Ferocious Dog of Old

Tao Huainan moved in tearfully, while Chi Ku kept retreating backwards, frowning.

Reaching out an arm, Tao Xiaodong came over and shifted Tao Huainan away, saying, “You two have to keep a distance away from each other the next few days. Measles are contagious.”

“Ah?” Tao Huainan looked a bit confused as soon as he heard his brother and asked, “But what’s measles?” 

“Little bumps all over the body.” Tao Xiaodong had it before as a child; back then, all children would get it. As soon as one child in class got it, so would everyone else—which was why he wasn’t that worried.

“Does it hurt?” Tao Huainan moved his eyes over to where Chi Ku was, worried. “Does it eetch?”

“It doesn’t hurt or itch.” Tao Xiaodong was once again amused by his random accented speech, and he patted Tao Huainan’s bum twice, telling him to hurry and go to sleep.

Tao Huainan lay down. Tao Xiaodong had the hotel bring up another blanket and got them to take away the blanket he’d used just then to wrap Chi Ku in; he covered Chi Ku in the fresh blanket.

Tao Huainan was softly calling out for Chi Ku.

Chi Ku replied, “What?”

“Are you scared?” Tao Huainan asked.

“No.”

Tao Huainan then said, “Don’t be scared, both ge and I are on the bed over here.”

Chi Ku really wasn’t that fragile—since he wasn’t in pain or itchy, he didn’t take the sickness seriously. He didn’t really feel it other than the fever making his entire body a bit uncomfortable. He covered himself well with the blanket, closed his eyes and said to Tao Huainan, “Sleeping.”

“Yes, go to sleep.” Tao Huainan was no longer crying; there was nothing to cry about now that both his brother and Chi Ku were back. Tao Xiaodong cleaned his face and his hands with a wet wipe, and Tao Huainan actively lifted his chin for his brother to scrub it as well.

After settling both of them in, Tao Xiaodong went to shower. He was a bit tired, too.

When he came out of the shower, he saw both of the children were in their own respective beds—but they lay on their sides, faces turned towards each other. 

He turned off the lights, and Tao Xiaodong heard Tao Huainan breathily say, “Ge, be a bit quieter…”

Tao Xiaodong pulled him into his arms, his hand resting on that soft little belly. “Hurry up and sleep.”

“How long will it take for Chi Ku to get better?” Tao Huainan softly asked, his hands on his brother’s arm.

“Four, five days? Around that long.” Tao Xiaodong’s other hand swept over Tao Huainan’s eyes, and he squeezed him like a big doll. “If you keep talking, I’m going to chuck you out.”

Only then did Tao Huainan sleep—but he remained worried.

–

As soon as Chi Ku opened his eyes the next morning, he saw a small head by the corner of his pillow. A large, round pair of eyes was staring at him, and they were focused in a slightly wrong direction; the person they belonged to was silently, slowly breathing.

Chi Ku froze and asked, “What are you doing?”

“You’re awake?” Tao Huainan immediately came to attention, and he reached out a hand, wanting to touch him, before he hesitated and pulled it back. He asked, “Have the rashes disappeared yet?”

Chi Ku raised a hand; they were still there, and he now even had little red dots all over his hand and arm.

“No. Stay away from me.” Chi Ku moved backwards.

Tao Huainan was also a bit afraid. He didn’t know what measles were, and his heart trembled at the thought of growing bumps all over his body.

Tao Xiaodong came out of the bathroom, and he found that the sight of Tao Huainan plopped on his butt next to the bed was a bit cute—but he still told him to not get too close.

Heading over, Tao Xiaodong asked if Chi Ku was still feeling unwell. Chi Ku didn’t have much energy due to his fever, only shaking his head.

Tao Huainan didn’t hear anything, so he asked again, “Are you still uncomfortable?”

Chi Ku found him naggy, but he didn’t say anything else, only replying, “No.”

Tao Huainan let out an ‘ah’, and then he went quiet, sitting by his side.

–

Because of Chi Ku’s measles, they weren’t able to play for another two days like they’d originally planned. Tao Xiaodong took them home early. Tao Huainan’s scarf was now wrapped around Chi Ku’s face since measles couldn’t be exposed to the wind. His face was already warm and slightly swollen from the measles, and now with the scarf around it, it felt even more uncomfortable.

Chi Ku took off the scarf as soon as he got into the car. Tao Huainan sat on the other side and chatted with him.

The thing Chi Ku was most unwilling to do was to talk about random things, and yet Tao Huainan had to be a little chatterbox. Luckily, Tao Huainan easily fell asleep in the car; not long after, he was already sleeping. With his measles, Chi Ku didn’t dare get Tao Huainan to lie on his legs, so he called out, “Ge.”

Tao Xiaodong looked back, and Chi Ku pointed at Tao Huainan’s direction with his chin.

Tao Xiaodong said, “Don’t worry about it, just let him sleep.”

It was easy to startle awake when falling asleep while sitting up—the head would nod lower again and again when dozing off, and people tended to look where they were and sit back upright after waking before continuing to sleep. A small blind child wouldn’t be able to do that; after startling awake, he wouldn’t be able to figure out where he was. He’d be very confused once his body curved over, and so he consistently groped around with a hand whenever he fell asleep. Every time he woke up, he would always be shocked.

Chi Ku heard the sudden sound of something smacking the seat, and he opened his eyes. Tao Huainan had one hand on the car door, his other hand clinging to the side of the seat. He didn’t dare let go.

Chi Ku looked at him for a while, frowning.

When Tao Xiaodong looked over again, Tao Huainan was already resting his head on Chi Ku’s lap. Chi Ku’s body was twisted away, and he’d stuffed his head into the space between the car door and the headrest of his seat. With his face turned upwards, he was breathing deeply and heavily.

Tao Xiaodong watched that scene for a good while. He kept looking at it, and for a moment, he wasn’t able to describe the feeling that popped up in his heart. 

–

Tao Huainan had already been vaccinated when he was younger, so Tao Xiaodong actually wasn’t that worried about him. Besides, even if he did catch measles, it wasn’t that big of a deal—it was hard to prevent children from catching this or catching that. There was no need to really worry about the small sicknesses. He himself wasn’t someone who lived all that carefully, and Tao Huainan had grown up to be so delicate only because of his eyes. 

So when Tao Huainan continued to cling to Chi Ku after getting home, Tao Xiaodong didn’t stop him—go ahead and play.

Tao Huainan willingly became Chi Ku’s little servant; if he had his way, he would’ve done everything for him, like pouring him tea and water, feeding him and getting him fruit. Their home may be big, but Tao Huainan was very familiar with it. He also waited upon Chi Ku very happily, wanting him to quickly get better.

But how could Chi Ku handle it—it was too torturous. Before the measles could do anything to him, Tao Huainan would probably already annoy him to death. 

That night, Tao Xiaodong was going to come home later than usual, not sure until when he might work. The nanny was going to sleep on the sofa as usual, while Tao Huainan and Chi Ku slept upstairs. Tao Huainan wanted to sleep with Chi Ku, but the nanny coaxed him, not letting him go.

Once the nanny was asleep, Tao Huainan clutched his little blanket and quietly groped into Chi Ku’s room, barefoot. 

Chi Ku heard him search his way up into the bed, and he didn’t drive him away; he gave Tao Huainan some space.

Tao Huainan finished climbing up and laid himself down. He first covered himself with his little blanket, and then he snuggled his way into Chi Ku’s blanket.

“Don’t be scared… I’ll stay with you,” Tao Huainan softly, lightly said, easing closely to Chi Ku’s ear.

Chi Ku made a noise in response, and it was a rare moment for him to not find Tao Huainan annoying. He only said, “Don’t get too close to me.”

“I’m not scared.” Tao Huainan patted him—he patted the side of his waist, just like how his older brother would usually soothe him. “Get better quickly.”

Both Tao Huainan and the little blanket wrapped around his body were warm; the feeling of them next to Chi Ku’s body was both soft and comfortable. It felt like Tao Huainan had gotten addicted to taking care of Chi Ku: he kept patting him like a small adult. But he patted himself asleep first, and the palm of his hot little hand rested on Chi Ku. They were surrounded by that sweet, sticky fragrance of milk coming from Tao Huainan’s body.

The measles went away quite quickly. Before Tao Huainan had gotten tired of taking care of Chi Ku, the little red dots on Chi Ku’s body were already slowly disappearing.

When Tao Huainan heard, he was extraordinarily happy, saying, “That’s fantastic.”

Tao Xiaodong had just gotten off the phone with Tian Yi. Seeing Tao Huainan’s joyful, cheerful face, he really didn’t have the heart to tell him the news.

“Baby, Tian Yi-ge is coming over in a bit,” Tao Xiaodong said, stroking his head.

Tao Huainan nodded and asked, smiling, “Is he bringing Shi Yeye back? I miss him.”

Tao Xiaodong caressed him from his head to his neck—there were some things that were truly hard to say in front of children. Many things were cruel even to adults, let alone children who were filled with only innocence and kindness.

“Do you miss mom and dad?” Tao Xiaodong asked him.

Tao Huainan blinked in slight confusion. Before the smile on his face disappeared, he lowered his head and said, “Yes.”  

“Ge misses them too.” Tao Xiaodong watched him. The two of them didn’t look too similar to each other—Tao Xiaodong resembled their father more, while Tao Huainan looked more like their mother.

Even though Tao Huainan wasn’t really able to understand anything from his older brother’s words, he was still able to instinctively sense the emotions carried within his brother’s voice.

“What do you think about letting Shi Yeye go and stay with mom and dad?” Tao Xiaodong knelt down, kneeling in front of him and continuing to look at Tao Huainan.

Tao Huainan immediately raised his face, his mouth opening, and yet nothing came out for a while.

Tao Xiaodong gently said, “Shi Yeye is already very old.”

“Ah……” Tao Xiaodong didn’t know if Tao Huainan understood or not; he only made that noise and then stopped moving.

Chi Ku came out from his room and sat next to Tao Huainan. Tao Huainan slightly helplessly looked in that direction. 

“He really likes you, but he can’t continue staying by your side anymore.” Tao Xiaodong looked at Tao Huainan’s blank eyes; the words slightly clogged up in his throat. He stroked his face and ears and asked, “Let’s send him off together today?” 

Tao Huainan’s two hands clenched onto the sofa next to his legs. He quietly asked, “Send him where…”

Tao Xiaodong couldn’t answer that question, and neither did he want to.

Tao Huainan’s head remained lowered, and he slowly dug his fingers into the sofa. There were two hangnails on his fingertips, and they slightly hurt as his fingers pushed into the cushion. He kept scratching and scratching—and then he stopped and said in a low, muffled voice, “But I… But I don’t want to send him away.”