The Gentle Man Next Door is a Rabbit - 29

 

TGMNDIAR - 29

Xu Mu passed his makeup exam, and the "makeup exam passed" annotation on his transcript made him relieved.

—Phew, that was close. There’s no risk of getting expelled anymore.

But studying architecture was actually harder than he imagined, it required a lot of time.

After mastering theoretical knowledge, the rest relied mainly on practical skills.

Learning to draw, design, and make models, among other things.

In Xu Mu's impression, architecture was about red bricks, tiles, reinforced concrete, but in this world, there were thousands of new materials for building, each bringing along additional knowledge.

He found it somewhat unreasonable: the industry standard hoped that architects would be all-rounders, preferably knowing a little bit of everything, unless they were exceptionally outstanding in one aspect and became a big shot figure, only then focusing on "excellence".

Therefore, the curriculum set by the school was extensive and increasingly diverse.

Knowledge was vast like the ocean, and Xu Mu truly felt the weight of this statement.

Xu Mu's schedule was packed to the brim, down to the minute.

The college's work-study program was quite flexible, allowing students to choose their own time.

In addition to picking up Ye Ye from kindergarten at noon and in the afternoon, Xu Mu has quite a bit of scattered time to utilize. Although the schedule is fragmented, the college is very friendly, not intending to make students work hard, but hoping to help those who have difficulties. Xu Mu has managed to fill in all the nooks and crannies of his schedule.

So, every day, Xu Mu checks his schedule and completes what needs to be done, wasting not a single moment. His schedule was so full that he was walking with the wind.

...

Kindergarten Gate

As usual, Xu Mu stood beside a large stone pillar at the kindergarten gate to pick up Ye Ye, with many other parents waiting nearby.

A dense crowd, standing in rows, all bowing their heads, glued to their screens, watching videos, entertainment news, and playing games, all maintaining a sense of order.

Xu Mu is no exception, with his head down, eyes glued to the screen.

But what he's watching is completely different. If someone were to happen to glance at it unintentionally, they would probably give him a thumbs up—

It was a video of an outstanding architect's lecture on the school's official website.

"Daddy!"

Xu Mu had just lifted his head when a round ball hit his shin. He quickly picked up Ye Ye and casually brushed off the dust from the other person's pants, saying, "What's this? Are you using me like a mop?"

Ye Ye giggled, his eyes forming crescent moons.

Xu Mu couldn't stay annoyed anymore with his laughter.

"Daddy!" Ye Ye suddenly pointed his finger.

Xu Mu paused, looking around, "Where?"

Brother Nian is here?

"There!" Ye Ye used his little hand to turn Xu Mu's head.

"Are you kidding—" Xu Mu paused, the white-haired old man in the video was speaking confidently, and among the teaching materials displayed, there was a familiar photo.

He silently rewound the video, staring at the subtitles.

[...Speaking of innovation just now, I can proudly say it comes from one of my former students. I am still proud of him to this day. If you continue in this industry, you may have the opportunity to meet him and collaborate with him on designs.]

After the white-haired old man finished speaking, the presentation displayed a photo. Xu Mu paused and leaned in to take a closer look—

A seven-point broken fringe, half-frame glasses, slightly tender features, lips slightly pursed, a pointed chin, and fair skin.

He looked into the camera, exuding a restrained tranquility like autumn leaves.

Brother Nian looked so young and inexperienced.

Xu Mu tapped his finger and took a screenshot.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Ye Ye happily leaned his little face closer.

Xu Mu patted his head, "Hmm, you're really amazing, seeing Daddy at a glance."

Ye Ye, hearing the praise, covered his face and hummed a few times, obviously proud.

"Alright, let's go home."

"Okay! Let's go home."

At the end of October, the temperature suddenly dropped, and the cold wind pierced through his bones, visible breaths filling the air as pedestrians hurried along the streets, unwilling to linger.

Ye Ye didn't feel the cold, swaying and chattering non-stop, his little face flushed with excitement.

"It smells good..." Ye Ye sniffed, "Daddy it smells good!"

"What smells good?" Xu Mu was puzzled.

Ye Ye was almost drooling, "Smell... chestnuts! Delicious!"

Xu Mu noticed it was a newly opened roasted nut shop. The decoration was fresh and cute, following the adorable style. It seemed quite popular, with a long line outside, and many people were taking photos, making it lively.

"Do you want to eat?" Xu Mu asked.

Ye Ye vigorously nodded, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "Daddy is good!"

Xu Mu chuckled, "But I haven't agreed yet, have I?"

Ye Ye kissed him again.

Xu Mu teased him, "What if Daddy says no to buying it?"

Ye Ye's face fell, he pouted and looked at Xu Mu, "...Daddy is bad."

Xu Mu pinched his nose, "Oh, so not buying it makes Daddy bad?"

"Just a little... just a little..." Ye Ye gestured with his small hand, only holding up a tiny bit with his little finger, looking pitifully at Xu Mu.

Xu Mu laughed heartily, "Alright, alright, just a little bit."

The shop wafted with the sweet aroma of sugar-roasted chestnuts, enticingly sweet. The reddish light illuminated the pile of chestnuts making them glossy and inviting, tempting the onlookers.

"Hello, may I ask what flavor you would like?" 

Xu Mu carefully looked and noticed besides the classic white sugar-roasted, there were various other flavors available.

Such as matcha, chocolate, mango, grape—

It was as impactful as strawberry tofu and cream dumplings.

"Ye Ye, what flavor do you want?"

"This one!" Ye Ye pointed at the glass box of white sugar-roasted chestnuts, his eyes sparkling, almost wanting to press his face against it.

"Okay," Xu Mu said, "Please give us a bag of that."

Ye Ye immediately turned his head, his round eyes staring at him.

Xu Mu raised an eyebrow, "Not enough yet? Can your tummy fit so much?"

"...Not enough... more!" Ye Ye extended one hand, "I want more!"

"You want five bags?"

"Mmm!" 

Xu Mu shook his head, "No, you can't eat so much, and it won't stay fresh if we bring it home. Can we settle for one more bag?"

"Four!"

"No."

"Three!"

Xu Mu chuckled, "You've been using these numbers you learned at kindergarten a lot."

"But still no." He suppressed his smile, "Only two bags, any more and Brother Nian will have to come find me."

Ye Ye was unhappy, twisting his body and pouting.

But Xu Mu remained firm, unmoved by his tantrum, saying two bags were two bags, and he wouldn't spoil the child.

He finished the payment and glanced at the account balance.

Yay! The savings for this month were almost gone.

"Thank you for your patronage," 

Xu Mu replied with a "Hmm" and took the beautifully packaged paper bag.

"Daddy! Likes it!" Ye Ye suddenly exclaimed loudly.

Xu Mu paused, "Are you saying... your daddy loves eating chestnuts?"

"Yes!" Ye Ye crisply replied, his big black grape-like eyes bright and filled with the sincerity of a child, "Daddy loves eating this so, so, so much!"

As he spoke, he even exaggeratedly opened his arms, trying to show just how much he loved it.

Xu Mu remained silent for a moment, their eyes meeting. He turned to the polite staff and said, "Excuse me, I'd like to order..."

…

Back at home

"Daddy—" Ye Ye wriggled out of Xu Mu's arms, high-fived with Kadou, and ran to the kitchen.

Bai Nian also peeked out from behind the glass door, gentle light falling softly on his face as he smiled warmly, "Ye Ye's back."

"Daddy, kiss!" Ye Ye tilted his head back, closing his eyes.

Bai Nian smiled and bent down to kiss his forehead, "Baby, were you good at school today?"

"Good!"

"Great. Did you listen to your big brother?"

"Yes! Daddy is good, good, good, good!"

Xu Mu in the living room smirked slightly. This kid, his mouth was now sweeter than honey.

The room was heated, and Xu Mu took off his thin fleece jacket, revealing a loose black sweatshirt underneath.

"Brother Nian." Xu Mu handed over a large bag of chestnuts, "I bought sugar-roasted chestnuts."

Bai Nian was surprised, "Why did you buy so many?" He roughly estimated there were at least several dozen bags.

"It's okay." Xu Mu turned his head slightly, "Don't you like them? I bought more so we can eat together."

Bai Nian was bewildered. Who liked eating them?

He asked, "Why do you think I like them?"

Xu Mu glanced at Ye Ye, who was already busy peeling chestnuts, innocently looking back at him.

"Ye Ye said you like sugar-roasted chestnuts." He added, "Really like them."

Bai Nian was helpless. How can he not understand?

"Thank you for your kindness, but—" he sighed, "It's Ye Ye who loves them. I'm okay with them. I can't say I like them a lot, but I don't dislike them either."

Xu Mu: "..." This little liar! He actually lied to him!

"You've spent so much money buying these."

Bai Nian pinched Ye Ye's cheeks, "Ye Ye, don't lie to your big brother next time, okay?"

Ye Ye innocently looked over and whispered, "Sorry, Daddy, I won't lie to you next time."

Xu Mu stiffly said, "Hmm, it's okay."

Ye Ye smiled to please him, specially handing Xu Mu a chestnut with a bumpy surface, "Daddy, eat!"

Xu Mu looked at the chestnut flesh with skin peeled off everywhere, unsure whether to accept it.

Bai Nian also noticed and gently patted Ye Ye's hand, "Okay, you eat it yourself, there are nail marks all over it from your nails."

Ye Ye muttered, "It's hard to open... Daddy..."

"Alright, I'll peel a few for you." Bai Nian sat down, "But don't eat too many. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Okay."

Bai Nian peeled quickly, and Ye Ye ate with a mouthful of chestnuts, still grumbling.

Especially about the part where he asked Xu Mu to buy chestnuts.

"...Originally, there were only two... I said Daddy likes them... Daddy bought so many, hmph, he likes Daddy... doesn't like me..."

Xu Mu chuckled, "Ye Ye, you still have the nerve to say that?"

Ye Ye glanced at him sneakily, then ate another chestnut, "That's right..."

Xu Mu said softly, "If there's a next time, I'll spank you."

Ye Ye muttered, "Bad..."

Xu Mu leaned forward and gently bumped his forehead against Ye Ye's, not using much force, "Who's bad?"

Ye Ye hummed a few times, trying to say something, but Bai Nian stuffed a chestnut in his mouth, "Alright, Ye Ye, this is the last one, no more."

"Ah Mu, do you want to try? The chestnuts are very sweet," Bai Nian asked with a smile.

Xu Mu waved his hand, "No need, you eat it, I don't—"

A peeled chestnut was placed against his lips, and Bai Nian smiled gently, "Don't you like chestnut cakes?"

Xu Mu wanted to say they were different, but looking into Bai Nian's eyes, he inexplicably ate it.

"Is it sweet?"

Xu Mu couldn't actually taste anything.

"Sweet."

...

After dinner, Xu Mu prepared to leave.

Bai Nian stopped him, "Ah Mu, the kindergarten has informed parents that parents must wear formal attire for Ye Ye's performance on the weekend."

Xu Mu: "Formal attire? Okay, got it."

"Do you have one?"

"...Probably not, I'll just buy a set then." But a suit in this weather wouldn't be warm.

"I see." Bai Nian said softly, "A few days ago, I ordered clothes at the tailor's, and I also had a set made for you. The size is estimated based on mine. Do you want to try it? I've already washed it."

Xu Mu was a bit surprised. Hearing this, he hesitated, "Let me take a shower first."

"Sure."

Twenty minutes later

"So fast?" Bai Nian opened the door and saw Xu Mu dressed lightly. He quickly ushered him in, "Why did you come over in short sleeves and shorts?"

"To try on the clothes, it's convenient."

"Okay, I'll get them for you."

Xu Mu took the clothes and found it was indeed a complete set, including a woolen coat, trousers, turtleneck sweater, and leather shoes.

"Hurry up and change." Bai Nian was worried Xu Mu might catch a cold and urged him into the bathroom.

Xu Mu was caught off guard, already holding the clothes inside.

He ran his hand through his hair and started to change.

In just a few minutes, Xu Mu came out.

Bai Nian seemed to be aware of it. The moment he raised his head, his breath stagnated instantly.

Indeed, it fit even better than he had imagined.

Xu Mu noticed Bai Nian's silence and felt a bit uneasy, "Is it not good-looking?"

Bai Nian walked over, tidying up the collar for Xu Mu and smoothing out the creases.

"It looks good." He lowered his eyelids and said softly, "There are hidden buttons on the inside of the collar to shape it. Did you fasten them?"

"What hidden buttons?" Xu Mu hadn't noticed.

"Let me help you." Bai Nian unbuttoned each button, his hand slowly feeling around the inside, as if searching by touch.

The suit was designed with a double-breasted button design, but there was no waist-narrowing design. Instead, because of the woolen material, the silhouette was deliberately straight and wide, more suitable for winter, providing both warmth and style.

Xu Mu tensed slightly, feeling his fingers pressed against his bones through the thin sweater, from the chest to the collarbone, the sensation was peculiar.

"Ah Mu."

"... What's wrong?"

"Is this comfortable? Are the hidden buttons on the collar too tight? If they are, should I adjust them?"

"Not at all."

"Good, that's a relief."

A soft breath brushed against Xu Mu's chin, warm and moist, making his back even tighter.

"Why... would a suit collar have hidden buttons?" It was the first time he had heard of it. Was it something unique to this world?

"It's probably for convenience in different occasions and for aesthetics. Of course, that's what advertisements say. Whether it's entirely true, you might have to ask the designer who first came up with this style."

"Okay..." From Xu Mu's angle, he could just see Bai Nian buttoning up for him.

His fingers were slender, his knuckles distinct. When the light shone on them, they looked like polished jade, smooth and delicate.

"Yeah, it suits you very well." Bai Nian took a step back, a hint of a smile crossing his eyes.

"Thank you, Brother Nian." Xu Mu felt a bit unsure of what to do with his hands and feet, feeling like a frozen statue.

"Take a few steps, see if there's anything uncomfortable or if it feels too tight anywhere?"

Xu Mu walked around, then noticed his reflection in the mirror, his movements and posture mirrored, and quickly changed.

"It's okay, it's just... I'm not used to high collars, it feels a bit tight around my neck."

"Tight around the neck? Let me see."

Bai Nian's breath gently touched Xu Mu's chin once again.

This time, when Bai Nian's touch reached Xu Mu's neck, there was a slight chill, barely perceptible, as it glided over his Adam's apple.

Xu Mu abruptly stepped back, Bai Nian froze, his hand suspended in mid-air.

"I'm sorry, did my fingers feel too cold?" Bai Nian asked.

Xu Mu: "...No, it's... itchy."

His hands were clearly as cold as ice, yet Xu Mu felt as if they were being licked by flames, dry, rough, and itchy.

It was faintly hot.

"I didn't mean to move." Xu Mu restrained the urge to step back further. "Please continue."

"No need, it might be a problem with the proportion of shoulder width to neck. I'll take it to get adjusted later," Bai Nian suggested.

Xu Mu's eyelids twitched. "That's too much trouble, I'll let Nades take care of it."

Bai Nian paused. "Alright."

---

"Master, welcome back." Nades paused. "Why are you so flustered?"

Xu Mu: "...It's nothing."

Nades followed hesitantly, "Weren't you supposed to try on clothes?"

"Mm."

"Then why did you come back looking so flustered, like you were being chased by ghosts?" 

"...You're being a bit noisy, Nades," Xu Mu said expressionlessly. "Alright, I'm going to get ready for bed now, don't disturb me."

The automatic door closed quickly, almost shaving off Nades's metal nose.

Leaning against the door, Xu Mu took a deep breath.

He tugged at his collar, the contact of his overheated skin against the cool fabric felt like breaking free from a constraint.

Xu Mu lay back on the sofa, his arms spread out on the top, staring blankly at the ceiling.

The voices from earlier lingered softly in his ears.

"I'll help you... Yeah, it suits you very well... I'm sorry, did my fingers feel too cold?"

Xu Mu rubbed his face. What a ghost.

His neck felt as itchy as if he were having an allergic reaction.

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