Chapter 46: Does He Want to Snatch the Child?

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Does He Want to Snatch the Child?

"Just as I thought. The fastest way to bury one trending topic is to create another."

Fu Chao remarked as he scrolled through his phone.

Nan Zhi raised an eyebrow.

’This was the first time she’d ever seen someone so happy to be torn to shreds online!’

The moment they closed the fried rice stall for the night, Fu Chao had eagerly pulled out his phone.

She glanced over and finally understood what a storm had brewed online during the few hours they had been busy working their feet to the bone.

"You didn’t have to do that, you know," she said.

Fu Chao thought she was worried about him and deliberately adopted a lighthearted tone.

"I didn’t do it for you. I did it for myself, so I can have a clear conscience. Besides, as an actor, my work should speak for itself. How can I let my fans control me?"

Nan Zhi blinked.

"Right, I know you didn’t do it for me. But I’m a little worried I’m going to be assassinated by your fans and your agency."

Fu Chao was momentarily speechless.

But then, a thought occurred to him.

"...How about I get you a couple of bodyguards?"

’Her concern actually sounded pretty reasonable.’

Nan Zhi let out a snort of laughter.

"I’m just kidding!"

Her features relaxed. It had been a long time since she’d laughed so freely.

’She had to admit, Fu Chao’s move to draw all the fire had made her see him in a new light.’

’Before, her relationship with Fu Chao had been somewhat utilitarian.’

’But now... she thought being friends with him might not be so bad.’

’He was sincere and worth getting to know.’

’And heaven knew how rare a quality like sincerity was in the entertainment industry!’

Fu Chao scratched his head, his gloom dissipating, and he soon joined Nan Zhi in her laughter.

From a distance, the atmosphere between them was warm and harmonious.

A short while later, Fu Chao took a phone call and stepped away.

Nan Zhi was left alone at the fried rice stall, cleaning up.

A figure, deeper and darker than the night itself, calmly approached.

"One egg fried rice, thank you."

The familiarity of that voice struck her more deeply than she would have expected.

Without even pausing, she knew who it was.

Lu Shixu.

She looked up and saw him. Lu Shixu was dressed in a black suit of the finest cut and fabric, outlining a figure as tall and straight as a pine on a cliff’s edge.

His aura was still uniquely cold. Though he stood in the middle of a bustling, noisy night market, with people constantly passing by, he was like a solitary crane, completely out of place, drawing a clear, sharp line between himself and everyone else.

A man like Lu Shixu had no business being here.

Nan Zhi desperately wanted to ask him—

’Why are you here?’

But the words died on her lips, replaced by:

"Sorry, we’re sold out of fried rice."

Her voice was calm and composed, and she looked at Lu Shixu as if he were a complete stranger.

Lu Shixu, in turn, was observing her.

The atmosphere grew delicate in the silence.

This scene did not go unnoticed by the Cub standing a short distance away.

Perhaps it was the bond between mother and son.

Or perhaps it was an innate instinct for danger.

The moment Nan Yi saw Lu Shixu for the first time, he felt an instant, unthinking hostility toward the man.

Holding a small bag of egg cakes, he shot forward like a little tornado and barreled into Nan Zhi’s arms.

"Mama!"

Nan Zhi instinctively wrapped her arms around Nan Yi.

Her attention was instantly drawn away, completely monopolized by her son.

Her tone became gentle, devoid of the cold detachment she’d shown Lu Shixu.

"You’re back already? Were the egg cakes good?"

"They’re yummy."

Nan Yi tilted his head up slightly, and a pair of calm, wary eyes peeked out from his mother’s embrace... and locked gazes with Lu Shixu.

It was a showdown between a wolf king in his prime and a young wolf still growing into his strength.

In that brief instant, an unspoken understanding passed between them.

To Lu Shixu, ’This is no ordinary child.’

To Nan Yi, ’I hate this man!’

"What’s wrong?"

Nan Zhi felt Nan Yi was being especially clingy. While she secretly enjoyed it, she was also a little worried.

She was afraid he had been bullied again somewhere she hadn’t seen.

Nan Yi shook his head forcefully.

"I’m just a little tired."

Nan Zhi quickly said,

"We’ll be home soon, and then you can rest."

When she turned her head, she was surprised to see that Lu Shixu still hadn’t left.

’What is going on?’

’Does he have something he wants to say to me?’

’Or could it be... he’s worried about me because of what happened today?’

Nan Zhi found the thought laughable.

’Their breakup years ago had been anything but amicable.’

’The year Nan Yi was born had been the darkest, most desperate time of her life. She had swallowed all her pride and self-respect to ask him for help, only to find his phone number was no longer in service.’

’In all the years since, they had never once been in contact, becoming complete strangers to one another.’

’...So what was Lu Shixu doing now?’

"Customer, is there something else?"

She deliberately stressed the word "customer," reminding Lu Shixu of his current status.

Lu Shixu seemed not to understand, his gaze fixed dazedly on Nan Yi.

"Is he... your biological child?"

Nan Zhi’s expression darkened.

"Of course!"

’What is he trying to do?’

’Does he want to fight me for custody?’

"He is *my* son, and mine alone!"

She stressed every word.

Lu Shixu froze.

Faced with Nan Zhi’s blatant hostility, he felt a sense of helplessness that was rare for him.

Then again, asking a mother such a question was rather tactless.

He was accustomed to hiding his emotions, so his expression only grew more tense and solemn.

He said nothing more, simply nodded, and left.

Nan Zhi only let out a small sigh of relief after she watched Lu Shixu’s back disappear into the night market crowd.

’While she didn’t know the specifics of Lu Shixu’s background, she had gathered enough before their breakup to know he came from an immense, powerful clan—the kind of old money family that held both wealth and influence.’

’She was no longer the master chef from the Otherworld, second to only one and revered by all. She was just an ordinary mother, raising her child alone.’

’If Lu Shixu were to use his money and resources to fight her for custody, she wasn’t sure she could win... ’

’She would never, ever let that happen!’

Nan Yi keenly sensed his mother’s agitation and hugged her tighter.

Then, he quietly lowered his long lashes, hiding the intense gloom in his eyes as he said softly,

"I don’t like that man."

Ordinarily, Nan Zhi might have gently admonished him, encouraging Nan Yi not to form a negative impression of his biological father.

But right now, with all her defenses raised, she wasn’t foolish enough to speak up for Lu Shixu.

Nan Zhi gently patted Nan Yi’s back.

"Mm, you don’t have to like him."

Nan Yi felt a flicker of happiness and secretly curled the corner of his lips.

"Oh, right," Nan Zhi said. "Where’s Qing Xi?"

Nan Yi had gone with Qing Xi to buy the egg cakes.

The smile on Nan Yi’s lips silently vanished.

"He’s probably back there somewhere."

Nan Zhi didn’t notice his subtle shift in mood and craned her neck to look around.

She finally spotted him in front of a small cotton candy cart, biting his finger and drooling.

Nan Yi called out, "Qing Xi!"

Qing Xi slowly turned his head and sighed.

"Yiyi, you’re supposed to call me Brother Qing Xi."

He said, starting to walk back, though he kept glancing over his shoulder.

Nan Zhi watched, amused.

"You want one?"

Qing Xi’s eyes lit up in a flash, only to dim just as quickly.

"No thank you, Auntie. I already had egg cakes. I shouldn’t be too greedy."

’After all, his little uncle was completely broke!’

Nan Yi scoffed internally. ’Hmph. At least you know your place.’