye’s hand.

“He might feel sad for a while. You have to treat him well and keep him distracted. Over time, he’ll… he’ll…” Xia Ye broke down completely, unable to finish. He’ll forget about me—the thought was too painful to voice.

“Xia Li can’t live without you,” Han Mingxiu said through his tears. “Neither can I. Are you abandoning us?”

Xia Ye shook his head, covering his face with his hands. Tears streamed through the gaps between his fingers.

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– End of chapter –

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