“Qin Xun!”
Feng Yuan’s eyes widened when he saw Qin Xun.
He dashed over in quick steps, his small body throwing itself into Qin Xun’s embrace.
“Qin Xun, why are you here?”
Qin Xun lowered his gaze, cupped Feng Yuan’s little face, and noticed the dark circles under his eyes.
Feng Yuan and Rong Rong hadn’t slept well for two days. Both cubs are showing slight signs of fatigue.
Qin Xun gently touched the corner of Feng Yuan’s eye and asked, “Didn’t sleep well?”
Feng Yuan nodded pitifully.
“Yuan Yuan had scary dreams!”
Hearing this, Qin Xun whispered, “I’ll sleep with you tonight.”
“Mm!”
Feng Yuan nodded emphatically.
Although Qin Xun had come, he wasn’t participating in the recording.
He simply waited on the sidelines for Feng Yuan.
Whenever Feng Yuan sweated or wanted water, Qin Xun was right there with a towel to wipe his brow or a cup to offer a drink.
Their closeness was obvious to anyone with eyes.
After watching for a while, Yu Qingqing sighed with emotion, “Yuan Yuan, Qin Xun is so good to you!”
Yu Qingqing had originally thought Yao Yao was biased, only being nice to Yuan Yuan.
But now, after seeing Qin Xun, she understood what true favoritism looked like.
In Qin Xun’s eyes, it seemed like the other children didn’t exist at all.
His gaze was fixed solely on Yuan Yuan!
The more Yu Qingqing watched, the more envious she became. Eventually, she went to find her own father.
“Daddy, can you give me a big brother?”
“One like Qin Xun.”
Yu Qingqing wanted to be pampered just like Feng Yuan.
So, she asked for a big brother.
Yu Yiming listened to his daughter’s request, both amused and exasperated.
“Sweetheart, Mom and Dad can’t give you a big brother. We can only give you younger siblings.”
Upon hearing that she could only have younger siblings, Yu Qingqing shook her head immediately.
“I don’t want younger siblings!”
Unlike Feng Yuan, who adored little ones, Yu Qingqing didn’t like them, whether they were her own siblings or relatives’ children…
She didn’t like any of them!
Yu Yiming smiled and ruffled his daughter’s hair, reassuring her once again that they wouldn’t have a second child.
After sending his daughter away, Yu Yiming turned to chat with the other guests: “I had a vasectomy long ago. Raising this little troublemaker Qingqing is enough to make us go bald. If we had another one, we’d be done for.”
Like Feng Yuan, Yu Qingqing was never still for a moment.
At home, she kept the adults constantly on their toes.
While the adults chatted, the children played games.
They had a wide variety of games to choose from.
They tried every game the village children played.
As time passed, the sky gradually darkened.
Li Sheng glanced at the sky, his brow slightly furrowed.
He stood up and asked the director for his phone.
Then, he went to a secluded spot and made a call.
He dialed Qiong Qi directly.
The phone rang several times before someone answered, but it wasn’t Qiong Qi. It was Bai Ze.
“Hello, Li Sheng.”
Bai Ze checked the caller ID and knew the purpose of the call: “One of the dream eaters Qiong Qi captured just escaped.”
“He went after it. He’ll definitely catch it soon.”
“At the latest, he’ll deliver the dream eater to you tomorrow morning.”
As he spoke, Bai Ze also mentioned Feng Qi: “Feng Qi is here with me. He wanted to go see Yuan Yuan, but I stopped him.”
“I need to continue regulating his health.”
“Can you handle things on Yuan Yuan’s end?”
Feng Qi’s health had never been robust.
If it weren’t for Bai Ze’s timely appearance, Li Sheng alone wouldn’t have been able to sustain Feng Qi’s life earlier.
Li Sheng listened quietly to Bai Ze’s words and, after a long pause, responded with an “Mm.”
“Take good care of Feng Qi. Don’t worry about Yuan Yuan.”
After finishing the call with Bai Ze, Li Sheng still made a video call to Feng Qi.
It had been a few days since they last saw each other. As soon as Feng Qi’s face appeared on the screen, Li Sheng couldn’t take his eyes off him.
Unsurprisingly, their conversation revolved around Feng Yuan.
“If Yuan Yuan doesn’t sleep well again, he’s going to get fussy.”
Feng Qi knew his son well and was giving Li Sheng a heads-up.
“When he gets fussy, he’s hard to soothe. Maybe I should come over?”
“No.”
Li Sheng stopped him. “I can handle it. Focus on recovering. There’s no need for you to come.”
“Xiao Xun is here, too. With him around in the evening, it might be a bit easier.”
“If I really can’t manage, I’ll call you.”
“Alright.”
Feng Qi calculated that the program would be ending soon anyway.
The couple didn’t talk for long.
Feng Qi urged Li Sheng to hang up and go have dinner.
During dinner, Qin Xun appeared on camera.
He was sitting next to Feng Yuan. Though he didn’t say much, his actions spoke volumes. He was quietly taking care of Feng Yuan.
There were dates on the table.
As soon as Feng Yuan finished eating a date, Qin Xun’s hand was already there, ready to catch the pit.
The interaction between the two children caught Yao Yao’s attention. He felt a bit dejected.
Yao Yao had wanted to be Feng Yuan’s best friend, but it seemed he couldn’t compete with Qin Xun.
The meal not only left Yao Yao feeling down but also sent the live-stream fans into a frenzy.
“Ahhh! I almost forgot about Qin Xun! I know him! In the viral video where Yuan Yuan got spanked, he called out Qin Xun’s name!”
“This is Yuan Yuan’s childhood friend! Their bond is so sweet!”
“Qin Xun is so handsome. He’s the best-looking elementary schooler I’ve ever seen! Our Yuan Yuan is surrounded by good-looking people.”
“Emmm, am I the only one who feels like Qin Xun is a bit possessive?”
The live chat was flooded with comments.
The little ones being filmed couldn’t see the comments and were obediently waiting for their meal.
At the table, Li Sheng introduced Qin Xun.
“Xiao Xun is also part of our family.”
Qin Xun had been living with the Li family ever since he met Feng Yuan.
Although he and Feng Yuan shared a bedroom, the Li family had long prepared a separate room for him, fully equipped with everything he needed.
But he never slept there.
He was used to sharing a room with Feng Yuan.
The children had grown accustomed to the meals prepared by the adults.
After dinner, neither Li Sheng nor Chi Shui stayed to chat with the others.
The two families took their children and headed back first. They needed to put the little ones to bed.
With Qin Xun around, Li Sheng didn’t need to bathe Feng Yuan.
“Qin Xun, I can bathe myself.”
The chubby little guy, now clean and dressed in his cow-print pajamas, lifted his flushed face, still warm from the steam. He announced to Qin Xun, “I’ve grown up!”
He was a big kid now and could handle bathing, changing clothes, and eating on his own.
Qin Xun, blow-drying his hair, replied calmly, “You’re not older than me.”
Feng Yuan: “…”
Feng Yuan had no comeback.
He had originally thought that after a few more birthdays, he would be older than Qin Xun.
But later, his dad told him that no matter how many more birthdays he celebrated, he would never surpass Qin Xun.
Sigh.
He would always be younger than Qin Xun.
“Alright, your hair is dry now.”
After drying Feng Yuan’s hair, Qin Xun gently patted his head. “You can go to sleep now.”
Feng Yuan scrunched up his little face, feeling troubled at the mention of sleep.
Rong Rong, nestled in his big dad’s arms, let out a sigh like a little adult.
Both children closed their eyes on their own, without waiting for the adults to coax them.
While sleeping, Feng Yuan clung to Qin Xun like an octopus.
Qin Xun patted his back soothingly, hoping to lull him to sleep quickly.
Soon enough.
Feng Yuan and Rong Rong were fast asleep, their eyelids tightly shut, looking as if nothing could wake them.
Li Sheng and Chi Shui kept a close watch on the two children, not daring to let their guard down.
The room was quiet, and no one spoke.
Less than ten minutes later, the little faces of Feng Yuan and Rong Rong once again showed signs of distress, as if they were about to cry.
Li Sheng’s heart sank to the depths.
“It’s nightmares again.”
As he spoke, Li Sheng picked Feng Yuan up from the bed.
He had to wake him up.
Feng Yuan’s dreams were becoming increasingly terrifying.
If they let the two little ones finish their dreams, they might wake up traumatized.
Li Sheng lifted Feng Yuan and gently woke him.
Watching this, Qin Xun pursed his lips, his little face darkening with worry.
He was well aware of Feng Yuan’s sleep troubles.
But he hadn’t realized the situation was this severe.
“Uncle Li, is there really no solution?” Qin Xun asked. “Can we enter his dreams?”
Li Sheng replied, “We have to wait for the Dream Eater.”
Only the Dream Eater could enter dreams.
Since the Dream Eater hadn’t arrived yet, they had no choice but to endure.
Feng Yuan, now awake, looked listless and drained.
After being woken up and falling back asleep several times, Feng Yuan rubbed his eyes and looked at Li Sheng, murmuring in a tiny, sleepy voice, “Big Dad, are you not dead?”
Li Sheng’s heart clenched at the question.
He pressed his cheek against his son’s, letting him feel his warmth. “Yuan Yuan, Big Dad is alive.”
“Big Dad is right here.”
In Feng Yuan’s dreams, death was everywhere.
The people he loved most were dying right before his eyes.
After being tormented by exhaustion and fear for half the night, Feng Yuan opened his mouth and began to cry uncontrollably.
His little mind was too overwhelmed to think.
The emotional and mental anguish left him with only instinctive reactions.
He sobbed, wanting to sleep, wanting the nightmares to stop.
Rong Rong was crying, too.
Though his cries weren’t as loud as Feng Yuan’s, he was equally heartbroken.
The two fathers watched their weeping children, completely at a loss for what to do.
The cries of the two children even disturbed their neighbor.
Their neighbor, An Cheng, got dressed and knocked on their door late at night.
Qin Xun went to open the door.
An Cheng stepped inside and took in the scene. “Are Yuan Yuan and Rong Rong still having trouble sleeping?”
Qin Xun nodded and replied, “They have nightmares as soon as they fall asleep.”
Hearing this, An Cheng offered a suggestion.
“I brought some peach branches. Let’s try tapping them with the branches.”
With no cameras around, An Cheng didn’t mind sharing his little folk remedy with the two fathers.
“In my hometown, when children cry at night like this, it’s said they’ve encountered something unclean.”
“Tapping them with peach branches might help.”
An Cheng spoke while handing over the peach branch he had been clutching in his hand.
Before coming over, he had deliberately broken off a peach branch.
Li Sheng glanced at the branch, knowing full well it wouldn’t work. Peach branches could indeed ward off evil spirits, but only the ordinary kind. Their little ones’ nightmares weren’t caused by common malevolent forces.
Still, the two fathers didn’t refuse An Cheng’s goodwill. Grasping at straws, they took the peach branch and followed An Cheng’s instructions, gently tapping the two children with it and then patting other spots around the room.
Even after the ritual, the two little ones continued to cry.
Seeing this, An Cheng began invoking the Bedside Goddess. He tried all sorts of folk remedies, but none proved effective.
The children cried until their voices grew hoarse. Exhausted, they wanted to sleep. But the moment they dozed off, fear would jolt them awake again.
They had endured this since the previous night until the next morning. Their eyes were swollen like little walnuts.
An Cheng, too, had stayed up until morning, his face pale and drained, feeling utterly out of options.
When the director arrived and saw the pitiful state of the two children and the equally worn-out An Cheng, he was taken aback.
“What’s going on? Are Yuan Yuan and Rong Rong still not sleeping well?”
“Yes, they were up all night again.”
“This can’t go on!” The director grew anxious upon hearing they hadn’t slept. “You should take them to the hospital! It’s not a solution to keep pushing through like this.”
Children were fragile. If this continued, who knew what serious problems might arise? The mere thought made the director’s scalp tingle.
He urged the two fathers to take the children to the hospital. After some thought, Li Sheng requested a half-day leave. He and Chi Shui also got their phones back.
During the morning livestream, Feng Yuan and Rong Rong were absent. However, the two little ones made a brief appearance at Feng Yuan’s request.
With eyes swollen from crying, he spoke in a hoarse, childish voice to the livestream audience, asking for leave.
“Uncles, aunties, brothers, and sisters, Yuan Yuan will record the show a little later.”
“Wah… Yuan Yuan is so sleepy.”
As Feng Yuan sobbed out his request, the aunties in the livestream felt their hearts break at the sight of the two pitiful children.
“My poor babies! Aunty’s tears are about to fall!”
“Don’t worry, Yuan Yuan, take your time to rest. Aunty wants to see a healthy and happy Yuan Yuan!”
“Baby Rong looks so miserable. Oh my goodness! What’s really going on with these two?”
Although Feng Yuan and Rong Rong were on leave and not participating in the recording, discussions about them showed no signs of fading. The number of viewers in the livestream didn’t drop either.
Watching the surge in popularity, the director felt little excitement. He had grown accustomed to such explosive traffic. With Feng Yuan around, topping headlines was a given. Feng Yuan was truly a magnet for attention!
At that moment, the director had only one prayer in his heart: for the two children to recover quickly. He was genuinely worried about them.
Just like the director, the adults in Feng Yuan’s family were deeply concerned. Pressured relentlessly by Bai Ze, Qiong Qi finally managed to deliver the dream eaters around ten in the morning.
The two dream eaters, resembling fluffy balls, were timid by nature. They chirped nervously, trying to escape.
Qiong Qi handed them over to Li Sheng but didn’t leave immediately. Crossing his arms with a stern expression, he explained how to use the dream eaters.
“Place these two by the bedside and let the kids sleep.”
“Don’t worry. As soon as you start dreaming, the dream eater will enter your dream and devour all the bad things in it.”
Dream eaters are capable of consuming dreams.
After Qiong Qi finished speaking, the two big dads wasted no time and immediately had the little ones go to sleep.
Feng Yuan and Rong Rong lay side by side on the same bed, their small heads resting next to the dream eaters.
The dream eaters were tiny, no larger than the palm of a hand.
The two of them had initially intended to flee. But the oppressive aura in the room made them too afraid to run.
Left with no choice, the two furry balls curled up into plump spheres, pretending to be lifeless.
Just as they were feigning death, the scent of dreams drifted into their nostrils.
They sniffed the air intently.
The taste of nightmares wasn’t particularly pleasant. Unless they were starving, they wouldn’t normally consume nightmares.
The furry balls cautiously lifted their heads and glanced at the two little ones having nightmares.
They weren’t particularly hungry at the moment.
But they were prepared to eat the nightmares anyway.
Because there was another instinct ingrained in the nature of dream eaters—
They adored children.
Even if they weren’t hungry, even if their bellies were full, if they saw a child having a nightmare, they would still step in to devour the nightmare.
Children were so small. Having nightmares would frighten them.
As for adults, even if they were scared half to death by nightmares, dream eaters would simply watch coldly!
These little furry balls were soft-hearted toward children but utterly indifferent toward adults.
“Squeak, squeak.”
With a soft chirp, the two furry balls began to turn translucent.
A minute later, they vanished on the spot.
“They’ve entered the dream,” Qiong Qi said indifferently. “Once they finish eating the nightmares, it’ll be over.”
These two furry balls were to be taken back after the little ones were done with them.
He planned to place them in his illusory realm.
With the dream eaters inside the dreams, the adults had no way of knowing what was happening and could only wait anxiously.
Qin Xun sat down beside Feng Yuan.
He lowered his gaze, carefully observing Feng Yuan’s expression.
Even after the dream eaters had entered the dream, Feng Yuan’s little face still hadn’t relaxed.
Perhaps the dream eaters hadn’t started their feast yet.
Meanwhile, Feng Yuan, who was being watched by Qin Xun, had already encountered the dream eaters in his nightmare.
In the dream, the dream eaters weren’t as cute as they appeared outside.
Unlike their external form, the dream eaters in the dream were enormous.
Feng Yuan’s view was completely blocked by the massive dream eater.
All he could see was the dream eater. The horrifying scenes of his loved ones’ tragic deaths were no longer visible.
This brought a brief respite to Feng Yuan’s frightened little heart.
“Don’t be afraid, little one. You’ll be having sweet dreams soon,” the dream eater said confidently, opening its mouth wide to begin eating.
It ate and ate. But as it continued, it began to sense something was wrong.
The dreams it was consuming tasted foul!
This wasn’t the flavor of a nightmare. It was…
Before the dream eater could figure it out, its body started crackling and popping with explosions.
To be precise, the sounds of explosions were coming from inside its body.
Just as the dream eater was “exploding” with vigor, a figure appeared in Feng Yuan’s line of sight.
“You even brought dream eaters here. How thoughtful.”
“But unfortunately, even dream eaters are useless.”
The speaker’s identity made Feng Yuan widen his eyes in shock.
“You’re the evil demon!”
The great demon his father had been searching for, the one who had escaped time and time again. It turned out he had been hiding in Feng Yuan’s dreams!
Feng Yuan stared at the demon’s face and charged forward, ready to fight.
But he was no match for it.
The other party laughed heartily, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Weren’t you looking for me? Didn’t you want to eliminate me?”
“Now I’m telling you. I live right here.”
“Come and get me if you dare!”
In the real world, the Great Demon had been cornered by Feng Qi time and again, nearly meeting his end on several occasions.
But now, he had found the perfect dwelling.
He resided within Feng Yuan’s dreams.
With a malicious chuckle, he taunted Feng Yuan—
“There’s only one way to destroy me.”
“I exist in your dreams, which means I am bound to you.”
“If you die, your dreams will vanish, and so will I.”
“So, what do you say, little phoenix? Do you dare to die?”
The Great Demon knew that if this choice were presented to Feng Qi, he would not hesitate to sacrifice himself.
He understood Feng Qi’s nature all too well.
During the purges against him, Feng Qi had relentlessly expended his own vital energy to eradicate him.
Feng Qi feared not death.
But he would surely fear his son’s death.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152