Chapter 81 [Side Story: Fantasy - Shrinking]: What if Xiaoxue's body suddenly became only five years old?
However, Ying Shixue is always very busy. From Monday to Saturday, you can basically only see her in the morning and evening. During the lunch break, she eats while making video calls. In the office hidden behind the heavy doors, the usually aloof beauty sits in front of her desk, adjusts the position and angle of her phone, and then chatters softly.
Ying Shixue wasn't very good at taking photos or videos, but her looks were just too stunning. Several times, as soon as Song Mingli answered the video call, a sudden beauty bombshell would appear on the screen. Sometimes it was other parts of her face, such as her long, delicate eyelashes, her elegant nose, or a small part of her very beautiful lower face. Even though he had seen, touched, and kissed those places countless times, Song Mingli would still be stunned every time.
One day, around lunchtime, Ying Shixue opened the lid of her lunchbox, her eyes lighting up noticeably. Song Mingli chuckled to himself, knowing it was because it contained his favorite taro balls—such sweet treats were usually limited.
Ying Shixue was eating her meal while talking to him between bites. Song Mingli was enjoying himself when suddenly his phone rang.
Song Mingli frowned slightly, and Ying Shixue swallowed the food in her mouth: "Go answer the phone first, we'll talk later."
Song Mingli glanced at the caller ID; it was a business partner he'd recently been in contact with. Due to the time difference, the other party might not have managed the time well. Ying Shixue was still looking at him, wearing the same shirt he'd picked out and prepared before bed the night before, which made her look calm and handsome.
Song Mingli's heart stirred slightly. Ignoring the ringing of the phone, he turned his head and pointed two fingers at his profile on the screen.
Ying Shixue's ear tips turned slightly red: "Go answer the phone first."
“But I’ve already worked hard all morning…” Song Mingli looked at him with a hint of disappointment and pity: “I need a kiss from Xiaoxue to have the energy to continue working.”
This guy has become increasingly adept at using these tricks lately. He wasn't like this before... but his eyes are deep and bright, he's handsome, and he doesn't act greasy at all. Ying Shixue curled her fingertips slightly, and after a while, she leaned close to the screen and gave a very light kiss.
He made this gesture with small movements and soft voice, as if deceiving himself by not even looking at the screen, yet the tips of his ears appeared red and his eyelashes were trembling, making him incredibly cute.
Song Mingli sighed inwardly, finally satisfied, and went to answer the phone to get back to work.
When I got back, it was already more than ten minutes later. The video call was still going on, but Ying Shixue seemed to have already fallen asleep during her afternoon nap.
He was lying on the table with his arm as a pillow. From his angle, all you could see was his soft, black hair whorl, a small part of his cheek, and his slender, straight fingers.
Song Mingli traced the outline of his lover's eyebrows and eyes on the screen, his eyes filled with deep emotion.
I wish we could be together 24 hours a day... I want to carry this person in my pocket and take them everywhere I go.
The next day was a weekday. At seven o'clock in the morning, the sunlight shone through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a long shadow on the floor. Song Mingli gradually woke up and felt that his arms were a little empty. He instinctively reached out to pull the person into his arms, but when he reached out, he found nothing.
Song Mingli immediately woke up and sat up abruptly in bed, only to find that the pillow next to him, where someone should have been lying comfortably, was completely empty.
In that instant, countless possibilities flashed through his mind, and his face darkened terribly. Just as he was about to get out of bed to find someone, he suddenly noticed a small bulge on the side of the blanket.
The bulge was very small, much smaller than the size of a normal adult. Song Mingli slowly approached, gently lifted the blanket, and then froze on the spot.
Lying on the bed was a child, about five or six years old, with soft black hair, fair cheeks and a bit of chubby baby fat. His little face was flushed because he was covered by the blanket, and he was fast asleep on the bed.
The point isn't that, but rather that the child is wearing what is clearly Ying Shixue's pajamas. Although he hasn't opened his eyes yet, his delicate and adorable appearance is exactly the same as his wife's when she was a child!
In an instant, an incredibly unbelievable thought flashed through Song Mingli's mind. Just as he was still struggling and hesitating, the child was probably awakened by the noise. He rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up.
It was originally a pajama set, a loose-fitting style, and it looked even bigger on someone his age. As he sat up, half of his shoulder, back, and chest were exposed from the neckline, and his outstretched arms were as tender as lotus roots. He opened his eyes and looked at him with a dazed expression, tilting his head.
"ya?"
The sound was meaningless, but it was soft and gentle, typical of someone that age. Song Mingli was worried that he would catch a cold, so he instinctively grabbed a small blanket from the side to wrap him up first.
Xiao Shixue seemed to come to his senses at this moment, and as if he had been frightened, he grabbed his clothes and backed away. But he was right next to the bed and was too young to keep his balance. He was about to fall off the bed.
Song Mingli's heart skipped a beat, and he reached out to grab him, but the blanket and clothes got tangled together, and the two of them finally fell off the bed with a thud.
Such an embarrassing situation was unprecedented in Song Mingli's life, but he couldn't care less about himself at the moment. He was anxious and somewhat at a loss, not daring to step forward and touch her: "...Xiaoxue?"
Why did you suddenly shrink? Do you still recognize me? Do you remember me? Did you fall anywhere? ...
He didn't know what the situation was, but the sudden grabbing of the blanket must have startled him... Song Mingli stood there for half a second in silence, then gave what he thought was a very gentle and approachable smile.
Xiao Shixue's dark, grape-like eyes narrowed suddenly, and after a long while, she burst into tears.
Half an hour later
Song Mingli sat at the dining table, his usual side-parted hairstyle now looking rather messy and disheveled. His shirt was crumpled and crumpled at the chest and sleeves. The child, who looked like an ice sculpture, was sitting cross-legged in the space between his legs, happily eating a small bowl of sweet egg custard, with tear stains still on his face.
The pants he wore when he was an adult were too long for him now, making it impossible for him to walk. Song Mingli took off his pants for him, but there were no clothes for a child that big at home. In the end, Xiao Yingxue was only wearing his shirt, with the cuffs rolled up several times, making it look like a long skirt that could cover him completely.
Song Mingli held him loosely with one hand to prevent him from accidentally falling, while his other face was deep in thought as he pondered what went wrong and how things had turned out this way.
Just as he was pondering, a spoon suddenly came close to his mouth. Xiao Shixue struggled to scoop up a spoonful of steamed egg custard, stretched out her arm tremblingly, and held it to his lips: "Yay!"
Song Mingli's heart melted. He opened his mouth and ate the spoonful of steamed egg custard, saying, "Thank you, Xiaoxue."
Little Xue pursed her lips shyly and bashfully, revealing a bashful smile, her little face pink and tender: "Ya!"
It means you're welcome.
This is what he discovered in the past half hour. It seems that not only her body, but also her intelligence is stuck at about five or six years old. She can't even speak human language, and can only utter a few fixed monosyllabic sounds. Yet she is so beautiful and cute, she looks like a little monster made from a chubby little dumpling.
They used to hire a part-time housekeeper, but there was no one else around. When steaming the egg custard, he steamed it a little larger than his current appetite. Xiao Xue scooped it out with a small spoon and finished it in a while. Song Mingli was afraid that he wouldn't know when he was full and would eat too much and get indigestion, so he rubbed Xiao Xue's little belly through his shirt to feel the change: "Xiao Xue, are you full?"
Xiao Shixue seemed a little confused by his meaning. She looked at him with her bright round eyes, tapped her chin with her index finger, and tilted her head: "Ba?" Full?
Song Mingli felt as if someone had gently tickled the softest spot in his heart. Just as he couldn't help but lower his head to rub against the person's chubby face, the doorbell suddenly rang.
He knew it was the assistant who came to deliver clothes and documents. After all, it wasn't a day off, and there was still a lot of work to be done. But Ying Shixue definitely couldn't be left alone, and he didn't have any clothes that a child that big could wear. So he simply had someone prepare the documents to be approved and the clothes to be bought and send them over together.
Song Mingli reached out and wiped the custard from the other man's mouth, then carried him towards the door with one arm.
Although the assistant was a little confused about why he needed to buy children's clothes when he received the message, he still did his job diligently and urgently. He carried the package of five sets of clothes in one hand and the documents in the other, waiting to hand them over when the door opened, and that would be considered a completed task. However, the moment the door opened, his eyes widened immediately.
"Mr. Song...Mr. Song!"
The assistant's arm, holding the clothes, trembled. "W-what the hell? Why is President Song suddenly carrying a child? Wait, when did President Song have a child? Is President Ying capable of having children? No, this child looks at least five years old. Did President Song betray us? No, no, President Song isn't that kind of person. Come to think of it, why does this child look so familiar? Right, where's President Ying? Does President Ying know about this? Did he stumble upon some huge secret? Will he be fired tomorrow for stepping into the company with his left foot...?"
Xiao Shixue was held firmly in Song Mingli's arms, her buttocks supported by one hand, while his other hands were around her neck. She turned her head with some curiosity to look at this stranger who had suddenly appeared.
Just then, another person in a white coat arrived, panting, carrying a medical kit. Upon seeing the three people facing off at the door, he slammed on the brakes, stumbled to a stop, and then widened his eyes in surprise after seeing them clearly.
Without him saying anything, Song Mingli knew what they were thinking. He coughed lightly and took the things from his assistant: "You didn't see anything today. Don't talk nonsense after you leave. Tell Mo Wen that your bonus will be doubled this quarter."
The assistant left in a daze, and Doctor Cheng Cheng was invited in.
"...That's how it is," Song Mingli concluded.
Cheng Cheng stared blankly at the sight of the medical books he had read. He couldn't believe that someone could suddenly turn from an adult into a child and lose all of their adult memories.
Xiao Shixue shifted uncomfortably. He still had the testing equipment attached to his body. Cheng Cheng quickly removed the equipment. He had been unwilling when it was first attached, but Song Mingli had to hug and coax him until he finally agreed to the examination.
"Fortunately, there's nothing seriously wrong with my health, and all my indicators are normal. In this situation... I guess it might just revert back on its own after a while?"
Even he himself wasn't sure about what he was saying. Cheng Cheng slammed the medical kit lid shut and turned around to find Xiao Shixue staring at him with wide, dark eyes and a wary expression, her little face fixed on the instrument.
Cheng Cheng chuckled. It's no wonder. The cub naturally hates being restrained and cold things. It was very obedient and patiently endured the examination while he was being examined.
Song Mingli lifted him up a little, and Xiao Shixue hugged his neck even tighter, whispering in his ear.
Even though they weren't speaking the same language, Song Mingli understood what he meant. He was saying that the person was bad, that he suspected the box contained something that could make someone uncomfortable, and that he had just bravely defeated it. He was telling the person to stay away from the person in white.
Cheng Cheng didn't have the decoding function: "But we can't keep him cooped up at home all the time. If possible, take him out to breathe some fresh air. This little..." He carefully considered his words: "This little dumpling spirit probably needs sunlight to grow up."
The little glutinous rice ball spirit bared its teeth and gave him a fierce look.
In reality, zero people were actually insulted.
Song Mingli nodded politely to him: "I understand, thank you for your help."
Two hours later, at Chengxi Park
This park is a man-made lakeside park with excellent landscaping. The interlacing trees create a cool and shady environment, making it a place where everyone, whether young or old, single people enjoying solitude or families wanting to spend quality time together, can find their place. As a result, many people like to stroll around here whenever they have free time. Importantly, there are also plenty of things for children to play with and eat.
On a bench under the shade of a tree by the lake, a tall and handsome man was sitting, next to a child who was not even as tall as his legs, curiously stuffing a large ball of cotton candy into his mouth.
The child was dressed very strangely, wearing a white adult male shirt over his clothes, but the buttons were loose and loose, making it look like he was carrying a large white cloth bag instead of wearing it. It also seemed like he was wearing clothes underneath.
Although he almost scared him to tears when they met in the morning, Xiao Shixue was very attached to him, probably because of the first impression of a fledgling bird. Before going out, she had to change her clothes and refused to take off her shirt, which was covered in his scent, and she cried until tears were about to come out.
When Xiao Shixue cries, she doesn't make a loud noise. She just quietly tugs at her clothes and sheds tears. Her nose and the corners of her eyes are all red. No matter how right she is, she feels that she is really guilty.
But it's so hot in the summer, what if he gets heatstroke from wearing so many layers? In the end, I found short-sleeved shirts and shorts among all the children's clothes, coaxed him to put them on, and then gave him a white shirt and held him.
Song Mingli readily accepted the cotton candy offered to him and ate it, secretly marveling at his success for what felt like the umpteenth time today.
See, that's how much his wife loves him!
It grew bigger and smaller, becoming a kitten, and it was always the best friend in the world to him.
A cool breeze was blowing. Because it was by the lake, the afternoon wasn't too hot. Children of this age are always restless. After playing on the bench for a while, they opened their eyes and looked curiously at the slides surrounding the beach.
Song Mingli followed his gaze and asked, "Want to go?"
Xiao Shixue nodded.
Song Mingli scooped him into his arms, and the sudden increase in height made Xiao Shixue exclaim excitedly. Then she giggled and hugged his neck, rubbing against his cheeks and chin.
In a good mood, Song Mingli carried the person all the way to the slide park, and put the person down when they arrived.
Xiao Shixue excitedly grasped his finger and tried to step inside, but after taking a step, she realized she couldn't move.
?
He looked back in confusion.
This place is for children to play, and all the facilities are designed for children's size. Although there are no explicit rules, children are generally allowed to go in while adults stand outside and watch.
Song Mingli squatted down to explain to him. Xiao Shixue looked at him, then at the slide behind them, pouted, and hugged him, refusing to go.
Song Mingli's heart almost melted. He didn't really want to be separated, but Xiao Shixue rarely came out, and as a responsible parent, he coughed lightly and said, "Just go play for a little while, okay? Come back when you're tired. Your brother will be standing here waiting for you. You'll see me as soon as you turn around."
"ya?"
Song Mingli nodded: "Really."
He took off his watch and gave it to him: "If you take my watch, I won't be able to leave even if I want to."
Children are naturally lively. After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Shixue pinched his finger and kissed it, then hugged his watch and ran happily towards the beach slide.
Damn it...
Song Mingli stood up and looked at that small figure from behind.
I invited them to go, and they were only there for a short while, so what's with this strange, mixed feeling of melancholy...?
Xiao Shixue walked to the slide, thought for a while, then climbed up with a thud, and waited in line. When it was his turn to slide, he instinctively went to look for Song Mingli's figure outside the fence.
Song Mingli was happily snapping photos with his phone when he noticed Ying Shixue looking at him. He smiled and waved at her.
Xiao Shixue finally made up her mind, sat down and slid down to the bottom.
After the first time, the second time was no problem. There is not only one slide, but also many other play facilities. Xiao Shixue got a little tired after playing for a while, so she sat on the side and built a sandcastle by herself.
"Hello!"
Suddenly, several pairs of shoes appeared in front of her. Xiao Shixue looked up and saw a group of very arrogant-looking boys. Their faces clearly showed surprise when they saw her look up. They exchanged glances subtly, and then whispered among themselves: "I told you she was a girl..." "Her skin is so fair..." "Which school is she from? I've never seen her before..."
The one in the lead, wearing Anari shoes, was probably only seven or eight years old, but very strong. He snorted and took a step forward: "I'm going to build sandcastles here!"
Come and beg me!
Although he disliked having strangers on his turf, if she insisted on saying a few nice words and telling him which school she went to, and then coming to visit him again on the weekend, he wasn't the petty, unsociable person who wouldn't share...
Xiao Shixue glanced at him, then ignored him and continued building her sandcastle.
Go back to doing your own thing? The boy immediately got annoyed. He was at that age where he was both most immature and most concerned about his image, and she was completely ignoring him in front of so many people...
He stepped forward and tried to grab her arm: "Hey, did you hear me?!"
Xiao Shixue dodged his hand, unwilling to get entangled with him. His sandcastle was already taking shape, and after a little longer, he could show it to that person. However, the person was completely persistent, and in the struggle, he kicked the sandcastle down.
Sand and dust billowed in one direction, leaving the little boy completely stunned.
Oh my god, no way, she won't cry, will she? Girls are the most troublesome when they cry, they'll call their parents. I looked over there and sure enough, the pretty girl who looked like a doll had red eyes.
"Um, I..." He tried to approach and explain, but the next second, with a loud thud, the girl punched him hard in the eye socket without holding back.
Ten minutes later
Song Mingli held Xiao Shixue in his arms, patting his back soothingly with his large hands, while coldly watching the middle-aged man in front of him who was holding the child.
Wang Xing had taken the rare opportunity to bring his child to the park today. Although he had promised to spend the whole day playing with his child, he had too much work to do and had just been on the phone: "I'm sorry, Mr. Song, the child doesn't know any better... Wang Linkai! Apologize to him!"
Wang Linkai, the second-grade boy who had been leading the charge, stood next to his father. His right eye, which had just been hit, was already swollen and bruised, making him look comical and funny. He crossed his arms and tried to look cool and not in pain, but his eyes were brimming with tears, which he dared not let fall because of the sting and his need to maintain his composure.
He twisted his mouth after being yelled at, turned his head away, and refused to say a word.
"He hit me!" It wasn't until the other child's parents arrived that he realized the little girl wasn't a girl, but a boy.
Why does a boy have to be so handsome, and why is he dressed like he's wearing a skirt... His dad slapped him on the head: "Did you mess with him first?!"
Song Mingli looked at the father and son with a sarcastic expression. They weren't like this when he arrived. He recognized the man; he was from a furniture company that had recently submitted a cooperation proposal. The company was fairly large, but it was clearly no match for such a large corporation.
Before building the sandcastle, Xiaoxue specifically ran over and told him not to look until he called her. Adhering to the principle of respecting the child's freedom, and besides, he had put a locator in Xiaoxue's pendant before leaving home, so he wasn't worried about her getting lost. Therefore, he went to the side to wait.
Unexpectedly, something happened in just a short while. Wang Xing had just finished making a phone call and returned. When he saw that his son had been beaten, he immediately turned hostile. Fortunately, he was still rational, but his tone was extremely rude. Song Mingli arrived just in time to witness this scene.
Relying on his money and connections, he thought he was superior and loudly questioned them. Ying Shixue had already stood up and coldly looked at the father and son. Her eyebrows and eyes showed a lot of the cold and stern look she would have had in her adulthood.
Song Mingli immediately realized that his precious child had been wronged.
“Baby,” he crouched down and opened his arms to him, “come here to your brother.”
When Xiao Shixue saw him coming, she still maintained a cold expression. It wasn't until she got close to him that she sniffed and almost burst into tears. She then buried herself in his arms, not wanting anyone to see her secretly crying.
Song Mingli picked him up and stood up. The man who had been so arrogant was stunned when he saw that the parent he had called was him. He was initially incredulous, but after looking at him repeatedly to confirm, his attitude immediately changed completely. He pressed his son down and made him apologize.
At this moment, Wang Xing was thinking to himself, "Brother? But they look so far apart in age, and I've never heard of President Song having a child. Didn't he just get married not long ago?"
Does President Ying know about this? This young daughter of President Song... oh wait, I just said it's a boy... Seriously, how come this child is so beautiful and so young? No wonder Wang Linkai mistook her for someone else; anyone would hesitate at first glance, wondering if it was a boy or a girl...
After being told something again, Wang Linkai finally stood up, looking down with a sullen voice: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you to leave this place and then kicked over your sandcastle."
Xiao Shixue was held in Song Mingli's arms and didn't even turn her head when she heard this.
Wang Xing had a sudden inspiration: "I'm really sorry about what happened today. Lin Kai kicked over the young master's sandcastle. How about we find another time to have Lin Kai build him a bigger and better sandcastle?"
This statement clearly indicates an attempt to use today's incident to establish a working relationship with him through the interactions between the two children.
A slight smile played on Song Mingli's lips as he looked at him with an ambiguous expression.
Wang Xing felt uneasy under Song's gaze, but this was a golden opportunity he absolutely couldn't miss. Had he been too obvious about his intentions just now, offending President Song, and perhaps they were the kind of families who loved to play dirty tricks...?
Mr. Song values this child so much, he might really be someone's illegitimate child, but he certainly couldn't say that outright. He carefully chose his words in his mind: "Raising a child these days is really not easy, and raising a child well is even more difficult. You're already so busy with work, yet you still find time to take the child out to play."
"Sigh, I've been so busy. His mother usually takes care of him, but I finally had time to bring him out today..." Her tone was full of satisfaction with her parenting: "I think the young master is really handsome and smart; he'll definitely do well in his studies, unlike my Lin Kai, who's big and burly and always up to no good. If you ask me..."
"No need for further words." Song Mingli coldly interrupted him: "He has not fulfilled his own responsibilities and has pushed all the responsibility of educating the child onto his mother. He only does it once and then comes to boast about it. I am not surprised that the child has turned out like this."
There were still many people around, and Wang Xing's face flushed red and then paled with embarrassment: "President Song..."
"Apologize."
Song Mingli checked the time: "For your initial words and actions that threatened Xiaoxue."
The group of friends were completely terrified. Wang Xing had originally planned to win over this young master by apologizing in a lighthearted manner, which would have given him some reputation without making him lose face. But now that someone had said it so seriously, he couldn't afford to offend this person.
He gritted his teeth and lowered his head, saying, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you and accused you without understanding the reason. Uncle knows he was wrong."
Xiao Shixue nuzzled his cheek, whispered softly in his ear, "Ya~"
"Okay." Song Mingli drawled out the last syllable, his tone particularly indulgent: "Let's ignore them and go."
Song Mingli pulled the person closer, glanced at the group of people in front of him with an indifferent yet extremely oppressive look, and then left.
"Wait!" A male voice suddenly came from behind, and the boy who had been leading them at the beginning rushed over and went around to the front of them.
Wang Linkai said sincerely, "Uncle, I really know I was wrong. I shouldn't have bullied other children. I deeply realize my mistake. Thank you, Uncle and my brother, for teaching me a lesson today..."
Song Mingli raised an eyebrow, and Wang Linkai swallowed hard, trying to bolster his own courage while stealing glances at the person in Song Mingli's arms.
Song Mingli was over 1.9 meters tall and had a well-developed physique from years of fitness training. He could easily lift the child up on his arm and have him sit on it, leaning on the child's neck. The white shirt he was wearing had ridden up, and the two white and tender legs exposed under the swaying shorts were white and tender.
Wang Linkai: "Could I know my younger brother's name?"
Song Mingli paused, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as he sized up the boy, who wasn't even as tall as his waist. After a moment, he smiled slightly.
"cannot."
Children's energy is limited. They got up early this morning and played around for a long time, so now they're so sleepy that their little heads are tilting to one side.
Song Mingli carefully supported him, letting him rest his head on his shoulder. The driver used all his skill to drive at the smoothest speed on the road, ensuring that there would be no bumps that would wake the young master.
When they got home, Song Mingli thought for a moment and gently placed her on the bed. Even though Xiao Shixue was asleep, she was very clingy and wouldn't let go of his clothes.
Song Mingli chuckled, then took off his coat and got into bed, pulling the person into his arms and gently patting him as if to lull him to sleep.
Originally intended to lull someone to sleep, the atmosphere in the bedroom was so wonderful and reassuring that as Song Mingli patted him, his eyelids gradually grew heavy, and he eventually fell asleep as well.
He slept soundly, unaware of the passage of time. In his sleep, Song Mingli touched something and suddenly felt a chill beside him. He sat up abruptly and saw a tall figure standing by the window not far away, buttoning his shirt one button at a time with incredibly elegant movements.
Noticing that he had woken up, he glanced this way. In the sunlight, half of his profile was as white as snow, with black hair and long eyebrows. Just one profile was enough to make one's heart flutter.
Song Mingli's heart began to pound warmly, and he stepped forward to hug the person, saying, "You're back."
Ying Shixue lowered her eyelashes and gently hugged him back.
—The Shrinking Chapter—
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