Chapter 173: Who?
"Really? Who am I going to meet today? Why aren’t you coming with me?"The little boy tilted his head, his round eyes wide with worry.
The middle-aged man chuckled softly and patted the boy’s messy hair. "I’m not going because I don’t need to, kiddo. You’re the one who’s been saying you wanted to meet your mother, remember?"
The little boy pouted, his lower lip wobbling as he shook his head stubbornly. "But I need you there with me! What if she tries to take me away?" His voice dropped to a whisper, like he was confessing a terrible secret. "I just want to know what she looks like... it’s not like I wanna go with her or anything. I love you."
The man laughed, a warm rumble in his chest, and patted the boy’s head again, ruffling his soft hair. "And I love you too, little rascal. You’re all grown up now—you can handle this. Besides, she’ll also introduce you to another man today."
The boy’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Another man?"
The man waved a hand casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal. "Don’t worry about how he’s related to you. Just treat him politely, but—" he leaned down, lowering his voice like he was sharing a top-secret mission, "—be alert. And whatever you do, don’t let him take your hair."
The boy gasped, clamping both hands protectively over his head. "Take my hair?!" he squeaked. His small hands desperately patted his hair down like he was afraid it would vanish right then and there. "No, no! I don’t want to go! I’ll look horrible without my hair! There’s a boy in my class who went bald and—and—and the sun reflected off his head! You could see it! Like a shiny plate!" His voice cracked in horror, and his little legs twitched like he was ready to bolt for his room.
Laughing so hard he had to wipe the corner of his eyes, the man scooped the boy up and pressed a kiss to his soft, white cheek. "Silly goose. I meant a strand of your hair, not all your hair."
The boy froze in his arms, still suspicious, still clutching his head. "Just one?" he mumbled.